Imagine, in the 21st century, osteochondrosis is diagnosed in 50-80% of the world population. The numbers are not small and, more importantly, the disease is "aging". If earlier the first symptoms appeared no earlier than the age of 35, now the first signs are diagnosed already in adolescents. Most often, a predisposition to osteochondrosis is observed in people with an uneven load on the spine. This can be poor posture, the habit of carrying a bag on one shoulder, sitting in one position for a long time, injuries, excessive sports load and, of course, age-related changes.
"Most people have certainly heard of osteochondrosis, but not everyone knows what it is. "
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis is a pathology of the spine, expressed by a degenerative damage of the intervertebral discs and adjacent bone tissue, which leads to the cancellation of the vertebral bodies and joint surfaces.
Unfortunately, when the first back pains appear, almost no one goes to the doctor, this leads to the fact that the disease is detected already in severe stages. The disease at an early stage is treated quite effectively, since the changes in the spine are not critical, but over time the process becomes irreversible.
The main sign that you may already be developing osteochondrosis is pain in your neck, back, or lower back. In a more advanced form, the pain "radiates" to the chest, arms, shoulders, legs and other parts of the body.
Depending on the location, osteochondrosis is divided into several types:
- Cervical osteochondrosis.
- Thoracic osteochondrosis.
- Lumbar osteochondrosis.
Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis
Clinical manifestations result from damage to nerve tissues and blood vessels located near the affected area.
- Backache.
- Feeling of "low back pain" after physical exertion.
- Bad posture and, consequently, scoliosis.
- Violation of the sensitivity of the skin in some areas of the body.
- Numbness.
- Dizziness and nausea due to impaired blood circulation.
- Headache.
Osteochondrosis can have various symptoms and signs, which is why it is not always easy to detect at the first signs. Go through periodic checkups and do not delay in going to the doctor at the first suspicion of osteochondrosis.
Causes of osteochondrosis
There can be many reasons for the development of osteochondrosis. As a rule, the lack of adequate respect for the spine leads to this disease, if not at a young age, then certainly at the age of 50.
Think about how you sit every day, how you sleep, if you have a comfortable pillow and if you always carry weights in one hand, if you give the right load when you play sports, as all this can lead to irreversible consequences for the spine. . .
The reasons for the development of osteochondrosis can be:
- Genetic predisposition.
- Nervous breakdown of the body.
- Bad posture during active growth.
- Wear uncomfortable shoes.
- Wear heels at an early age.
- Physical overload of the body.
- Overweight.
- Sedentary and sedentary lifestyle.
- Improper transport of weights.
- Frequent lifting of loads.
- Vibration loads on the body.
- Dehydration of the body.
- Hypothermia of the body.
"Note that being overweight and sedentary will lead to back problems over time! "
At risk:
- Drivers.
- Office staff.
- Removals.
- Pregnant women.
- Obese.
- Professional athletes.
Take care of your health and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Stages of development of osteochondrosis
None of the diseases start suddenly and immediately. Osteochondrosis is no exception. There are 4 main stages in the development of osteochondrosis.
- Primary dystrophic changes in the intervertebral cartilage. Disc dehydration, microfractures, loss of elasticity - all of this is already happening in your spine while you practically do not feel any changes, but they are still there and you can notice them. If you start noticing back discomfort during prolonged sitting or minor pain after physical exertion, don't waste time, make an appointment with a doctor.
- Contraction of the intervertebral space and pinching of the nerve endings and the appearance of pain in some areas of the back. The pain syndrome will appear with sharp turns and tilts every time. This phase is hard to miss and certainly not to be ignored.
- Abrasion of the intervertebral cartilage tissue. Pain symptoms are pronounced and can lead to numbness in the limbs. It is impossible to relieve pain without drugs. At this stage, serious treatment is required with adherence to the regimen and taking medications.
- The last and most serious step. Osteochondrosis on it is already irreversible, as the intervertebral cartilage is completely destroyed. Surgery is usually needed in these cases.
Advanced cases of osteochondrosis can lead to partial or complete paralysis. In order not to bring the situation to a critical situation, it is necessary to start treatment on time in the early stages of the development of osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
For the treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine, an individual approach to each patient is required. There is no standard and uniform method of treatment. The patient's age, physical condition, causes of osteochondrosis and many other factors are taken into account. But, of course, each of the treatments has common characteristics:
Medicines for osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis cannot be cured by taking medications alone, but they play a vital role in reducing the severity of the disease symptoms by improving blood supply and tissue regeneration processes. For the complete elimination of the disease, an integrated approach is required and the maintenance of the state of the body in suitable condition for the rest of your life. Medicines for osteochondrosis consist of taking several groups of drugs.
