Home Stomatitis Who suffers from osteochondrosis? ALL about osteochondrosis: what it is, causes, symptoms, types, treatment

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Who suffers from osteochondrosis? ALL about osteochondrosis: what it is, causes, symptoms, types, treatment

Osteochondrosis is a pathology familiar to 40% of the population under the age of 35-40 and almost 90% of the elderly. Even teenagers sometimes show signs of osteochondrosis - decreased disc height, pain, and discomfort in the spine. If you start treating the disease at the first stage, before the disc is destroyed, the chance of stopping the progression is very high.

What is osteochondrosis?

With osteochondrosis of the spine, one or more intervertebral discs are damaged. The disease can occur in any department:

Grudny;
Shane;
Lumbar (lumbosacral).

In severe cases, degeneration of the vertebral discs due to osteochondrosis is observed throughout the entire spinal column, which becomes the cause of human disability. So what kind of disease is osteochondrosis? The pathology is associated with a gradual, steady and progressive malnutrition of the hyaline cartilages located on the intervertebral discs, as a result of which they change position, shape, and crack. A person experiences a strong pain syndrome, the functions of the entire musculoskeletal system are disrupted.

What is osteochondrosis regarding its consequences? If treatment is not carried out, the vertebrae will compress, the gaps between them will decrease, and the discs will begin to crush and collapse. This will lead to damage to the nerve roots, damage to the spinal cord and disruption of the internal organs. Bone osteophytes appear along the edges of the discs - growths that cause even more severe pain. The consequences of this spinal disease can be very serious.

Scientists have come to the conclusion, studying osteochondrosis, that this disease is a consequence of human upright walking, so most people are susceptible to it. Daily high loads on the spinal discs, age-related deterioration of vascular function, poor nutrition and aging of the body are the main causes of osteochondrosis. The following factors complicate the situation:

Injuries and heavy physical activity greatly aggravate the development of spinal osteochondrosis. Therefore, among athletes and manual workers, lumbar osteochondrosis is a very “popular” problem. Heredity also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the syndrome - if the parents have at a young age were serious problems with a back, the child has high risk get a spinal disease.

Psychosomatic causes of pathology are a new direction in the search for prerequisites for its formation. Psychosomatics implies influence psychological factors on development and course physical illness. The connection between physical and mental problems is really close, and a seemingly healthy person can suffer from regular pain. With osteochondrosis, in some people it is not detected objective reasons for pathology, but it continues to progress.

Up to 30% of patients after a visit to the doctor indicate such troubles as:

Constant stress;
Chronic experiences;
Nervous stress;
Family problems;
Conflicts;
Moral breakdown.

In this case, psychosomatics in the appearance of spinal lesion syndrome is clearly visible - the person “bends” under the weight of problems, which causes the spine to suffer. If the pathology has similar causes, treatment of osteochondrosis will be difficult; medications usually do not help. Exacerbations of pathology occur during a new wave of stress, and physical reasons for them no.

Psychosomatics especially often affects cervical spine spine, but the pain syndrome can be wandering throughout the spinal column. Treatment of osteochondrosis should begin with a search and solution psychological problems under the supervision of a psychotherapist.

The intervertebral disc consists of liquid and solid parts. The first is in the center, representing the core, which gives elasticity. The core is surrounded on top by a strong ring. It is from the liquid structure that everything begins pathological changes in the disk, which later spread to its shell.

In medicine, there are four stages of development of osteochondrosis. This refers to a conditional division of pathology according to the severity of disorders in the spine:

The first stage of osteochondrosis. The amount of moisture in the disc drops and it becomes dehydrated. No destruction has yet occurred, but after severe dehydration of the nucleus, microcracks begin to appear on the fibrous ring. There are usually no symptoms at this stage of the disease.
Second stage of osteochondrosis. The height of the disc begins to decrease, which means the gradual addition of symptoms and progression of pathology. In the spine, the distance between its individual segments decreases, causing the ligaments to sag. At this stage, in a number of patients the disease causes slipping of the vertebrae - spondylolisthesis. Pain and discomfort occur during exacerbations, It's a dull pain may be present even in remission.
Third stage. Osteochondrosis of the spine at this stage causes severe pain, as complications begin to form. Most often these are protrusions, disc prolapses, less often - arthrosis (degeneration) of the vertebral joints, vertebral subluxations. The pain is complemented by limited mobility of the affected segment of the spine.
The fourth stage of osteochondrosis. The spinal column begins to adapt to the new conditions of existence, trying to fix the vertebrae in order to protect it from final destruction. For this purpose, osteophytes grow, as if “walling up” the vertebra. The pain can be sharp due to injury to the nerve endings.

