Many people associate the word “osteochondrosis” with old age. There is an opinion that this is a disease of grandparents, in which "shoots in the lower back" and "pain in the back". However, there is only a grain of truth in this illusion: indeed, osteochondrosis isdegenerative(i. e. caused by a local metabolic disorder)changes in the spine, which inevitably appear in all older people. However, osteochondrosis is found today in 9 out of 10 people over the age of 45, and the first manifestations of the disease can begin as early as 25 years.
This disease is even called"the disease of civilization", because the main cause of osteochondrosis is improper "exploitation" of the spine. The point is that a modern person exposes him to excessive loads and, paradoxically, not when he runs or lifts weights, but when he sits without getting up from a chair for hours. This load is calledstaticand is very delicate. Because a person thinks they are resting when they are seated. But in fact, the spine when sitting works with increased stress.
Functioning of the spine
To understand what osteochondrosis is, you need to understand what the human spine is. We all know that the spine is made up of vertebrae connected in series by intervertebral discs. In total, a person usually has 33-34 vertebrae: 7 of them form the cervical region, 12 - the thoracic region, 5 (or 6 in a small percentage of people) - the lumbar, 5 other vertebrae, growing together, form the sacrum and, finally, the coccygeal region consists of five other (or four - depending on individual characteristics) vertebrae. The vertebrae are, in fact, bones, and they are immobile, but so that they can move freely, provide mobility to our whole body, and also so that they do not collapse due to impact and friction. , there is a layer of gelatinous substance between each vertebra (the so-callednucleus pulposus) surrounded by solid multi-layered plates (annulus fibrosus). Collectively, this is called the intervertebral disc.In addition, the structure of the spine contains many ligaments, vessels, nerves. This is a very complex organ that largely determines the work of almost all bodily systems, as it protects the spinal cord and affects its work.
Vertebrae and intervertebral discs are continually renewed throughout a person's life. This is possible because they are well supplied with blood and always well nourished. However, if for some reason nutrition begins to flow into the spine in insufficient quantities, the nucleus pulposus loses its properties, the intervertebral disc becomes flat and less elastic, cracks appear in the ring and vertebrae. they themselves begin to move in different directions and come closer. All this leads to a number of dangerous deviations - mainly toinflammation both in the spine itself and in the surrounding tissues, and on compression of the spinal cord and spinal nerves.
It is interesting to note that a concept such as "spinal osteochondrosis" exists mainly in the post-Soviet space. In foreign literature, changes in the spines are called"hernias", "myofascial pain", "disc lesions", "dorsopathy". So, if you have heard anything similar about yourself, it means that you are suffering from osteochondrosis of the spine. As forintervertebral hernia, it is considered to be one of the stages of osteochondrosis.
The disease does not have an acute course and develops gradually: first, the intervertebral disc narrows, becomes degeneratively impaired, thenprotrusions appear- the nucleus pulposus seems to be squeezedand mixed with the fibrous ring, but does not break it. When there is rupture of the fibrous ring, it is called an intervertebral hernia.In the last stage, the most severe of osteochondrosis,the intervertebral discs are completely worn out, the vertebrae begin to rub against each other and collapse, pathological bone growths and osteophytesappear on them. At the last stage, the spine becomes so to speak "petrified", that is to say, it loses its mobility, which can lead to a handicap.
Causes of diseases of the spine
Why are all of the degenerative changesabove occurring?As already mentioned, the main reason isan abnormal load on the spine:for example, when a person has to sit a lot in awkward, "hunched" positions. cervical and thoracic are strained and not receiving the necessary nutrition. In addition, osteochondrosiscan develop due to poor posture.However,sports, especially strength sports, with a violation of exercise technique, can also lead todegenerative changes in the spine.
Another common cause is anyback injury. The development of osteochondrosis can also be influenced by hereditary genetic predispositions, hormonal disturbances, excess weight, poor diet, insufficient water intake and, consequently, dehydration, smoking and lalcohol abuse.
