Osteochondrosis

Back pain is a problem that every adult can face.Often this is not a one-off, but a sign of a dangerous disease.Osteochondrosis often occurs in people aged 30-35 (about 40% of the population), 90% of cases occur in old age.

Timely diagnosis and correct approaches to treatment can eliminate the development of pathology and prevent complications.Therefore, it is important to understand exactly what back pain can indicate, which doctor you should see when it appears, and how to treat osteochondrosis.

What is osteochondrosis?

Osteochondrosis is a group of chronic diseases, the cause of which is destruction of vertebrae and intervertebral discs, as well as damage to cartilage tissue.

With age and under the influence of uneven loads, the bone tissue of the vertebrae is deformed and destroyed, and the muscle tissue develops unevenly.This causes various manifestations of osteochondrosis: tears, curvature of the spine, etc.

Osteochondrosis is an outdated term;in world medicine it is called dorsopathy. There are different types of diseases of the connective tissue and musculoskeletal system, and different methods are used in their treatment.

Types of osteochondrosis

When classifying the disease, the following are taken into account: the location of the pain, the area of damage to the intervertebral discs and the degree of development of the disease.

Localization of painful sensations

Considering the location of pain caused by spinal diseases, there are:

• Lumbodynia.Chronic back pain often causes lameness.In particularly severe cases, it can cause numbness in the legs.Often this symptom occurs when a person has an intervertebral hernia.When the roots of the spinal cord are compressed, paralysis of the limbs is possible.
• Lumboschialgia.Pain radiating to the back or lower limbs, along the back of the legs - from the hip to the knee.Clinical manifestations occur when there is pressure on the sciatic and spinal nerves.
• Lumbago.Burning or sharp intense pain at a certain point in the back.It is often confused with radiculitis.An attack most often occurs when a person tries to bend sharply or straighten his back, as well as when he suddenly lifts heavy objects.
• Thoracalgia.Pain in the chest area.This is considered a very dangerous symptom, sometimes even the doctor cannot immediately determine its cause.Unpleasant feelings are not always associated with body movements.The pain is especially severe in the part from the chest to the armpit.
• Cervicalgia.Painful sensations arise in the neck area and may spread to the upper limbs.Pathological manifestations may be accompanied by dizziness, numbness in the back of the head, redness and swelling of the skin.

Pathology requires urgent treatment, because there may be a violation of blood circulation in the brain, compression of nerve roots, and violation of venous blood flow.Cervicalgia often provokes inflammatory processes and herniated intervertebral discs.

The location of the most painful sensations indicates the area of damage to the vertebrae and intervertebral discs.Often the pain is reflected, that is, it is not noted where the source of the disease is actually located.

Classification by location

Osteoporosis is divided into several types, depending on which part of the spine the intervertebral discs and tissues are damaged.

Cervical

It consists of seven small vertebrae that experience constant stress.It is accompanied by thinning of the pathological cervical vertebra and compression of the arterial channels.The cervical type of osteochondrosis is very dangerous because it causes disturbances in the process of blood saturation in the brain.

The formation of protrusions leads to the formation of a hernia.And neck operations can cause body immobility.

Chest

Disorders in this part of the spine are rare, which is associated with low mobility of the vertebrae.The appearance of pain is observed in people who carry loads or stay in one position for a long time.

Thoracic osteochondrosis is often confused with pneumonia, heart attack and angina.

It is important!

Only a doctor should be involved in the differential diagnosis.

Lumbosacral

There are five vertebrae in the lumbar region.If nutrition and metabolic processes are disturbed in the intervertebral disc, it loses its elasticity, decreases in size and can no longer function taking into account the received load.The lack of treatment of lumbosacral osteochondrosis can cause the following complications: tears, protrusions, sciatica.

It is important!

A very dangerous phenomenon is compression of the spinal cord, because it can cause paralysis of the lower extremities.

Another type of osteochondrosis is polysegmental.During its development, the degradation of segments in different parts of the spine occurs simultaneously.The disease is characterized by loss of sensation in the back of the head and disturbances in the functioning of the speech apparatus.

