Many people aged 30 to 35 complain of back pain.The cause of these pains can be column disease.Osteochondrosis is a disease that occurs in average age, but most often it is detected in patients after 40 years.
Osteochondrose - What is this disease and what is its danger?
This term means a dystrophic process of cartilage and bone tissue of the subject.In modern medical practice, osteochondrosis is called dystrophic degenerative disease of the spine and intervertebral discs that play the role of the shock absorber.The danger of the disease is that the affected disc is almost impossible to restore and without appropriate treatment, disability is possible.
Is osteochondrosis a common disease?Statistics are not satisfied.About 85% of the world's population suffers from this disease.
This disease is the most common form among all the diseases that affect the spine.And according to the prevalence, it is immediately after diseases of the cardiovascular system.
The essence of the disease
So, Osteochondrose - What is it?It is a chronic disease that affects the joints, most often the spine.
The spine consists of 24 vertebrae.Between the two vertebrae is a disc, the aim of which is softening and depreciation of loads.
In normal condition, the disc is quite elastic and can withstand significant loads.In the center of the disc, there is a pulp core with a lot of water.For any reason, the nucleus loses its hydrophilic properties.
Consequently, the disc delays, decreases the height and the deformation.In the last stages, the growth of bone tissue occurs with the formation of growth - osteophytes that compress peripheral nerves and spinal cord.This is what is osteochondrosis of the spine.
The causes of pathology
Despite the fact that osteochondrosis is a fairly common disease, the reasons why pathology is developing is not completely established.
The main factors are taken into account:
- excessive load on the spine;
- injuries;
- Professional harmful - Lifting of weight or prolonged work in an uncomfortable and motionless installation;
- excess body weight;
- heredity;
- Posture violation.
Osteochondosis develops to one degree or another in almost all the elderly and is one of the body's aging process.
Stages, forms and symptoms of the development of the disease
Experts distinguish 4 stages from the disease:
- 1st step- moving the core of the disc by the edge;
- Step 2- the occurrence of cracks in the cartilage wheels and the instability of the vertebral section;
- Step 3- a complete break of the disc with the loss of the nucleus in the stem of the spine, while the roots of the spinal cord are possible;
- 4th step- Raw changes not only in the intervertebral disc, but also in the surrounding tissues.
The main symptom of the disease is pain.It can be acute with high intensity or silent silent manifestation.
In addition to the pain, there is:
- painful tension of the back muscles;
- numbness of the skin on the arms and legs;
- limitation of the volume of movements;
- weakness in the members of the limbs;
- slimming arms and legs;
- Sudden dizziness.
These are general manifestations for all forms of pathology.According to the vertebral column in which changes are located, three forms of disease with characteristic symptoms are distinguished.
Table n ° 1. forms of osteochondrosis and their inherent symptoms:
| Disease form | Symptoms |
| Osteochondrosis in the neck | The changes in this department lead to push blood vessels and altered microcirculation.For this reason, a person has constant dizziness.Sometimes this leads to fainting.There is noise in the ears and the flicker of colored spots in front of the eyes. |
| Osteochondrosis in the thoracic vertebrae | With this form of the disease, acute chest pain is observed.The disease can cause the progression of intercostal neuralgia and worsen the course of cardiac pathologies. |
| Osteochondrosis in the lumbar region | Pathology in the lower back is manifested by pain in the glued region, a decrease in the tone of the IKR.A complication can be radiculitis, which is accompanied by pain spreading through the leg. |
Due to the pathology of vertebral discs, a large number of body disorders occur: pinching of the nerves, swelling, circulatory violation and fibrosis of the surrounding tissues.These changes cause a variety of symptoms, which complicates the diagnosis and prescribed the appropriate treatment without carefully examination.
Clinical manifestations
The symptoms of the disease depends on where the lesion is mainly located.In the sections below, we consider the characteristic signs of each variety of the disease.
Cervical service
The main symptoms of cervical column damage include:
- Discomfort, pain in the neck and shoulders;
- Muscular hypotonus;
- Increase in perspiration;
- Fingers numbness;
- violation of the coordination of movements;
- Headache, dizziness;
- Problems with hearing and vision;
- Hypertension.
With the progression of the disease and damage to neighboring arteries and nerves, one of the following syndromes can develop:
- vertebral artery;
- heart;
- hypertension;
- root;
- cervical migraine.
The violation of blood circulation in the vertebral artery and this hypoxia of the brain tissues are the dangerous consequences of osteochondrosis.
This syndrome manifests:
- Periodic system / dizziness;
- weakening vision;
- partial or complete hearing loss;
- Sometimes - vanish.
