Osteochondritis of the spine

Osteochondrosis is a disease characterized by degenerative changes in the cartilage of the spine. Lack of adequate therapy leads to disruption 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. According to statistics, 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, systemic uneven loads on the spine and legs.

What is

Speaking of what is osteochondrosis, it should be said that this disease provokes 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 ultimately 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 compressed. This leads to increased muscle tone and pain.

Decreased elasticity causes the formation of intervertebral hernias and the development of protrusion (a disease in which the vertebrae begin to protrude into the spinal canal without rupture of the fibrous ring). And if the treatment is carried out incorrectly or not at all, it will lead to the breakdown of the joints of the spine and the connections with the further formation of osteophytes (bone processes).

The development of osteochondrosis provokes a violation of motor functions. The person begins to worry about constant pain in the area of the pathological focus, which intensifies during bending / lengthening 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 humans during the period of physiological aging of the body. But there are situations when the pathology begins to develop much earlier. And the reason for this is often the wrong way of life.

In medicine there is such a thing as chondrosis and there are similar symptoms and etiology. What is the difference between chondrosis and osteochondrosis? It's simple. Chondrosis is the initial stage in the development of osteochondrosis, when the processes of replacing damaged tissues with fibrosis and the formation of osteophytes have not yet begun in the spine. When there is a pronounced deformation of the spine and the formation of new processes, we talk about osteochondrosis.

Provoking factors

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

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

In addition, osteochondrosis of the spine can develop against the background of:

• hypodynamia (accompanied by impaired blood circulation, decreased muscle tone, shortness of breath);
• passive lifestyle;
• obesity;
• injuries (fractures, sprains, bruises);
• flat steps;
• other degenerative diseases that lead to poor blood circulation in the spine.

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

• frequent physical activity;
• neuro-emotional exhaustion;
• metabolic disorders;
• intoxication (drug, chemical);
• pathology of the digestive tract;
• genetic predisposition;
• scoliosis;
• hypovitaminosis;
• pregnancy;
• smoking;
• drinking alcoholic beverages;
• prolonged / frequent dehydration.

There are many reasons for the development of osteochondrosis of the back. Most often it occurs immediately against the background of the influence of several factors (eg trauma, passive lifestyle, smoking, prolonged stay in the wrong position). It can be established only through a thorough diagnosis, examination of the anamnesis.

Stages of development

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

• First stage. At this stage, pathological processes occur in the pulpal nucleus of the intervertebral disc. It is characterized by dehydration (dehydration), which ultimately contributes to reducing its height and the formation of cracks in the fibrous ring. There is no symptomatic picture at this stage of the disease. One can feel only slight discomfort in the back area after intense physical activity, a long time in an awkward position and more.
• Second stage. It is accompanied by a reduction in the intervertebral space, sagging of the spinal muscles and ligaments. Such changes lead to increased mobility of the vertebrae. And any provoking factor can lead to their displacement or slippage. As for the symptoms, at this stage patients already have discomfort and back pain, which occur under certain types of loads, pos.
• Third stage. It is characterized by the appearance of prolapses and protrusions, subluxations, osteoarthritis of the intervertebral joints. At this stage, the disease often provokes stiffness of movements, a feeling of numbness in the pathological area and numbness. The pain syndrome has a pronounced character, periodically appears even at rest, in the absence of heavy loads.
• Fourth stage. At this stage, the body tries to adapt to the disorders. His 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 the gaps in the spine. In this way, however, the body not only helps itself, but also harms. Ultimately, osteophytes lead to nerve pinching, injury to healthy vertebrae. And this causes the development of fibrous ankylosis in the joints and intervertebral discs (increasing the volume of fibrous tissue while combining it with the remnants of cartilage). If a person has both microtrauma and disorder, then the severity of the pain syndrome increases. In their absence, the clinical picture subsides.

Symptoms

Talking about what osteochondrosis is and how to get rid of it, we can not talk about the symptoms that can occur. The main sign of its development is the presence of discomfort or pain in the neck, chest and lower back. The severity of the sensations directly depends on the degree of development of the disease.

Visual examination of the patient reveals 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, as well as pain, which can be both worn out and expressed, depending on the severity of pathological processes. It can be located in:

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

In this case, stiffness of movements is possible, which makes it difficult to perform household duties. It is most common 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 organism. If the patient has a displacement of the discs, bulge, hernia, osteophytes, this often leads to impaired blood circulation, spinal canal dysfunction, edema, fibrosis, pinching. All this provokes the appearance of symptoms that can complicate the diagnosis and lead to misdiagnosis.

Talking about how osteochondrosis manifests itself, it is necessary to highlight the most common symptoms that patients complain of. They include:

• pain occurring in the neck, lumbar region, shoulder girdle, ribs;
• stiffness of movements, discomfort in the morning after waking up, when bending over, turning;
• tingling sensation in the arms, legs, neck;
• discomfort in the joints and muscles of the back;
• frequent dizziness, migraine;
• rapid fatigue;
• heart pain;
• impaired sensitivity of the upper extremities;
• decreased muscle tone.

