osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the spine through the development of changes in the intervertebral discs of one section or another.Its danger lies in the fact that the development of the disease goes unnoticed.Currently, this disease has become much younger.

What is spinal osteochondrosis?

Doctors define this disease as a chronic degenerative-dystrophic change in the spine and its structure.It affects approximately 80 percent of the world's population and the first signs of this disease are observed between the ages of 20 and 25.It can cause more serious health problems in the future.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine occurs most often;More rarely, cervical and thoracic chondrosis is observed.A person has between 33 and 34 vertebrae, which are connected to each other by intervertebral discs.They perform a number of important functions, thus ensuring the mobility of the spine.

Osteochondrosis of the spine is characterized by drying and changing the size of these discs and the space between them, which leads to a decrease in their strength and elasticity.A high load on the spine causes displacement of the discs, which causes pain when moving and subsequently develops an intervertebral hernia.

The displacement of the vertebrae is due to pinching of the nerve endings and compression of the blood vessels.Curvature of the spine, damage to individual parts, its deformation is an irreversible process.Ossification of the ligaments further reduces spinal mobility.

What types are there?

Depending on the damaged areas, the following types of osteochondrosis are differentiated:

• The cervical spine, which is most often observed in young people who lead a sedentary lifestyle and work for a long time at the computer;
• Thoracic spine disease, a rare type of disease, can be caused by changes in the thoracic spine due to various factors (for example, trauma);
• The lumbosacral region, the most widespread disease, usually affects people over 30 years of age;
• Common chondrosis, when several parts of the spine are affected at once.

The disease goes through several stages:

1. The first stage usually goes unnoticed.Instability of the vertebrae appears, caused by their displacement, and slight discomfort appears when moving.This is a dangerous stage where injuries are most likely to occur.
2. In the second stage, the annulus fibrosus of the vertebral disc is destroyed, which leads to a decrease in the distance between them.
3. The third stage is accompanied by rupture of the fibrous rings, the nucleus of the disc moves out of its place.At this stage, intervertebral hernias appear, causing deformation of the spine.
4. The last stage is characterized by severe pain syndromes.Bone growths and ossification of ligaments interfere with the freedom of movement of the spine.

Osteochondrosis is caused by muscle tension, which causes muscle spasms.This leads to limited mobility of the joints and spine.The result is degeneration of the vertebrae and discs, narrowing of the openings between the vertebrae, and compression of the nerve roots.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this disease depend on the damaged area.It is worth noting that most of the symptoms of this disease are individually attributed to other problems.For example, headaches are believed to be caused by tension and stress, and hearing loss is caused by the use of headphones.

1. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis manifest themselves as follows:

   • Headache that gets worse when you try to move your head;
   • Pain in the neck, which extends to the shoulder blade area, arms and chest;
   • Sensitivity is often affected, fingers become numb and weakness is felt;
   • Tongue movement is limited, which affects speech, snoring may occur;
   • The voice changes, becomes weak and hoarse;
   • Possible dizziness, loss of consciousness;
   • Loss of coordination of movements, loss of orientation when walking;
   • The condition of the teeth worsens;
   • Hearing decreases, ringing in the ears appears.

2. Rarely, but osteochondrosis of the chest occurs.It is usually caused by spinal injuries.The cause may be scoliosis.Symptoms of this disease:

   • Sharp pain in the chest area, which becomes stronger when trying to breathe deeply and move;
   • Pain may appear in the stomach, liver and heart areas;
   • Sometimes there is a feeling of numbness in the chest.

3. The most common variant of the disease is lumbosacral osteochondrosis.It manifests itself as intense pain in the lumbar region.The symptoms may be different, but in the first period of development they are not very pronounced.But over time or in a "successful" situation, the disease worsens.Appears:

   • Aching or sharp pain that intensifies with movement in the area just above the tailbone;
   • The pain radiates to the hip area, the sensitivity of the legs is disturbed;
   • Restriction of body movements, it is impossible to bend or twist;
   • In the last stage, it is often impossible to sit down, it is difficult to get up, and muscle weakness appears.

Osteochondrosis treatment

Many people are interested in how to treat osteochondrosis and whether this disease can be completely cured.Doctors answer this question emphatically no, but it is possible and necessary to start treatment on time and stop the development of the disease.There are many ways to treat osteochondrosis, both through classical and traditional medicine.

It is worth noting that this disease can be treated quite effectively, especially at the initial stage of the disease.In an outpatient setting, a special comprehensive program is used, the goal of which is to quickly eliminate the symptoms of the disease and correct the causes of suffering.

