Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease of various parts of the spine, in which degenerative and dystrophic changes occur in the intervertebral discs. Men between the ages of 25 and 60 suffer more often from this ailment. The disease is typical of both the young and the old. Women get sick less often and their symptoms are not as obvious. In the initial stage of the disease, it is possible to achieve a stable remission and get rid of pain and discomfort for many years.
What are the types of osteochondrosis by location?
The classification of osteochondrosis of the spine has many forms and criteria. They differ in the location of the affected section and the severity. All types of osteochondrosis are pathologies that are fraught with destructive changes in cartilage and connective tissue.
The most common and understandable for a simple layman, far from medicine, the classification is according to the location of the lesion:
- Cervical osteochondrosis: characterized by occipital, cervical and interscapular pain syndromes. In the last decade, this ailment has been increasingly diagnosed in young people.
- Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is very rare, as it has more discs than the cervical and lumbar combined, the discs are smaller and thinner. Part of the load is absorbed by the ribs. Therefore, in the intervertebral discs of the thoracic spine, degenerative and dystrophic changes rarely occur.
- Lumbar osteochondrosis often occurs in people over the age of forty from a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle. It is characterized by severe back pain, pinching of the nerves and arteries of the abdominal organs, and many concomitant diagnoses of internal organs.
Stages of the disease
Depending on the flow rate, the degree of degenerative changes, the manifestation of symptoms, four stages of the disease can be distinguished:
- The initial stage is characterized by instability of symptoms. The patient has not yet experienced severe pain. Occasionally, a "stabbing" pain may occur in the affected area of the back.
- The second stage is characterized by a significant deterioration in the interaction of the vertebrae due to the progression of degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs. The development of the disease at this stage is provoked by inadequate physical activity, a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle.
- In the third stage, intervertebral hernias can begin to develop (some patients will pass this fate). In some cases, severe back pain occurs. Concomitant diagnoses develop, which in one way or another affect all systems of the body. Symptoms vary depending on the location of the hernia and the location of the chondrosis.
- The fourth stage is the most difficult. The patient cannot lead a satisfactory lifestyle and enjoy freedom of movement. Almost all the postures occupied by the body provoke sharp pain at the site of localization of osteochondrosis. At this stage, we can talk about the appointment of a disability to the patient.
Causes of occurrence
Osteochondrosis brings a lot of suffering, worsens the quality of life, can lead to total or partial immobilization of the patient and disability. What are the reasons for the appearance of this ailment? They are as follows:
- Sedentary lifestyle, sitting static or lying in one position. Muscles atrophy, vertebrae wear away cartilage and discs against each other. This process can take years, but it will inevitably lead to osteochondrosis.
- Modern young men and women go to the gym and perform exercises with a barbell and dumbbells, the improper performance of which leads to chronic diseases of the spine. For example, the incorrect technique of performing the "squat with a barbell" exercise presented surgeons and orthopedists with tens of thousands of young patients with acute-stage osteochondrosis and scoliosis.
- Also at risk are people who, due to their professional activity, have to sit at the table in one position for many hours at a time. According to WHO statistics, office workers make up the majority of osteochondrosis patients.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The vertebrae of the cervical spine gradually lose fluid and become brittle. As a result of this process, the veins and arteries are compressed. The nutrition of the brain is interrupted and, subsequently, the death of its cells. Cervical osteochondrosis has the greatest negative effect on the part of the brain responsible for the activity of the heart muscle. Often times, the optic or auditory nerve is pinched, resulting in loss of vision and hearing.
Types of cervical osteochondrosis:
- radicular, or the so-called "cervical radiculitis": it is characterized mainly by severe pain in the occiput, neck and head;
- irritating reflex: discomfort in the chest, back, numbness of the fingers;
- cardiac, characterized by symptoms of cardiovascular disease.
Only an orthopedic surgeon or surgeon can make an accurate diagnosis. Regardless of the type of cervical osteochondrosis, the treatment will be almost identical.
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
The rarest type of disease. Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine are characteristic of many other diseases. An inexperienced physician can often diagnose arrhythmias, angina pectoris, cardiomyopathy (pending ECG results), pancreatitis, or even gastritis. Only an experienced orthopedist or spine surgeon can provide accurate information on the type of thoracic osteochondrosis.
