Osteochondrosis is a degenerative process that occurs in the articular cartilage and adjacent bone tissues.Doctors define this disease as a degenerative-destructive lesion of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs: they lose moisture, decrease height and elasticity.
Osteochondrosis “looked younger”
If just a few decades ago articular cartilage began to deteriorate in people over 40 years of age, today the disease occurs even in adolescence.
Doctors cite many reasons for this unpleasant trend.An unhealthy lifestyle, together with an unfavorable environmental situation and a deterioration in the standard of living, cause premature wear and deformation of bone and cartilage structures.
Constantly being in an unnatural position, a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition accompany all people.Few people think about the prevention of osteochondrosis, neglecting physical exercise, a balanced diet and an approach to maintaining one's own health in general.The result of such unconsciousness is often sad.
Main causes of osteochondrosis.
Experts still argue about how many true factors exist in the formation of the disease.Unconditional reasons include:
- individual predisposition;
- segmental circulatory disorders;
- changes acquired with age;
- damage to the annulus fibrosus;
- overweight;
- constant loads;
- poor nutrition;
- bad habits;
- failure of the body during menopause;
- sedentary work.
Stages of development of osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis is classified into stages, taking into account clinical signs, the degree of tissue damage and the patient's level of discomfort.The pathological process occurs in four stages:
- Preclinical.First of all, the basic level of nutrition of the intervertebral discs decreases, their elasticity and firmness deteriorates.No changes can be detected on the x-ray.The patient may experience mild fatigue, mild malaise, stiffness, dizziness, headache;
- Stage of discogenic radiculitis.The annulus fibrosus slowly begins to deform (cracks and bulges appear).The pain becomes sharper and sudden, the discomfort becomes more noticeable.A symptom like “lumbago” appears, the limbs begin to go numb;
- Vascular-radicular stage.The fibrinous ring completely loses its shape.From this moment on, hernias can form.X-rays are very informative.The subjective sensations of patients are pronounced (pain, acute attacks of pain, constant discomfort).Frequent muscle spasms appear and performance decreases sharply.If the nerve fibers suffer, the first signs of dysfunction of the internal systems are inevitable;
- As the height of the vertebrae decreases, friction between them begins.Osteophytes may appear as a compensatory mechanism.These are specific osteogrowths that help strengthen the area where the friction was most intense.But osteophytes can cause inflammatory processes in the surrounding soft tissues, aggravating the pathological condition.
Symptoms of the disease: emphasis on the well-being of patients.
Osteochondrosis is characterized by a whole galaxy of very different symptoms.This is due to the breadth of the pathological process itself and its influence on most organs of the human body.There are several main syndromes that manifest themselves in patients suffering from osteochondrosis:
- Static syndrome.When the vertebrae lose their shape, posture inevitably changes.Signs of kyphosis, scoliosis and lordosis appear.The discomfort is accompanied by a feeling of stiffness;
- Neurological syndrome.Damage to the nervous tissue causes paresthesia (altered sensitivity) of different areas, accompanied by a feeling of numbness, tingling and "crawling";
- Vascular syndrome.Due to the compression (squeezing) of large vessels and capillaries by deformed vertebrae, blood circulation is disturbed.Result: nausea, dizziness, paleness, signs of lack of oxygen;
- Symptom of trophism.Since tissue nutrition is disturbed (due to compression of small vessels), trophic ulcers may appear on the surface of the skin.
Cervical osteochondrosis
The first manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis is headache.Pain relievers do not relieve pain.Usually the pain begins in the parietal area and gently flows to the temporal region.Over time, the patient begins to feel discomfort and numbness in the shoulder girdle.
Due to impaired blood supply to the brain, a person may experience dizziness, nausea, and increased tinnitus.If the nutrition of the optical zone is disturbed, visual acuity usually decreases sharply.
Older people may suddenly lose consciousness and have difficulties with memory and coordination.Rare symptoms include difficulty breathing, anxiety and hiccups.
