Osteochondrosis is a disease of the spine characterized by degeneration of the intervertebral disc with a significant decrease in its height, sclerosis of the disk surfaces of the vertebrae and reactive increase in regional osteophytes.
The cartilage tissue of the discs affected by osteochondrosis gradually reborn and turns into a bone appearance.The hardened disk decreases in size, loses the properties of the shock absorber between the vertebrae and begins to suppress the nerve endings, which leads to the appearance of painful sensations.
The initial phase of osteochondrosis is most often not manifested by any unpleasant sensations in the spine and can be diagnosed as a disease of the internal organs, and a true diagnosis is detected only after multiple examinations pass.
From localization, cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and common osteochondrosis are distinguished.Most often, lumbar osteochondrosis (over 50%of cases), cervical osteochondrosis (more than 25%) and common (about 12%) are diagnosed.
The intervertebral disc is a fiber-chip plate.In the middle of the disk there is a core surrounded by a fibrous ring (fabric resembling tendons).The intervertebral disk does not have its vascular system and therefore eats at the expense of other tissues.An important source of nutrients for the disk is the posterior muscles, it is their dystrophy that most often leads to the development of the disease.When lifting weights, jumps and other physical exercises, the discs act as a shock absorber and support the required distance between the beads.Since the largest load falls on the lumbar spine, it is in it, most often formed in it, extensions and intervertebral hernias, which are a complication of this disease.
The intervertebral disk protenance- Extension (prolapse) of the disk without rupture of the fibrous ring.
A hernia of the intervertebral disc- Extension (prolapse) of a disk with a rupture of a fibrous ring and a "flow" of a jet core.Especially often, hernia is formed when the spine or during the simultaneous slope and the return of the arm to the side is formed, especially if there is a heavy object in the hands.In this position, the intervertebral discs experience a very high load, the pressure inside the intervertebral disc rises, the beads are pressed on one side of the disk and the essence is forced to move to the opposite side and suppress to the fibrous ring.At one point, the fibrous ring does not resist such a load and the disk is prolonged (the fibrous ring is stretched but remains full) or formed hernia (the fibrous ring breaks down and part of the nucleus "flows" through progress).With an increase in the load on the back and the creation of conditions for increasing pressure on the damaged intervertebral disc, the hernia increases in size.
Notably important for running the extension and size of hernia, if the hernia comes forward or on the sides, this can lead to the pain and damaged work of some organs, and when extended to the spinal cord and damage, the consequences can be much more serious.If the intervertebral hernia affected the nerve processes or roots of a certain segment of the spine, then this leads to a violation of the work of the organ, for which the damaged spine segment is responsible.Another option is possible: due to the disk extension in one direction, on the opposite side the distance between the vertebrae decreases and this leads to pinches of nerve processes by the vertebrae themselves.Intervertebral hernia in the lumbar region most often causes leg pain, hernia in the thoracic region contributes to dizziness, heart pain, respiratory or organs, etc., hernia in the cervical spine can cause headaches, dizziness and number of hands.The most dangerous intervertebral hernias are more than 10 mm in size, severely narrowing the spinal canal, capturing blood vessels and damage to nerve endings, prolonged exposure to which it leads not only to severe pain but also to circulatory disorders, loss of sensitivity in the limbs with subsequent complications.But the most dangerous are seized hernia of the intervertebral discs, ie.Hernias are ready for destruction or separation of the fragment, followed by its decrease in the spinal canal, which can lead to severe consequences: damaged functions of pelvic organs and paralysis of the lower extremities.
Causes of osteochondrosis
The causes that cause changes in the intervertebral discs have not been fully studied.People begin to feel manifestations of osteochondrosis more often after 35 years.The development and deterioration of this disease is facilitated by various spine damage, static and dynamic overload, as well as vibrations.The older the person, the more manifestations there are.But in recent years, more and more people aged 18 to 30 have complained about back pain.There are many reasons for the early onset of the disease: poor physical training, violation of behavior and bending of the spine, flat legs and excess weight.
