Osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is the cause of acute back pain in 67% of all cases. The lack of timely consultation with a doctor, consultation and treatment can lead to consequences such as disruption of the functioning of internal organs, damage to the spinal cord and damage to the nerve roots of the spine. What is osteochondrosis, what types of treatment exist for patients and how the disease is diagnosed - read on.

What is osteochondrosis?

Osteochondrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic disease that leads to thinning of the intervertebral cartilage. The hyaline cartilage and intervertebral discs begin to "wear out", losing their ability to function fully.

reference.In most cases, spinal osteochondrosis is diagnosed in people over the age of 25. According to the WHO, by 2021, 43% of the population aged 25-40 will suffer from osteochondrosis and more than 92% of the elderly. The appearance and exacerbation of the disease can be caused by the surrounding adverse factors.

Types of osteochondrosis

Every part of the spine is subject to degeneration processes. Among the types of osteochondrosis of the spine, 3 main ones can be distinguished: cervical, thoracic and lumbar (due to the high load, it is more common than others).

1. Lumbar osteochondrosis. The lumbar region consists of 5 vertebrae, which are subject to deformation due to the negative impact of external and internal factors. When nutrition and metabolic processes in the intervertebral discs are disturbed, pain occurs, caused by loss of elasticity and thinning of cartilage tissue.
2. Cervical osteochondrosis.The cervical spine consists of 7 vertebrae that are regularly exposed to stress. Pathological processes are activated when the body's metabolic processes fail.
3. Thoracic osteochondrosis.The thoracic region consists of 12 vertebrae. This type of osteochondrosis is the rarest. The thoracic vertebrae are inactive. People who lead a passive lifestyle and regularly lift heavy objects are susceptible to the disease.

Causes of osteochondrosis

The number of people suffering from osteochondrosis is growing rapidly every year. This is due to the fact that people spend most of their time on their feet, providing maximum load on the intervertebral discs.

important!With age/due to heavy loads, discs and cartilages deform. Fissures and hernias may appear. As a result, compressed nerve roots, thinned discs, pathological processes in the spinal cord, muscle spasms and progressive pain.

The risk group includes: office workers, builders, hairdressers, sellers, drivers. Both men and women are equally susceptible to the occurrence of osteochondrosis.

Provocative factors for osteochondrosis include:

• presence of osteochondrosis in the family history;
• overweight, obesity;
• passive lifestyle;
• flat feet.

Impaired cushioning of the spine and its deformation can be caused by the following factors:

1. Self-neglect (complete lack of physical activity or excessive exercise).
2. Lack of awareness about proper postures to reduce stress on the spine.
3. Constant work involving lifting/moving heavy objects.
4. Injuries.

Osteochondrosis: 4 stages of disease development

There are 4 stages of development of spinal osteochondrosis:

1. First stage- there are no clear symptoms to diagnose the disease. Sometimes back pain occurs, often after physical exertion or overexertion. Osteochondrosis at an early stage can be detected during a preventive examination or during a CT or X-ray examination.
2. Second stage.The next stage is characterized by moderate pain. Cartilage tissue begins to deform and the distance between the spinal discs decreases. When contacting a doctor, drug therapy (to reduce pain) and physical therapy is prescribed.
3. Third stage– the spine is deformed, fibrous areas and hernias appear, the pain intensifies and becomes more pronounced and frequent. At this stage, everything depends on the existing symptoms. The doctor will help determine the patient's treatment method (conservative or surgical).
4. Fourth stage- irreversible deformation of the spinal function. It is almost impossible for the patient to move independently. The pain is sharp, constant and increases with any physical activity. Pathological bone tissue fills the intervertebral space, the patient becomes disabled.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis

As mentioned earlier, there are 3 types of osteochondrosis and each of them is characterized by individual manifestations. Let's look at all the symptoms further.

Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis

How do you know you have lumbar osteochondrosis? You may notice characteristic symptoms:

• stiffness of movements;
• pain in the pelvis, sacrum, lower back and lower limbs that becomes more intense with physical exertion or movement. The nature of the pain is painful, dull, sharp;
• pathological processes of the genitourinary system (problems with defecation and urination);
• weakness in the legs;
• impairment/absence of sensitivity.

important!Self-medication is strictly prohibited. When lumbar osteochondrosis is detected, diagnosis and effective treatment are mandatory. The consequences of the lack of therapy are hernias, protrusions, paralysis of the lower limbs.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

How do you know you have cervical osteochondrosis? One or more symptoms may occur:

• frequent headache;
• numbness of the upper and lower extremities;
• severe crunching in the cervical spine during physical activity;
• "spots", points in the eyes, blurring and darkening;
• burning sensation and discomfort in the heart area;
• the appearance of tinnitus, hearing loss;
• unexplained dizziness;
• pain in shoulders, neck, arms.

important!Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae is considered one of the most dangerous for humans, as it complicates the process of blood saturation of the brain. If left untreated, protrusions appear, then hernias. Surgical intervention for cervical osteochondrosis has a high risk of paralysis of the body. If symptoms appear, contact only qualified specialists.

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis

How do you know you have thoracic osteochondrosis? Only a doctor (neurologist) can diagnose the disease, but the patient can assume the presence of osteochondrosis based on characteristic signs:

• discomfort, burning sensation localized in the chest;
• the appearance of pain when raising the arms up, pain in the shoulder blades;
• dizziness and sudden loss of consciousness appear;
• chest pain.

reference.During the transition of the disease to the acute phase, dorsago (shortness of breath, sharp/hard chest pain, "lumbago") and dorsalgia (pain can be episodic or constant, sharp/dull in nature) may occur.

Osteochondrosis of the chest is difficult to diagnose. The disease is often confused with angina pectoris, a heart attack or inflammatory processes in the lungs.

Diagnosis of spinal osteochondrosis

When visiting a doctor, a medical history and physical examination of the musculoskeletal system begins.
patient device. The specialist will check the integrity of the reflexes and the level of sensitivity of the painful areas. After that, blood tests and other laboratory tests are ordered. To clarify the diagnosis, the neurologist prescribes one or more types of imaging:

1. Ultrasound of the vertebral arteries.
2. X-ray of the entire spine or individual areas (cervical, thoracic, lumbar).
3. CT of the spine helps to identify the presence of degenerative processes, displacements, deformations of the spine and its structures.
4. MRI of the spine - identifies soft tissue pathologies, helps to scan the spinal cord and intervertebral discs.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

How to treat osteochondrosis is determined by the attending physician depending on the type of disease, the severity of symptoms and the degree of pathological changes. The following can be used as therapeutic therapy: physiotherapy, drug treatment, courses with a chiropractor, therapeutic massage, exercise therapy or surgical intervention (in the absence of positive dynamics from other treatment methods or in an advanced stage).

Drug treatment of osteochondrosis

When prescribing medical therapy with drugs, the doctor can use several groups of drugs at once:

• NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) - to relieve the symptoms of osteochondrosis, relieve pain and reduce inflammation. It can be used in the form of tablets or as injections (in severe cases). The duration of the treatment course is from 7 to 14 days;
• chondroprotectors - to strengthen intervertebral discs and cartilage tissue;
• B vitamins;
• vascular drugs - to improve blood supply to the spine;
• glucocorticosteroids - used as injections in the affected area (in severe forms of the disease);
• muscle relaxants - to relax muscles, relieve pain and inflammation.

Massage for osteochondrosis

The course of massage for osteochondrosis should be carried out once every six months. Therapeutic massage removes tension, relieves tension and improves blood circulation in the affected area. Only a doctor can tell about the expediency of prescribing a massage, a prerequisite is remission of the disease.

Traction (traction of the spine)

Artificial traction of the spine is performed only under the supervision of medical personnel, using special equipment. High-quality traction allows you to evenly distribute the vertebrae in the spine. Pain, stinging and inflammation are reduced.

