Osteochondrosis -degenerative-dystrophic damage to spinal tissue, characterized by damage to the intervertebral disc, adjacent articular surfaces and vertebral bodies, spinal ligament apparatus.
Often, the pathological process in osteochondrosis first affects the bones and ligaments. The fact that the disease has already begun, we usually learn when complications appear - pain, sensory disturbances, muscle atrophy, disorders of internal organs.
Who suffers from osteochondrosis?
Today, from 40 to 90% of the world’s population suffers from osteochondrosis. Most often, the disease affects people aged 30 and older. However, the first symptoms of osteochondrosis can appear in adolescence.
The stage of development of spinal osteochondrosis
- The first stage in the development of osteochondrosis.
Dehydration of the nucleus pulposus begins. This causes a decrease in disk height. Fractures appear in the annulus fibrosus, but the pathological process does not extend beyond the intervertebral disc.
- The second stage in the development of osteochondrosis.
As a result of the decrease in disc height, the points of attachment of the muscles and ligaments belonging to the two adjacent vertebrae get closer. Therefore, muscles and ligaments sag. This can cause the movement of the two vertebrae that are interconnected with each other, i. e. instability of the motor segments of the vertebrae is formed. This stage is characterized by slippage or displacement of the vertebrae which is interrelated with the formation of spondylolisthesis.
- The third stage in the development of osteochondrosis.
During this period, the most significant morphological changes occur, which are mainly related to the intervertebral disc itself: prolapse and protrusion of the disc are formed. The articular apparatus of the vertebral -motor segment also suffers. In intervertebral joints and unco-vertebral joints, subluxations occur, arthrosis is formed.
- The fourth stage in the development of osteochondrosis.
At this stage, adaptive changes occur in the affected spinal segment. The body strives to overcome excessive spinal movements, to paralyze the spine in order to maintain its supporting and protective functions. Accordingly, marginal bone growth appears on the adjacent surface of the vertebral body, in other words, osteophytes. Osteophytes raised "in the wrong place" cause microtraumatization of nerve roots. In the fourth stage, the process of fibrous ankylosis usually begins in the discs and intervertebral joints. Eventually, the motor segment of the vertebra turns, as it were, in the wall of the shell - its clinical manifestations will subside.
Causes of osteochondrosis
In each of the many theories of osteochondrosis development available, various accepted causes are responsible for the onset of the disease, such as mechanical injury, hereditary predisposition or metabolic disorders. A particular difficulty in determining the cause of osteochondrosis is because the disease can occur in the elderly and young, both physically and poorly trained. There is a widespread belief that the cause of osteochondrosis is the deposition of salt in the spine: presumably on X-rays, salt can be seen in the form of "growths" or "hooks" on the vertebrae. If during movement there are cracks and fissures in the joints, as if sand is poured between them, for many patients the only reason for this condition is the well-known "salt deposition". Such a misunderstanding is by no means dangerous: the correct idea of how to treat a disease can be determined based on an analysis of the causes that cause it.
The term "osteochondrosis" comes from the Greek roots of osteon - "bone" and chondr - "cartilage". The final "-oz" means that the disease of bone and cartilage is not related to the inflammatory process, is degenerative-dystrophic, that is, the basis of the disease is a lack of tissue nutrients and, as a consequence, structural degeneration. Like all living tissues, vertebral bone tissue and intervertebral disc cartilage tissue are constantly rearranged and renewed on their own. Under the influence of regular physical exercise, they gain strength and elasticity, and if there is no load, tissue strength decreases.
This is due to the specificity of nutrition and blood supply to bone and cartilage tissues. Adult discs do not have channels of their own, they get nutrients and oxygen from nearby tissues. Therefore, for proper disc nutrition, it is necessary to activate blood circulation in the tissues around the disc. And this can only be achieved through strong muscle work.
According to its composition, the intervertebral disc can be divided into two parts: this is the gelatin core that gives the disc elasticity, which is located in the middle and a strong fibrous ring that surrounds it. Due to the nutritional deterioration of the intervertebral disc, the complex structure of the biopolymer compounds that make up the nucleus pulposus is destroyed. The moisture content in the agar core decreases and becomes more brittle. When exposed to excessive load, the agar core can crumble into fragments. This leads to a greater decrease in its elasticity. There is also a decrease in the strength of the fibrous disc ring. All these factors underlie and contribute to the development of osteochondrosis.