With a pronounced pathological process, there is a disruption in the work of parts of the spinal cord. The main signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine:
- Dorsago: sharp and unbearable pains in the chest, feeling of shortness of breath, it seems to the patient that he is suffocating or that the heart rate is out of order.
- Back pain: the patient experiences less discomfort than with back pain. The pain is less pronounced and radiates to the hands and fingers (therefore, doctors often mistake symptoms for diseases of the cardiovascular system).
Symptoms and consequences of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
The most common type of osteochondrosis is the lumbar spine. This is because it is the lower back that experiences the greatest stress in the daily life process.
In the first stage, the main symptom is a slight stretch in the lower back. People rarely attach importance to such minor ailments. As the intervertebral discs wear down, the negative symptoms also increase. In particular, the patient can no longer lie down or sit in one position for a long time due to pain.
In the third or fourth stage of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, there are:
- lumbago - sharp and sudden pain, the result of which may be partial immobilization of the patient;
- sciatica: unilateral entrapment of the sciatic nerve;
- sciatica - compression of the nerve endings of the lumbar spine;
- Lower limb weakness, muscle atrophy, venous congestion, impaired sexual function, and the work of the abdominal and pelvic organs are also often observed;
- radiculoischemia: insufficiency of blood circulation as a result of vascular compression.
Generalized osteochondrosis
This type of disease affects not only the spine, but also the joints. Most often, the shoulder and hip. Symptoms of generalized osteochondrosis are neurological in nature, in rare cases with lesions of internal organs due to impaired blood circulation.
In the hip joint, the disease manifests as changes in the cartilage tissue, desiccation of the inter-articular fluid. Over time, the joint partially and then completely loses its former mobility.
Polysegmental osteochondrosis
The manifestations of the disease are not found in one, but in several parts of the body. For example, there is often a combination of the defeat of the third and twelfth vertebrae; in this case, osteochondrosis will be considered polysegmental.
Therapy in this case will be exactly the same as for the standard signs of cervical or thoracic osteochondrosis. Magnetotherapy and other physical therapy procedures have been shown to be excellent for exacerbating pain and discomfort due to polysegmental chondrosis. Now you know what types of spinal osteochondrosis exist.
Osteochondrosis drug.
Pharmacological means of alleviating the manifestation of the symptoms of osteochondrosis can be divided into the following groups:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs: to relieve symptoms of pain and swelling in the affected area. There are two types: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and glucocorticosteroids.
- Analgesics.
- Muscle relaxants to relieve muscle spasms.
- Hondoprotectors: drugs to improve the nutrition of cartilage tissue.
- Vitamin and mineral complexes: to restore normal blood circulation and activate metabolism.
- Medicines to improve and restore impulse conduction in nerve cells.
In some cases, you must resort to diuretics to relieve swelling of the muscles and connective tissue between the vertebrae. It is strictly forbidden to prescribe medication on your own; it can not only not cure, but also aggravate the course of the disease.
Therapeutic gymnastics and physical education for osteochondrosis.
Any orthopedist will confirm the importance of physical exercise to achieve remission in the chronic course of osteochondrosis.
What kind of sport is safe for osteochondrosis? It is better to prefer swimming, stretching, doing Pilates, bending the body, those directions in which there are no sudden movements. Traumatic martial arts and weight lifting sports with osteochondrosis are prohibited. The patient should not work with a weight of more than five kilograms.
Don't underestimate the benefits of daily morning exercise. It should not be done on a case-by-case basis, but on an ongoing basis. Only in this case will there be benefits for the spine. Simple hand swing, "mill", "bicycle" - exercises familiar to everyone from childhood, will help to stretch the back and relieve pain. All movements must be performed as smoothly and precisely as possible to avoid injury.
Office workers should step away from the computer once an hour and warm up for five minutes. This will serve as an excellent prevention and treatment of existing osteochondrosis.
Massage and manual therapy
Of all the types of treatment for osteochondrosis, this is the most pleasant. Much depends on the choice of a specialist, both the result and the feeling. Types of massage for osteochondrosis: classic, acupressure, canning, hardware, honey.
With manual therapy, the situation is more complicated. First of all, this procedure is painful: often manualistas' patients cannot contain a cry of pain during manipulations with the spine. Second, if the chiropractor is inexperienced, this procedure can be dangerous. Choose specialists with good patient reviews, a real diploma, and a wealth of therapeutic experience.