This disease usually refers to systemic dystrophic disorders of the articular cartilage, which manifest in the area between the vertebrae.According to the local localization of this problem, cervical, thoracic and lumbar types of the disease are distinguished.
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis is a complex problem, it cannot be cured quickly.The cause of the problem is considered to be a sedentary lifestyle, which contributes to the initiation of negative processes in the joint cartilage.Remember that as the human body grows, a powerful vascular bed with widespread nutrition is formed in the intervertebral discs.Any negative condition and process worsens the nutrition of the vascular bed and forms a number of factors that worsen the development of pathology.
Physiological factors that contribute to the formation of osteochondrosis include poor nutrition, increased stress on the back and its injuries, persistent unusual postures, flat feet and obesity.
Symptoms
Symptoms of osteochondrosis look like this:
- Pain and numbness in leg/arm, severe back pain.
- Significant increase in pain during physical activity and even coughing.
- Antispasmodic condition of the muscles of the socket, decrease in movement activity.
- Other typical systemic manifestations in the case of damage to a certain area of the spine.
The main reasons
- Age-related degenerative changes.
- Genetic and hereditary predisposition.
- Heavy weight.
- Poor nutrition.
- Infectious and intoxicating lesions.
- Metabolic imbalance.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Traumatic syndromes in the spine.
- Overload of the spinal system due to active training, lifting weights, incorrect posture, pregnancy, wearing uncomfortable shoes.
- Severe stress, neuralgic overload, smoking.
- Bad environmental conditions for permanent residence.
- Skeletal instability, flat feet.
The main types
The main types of osteochondrosis include:
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Pathological changes in the discs between the vertebrae in the cervical spine, more precisely its upper third.It is most often caused by wrong posture, metabolic disorders, weak muscle skeleton and bad lifestyle in general.The patient feels pain in the shoulders and arms and periodically suffers from migraines.Almost always he shows the so-called "vertebral artery syndrome", caused by its spasmodic reactions to compression - throbbing headache, dizziness, flickering of optical defects before the eyes, numbness in the hands.
Thoracic osteochondrosis
Pathological condition located in the second third of the spine.Practical ones are always accompanied by accompanying syndromes - pain and dull discomfort in the thoracic region of the spine, aggravated by bending the torso or deep breathing, as well as sudden attacks on the affected part of the spine, severe deterioration of the quality of breathing due to pain, as well as its transmission to the lower back and lower back.Often this problem causes pathology in other organs - heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas.Read more about thoracic osteochondrosis.
Lumbosacral osteochondrosis
In this case, there is a pain syndrome in the specified area with "lumbago" in the accompanying sections, numbness of the legs, negative manifestations in the vascular system and calves.Symptoms intensify with an upright position, bending over and a strong cough.This type of osteochondrosis causes muscle weakness, pain and pathology of the pelvic organs, severe inflammation of the sacrum and back.
Preventing
It is recommended to prevent osteochondrosis from an early age, especially if a person has a hereditary predisposition to this disease.
Key points:
- Therapeutic exercises.
- Swimming.
- Self-massage of a potentially problematic area.
- Compliance with the recommendations for the normalization of the posture.
- Relief of tension in the specified area.
- Morning exercises.
- Weight normalization and proper nutrition.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis, regardless of its stage, is complex.
Drug treatment
The main direction of drug therapy is to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the problem and increase the positive effects of other procedures.Local and systemic preparations not only eliminate pain, but also improve blood circulation, relieve inflammation, partially restore problematic cartilage tissue and relax muscle complexes.
- The pill.Painkillers in the form of analgesics and NSAIDs.Drugs that restore cartilage tissue are also prescribed.
- External Local Remedies.Most often these are ointments and creams.The most demanded for osteochondrosis are hormonal steroid drugs based on prednisolone or hydrocortisone, complex gels.
- Injections.Injections for osteochondrosis are usually used in the acute stage of the disease, when classic tablets and local forms of medicine do not have the desired effect on the body.The vast majority of injections are aimed at eliminating very strong pain syndromes.The classic scheme of use is a special blockade with the introduction of a subcutaneous and then intramuscular anesthetic in the area of the spinal nerves.Such injections can only be performed in a hospital setting.
Exercises (physiotherapy)
Therapeutic gymnastics is an important stage in the fight against osteochondrosis.Exercise therapy is prescribed exclusively by the attending physician, taking into account the specifics of the disease and the patient's current condition, usually in the remission phase of the problem.
The main purpose of such exercises is to strengthen the back muscles and develop damaged cartilaginous components of the joints.Exercise therapy uses various techniques, but one of the most popular is considered to be a scheme of two dozen exercises according to the best therapist known in the past.The complex usually includes general strengthening exercises, targeted treatment measures for problem areas, as well as "lighthouse" exercises that allow you to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment.The exact list of actions, their sequence, amount and other initial data is given personally to the patient by the attending physician!
Massage for osteochondrosis
Massage procedures for osteochondrosis significantly relieve the unpleasant symptoms of the disease and at the same time help to overcome the problem in combination with other measures.
Individual elements of massage and approaches to its implementation may vary depending on the localization of osteochondrosis, its course, the presence of chronic diseases in the patient, etc., i.e., it is prescribed individually based on the current clinical picture.
The most used are classical therapeutic massages, acupressure, binding, hardware and cupping massages.The above measures are aimed at improving the lymphatic/blood circulation, normalizing the nutrition of the spinal discs, relieving pain syndromes, releasing special fibers, relaxing the muscle mass, restoring nutrition to the soft tissues, etc.
The use of massage for osteochondrosis should be abandoned if the patient has aneurysms, tumors, thrombosis, osteomyelitis, blood diseases, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, problems with pelvic organs with osteochondrosis of the belt, various skin manifestations of a massive nature in the form of warts, herpetic lesions.
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine has effectively treated osteochondrosis for centuries, usually with compresses and oral tinctures.
The most popular recipes:
- Mix grated raw potatoes and honey in a ratio of 1 to 1. Apply to the problem area for two hours as a compress.
- Boil a tablespoon of crushed strawberry leaves in a glass of boiling water, leave for twenty minutes and then consume on an empty stomach.Take for three months.
- Dissolve 300 grams of watermelon pulp and 200 grams of soda in a warm bath and leave for half an hour.The course consists of 20 procedures.
- Pour boiling water over ten grams of thyme and take half a glass 2 times a day.