To restore spinal function, scarring from damage to the intervertebral disc, mobilization of the compensatory capacity of the spine, as well as the musculoskeletal system as a whole, is necessary, rather than reabsorption of "salt deposits" or removal of "thorns" on the vertebrae. When performing an X-ray examination after the end of treatment, it can be seen that the vertebrae have not changed shape. And the well -known "thorns" are not the cause of osteochondrosis, but the result of the adaptation process. Marginal growth increases the surface area of the vertebral body support. By increasing its area, the specific pressure decreases, which makes it possible to compensate for the decrease in strength and elasticity of the intervertebral disc.
Degenerative-dystrophic changes that occur in the spine are accompanied by calcification (calcification) of damaged discs, individual parts of the articular ligaments, cartilage, capsules. This process can only be called salt deposition. Therefore, this is not the cause of osteochondrosis, but only the consequence and final stage of the above process.
The development of inverted spinal structural changes is almost impossible. But minimizing it is a very real challenge. If there is no effort to keep the spine in the same condition as achieved with treatment, the pain can recur.
Clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis
The clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis are very diverse. They depend on the stage of development of osteochondrosis. The main clinical symptoms of osteochondrosis occur when the pathological process extends to the posterior part of the fibrosus annulus and the posterior longitudinal ligament. Depending on the degree of intervertebral disc degeneration, irritation, compression or disruption of spinal cord root conduction, duct compression or spinal cord occurs. Various neurological syndromes develop - reflex and compression.
The main cause of pain in osteochondrosis is so -called nerve root irritation. In this case, circulatory disorders occur, edema occurs, and in the future fibrosis of the surrounding structures can develop, which is accompanied by increased sensitivity of the roots to various influences (movements on the affected part of the spine, etc. ).
Vascular disorders in osteochondrosis are often associated with vasomotor nerve disorders. Mechanical compression of blood vessels by osteophytes, for example, in the cervical spine, is also possible.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
One of the features of spinal osteochondrosis that exacerbates the process is an overly extensive symptomatology. The disease can manifest itself in completely different parts of the body. It can be pain or numbness in the extreme part or disturbance and pain in the internal organs. At the same time, often a person does not associate pain in the heart, abnormalities in genital function, headaches, pain and numbness in the legs with osteochondrosis and generally with the spine, addressing the "treatment" directly of the symptoms of osteochondrosis with the helpvarious types of painkillers, all types of advertised medications, supplements and other methods. But this road only makes things worse. Osteochondrosis continues to develop, and the methods of treatment used, at least, do not lead to a significant improvement, except for temporary relief of pain, and in the worst case, they can harm the body.
Therefore, it is important to analyze your situation carefully and the changes that take place in it. It is necessary to start moving in the right direction: see a doctor on time, undergo the necessary diagnostics and only after determining the correct diagnosis, begin treatment under the supervision of the attending physician.
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis include, first of all, pain and discomfort in the back. At the same time, pain can be periodic, unstable, now appear, then disappear. But the first feeling of discomfort or pain in the spine definitely makes you think. The first appearance of pain is a signal to at least pay attention to it, try to remember the reason why they appear. This can be caused by lifting heavy objects, sudden movements, falling, etc.
Other symptoms of osteochondrosis are the accompaniment of discomfort or back pain with pain and numbness in the legs (arms or legs). The pain most often radiates to the left limb, i. e. to the left arm or leg. In addition, pain can manifest itself in the heart area, in the back, and not only in the spine, but also in the ribs, etc. Especially important in this case to pay attention to the nature of pain changes depending on the patient's actions, comparing the sensation of painin the back with pain, for example, in the legs. If the patient has been sitting for a long time and he experiences pain or numbness in the legs, discomfort in the lower back, and after a little warm -up or walking, the pain has disappeared, then this will be an indirect sign that determines lumbar spine osteochondrosis. The same picture can happen with the neck and arms. In conclusion, we can say that the main symptoms of osteochondrosis include pain and discomfort in the back. If these symptoms coincide with pain in other parts of the body, osteochondrosis can be complicated by protrusion, disc herniation, with pinched nerves.
In addition, I would like to draw attention to the fact that even with the first pain that appears in the spine, I need to pay special attention to this disease. However, osteochondrosis can manifest itself weakly or not noticeably at all for long periods of time. At the same time, it will continue to grow well in the spine, resulting in a decrease in the increasing number of discs. Therefore, a timely visit to the doctor will allow the diagnosis of osteochondrosis at an earlier stage, which will facilitate its treatment.
Osteochondrosis and salt deposition
Osteophytes, or hook -like vertebral growths, appear to reduce the load on the intervertebral disc. In this case, the appearance of osteophytes compromises the mobility of the intervertebral joint.
The general opinion in daily life that salt deposition is the leading cause of osteochondrosis is wrong. Therefore, treatment of osteochondrosis using a salt -free diet is meaningless.