- First of all, it is necessary to relieve pain that interferes with a normal lifestyle. For these purposes, NSAIDs are used - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. (Ketoprofen, Ibuprofen, Ketorolac).
- After the pain symptoms are removed, chondroprotectors and vitamins are prescribed to restore cartilage tissue. Such drugs prevent further destruction of the intervertebral discs and reduce inflammation. Such drugs include glucosamine, which, unlike analogues, does not need to be injected. Simply dissolve one sachet of powder in a glass of water and take it orally. This method of administration promotes better absorption of the drug and relieves the discomfort that occurs during injections.
- Medicines that stimulate blood microcirculation.
- Local analgesics.
Physiotherapy for osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis with physiotherapy is a fairly effective measure, and most importantly, it is painless and has practically no contraindications. Such procedures help relieve inflammation, eliminate spasms and eliminate pinching of nerve endings. Physiotherapy includes procedures such as:
- Electrophoresis.
- Magnetotherapy.
- Phototherapy.
- Shock wave therapy.
- Mud therapy.
It is worth knowing that some physiotherapy procedures cannot be used during periods of exacerbation. Treatment of osteochondrosis with physiotherapy is prescribed exclusively by a doctor and in combination with drug treatment.
Physiotherapy and massage for osteochondrosis
Physiotherapy exercises for osteochondrosis help form a muscular corset that will help support the diseased spine. The set of exercises is selected individually for each patient individually. For stage 3, the exercises are performed only lying down, smoothly and preferably under supervision.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with massage is also common practice. The main thing is that the massage is performed by a professional who will not damage the spine. After the session, you should feel muscle relaxation, clamp release, and general relief. Manual massage improves blood circulation. In acute periods of the disease, it is better to refuse this method of treatment.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the patient experiences severe pain in the head, neck, arms and shoulder girdle. There may be a flicker of "flies", tinnitus and spots before the eyes. As a rule, in the early stages, the patient goes to examine the head and does not suspect that the matter is completely different. With cervical osteochondrosis they are prescribed.
- Agnioprotectors against dizziness, which appear most often in the morning (Pentoxifylline).
- Chondroprotectors that prevent further destruction of cartilage tissue, reduce inflammation, relieve pain and restore joint mobility (glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate).
- Antidepressants, which sometimes have to be used by patients due to the fact that constant pain has a detrimental effect on the psyche and contributes to the development of insomnia, depression (Doxylamin).
- Vitamins that will improve the general condition of the body.
- Anti-colvusants for headaches that interfere with the full life of patients.
- NSAIDs are prescribed in the acute period for pain relief.
Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, there are sharp pains in the front of the chest, and breathing can become frequent and heavy. There may be a sharp pain when turning and bending in the shoulder blade area. It is difficult to diagnose thoracic osteochondrosis, as the pain is not felt directly in the spine and the symptoms are more similar to diseases of the heart, lungs or kidneys. Fortunately, this type of osteochondrosis is very rare and the cause of its occurrence is in most cases scoliosis.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis
Lumbar osteochondrosis is the most common type at the moment. This is due to the fact that this particular part of the spine is subjected to the greatest stresses. First, dull pain appears in the lumbar region, then the pain begins to radiate to the leg and can lead to numbness in the lower limbs. Problems with flexion and extension arise. In such cases, the main thing is to start timely treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis and apply complex measures. Several rules should be followed:
- Limit physical activity.
- Take all prescribed medications.
- Undergo prescribed physiotherapy.
- Take a special massage course.
- Get rid of excess weight if necessary.
With improper treatment and non-compliance with recommendations, surgery on the last lumbar osteochondrosis may be required.
Which doctor treats osteochondrosis?
If you feel pain in the spine and suspect that you have osteochondrosis, you should initially make an appointment with a therapist, who, based on your complaints, will send you for examination to a neurologist, vertebrologist, orthopedist and surgeon.
How long is osteochondrosis treated?
Many patients are interested in how long osteochondrosis treatment will take? No one will give you an exact answer, but the main signs of the disease disappear, as a rule, within 1-3 months, further maintenance of the condition is required.
Is it possible to get rid of osteochondrosis forever?
It all depends on the stage at which it was discovered. If the patient turns into 1-2 stages, then with proper treatment and adherence to all the rules, you can get rid of osteochondrosis forever. In the later stages, unfortunately, it will not be possible to completely get rid of the disease.
Orthopedic pillow
You may need an orthopedic pillow if you have been diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis. This pillow will improve the quality of your sleep and will not continue to deform your spine. You can contact a special store, where consultants will show you all options for pillows and advise you on prices.