A certain therapist with 50 years of experience once commented: "When I started working, there was not a single young patient with osteochondrosis in the place. And today, almost every second 30-year-old person has this problem."
Sedentary lifestyle, metabolic disorders, spinal injuries, excess weight, unbalanced diet, prolonged stay in uncomfortable positions, stress, hypothermia, smoking are modern paths to chronic degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs and, subsequently, in the vertebrae themselves.This is osteochondrosis (from the ancient Greek osteon - bone, chondros - cartilage).
Osteochondrosis is a disease caused by salt deposition in the spine.
Bad. The intervertebral disc consists of a nucleus pulposus, an annulus fibrosus, and hyaline cartilage that covers it above and below.When these elements are destroyed, the balance between the load on the spine and the ability to support it is altered.As a result, the vertebrae begin to compress the adjacent nervous and muscle tissues and grow along the edges, forming the so-called.osteophytes, which produce a characteristic crunching sound when moving (patients mistakenly explain this as "salt deposition").
If your back and neck hurt, then this is exclusively osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis is not the only cause of pain in the spine.Patients often make this diagnosis themselves.However, in addition to this pathology, which is part of the group of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine, there is also osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and the differentiation can only be made after a complete examination.
Degenerative-dystrophic changes occur in 30% to 50% of cases in people aged 30 to 40 years, in 75% to 100% of people over 40 years old.
These pathological processes represent 20.4% of the global structure of disability due to diseases of the osteoarticular system.
Walking for a long time is bad for the spine
On the contrary.Physical activity has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the spine: it maintains muscle tone, preserves intervertebral mobility, stimulates blood circulation and metabolism.Physical inactivity and prolonged stay in a position, especially uncomfortable, are the "culprits" of the progression of the disease.
Another issue is that if an overweight person walks a lot and carries heavy things, then the spine experiences increased stress.
Flat feet contribute to the development of osteochondrosis.
That's how it is.The arches of the foot, like the physiological curves of the spine, are designed to absorb impact loads when walking, running and jumping.If the foot does not provide adequate protection when interacting with the support, the spine receives additional stress, which significantly impairs the nutrition and functioning of its structures and accelerates the development of the disease.
Back pain is the only symptom of the disease.
Not really.As a rule, patients complain of constant back pain, which is often accompanied by numbness and a feeling of pain in the extremities.Over time, if left untreated, the muscles in the extremities atrophy, the joints in the spine become less mobile, and muscle spasms appear.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (see diagram), your arms and head may hurt.The so-called vertebral artery syndrome (noises in the head, dizziness, flickering "spots" and colored spots before the eyes, throbbing and burning headache).This acute condition arises due to spasm of the arteries in response to the impact of bone growths, as well as due to a herniated disc, arthrosis of the intervertebral joint, as a reflex reaction to irritation of spinal receptors.
If a person suffers from coronary or cardiovascular pathology, vertebral artery syndrome will aggravate the course.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, there is pain in the chest (a feeling as if a stake has been driven there), in the area of the heart and other internal organs;with lumbosacral lesions, in the lumbar area (irradiation to the sacrum, lower extremities, sometimes to the pelvic organs).
If complications of osteochondrosis develop (herniated intervertebral discs, bone growths, spondylolisthesis, spondyloarthrosis), damage to the nerve roots is observed: the pain becomes stabbing, sensitivity worsens, weakness appears in the innervated muscles, and the severity of reflexes decreases.
Osteochondrosis can cause dysfunction of a wide variety of organs and tissues.
That's how it is.Hippocrates also taught that all human diseases are associated with the spine, because it is a kind of foundation of the body.
With osteochondrosis, there is an increased risk of circulatory disorders in the cerebellar, trunk and occipital regions of the brain.A constant headache appears, first in the back of the head, then spreading to the crown and temples and intensifying with neck movements (more often in the morning).Older people can lose consciousness if they suddenly turn their head.This is preceded by dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision and hearing, nausea and vomiting.
Sometimes there is pain in the heart area: prolonged, oppressive, boring.With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, especially in old age, soft tissues often change: they become denser.
Degenerative processes in the spine can cause congestion in the gastrointestinal tract, disruption of the bronchopulmonary system, which is fraught with inflammatory and other diseases.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia, intercostal neuralgia: consequences of osteochondrosis
Not really.Osteochondrosis may be one of the reasons (not the only one) for the development of these diseases.When the intervertebral discs wear out and osteophytes grow, the intervertebral foramina and the vertebral artery canal become narrowed and deformed, causing infringement of various structures.In particular, when the nerve roots are compressed, signs of intercostal neuralgia appear, and when the vertebral artery is compressed, the same symptoms appear as with vegetative-vascular dystonia.
It is impossible to cure osteochondrosis.
In fact, spinal structures that have undergone degenerative changes cannot be completely restored.However, adequate comprehensive treatment can eliminate the symptoms of the disease, stop the development of pathology and avoid complications.
For problems with intervertebral discs, it is useful to warm up the sore spots.
Bad. Temperature changes, especially extreme ones (for example, a beginner's trip to the bathhouse), can cause serious aggravation.In complex treatments, moderate thermal procedures are used, but they must be prescribed by a doctor.
If you make circular movements with your head during osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, your health will worsen.
That's how it is.These exercises are best performed as prevention: they help maintain range of motion in the intervertebral joints.In severe osteochondrosis, careless circular movements can aggravate vertebral artery syndrome, radiculopathy, etc.
Treatment cannot be carried out without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Not really.During the period of remission or when the pain is not severe, conservative therapy (physiotherapy, reflexology and manual) is carried out;Physiotherapy and traction techniques are used.Drug treatment is indicated during an exacerbation and is aimed at relieving pain, relieving the inflammatory process and accelerating metabolic processes (intramuscular or intravenous injections).
Among the most effective drugs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are prescribed to relieve inflammation and pain (meloxicam, diclofenac, ibuprofen);for severe pain, novocaine blocks are used;steroid medications (epidural, intramuscular injections);NSAIDs in the form of ointments, gels and creams with an analgesic and irritating effect (diclofenac, fastum gel, nise, capsicam, finalgon);muscle relaxants: to relieve muscle spasms (mydocalm, sirdalud);B vitamins: to improve metabolic processes in the spine (B1, B6, B12).
Osteochondrosis can have serious consequences
Yes. Due to compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots, osteochondrosis can cause paralysis and, if the vertebral artery is pinched, loss of consciousness.
Exercises to “stretch” the spine help improve its condition
Extension or traction allows you to increase intervertebral space, relieve pain and restore the anatomically correct shape of the spine.However, the individual load must be calculated correctly."Too much" can cause a reflex contraction of the paraspinal muscles and worsen the condition.
Only an orthopedic traumatologist has the right to treat osteochondrosis.
Mistaken.Most patients are observed by a neurologist and, in cases of pathology of significant severity, by a neurosurgeon or an orthopedist-vertebrologist.
A local doctor may also prescribe drug therapy to relieve an exacerbation.