The first signs of osteochondrosis usually begin at initial stage when there is no pain yet. In the neck, lower back, and less often in the thoracic region, you can hear a crunching sound when moving (this means a malnutrition of the disc, its dehydration). Further, when overloaded or working in an uncomfortable position, a person may notice stiffness in the muscles of the back or neck. They become “stony” on one or both sides, which can be uncomfortable, causing burning and irritation.

Subsequently, the symptoms of osteochondrosis become more obvious. At rest, a person may feel normal, but work, heavy lifting, or sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow can provoke the following phenomena:

Aching pain;
Aches;
Numbness of the hands (if the neck is affected);
Feeling of stiffness;
Forced reduction in movements;
Muscle spasm;
Shoots;
Increased pressure;
Poor posture.

When the diseased spine is overloaded, osteochondrosis gives more pronounced signs and symptoms. Pain occurs in the shoulders, radiates to the arms, elbows, and headaches appear. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, there is tinnitus, dizziness, vertebral artery syndrome develops, and vision is impaired. Over time, without treatment for osteochondrosis, muscle atrophy occurs and the skin becomes pale. The course of cardiac pathologies may worsen, the functioning of the liver, gallbladder, and gastrointestinal tract may be disrupted.

The consequences of this disease are always unpleasant; they provoke increased pain. With osteochondrosis, the following occurs:

Disc protrusion;
Prolapse and disc herniation;
Attacks of radiculitis, sciatica, lumbago;
Kyphosis, scoliosis.

The danger to humans largely depends on the type of hernia in spinal osteochondrosis. They can be anterior, posterior, lateral, and the most dangerous are posterior hernias - they can compress spinal cord. In the lumbar segment of the spine, hernias occur most often, mainly between 4-5 vertebrae.

Lumbar osteochondrosis can cause very unpleasant symptoms– lumbago (lumbago). The pain of lumbago is burning, sharp, unbearable, and very difficult to bear. The cause is a pinched nerve, because the patient’s neurovascular bundle is damaged. Particularly dangerous for osteochondrosis is cauda equina syndrome, when a person’s large bundle is pinched. spinal nerves. As a result, intestinal functions suffer Bladder, paralysis of the legs may even occur.

Signs of osteochondrosis are often limited to severe muscle atrophy. If muscles do not participate in the work of the body for a long time, the movements of the spine are constrained, then individual fibers weaken. As a result, the patient may become disabled and bedridden. Cervical osteochondrosis is also very dangerous, because a hernia in this segment can cause disruption of the blood supply to the brain. At this stage there is a risk of impairment of vision, swallowing, speech and other brain functions.

Having independently recognized the signs of osteochondrosis, you need to think about its treatment. Since damage to the spine can reach different stages, the treatment of osteochondrosis will also be different. It is important to make the correct diagnosis so that the therapy is selected correctly.

Due to the widespread prevalence of the disease and the presence characteristic symptoms The doctor will be able to guess the diagnosis during a preliminary examination. But to differentiate osteochondrosis from other diseases of the back and internal organs, the following diagnostics are performed:

X-ray of the spine. It will help to identify the height of the discs, the degree of their thinning, as well as the presence of osteophytes.
CT, MRI. More preferable in examination. With this disease, it will be possible to determine the severity of damage to nerves and soft tissues, and to find the smallest protrusions.

For osteochondrosis lab tests do not play a primary role, but surrender general analysis, biochemistry required for exclusion inflammatory process, rheumatoid lesions of bones and joints. To study muscle function, the doctor conducts a series of physical tests, and to clarify the functioning of blood vessels and nerves, they do duplex electromyography.

If the symptoms and treatment for osteochondrosis are determined, you should not delay treatment - the disease progresses quickly. On early stage Usually, gymnastics and massage are recommended to strengthen the muscles - this will be enough. At other stages of osteochondrosis you will need drug treatment, and sometimes surgery.

Pain, the most unpleasant sign of the disease, can be relieved with the help of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They cannot cure osteochondrosis, but they are always prescribed before exercise therapy to relieve symptoms. In severe cases, the drugs are administered in injections, but more often they are recommended in a course of 7-14 days in tablets and topically, in the form of ointments. The most popular NSAIDs for osteochondrosis are:

Meloxicam;
Ketorolac;
Ketoprofen;
Arcoxia;
Dexalgin;
Diclofenac.

If a person has a severe painful syndrome in the spinal area, he is given injections of glucocorticosteroids directly into the affected area. The drugs of choice are Diprospan, Kenalog. Short-term pain relief is possible using blockades with Novocaine and other anesthetics.