Important!Neurological manifestations of osteochondrosis of the spine must often differentiate with brain atherosclerosis, DEP and other pathologies.
Thoracic region
Compared to other forms of the disease, thoracic osteochondrosis manifests itself less pronounced.
Among its symptoms:
- Pain in the chest, increasing at night or extended in a position;
- discomfort, a feeling of tightening between the shoulder blades;
- Strengthen pain during deep breathing.
If the disease is not treated, it will progress, causing damage to the nearby tracks and nerves.
The signs of developing the complications of osteochondrosis in the spine of this location can be:
- numbness of the skin in certain regions, a feeling of "goosebumps" ramp;
- Skin, burning skin;
- Cooling of members;
- nail fragility;
- pronounced dry skin;
- pain along the esophagus and pharynx;
- Gastrointestinal tract disorders.
In addition, the thoracic location of the disease is characterized by two specific symptoms - the dorsago and the dorsalgia.
Dorsago is a sudden, clear and very intense chest pain, a "chest change".It can occur with prolonged monotonous work in the same position.
Be careful!During the kindergarten, the pain is so serious that patients are even afraid of gaining additional inhalation.
Dorsalgia is less intense, but monotonous painful sensations that can last up to 2-3 weeks.They intensify with deep breathing, inclinations.
Lumbar department
Osteochondrosis of the lower part of the spine, namely the lumbar, occupies a main position on the prevalence.
Among its characteristic symptoms:
- Last, more often, lower back pain, radiating in the leg;
- Discomfort, intensifying when changing the position of the body, sneezing, cough, fitting to lift weights;
- constant muscle spasm in the lower back;
- Lights in the lower back;
- Altered sensitivity on the skin of the buttocks, hips, legs, feet;
- a feeling of a crawling cart on the lower limbs;
- Dry, peeling of the skin.
The Sacred Department
Osteochondrosis of the sacred spine is extremely rare in an isolated manner and is generally a "continuation" of lower lumbar damage.
This explains the characteristics of its symptoms:
- Douin in the lower back, as well as in the sealing nerve;
- Net "shelters" throughout the leg;
- An unpleasant feeling of discomfort at the back of the thigh;
- numbness of the lower limb;
- Paresis, as well as unstable symptoms of altered motor activity.
Important!Osteochondrosis of the lower spine can cause extremely dangerous complications such as the altered blood supply with spinal cord and compression myelopathy.
Common osteochondrosis
A common form, or osteochondrosis of all parts of the spine is the most severe version of pathology.Due to the immensity of defeat, its image can be extremely diverse and include almost all the symptoms described above.
Diagnostic methods
The appearance of any complaint indicated above requires an appeal to a medical institution: the patient must examine the patient.The diagnosis of osteochondrosis must be complex and very meticulous.
Standard instruction includes the following steps:
- Collection of complaints and anamnesis.
- Clinical inspection.
- X-ray exam.
- Modern methods (CT, MRI).
By conversing with the patient, the doctor should discover it:
- who disturbs the patient;
- What is the place of the most pronounced unpleasant sensations;
- What is their intensity and duration;
- which causes their strengthening;
- Which helps to face pain.
Important!Be sure to tell the doctor how long you are concerned about such complaints and if you have received treatment earlier.
During a clinical inspection, the specialist assesses:
- The position of the patient's body, his approach, the volume of active and passive movements;
- the presence of skin defects, redness, coat;
- symmetry of the healthy and patient parts of the body;
- the presence of muscle spasms;
- the pain irradiation area;
- The presence of pain, temperature and other types of sensitivity.
During radiography, each spine for better visualization is studied individually.Images are carried out live, lateral and (according to the indications) of two oblique projections.To assess the stage and severity of degenerative-dystrophic changes, the classification of X-rays of osteochondrosis of the spine of the Zeaker is used.
Table: X-ray staces of osteochondrosis of the spine:
| Scene | Description |
| I (+) | Unexpressed changes in lordosis in a small number of segments |
| II (++) |
|
| III (+++) | Changes expressed, significant narrowing of intervertebral holes |
| IV (++++) | A significant narrowing of intervertebral holes, massive exostosis, often irreversible changes |
With insufficient information content of picking R, the patient can be prescribed more modern tests (targeted images of one or more segments of the spine) and MRI (visual diagnostic method based on the properties of electromagnetic radiation).
Treatment
First of all, the doctor explains to the patient what osteochondrosis is and how to treat it.He talks about a set of measures that must be carried out for a long time.