Features of the development of the disease

According to the degree of change in the intervertebral discs, experts distinguish 4 stages of the pathology diagnosed using radiographic studies:

1. There are no visible changes in the spine.
2. Internal ruptures occur in discs, but without external changes.
3. Changes are recorded on the disk without external damage.
4. Severe damage to the intervertebral disc.Cracks spread to the inner surface, the disc appears to be squeezed out of the vertebra.  

Taking into account the clinical manifestations, four stages of the development of osteochondrosis are distinguished:

1. Spine works as usual.A person feels pain at the site of the disease.Patients complain of general weakness, chronic fatigue, less often loss of appetite and sleep disorders.
2. The disc cracks and the spinal segment loses its stability.Painful sensations intensify, first one-time, then - chronic, which is associated with compression of nerves, subluxation of the vertebra and the formation of protrusions.
3. The pain intensifies, deformation of the spine occurs, intervertebral hernia occurs.At the same stage, lordosis, which is the curvature of the spine, develops.
4. The spine loses its normal mobility.The cartilage tissue thickens and osteophytes (cartilaginous growths in the joints) appear.In particularly difficult cases, patients lose the ability to move.

It is important!

A person diagnosed with the fourth stage of osteochondrosis receives disability.

Causes of osteochondrosis

There are many theories explaining the occurrence of pathology.The causes include hormonal changes, heredity, problems in the cardiovascular system, mechanical injuries, etc.Researchers agree that the most common cause is overloading of individual segments of the spine.

The human spine has 32-34 vertebrae (7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, 3-5 coccygeal).Each segment consists of two vertebrae and an intervertebral disc between them.The integrity of this structure is ensured by joints and articular processes.

Intervertebral discs consist of a jelly-like core and a dense fibrous ring surrounding it, and are covered by a layer of cartilage tissue on top.They perform a shock absorption function, preventing damage to the vertebrae during jumping, running and walking.The design is highly mobile and provides flexibility and stability to the spine.

Already at the first stage of osteochondrosis, the degradation and destruction of the intervertebral discs begins, the amount of liquid in their core decreases, the cartilage tissue becomes thinner and less elastic.

Osteochondrosis is most often diagnosed in the elderly, as well as in those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.Doctors believe that the main cause of the disease is the uneven distribution of the load on the spine and vertebrae.This leads to their damage, as well as the destruction of cartilage tissue.

Often, this disorder occurs due to a sedentary lifestyle, irregular exercise, excessive physical activity and work related to constant pressure on the back.

Improper body position while walking, sitting, carrying and lifting heavy objects, tight and uncomfortable clothes and shoes can cause damage/dislocation of the intervertebral discs and eventually lead to the development of osteochondrosis.

Among other reasons for the development of pathology:

•  fractures, sprains and spinal cord injury;
• hormonal imbalance;
• pregnancy;
• hypothermia and sudden temperature changes.

It is important!

Straining the cervical spine while working at the computer can also lead to the development of osteochondrosis.

Risk factors for the development of osteochondrosis

There is a large list of diseases that can cause osteochondrosis.These include:

• straight legs;
• scoliosis;
• arthritis;
• osteoporosis;
• arthrosis;
• neuro-emotional exhaustion;
• diabetes mellitus;
• obesity.

Other risk factors include metabolic disorders, intense physical activity (especially heavy lifting), nutrient deficiencies, natural age-related changes in the body, and genetic predisposition.

Regular use of tobacco (cigarettes) and alcohol significantly weakens the tissue of the intervertebral discs.Calcium deficiency can be a factor in the development of the disease.

Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis

Pain is the main symptom of pathology.The nature of pain can be different, it can be:

• sharp, intense, worsens with movement (as a rule, the patient tries to stay still);
• dull, smooth (movements are slow).

In addition to local pain where the destruction of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs begins, patients often experience projection pain - far from the problem site.Due to pain, muscle strength in the lower and upper limbs decreases, movement disorders and general weakness occur in the body.