Treatment of osteochondrosis is also carried out using the following means:

B vitamins (Milgamma, Neuromultivit). Helps improve nerve conduction in the spine.
Chondroprotectors (Arthra, Dona, Alflutop). Nourishes intervertebral cartilage, strengthens discs.
Muscle relaxants (Mydocalm, Sirdalud). Reduce strength muscle spasms with osteochondrosis.
Vascular drugs (Trental, Actovegin). Optimize blood circulation in the spine.

If osteochondrosis has developed, then for pain relief and pathogenetic treatment Only chondroprotectors are given, they are taken in courses of 3-6 months. The remaining drugs have a symptomatic effect and do not affect the course of osteochondrosis itself.

The list of measures to treat osteochondrosis must include physiotherapeutic methods. Thanks to physiotherapy, the treatment of osteochondrosis will be more effective, because the effect extends directly to the source of inflammation. Physiotherapy will relieve the painful syndrome, eliminate spasms, improve blood microcirculation, and help remove pressure from the nerves. The most popular methods are:

Electrophoresis. Treatment of osteochondrosis using this method will allow you to deliver relaxing, anti-inflammatory substances and anesthetics directly to the area of the vertebrae, muscles, and ligaments.
Ultrasound. Relieves unpleasant symptoms, relieves pain, creates an effect vibration massage, activates metabolism at the local level.
Magnetotherapy. Variables or constants magnetic fields relieve pain and eliminate the inflammatory process.
Detensor therapy. In this disease, a person is placed on a special mattress with “ribs”, where the spine is stretched and massaged. At the same time, muscle tone improves.

All types of physiotherapy should be carried out in courses of 10-15 procedures, while individual contraindications must be taken into account.

Exercise therapy plays a leading role in the treatment of osteochondrosis. Without exercise therapy it will not be possible to form a strong muscle corset, and the latter is urgently needed to maintain a diseased spine. Gymnastics also increases blood circulation in the vertebral area, improves metabolic processes and helps to remove decay products faster.

How to cure osteochondrosis with gymnastics? The complex is selected only individually, and only at stages 1-2 it can be carried out without the supervision of a doctor. In later stages, unnecessary, forceful movements can cause the disc to slip and worsen the problem. At stage 3, all exercises are done only in a lying position.

To treat osteochondrosis, massage is required. IN acute stage don't do it - it will cause a thrill. But a properly performed massage chronic stage in case of osteochondrosis, it is indispensable. After a course of sessions, muscles relax, clamps are removed, and nerves and blood vessels begin to function normally. The massage is carried out only in a gentle mode, without sudden movements. You cannot trust your spine to a non-professional!

The disease is most easily treated complex therapy, if you influence it with different approaches. It is very important to improve nutrition in case of osteochondrosis - it should include vitamins, minerals, more food with gelatin, jellied meats, broths (if they are not contraindicated). This way, the nutrition of the cartilage will be improved, and the discs will begin to recover.

Methods for treating spinal osteochondrosis may be as follows:

Manual therapy. The specialist physically influences the vertebrae, “puts” them in place when they are displaced, after which the result must be consolidated by exercise therapy.
Extraction or traction. Effective method therapy for osteochondrosis, carried out only with an individually selected load, quickly eliminates the unpleasant syndrome.
Acupuncture. In the treatment of osteochondrosis, this method helps activate blood circulation in the vertebral area, which relieves pain and improves nutrition of cartilage.
Orthopedic therapy. It involves wearing bandages that relieve pain and straighten posture, as well as sleeping on special pillows.

There is also traditional treatment osteochondrosis. This is the use of ointments, drinking herbal infusions, rubs and herbal poultices. Such methods can be used in complex therapy, but they will not work as the only remedy for this disease.

How to treat osteochondrosis if the situation has reached the point of disc destruction? Only surgery will help, because otherwise the person remains disabled. There are not many indications for intervention; for osteochondrosis these are:

Intractable pain (2-3 months or more);
Movement disorders;
Progressive muscle atrophy;
Disk destruction;
Complications from the nerves and spinal cord.

For the treatment of osteochondrosis, microdiscectomy (microsurgery) is most often recommended. It is performed by an experienced neurosurgeon to eliminate radicular compression. Part of the disc is removed, and it stops pinching the nerve. The doctor also removes bone osteophytes, which can be voluminous at an advanced stage of the disease. The disc itself remains in place, and the incision is only 1-2 cm.

For osteochondrosis, a more serious operation is the complete removal of the disc and its replacement with a graft. The vertebrae are fixed with iron devices. Unfortunately, the spine will become immobile at this point, but the nerve roots will be freed. You can also place elastic silicone discs between the vertebrae - then spinal column will fully retain its functions, but this intervention for osteochondrosis is quite expensive.