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

• Cervical department. In this case, the pain is localized in the neck, arms, shoulder girdle. It can give the shoulders and shoulders. Cervical osteochondrosis can also manifest itself as headaches, tinnitus, "tingling" in front of the eyes and dizziness.
• Chest department. In this pathology, chest pain occurs. It can be given to the upper shoulder, armpits. It often causes discomfort and pain in the heart. May cause respiratory problems, shortness of breath.
• Lumbosacral region. The pain syndrome predominates in the lumbar spine. It also manifests itself as discomfort in the legs, thighs and pelvic organs. It often provokes sexual dysfunction.

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

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

Diagnosis

What causes osteochondrosis and how it can occur, we talked. But I must say that it will not work to make the correct diagnosis only on the basis of visual examination and the patient's own feelings. To do this, you must undergo an in-depth examination, which must include:

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

As additional diagnostic methods are used:

• CT;
• NMR;
• NMR.

In order to exclude the presence of inflammatory or infectious diseases, laboratory tests are also prescribed:

• OAM;
• UAC;
• blood chemistry.

If necessary, a consultation with specialists of a narrower profile is appointed.

Methods of treatment

Unlike chondrosis, osteochondrosis in the ridge area causes a chronic process that cannot be eliminated by conservative methods. But that doesn't mean you don't have to fight it. Lack of adequate therapy can lead to serious consequences - the spine is deformed, in place of bone structures will appear fibrous tissue that is unable to perform the necessary functions, the person will become disabled.

Conservative therapy

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

• Drug therapy. In this case, the drugs are used to eliminate painful sensations, relieve inflammation and restore metabolism. If the patient has severe pain, drug blockades are used, which in addition to the analgesic effect help to reduce the severity of the muscular-tonic syndrome. The following types of blockades are used in osteochondrosis: trigger point blockade, intraosseous, faceted, paravertebral, epidural.
• Physiotherapeutic activities. They are also used to reduce pain and improve the effectiveness of medications. Most often, osteochondrosis uses ultrasound therapy, magnetic fields, low-frequency currents, laser beams and more.
• Physiotherapy and kinesitherapy. All patients, without exception, are prescribed physical therapy. It is performed under the supervision of specialists. Provides posture correction, increase muscle tone, relieve nervous tension. Systematic performance of special exercises also helps to increase the gaps between the discs, to distribute the uniform load on the musculoskeletal system.
• Massage. Hand massage helps to normalize blood circulation, relieve muscle spasms and cramps. If the patient has disorders of the nervous system, hydromassage is prescribed.
• Manual therapy. It is selected individually for each patient. Provides normalization of lymph outflow, blood circulation, metabolism, mobility of the spine. Prevents the development of complications, strengthens the immune system.
• Traction of the spine. This method involves stretching the spine with the help of special equipment. In this way, it is possible to increase the intervertebral space and reduce the incidence of osteochondrosis.

Surgery

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

• cauda equina syndrome, which develops in the presence of a massive hernia;
• spinal canal stenosis with compression of the brain and neurovascular bundles;
• combination of osteochondrosis with significant spondylolisthesis with severe segmental instability;
• compression of the root at the level of the lumbar segment L5;
• cervical osteochondrosis with discogenic syndrome of the vertebral arteries.

The treatment of osteochondrosis by surgery can be done in several ways:

• Laminotomy. This type of surgery involves removing a fragment of the bone structure and the yellow ligament.
• Laminectomy. During it, most of the spine, which restricts the spinal canal, is removed.
• Foraminotamy. The purpose of the operation is to widen the radicular canal.
• Discetomy. 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 provides partial destruction of the disc, which leads to the reverse development of the hernia.

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

Traditional methods

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

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

1. You need to take 1 kg of coarse salt, mix it with 3 tbsp. l. dry mustard, add 100 ml of water, mix everything well. The resulting slurry should be placed on low heat and heated to a temperature of 50 degrees. The mixture is applied to the painful area, a film is placed on it, then a warm handkerchief. With such a compress, the patient should lie down until completely cooled. After the procedure you need to stay warm for another 2 hours.
2. Pour 1. 5 liters of water into a saucepan, add 3 handfuls of sawdust and bring the resulting mixture to a boil, then strain. The sawdust is arranged on a plastic cover, which is pre-covered with a sheet on the bed. A gauze napkin is placed on the sawdust, then laid back on it and covered with a warm blanket on top. So lie down for 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Take 200 g of cinquefoil roots, 100 g of potency roots, 100 g of elecampane. The herbs are placed in a 3-liter jar filled to the brim with vodka. The resulting composition was placed in a dark place for 3 weeks and then filtered. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times daily before meals. l. throughout the month. Then take a break of 10 days and repeat the course.

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