Women often encounter the first manifestations of osteochondrosis during pregnancy, and then, when young mothers have to feed their babies in positions that are uncomfortable for themselves and often carry them in their arms, the condition of the spinevertebral worsens noticeably.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
The symptoms of osteochondrosis are varied and depend on the department in which the disorder occurred. Pain is the main manifestation of this condition, however, until theannulus fibrosis ruptureis mild, can be tedious, pressing, and patients may not even pay attention.More often the pain intensifies in the morning or after physical exertion, radiates to the arms, legs, neck, ribs and chest (in this case, osteochondrosis can be easily mistaken for a diseasecoronary heart disease).
In addition,numbness and tingling may occur in the limbs.
With osteochondrosisof the cervical spine, headaches may appear, sometimes very severe, dizziness, nausea, ringing in the ears. The development of a hernia, resulting in compression of nerve endings, can lead to disruption of the work of internal organs associated with the affected nerve. For example, with a hernia in the lumbar spine, problems with urination may appear, the potency disappears, in the chest - indigestion, in the cervix - problems with blood supply to the brain.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
Only a doctor can distinguish osteochondrosis from other diseases of the internal organs and determine the source of the pain. Today, the most reliable method for diagnosing diseases of the spine is considered magnetic resonance imaging.
X-raysare also reliable, but less informative. On an X-ray image, you can see changes in the intervertebral discs, but you cannot, for example, see a hernia and assess the condition of the spinal cord and the degree of its compression by the displaced vertebrae. In addition, MRI can distinguish osteochondrosis from other dangerous diseases, including malignant formations and ankylosing spondylitis.
Is it possible to cure osteochondrosis?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure osteochondrosis, but it is possible to alleviate the patient's condition andto stop the destruction of the intervertebral disc, however, for this it is necessarytocompletely change the way of life - do physiotherapy, swim, take regular classes, massage or manual therapy, start eating well and give up bad habits. Sports, massage, good nutrition and weight loss can have a much greater long-term healing effect than medication.
Doctors are still debating the effectiveness of chondroprotectors - drugs that restore cartilage tissue and allegedly strengthen the annulus fibrosus, their effectiveness has not been sufficiently proven, but since they certainly do not cause damage, they can be used to treat osteochondrosis.
For severe pain, your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), muscle relaxers (drugs that relax muscles), and pain relievers.
Used in the treatment of osteochondrosis andvitamins, because their lack causes further destruction of the intervertebral disc:B vitamins, for example, contribute to'improvement of protein metabolism between tissues, and since protein is the main building material of the body, then the normalization of protein metabolism contributes to the restoration of nervous and cartilage tissue. Vitamin A improves blood circulation. However, while taking vitamins, like any other medicine, you should be careful, as they can cause serious side reactions and they can only be taken after consulting a doctor and under his supervision.
Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis is also possible, but it is generally used in cases ofsignificant narrowing of the spinal canal and excessive compression of the nerves and spinal cord by the resulting hernias. In this case, the situation is so difficult that the patient, for example, cannot walk, his internal organs begin to fail, or there is a risk of developing a stroke. Most often such serious consequences are caused by osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spine, degenerative changes in the thoracic spine, even in the presence of hernias, almost never require surgical treatment.
Today,methods of so-called sparing surgeryare actively introduced into medical practice, when doctors manage to preserve the integral structure of the vertebrae by removing part of the nucleus pulposus from the'using anendoscope. The device is inserted at the site of the spinal injury through small incisions in the skin, which prevents significant blood loss. Since the entire disc is not removed during the operation, the biomechanics of the spine are usually not disrupted, which shortens the recovery period. Often, patients get up in the day after the operation. However, any surgery on the spine is always fraught with complications and subsequent relapses of the disease, so experienced specialists will try to delay surgical treatment to the last. And here it all depends on the patients themselves: if they follow all the recommendations of doctors and take care of their health, then even in the presence of hernias they can do without surgery.