In order to avoid surgery for osteochondrosis, it is important to carefully consider preventive measures:

Avoid physical inactivity. This disease can progress with strength loads, but swimming, skiing, and exercise will only be beneficial and will help strengthen muscles and health in general.
Watch your posture. At work and at home, it is important to sit correctly and not hunch over, and this has been happening since childhood.
Sleep on comfortable pillows. There are preventive pillows; for existing osteochondrosis, several other, therapeutic ones are used.
Do not lift heavy objects. If necessary, you should sit down and stand with the object, keeping your back straight.
Do regular exercise to strengthen your muscles. This is important for the muscles of the neck, back, abs, and lower back.
Wear comfortable shoes. High-quality shoes (orthopedic, if necessary) will prevent the development of flat feet - a risk factor for damage to the vertebrae.

It is also important to eat well, not smoke, enrich your diet with vitamins, and consume more fluids - this will reduce the likelihood of pathology.

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Today, in all countries of the world, almost every resident is faced with spinal problems. And the most common disease is considered to be osteochondrosis. According to statistics, 80% of all inhabitants of the earth suffer from this disease. And it doesn’t matter what age category you belong to, it can break both an old person and a young one. So what kind of disease is this, what are the symptoms and how to treat osteochondrosis?

What is osteochondrosis?

Osteochondrosis is chronic illness, as a result of which the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs is affected. Unfortunately, this disease is almost inevitable in old age, since over time the spine begins to experience atrophic changes. But the misfortune of today is that osteochondrosis is “getting younger,” and young people at the age of 20-30 are beginning to suffer from this disease.

Depending on which part of the spine is affected, there are three types of osteochondrosis:

Cervical.
Chest.
Lumbar.

The most common is lumbar osteochondrosis, as it occurs in half of all cases. But a quarter of all cases occur in lesions in the cervical spine. But the most severe type of disease is considered a complex lesion; it occurs in 12% of cases and is difficult to treat.

In medicine, there are 4 stages of osteochondrosis:

Stage 1 accompanied by mild symptoms, the patient experiences a general malaise, which is often attributed to another disease.

Stage 2 is already accompanied by pain, destruction of cartilage tissue in the spine occurs. Osteochondrosis begins to cause discomfort, and the person consults a doctor.

Stage 3 is characterized by serious changes in the spine, a curvature or hump appears.

Stage 4- the latter, in which irreversible changes occur. A person experiences excruciating pain even with the slightest movement. At this stage, the patient often becomes disabled.

Factors and causes leading to the disease

There can be many reasons for osteochondrosis, and not all of them are fully understood. But all scientists agree on one opinion: main reason uneven distribution of the load on the spinal column is considered. For example, when a person sits for a long time in an uncomfortable position or lifts a weight at a right angle to the body. All this over time thins the structure of cartilage tissue. We will look at other most common reasons that lead to pathological changes in the spine:

Spinal injury.
Overstrain at work (physical).
Metabolic disease.
Stress.
Heredity.
Sedentary work.
Slouch.
Uncomfortable shoes, including heels.
Poor posture.
Flat feet.
Sleep disturbance caused by an uncomfortable bed or pillow.
Weak back muscles.
Hypothermia.
Strength sports, for example, lifting dumbbells, rowing.
Lack of vitamins.
Pregnancy.

General symptoms

If you are constantly bothered by discomfort in your back and neck, then you need to be examined for a disease such as osteochondrosis. The symptoms of this disease are initially expressed in this way. In addition, there are other signs:

Stiffness in the back during certain movements.
Muscle spasm.
Dizziness.
Headaches with osteochondrosis.
Aching bones and chills.
Increased fatigue.
Shootings in the back.
Vertebral artery syndrome.
Heartache.
Pain in the neck.

These symptoms are considered general, but, depending on the type of osteochondrosis, other symptoms are also distinguished.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a common phenomenon, so doctors very often make this diagnosis if the patient has headaches that cannot be relieved by taking analgesics. Typically, this pain begins in the back of the head and gradually spreads to temporal region. Also, neck pain, especially in the morning when you wake up and want to roll over, is characteristic feature osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Interestingly, many people who experience such pain associate it with an uncomfortable posture during sleep or hypothermia (“cold neck”). It is important to know that all these are provoking moments, but not the cause painful sensations. In addition, very often these two signs are accompanied by impaired sensitivity of the hands and wrists. Paralysis may even occur. Cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms and treatment of which are described in detail in this article, can cause torticollis. This is when the patient's head is slightly tilted to one side, and an attempt to move it is accompanied by pain. In addition to all the signs that are accompanied by pain, osteochondrosis provokes circulatory disorders in different areas of the brain. This may be accompanied by dizziness, nausea, decreased visual acuity, the appearance of spots before the eyes, and tinnitus. In older people, loss of consciousness is possible due to lack of nutrition in the brain.

Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis

Lumbar osteochondrosis is the most common type of this disease. First of all, it is characterized by pain in the lumbar region; it can be both aching and acute. It can also be replaced by strong lumbago. Depending on the intensity of the pain and its location, lumbodynia, lumbago and lumboishalgia are distinguished.

Lumbodynia is a constant and aching pain that increases with physical activity. Lumbago is a “lumbago” that radiates to the pelvic organs. And lumbar ischialgia is pain that spreads to the buttocks and legs, as a result of which sensitivity is lost.

Another group symptomatic manifestations Lumbar osteochondrosis is the so-called radicular syndrome. In this case, the pain in the lower back subsides, but may occur in the buttock, foot, leg or thigh. A person develops a characteristic lameness on the healthy side. Among other things, there is a feeling of numbness and tingling in the lumbar region. There is also ischemic syndrome, which is associated with poor circulation, resulting in pain on the inner thighs and even paralysis of the buttocks. With spinal syndrome, the patient's posture changes, and the gait becomes awkward and unsteady.

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis

As a rule, the thoracic spine is less mobile than the rest. It is under some protection of the ribs, sternum and vertebrae. But nonetheless thoracic osteochondrosis occurs frequently. There are two types of pain in this disease:

Dorsago - acute, severe and short-term pain.
Dosalgia is prolonged and moderate pain.

All unpleasant sensations are usually localized in the area chest and slightly below the shoulder blades. Very often this type of osteochondrosis is confused with other serious diseases, for example, coronary heart disease and pneumonia. After all, in addition to pain in the back, the liver, heart, gallbladder. Therefore, determine accurate diagnosis Only an experienced doctor can.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of a disease first of all begins with the collection of information, or rather, the patient’s complaints. But nevertheless, it is impossible to make a diagnosis only from the patient’s words, since the signs of osteochondrosis are often similar to the symptoms of other ailments. The main goal of the specialist is to exclude such health problems as gastritis, angina, stomach ulcers and others. Therefore, each symptom must be carefully examined.

Many diseases are diagnosed based on the results of blood tests. But in the case of osteochondrosis, this method will not give any definite answer, therefore, even if the doctor prescribed laboratory research, then this is necessary in order to exclude rheumatological problems, such as ankylosing spondylitis.

The most revealing diagnostic method is X-ray examination. With the help of pictures, the doctor will be able to determine not only if there is osteochondrosis, but at what stage it is. In addition to X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. These two methods are more accurate and informative, but, unfortunately, expensive. Therefore, they are resorted to only in cases of extreme necessity. Osteochondrosis is an insidious disease, and in order to cure it, you need to diagnose it correctly, and only a specialist in his field can do this.

How to treat?

Treatment of spinal osteochondrosis, regardless of location and stage, is complex and long-term. And even in this case, you cannot count on complete healing. Only by proper treatment and maintaining the body in the future, you can guarantee yourself that back pain will no longer bother you. Treatment of osteochondrosis is conservative and consists of four areas:

Drug treatment and taking vitamins.
Physiotherapeutic treatment.
Massage, swimming and gymnastics.
Rest in specialized sanatoriums.

The main task drug therapy is not only a reduction pain, but also improve blood circulation, reduce inflammation and restore cartilage tissue. Painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, analgin, diclofenac) are usually prescribed from tablets. To restore cartilage tissue, chondroprotectors are prescribed. Ointments and creams are also used to relieve pain. IN acute period when the pills can't cope unpleasant sensations, the doctor prescribes injections of novocaine, lidocaine and other anesthetics. In combination with medications, physiotherapy, massage and exercise therapy are prescribed. The first helps relieve pain and also enhance the effectiveness of drugs. Exercise therapy strengthens the muscle corset and also normalizes the functioning of muscle tissue.

If you have taken your health seriously and decided to cure osteochondrosis, then you need to follow some rules:

Twice a year after treatment you need to undergo a course of treatment (massage, physiotherapy, etc.).
Strictly follow all doctor's recommendations.
Psychosomatics plays an important role in this matter, so on the path to recovery you must be positive.
The main credo healthy person- This physical activity. Make it a rule to do gymnastics regularly.

Possible consequences

Osteochondrosis of the spine, the symptoms and treatment of which we described above, has quite serious consequences. Possible complications directly depend on the type of disease. For example, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is dangerous because it causes vegetative-vascular dystonia. This is the most common nervous system disorder. Also, cervical osteochondrosis negatively affects the functioning of blood vessels in the brain. Nerves become pinched, the brain stops receiving nutrition, headaches appear, blurred vision, dizziness, sudden changes blood pressure. And all this greatly increases the risk of stroke.

