Osteochondrosis is a spine disease characterized by intervertebral disc degeneration with a significant decrease at its height, sclerosis of vertebra disc surfaces and reactive growth of regional osteophytes.
The cartilage fabric of the disks affected by osteochondrosis is gradually reborn and turns into a bone appearance.The hardened disk decreases in size, loses the properties of the shock absorber between the vertebrae and begins to press nerve endings, which leads to the appearance of painful sensations.
The early stage of osteochondrosis usually does not manifest itself with unpleasant sensations in the spine and can be diagnosed as an internal organ disease, and a true diagnosis is detected only after numerous examinations.
By location, cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and common osteochondrosis is distinguished.Most of the time, lumbar osteochondrosis (more than 50%of cases), cervical (over 25%) and common (about 12%) osteochondrosis are diagnosed.
The intervertebral disc is a fiber chip plate.In the middle of the disk there is a core surrounded by a fibrous ring (fabric similar to tendons).The intervertebral disc does not have its vascular system and therefore eats at the expense of other tissues.An important source of nutrients for the disc is the back muscles, it is their dystrophy that usually leads to the development of the disease.When lifting weights, jumps and other physical efforts, the discs act as a shock absorber and support the necessary distance between the vertebrae.Since the largest load falls into the lumbar spine, it is in it, protrusions and intervertebral hernias, which are a complication of this disease, are more often formed.
Intervertebral disc protection- Protrusion (prolapse) of the disk without rupture of the fibrous ring.
A hernia of the intervertebral disc- Protrusion (prolapse) of a disc with a rupture of a fibrous ring and a "flow" of a jet core.Especially the hernia is formed when the spine or during the simultaneous slope and turning the trunk to the side is formed, especially if there is a heavy object in the hands.In this position, the intervertebral discs experience a very large load, the pressure inside the intervertebral disk increases, the vertebrae are pressed on one side of the disc and the core is forced to change on the opposite side and press the fibrous ring.At some point, the fibrous ring does not support this load and the disc is salient (the fibrous ring is stretched but remains whole) or the hernia is formed (the fibrous ring breaks and part of the contents of the core "flows" through innovation).With an increase in the load in the spine and creating conditions to increase the pressure on the damaged intervertebral disc, the hernia increases in size.
It is very important for the direction of protrusion and the size of hernia, if the hernia presents itself or to the sides, this can lead to the pain and impaired work of some organs and, when projecting towards the spinal cord and damage, the consequences can be much more serious.If intervertebral hernia has affected the nervous processes or roots of a certain segment of the spine, this leads to a violation of the organ's work, whereby the damaged segment of the spine is responsible.Another option is possible: due to the protrusion of the disc in one direction, on the opposite side, the distance between the vertebrae decreases and this leads to the pinches of the nerve processes by the vertebrae themselves.The intervertebral hernia in the lower back lumbar region causes pain in the legs, hernia in the thoracic region contributes to the dizziness, the pain in the heart, the violations of the respiratory organs, etc., hernia in the cervical spine can cause headaches, dizziness and hands number.The most dangerous intervertebral hernias are more than 10 mm in size, narrowing -markedly in the spine canal, holding blood vessels and injuring nerve endings, prolonged exposure to which it leads not only to intense pain, but also circulatory disorders, loss of limb sensitivity with subsequent complications.But the most dangerous are the kidnapped hernias of the intervertebral discs, ie the hernias are ready for the destruction or separation of the fragment, followed by the lowered in the spinal canal, which can lead to serious consequences: impaired functions of the pelvic organs and paralysis of the lower extremities.
Causes of osteochondrosis
The causes that cause changes in intervertebral discs are not fully studied.People begin to feel osteochondrosis demonstrations more often after 35 years.Development and exacerbation of this disease are facilitated by various back injuries, static and dynamic overloads, as well as vibration.The older the person, the more manifestations he has.But in recent years, more and more people aged 18 to 30 complain of back pain.There are many reasons for the early manifestation of the disease: weak physical training, violation of posture and curvature of the spine, boring feet and overweight.