Manual therapy

Manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the spine is used to correct the curvature. The specialist applies a targeted effect on the patient's musculoskeletal system. After the therapy, blood circulation and lymph improve, stiffness disappears and mobility appears.

Physiotherapy treatment of osteochondrosis

It is practiced only in the period of remission of the disease, in the acute phase this method of treatment is prohibited. Physiotherapy is used as an adjunctive therapy along with drug treatment. To reduce the symptoms of osteochondrosis, specialists use laser, magnets and current (low frequency).

Acupuncture

The basis of acupuncture is the correct impact on reflex zones and painful points. Therapy is prescribed only in combination with therapeutic massage to increase effectiveness. The therapy restores the possibility of natural loading of the spine without pain.

Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis

Physical therapy is effective in all types of osteochondrosis and can be prescribed to patients of any age category. The type of exercises and the duration of their performance are prescribed by the doctor. Moderate physical activity helps to strengthen the back muscles, increases the mobility and flexibility of the spine and improves the patient's condition.

The patient can be prescribed the following types of classes: kinesitherapy, therapeutic swimming, health path, mechanotherapy.

important!Physical therapy classes are contraindicated during periods of exacerbation of osteochondrosis!

Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis

With osteochondrosis of the spine, surgery is rarely prescribed as the only treatment option. The human spine has a complex structure with many vertebrae and nerve endings that influence the coordinated functioning of the entire body. With surgery, there is a high risk of complications, so it is prescribed only in the most difficult cases or in the absence of improvement from other methods of treatment.

Prevention of osteochondrosis of the spine

Prevention is the best way to reduce the risk of developing osteochondrosis and achieve remission of an existing spinal disease. The main thing to remember when doing preventive exercises is that they should be regular and only during the remission period.

It is better to simultaneously perform a gymnastic set of simple exercises. In order not to forget them, set a reminder on your mobile phone or include them in your morning hygiene rituals.

1. Rest your forehead in your palm, tense your neck muscles. Performance – 3 series of 5-7 seconds. Then repeat the same with the back of the head and palm.
2. The position of the shoulders is flat, the head is straight. Slowly tilt your head as far as possible to the right, then to the left. Perform 5 times (slowly).
3. Slowly tilt your head back a little. Tighten the neck muscles and gradually move the chin towards the chest. Do 5-7 times.
4. Place your left palm near the left temporal area (then right palm and right temple). Apply pressure to your palm by tensing your neck muscles. Execution – 3 times for 10 seconds.

important!Take your time when doing the exercises. It is also forbidden to make circular movements with the head due to the high risk of injury and pinching of nerve endings.

The second set of preventive exercises against osteochondrosis can be performed at any time (especially after work or overexertion), but also regularly:

1. Stand straight, legs together, arms relaxed, take a deep breath. Raise your arms up, exhale. Approach - 6-8 times.
2. Lie on your stomach, arms by your sides, relaxed. Lean up, relax your arms, try to raise your head and legs. Stay in this position for 5 seconds. Return to starting position. Repeat - 5-7 times.
3. Sit in a chair. Put your hands behind your head (take a deep breath), bend back 4-5 times so that the shoulder blades touch the back of the chair (exhale). Repeat - 5-7 times.
4. Stand up, lean back, take a deep breath. Relax your hands, lean forward, slowly lower your head and shoulders - exhale. Approach - 10 times.
5. Get on all fours. Head upright. Arch your back and stay in this position for 3-4 seconds. Return to starting position, repeat 5-7 times.

How to stand, lie and sit with osteochondrosis?

Knowing the correct postures, which help to evenly distribute the load on the entire spine, is necessary not only for patients suffering from osteochondrosis, but also for all people. By following simple rules, you will notice a significant improvement in your general condition and a reduction in the load on your back. In addition, you can protect your spine from many diseases with serious, painful symptoms.