As already mentioned, osteochondrosis thoracic Diagnosed with difficulty, as it can easily be confused with respiratory diseases. And while you are treating, for example, pneumonia, serious complications appear - intercostal neuralgia. Intestinal or gallbladder diseases may also occur. Therefore, it is important to know all the symptoms. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine also cannot be postponed, since in this case our physical activity will suffer. Those who have already encountered this disease know what it is like when it is impossible to sit, stand, or walk, and even lying down is not always painless. Moreover, the most terrible consequence- This is an inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

Disease prevention

To ensure that you are never bothered by pain or any pathological changes in the spine, you need to adhere to some preventive measures:

Lead healthy image life. Eat right, try to move more often, that is, do exercises in the morning, swim, run, ride a bike, roller skate.
Unfortunately, most people have a sedentary job, so to avoid the development of osteochondrosis, choose comfortable chairs that will support the spine. In addition, during sedentary work, try to keep your posture correctly: your back is straight, your shoulders are relaxed.
Don't sit all the time! At every job there is a break - get up, stretch, walk.
In the prevention of osteochondrosis, wearing comfortable shoes is important. If possible, avoid heels, especially if you are in an interesting position.
Do not carry heavy objects unnecessarily, especially for women. It is better for men to lift the load slowly so as not to damage the spine.
Avoid falling and jumping from heights at all costs.
Don't get too cold.

By following all these rules, you will protect yourself and will not encounter such a serious disease as osteochondrosis. Everyone needs to know this!

Conclusion

In fact, osteochondrosis is dangerous disease, and if left untreated, it will have a detrimental effect on other organs. Therefore, it is extremely important to start treatment on time, and not wait until it “resolves” on its own. If you find yourself with the above symptoms, be sure to see a doctor. Remember that osteochondrosis of the spine, the symptoms, treatment of which are described in this article, is not a death sentence. At the right approach to this problem, you can completely stop it. Take care of your health!

Nowadays, it is quite difficult to meet a person who does not know about osteochondrosis or has not encountered back pain or discomfort in the spine at least once in his life.

A sedentary lifestyle increasingly provokes spinal diseases. The widespread prevalence of this disease gives rise to many myths and conjectures that have no basis and often mislead patients. In order to help you understand this issue, we tried to describe the most common misconceptions about spinal diseases:

Myth #1: Disease Everyone has it, no need to treat it
Osteochondrosis must be treated and this must be done in a timely manner. The concept means rapid aging of the spine. It’s quite natural if at 70 summer age the spine has aged, the discs have decreased in size and the vertebrae have become somewhat deformed. But what can we say about patients already in 17 summer age. It all depends on the age at which this disease develops; for some, it may first manifest itself at the age of 75, while for others, the pain may not allow them to walk normally already at the age of 75. 20 years. IN Lately The disease tends to affect younger and younger generations. Just a few decades ago, a diagnosis in a teenager was outlandish; such examples were shown to medical students and assessed as unique. rare disease at that age. Well, now, 2 out of 3 examined adolescents have this disease. Many factors contribute to the fact that this disease has become so widespread; it is much easier to prevent the disease than to treat it.

Myth #2: If your back hurts, it’s osteochondrosis.
Of course, it quite often causes back pain, discomfort and other phenomena. But it is worth remembering that there is a fairly large number of diseases that cause similar symptoms and in some cases may represent great danger. Before starting treatment, it is necessary to carry out full examination, to exclude other diseases, select further tactics treatment. High quality and full diagnostics this is 30% of treatment success.

Myth #3: Osteochondrosis is a disease of the spine only
This systemic disease, i.e. disease of the whole body. The spine is responsible for almost all functions of our body, being the framework of internal organs and reliable support the whole body. With this disease, the first symptoms appear only at the stage of damage nervous system and, as you know, without nerves, not a single organ or system would be able to function normally. Another ancient saying of Hippocrates, the father modern medicine, reads: " If there are many diseases, then the cause is one – the spine».

Myth #4: Back pain will go away on its own

Attacks of pain quite often have a cyclical nature, i.e. the pain appears and disappears, and can last several days or several months, years. In any case, without adequate treatment pain occurs more often, has increasing intensity and brings more and more discomfort over time. It is worth remembering when timely treatment you can achieve much greater results.

Myth #5: Osteochondrosis is infection
According to the theory developed in the early 50s, the cause was considered to be infection. But as time has shown, this theory is absolutely baseless and has no weighty arguments behind it. It was completely refuted in the early 90s, after which it was found that this disease develops as a result of the lifestyle that the patient leads, primary disorders.

Myth #6: E then the price for walking upright
This expression can often be heard from doctors with higher medical education, but not working directly with spinal diseases. Man, as an intelligent creature, has existed for many millions of years and has been walking “upright” for even longer; if the body were not ready for upright walking, then the baby would never try to walk upright. The second argument may be the fact that animals (in particular dogs, horses) also get sick, and even in more complex forms.
This is a consequence of many factors, including a sedentary lifestyle, lack of regular physical activity, the presence of trigger mechanisms (vertebral displacement, functional blocking, etc.)

