Osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the spine through the development of changes in the intervertebral discs of one or another department.Its danger lies in the fact that the development of the disease occurs unnoticed.Currently, this disease has become much younger.

What is spinal osteochondrosis

Doctors define this disease as a chronic degenerative-dystrophic change of the spine and its structure.It affects approximately 80% of the world's population and the first signs of this disease are already observed at the age of 20-25 years.It can cause more serious health problems in the future.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine occurs more often;cervical and thoracic chondrosis are observed more rarely.A person has 33-34 vertebrae, connected to each other by intervertebral discs.They perform a number of important functions, thus ensuring the mobility of the spine.

Osteochondrosis of the spine is characterized by drying and changing the size of these discs and the space between them, which leads to a decrease in their strength and elasticity.A high load on the spine leads to displacement of the discs, resulting in pain during movement, and subsequently an intervertebral hernia develops.

The displacement of the vertebrae is caused by pinching of the nerve endings and compression of the blood vessels.Curvature of the spine, damage to individual parts, their deformation is an irreversible process.Ossification of the ligaments further reduces the mobility of the spine.

What types are there

Depending on the damaged areas, the following types of osteochondrosis differ:

• Cervical spine, more often observed in young people who lead a sedentary lifestyle and work for a long time at the computer;
• Thoracic spine disease, a rare type of disease, can be caused by changes in the thoracic spine due to various factors (for example, trauma);
• In the lumbosacral region, the disease is more widespread, often affecting people over the age of 30;
• Common chondrosis, when several parts of the spine are affected simultaneously.

The disease goes through several stages:

1. The first phase often occurs unnoticed.Instability of the vertebrae appears, caused by their displacement, and slight discomfort during movement.This is a dangerous stage where injuries are more likely to occur.
2. In the second stage, the fibrous ring of the spinal disc is destroyed, which leads to a decrease in the distance between them.
3. The third phase is accompanied by the breaking of the fibrous rings, the nucleus of the disc comes out of its seat.In this phase, intervertebral hernias appear which lead to deformation of the spine.
4. The last stage is characterized by severe pain syndromes.Bone growths and ossification of ligaments interfere with the freedom of movement of the spine.

Osteochondrosis is caused by muscle tension, which leads to muscle spasms.This leads to limited mobility of the joints and spine.The result is degeneration of the vertebrae and discs, narrowing of the openings between the vertebrae, compression of the nerve roots.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this disease depend on the damaged area.It is worth noting that people attribute most of the symptoms of this disease individually to other problems.For example, headaches are believed to be caused by tension and stress, and hearing loss is caused by the use of headphones.

1. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are manifested as follows:

   • Headache that gets worse when you try to move your head;
   • Neck pain, extending to the shoulder blade, arms and chest area;
   • Sensitivity is often impaired, fingers become numb and weakness is felt;
   • The movement of the tongue is limited, which affects speech, snoring may occur;
   • The voice changes, becomes weak and hoarse;
   • Possible dizziness, loss of consciousness;
   • Loss of coordination of movements, loss of orientation when walking;
   • The condition of the teeth worsens;
   • Hearing decreases, ringing appears in the ears.

2. Rarely, but osteochondrosis of the chest occurs.It is usually caused by spinal injuries.The cause could be scoliosis.Symptoms of this disease:

   • Sharp pain in the chest, becomes stronger when you try to take a deep breath and move;
   • Pain may appear in the stomach, liver, and heart areas;
   • Sometimes there is a feeling of numbness in the chest.

3. The most common variant of the disease is lumbosacral osteochondrosis.It manifests itself as severe pain in the lumbar region.Symptoms can be different, but in the early period of development they are not very pronounced.But over time or in a “successful” situation, the disease gets worse.Appears:

   • Aching or sharp pain that intensifies with movement in the area just above the tailbone;
   • The pain radiates to the hip area, the sensitivity of the legs is impaired;
   • Limitation of body movements, it is impossible to bend or turn;
   • In the last stage it is often impossible to sit, it is difficult to stand up and muscle weakness appears.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Many people are interested in the question of how to treat osteochondrosis and whether this disease can be completely cured.Doctors unequivocally answer this question no, but it is possible and necessary to start treatment in time and stop the development of the disease.There are many ways to treat osteochondrosis, both using classical and traditional medicine.

It is worth noting that this disease can be treated quite effectively, especially in the initial stage of the disease.In the outpatient setting, a special comprehensive program is used, aimed at quickly eliminating the symptoms of the disease and correcting the causes of suffering.