Patients often complain of such general symptoms of osteochondrosis:

• stiffness and discomfort when moving;
• muscle spasms;
• migraines and headaches;
• frequent dizziness, visual disturbances;
• the occurrence of pain in the joints of the extremities;
• feeling of coldness in the extremities;
• decreased sensitivity;
• circulatory disorders;
• loss of consciousness.

In some cases, patients experience numbness in the extremities and tingling in the neck, lower back, and sternum.

Several characteristic syndromes are often present with osteochondrosis:

• Vertebral.Acute or chronic back pain accompanied by poor blood circulation.
• Heart.A form of angina.
• Vertebral artery syndrome.Pain caused by impaired blood circulation in the vertebral arteries.
• Koreshkovy.The pain is provoked by compression of the spinal roots where they branch off from the spinal cord.

Depending on the type of osteochondrosis in situ, the symptoms of the disease may be different.

For cervical osteochondrosischaracterized by migraine, numbness of the fingers, difficulty in moving the head and neck, pain in the back of the head.In addition, patients with cervical osteochondrosis complain of facial numbness, sleep problems, frequent dizziness and ringing in the ears.

Lumbar osteochondrosiscauses pain in the hips and perineum, which causes problems with movement.When patients bend over, they feel sharp pain in the lower back (after lying down or sitting for a long time).Numbness, dizziness and general weakness appear.The disease often causes pain in the kidney area, erectile dysfunction, frequent urination.Scoliosis often develops with lumbar osteochondrosis.

Thoracic osteochondrosisaccompanied by shortness of breath, stiffness in the thoracic region, pain between the shoulder blades and ribs.Often, patients are worried about problems in the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and pancreas.Specific manifestations of pathologies of the thoracic spine include dry skin, peeling skin on the extremities and brittle nails.

Osteochondrosis: diagnosis

If you experience back pain (of any kind), muscle spasms, and sensory disturbances in the back and limbs, you should see a doctor (vertebrologist or neurologist).

No additional preparation is required to visit a neurologist or vertebrologist.It is important to provide your doctor with a list of pain medications you have recently taken.Also, before scheduling a consultation, it is necessary to report all measures taken during self-treatment.

During the admission, the doctor will conduct a comprehensive examination, including:

• collecting anamnesis, studying the patient's anamnesis and complaints;
• physiological examination, palpation, assessment of skin condition and localization of pain;
• determination of the nature of pain (sharp, dull, reflected, local, etc.);
• blood test (indicators of the level of calcium in the blood and the rate of sedimentation of erythrocytes are important);
• ECG and ultrasound of the heart (to exclude or confirm the connection of pain syndromes with diseases of the cardiovascular system);
• duplex scanning of the arteries of the head and neck (assessment of the quality of blood flow, determination of vasoconstriction).

Additional radiographic studies may be prescribed to confirm the diagnosis, including:

• X-ray of the spine.A complete picture in two projections, if necessary, a drawing of each individual segment of the spine.Functional radiography can also be prescribed - a study in which a specialist takes pictures in different body positions.
• Computed tomography of an individual disc.The study shows the condition of the vertebral body, blood vessels, nerve endings, ligaments and soft tissues, breaks in the contours of the intervertebral disc, disc height, changes in the dura mater, marginal growths and instability of the vertebra.
• Myelography.Contrast X-ray of the spinal cord.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.It is an alternative to a CT scan of the intervertebral disc.It allows to assess the condition of blood vessels and cartilage tissue.

X-ray studies confirm that it is osteochondrosis if the images show:

• abnormal mobility of the vertebra;
• displacement of vertebrae relative to each other;
• deposition of salts in intervertebral discs;
• uniform narrowing of the intervertebral space in the lumbar and cervical regions, wedge-shaped narrowing in the chest area;
• formation of osteophytes (marginal growths);
• marginal sclerosis is the formation of a density in the affected disc.

As part of the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe a consultation with another specialist (ENT specialist, cardiologist, urologist, etc.).