Myth No. 7: If you get sick, you need to go to the bathhouse and warm it up. sore spot or, conversely, will harden contrast shower
Any temperature changes can cause an exacerbation of the disease; in the acute period, along with the main treatment, rest and rest are necessary. Any provoking factor can aggravate the course of the disease.

Myth #8: Blockades can cure
The blockade is pain relief, the pain temporarily disappears, but the problem remains as it was. When the anesthesia wears off, the pain returns, getting stronger and stronger.

Myth #9: When making a diagnosis, salts are laid aside

Salts are not deposited; at the “domestic” level, salt deposits are not possible. Based on these considerations, there is absolutely no need to deprive yourself of table salt, rub the area of pain, “press the salt,” etc. When diagnosed, marginal growths of the vertebrae (osteophytes) are formed, but in no case salts. Osteophytes have nothing to do with salt, and are structurally part of the bone.

Myth #10: The diagnosis is incurable
We will cure, the question is how quickly the patient will seek treatment necessary treatment. As practice shows, it is possible to defeat osteochondrosis. The main thing is patience, endurance and perseverance: “He who seeks finds...he who strives achieves”. All manifestations can be eliminated, progression can be stopped, and complications can be avoided.

Remember this serious illness, which affects the functioning of the entire body, and with timely treatment you can forget about your problem once and for all.

If you have following symptoms, consult your doctor:

– Back pain, discomfort in the spine;

– Limitation of mobility, inability to bend forward, backward, etc.;

– Numbness of body parts, a feeling of “pins and needles crawling across the body”, “wobbly legs” when sitting for a long time;

– Nagging pain, giving to various areas;

– Headaches, “circles before the eyes” after sudden movements of the head;

– Vegetative-vascular dystonia, intercostal neuralgia, flat feet, scoliosis, kyphosis and other spinal diseases.

Doctor of Medical Sciences Pavel Zharkov, Chief Researcher Russian scientific center X-ray Radiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Professor of the Department radiology diagnostics RMAPO, the author of books and monographs on diseases of the spine, believes that osteochondrosis is a commercial diagnosis and has nothing to do with pain in the spine.

Baldness, wrinkles, osteochondrosis...

“AiF”: - Pavel Lvovich, you have a special view of osteochondrosis, different from the generally accepted one...

If there are no contraindications (tumors and inflammatory diseases), you need to apply a heating pad to the sore spot. Good effect They give different ointments recommended for bruises.

If the pain has become chronic and interferes with your life, look for its source. Remember, before sending you for X-rays, CT and MRI, the doctor must examine and palpate you.

What will help with back pain

1. Is it possible to get a massage for back pain?

In the acute period, it is better not to touch the sore spot. The patient is advised to rest completely. Massage may be helpful after the pain has subsided. It improves blood circulation, normalizes tone, and relieves strain in the back muscles. Only on condition that the massage therapist is a professional in his field. Unskilled massage can cause new damage, and this leads to a worsening of the patient's condition.

2. What types of physical therapy can provide relief from back pain?

With the exception of the acute phase, physiotherapy (magnetic therapy, electrophysiotherapeutic methods) can bring relief. Physiotherapy is one of the few methods that allows you to target the source of pain and achieve relaxation of tense muscles. Physiotherapy improves microcirculation in the affected area. The great advantage of physiotherapy is that the risk of force on the sore spot is eliminated.

3. Will manual therapy help?

Most manual techniques involve applying force to sore areas, which is contraindicated for any type of pain in the musculoskeletal system, even during remission.

4. Is it possible to use cupping and give injections for back pain?

An anesthetic blockade is done during the acute period. Cupping is a combination of heating and massage. When prescribed in a timely manner and professionally performed, they can be useful.

Everyone will certainly have some serious illness. And why? Because people are not interested in their spines.
Martti Larni "The Fourth Vertebra"

I remember the original poster I saw above a car repair shop in Germany: “Check your brakes for just ten marks.” Bureau funeral services takes a hundred times more!

Even then I thought: similar warnings (though better without black humor) should hang in front of every doctor’s office. Prevention is always cheaper than disease. Everyone knows this very well, but not everyone remembers. An extra reminder won’t hurt, especially if it’s done unobtrusively and wittily.

The condition of our spine should also be checked in advance. Until he reminded himself.

Test for osteochondrosis

Does it ever happen to you that:

sometimes my neck and back hurt, my head feels dizzy;
“shoots” in the arm or leg, and then suddenly “it twists”;
there is no severe pain in the back, but a feeling of heaviness, numbness or “goosebumps” in the neck, chest, and lower back is disturbing;
constant muscle stiffness;
you sleep poorly, you cannot relax even in your sleep.