The most common complaint of spinal osteochondrosis
Common complaints of osteochondrosis are as follows:
- Discomfort in various parts of the spine. The pain can vary from mild, dull, pulling to strong, sometimes very intense and unbearable - with lumbago.
- Increased fatigue at work, both physical and mental.
- Sensory damage to limbs and various parts of the body, freshness of arms or legs.
- The pain radiates to the legs, along the nerve trunks.
- The pain radiates to the scapula, shoulders, and even pain in the neck and back of the head.
- Frequent companions of cervical osteochondrosis are headache, dizziness. Increased visual fatigue or decreased visual acuity is often observed.
- With the defeat of the lumbar -sacral region, disorders of the reproductive system are common - various sexual dysfunctions. Therefore, in most men, after treatment, there is an increase in sexual potency. In women, the normal function of the lumbosacral zone increases the likelihood of fertilization and contributes to a comfortable pregnancy.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
To diagnose osteochondrosis, it is necessary to collect anamnesis. In this case, it is very important to prove the patient's complaint. Certain symptoms of osteochondrosis are quite typical. On the other hand, others must be distinguished from other signs of disease. It is important that the nervous, vascular, trophic disorders that occur in osteochondrosis can simulate various diseases, such as angina pectoris, gastritis, gastric ulcer, acute surgical diseases of the abdominal organs. Therefore, in order to avoid misdiagnosis and subsequent wrong treatment prescription, each symptom must be undergoing a detailed analysis.
While collecting anamnesis, including patient complaints, current disease history and patient life, doctors pay attention to his age, as osteochondrosis develops more frequently in the elderly and the evolution of symptoms from the moment it arises until the patient goes to the doctor. For osteochondrosis, slow progression is characteristic, in which periods of exacerbation are periodically replaced by periods of remission. Additional research methods are prescribed to clarify the diagnosis.
X-ray examination for osteochondrosis
The most accessible method for diagnosing osteochondrosis and at the same time quite informative is X-ray examination. There are several types of X-ray methods to diagnose this disease:
Spinal X-rays are the easiest X-ray method for diagnosing osteochondrosis. The point lies in obtaining X-rays of the spinal space as a whole or its segments individually. Often, visual radiography is performed - based on the symptoms of the disease and the patient’s complaints, the location of the spinal lesion is determined. On X -rays of the spinal segment affected by osteochondrosis, one can see a decrease in thickness (atrophy) of the intervertebral disc, which manifests itself in the form of decreased space between the vertebrae, the appearance of bone growth of the vertebral body - osteophytes, partial dissolution - reabsorption of vertebral bone tissue, deformation of spinal segments, for example, smoothing the lumbar lordosis.
Myelography is a more complex and dangerous diagnostic method. During such an examination, a certain amount of contrast fluid is injected into the spinal canal. The risk of this method of examination is the possibility of allergic reactions to contrast agents or the risk of damage to the spinal cord during spinal canal puncture. Thanks to myelography, the internal structure of the spinal canal can be determined. This method is very informative for the determination of spinal hernias.
Tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging are the most modern methods, but also the most expensive and inaccessible methods for diagnosing osteochondrosis. This diagnostic method is usually used when necessary to distinguish between osteochondrosis and other spinal diseases, which have similar symptoms, for example, tumors of the spinal canal.
For a comprehensive assessment of the patient's condition, it is mandatory to conduct a neurological examination of patients with osteochondrosis. Thanks to neurological consultation, it is possible to clarify the localization and degree of motor and sensory disorders.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
This clinic provides effective treatment for all forms of osteochondrosis. Treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. The treatment is made on the basis of a comprehensive program that aims to quickly eliminate the underlying syndrome and the causes that cause suffering. As part of a complex therapy, the following methods can be used:
- acupuncture;
- vacuum therapy;
- gentle manual therapy techniques (post-isometric relaxation);
- laser therapy;
- pharmacopuncture;
- dry attraction;
- magnetopuncture;
- electrical stimulation and other treatment methods.
On average, treatment is 10-15 sessions, and elimination of acute pain syndrome is from 1 to 3 sessions.
The earlier the treatment is started, the better the results!
Is the elimination of osteochondrosis completely real?
It depends on the form of the disease, its severity, accuracy and timeliness of treatment. Complete healing is only possible in the early stages.
But it is possible to prevent the occurrence of worsening osteochondrosis, not feeling sick for many years. If a person has osteochondrosis, but now he does not feel uncomfortable, this does not mean he has passed without a trace. There may be changes in the spine.
The main task is to delay the progression of the disease and do everything possible until some pathological changes in the spine disappear, symptoms disappear or decrease (back pain, back pain and numbness in the arms, legs, headache, etc. ).