It is important!

The main task of the diagnostician is to determine the causes of osteochondrosis.Based on the results obtained during the examination, the doctor will determine the type of pathology and prescribe the appropriate therapy in a certain situation.

Complications of osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the spine is an unpleasant disease, it can lead to the development of other diseases and pathologies in the last stage.The most common are:

• protrusion (protrusion of intervertebral discs);
• intervertebral hernia;
• salt deposits between vertebrae;
• kyphosis (curvature of the spine);
• muscle atrophy;
• spinal stroke (disruption of blood circulation in the spinal cord);
• radiculitis;
• disorders of the genitourinary system (problems with urination, erectile dysfunction in men, inflammatory processes in the uterus, ovaries and appendages in women);
• paralysis of the limbs.

At the first painful sensation, timely consultation of the doctor and regular prevention of osteochondrosis will help to avoid the development of complications.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

In the "Naran" clinic, doctors apply a complex approach to the treatment of osteochondrosis.

Doctors of Tibetan medicine use four methods of treatment:

• Correction of nutrition according to Dosha
• Lifestyle correction
• Herbal medicine

A set of external procedures:

• Nutrition correction.A balanced diet according to the constitution of the human body (dosha) helps to increase energy and renew cells in all organs and organ systems of the body.
• Phytotherapy.The use of medicinal Tibetan herbs and mixtures based on the recipes of ancient healers.It restores the natural balance in the body, helps to rejuvenate it and eliminate many diseases.

External effects on the body:

• energy acupressure - normalizes and restores adequate functioning of internal organs, helps improve blood circulation throughout the body, restores immunity;
• acupuncture - relieves pain and inflammation, relieves anxiety caused by external manifestations, improves circulation of fluids in the body;
• vacuum therapy (cupping) – improves innervation, removes waste and toxins, normalizes regulatory and metabolic processes;
• stone therapy – useful for the cardiovascular system, blood pressure, relieves muscle spasms, restores sleep;
• Moxibustion, moxibustion or jutherapy of biologically active points has been used in Tibetan medicine for more than 5 thousand years.Cigars made from wormwood, edelweiss, juniper, poplar leaves, as well as pressed charcoal, etc. for burning or heating.

Prevention of osteochondrosis

The main method of prevention is to evenly distribute the load on the spine.In practice, this includes:

• active lifestyle;
• moderate exercise (morning exercises, yoga, swimming, walking, running, cycling, exercises to strengthen the muscle corset);
• sleeping on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
• wear comfortable or better orthopedic shoes;
• a balanced diet including a large amount of minerals and vitamins;
• regular preventive examinations by a neurologist and vertebrologist;
• abstinence from smoking and alcohol.

During long-term sitting and stationary work, it is important to take periodic breaks, change the position and warm up, this will help to relax and reduce the load on the spine.

When lifting weights, it is not necessary to do it quickly, fluttering, only smooth and half-squat.For carrying heavy items, it is better to choose backpacks with orthopedic walls rather than bags with shoulder straps.

Avoid spending a long time in a static, uncomfortable position, especially standing and arms raised - this position damages the ligaments and increases the load on the intervertebral discs.

It is important!

Doctors recommend sitting in a physiologically correct position: relaxed shoulders, toned abdominal muscles, a straight spine with equal distribution of weight on both hips and an equal emphasis on the back of the chair.

Manual therapy, various physiotherapy and acupuncture methods also give positive results as a preventive measure of spinal osteochondrosis.

Treatment of osteochondrosis consists of three stages:

1. To relieve or reduce pain.
2. Elimination of disorders in the condition and function of intervertebral discs and vertebrae.
3. Prevention of complications.

If you immediately consult a specialist at the first signs of the disease, complications and the need for surgical treatment can be avoided.Therefore, even if the pain in the spine does not bother you, it is very important to undergo annual preventive examinations by a neurologist and a vertebrologist.

It is important!

Only a qualified doctor can make an accurate diagnosis, determine the disease and its causes, and prescribe effective treatment.