Osteochondrosis is a problem with the spine, which affects literally every fourth inhabitant of the planet, at least according to experts from the WHO Statistics Center.
In the top 5 of the most common diseases in the world, osteochondrosis occupies an "honorable" third place, only cardiovascular diseases are ahead of it. In 2012, the British Broadcasting Corporation's media giant, the BBC, released medical research data that is simply shocking: every year more than 5 million people die from diseases caused by physical inactivity, that is, a sedentary lifestyle. A real pandemic of reduced physical activity has already covered a third of earthlings, and the latest results of scientific work prove that the culprit of many health-threatening illnesses is not at all a genetic predisposition or viruses, but aunhealthy lifestyle. Almost all back problems - intervertebral hernias (hernias), osteoporosis, osteochondrosis and many other diseases associated with osteochondrosis - are the result of many hours of sitting, whether in front of the television, at the officeor in the car seat. About 80% of all the reasons why the back suffers and spinal ailments develop are related to basic degenerative changes in muscle corset and lack of full-fledged reasonable physical activity.
Osteochondrosis and spine
The structure of the spine in living things, whether animal or human, is basically the same. However, only man has the proud title of Homo erectus, that is, Homo erectus. Until recently, upright posture was believed to be the main cause of pathological changes in the spine. As if the vertical position of the body leads to an incorrect and uneven load on the spine. The static load, which is most exposed to the lower back and the sacrum, which consists of five vertebrae, is the most dangerous in terms of destructive effects on the intervertebral tissues. dynamic load, which is characterized by movements, thecervical spine is affected. The structure of the spine is quite complex, it consists of many vertebrae connected by cartilaginous tissue - discs. Discs, in turn, are multi-layered rings with a liquid core in the middle, which perform the function of shock absorption when the spine is set in motion. In addition, the vertebrae are connected by a large number of muscles and other tissues. The elasticity of this whole connection system ensures the normal state of the spine. Simply put, the more elastic and adaptive the intervertebral discs, the more flexible and healthy the spine, the less the risk of osteochondrosis hitting it. Today, the theory that upright posture is responsible for all degenerative diseases of the spine is being questioned. Relentless statistics convince clinicians that rather inactivity, physical inactivity is a provoking factor of spinal diseases associated with dystrophy and degeneration of intervertebral tissues. In addition, excess weight, which really increases the load on the discs, can also aggravate destructive processes and provoke osteochondrosis. Conclusion: movement is life. The expression is not new, it sounds painfully hackneyed, banal, however, it needs no proof. A vivid example of how physical activity and flexibility can serve as the foundation for spinal health are examples of people who regularly engage in gymnastics, yoga, and other types of body workouts. Nature itself gives children the opportunity to be flexible, because children's vertebral discs are very elastic, only the nuclei of the disc contain up to 80% of the liquid. With age, the amount of vital "lubrication" may decrease, but it can be preserved by consciously performing simple exercises and observing the basic rules of a healthy lifestyle. Osteochondrosis is a disease of people who are forced to sit or lie down for hours, years, for whatever reason - on duty or on their own, due to obligations, laziness or simplyout of ignorance.
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis is a concept that includes all degenerative and dystrophic changes in the spine. It should be noted that in the European version of the classification of diseases there is not a word about osteochondrosis, these diseases are classified as rheumatic and dorsopathic. In the ICD-10, since 1999, in fact, a group of diseases with typical manifestations in the form of pain in the spine, not associated with visceral causes, is defined as dorsopathy. Osteochondrosis, which is registered as dorsopathy, is in turn divided into three large groups:
- Deforming diseases, dorsopathy - scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, subluxation, spondylolisthesis.
- Spondylopathy - spondylosis, ankylosing spondylitis and other ossifying dystrophic pathologies that limit the mobility of the spine.
- Others, other dorsopathies are degenerative changes accompanied by hernias, protrusions.
So, osteochondrosis or osteochondrosis (from the Greek words - bone, cartilage and pain) is the general name for all spinal problems caused by degeneration and malnutrition of paravertebral tissues (degeneration and dystrophy). When deformed, the shock-absorbing intervertebral disc thins, becomes flat, which leads to overloading of the vertebrae and their even greater deformation to such an extent that they begin to exceed the normal limits of the spine. Nerve roots with such a pathology are pinched, inflamed, pain appears.
