A therapist with 50 years of experience once noted: "When I started, there was not a single young patient with osteochondrosis on the site. Today, almost every second 30-year-old has this problem."
Sedentary lifestyle, metabolic disorders, spinal injuries, excess weight, unbalanced nutrition, long stay in an uncomfortable position, stress, hypothermia, smoking are modern ways leading to chronic degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs, and then in the spines themselves.This is osteochondrosis (from the ancient Greek osteon - bone, chondros - cartilage).
Osteochondrosis is a disease caused by the deposition of salts in the spine
Wrong.The intervertebral disc consists of the nucleus pulposus, the annulus fibrosus, and the hyaline cartilage that surrounds it above and below.When these elements are destroyed, the balance between the load on the spine and its ability to carry it is disturbed.As a result, the vertebra begins to compress the adjacent nerve and muscle tissues and grows along the edges, the so-called formation.osteophytes that make a characteristic crunching sound when moving (patients mistakenly explain this as "salt deposition").
If your back and neck ache, it's just osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is not the only cause of pain in the spine.Often, patients make this diagnosis themselves.However, in addition to this pathology, which is included in the group of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine, there is also osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and the differentiation can be made only after a comprehensive examination.
Degenerative-dystrophic changes occur in 30-50% of cases in people aged 30-40, in 75-100% of people over 40 years old.
These pathological processes make up 20.4% of the total structure of disability from osteoarticular system diseases.
Long walks are bad for the spine
On the contrary.Physical activity has a beneficial effect on the activity of the spine: it maintains muscle tone, maintains intervertebral mobility, stimulates blood circulation and metabolism.Physical inactivity and staying in one place for a long time, especially in an uncomfortable position, are "guilty" for the development of the disease.
If an overweight person walks a lot and carries heavy things, the spine experiences increased stress.
Flat feet contribute to the development of osteochondrosis
That's right.The arches of the foot, like the physiological curves of the spine, are designed to absorb shock loads during walking, running and jumping.If the foot does not provide the necessary protection when interacting with the support, then the spine receives additional stress, which significantly disrupts the nutrition and functioning of its structures and accelerates the development of the disease.
Back pain is the only symptom of the disease
Not really.As a rule, patients complain of constant painful back pain, often accompanied by numbness and pain in the limbs.Over time, if not treated, the muscles of the limbs atrophy, the joints of the spine become less mobile, and muscle spasms occur.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (see diagram), your arms and head may hurt.The so-called vertebral artery syndrome (noise in the head, dizziness, flashing "dots" and colored spots in front of the eyes, burning throbbing headache).This acute condition occurs due to arterial spasm in response to the effect of bone growth, as well as disc herniation, arthrosis of the intervertebral joint, reflex reaction to irritation of spinal receptors.
If a person suffers from coronary or cardiovascular pathology, then vertebral artery syndrome will aggravate the course.
With osteochondrosis of the chest, there is pain in the chest (as if a stake had been hit there) - in the area of the heart and other internal organs;with lumbosacral lesions - in the lower back (radiation to the sacrum, lower limbs, sometimes pelvic organs).
If complications of osteochondrosis develop (ruptured intervertebral discs, bone growths, spondylolisthesis, spondyloarthrosis), then damage to the nerve roots is noted - the pain becomes shooting, sensitivity worsens, weakness appears in the innervated muscles, and the intensity of reflexes decreases.
Osteochondrosis can cause dysfunction of various organs and tissues
That's right.Hippocrates also taught that all human diseases are related to the spine, as it is a kind of foundation of the body.
With osteochondrosis, the risk of circulatory disorders in the cerebellar, trunk and occipital regions of the brain increases.A constant headache appears - first at the back of the head, then spreads to the area of the crown and temples, intensifies with neck movements (more often in the morning).Elderly people may faint if they turn their head suddenly.It is preceded by dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision and hearing, nausea and vomiting.
Sometimes there is pain in the region of the heart - long, oppressive, dull.With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, especially in old age, soft tissues often change - they become denser.
Degenerative processes in the spine can lead to obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract, disruption of the bronchopulmonary system, which is full of inflammation and other diseases.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia, intercostal neuralgia - consequences of osteochondrosis
Not really.Osteochondrosis can be one of the reasons for the development of these diseases (by no means the only one).When the intervertebral discs wear out and osteophytes grow, the intervertebral foramina and the vertebral artery canal narrow and deform, causing various structural disorders.In particular, when the nerve roots are compressed, the symptoms of intercostal neuralgia appear, and when the vertebral artery is compressed, the same symptoms as in vegetative-vascular dystonia appear.
Osteochondrosis cannot be cured
Indeed, the structures of the spinal column that have undergone degenerative changes cannot be completely restored.Nevertheless, adequate comprehensive treatment can eliminate the symptoms of the disease, stop the development of the pathology and avoid complications.
For problems with intervertebral discs, it is useful to heat the painful areas
Wrong.Temperature changes, especially extreme ones (for example, a beginner's visit to the bathhouse) can cause serious complications.Average heat procedures are used in complex treatment, but they must be prescribed by a doctor.
If you make circular movements with your head during osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, your health will deteriorate.
That's right.These exercises are best done for prevention - they help maintain range of motion in the intervertebral joints.Careless circular movements with severe osteochondrosis can cause vertebral artery syndrome, radiculopathy, etc.
Treatment cannot be done without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Not really.During the period of remission or if the pain is not severe, conservative therapy (physio-, reflexological and manual) is carried out;physical therapy and traction methods are used.Drug treatment is indicated during an exacerbation and aims to relieve pain, eliminate the inflammatory process and accelerate metabolic processes (intramuscular or intravenous injection).
Among the most effective drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prescribed to relieve inflammation and pain (meloxicam, diclofenac, ibuprofen);novocaine blockades are used for severe pain;steroid drugs (epidural, intramuscular injection);NSAIDs in the form of ointments, gels and creams with analgesic and irritating effects (diclofenac, fastum gel, nise, capsicam, finalgon);muscle relaxants - to relieve muscle spasms (mydocalm, sirdalud);B vitamins - to improve metabolic processes in the spine (B1, B6, B12).
Osteochondrosis can cause serious consequences
Yes.Due to compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots, osteochondrosis causes paralysis, if the vertebral artery is compressed, it causes unconsciousness.
Exercises to "stretch" the spine help to improve your condition
Stretching or stretching allows you to increase the intervertebral space, relieve pain and restore the anatomically correct shape of the spine.However, the individual load must be properly calculated."Excess" can cause reflex contraction of the paravertebral muscles and worsen the condition.
Only an orthopedic traumatologist has the right to treat osteochondrosis.
Wrong.Most patients are observed by a neurologist, and in cases of significant severity of the pathology by a neurosurgeon or an orthopedic vertebrologist.
The local doctor can also prescribe medication to relieve the flare-up.