Osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the spine through the development of changes in the intervertebral discs of one or another department.Its danger lies in the fact that the development of the disease occurs 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 about 80 percent of the world's population, and the first signs of this disease are observed already at the age of 20-25 years.It can cause more serious health problems in the future.

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

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

Displacement of the vertebrae is caused by pinching of nerve endings and compression of blood vessels.Curvature of the spine, damage to individual parts, their deformation is an irreversible process.Ossification of the ligaments reduces the mobility of the spine even more.

What types are there

Depending on the damaged areas, the following types of osteochondrosis differ:

• Cervical spine, most often observed in young people who lead a sedentary lifestyle and work at the computer for a long time;
• 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 disease is most widespread, often 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 often occurs 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. At the second stage, the fibrous ring 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 core of the disc comes out of its place.At this stage, intervertebral hernias appear, which lead to spinal deformation.
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 leads to 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, compression of the nerve roots.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this disease depend on the damaged area.It is worth noting that people attribute most of the symptoms of this disease individually to other problems.For example, it is believed that headaches are 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, spreading to the area of the shoulder blade, arms and chest;
   • Sensitivity is often impaired, fingers become numb, and weakness is felt;
   • The movement of the tongue 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, it becomes stronger when you try to take a deep breath and move;
   • Pain may appear in the areas of the stomach, liver, and heart;
   • 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 severe pain in the lumbar region.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 impaired;
   • Restriction of body movements, it is impossible to bend or turn;
   • By the last stage, it is often impossible to sit, it is difficult to stand up, and muscle weakness appears.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Many people are interested in the question of how to treat osteochondrosis and whether this disease can be completely cured.Doctors answer this question unequivocally 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 using 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, which is aimed at quickly eliminating the symptoms of the disease and correcting the causes of suffering.

Complex therapy includes the following techniques:

1. Acupuncture.

   Acupuncture is performed once every one to two days.The course of treatment is prescribed by the doctor; it can range from seven days to a month; as a rule, 12-15 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 15-20 minutes.

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

2. Vacuum therapy.

   To carry out the procedure, special vacuum jars are used.The effectiveness of this method is very high, there is practically no pain.This treatment method 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 jars, pressure differences are created, the skin and part of the muscle are drawn into the jar.Thanks to deep treatment of a large area, blood microcirculation improves, stagnation is eliminated, harmful substances are removed, and tissues are renewed faster.

   The areas of influence of vacuum therapy are extensive; the doctor himself selects and assigns 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 highly effective among non-drug options.A chiropractor can eliminate many problems associated with muscles and the spine and is used in the treatment of neurological diseases.

   The effect is outwardly reminiscent of a regular massage, but of a more limited localization and moderate strength of influence.A qualified chiropractor is able to cure diseases that cannot be treated with medication.

   In order to treat the spine, this method is aimed at increasing muscle elasticity and improving the movement of individual vertebrae.Procedures are performed not daily, but at certain intervals of up to seven days.Manual treatment in combination with physiotherapy and folk remedies, as well as physical therapy, is more effective.

   

4. Pharmacopuncture.

   This method involves active points on the human body, into which medications 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 virtually no unpleasant sensations.

   An adapted version is used to treat the spine, which allows you to heal osteochondrosis, vertebral hernia and other problems.It is used for rehabilitation after spinal surgery.Pharmacopuncture enhances metabolism, improves connective tissue trophism and blood circulation in the affected area.Even a small treatment complex shows positive, lasting results.

5. Magnetopuncture.

   This method involves exposing biologically active points to a magnetic field.For this purpose, tape recorders are used, on which certain properties of polarity, size, and power are set.This device consists of rubberized 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; they 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.Single pulses, exponential currents, rhythmic direct current, and sinusoidal modulated currents are used.Severe pain can be eliminated in just 1-3 procedures.The full course requires 10-15 sessions.

Often outpatient therapy includes a medication component, which is designed to relieve pain.For this purpose, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, 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, you can put fresh mint or lemon balm leaves underneath; burdock or white cabbage leaves work effectively.Wrap in a woolen scarf and secure the compress.Crushed fresh 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 infused with herbs - oregano, St. John's wort.About 500 grams of raw materials are taken for half a liter of vegetable oil.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.Leave 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 surface of medium hardness.

The spine must be constantly supported; for 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, clasp the forehead area with intertwined fingers.Make movements with your head down, holding with your hands.The reverse movement is to try to raise your head while tilted, and with your hands clasped at the back of your head, counteract its movement.Each movement takes 10 seconds.
2. Impact on biologically active points using the palm of your hand and fingers: first, massage the forehead area, press on the skin and move it with gentle movements.Exposure time is 20-40 seconds.Then move to the temporal areas, 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 pulled back; you can easily help yourself with your hands, pressing your chin with your palm.Exercise time – 10-30 seconds.Then you can turn your head slightly 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.It 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 head, pressing forward and upward.Sit in this position for about a minute, rest for 10-15 minutes and repeat the exercise.
5. Warm-up affects the upper spine, while simultaneously pulling your shoulders towards your 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 physical suffering caused by cervical osteochondrosis, you can take an aspen stick or rolling pin and slowly tap it on the shoulder, shoulder blade and spine on one side, then on the other.You can give it a little massage to relieve tension and pain.

To quickly get rid of pain in the lumbar region, you need to 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 the other, trying to touch the floor 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.Constantly taking medications is not possible, but there are ways to get rid of acute pain without resorting to medications.

First of all, heat should be applied to the problem area.You can wrap this area with a woolen scarf.Exposure to cold is also possible, but only in 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's better to bend your legs.The chest can be wrapped in a tight bandage, and a splint made of cardboard and cotton wool can be applied to the neck, as if there was an injury.

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

Prevention - how to prevent the occurrence of osteochondrosis

Before engaging in prevention, you should clarify what causes most often cause osteochondrosis.The risk of this disease is increased by poor diet, inactive lifestyle, excess weight, bad habits (smoking, alcohol addiction), heavy physical activity and poor posture.

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

The fight against 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 giving up bad habits.Attention should be paid to proper nutrition; the body should receive a sufficient amount of proteins, but salty, floury, and fatty foods should be limited.

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