The therapy of the disease is carried out taking into account the stage.During the initial period of the disease, massage physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, are indicated.But as the dystrophic process is progressing, various orthopedic devices for the immobilization of the spine must be used.Drug treatment is also necessary.
Surgical intervention is indicated by complications and with the ineffectiveness of conservative treatment.
Drugs
The most important treatment tasks with pharmacological drugs are pain relief, eliminating inflammation of nerve roots, restaurants the structure of cartilage, improving blood circulation and nutrition, stopping the development of pathology.There are several groups of drugs that can be prescribed in this case.
In pharmacies, they are represented in various forms and in a wide variety.The price of drugs may be different and you can always choose the most affordable.
Table n ° 2. Drugs used in conservative therapy of osteochondrosis:
| Pharmacological group | Therapeutic effect | Instructions for use |
| Chondroprotector | The slowdown in cartilage degeneration processes contributes to its restoration. | Take 1 capsule for a month.If necessary, the processing price is repeated. |
| NSAID | It has an anesthetic effect, reduces the inflammatory process. | Take a painting for pain.With intense pain, intramuscular injections of the drug are used. |
| B vitamins | Improves the conductivity of the nerve impulse, restores microcirculation in the affected cartilage area. | The treatment of intramuscular injections is carried out. |
| Musory | Relaxed muscles, relieves tensions, facilitates pain. | Take a tablet twice a day. |
Medicines are prescribed according to the doctor's testimony.Self-medication can be ineffective and, in some cases, even evil.
Physiotherapy for osteochondrosis
What to do with osteochondrosis, with the exception of drugs, to accelerate recovery?One of the most effective methods for treating this disease is physiotherapy.
Its advantage is a selective effect on the objective of the disease.Physiotherapy contributes to reducing pain, eliminating inflammation and increasing general immunity.With their help, the muscles are relaxing, metabolic processes and blood circulation are standardized.
For osteochondrosis, they are successfully used:
- magnetotherapy;
- Laser therapy;
- shock therapy;
- quartz;
- electrophoresis;
- The effect of low -frequency electric currents.
Physiotherapy does not realize if the patient is in serious condition, with an exacerbation of the disease, oncological diseases and mental disorders.
In other cases, physiotherapy has a beneficial effect on the recovery process, improves the effect of drugs, which reduces their dose.
Medical physical education
Physical education courses are prohibited in the acute period of the disease.After eliminating this period, the doctor prescribes therapeutic exercises, which he develops with the instructor individually for each patient.
Using exercises, the muscular corset is reinforced, which prevents curvature of the spine and allows you to properly and uniform distribute the load on the vertebrae.With regular physical effort, medicinal substances enter the spine at higher concentrations than in their absence.
It is necessary to engage in the advice of an experienced instructor and to carefully monitor their condition.With embarrassment and intense pain, the exercise must be stopped.
Prevention
Knowing what osteochondrosis is and its consequences, it will be useful to think of prevention.
The preventive measures are quite simple, they are easy to perform for all those who care about their health:
- injury prevention;
- Regular physical training (swimming is very useful);
- Maintain a normal weight;
- Do not load the spine;
- Monitor the accuracy of the posture;
- not be in a single position for a long time;
- Avoid sudden movements when lifting weights.
When carrying out these rules, the period of remission will be long.
Osteochondrosis is a fairly serious disease.But with a timely search for a doctor and adequate treatment, it is possible to stop its destructive effect.
Questions to the doctor
Pain in the neck
Hello, please tell me.I am 24 years old.Over the past two months, pain in the neck, back of the head (sometimes still gives whiskey, eyes).I also notice a strong crunchy in the neck, tingling and numbness of the hands, tongue and sky.
I suspect osteochondrosis, because mom and grandmother of young people are tormented with similar symptoms.Where to start the exam?And another question: can I go to aerobic?
Make an R-Scheme store (CT) and dopplele head and neck ships.You have probably developed the vertebral artery syndrome in the context of cervical osteochondosis.Another diagnostic and treatment plan can only be established after obtaining the results of these tests.
It is better not yet to visit the aerobic.
Lumbar osteochondrosis
For seven years, I have been tormented with the lower back, the exacerbation of osteochondosis has been almost every 2 to 3 months.The injections and the tablets help for a short time, then the pain returns.I work as a factor, it becomes more difficult.Do I put a handicap?
Good morning!The decision on the allocation of the group of disabled people is taken by the IUTU on the basis of a full study of your situation.You must first contact the therapist and undergo an exam.
As a rule, with lumbar osteochondosis, a disability group is not shown.Its price is possible with the development of complications (protuberances, intervertebral hernies, etc.).But, once again, I repeat, everything is individual here.