Complex therapy includes the following techniques:

1. Acupuncture.

   Acupuncture is performed once every one or two days.The course of treatment is prescribed by the doctor;can vary from seven days to a month;As a rule, 12 to 15 procedures are sufficient.The acupuncturist performs a visual and manual examination of the patient.One procedure lasts about half an hour.The needles are placed for 15 to 20 minutes.

   Disposable sterilized acupuncture needles are used to perform the operation;They are inserted under the patient's skin and a slight sting is felt, similar to a mosquito bite.When the needle reaches a biologically active point, the person feels numbness, pain, or a feeling of fullness in this place;pain appears extremely rarely.

2. Vacuum therapy.

   To carry out the procedure, special vacuum flasks are used.The effectiveness of this method is very high, there is practically no pain.This method of treatment allows you to quickly and safely eliminate the symptoms of the disease.It is based on the mobilization of the body's own resources and is used in rehabilitation medicine.

   Under the influence of the flasks, pressure differences are created, the skin and part of the muscle are attracted to the flask.Thanks to the deep treatment of a large surface area, blood microcirculation improves, stagnation is eliminated, harmful substances are eliminated and tissues are renewed more quickly.

   The areas of influence of vacuum therapy are broad;The doctor himself selects and assigns the areas for the procedure.The spots that appear during the procedure begin to dissolve after the fourth procedure, so you should not be afraid of them.

3. Manual therapy.

   These are gentle treatment methods that are very effective among non-pharmacological options.A chiropractor can eliminate many problems associated with the muscles and spine and is used in the treatment of neurological diseases.

   The effect is externally reminiscent of a normal massage, but with a more limited localization and a moderate force of influence.A qualified chiropractor can cure conditions that cannot be treated with medications.

   To treat the spine, this method aims to increase the elasticity of the muscles and improve the movement of individual vertebrae.The procedures are not carried out daily, but at certain intervals of up to seven days.Manual treatment is most effective in combination with physiotherapy and folk remedies, as well as physiotherapy.

   

4. Pharmacopuncture.

   This method involves active points on the human body, into which drugs indicated for a specific disease are injected in minimal quantities.These can be vitamin complexes, homeopathic remedies, biostimulants, corticosteroids.The injection is carried out using a microneedle, with practically no unpleasant sensations.

   An adapted version is used for the treatment of the spine, which makes it possible to cure osteochondrosis, vertebral hernia and other problems.It is used for rehabilitation after spinal surgery.Pharmacopuncture improves metabolism, improves trophism of connective tissue and blood circulation in the affected area.Even a small treatment complex shows positive and long-lasting results.

5. Magnetopuncture.

   This method involves exposing biologically active points to a magnetic field.For this, recorders are used, in which certain properties of polarity, size and power are established.This device consists of rubber-coated magnets;They generate a constant magnetic field.To treat various diseases, metal plates of different shapes, areas and thicknesses and magnetic balls are used.

6. Laser therapy.

   This is a laser effect on special acupuncture points through intact areas of the skin.In most cases, low-power lasers with red light are used;show the greatest activity.As a result of treatment, inflammation and pain, spasms are relieved, blood vessels dilate, metabolic processes improve, and cell regeneration increases.

7. Electrical stimulation.

   Electric current is used to influence certain points.It is effective for electrical stimulation of motor muscles and nerve endings.Individual pulses, exponential currents, rhythmic direct current and sinusoidal modulated currents are used.Severe pain can be eliminated in just 1 to 3 procedures.The complete course requires 10 to 15 sessions.

Often, outpatient therapy includes a medication component designed to relieve pain.For this, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, antispasmodics, antioxidants are used, as well as drugs that correct psychosomatic disorders and reduce the degeneration of cartilage tissue.

Traditional methods

In traditional medicine there are many remedies that alleviate the condition of osteochondrosis.

For external use the following options are used:

1. Apply a small amount of ointment to the affected area, gradually rubbing it into the skin.The treated area should be carefully wrapped to retain heat.It is enough to carry out the procedure 3-4 times a day.
2. Compresses with ointment help relieve inflammation and pain.Cover the greased area with plastic wrap, underneath you can put fresh mint or lemon balm leaves;Burdock or white cabbage leaves work effectively.Wrap it in a woolen scarf and secure the compress.Fresh crushed birch leaves give a good effect;They are applied to the problem area and wrapped for half an hour.
3. For rubbing, you can use vegetable oil with infusion of herbs: oregano, St. John's wort.For half a liter of vegetable oil, about 500 grams of raw materials are taken.Fresh oregano cake is infused for 24 hours, and dried St. John's wort is poured with oil for 21 days.
4. You can prepare a mixture of 1/3 cup of black radish juice, 200 g of fresh honey, 100 ml of vodka and a handful of fresh lilac flowers.Let it stand for a day in a warm place, after which the composition can be used for rubbing.