And so, we will highlight the main reasons:
- hereditary (genetic) predisposition;
- metabolic disorder in the body, infection, intoxication;
- overweight, improper food (lack of trace elements and liquid);
- age -related changes;
- spine damage (bruises, fractures);
- Violation of behavior, curvature of the spine, hypermobility (instability) of spinal column segments, flat feet;
- adverse environmental conditions;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- work associated with lifting weights, frequent changes in body position (curves, bending and extension, shaking movements);
- Prolonged exposure to inappropriate positions in the standing position, sitting, lying, lifting and transferring weights, when performing another job in which pressure increases on discs and loads on your back in general;
- excessive physical activity, unevenly developed bone-muscular system;
- spinal cord associated with foot diseases, as well as as a result of wearing unpleasant shoes, high heels and pregnancy in women;
- sharp interruption of regular training by professional athletes;
- nerve overlap, stressful situations, smoking;
- Hypothermia, adverse weather conditions (high humidity at low temperature).
Characteristic symptoms of osteochondrosis
Patients suffering from osteochondrosis complain of persistent back pain, which often combine numbness and feelings of limb pain.In the absence of adequate treatment, weight loss and limb atrophy occurs.
Main symptoms:
- persistent pain in the back, a feeling of numbness and pain in the limbs;
- increased pain during sudden movements, physical exercise, weight lifting, coughing and sneezing;
- decreased volume of movements, muscle cramps;
- with osteochondrosis of the cervical back: pain in the hands, shoulders, headaches;It is possible to develop the so -called vertebral artery syndrome, which consists of the following complaints: noise in the head, dizziness, ignition of "flies", colored points in front of the eyes in combination with a burning headache.The cause of vertebral artery syndrome may be its spasm in response to direct irritation of its sympathetic plexus due to the growth of bone, disc herniation, intervertebral joint arthrosis, and reflex reaction due to the irritation of any spine receptor.The presence of vertebral artery syndrome can aggravate the course of coronary or heart-muscular pathology;
- with osteochondrosis of the spine of the chest: chest pain (like a "peg" in the chest), in the heart and other internal organs;
- with lumbosacral spine osteochondrosis: pain in the lower back, radiating in the sacrum, lower extremities, sometimes in the pelvic organs;
- Nerve root lesion (with intervertebral disc herniation, bone growth, spondylolistz, spondylo arthrosis): shooting pain and sensitivity, hypotrophy, hypotension, weakness in the inner muscles and a decrease in reflexes.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
Preliminary diagnosis is established during the initial examination of the patient.An examination is usually performed by a neurologist about the patient's complaints to local changes, which can be manifested by pain, deformity or restriction of mobility.The spine is examined in the position of the patient standing, sitting and lying, both at rest and in motion.The level of spinal cord damage is determined by counting the number of vertebrae from some anatomical monuments or according to a particular scheme.
When examining the spine, attention is paid to behavior, structural features of the body, line of spinose processes (average backburn), lower corners of shoulder blades, iliac bone ridges, waist and waist -neck contours, proding protests, which are protests, which are protests, which are protests, which are protests, protests, protests, protests.proturating, protocheses proturating, proturating, prot, prot, prot.spine
Feeling the spine allows you to fill in the inspection data (presence or absence of deformation), determine the localization, degree and nature of the pain.When you feel, note the muscle tension located near the spine because most spinal cord injuries and diseases are associated with an increase in muscle tone.
The spine flexion is used to determine the amplitude of movements in different parts of the spine.
The main role in the study of the spine has been assigned to radiography, calculated tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, which determines the level of damage, detecting and detecting the diagnosis and concealed hidden pathologies.These diagnoses allow the physician who participates to determine the treatment tactics and choose the most effective treatment methods.
