Osteochondrosis is a spinal disease characterized by intervertebral disc deterioration with a significant decrease in its height, vertebral disc surface sclerosis and regional osteophytes reactive growth.
Disc cartilage tissue affected by osteochondrosis gradually was reborn and turned into bone.The hard drive decreases in size, loss of shock absorption properties between the vertebra and begins to press on the nerve end, leading to the appearance of painful sensations.
The early stages of osteochondrosis are most commonly not real with any unpleasant sensations in the spine and can be diagnosed as an internal organ disease, and true diagnosis is detected only after passing many examinations.
With localization, cervical osteochondrosis, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and commonly distinguished.Often, lumbar osteochondrosis (over 50%of cases), cervical osteochondrosis (more than 25%) and normal (about 12%) is diagnosed.
The intervertebral disc is a chip fiber plate.In the middle of the disc is a core surrounded by fibrous rings (tendons that resemble cloth).The intervertebral disc has no vascular system and is therefore eating at the expense of other tissues.An important source of nutrients for the disc is the back muscles, it is their distraction that most often leads to the development of the disease.When lifting weights, jumping and other physical energy, the disc acts as a shock absorber and supports the required distance between the vertebrae.Due to the biggest burden of falling on the lumbar spine, it is in it, protrusions and intervertebral hernia, which is a complication of the disease, is most often formed.
Intervertebral disc protence- Discola (prolapse) discs without breaking the fibrous ring.
Intervertebral disc hernia- Theolaps of the disc with the rupture of the fibrous ring and the "flow" of the jet nucleus.Especially often, hernia is formed when the spine or during simultaneous tilt and converting the body to the side is formed, especially if there are heavy objects in the hand.In this position, the intervertebral disc suffers a huge load, the pressure in the intervertebral disc increases, the vertebra is pressed on one side of the disc and the core is forced to move across and press on the fibrous ring.At one point, the fibrous ring did not withstand such a load and a prominent disc (the fibrous ring was stretched, but it remained whole) or the hernia formed (fibrous rings and part of the nucleus content "flowed" through success).With increased load on the spine and creating conditions to increase pressure in damaged intervertebral discs, the hernia increases the size.
It is very important for the direction of the hernia and the size of the hernia, if the hernia comes forward or to the side, this can cause the pain and work affected by some organs, and when it stands towards the spinal cord and damage, it can be more serious.If the intervertebral hernia affects the nervous process or root of the spinal segment, this leads to a violation of organ functioning, in which the spinal segment is responsible.Other options are possible: due to the discounting of the disc in one direction, across the distance between the vertebrae decreases and this leads to pinching the nerve process by the vertebra itself.Intervertebral hernia in the lumbar region most often causes pain in the legs, hernia in the thoracic region contributes to dizziness, liver pain, respiratory organs, etc., hernia in the cervical spine can cause headaches, dizziness, and numbness.The most dangerous intervertebral hernia is size of more than 10 mm, significantly narrowing the spinal cord, surrounding blood vessels and injuring nerves, prolonged exposure that leads not only to severe pain, but also to circulatory disorders, loss of sensitivity in the limbs with subsequent complications.But the most dangerous isolated intervertebral disc hernia, which is a hernia ready for the destruction or separation of debris, followed by lowering it to the spinal cord, which can cause severe consequences: impaired function of the pelvic and paralysis of the lower leg.
Causes of osteochondrosis
The causes that cause changes in the intervertebral disc is not fully studied.People are beginning to experience the most frequent manifestations of osteochondrosis after 35 years.The development and severity of the disease is facilitated by various back injuries, static and dynamic loads, and vibrations.The older man, the more manifestations he has.But in recent years, more and more people aged 18 to 30 have complained about back pain.There are many reasons for the early manifestations of the disease: poor physical exercise, violations of posture and spinal curvature, flat feet and excess weight.
Therefore, we will highlight the main reason:
- descent (genetic) tendency;
- metabolic disorders in the body, infection, intoxication;
- overweight, improper nutrition (lack of trace and fluid elements);
- Age -related changes;
- spinal injury (bruises, fractures);
- violations of posture, spinal curvature, hypermobility (instability) of spinal column segment, flat feet;
- poor environmental conditions;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- Work related to weight lifting, frequent changes in body position (turn, bending and extension, jerking movement);
- Prolonged exposure to a troublesome pose in standing, sitting, lying, while lifting and moving weight, while doing other work where pressure in the disc and load on the spine generally increases;
- excessive physical activity, uneven bone muscle system;
- Spinal burden associated with foot disease, as well as wearing uncomfortable shoes, high heels and pregnancy in women;
- sharp stops of regular training by professional athletes;
- nerve overstrain, stress situation, smoking;
- Hypothermia, bad weather conditions (high humidity at low temperatures).
Symptoms of characteristic osteochondrosis
Patients suffering from osteochondrosis complain of persistent back pain, which numbness and pain in the limbs often combine.In the absence of adequate treatment, weight loss and limb atrophy occur.