If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, there is a reason to consult your doctor!

It is believed that osteochondrosis- illness of elderly people. Of course, according to medical statistics, the risk of developing osteochondrosis increases with age. For example, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is found in 50 percent of people over 50 years of age and in 75 percent of people over 65 years of age. The statistics are approximately the same for other varieties of this disease. In short, the older a person is, the greater his likelihood of developing osteochondrosis.

But there are other observations: this disease is rapidly “getting younger” - among my patients there are many who have barely left their teenage years. Reasons for early manifestation there are many diseases. Among the main ones: untreated scoliosis, flat feet, excess weight - which I will discuss in detail below.

It was not for nothing that Hippocrates called spine"hanger of diseases." It has long been believed that many ailments begin with a sore back. It is no coincidence that the word “spine” itself has the root “ringing”. In ancient times, when doctors began to treat a patient, the first thing they did was probe and “ring” each vertebra, determining where the cause of the disease lay.

The spinal cord contains the spinal cord, along it runs an autonomic nerve chain that regulates the activity of all internal organs, endocrine glands... In short, if problems arise with the spine, this can affect the corresponding organs and tissues.

Who can get osteochondrosis?

So who is at risk? For whom is the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis especially high?

First of all, this:

People leading a sedentary lifestyle. This disappointing forecast applies to bankers, officials, scientists, writers, cashiers, drivers, air traffic controllers, and even night watchmen, if the latter do not perform their duties very conscientiously.
People whose work involves lifting weights. Builders, weightlifters, shuttle workers, loaders, strength gymnasts, and even “carriers” of vegetables from public fields fall into this category;
Another category is gluttons. For overweight people, osteochondrosis is an “occupational” disease.
Those who suffered from scoliosis in childhood. They should be wary of post-skeleotic osteochondrosis already in their youth.
Scoliosis- a disease caused by a defect in the growth zone of the vertebra (epiphysiolysis). This leads to a primary lateral displacement of the intervertebral disc. It seems to push the intervertebral space apart on one side, which causes the formation of an arch in the frontal plane, or scoliotic deformity. As a result, there is an unevenness of muscle load on both sides, and a pair of forces is formed, twisting the spine. In response to torsion (twisting), the spine reacts with a complex deformation - curvature.
According to some researchers, in 30 percent of cases, scoliosis is inherited. A case is described in which this disease was observed in five generations of one family.
This often happens in isolated settlements or among small nations, as well as in dynastic clans - in a word, where the number of people is limited and fairly closely related people with similar genes marry. The accumulation of “bad” genes leads to such “dynastic” diseases. Most often, according to medical observations, familial scoliosis is inherited through the female line.
Hereditary curvature of the spine, as a rule, does not lead to disability or severe deformities, but over the years such a disease is the cause severe pain in the back, limited ability to work.
Those who are subject to constant stress are also at risk.
Is this possible? Can stressful situation cause illness?
Yes. And this is especially typical for cervical osteochondrosis. The fact is that in the cervical region next to the spine there are arteries that supply the brain. Displacement of the intervertebral discs compresses them, causing headaches and dizziness. Hence the temper, depression, anxiety. Neck muscles are tense - constant pain provokes depression, and depression provokes new unpleasant sensations.
As a doctor, I will say: the risk of developing osteochondrosis even depends on a person’s mood, for example, pessimists get sick more often than optimists. Someone who is always dissatisfied with himself, with others, with his position in this world, involuntarily takes a defensive pose: his shoulders are hunched, his head is bowed. This is how incorrect posture is developed, which then becomes fixed and deforms the skeleton. And from here it’s not far to osteochondrosis.

The insidiousness of spinal diseases is that they seem to undermine the body from the inside. At first, lower back pain may go away on its own. But then unpleasant symptoms recur more and more often, the back quickly gets tired, numbness in the arms and legs appears - all this happens when the disease is already advanced.

Of course, if a person consults a doctor in time, unpleasant consequences can be prevented. But, unfortunately, in our country there is almost complete absence of medical culture. There is even a joke about this:

“An American begins treatment five years before the onset of the disease, and a Russian begins five days before death.”

There is more truth than humor in this joke. I have visited America several times, interned there, and I know first-hand how sensitive people are to their own health. And this is understandable: an advanced disease means high costs for medical services, medications. Prolonged treatment is a threat to your own business.

With us long years People were taught that they must endure any ailments with fortitude. Our fellow citizens have maintained bravado about their own health to this day. Unfortunately, many people still rely more on the Russian “maybe” than on the doctor’s authority. They all think: maybe it will go away on its own? But “it doesn’t go away on its own”...