Osteochondritis of the spine

Osteochondrosis is a disease characterized by degenerative changes in the cartilage tissues of the spine. Lack of adequate treatment leads to violation of the structure and dysfunction of the intervertebral discs, deformity of the spine. Depending on the location of the pathological process, there are the following types of osteochondrosis: cervical, thoracic, lumbar. Statistics show that this disease occurs in more than half of the world's population in people over 35 years. The main reasons for its development are injuries, systematic uneven loads on the spine and legs.

What is

Speaking of what is osteochondrosis, it is necessary to say that this disease causes a violation of the structure of the tissues of the intervertebral discs themselves, reducing their elasticity and changing their shape. At the same time, there is a reduction in the distance between them, which eventually leads to a loss of stability of the spine.

As a result of the contraction of the intervertebral space, the nerve endings coming from the spinal cord are pressed. This causes an increase in muscle tone and pain.

Decreased elasticity causes the formation of intervertebral hernias and the development of a protrusion (a disease in which the vertebrae begin to swell in the spinal canal without rupture of the fibrous ring). And if the treatment is performed incorrectly or is completely absent, then this will lead to degradation of the joints of the spine and the joints with the further formation of osteophytes (bone processes).

The development of osteochondrosis causes a violation of motor functions. The person begins to be bothered by constant pain in the area of the pathological focus, which intensifies during the bending / extension of the back. There is a high probability of subluxation, curvature of the back.

As a rule, the first symptoms of the disease appear in people during the period of normal aging of the body. But there are situations where the pathology begins to develop much earlier. And the reason for this is often the wrong way of life.

In medicine, there is also something like cartilage and it has similar symptoms and etiology. What is the difference between chondrosis and osteochondrosis? It is simple. Chondrosis is the initial stage in the development of osteochondrosis, when the processes of replacement of damaged tissues with fibrosis and the formation of osteophytes have not yet begun in the spine. When there is a strong deformation of the spine and the formation of new processes, we talk about osteochondrosis.

Challenging factors

What is chondrosis and osteochondrosis - I got it. Now we have to talk about the reasons for their development. After all, if you do not eliminate them, the treatment of the disease will not allow to achieve positive dynamics. As noted at the outset, the main reason for the appearance of the pathology is an uneven load on the spine. It can be caused by:

• carrying heavy bags on one shoulder or in one hand.
• inappropriate posture while sitting.
• sleeps on a soft mattress, high pillow.
• wearing uncomfortable and anatomically incorrect shoes.

And also osteochondrosis of the spine can develop in the background:

• weakness (accompanied by circulatory disorders, decreased muscle tone, shortness of breath).
• passive lifestyle;
• portliness;
• injuries (fractures, sprains, bruises).
• flatfeet;
• other degenerative diseases leading to poor circulation in the spine.

Indicating the causes of osteochondrosis of the spine, it should also be noted:

• frequent physical stress;
• neuro-emotional exhaustion;
• metabolic disorders;
• poisoning (drugs, chemicals).
• digestive tract pathology;
• genetic predisposition?
• scoliosis;
• hypovitaminosis?
• pregnancy;
• smoking;
• consumption of alcoholic beverages;
• prolonged / frequent dehydration.

There are many reasons for the development of osteochondrosis in the back. Most of the time, its appearance appears immediately against the background of the influence of many factors (for example, trauma, passive lifestyle, smoking, prolonged stay in the wrong position). It can only be ascertained through a thorough diagnosis, a study of history.

Stages of development

Before we talk about what to do if the cartilage begins to develop, it is also necessary to say about its stages of development, as not only the severity of the symptoms, but also the tactics of treatment depend directly on them. There are a total of 4 points:

• First stage. At this stage, pathological processes appear in the pulpal nucleus of the intervertebral disc. This results in dehydration (dehydration), which ultimately helps to reduce its height and create cracks in the fibrous ring. There is no symptomatic picture at this stage of the disease. A person may feel only slight discomfort in the back area after intense physical exercise, be in an uncomfortable position for a long time, etc.
• Second level. Accompanied by reduction of the intervertebral space, relaxation of the vertebral muscles and ligaments. Such changes lead to increased mobility of the vertebrae. And any provocative factor can make them shift or slip. In terms of symptoms, at this stage, patients already have back discomfort and pain that occurs with certain types of loads, pos.
• Third stage. It is characterized by the appearance of protrusions and protrusions, subluxations, joints of the intervertebral joints. At this stage, the disease often causes stiffness of movements, a tingling sensation in the pathological area and numbness. The pain syndrome is intense, it appears periodically even at rest, in the absence of heavy loads.
• Fourth stage. At this stage, the body tries to adapt to the disorders that have arisen. Its task is to do everything possible to improve the fixation of the spine. To do this, it begins to form osteophytes - bone formations that replace gaps in the spine. However, in this way the body not only helps itself but also harms. In addition, osteophytes lead to nerve stings, injury to healthy vertebrae. This is the reason for the development of fibrous ankylosis in the joints and intervertebral discs (increase in the volume of fibrous tissue with its simultaneous fusion with the remnants of cartilage). If a person has minor trauma and violation at the same time, then the severity of the pain syndrome increases. In the absence of these the clinical picture recedes.

Symptoms

Talking about what osteochondrosis is and how to get rid of it, we can only talk about the symptoms with which it can manifest itself. The main sign of its development is the presence of discomfort or pain in the neck, chest area and waist. The severity of the senses depends directly on the degree of development of the disease.

A visual examination of the patient reveals a curvature of the spine in the transverse or longitudinal plane. They are most often seen in the lower back or neck, less often in the chest area.

If we talk about the feelings of the patient himself, then among them there is periodic or constant fatigue in the back area, as well as pain, which can be worn and intense, depending on the severity of the pathological processes. Can be found at:

• neck,
• shoulder girdle;
• bosom;
• lumbar region;
• perineum.

In this case, the rigidity of the movements is possible, which makes it difficult to perform household chores. It occurs most often in the upper extremities. The symptomatic picture may be supplemented by other signs. It all depends on the location of the focus, its severity and the characteristics of the body. If a patient has disc displacement, protrusion, hernia, osteophytes, then this often leads to circulatory disorders, spinal cord dysfunction, edema, fibrosis, stinging. All of these cause symptoms that can complicate the diagnosis and lead to misdiagnosis.

When talking about how osteochondrosis manifests itself, it is necessary to point out the most common symptoms that patients complain about. These include:

• resulting pain in the neck, lumbar region, shoulder girdle, ribs.
• stiffness of movements, discomfort in the morning after waking up, during bending, turning.
• numbness in the hands, feet, neck.
• discomfort in the joints and muscles of the back.
• frequent dizziness, migraines.
• rapid fatigue.
• heart pain?
• violation of the sensitivity of the upper extremities.
• decreased muscle tone.

The signs of osteochondrosis depend directly on the location of the pathological focus:

• Cervical section. In this case, the pain is located in the neck, arms, shoulder girdle. It can give to the shoulders and shoulders. Cervical osteochondrosis can also manifest as headaches, tinnitus, goose in front of the eyes and dizziness.
• Chest section. With this pathology, chest pain occurs. It can give the upper shoulder, the armpits. It often causes discomfort and pain in the heart area. May cause respiratory dysfunction, shortness of breath.
• Lumbar area. The pain syndrome dominates the lumbar spine. It also manifests as discomfort in the legs, hips and pelvic organs. It often causes sexual dysfunction.

Any discomfort in the spine is a serious reason to see a doctor.

The presence of signs such as fatigue in the back, pain can also indicate not only the appearance of this disease, but also the addition of other diseases that have nothing to do with dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs. Diagnoses of osteochondrosis or chondrosis can only be made by an experienced doctor after a thorough diagnosis.

Diagnostics

What causes osteochondrosis and how it can manifest, we talked. But I must say that the correct diagnosis will not work only on the basis of visual examination and the feelings of the patient himself. To do this, you must undergo a thorough examination, which must include:

• X-ray of the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine (depending on the area of discomfort).
• myelography?
• neurological sensitivity examination, reflexes.

As additional diagnostic methods are used:

• CT;
• MRI;
• NMR.

To rule out the presence of inflammatory or infectious diseases, laboratory tests are also prescribed:

• I AM;
• UAC;
• blood chemistry.

If necessary, narrower profile specialists are appointed.

Treatment methods

In contrast to chondrosis, with osteochondrosis in the ridge area, a chronic process occurs, which can not be eliminated by conservative methods. But that does not mean you do not have to fight with him. Lack of adequate treatment can lead to serious consequences - the spine is deformed, fibrous tissue will appear at the site of bone structures, which is unable to perform the necessary functions, the person will become disabled.