Osteochondrosis affects almost the entire back, and depending on which part of the spine suffered the most, the disease is called in clinical practice.
The most "popular", known to many, is lumbar osteochondrosis, there is also a definition of cervical, which ranks second in prevalence, there are sacral, thoracic and generalized osteochondrosis. There are also cross pathologies - lumbosacral or, for example, cervico-thoracic.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis can be very diverse, but sooner or later they all increase and manifest themselves clinically. Of course, it is much easier and faster to treat osteochondrosis in the early stages of its development, when the following signs are noticeable:
- Dull, aching aching sensations in the part of the spine affected by the degenerative process.
- Chronic muscle tension (especially characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis).
- Cracking when turning body, handle.
- Headache, including tension headache (with cervical osteochondrosis).
- Throbbing pain in the chest, often reminiscent of cardiological pain (with thoracic osteochondrosis).
Osteochondrosis in the inflammatory stage has symptoms that force a person to consult a doctor, as they cause more pronounced discomfort:
- Radiation of pain in the limb.
- Numbness in fingers or toes.
- Radiating pain to the fingertips of the extremities.
- Severe pain in the spine when performing simple physical activities.
- Increased pain with small pushes, jerks, for example, when moving in transport.
- The inability to perform simple work associated with rotations or tilts of the body.
- General limitation of mobility, motor activity.
Factors that can provoke problems with the spine, called osteochondrosis, are very diverse, but the already mentioned hypodynamia is in the first place. Other reasons include the following:
- Functional - monotonous work while maintaining the same posture.
- Biomechanics - flat feet, congenital anomalies of spinal development.
- Hormonal - changes in hormonal levels due to age-related changes.
- Infectious - dystrophy of the intervertebral environment caused by the inflammatory process.
- Metabolic - overweight or underweight.
The factors that provoke osteochondrosis, that is, deformation and dystrophy of the intervertebral discs, usually act in combination and are almost never isolated.
The development of osteochondrosis is divided into the following stages:
- Changes in disc biomechanics as a result of tissue degeneration and dystrophic changes. This is the preclinical stage, when the signs, if any, are very weak, not manifested. At this stage, the fibrous ring surrounding the disc begins to stretch or, on the contrary, to retract.
- The second stage is characterized by greater disc instability, the fibrous ring is not only stretched, its fibers are stratified, the ring begins to rupture. Due to the violation of the nerve roots, pains appear in the spine, degenerative changes progress. The collagen tissue continues to break down, the normal height of the intervertebral distance decreases.
- The disc often ruptures completely, this pathology is accompanied by inflammation, herniation and damage to the nerve endings. Protrusion (prolapse) causes characteristic pain not only in the damaged area of the spine, but is also reflected in the limbs and neighboring parts of the body.
- The most difficult stage, when spondylosis and other compensatory diseases of the spine join dystrophy. Often, the vertebra is flattened to compensate for lost functions, and the elastic annulus fibrosis tissue is gradually replaced with scars and bony growths.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Almost everyone who is associated with intellectual activity, from school children to the elderly, suffers from one form or another of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is considered a disease associated with increased dynamic loads that cause degeneration of the intervertebral discs and their sagging. Hardening and growth of cartilage tissue leads to a violation of the damping properties of this part of the spine, head movements - tilts, circular movements, bends become difficult and are accompanied by characteristic signs of osteochondrosis.
Symptoms that can cause osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the early stages of the development of the disease are nonspecific and resemble signs of other pathologies not related to the skeletal system. The list of manifestations of osteochondrosis, which must be differentiated and specified in order to determine the correct diagnosis, is as follows:
- Intense headaches resembling migraine attacks.
- Headache extending from the occiput to the neck.
- Headache aggravated by coughing, turning of the head, sneezing.
- Headache radiating to the chest or shoulder.
- Dizziness, sensory disturbances - double vision, difficulty concentrating. Noise in the ears, in advanced cases, impaired coordination of movements.
- Symptoms that are similar to heart pain, especially with angina pain - heart pain, extending to the cervical region or arm, below the shoulder blade. The pain may increase and is not relieved by taking heart medications.