And so, we will highlight the main reasons:
- Hereditary predisposition (genetics);
- Metabolic disorder in the body, infection, intoxication;
- Inadequate nutrition and overweight (lack of strokes and liquid);
- Age -related changes;
- spine lesions (bruises, fractures);
- Posture violation, spine curvature, hypermobility (instability) of spinal spine segments, flat feet;
- adverse environmental conditions;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- Work associated with weight lifting, frequent changes in body position (turns, flexions and extensions, pushing movements);
- Prolonged exposure to inconvenient poses in standing position, sitting, lying, when lifting and transferring weights, performing another work in which the pressure on the discs and the load in the spine in general increases;
- Excessive physical activity, unequally developed bone-muscular system;
- Spinal overloads associated with foot disease, as well as the result of uncomfortable shoes, high heels and pregnancy in women;
- clear cessation of regular training by professional athletes;
- Stressful and nervous and stressful situations, smoking;
- Hypothermia, adverse weather conditions (high humidity at low temperature).
Characteristic symptoms of osteochondrosis
Patients suffering from osteochondrosis complain of constant painful pain, to which numbness and a sense of pain in the limbs usually join.In the absence of proper treatment, weight loss and limb atrophy occurs.
The main symptoms:
- Saint pain in the back, a feeling of numbness and member pain;
- Increased pain during sudden movements, physical exertion, weight lifting, cough and sneezing;
- Reduction in the volume of movements, muscle cramps;
- with cervical spine osteochondrosis: hand pain, shoulders, headaches;It is possible to develop the called vertebral artery syndrome, which consists of the following complaints: noise in the head, dizziness, tremor of "flies", colorful spots in front of the eyes in combination with a throbbing headache.The cause of vertebral artery syndrome may be its spasm in response to the direct irritation of its sympathetic plexus due to bone growth, disc hernia, intervertebral joint arthrosis and reflex reaction due to the irritation of any column receptors.The presence of vertebral artery syndrome may aggravate the course of coronary or cardiac pathology, if any;
- with thoracic spine osteochondrosis: chest pain (like a "stake" in the chest), heart and other internal organs;
- with lumbosacra spine osteochondrosis: lumbar pain, radiating to the sacred, lower limbs, sometimes to the pelvic organs;
- The lesion of nerve roots (with intervertebral disc hernias, bone growth, spondilolistz, spondering arthrosis): firing pain and sensitivity, hypotrophy, hypotension, weakness in the innervated muscles and a decrease in reflexes.
Osteochondrosis diagnosis
Preliminary diagnosis is established during the initial examination of the patient.An examination is usually conducted by a neurologist in connection with the patient's complaints to local changes, which may manifest themselves by pain, deformation or limitation of mobility.The spine is examined in the position of the patient standing, sitting and lying at rest and moving.The level of damage to the column is determined by counting the number of vertebrae of certain anatomical milestones or according to a special scheme.
When Examining the Back, Attention is paid to posture, The Structural Features of the Body, the Line of Spinous Processes, The Lower Corners of the Shoulder Blades, The Ridges of the Iliac Bones, The Side Contours and Neck, The Rejection of the intra -AnnualGroove from the verticals are paid, the protrusion of the verticals is Revealed, the protrusion muscles localted next to the spine.
Feeling the column allows the inspection data to complement (the presence or absence of deformation), determine the location, degree and nature of pain.When feeling, the tension of the muscles located next to the spine is also observed, because most lesions and spinal diseases are accompanied by an increase in muscle tone.
Column flexion is used to determine the amplitude of movements in various parts of the spine.
The main role in the study of the spine is attributed to radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, with which the level of damage is determined, the diagnosis is specified and the hidden and realized pathologies are revealed.These diagnoses allow the assistant doctor to determine the treatment tactics and choose the most effective treatment methods.
