Osteochondrosis is a lesion of the interarticular and intervertebral cartilage.Osteochondrosis is diagnosed in all joints without exception, however, according to medical statistics, such lesions are more common in the intervertebral discs.
Functions of intervertebral discs
The main function of the intervertebral discs is to absorb shock during walking and running.Few think about the load placed on the spine during movement.Each step gives a boost to the vertebrae.If there were no discs between them, the bones would wear out very quickly and the spinal nerve endings would be constantly pinched between the vertebrae.
The shock absorbing abilities depend on the quality of the intervertebral disc.The younger the person, the more elastic the discs.In newborns, the articular cartilage and intervertebral discs consist of almost 80% water, which gives them the ability to be as elastic as possible, like a sponge.With age, the tissues deteriorate, dry out, become less flexible and lose their shock-absorbing properties.The older a person is, the greater the risk of developing complications of osteochondrosis, manifested by:
- hernias;
- radiculitis?
- protrusions.
Symptoms of intervertebral disc disease
There are osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.At the same time, problems in the cervical region may not be accompanied by any characteristic pain, while problems in the thoracic region may be reflected by pain not in the spine, but in the chest, which is why patients often confuse them with pain in the heart or bronchi.
Sometimes osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifests itself as pain in the arm.If there were no obvious injuries that could cause pain in the hand, such a symptom should be a reason to examine the cervical spine.
If the pain, concentrated in the sacrum, flows to the leg and buttocks (usually only on one side), this indicates damage to the intervertebral disc in the lumbar region.After applying pressure to the damaged area, you may feel numbness in the leg, arm, or tingling in one of the extremities.The main striking symptoms of osteochondrosis of the intervertebral space are:
- Pain in the sacral region, preventing one from sitting.
- Back pain that prevents you from bending over.
- Pain that subsides when walking.
At the first signs of damage to the intervertebral discs, you should avoid vigorous physical activity on your back, that is, do not lift anything heavy.
Why does osteochondrosis occur?
There are several reasons that affect the condition of the disks.These include smoking and excessive exercise, especially when daily activities involve lifting heavy objects.On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet are a sure way to destroy the disc.In addition, specific tasks that force you to hold your trunk in an uncomfortable position, constant load on only one shoulder, as well as sleeping on the wrong mattress are a risk of developing osteochondrosis.
Sleep properly on medium-firm mattresses so that the spine is in a natural, even position while resting.Soft feather beds only look comfortable.Lying on a soft bed for a long time causes morning backaches.This is because the back muscles are stretched when the back bends under its own weight.The stretching of the back muscles, which continues throughout the night, leads to pain not only in the lower back, but along the entire length of the spine.
Flat feet are a risk of developing osteochondrosis, because such a foot cannot fully perform the functions of a shock absorber.The spine, because of this, carries increased loads and the discs wear out faster.
In addition, people who are overweight put more strain on their spine than those whose body mass index is close to ideal.You need to monitor your figure so that the ratio of weight and height does not put additional pressure on the frame.
However, perfectly healthy people who lead an athletic lifestyle can have osteochondrosis.The main reason for this is injury.An accidental fall or blow to the spine often leads to hernias, protrusions and osteochondrosis.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
A surgeon, orthopedist or neurologist can make a diagnosis.Due to the fact that pain in the lumbar region is often the reason for contacting a neurologist, such patients are first examined by a doctor of this specialty.First, the patient is examined.For diagnosis, he must assess the patient's ability to twist the body, bend, sit, walk and bend the legs.After that the spine is palpated.Thanks to the manual examination, the doctor will be able to identify pain points and feel compression and even hernias between the vertebrae.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes an X-ray of the spine.This is the simplest test that can be performed even in a rural clinic.Radiographs have long been available in medical practice and are an integral part of any trauma department.If the x-ray does not confirm the diagnosis or when a more detailed study is required, a computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the spine is prescribed.With the help of such an examination, it will be possible to identify the quality of the discs, evaluate their elasticity and integrity, and also detect hidden pathologies.
How to treat osteochondrosis
As a conservative treatment, a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed.If there are no serious lesions of the discs and the doctor noticed on the images that the cause of the pain lies in the pinching of the nerve by the inflamed muscle, then the treatment will be limited to relieving the inflammatory process.In addition, heating therapy may be prescribed, which will reduce swelling, relax the muscles, and release the pinched nerve.
In case of protrusion or herniation of intervertebral discs, the issue of back pain can be solved with surgery.Severely worn vertebrae can be replaced with prosthetics.