- Hypertension-like pain (heaviness in the back of the head).
Consequences and complications
Before treating osteochondrosis, however, like any other disease, it is necessary to find out its causes, which is very difficult when it comes to degenerative pathologies of the spine. The factors that provoke the deformation of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine are associated with the anatomical specifics of this area. The vertebrae of the neck almost constantly experience tension due to insufficient general motor activity. If one takes into account the total "sedentary" lifestyle of more than half of the active population, then the problem sometimes becomes insoluble. Also, the cervical vertebrae are smaller than the vertebrae in other regions of the spine, and the internal canal is much narrower. A large number of nerve endings, an abundance of blood vessels, the presence of the most important artery that supplies the brain - all this makes the cervical region extremely vulnerable. Even the slightest contraction of the intervertebral space leads to a violation of the nerve roots, swelling, inflammation and, as a result, to a deterioration in the blood supply to the brain. Often, a decrease in mental activity is due to the fact that a person develops osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. There is a historical anecdote, going backnot so long ago, when Margaret Hilda Thatcher chided her employee with these words: "Your problem is not a puzzle or your own view of the question put to the vote. The thing is, your spine just isn't connected to your brain, John. "This famous quote from the "Iron Lady" perfectly characterizes the condition that causes osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, when it sometimes happens - the spine does not provide proper "nutrition" to the head. As for "nutrition", in fact, not only the canal of the spinal cord is involved in it, but also the canal of the artery passing through the transverse nervous processes. The vertebral artery goes to the skull to supply the cerebellum, and this artery also suppliesnutrients and oxygen to the vestibular apparatus. The slightest disturbance of blood flow through these channels can provoke or aggravate the course of the vegetative-vascular syndrome. In addition to VSD, osteochondrosis of the cervical region causes symptomstypical of radicular syndrome (sciatica), when the pain radiates to the fingertips or one finger, the pallor of the skin (marbling) is clearly visible. One of the most unpleasant complications caused by par cervical osteochondrosis is palmar fibromatosis, also called Dupuytren's contracture. With this disease, the aponeurosis (tendon plate) of the palm is affected, and the function of bending the fingers is disturbed.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is diagnosed by a specialist on the basis of patient complaints, and it can be confirmed and specified using X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Complete cure of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is possible only in its initial stages, however, it is possible to save a person from the painful symptoms of this disease, prevent exacerbations and get rid of some pathological changes inspine. Therefore, we should not forget about the importance of timely treatment of the disease.
How to treat osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis is not easy to treat, as a rule, therapy is prescribed as comprehensively as possible, including all means available to modern medicine. In addition to conservative drug treatment, proven phytotherapeutic drugs, acupuncture, a set of therapeutic exercises, and sometimes surgical operations that eliminate hernias and subluxations of the vertebrae are also used. It should be recognized that osteochondrosis and treatment are two concepts that a sick person will face for quite a long time, sometimes all his life. In addition to the initial phase, which aims to relieve the symptom of pain, the therapy involves constant actions of restoration, rehabilitation and prevention. Complex and multicomponent diseases are always treated over a long period. If a diagnosis is made - osteochondrosis, how to treat - this is the first question that is decided not only by the doctor, but also by the patient himself, since his direct participation and responsible compliance, compliance with all prescriptionsoften play a decisive role in recovery.
What to treat?
The list of drugs most often used as a remedy for osteochondrosis:
- A complex homeopathic preparation, effective and requiring prolonged use, like any other homeopathy (in ampoules or tablets).
- An effective external remedy that relieves muscle and joint pain well.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent (in the form of an ointment - externally, in tablets - orally).
- Ointment with complex effects from the category of homeopathic remedies.
- The drug in tablet form from the category of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
- A drug from the glucocorticoid category.
- Ointment from the category of external nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Gel from the category of external nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- A drug from the category of external nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
If we summarize everything that involves the treatment of such a disease as osteochondrosis, the treatment can be divided into the following stages and types:
- The use of NSAIDs - nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, is considered the gold standard in the treatment of all degenerative and dystrophic pathologies of the bone and muscle systems. The first thing these drugs do is reduce the symptom of pain, the second is a significant reduction in inflammation.
