Osteochondrosis

Back pain is a problem that every adult can face.Often it is not a one-time occurrence, but a symptom of a dangerous disease.Osteochondrosis often occurs in people aged 30-35 (about 40% of the population), up to 90% of cases occur in older age.

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

What is osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a group of chronic diseases caused by 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 leads to various manifestations of osteochondrosis: hernia, 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Osteochondrosis is an outdated term;in world medicine it is called dorsopathy.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 for which different methods of treatment are used.

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

Taking into account the localization of pain caused by diseases of the spine, they differ:

• Lumbodynia.Chronic pain that occurs in the lumbar region of the back often causes lameness.In particularly severe cases, it can cause numbness in the legs.Most 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.
• Lumboischialgia.Pain that radiates painful sensations to the lower back or lower limbs, along the back of the legs - from the buttocks to the knees.Clinical manifestations occur when there is pressure on the sciatica and spinal nerves.
• Lumbago.Shooting or acute intense pain at a specific point in the lower back.It is often confused with radiculitis.In most cases, an attack occurs when a person tries to bend down sharply or straighten his back, as well as when he suddenly lifts heavy objects.
• Thoracalgia.Pain in the chest area.It is considered a very dangerous symptom, sometimes even a doctor cannot immediately determine its cause.Unpleasant sensations are not always associated with body movements.The pain is especially strong in the area from the chest to the armpit.
• Cervicalgia.Painful sensations occur in the neck area and can spread to the upper limbs.Pathological manifestations can be accompanied by dizziness, a feeling of numbness in the back of the head, redness and swelling of the skin.

Pathology requires urgent treatment, because it can cause blood circulation disorders in the brain, compression of nerve roots and venous blood outflow disorders.Cervicalgia often causes inflammatory processes and herniation of 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 recorded in the place where the source of the disease is actually located.

Classification based on location

Depending on the part of the spine where the intervertebral discs and tissues were damaged, osteoporosis is divided into several types.

Cervical

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

The formation of protrusions leads to a hernia.And operations performed in the cervical region can lead to immobilization of the body.

Chest

Disorders in this part of the spinal column are rare, which is associated with poor mobility of the vertebrae.The appearance of pain is observed in people who move with a load or in those who stay in one position for a long time.

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

Important!

Only a doctor should be involved in the differential diagnosis.

Lumbosacral

The lumbar region has five vertebrae.If there is a disturbance of nutrition and metabolic processes in the intervertebral disc, it loses its elasticity, decreases in size and can no longer function taking into account the received load.Lack of treatment of lumbosacral osteochondrosis can cause the following complications: hernias, protrusions, sciatica.

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, there is simultaneous degradation of segments in different parts of the spine.The disease is characterized by loss of sensitivity in the back of the head and disturbances in the functioning of the speech apparatus.

Characteristics of disease development

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

1. There are no visible changes on the spinal column.
2. Internal ruptures occur in the discs, but without external changes.
3. Changes to the disk without external damage are recorded.
4. Severe damage to the intervertebral disc.Cracks spread to the inner surface, it seems that the disc has been pushed out of the vertebrae.  

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

1. The spine functions as usual.The person feels pain at the site of the disease.Patients complain of general weakness, chronic fatigue, and less often loss of appetite and sleep disturbances.
2. Cracks form on the disc, and the spinal segment loses stability.Painful sensations intensify, initially one-time, later - chronically, which is associated with pinching of nerves, subluxation of vertebrae and formation of protrusions.
3. The pain intensifies even more, the spine deforms, and an intervertebral hernia forms.At the same stage, lordosis, the curvature of the spine, develops.
4. The spinal column loses its normal mobility.Cartilage tissue thickens and osteophytes (cartilaginous growths on the joints) appear.In particularly severe cases, patients lose the ability to move.

Important!

A person diagnosed with the fourth stage of osteochondrosis is disabled.

Causes of osteochondrosis

There are a number of theories that explain the origin of the pathology.Among the reasons are hormonal changes, heredity, problems in the cardiovascular system, mechanical damage and others.Researchers agree that the most common reason lies in the overloading of certain segments of the spinal column.

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 gelatinous core and a dense fibrous ring that surrounds it, which are covered on top by a layer of cartilage tissue.They perform a cushioning 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 in 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.

In most cases, osteochondrosis is 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 causes their damage, as well as the destruction of cartilage tissue.

Most often, this disorder occurs due to a sedentary lifestyle, irregular exercise, excessive physical activity and work associated with constant pressure on the back.

Improper body position when walking, sitting, carrying and lifting heavy objects, tight and uncomfortable clothes and shoes can cause damage/displacement of the intervertebral discs and as a result lead to the development of osteochondrosis.

Other reasons for the development of pathology include:

•  fractures, curvatures and damage to the spine;
• hormonal imbalances;
• pregnancy;
• hypothermia and sudden changes in temperature.

Important!

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

Risk factors for the development of osteochondrosis

There is a long list of diseases that can lead to osteochondrosis.This includes:

• flat feet;
• scoliosis;
• arthritis;
• osteoporosis;
• arthrosis;
• neuro-emotional exhaustion;
• diabetes mellitus;
• obesity.

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

Regular use of tobacco (smoking) and alcohol significantly weakens the intervertebral disc tissue.Lack of calcium can be a factor in the development of the disease.

Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis

Painful sensations are the main symptom of the pathology.The nature of the pain can be different, it can be:

• acute, intense, aggravated by movement (the patient usually tries to remain still);
• dull, smooth (movements are slow).

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

Patients often complain of such general symptoms of osteochondrosis as:

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

In some cases, patients feel numbness in the extremities and tingling in the cervical region, lumbar region and sternum.

In osteochondrosis, several characteristic syndromes are often present:

• Vertebral.Acute or chronic back pain, which is accompanied by poor circulation.
• Heartfelt.A form of angina.
• Vertebral artery syndrome.Pain caused by circulatory disorders in the vertebral arteries.
• Koreshkovy.The pain is caused by compression of the spinal roots at the points where they branch off from the spinal cord.

Depending on the type of osteochondrosis in place, the symptoms of the disease may differ.

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

Lumbar osteochondrosiscauses pain in the buttocks and perineum, which causes problems with movement.Patients feel acute pain when bending, in the lower back (after sleeping or sitting for a long time in one place).Numbness, dizziness and general weakness occur.The disease often causes pain in the kidney area, erectile dysfunction and frequent urination.Scoliosis often develops in lumbar osteochondrosis.

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

Osteochondrosis: diagnosis

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

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

During your examination, the doctor will perform a comprehensive examination that includes:

• collection of anamnesis, study of the patient's anamnesis and complaints;
• physiological examination, palpation, assessment of skin condition and localization of pain;
• determination of the nature of pain (acute, dull, reflected, local, etc.);
• blood test (important indicators of blood calcium level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate);
• ECG and ultrasound of the heart (to rule out or confirm the association of pain syndrome with diseases of the cardiovascular system);
• duplex scanning of the arteries of the head and neck (assessment of blood flow quality, determination of vasoconstriction).

To confirm the diagnosis, additional radiographic studies may be prescribed, which include:

• X-ray of the spine.Complete image in two projections, if necessary recording of each individual segment of the spine.Functional radiography can also be prescribed - a study in which a specialist takes pictures in different positions of the body.
• Computed tomography of a single disc.The study shows the state of the vertebral bodies, blood vessels, nerve endings, ligaments and soft tissues, rupture of the contours of the intervertebral disc, disc height, changes in the dura mater, marginal growths, instability of the vertebrae.
• myelography.Contrast X-ray of the spinal cord.
• Magnetic resonance.This is an alternative to a CT scan of the intervertebral disc.It enables the assessment of the condition of blood vessels and cartilage tissue.

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

• pathological mobility of the vertebrae, which deviates from the norm;
• movement of the vertebrae in relation to each other;
• deposition of salt in the intervertebral discs;
• uniform narrowing of the intervertebral space in the lumbar and cervical regions, wedge-shaped narrowing in the thoracic region;
• formation of osteophytes (marginal growths);
• marginal sclerosis is the formation of compaction on the affected disc.

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

Important!

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

Complications of osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the spine is an unpleasant disease that in the final stage can cause the development of other diseases and pathologies.The most common are:

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

Timely consultation with a doctor at the first painful sensation and regular prevention of osteochondrosis will help avoid the development of complications.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

At the Naran Clinic, doctors practice an integrated approach to the treatment of osteochondrosis.

Doctors of Tibetan medicine use four methods of treatment:

• Correction of diet according to dosha
• Lifestyle correction
• Herbal medicine

A set of external procedures:

• Correction of nutrition.A balanced diet in accordance with the constitution of the human body (dosha) encourages a surge of energy and cell renewal in all organs and organ systems of the body.
• Phytotherapy.The use of medicinal Tibetan herbs and mixtures according to the recipes of ancient healers.It restores the natural balance in the body, promotes its rejuvenation and eradication of many diseases.

External effects on the body:

• energy acupressure - normalizes and restores adequate work of internal organs, helps improve blood circulation throughout the body, restores immunity;
• acupuncture - eliminates pain and inflammation, relieves discomfort caused by external manifestations, improves fluid circulation in the body;
• vacuum therapy (cupping) – improves innervation, removes waste and toxins, normalizes regulatory and metabolic processes;
• stone therapy - has a beneficial effect on 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 of wormwood, eel, juniper, poplar leaves, as well as pressed coal and others are used for burning or heating.

Prevention of osteochondrosis

The main method of prevention is an even distribution of the load on the spine.In practice this includes:

• active lifestyle;
• moderate exercise (morning exercises, yoga, swimming, walking, running, cycling, exercises to strengthen the muscular corset);
• sleeping on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
• wearing comfortable, or even better, orthopedic shoes;
• a balanced diet, including a large amount of minerals and vitamins;
• regular preventive examinations by neurologists and vertebrologists;
• cessation of smoking and alcohol.

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

When lifting weights, you don't have to do it quickly, jerkily, just smoothly and in a half-squat.For carrying heavy objects, it is better to choose backpacks with an orthopedic wall than bags with a shoulder strap.

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

Important!

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

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

Treatment of osteochondrosis consists of three stages:

1. Alleviation or reduction of pain.
2. Elimination of disturbances in the condition and functioning of intervertebral discs and vertebrae.
3. Prevention of complications.

If you consult a specialist immediately at the first signs of the disease, you can avoid complications and the need for surgical treatment.This is why it is so important to undergo annual preventive examinations by a neurologist and vertebrologist, even if you do not suffer from back pain.

Important!

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