Complex therapy includes the following techniques:

1. Acupuncture.

   Acupuncture is performed once every one to two days.The course of treatment is prescribed by the doctor;can vary from seven days to a month;usually 12-15 procedures are sufficient.The acupuncturist performs a visual and manual examination of the patient.A procedure takes about half an hour.The needles are placed for 15-20 minutes.

   To perform the operation, sterile disposable acupuncture needles are used;they insert under the patient's skin and a slight sting is felt, similar to a mosquito bite.When the needle reaches a biologically active point, a person feels numbness, pain, or a feeling of fullness at this point;pain appears extremely rarely.

2. Vacuum therapy.

   To carry out the procedure, special vacuum jars are used.The effectiveness of this method is very high, there is practically no pain.This treatment method allows you to quickly and safely eliminate the symptoms of the disease.It is based on the mobilization of the body's own resources and is used in rehabilitation medicine.

   Under the influence of the jars, pressure differences are created, the skin and part of the muscle are sucked into the jar.Thanks to the deep treatment of a large area, blood microcirculation improves, stagnation is eliminated, harmful substances are removed and tissues are renewed faster.

   The areas of influence of vacuum therapy are broad;the doctor himself selects and assigns the areas for the procedure.The spots that appear during the procedure begin to dissolve after the fourth procedure, so you should not be afraid of them.

3. Manual therapy.

   These are gentle treatment methods that are highly effective among non-drug options.A chiropractor can eliminate many problems associated with the muscles and spine and is used in the treatment of neurological diseases.

   The effect outwardly resembles a regular massage, but with more limited localization and moderate strength of influence.A qualified chiropractor is able to treat conditions that cannot be treated with medications.

   To treat the spine, this method aims to increase muscle elasticity and improve the movement of individual vertebrae.The procedures are carried out not daily, but at certain intervals up to seven days.Manual treatment in combination with physiotherapy and folk remedies, as well as physical therapy, is more effective.

   

4. Pharmacopuncture.

   This method involves active points on the human body, into which drugs indicated for a specific disease are injected in minute quantities.These can be vitamin complexes, homeopathic remedies, biostimulants, corticosteroids.The injection is carried out using a microneedle, practically without unpleasant sensations.

   An adapted version is used to treat the spine, which allows you to treat osteochondrosis, spinal hernia and other problems.It is used for rehabilitation after spinal surgery.Pharmacopuncture improves metabolism, improves the trophism of the connective tissue and blood circulation in the affected area.Even a small complex of treatment shows positive and lasting results.

5. Magnetopuncture.

   This method involves exposing biologically active points to a magnetic field.For this purpose, recorders are used on which certain polarity, size and power properties are set.This device consists of rubberized magnets;generate a constant magnetic field.To treat various diseases, metal plates of different shapes, areas and thicknesses and magnetic spheres are used.

6. Laser therapy.

   This is a laser effect on special acupuncture points through intact areas of the skin.In most cases, low-power lasers with red light are used;show the greatest activity.As a result of treatment, inflammation and pain are relieved by spasms, blood vessels dilate, metabolic processes improve and cell regeneration increases.

7. Electrical stimulation.

   Electric current is used to influence certain points.It is effective for electrical stimulation of motor muscles and nerve endings.Single pulses, exponential currents, rhythmic direct current and sinusoidal modulated currents are used.Severe pain can be eliminated in just 1-3 procedures.The full course requires 10-15 sessions.

Outpatient therapy often includes a drug component designed to relieve pain.For this purpose, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antispasmodics, antioxidants, as well as drugs that correct psychosomatic disorders and reduce the degeneration of cartilage tissue are used.

Traditional methods

In traditional medicine there are many remedies that alleviate the condition of osteochondrosis.

For external use the following options are used:

1. Apply a small amount of ointment to the affected area, gradually massaging it into the skin.The treated area should be carefully wrapped to retain heat.It is enough to carry out the procedure 3-4 times a day.
2. Compresses with ointment help relieve inflammation and pain.Cover the greased area with transparent film, you can place fresh mint or lemon balm leaves underneath;burdock or white cabbage leaves work effectively.Wrap a wool scarf and secure the compress.Fresh chopped birch leaves give a good effect;they are applied to the problem area and wrapped for half an hour.
3. For rubbing, you can use vegetable oil infused with herbs: oregano, St. John's wort.For half a liter of vegetable oil, approximately 500 grams of raw material are taken.Fresh oregano cake is infused for 24 hours, and dried St. John's wort is poured with oil for 21 days.
4. You can prepare a mixture of 1/3 cup of black radish juice, 200 g of fresh honey, 100 ml of vodka and a handful of fresh lilac flowers.Leave for a day in a warm place, after which the composition can be used for rubbing.

