Osteochondrosis is damage to interarticular and intervertebral cartilages.Osteochondrosis is diagnosed in all joints without exception, but according to medical statistics, such injuries occur more often in intervertebral discs.
Functions of intervertebral discs
The main function of intervertebral discs is to absorb shock during walking and running.Few people think about the load on the spine during movement.Every step pushes the vertebrae.Without the discs between them, the bones would wear out very quickly and the nerve endings of the spine would be constantly compressed between the vertebrae.
Its ability to absorb shock depends on the quality of the intervertebral disc.The younger a person is, the more flexible the discs are.In newborns, articular cartilage and intervertebral discs consist of almost 80% water, which allows them to be as flexible as possible, like a sponge.With age, tissues deteriorate, dry out, become less elastic and lose shock absorption properties.The older a person is, the higher the risk of developing complications of osteochondrosis, manifested by:
- hernias;
- radiculitis;
- is prominent.
Symptoms of intervertebral disc disease
There is osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.At the same time, problems in the cervical region may not be accompanied by any characteristic pain, while problems in the chest may be reflected by pain in the chest, not in the spine, so patients often confuse them with pain in the heart or bronchi.
Sometimes osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifests itself as pain in the arm.If there was no obvious injury that could cause pain in the arm, such a symptom should be a reason for examination of the cervical spine.
If the pain concentrated in the sacral region flows to the leg and hip (usually only on one side), this indicates damage to the intervertebral disc in the lumbar region.After applying pressure to the affected area, you may feel numbness in the leg, arm, or tingling in one of the extremities.The main striking symptoms of osteochondrosis of the intervertebral space are:
- Pain in the sacral region prevents sitting.
- Back pain that prevents you from bending over.
- Decreased pain when walking.
At the first signs of damage to the intervertebral discs, you should avoid heavy physical activity on your back, that is, do not lift anything heavy.
Why does osteochondrosis occur?
There are several reasons that affect the condition of the disks.These include smoking and excessive exercise, especially if daily activities involve lifting heavy objects.On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition are sure ways to destroy discs.In addition, special work that forces you to keep your body in an uncomfortable position, a constant load on only one shoulder, as well as sleeping on an incorrectly selected mattress is a risk of developing osteochondrosis.
Sleep properly on mattresses of medium firmness so that the spine is in a natural, even position during rest.Soft feather beds just look comfortable.Sleeping on a soft bed for a long time causes back pain in the morning.This is caused by the stretching of the back muscles when the back bends under its own weight.Stretching of the back muscles throughout the night causes pain not only in the lower back, but along the entire length of the spine.
Flat feet are a risk of developing osteochondrosis, because such a foot cannot fully perform the functions of a shock absorber.The spine, therefore, carries increased loads, and the discs wear out faster.
In addition, people who are overweight put more strain on their spine than those with a body mass index close to ideal.You should watch your form so that the weight and height ratio does not put additional stress on the skeleton.
However, osteochondrosis can occur in completely healthy people who lead a sports lifestyle.The main reason for this is injury.An unfortunate fall or blow to the spine often causes tears, protrusions and osteochondrosis.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
A surgeon, orthopedist or neurologist can make a diagnosis.Since pain in the lumbar region often leads to contact with a neurologist, such patients are first examined by a doctor of this specialty.First, the patient is examined.To make a diagnosis, it is necessary to assess the patient's ability to bend, bend, sit, walk and bend the legs.After that, the spine is palpated.Thanks to the manual examination, the doctor will be able to identify pain points, feel compression and even rupture between the vertebrae.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes an X-ray of the spine.This is the simplest test that can be performed even in a rural clinic.X-rays have long existed in medical practice and are an integral element of every trauma department.If the X-ray does not confirm the diagnosis or when a more detailed study is required, a CT scan or MRI of the spine is prescribed.With the help of such an examination, it will be possible to study the quality of the discs, evaluate their flexibility and integrity, as well as identify hidden pathologies.
How to treat osteochondrosis
As a conservative treatment, a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed.If there is no serious damage to the discs and the doctor has seen on the images that the cause of the pain is compression of the nerve by the inflamed muscle, the treatment will be reduced to alleviating the inflammatory process.In addition, heat therapy may be prescribed, which will reduce swelling, relax muscles, and release a pinched nerve.
The problem of back pain during protrusion or rupture of intervertebral discs can be solved by surgery.Severely worn vertebrae can be replaced with a prosthesis.