Recently, more and more people have started to suffer from osteochondrosis. With this disease, there is an interruption in the normal functioning of the intervertebral discs.
Recently, more and more young people, over eighteen years of age, have started to experience pain in their spine. First, the ligaments and bones in the spine begin to suffer. If osteochondrosis occurs, treatment should be started immediately. It is recommended preliminarily to find out what chondrosis is.
Causes and stages of osteochondrosis
The main cause of osteochondrosis is not seen, although there are many triggering factors. Experts say this may be due to the fact that calcium deposition begins, which is not absorbed by bone tissue. This occurs when there is a violation of blood circulation, curvature of the spine.
There are the following causes of osteochondrosis:
- physical overvoltage;
- overweight;
- strong column loads;
- heredity;
- frequent hypothermia;
- Stressful situations;
- irregular shape of the foot;
- unbalanced diet;
- an inactive lifestyle.
The disease is more common in women than in men. Often, osteochondrosis of the back arises if the person sits incorrectly or sleeps on a pillow that is too high. It is difficult to determine the pathology, as the disease can occur in people of any age. The causes of osteochondrosis are different and they are not so easy to detect.
There are degrees of osteochondrosis, and it is important to note that in the beginning it will be difficult to find the pathology. The patient does not complain of clear symptoms, he may feel a slight weakness, discomfort in the spine. In fact, these signs of chondrosis can speak of several diseases.
This pathology may not be felt and proceed secretly. In fact, in the first degree, osteochondrosis is usually found completely by accident during several examinations. With second degree osteochondrosis, it is possible to notice that the back is already starting to hurt, which means that changes are occurring in the cartilage tissue.
If the patient does not see a doctor and is not provided with effective treatment, the intervertebral cracks will begin to narrow and the nerve or vessels will be clamped. Most of the time, the pain is removed to this degree with certain medications. The disease can bring upset and pain, so the patient has to go to the doctor.
With osteochondrosis in the third stage, the development of lordosis, scoliosis begins and a hump forms. Complex therapy can only slightly improve the spine and remove some defects. It is essential to know the causes of osteochondrosis. In the fourth degree, changes are already taking place that cannot be corrected in any way. The patient is barely able to walk, because even if he turns slightly, there is unbearable pain. He will have seals in the cartilaginous tissues and the vertebrae will be dislocated.
With this degree of illness, patients may have some disability. A person should know how chondrosis differs from osteochondrosis. For this, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of the pathologies. Chondrosis is the initial stage of osteochondrosis. It develops in different parts of the spine. At the same time, with significant violations, osteochondrosis has already been diagnosed.
Symptoms
The symptoms of chondrosis are extremely unpleasant and, first of all, there is discomfort in the back. Everything will depend on the patient's degree of illness.
First, the patient is referred for diagnosis in order to identify the causes of osteochondrosis. The patient may constantly experience back fatigue, neck and chest pain. Symptoms will depend on how advanced the spinal osteochondrosis is.
The symptoms appear as follows:
- severe pain syndrome;
- muscle spasms;
- limbs can go numb;
- severe headaches;
- you can shoot the spine;
- fainting and frequent dizziness;
- dots in front of the eyes;
- high pressure;
- unbearable neck pain.
If even small sensations of pain arise, this may indicate not only that there is osteochondrosis in the back, but also about other diseases.
When a person is over forty, his intervertebral discs do not accumulate liquid. Therefore, they become less flexible as they were before. They tend to become flatter or the intervertebral discs may extend beyond the spine.
Painful sensations occur due to sneezing or coughing. If the symptoms of osteochondrosis do not go away even after a few weeks, you will need to visit a medical center. Then the doctor will first refer to the diagnosis. Thus, he will be able to prescribe the correct and effective treatment for osteochondrosis.
Types of osteochondrosis
You need to know that there are different types of osteochondrosis. It all depends on where exactly the pathology occurs. There are three types of illness and you need to know which one can bother a person in a given situation.
There are the following types:
Cervical.This disease can occur due to the fact that there was a heavy load on the neck area. The thyroid gland is located nearby and, with osteochondrosis, it cannot do its job normally. Often, there is pressure in the vessels that supply oxygen to the tissues. Because of this, there may be shortness of breath and cell death begins.
You need to know that the brain depends almost completely on the vessels. If the blood flow is altered, it can affect the respiratory and cardiac organs. With osteochondrosis, there are constant headaches, hearing and vision problems, frequent loss of consciousness. Difficulty moving the head, numbness and pain in the arms may occur. If such symptoms occur, it is necessary to start urgent treatment for osteochondrosis.
Chest.It is difficult for specialists to carry out an examination of this disease. Most of the time, the doctor can hardly understand if it is just painful attacks or heart attacks. With osteochondrosis of this type, complications can occur in the liver, kidneys, stomach, pancreas.
Most of the time, the pain occurs in the form of shots in the back and in the chest. There are sharp and strong pain sensations with osteochondrosis and a failure in the respiratory system occurs. There may also be constant discomfort in the spine, which leads to difficulty walking.
Low back.Most of the time, it is this department that suffers, with osteochondrosis, strong feelings of back pain appear, which can also go to the hips and buttocks. The pain lessens when the person lies down to rest. Discomfort can occur with sudden movements.
This pathology leads to poor blood circulation in the lower back, stiffness occurs. The muscles start to weaken and the posture is bent, so it is difficult to move normally. The attending physician will explain in detail how to deal with osteochondrosis.