How to sit properly?

We learn to sit without straining, without provoking the risk of spine deformation and the development of osteochondrosis:

• criteria for choosing a chair/chair: seat depth level - 2/3 of thigh length, seat height level should be equal to lower leg length. So your feet will rest on the floor. Small people should place a small step or bench under their feet;
• pay attention to the depth of the desktop. It should be such that the legs are not held sideways or strongly bent;
• Take a break every 20 minutes for prolonged work in a sitting position. Change the position of your legs, take a walk, do light gymnastics;
• get behind the wheel with minimal stress. Your back should lie on the seat; a small pillow or pad placed between the chair and your lower back will help with this. If possible, get out of the car every 25-30 minutes to warm up;
• Heavily upholstered furniture is not suitable for everyday use. For an even load on the spine, it is necessary to support the body on the gluteal tubercles, which is possible only when sitting on a medium hard surface;
• Your back should always touch the back of your chair/desk. Try to sit upright, avoiding strong neck bends;
• do not sit/lie in one position for a long time.

How to stand correctly?

If a person stands for a long time in one position, the lumbar region (and the entire spine) is heavily loaded, which negatively affects it. To avoid excessive load on the spine and increase the risk of deformation, follow simple rules:

• do not stay in one position for more than 10 minutes, change the position of your legs and arms;
• relieve tension in the neck - tilt your head to the right and left, stretch your arms forward, bend your back forward and backward - relax your back and lower back;
• when lifting something from the floor, bend, bend your knees or squat, find a support point for your hands;
• move, walk short distances so as not to stand still;
• try not to bend too much (back, head) during housework (cleaning, ironing, cooking). When cleaning low or hard-to-reach surfaces, get down on one knee.

How do I go to bed?

The ideal choice of sleeping surface is a bed with a medium-firm mattress (ideally orthopedic, which preserves the physiological curves of the spine). The bed should not be wooden or too soft.

How to lie down properly if you have severe pain?

• back pain - lie on your stomach, placing a small pillow under the lower back (so as not to increase the pain when bending over);
• pain in the legs - place a pillow (from a towel or blanket) under the knees. The pain syndrome will gradually decrease;
• neck pain - put a hand under your head or a pillow under your neck.

How to get out of bed in the morning during an attack of osteochondrosis?

• do a short warm-up of the upper and lower limbs;
• change your position;
• go from a lying position to a sitting position, grabbing your leg with your hands bent at the knee;
• lower your feet to the floor one at a time;
• get up gradually, any sudden movement can increase the pain.

How to lift and move weights correctly?

Improper lifting and carrying of heavy objects is one of the most common causes of hernia, osteochondrosis and protrusions. Abrupt lifting of weights is fraught with sudden "shooting" in various parts of the spine and the appearance of sharp pain that will last for a long time. Turning the body when carrying heavy objects is also prohibited.

How to lift a heavy object?

1. Wear a wide belt.
2. Crouch down. Keep your neck and back straight.
3. Fix the object with both hands, rise slowly, keep the back straight.

How to move a heavy object?

• distribute the load evenly on both hands, do not carry everything in one;
• with diagnosed osteochondrosis, it is not recommended to lift weights over 15 kg;
• buy a backpack (an important condition is an orthopedic back and wide shoulder straps). The advantages of using a backpack are an even load on the spine + free hands;
• Do not lean forward or backward sharply.

Conclusion

Osteochondrosis of the spine most often develops at the age of 25-40 years. The risk group for morbidity includes people with a passive lifestyle, those who spend most of their time in straight or incorrect positions, with a large load on the spine. Osteochondrosis can be cured with conservative methods with timely consultation with a specialist. In advanced cases, surgical intervention is used. Self-medication is contraindicated.

Regular preventive exercises will help reduce the symptoms of osteochondrosis and maintain the functionality of the spine, preventing deformation. If you neglect your health, the patient may postpone visiting a doctor until hernia, paralysis and disability appear.