Osteochondrosis treatment methods and their complications
Treatment of osteochondrosisAnd its complications are performed using conservative methods designed to eliminate pain syndrome, disorders of the roots of spine roots and prevent the progression of dystrophic changes in spine structures.With the ineffectiveness of conservative treatment and in special indications, surgical (surgical) treatment is performed, whose volume depends on the level of damage and clinical manifestations of the disease.
The duration of treatment of osteochondrosis and its complications depends mainly on the severity of the disease, age -related changes, treatment methods, as well as consciousness prescription and recommendations of the assistant doctor.As practice shows, the active phase of treatment in most cases lasts 1 to 3 months when using conservative methods and the recovery period after surgery is about 1 year.At the beginning of treatment, in some patients, it is possible to increase pain syndrome associated with muscle system reaction and other formations to unusual exposure to the body.Pain is interrupted in a short time with physiotherapeutic procedures, medicines and special exercise.The result of treatment depends in much of the patients' behavior themselves, on which patience, perseverance, perseverance, willingness, as well as the desire to recover.The higher efficiency of conservative therapy and rehabilitation after surgery can be achieved under conditions of specialized medical and sanatorium centers equipped with a diagnostic base and modern therapy, as well as highly qualified practitioners using comprehensive treatment of musculoskeletal system diseases.
Complex conservative treatment includes physical therapy, physiotherapy, massage, manual therapy, tensile (traction) of the spine, reflexology and drug therapy.
Medical Physical Education (Exercise Therapy)-The main method of conservative treatment of musculoskeletal system diseases is to create dose loads intended for the decompression of nerve roots, correction and strengthening of muscle corset, increasing the volume and development of a particular stereotype of movement and well-being, and what is a little prevention and the apartment of the apparatus.This is achieved by regular classes on rehab equipment and joint gymnastics.As a result of the exercises, blood circulation improves, metabolism and intervertebral disc nutrition are normalized, intervertebral space increases, muscle score is formed and the spine load is reduced.
Physiotherapy is a treatment method that uses physical factors: low frequency currents, magnetic fields, ultrasound, laser etc.It is used to relieve pain, inflammatory processes, rehabilitation after injury and operations.When using physiotherapy methods, the treatment of many diseases is reduced, the effectiveness of drug use and a decrease in their dosage is increased, there are no side effects inherent in drug treatment.
Massage is a set of mechanical dosed effects techniques in the form of friction, pressure, vibration, performed directly on the surface of the human body with the hands.Effectively relieves muscle tension, muscle pain, improves blood circulation, has a general effect of strengthening.
Manual therapy is an individually selected manual effect on the bone muscle system to remove acute and chronic back and joint pain, as well as an increase in movement volume and posture correction.One of the areas of manual therapy is visceral manual therapy, which helps restore normal organ mobility, improves blood supply, lymphocylation, normalizes metabolism, restores immunity, prevents the dispersal of chronic diseases.
The extension (traction) of the spine is an effective method of treating pain syndromes in the spine and together using individually selected load using special equipment.The procedure aims to increase intervertebral space, remove pain and restore an anatomically correct shape of the spine.
Reflexotherapy - Various therapeutic techniques and methods of influence on the reflexogenic zones of the human body and acupuncture points.The use of reflexology in combination with other therapeutic methods significantly increases its effectiveness.Most of the time, reflexology is used for osteochondrosis, accompanied by pain, nervous system diseases, sleep disorders, mental imbalance, as well as overweight and tobacco curls.By acting at certain points, the body can be led to harmony and treating many diseases.
Drug therapy is indicated during the period of exacerbation of the disease, with the objective of interrupting pain syndrome, removing the inflammatory process and increasing metabolic processes taking or administering medications using intramuscular or intravenous injections.
Although each of the above methods is a highly effective therapeutic effect, still persistent can only be obtained with its combination with classes on rehab equipment, ie when creating a complete muscle corset.