Methods of treating osteochondrosis and its complications
The treatment of osteochondrosisAnd its complications are performed using conservative methods aimed at eliminating pain syndrome, spinal cord function disorders and preventing the progression of dystrophic changes in spinal structures.With the ineffectiveness of conservative treatment and in specific indications, surgical (surgical) treatment is performed, the volume of which depends on the level of damage and clinical manifestations of the disease.
The duration of the treatment of osteochondrosis and its complications depends largely on the severity of the disease, age -related changes, treatment methods, as well as the conscious recipe and recommendations of the attending physician.As practice shows, the active phase of treatment in most cases lasts 1-3 months when using conservative methods, and the post-operative recovery period is about 1 year.At the beginning of treatment, in some patients, it is possible to increase the pain syndrome associated with the response of the muscle system and other formations to expose unusual body.The pain stops in a short time with physiotherapeutic procedures, medications, and special physical exercises.The result of treatment depends largely on the behavior of the patients themselves, which requires patience, perseverance, perseverance, perseverance, and the desire to recover.Greater efficiency of conservative therapy and post -operative rehabilitation can be achieved under conditions of specialized medical centers and sanatoriums equipped with a modern diagnostic and therapeutic basis, as well as qualified practitioners using comprehensive treatment of muscle system diseases.
Complex conservative treatment includes physiotherapy, physiotherapy, massage, manual therapy, spinal traction (traction), reflexology and medication therapy.
Physical Medical Education (Exercise Therapy)-The main method of conservative treatment of diseases of the muscular-Skeletal system is to create dosed loads aimed at decompression of nerve roots, correction and strengthening of muscle lanes, increase the volume and development of a certain stereotype of the necessary movements and positions, and the necessary positions and equipment,preventing complications of.This is achieved by regular classes on rehabilitation equipment and articular gymnastics.As a result of exercises, blood circulation improves, metabolism and food of intervertebral discs normalize, intervertebral space is increased, muscle corsets are formed and the load on the spine decreases.
Physiotherapy is a treatment method that uses physical factors: low frequency currents, magnetic fields, ultrasound, laser, etc.It is used to relieve pain, inflammatory processes, rehabilitation after damage and surgery.When using physiotherapy methods, the treatment of many diseases has decreased, the effectiveness of using medication and a decrease in their dose has increased, has no natural side effects on the treatment of medication.
Massage is a set of techniques of dosed mechanical effects in the form of friction, pressure, vibration, performed directly on the surface of the human body with hands.Effectively relieves muscle tension, muscle pain, improves blood circulation, has an overall strengthening effect.
Manual therapy is a manual effect individually selected on the bone -muscular system for removing acute and chronic pain in the back and joints, as well as an increase in volume of movements and behavioral correction.One of the areas of manual therapy is manual visceral therapy, which helps restore normal organ mobility, improves blood supply, lymphocymicality, normalizes metabolism, restores immunity, prevents the distribution of chronic diseases.
Extension of the spine is an effective method for treating pain syndromes in the back, and joints using the individually selected load using special equipment.The procedure is aimed at increasing the intervertebral space, removing pain and restoring an accurate anatomical form of the spine.
Reflexotherapy - various therapeutic techniques and methods of impact on reflexogenic areas of the human body and acupuncture points.The use of reflexology in combination with other therapeutic methods significantly increases their effectiveness.Most often, reflexology is used for osteochondrosis, accompanied by pain, nervous system diseases, sleep disorders, mental imbalance, as well as overweight and tobacco curls.By acting at certain points, one can bring the body into harmony and treat many diseases.
Medication therapy is indicated during the period of worsening of the disease, aimed at stopping the pain syndrome, removing the inflammatory process and increasing metabolic processes by taking or administering medicines using intramuscular or intravenous injections.
Although each of the above methods is a very effective therapeutic effect, it can still be obtained only with their combination with classes in rehabilitation equipment, ie.when you create a full muscle corset.