Osteochondrosis is a pathology caused by the degenerative process of cartilage tissue.In most cases, the stabilizing function of the intervertebral discs is noted, so they most often talk about osteochondrosis of the spine.
Pathogenesis
First, osteochondrosis is associated with people spending long periods in an upright posture, which results in increased load on the spine and intervertebral discs.
With age, vascular function decreases, the diet becomes unbalanced, and the body ages, which only accelerates the development of pathological processes.
Osteochondrosis is a multifactorial disease; the main prerequisites for its development may be:
- Work involving vibration or frequent changes in body position (flexion, turning, bending, jerking movements);
- weightlifting;
- overweight;
- multiple pregnancy;
- Lack of vitamins in the body;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- sleep on a soft mattress;
- poor posture (scoliosis);
- The spine is unstable.
Exacerbation of the dystrophic process of disc destruction may be related to strenuous physical activity (especially without prior warm-up), injury or bone pathologies that alter the load distribution of the spine.
Pathological features
Numbness and pain are the main symptoms of osteochondrosis and can occur throughout the body or just in the back.The pain may worsen with sudden movements, physical activity, and sometimes with sneezing or coughing.The body attempts to protect itself from pain, resulting in increased muscle tension and limited movement ability.
If a person doesn't get help and doesn't start treatment, the pain can worsen, spreading to the extremities and limiting their ability to move.When the cervicothoracic spine is affected, the arms are affected, and when the lumbar spine is affected, the lower limbs are affected.
Symptoms vary depending on which part of the spine is affected.
Types and symptoms of osteochondrosis
The pathology can affect various parts of the spine.Considering localization, osteochondrosis can occur in the cervical (more than 25% of diagnosed cases), lumbar (more than 50%), or thoracic (12%) regions.
Exacerbation of the dystrophic process of disc destruction may be related to strenuous physical activity (especially without prior warm-up), injury or bone pathologies that alter the load distribution of the spine.
cervical osteochondrosis
The spinal cord, arteries (which supply the brain), nerve trunks, and nerve roots (which make neural connections to the arms, lungs, and heart) pass through the neck area.Over the years, neck movements become difficult, especially for people who are not trained or who work in front of a computer for a long time.
Symptoms and characteristics of cervical osteochondrosis:
- headaches and heartache;
- Dizziness (possible short-term loss of consciousness, associated with impaired blood supply to the brain);
- Numbness and pain in the shoulder joint or arm.
Osteochondrosis of the chest
Chest pain is very common in people who are often engaged in manual labor for long periods of time, representatives of "sedentary" professions (architects, designers, drivers).
The main symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis:
- a feeling of "a stake in the chest";
- Pain in the neck between the shoulder blades;
- Numbness of hands (temporary, long-term);
- hearing and visual impairment;
- increased sweating;
- Headache radiating to the back of the head (often lasting for a long time, up to 12 hours);
- changes in blood and intracranial pressure;
- Tachycardia and arrhythmias.
Proper posture is a good way to prevent osteochondrosis of the chest.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
Health problems caused by lumbar osteochondrosis are as follows:
- Frequent urination;
- numbness in limbs;
- Dizziness;
- muscle spasms and cramps;
- Difficulty moving, bending, and turning the body;
- Development of scoliosis;
- Lower back pain, especially after waking up in the morning;
- Impaired muscle sensitivity and tone.
Pain and its intensity peak during the acute phase of the disease.Their duration may bother a person for a few days, but sometimes the pain lasts for weeks or even months.As the pathological process of the intervertebral disc progresses, the severity of symptoms decreases.Sixty years later, the disease became chronic and the pain disappeared.
stage of disease
Osteochondrosis is a progressive pathology and the transformation to each subsequent form occurs gradually.One of these stages is the formation of a hernia, which occurs when the annulus fibrosus becomes thin.Through rupture, the nucleus pulposus herniates and the root becomes compressed, resulting in increased pain and reduced shock-absorbing ability of the disc.
The main stages in the development of osteochondrosis:
- A person develops typical symptoms due to physical exertion or remaining in one position for an extended period of time.X-rays show a slight narrowing of the spaces between the vertebrae.
- The intervertebral disc loses stability, the cartilage tissue extends into the annulus fibrosus, and the nerve roots become compressed.X-rays show shortening of the distance between vertebrae, shifting of vertebrae, and growth of bone tissue.
- Intervertebral hernia occurs.The disc increasingly moves into the surrounding tissue.Violations can lead to nerve and blood vessel damage.The pain intensifies, the limbs become numb, and the movement is limited.
- The discs harden and are replaced by scar tissue.With fibrosis, bony protrusions grow along the edges and the distance between vertebrae decreases significantly.The mobility of the spine decreases and appears to become rigid.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
Doctors make a preliminary diagnosis based on the patient's chief complaint and after visual inspection.Pain and sensitivity at certain points, muscle tone status, range of motion, and the presence of postural impairment (such as signs of scoliosis) are all taken into consideration.
After performing instrumental research methods, it is possible to clarify the presence of osteochondrosis and its stage.First, an X-ray is taken of the part of the spine of interest.
After studying the images, experts determined:
- Whether the intervertebral distance is reduced;
- Whether cartilage tissue is depleted;
- The stage of the ongoing pathological process.
If a patient detects an intervertebral hernia, an MRI is performed.Through layer-by-layer scanning and visualization of soft tissue, preliminary diagnoses can be confirmed or refuted with high accuracy.
How to treat osteochondrosis
Treatment of the disease is long-term and the main goal is to relieve pain and muscle tension and, after identifying the triggering causes, to prevent the development of the pathological process.
Experts decide which treatment is most effective based on the results of the study and the severity of the ongoing pathology.process.
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis
The main goal of such diseases is to stop the inflammatory process and pain and relieve muscle spasms.This can be done by having the patient undergo:
- NSAIDs.To reduce skeletal muscle tone, muscle spasms, and nerve root compression, experts add muscle relaxants to NSAID medications.
- Group B vitamin preparations.
The optimal treatment time is 7-10 days.
Medical treatment is usually supplemented by topical treatments.Warming ointments or gels containing NSAIDs can be applied to the affected area, which can help increase blood supply, metabolism and stop inflammation.Topical therapies provide rapid pain relief, as the main active substances penetrate the inflammation and start "working" immediately.
Medication is often supplemented with exercise therapy, massage, physical reflexology or manual therapy.
The main task for people with osteochondrosis is to reduce the frequency and severity of painful symptoms (especially during exacerbations).Following your doctor's recommendations and using medications in conjunction with physical therapy exercises will help restore normal function to the spine and avoid surgical intervention.