Thoracic osteochondrosis
The thoracic region is the least affected.One of the main causes of the appearance of pathology is considered to be scoliosis and improper work at a desk (i.e. sedentary work).The patient experiences dull pain from the beginning of the development of the disease.As the disease progresses, it causes other symptoms: chest pain, numbness, paresthesia, pain in the liver and kidney area.
In differential diagnosis, deformation processes in the thoracic region can be confused with myocardial infarction and intercostal neuralgia.This ECG and a more exhaustive examination (absence of cyanosis, paleness, sallow skin) allow the diagnosis to be made with precision.
Lumbosacral osteochondrosis
The most common type of osteochondrosis.This is due to the fact that this area of the spine carries the greatest load.Hernias occur most often here, which complicates the clinical picture.
The main symptoms: prolonged pain, a feeling of muscle pain, malaise, rare lumbago, paresthesia, which stops from time to time and then resumes.The degree of sensitivity of the skin of the feet, legs and thighs can vary.
A common cause of osteochondrosis in this department is trauma, mechanical compression and intense physical activity.One of the most unpleasant consequences of lumbosacral deformities is the “slip” of the vertebra and problems in the functioning of nearby organs.
What will pain in osteochondrosis tell you about?
Depending on where the deformation processes occur most intensely, the nature and specificity of the pain depends.The main feature: damaged vertebrae will pinch the nerve roots, causing pain in the area for which the nerve plexuses are responsible.
The problems can be distributed as follows:
- Cervical region: headaches, stiffness in the neck and shoulders, disturbances in vision, breathing and other important functions;
- Thoracic region: pain in the heart, lumbago in the arm and internal organs, impaired digestive function, arrhythmias, problems with the functioning of the endocrine system.The pain is always strong and sharp;
- Lower back: constant pain, malfunction of the genitourinary system, congestion in the pelvis, reproductive dysfunction.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis.
The doctor should collect as complete a history as possible.During the examination, the specialist palpates the areas where the pain is most pronounced.
An x-ray examination will be informative.Especially in the later stages of the disease.
Modern diagnostic methods include MRI and CT, which make it possible to more accurately examine the destruction processes of cartilage and bone tissue.Additionally, using this technique it is convenient to diagnose hernias and other soft tissue defects close to the origin of the disease.
For differential diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, an ECG is used.The patient must undergo a general blood and urine test.
Working at a computer and the development of osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis is an insidious disease.It affects both the “office plankton”, who sit all the time in front of the computer, and hard workers who subject their health to extraordinary stress.Irrational work, non-compliance with the rules for the prevention of osteochondrosis and an unhealthy lifestyle provoke the rapid destruction of bone and cartilage tissue.
The modern youth generation is too "computerized".Many medical professionals cite this as one of the main reasons why osteochondrosis has become so common and affects very young people.Top tips from experts:
- You need to monitor your posture and position at your desk;
- Even during hard work, it is important to take a break and “stretch” your body;
- You cannot tolerate discomfort while sitting at the computer.The body, especially the back, must be comfortable;
- Active lifestyle.Work or free time in front of the computer should be alternated with sports activities or light gymnastics.
Wrong lifestyle
An unbalanced diet causes osteochondrosis.Junk food attacks on several “fronts” at once.Firstly, obesity caused by fast food and similar snacks is one of the underlying causes of spinal dysfunction.And the salts deposited and other harmful elements in the bones only aggravate the problem, accelerating the destructive processes.
Alcohol and smoking have similar effects.Harmful substances affect the cellular level and have a destructive effect on bone tissue and cartilage surfaces, which are the most sensitive to nicotine.
By reviewing your lifestyle, diet and eradicating bad habits, you can prevent the appearance or progression of osteochondrosis.The ability to move with ease and freedom is a true luxury, a gift of nature to every person.Unfortunately, the value of painless movements becomes clear only when the pathological process immobilizes the human body.
Taking care of your health today means a happy and fulfilled life in the future.