Conservative therapy

What to do with osteochondrosis, your doctor will tell you. As a rule, with such a disease, the following methods are used:

• Pharmacotherapy. In this case, the drugs are used to eliminate the painful sensations, relieve inflammation and restore metabolism. If the patient has severe pain, drug blocks are used, which, in addition to analgesic action, help reduce the severity of myotonic syndrome. There are the following types of blockages used in osteochondrosis: trigger point block, intraosseous, facial, paravertebral, epidural.
• Physiotherapy activities. They are also used to reduce pain and improve the effectiveness of medications. Most often, for osteochondrosis, ultrasound therapy, magnetic fields, low frequency currents, laser beams, etc. are used.
• Physiotherapy and kinesiotherapy. Exercise therapy is prescribed to all patients, without exception. It is performed under the supervision of experts. Provides correction of body posture, increasing muscle tone, relieving nervous tension. The systematic fulfillment of special exercises also helps to increase the gaps between the discs, to distribute the uniform load in the musculoskeletal system.
• Massage. The manual massage helps to normalize blood circulation, relieve muscle spasms and cramps. If the patient has disorders of the nervous system, a hydromassage is prescribed.
• Manual therapy. It is selected individually for each patient. Provides normalization of lymphatic outflow, blood circulation, metabolism, mobility of the spine. Prevents the development of complications, strengthens the immune system.
• Spinal traction. This method involves stretching the spine using special equipment. Thus, it is possible to achieve an increase in the intervertebral space and reduce the occurrence of osteochondrosis.

Surgery

If conservative treatment does not help eliminate the signs of osteochondrosis and does not give any positive dynamics, they resort to surgery. The indications for this are:

• equine tail syndrome, which develops in the presence of a massive hernia.
• narrowing of the spinal canal by compression of the brain and neurovascular ligaments.
• combination of osteochondrosis with significant spondylolisthesis with severe instability of the segment.
• compression of the root at the level of the lumbar region L5.
• cervical osteochondrosis, manifested by discogenic syndrome of the vertebral arteries.

Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis can be performed in several ways:

• Laminotomy. This type of surgery involves the removal of a fragment of bone structure and the yellow ligament.
• Laminectomy. During this, most of the spine that restricts the spinal canal is removed.
• Foraminotamia. The purpose of the operation is to expand the root canal.
• Disketomy. In this operation, partial or complete removal of the intervertebral disc is performed.
• Laser evaporation of the disk core. It is performed with the participation of a special LED, which ensures partial destruction of the disc, which leads to the reverse development of the hernia.

How to get rid of osteochondrosis, only the doctor decides. It is necessary to understand that each case is individual and the choice of one or another method of surgery depends on the location of the pathology, its severity, the patient has other diseases.

Traditional methods

At home, you can cure a disease of the spine. But this should be done only in cases where there are still symptoms of cartilage (the early stages of disease development) and after prior consultation with a doctor.

Speaking of what helps with chondrosis, the following alternative medicine recipes should be highlighted:

1. You need to take 1 kg of coarse salt, mix it with 3 tbsp. large. dry mustard, add 100 ml of water, mix everything well. The resulting porridge should be put on low heat and heated to a temperature of 50 degrees. The mixture is applied to the painful area, a film is placed on top of it and then a warm handkerchief. With such a compression, the patient should lie down until completely cool. After the procedure, it is necessary to keep warm for another 2 hours.
2. Pour 1. 5 liters of water into a saucepan, add 3 handfuls of sawdust there and bring the resulting mixture to a boil and then drain. The sawdust is spread on a plastic wrap, which is previously covered with a sheet on the bed. A gauze napkin is placed over the sawdust, after which they lie back on it and cover it with a warm blanket on top. So, lie down for 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Take 200 grams of oven roots, 100 Potentilla roots, 100 grams of elecampane. The herbs are placed in a 3 liter jar, filled with vodka to the brim. The resulting composition is placed in a dark place for 3 weeks and then filtered. Take 3 times daily before meals, 1 tbsp. all month. Then take a 10-day break and repeat the lesson.

Osteochondrosis is difficult to treat. It is difficult to respond to conservative methods of treatment. But if you combine them with proper nutrition, home therapy, exercise therapy and all the doctor's recommendations, then the patient has every opportunity to get rid of the pain that torments him and prevent the development of complications.