The main symptoms:
- persistent pain in the back, numbness and pain in the limbs;
- Increased pain during movement -suddenly, physical energy, weight lifting, coughing and sneezing;
- reduction in the amount of movement, muscle cramps;
- with cervical spinal osteochondrosis: pain in the hands, shoulders, headaches;It is possible to develop formed vertebral artery syndrome, consisting of the following complaints: headache, dizziness, "flies", colored spots before the eyes are combined with burning headaches.Causes of vertebral arterial syndrome may be its cramps in response to direct irritation of the plexus sympathetic due to bone growth, disc hernia, intervertebral joint arthrosis, and reflex reactions due to irritation of spinal receptors.The presence of vertebral artery syndrome can worsen the course of coronary or heart pathology if any;
- with thoracic spinal osteochondrosis: chest pain (such as "importance" in the chest), in the heart and other internal organs;
- with lumbosacral spinal osteochondrosis: lower back pain, radiating into the sacrum, lower limbs, sometimes into the pelvic organs;
- Nerve root injury (with intervertebral disc hernia, bone growth, spondylolistz, spondylo arthrosis): pain and sensitivity, hypotrophy, hypotension, weakness in the spreading muscles, and decreased reflexes.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
Early diagnosis is established during the patient's initial examination.Examinations are usually conducted by neurologists related to patients' complaints to local changes, which can be manifested with pain, deformation or mobility limitations.The spine is examined in the position of the patient standing, sitting and lying, well resting and moving.The degree of damage to the spine is determined by calculating the number of vertebrae from a particular anatomical landmark or according to a special scheme.
When examining the back, attention is paid to posture, features of body structure, spinous process line (median furrow from the back), the lower corner of the shoulder blade, the iliac bone ridge, the side contour and the neck paid, next to the spine.
Feeling the spine allows you to add inspection data (presence or absence of deformation), determining localization, degree and pain.When feeling, muscle tension located on the spine is also observed, as most injuries and spinal cord disease are accompanied by increased muscle tone.
The spinal flexion is used to determine the amplitude of movement in various parts of the spine.
The main roles in spinal studies are given to radiography, calculated tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, in which the level of damage is determined, diagnosis is determined and concrete, hidden pathology is lowered.This diagnostics allows the doctor to attend to determine the treatment tactics and choose the most effective treatment method.
Method of treatment of osteochondrosis and complications
Osteochondrosis treatmentAnd its complications are carried out using a conservative method aimed at eliminating pain syndrome, impairment of spinal cord function and preventing the development of dystrophic changes in the spinal structure.With ineffective conservative treatment and in special indications, surgical treatment (surgery) is performed, the amount depends on the degree of damage and clinical manifestations of the disease.
The duration of treatment of osteochondrosis and its complications mainly depends on the severity of the disease, age -related changes, treatment methods, as well as careful prescriptions and recommendations from the doctor.As the practice shows, the active phase of treatment in most cases lasts for 1-3 months when using a conservative method, and the recovery period after surgery is about 1 year.At the beginning of the treatment, in some patients, it is possible to increase the pain syndrome associated with the reaction of the muscle system and other formations for exceptional exposure to the body.Pain is stopped in a short time with physiotherapy procedures, medications, and special physical training.The results of treatment largely depend on the behavior of the patient himself, where patience, perseverance, perseverance, certain will is required, and the desire to recover.The biggest efficiency of therapy and conservative recovery after surgery can be achieved in a specialized medical center and sanatorium equipped with modern diagnostic and therapeutic basis, as well as high -quality practitioners using comprehensive treatment of musculoskeletal system disease.
Complex conservative treatments include physiotherapy, physiotherapy, massage, manual therapy, charm (charm) spine, reflexology, and drug therapy.
Medical Physical Education (Training Therapy)-The main benefits of conservative treatment of the musculoskeletal system, are to create a dosage load aimed at declining nerve root, correction and strengthening of the muscle corset, improving the volume and development of certain stereotypes and proper positioning, this is achieved by the regular classes of recovery equipment and articular gymnastics.As a result of exercise, improving blood circulation, metabolism and dietary discs are normalized, intervertebral space increases, muscle corsets formed and reduced spine load.
Physiotherapy is a method of treatment that uses physical factors: low frequency current, magnetic field, ultrasound, laser, and more.It is used to relieve pain, inflammation, recovery after injury and surgery.When using physiotherapy methods, the treatment of many diseases is reduced, the effectiveness of drug use and decrease in their dose increases, no side effects exist in the treatment of drugs.
Massage is a set of mechanical dose effect techniques in the form of friction, pressure, vibration, which is performed directly on the surface of the human body by hand.Effectively relieves muscle tension, muscle aches, improves blood circulation, has general strengthening effects.
Manual therapy is an individually selected manual effect on the bone system to emit acute and chronic pain in the spine and joints, as well as increased the amount of movement and posture correction.One area of manual therapy is visceral manual therapy, which helps restore normal organ mobility, increase blood supply, lymphocytes, normalize metabolism, restore immunity, prevent the spread of chronic diseases.
Connection (attractiveness) of the spine is an effective method for treating the pain syndrome in the spine, and the joints use the load selected individually using special equipment.This procedure is aimed at improving the intervertebral space, eliminating pain and restoring the right spinal shape anatomy.
Reflexotherapy - a variety of therapeutic techniques and methods of influence in the human body's reflexogenic zone and acupuncture points.The use of reflexology in combination with other therapeutic methods significantly improves its effectiveness.Often, reflexology is used for osteochondrosis, accompanied by pain, nervous system disease, sleep disorders, mental imbalance, and weight loss and tobacco curls.By acting at certain points, one can bring the body into harmony and treat many diseases.
Drug therapy is indicated during the hunting of the disease, which aims to stop the pain syndrome, remove the inflammation and improve the metabolic process by taking or administering the drug using intramuscular or intravenous injection.
Although each of the above methods is a very effective therapeutic effect, it can only be obtained only in combination with the class on recovery equipment, which is when creating a full muscle corset.