Don't forget about proper nutrition and an active lifestyle.It is necessary to constantly monitor your posture when sitting in a chair or at the computer;It is advisable to sleep on a medium hard surface.

The spine must be constantly supported;To do this, you can use special exercises and avoid prolonged monotonous positions.

Exercises for osteochondrosis at home.

At home you can perform effective and simple gymnastics, which should be part of a set of measures for the treatment of spinal diseases.It is recommended to perform the following exercises for osteochondrosis.

1. Tilt your head forward, grab the forehead area with your fingers intertwined.Make movements with your head down, supporting yourself with your hands.The reverse movement consists of trying to raise the head while tilted, and with the hands clasped behind the head to counteract its movement.Each movement lasts 10 seconds.
2. Impact on biologically active points with the palm of the hand and fingers: first, massage the forehead area, press the skin and move it with gentle movements.Exposure time is 20 to 40 seconds.Then it goes to the temporal zones, the effect is carried out in a similar way.The procedure ends with a massage of the ears, the ear is stretched in all directions.
3. To improve brain nutrition, you should sit on a flat surface and keep your back straight.The head is slowly thrown back;You can easily help yourself with your hands, pressing your chin with your palm.Exercise time: 10-30 seconds.Then you can slightly turn your head to one side or the other, staying in this position for 10-15 seconds.
4. This is an excellent exercise for the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis.Helps improve the functioning of the nerve plexus located in the neck.IP: sitting on a flat surface with a straight back.Slowly move your head towards your chest, trying to touch it with your chin.You can help yourself slightly with your hands placed on the back of your neck, pressing forward and upward.Sit in this position for about a minute, rest for 10 to 15 minutes, and repeat the exercise.
5. The warm-up affects the upper spine and at the same time brings the shoulders towards the ears as high as possible.Then lower them freely and easily.Repeat for 15 seconds.Then repeat the exercise, but for each shoulder joint separately.

At the end of the gymnastics, rub the back of your neck with your palms.

To get rid of the physical suffering caused by cervical osteochondrosis, you can take a poplar stick or a rolling pin and slowly hit it on the shoulder, shoulder blade and spine on one side and then on the other.You can give it a small massage to relieve tension and pain.

To quickly get rid of pain in the lower back, you should lie on a hard surface, ideally on the floor, with your legs bent at the knees.Make turns with your legs in one direction and in the other, trying to touch the ground with your knees.

In case of exacerbation: how to relieve pain.

Often, during an exacerbation of the disease, a person does not know where to go.It is not possible to take medication constantly, but there are ways to get rid of acute pain without resorting to medication.

First of all, heat must be applied to the problem area.You can wrap this area with a wool scarf.Exposure to cold is also possible, but only the first day after the problem occurs and under the supervision of a doctor.

Lie down on a hard surface and try to fix the sore spot.If you have pain, it is advisable to place a soft cushion under your lower back to relieve tension in this area.It is better to bend your legs.The chest may be wrapped with a tight bandage and a cardboard and cotton splint may be applied to the neck, as if there were an injury.

If relief does not occur, you should call a doctor.To relieve severe pain, take a pain reliever.

Prevention: how to prevent the appearance of osteochondrosis

Before starting prevention, it is worth clarifying what causes most often cause osteochondrosis.The risk of this disease increases with poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, bad habits (smoking, alcohol addiction), intense physical activity and poor posture.

Obviously, to prevent the development of the disease, it is first necessary to improve diet and introduce physical activity.It is enough to do basic morning exercises, stretching, light self-massage of the lower back and neck, swinging the arms and legs.At your workplace you should find 2-3 minutes to warm up.All types of swimming in the pool work well.

Fighting excess weight will help eliminate the risk;You should not allow hypothermia or traumatic situations.It is worth engaging in the prevention of stressful situations and abandoning bad habits.Attention should be paid to proper nutrition;The body should receive a sufficient amount of protein, but salty, floury and fatty foods should be limited.

In some cases, if vitamins are lacking, the doctor may prescribe additional vitamin and mineral complexes.All of this together will help protect the spine from problems.