Don't forget about proper nutrition and an active lifestyle.You need to constantly monitor your posture when sitting in a chair or in front of the computer;it is advisable to sleep on a medium hard surface.

The spine must be constantly supported;for this reason you can use specific exercises and avoid prolonged monotonous positions.

Exercises for osteochondrosis at home

At home you can perform effective and simple gymnastics, which should be part of a series of measures for the treatment of diseases of the spine.It is recommended to perform the following exercises for osteochondrosis.

1. Tilt your head forward, squeeze the forehead area with interlocked fingers.Make movements with your head lowered, holding yourself with your hands.The reverse movement involves trying to lift your head while it is tilted and, with your hands clasped behind your head, counteract the movement.Each movement lasts 10 seconds.
2. Impact on biologically active points using the palm of the hand and fingers: massage the forehead area first, press on the skin and move it with gentle movements.The exposure time is 20-40 seconds.Then move to the time areas, the effect is performed similarly.The procedure ends with a massage of the ears, the ear is stretched in all directions.
3. To improve brain nutrition, you should sit on a flat surface and keep your back straight.The head is slowly pulled back;you can easily help yourself with your hands, pressing your chin with the palm of your hand.Exercise time – 10-30 seconds.Then you can turn your head slightly to one side or the other, remaining in this position for 10-15 seconds.
4. This is an excellent exercise for the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis.It helps improve the functioning of the nerve plexus located in the neck.IP: Sitting on a flat surface with your back straight.Slowly move your head towards your chest, trying to touch it with your chin.You can help yourself slightly with your hands placed on the back of your head, pressing forward and upwards.Sit in this position for about a minute, rest for 10-15 minutes and repeat the exercise.
5. The warm-up affects the upper spine, simultaneously bringing the shoulders towards the ears as high as possible.Then lower them freely and easily.Repeat for 15 seconds.Then repeat the exercise, but for each shoulder joint separately.

At the end of the gymnastics, massage the back of the neck with the palms of your hands.

To get rid of the physical suffering caused by cervical osteochondrosis, you can take an aspen stick or a rolling pin and slowly tap it on the shoulder, shoulder blade and spine on one side, then on the other.You can give him a little massage to relieve tension and pain.

To quickly eliminate pain in the lumbar region, you need to lie on a hard surface, preferably on the floor, with your legs bent at the knees.Make turns with your legs in one direction and the other, trying to touch the floor with your knees.

In case of exacerbation: how to relieve the pain

Often, during an exacerbation of the disease, a person does not know where to go.It is not possible to constantly take medications, but there are ways to get rid of acute pain without resorting to medications.

First of all, heat should be applied to the problem area.You can wrap this area with a wool scarf.Exposure to cold is also possible, but only in the first day after the problem occurs and under the supervision of a doctor.

Lie down on a hard surface and try to fix the sore spot.If you experience pain, it is advisable to place a soft pillow under your lower back to relieve tension in this area.It is better to bend your legs.The chest can be wrapped in a tight bandage and a cardboard and cotton splint can be applied to the neck, as if there were a wound.

If relief does not occur, you should call a doctor.To relieve severe pain, take a pain reliever.

Prevention: how to prevent the onset of osteochondrosis

Before engaging in prevention, it is necessary to clarify what causes most often cause osteochondrosis.The risk of this disease increases in case of poor nutrition, inactive lifestyle, excess weight, bad habits (smoking, alcohol addiction), intense physical activity and poor posture.

Obviously, to prevent the development of the disease, one should first improve one's diet and introduce physical activity.It is enough to perform basic morning exercises, stretching, light self-massage of the lower back and neck, swinging arms and legs.At your workplace you should find 2-3 minutes to warm up.All types of pool swimming work well.

The fight against excess weight will help eliminate the risk;you should not allow hypothermia or traumatic situations.It is worth engaging in the prevention of stressful situations and abandoning bad habits.Attention should be paid to proper nutrition;the body should receive a sufficient amount of protein, but salty, floury and fatty foods should be limited.

In some cases, if there is vitamin deficiency, the doctor may prescribe additional vitamin and mineral complexes.All this together will help protect the spine from problems.