Osteochondrosis is damage to the interarticular and intervertebral cartilage.Osteochondrosis is diagnosed in all joints without exception, but according to medical statistics, such lesions are more common in intervertebral discs.
Functions of intervertebral discs
The main function of the intervertebral discs is to absorb shock when walking and running.Few people think about the load 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 nerve endings of the spine would be constantly pressed between the vertebrae.
Its cushioning 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 allows them to be as elastic as possible, like a sponge.With age, fabrics deteriorate, dry out, become less flexible and lose their cushioning properties.The older a person is, the higher the risk of developing complications of osteochondrosis manifested by:
- hernias;
- sciatica;
- prominent.
Symptoms of intervertebral disc disease
There is 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 are no obvious injuries that could cause pain in the arm, such a symptom should be a reason for examining the cervical spine.
If the pain, concentrated in the sacral region, flows into the leg and buttock (usually only on one side), this indicates damage to the intervertebral disc in the lumbar region.After applying pressure to the affected area, you may feel a tingling sensation in your leg, arm or limb.The main striking symptoms of osteochondrosis of the intervertebral space are:
- Pain in the sacral region that prevents a person 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 heavy physical loads 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 path to disc destruction.In addition, specific work that forces you to keep your torso in an uncomfortable position, constant load on only one shoulder, as well as sleeping on an incorrectly selected mattress, are risks of developing osteochondrosis.
Sleep properly on mattresses with moderate firmness so that the spine is in a natural, flat position during rest.Feather beds only look comfortable.Prolonged lying on a soft bed causes morning back pain.This happens because the back muscles are stretched when the back bends under its own weight.Stretching the muscles of the back, which continues throughout the night, leads to pain not only in the lower back, but also 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.Because of this, the spine bears 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 watch your form so that the ratio between weight and height does not put an additional burden on the skeleton.
However, perfectly healthy people who lead a sports lifestyle can have osteochondrosis.The main reason for this is injury.An unfortunate fall or blow to the spine often leads to hernia, protrusion and osteochondrosis.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
The diagnosis can be made by a surgeon, orthopedist or neurologist.Due to the fact that pain in the lumbar region is often the reason for contact with a neurologist, such patients are first examined by a doctor of this specialty.First, the patient is examined.To diagnose, he must assess the patient's ability to twist the body, bend, sit, walk and bend the legs.Then the spine is palpated.Thanks to the manual examination, the doctor will be able to identify pain points and feel seals and even herniation 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.X-rays 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 examination is needed, a computed tomography or MRI of the spine is prescribed.With the help of such a study, it will be possible to establish the quality of the discs, to assess their elasticity and integrity, as well as to identify hidden pathologies.
How to treat osteochondrosis
As a conservative treatment, a course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed.If there are no serious lesions on the discs and the doctor has noticed on the pictures that the cause of the pain is the pinching of the nerve by the inflamed muscle, then the treatment will be reduced to relieving the inflammatory process.In addition, warming therapy may be prescribed, which will reduce swelling, relax the muscle, and release the pinched nerve.
In the case of protrusion or herniation of the intervertebral discs, the problem of back pain can be solved by surgery.Severely worn vertebrae can be replaced with prostheses.