This disease usually refers to systemic dystrophic disorders of the articular cartilage, which are manifested in the area between the vertebrae.According to the local location of the problem, cervical, thoracic and lumbar types of the disease are distinguished.
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis is a complex problem that cannot be cured quickly.The cause of the problem is considered to be a sedentary lifestyle, which contributes to the initiation of negative processes in the articular cartilage.Remember that as the human body grows, a strong vascular system with diffuse nutrition is formed in the intervertebral discs.Any negative condition and process worsens the nutrition of the vascular system and forms a number of factors that aggravate the development of pathology.
Physiological factors contributing to the development of osteochondrosis include improper nutrition, increased load on the back and its injuries, constant unusual posture, flat feet and obesity.
Symptoms
Symptoms of osteochondrosis look like this:
- Pain and numbness in legs/arms, severe back pain.
- A significant increase in pain during physical activity, even during coughing.
- Spasmodic state of the spoke muscles, reduced movement activity.
- Other systemic manifestations that are characteristic of damage to a certain area of the spine.
Main reasons
- Age-related degenerative changes.
- Genetic and hereditary tendencies.
- Heavy weight.
- Bad nutrition.
- Infectious and toxic lesions.
- Metabolic imbalance.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Traumatic syndromes in the spine.
- Overload of the spinal system due to active training, heavy lifting, incorrect posture, pregnancy, wearing uncomfortable shoes.
- Severe stress, neuralgic overload, smoking.
- Bad environmental conditions for permanent residence.
- Skeletal instability, flat feet.
Main types
The main types of osteochondrosis are:
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Pathological transformations in the cervical spine in the discs between the vertebrae, more precisely in its upper third.It is most often caused by incorrect posture, metabolic disorders, weak muscles and a bad lifestyle in general.The patient feels pain in the shoulder and arm and suffers from periodic migraines.The so-called "vertebral artery syndrome" almost always occurs, which is caused by convulsive reactions to compression - throbbing headache, dizziness, flashes of optical defects before the eyes, numbness of the hands.
Thoracic osteochondrosis
A pathological condition localized in the second third of the spine.Practical ones are always accompanied by accompanying syndromes - a dull pain and discomfort in the chest of the spine, which is aggravated by bending the trunk or deep breathing, as well as sudden attacks in the affected part of the spine, severe deterioration of the quality of breathing due to pain, and its spread to the neck and chest.This problem often causes pathologies in other organs - the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas.Learn more about thoracic osteochondrosis.
Lumbosacral osteochondrosis
In this case, there is a pain syndrome in the specified area, in the accompanying sections "lumbago", numbness of the legs, negative manifestations of the vascular system and calves.Symptoms are aggravated by upright posture, bending and strong coughing.This type of osteochondrosis causes muscle weakness, pain and pathologies of the pelvic organs, severe inflammation of the sacrum and lower back.
Prevention
It is recommended to prevent the development of osteochondrosis from an early age, especially if a person has a hereditary predisposition to this disease.
Main points:
- Therapeutic practice.
- Swimming.
- Self-massage of a potentially problematic area.
- Adherence to the recommendations for the normalization of posture.
- Release tension in the specified area.
- Morning exercises.
- Weight normalization and proper nutrition.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis, regardless of its stage, is complex.
Drug treatment
The main direction of drug therapy is to eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of the problem and enhance the positive effect of other procedures.Local and systemic preparations not only eliminate pain, but also improve blood circulation, relieve inflammation, partially restore problematic cartilage tissue, and relax muscle complexes.
- Tablets.Pain relievers in the form of pain relievers and NSAIDs.Medicines are also prescribed to restore cartilage tissue.
- Topical external remedies.Most often, these are ointments and creams.For osteochondrosis, steroid hormonal drugs and complex gels based on prednisolone or hydrocortisone are the most sought after.
- Injections.Injections for osteochondrosis are usually used in the acute stage of the disease, when classical tablets and local forms of medicine do not have the desired effect on the body.The vast majority of injections are aimed at eliminating very severe pain syndromes.The classic application scheme is a special blockade with the introduction of anesthetic subcutaneously and then intramuscularly in the area of the spinal nerves.Such injections can only be performed in a hospital setting.
Exercises (physical therapy)
Therapeutic gymnastics is an important stage in the fight against osteochondrosis.Practical therapy is prescribed exclusively by the attending physician, taking into account the characteristics of the disease and the patient's current condition, usually during the phase of remission of the problem.
The main purpose of such exercises is to strengthen the back muscles and improve the damaged cartilaginous components of the joints.Exercise therapy uses various techniques, but one of the most popular is a system of two dozen exercises, according to the best therapist known in the past.The complex usually includes general strengthening exercises, targeted treatment measures for problem areas, as well as "beacon" exercises that allow you to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.The exact list, sequence, quantity and other initial data of the operations will be given to the patient personally by the attending physician!
Massage for osteochondrosis
Massage treatments for osteochondrosis significantly alleviate the unpleasant symptoms of the disease and at the same time help to overcome the problem in combination with other measures.
Some elements of the massage and approaches to its implementation may differ from the localization and course of osteochondrosis, the presence of chronic diseases in the patient, etc., i.e. they are prescribed individually based on the current clinical picture.
The most frequently used classical therapeutic, acupressure, connective, hardware and cupping massage.The aim of the above measures is to improve lymph/blood circulation, normalize the nutrition of the discs, relieve pain syndromes, start the special fibers, relax the muscle mass, restore the nutrition of the soft tissues, etc.
Osteochondrosis massage should be abandoned if the patient has aneurysms, tumors, thrombosis, osteomyelitis, blood diseases, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, pelvic organ problems with girdle osteochondrosis, various massive skin manifestations in the form of warts, herpetic lesions.
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine has effectively treated osteochondrosis for centuries, usually with poultices and oral tinctures.
The most popular recipes:
- Mix grated raw potatoes and honey in a 1:1 ratio.Apply to the problem area as a poultice for two hours.
- Boil a tablespoon of crushed strawberry leaves in a glass of boiling water, let it stand for twenty minutes, then consume it on an empty stomach.Take it for three months.
- Dissolve 300 grams of watermelon pulp and 200 grams of soda in a warm bath and keep for half an hour.The course consists of 20 procedures.
- Pour boiling water over ten grams of thyme and take half a glass twice a day.