- Medicines called muscle relaxants, because they are really able to relieve muscle pinches and spasms effectively.
- Traction therapy is traction therapy. In this rather painful, but effective process, there is a gradual stretching of tissues, muscles that surround the vertebrae, respectively, the intervertebral distance increases, approaching the norm.
- Biogenic preparations, vascular agents that supply dystrophic areas of tissues, B vitamins well restore the functional abilities of a deformed spine.
- Sedative drugs that normalize the state of the nervous system. Perfectly relieves muscle tension and nerve endings acupuncture.
- Physiotherapy procedures - electrophoresis, phonophoresis, UHF, massages, mud procedures, balneotherapy, magnetic therapy.
- Correction of the spine during the recovery period is carried out using manual therapy.
- The treatment of osteochondrosis involves and with the help of constant exercise from the physiotherapy exercise complex.
In the most extreme cases, when the course of osteochondrosis enters the final stage, surgical intervention is also indicated, which is performed in the area of localization of the inflammatory process. Most often, a hernia is operated on, and the removal of deformed bone tissue from neighboring vertebrae is also possible.
Where to treat osteochondrosis?
Self-treatment of almost all diseases is a trend observed in almost all countries, but it is especially characteristic of post-Soviet countries, where the traditional structure of health care is still changing. Baffled by innovations, often simply out of ignorance, many of us try to cope with back, neck or lower back pain on our own. You can call this time the first stage of treatment, although not very effective, since it is necessary to treat osteochondrosis only with the help of a doctor. The second stage, when independent actions do not lead to the desired and lasting result, a person thinks about a visit to the doctor and the question arises, osteochondrosis - how to treat, how to treat and, most importantly, where to treat osteochondrosis? First, you can contact a local therapist who, most likely, will refer the patient for an examination - X-rays, blood tests, and refer to a neurologist. Secondly, you can immediately make an appointment with a neurologist, preferably before the consultation, at least undergo an X-ray examination of the entire spine. In no case should you go to extremes and look for an experienced massage therapist, any massage first of all involves a preliminary analysis of the state of the body, in particular, the state of the spine. The problem of osteochondrosis is also treated by vertebrologists and vertebroneurologists - doctors specializing in diseases of the spine.
Osteochondrosis is a complex disease, but the examples of many people who overcome even severe injuries to the spine prove that everything is feasible and feasible. The main thing is that at the first alarming signals that the back gives us, analyze our motor activity and take appropriate measures. You can immediately go to the doctor and start treatment, or, if the disease is not advanced, start moving, because, as Aristotle, the teacher of the great Alexander the Great, who was extremely active, said, "Life demands and needs movement, otherwise it is not life".
What does the history of osteochondrosis say?
The etiology of osteochondrosis is still unclear, moreover, despite the clearly ancient origins of this disease, diseases of the spine began to be seriously treated only in the 18th century. Since then, arguments and discussions about the real "enemy" that causes degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs have not ceased. Meanwhile, long ago, even in the time of Hippocrates, there were treatises on the size of bones, which indicates that the ancient Hellenes also suffered from back pain. Hippocrates himself was also so interested in the topics of the spine that he conducted questionable medical experiments from a modern point of view: his students assiduously tied the patient by the arms and legs to a horizontal plane with the backupwards, stretching the limbs as much as possible. Then the great healer stood on the patient's back and began to step on it. The founding father of medicine was sincerely convinced that such fixations, stretches and massages would restore the health of the spine, which, according to the ancient Greek sages, was the key to human happiness. A certain systematization of techniques explaining how to treat osteochondrosis began only at the end of the XVII century. At the same time, a terminology appeared that formalized the fields of application of medicine, among which crimping. Two centuries later, it splits into chiropractic and osteopathy. The first direction was purely practical, using power techniques, osteopaths were more theorists and researchers. At the crossroads of these sciences, manual therapy gradually emerged, without which the treatment of osteochondrosis today is almost unthinkable.
As for the term that defines the disease "osteochondrosis", then a typical story happened to osteochondrosis, which is typical of other conditions of unclear etiology. As soon as he was not called - and lumboischialgia, and sciatica, and Schmorl's hernia, and sciatica, and spondylosis. It took almost a century for doctors to understand osteochondrosis and come to a consensus.