If symptoms appear frequently and the pain gets stronger each time, you need to contact a medical institution. The specialist will be able to identify the types of osteochondrosis and prescribe a comprehensive examination and treatment.
Diagnosis
The doctor can make an accurate diagnosis of osteochondrosis after the patient has undergone a thorough examination. First, the patient must be examined by a neurologist. The diagnosis is made when the person is lying down or sitting. The specialist observes how he feels in movement, as well as in a lying position. A complete posture exam can also be done, with the doctor examining the spine.
It determines the nature and intensity of the pain, exactly where it bothers the patient. It also checks muscle tension in the crest area. After all, if a muscle spasm occurs, it can indicate not only that there are signs of osteochondrosis, but also other diseases.
The following diagnoses are prescribed to detect the disease:
Radiography.With this procedure, you can see the height of the intervertebral discs. Disorders of the vertebrae and presence of bone growth. The diagnosis is made in two ways, when the patient is lying on his back and on his side. The two-position image helps to find changes in the spine's work.
Magnetic resonance image.With the help of this study, you can see the vessels and nerve endings. An MRI detects osteochondrosis of the spine, as well as the exact location of a herniated or compressed nerve.
CT.This exam allows you to see a high quality image of the spine. The procedure is completely painless and does not bring discomfort to the patient.
If the diagnosis is made correctly, it will be useful to start treating osteochondrosis as soon as possible. At the first symptoms, it is best to see a doctor immediately. After all, if you ignore the disease, it can lead to serious consequences.
Treatment
To cure osteochondrosis, you must consult a doctor. He will find the cause of the illness and prescribe the correct treatment. In severe cases, surgical intervention is necessary, as without it it is impossible to cure the disease in its advanced form.
The treatment of osteochondrosis includes the following: medication use, manual treatment, corrective gymnastics, adequate nutrition, massage.
It all depends on the stage of spinal osteochondrosis. The therapy can last up to three months, and it also takes another year to consolidate the treatment result. Medical therapy or surgery is being performed. Most of the time, people who have discovered symptoms of osteochondrosis do not know which doctor is best to seek.
A good option would be to consult a therapist first, as you cannot hesitate with this disease. He knows exactly how to treat osteochondrosis of the spine and can also consult other doctors. The specialist will perform an external exam and refer you to a neurologist. The doctor will prescribe the patient for a complete study, only then will an effective treatment for chondrosis be prescribed.
Drug treatment
The medications help to relieve inflammation and restore the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. They also stop osteochondrosis of the spine and reduce pain. In osteochondrosis, in addition to drug treatment, it is necessary to follow a diet and do special exercises.
Medicines that help prevent disease and relieve pain:
- anti-inflammatories: ibuprofen;
- antispasmodics: tizanidine;
- pills that help improve blood circulation pentoxifylline, vitamin B;
- preparations for the regeneration of cartilage tissue;
- ointments to eliminate symptoms: diclofenac;
Before using these medications, you should consult your doctor. You never need to self-medicate, this can lead to serious consequences. Before the doctor prescribes treatment for osteochondrosis of the spine, a thorough examination is necessary.
Manual treatment and massage
How to get rid of osteochondrosis with manual treatment? With your help, you can only remove severe pain and improve posture. Visceral therapy is often used. It allows the joints to work well and helps to normalize blood flow. Immunity will also be strengthened, which will prevent the worsening of chronic diseases.
Many people think what to do with osteochondrosis, doctors recommend including massage in the treatment. It helps to relieve muscle spasms well and strengthens them quickly, making the patient feel much better. The massage procedure is done for back pain, as well as if there is atrophy of the back muscles. The massage is done to relieve the pain.
An osteochondrosis session has several types: classical, segmental-reflex, punctual.
How to treat osteochondrosis with massage procedures. A regular massage is done on its own, it will help to tone the muscles and remove the pain.
First, you need to caress the spine with light movements. Next, you need to start stretching your neck, lower back and chest muscles. You can pinch these places and apply light pressure where it hurts the most. It is also best to make circular movements with your palms.
Preventive measures and diet
Can osteochondrosis be cured with adequate nutrition? The diet helps to take the weight off the spine and it is important that there is an effective treatment for chondrosis. You need to choose a balanced diet and reduce your salt intake. There must be all the nutrients in the body to speed up recovery. The diet helps to normalize metabolism, prevents the deposition of salt in the spine. If there is a decrease in excess weight, this will help to speed up the treatment of dorsal osteochondrosis.
Foods to eat: fermented milk and dairy products, fruits, lean meat, rye bread, nuts, vegetables and herbs, buckwheat porridges, eggs, fish.
You need to try to completely eliminate foods that contain sugar. It is forbidden to consume alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. You need to eat about five times a day. It is best to steam or bake food. Refuse flour, spicy, greasy and salinity. Throughout the day, it is necessary to drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water. It is advisable not to consume strong tea and coffee. Now the person knows what osteochondrosis is and how to treat it.
If you adhere to the correct prevention, you don't even need to know how to treat chondrosis. First, try not to lift weights and perform small physical activities.
Stop spending too much time on your computer and TV. If a person works and leads a sedentary lifestyle, you need to exercise at least several times a day.
Osteochondrosis, the symptoms are obvious. The disease can cause discomfort and back pain. If the first signs of osteochondrosis appear, you need to see a doctor. Self-medication is not recommended, as this can lead to serious complications. The specialist will refer you to the exam, will be able to find the reasons and prescribe the correct and effective treatment.