Osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the spine through the development of changes in the intervertebral disc of one or another part. The danger lies in the fact that the development of the disease occurs invisibly. By this time, the disease had become younger.

What is spinal osteochondrosis

Doctors define this disease as chronic degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine, its structure. About 80 percent of the world's population suffers from it, and the first signs of the disease are observed already at the age of 20-25 years. In turn, it can lead to more serious health problems.

Often, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine occurs, more rarely cervical and thoracic chondrosis is observed. A person has 33-34 vertebrae, which are connected by intervertebral discs. They perform several important functions, thus ensuring the mobility of the spine.

Spinal osteochondrosis is characterized by shrinkage and changes in the size of these discs and the space between them, leading to a decrease in their strength and elasticity. High load on the spine leads to disc displacement, the result is pain during movement, then the intervertebral hernia develops.

Vertebral displacement causes pinching of nerve endings, squeezing blood vessels. Curvature of the spine, damage to individual parts, their deformation is an irreversible process. Ligament ossification reduces spinal mobility even more.

What kind is there

Depending on the damaged area, the following types of osteochondrosis are distinguished:

• The cervical spine, which is most often observed in young people who lead an inactive lifestyle and work at a computer for long periods of time;
• The thoracic spine, a rare disease, can be triggered by changes in the thoracic spine caused by a variety of factors (e. g. , trauma);
• The lumbosacral area, the disease is the most common, more often affects people over 30 years of age;
• Chondrosis is common, when several parts of the spine are affected at once.

The disease goes through several stages:

1. The first stage is often unnoticed. Vertebral instability appears, due to their displacement, there is little discomfort when moving. This is a dangerous stage where injury is most likely.
2. In the second stage, destruction of the fibrous rings of the vertebral discs occurs, which leads to a decrease in the distance between them.
3. The third stage is accompanied by the rupture of the fibrous ring, the nucleus of the disc leaving its place. At this stage, an intervertebral hernia appears, leading to spinal deformity.
4. The last stage is characterized by severe pain syndrome. Bone growth and ligament hardening inhibit the freedom of movement of the spine.

Osteochondrosis is provoked by muscle clamps, which lead to muscle spasms. This leads to limited mobility of the joints and spine. The result is vertebral and disc dystrophy, narrowing of the holes between the vertebrae, compression of the nerve roots.

symptoms

The symptoms of the disease depend on the affected area. Keep in mind that, individually, people attribute most of the symptoms of the disease to other problems. For example, tension and stress are thought to cause headaches, while hearing loss is thought to be triggered by the use of headphones.

1. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are shown as follows:

   • Headaches that get worse when you try to move your head;
   • Pain in the neck, beyond the scapula, arms and chest;
   • Sensitivity is often disturbed, fingers become numb, weakness is felt;
   • Tongue movement is limited, which affects speech, snoring may appear;
   • The voice changed, becoming weak and hoarse;
   • Dizziness, loss of consciousness are possible;
   • Impaired movement coordination, loss of orientation while walking;
   • The condition of the teeth is deteriorating;
   • Hearing is reduced, ringing in the ears appears.

2. Rarely, but there is osteochondrosis of the chest. It is usually caused by a spinal cord injury. Scoliosis can be the cause. Signs of this disease:

   • Sharp pain in the chest area, they become worse when trying to breathe deeply and when moving;
   • The appearance of pain in the abdomen, liver, and even the heart is possible;
   • Sometimes there is numbness in the chest.

3. The most common variant of the disease is lumbosacral osteochondrosis. It is indicated by severe pain in the lumbar region. Symptoms can vary, but in the first period of development, they are not so noticeable. But over time or with "successful" conditions, the disease worsens. Appears:

   • Pain or sharp pain in the area just above the coccyx that worsens with movement;
   • Pain radiating to hip area, leg sensitivity impaired;
   • Restriction of body movement, impossible to bend, turn;
   • In the last stage, it is often impossible to sit, difficult to get up, muscle weakness appears.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Many are interested in the question of how to treat osteochondrosis and whether the disease can be completely cured. Doctors emphatically answer this question no, but it is possible and necessary to begin timely treatment and stop the progression of the disease. There are many ways to treat osteochondrosis, both with the help of classical medicine and folk medicine.

Keep in mind that the disease is treated quite effectively, especially in the early stages of the disease. In outpatients, a special comprehensive program is used, which aims to quickly eliminate the symptoms of the disease, correcting the cause of suffering.

Complex therapy includes the following techniques:

1. Acupuncture.

   Acupuncture is done every one to two days. The course of treatment is prescribed by a doctor, it can be from seven days to a month, as a rule, 12-15 procedures is enough. Acupuncturists perform visual and manual examinations of patients. One procedure takes about half an hour. The needle is set for 15-20 minutes.

   For surgery, a disposable sterile acupuncture needle is used, it is inserted under the patient’s skin, while a slight injection is felt, similar to a mosquito bite. When the needle reaches a biologically active point, a person feels numbness, pain or bloating in this place, pain is very rare.

2. Vacuum therapy.

   For the procedure, a special vacuum jar is used. The effectiveness of this method is very high, there is almost no painful sensation. This method of treatment 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 restorative medicine.

   Under the influence of the jar, a pressure drop is made, the skin and part of the muscle are pulled into the jar. Thanks to deep processing over a large area, blood microcirculation is improved, stagnation is eliminated, harmful substances are removed, tissues are renewed faster.

   The field of influence of vacuum therapy is wide, the doctor himself selects and sets the zone for the procedure. The spots that appear in the process of running after the fourth procedure begin to dissolve, so you should not be afraid of it.

3. Manual therapy.

   This is a gentle treatment that is very effective among non -drug options. Chiropractors allow you to eliminate many problems related to the muscles and spine, used in the treatment of neurological diseases.

   The impact externally resembles a conventional sequence, but has more limited localization and moderate impact strength. A certified manual doctor is able to cure diseases that cannot be treated with medication.

   To treat the spine, this method aims to increase muscle elasticity, improving the mobility of individual vertebrae. This procedure is not performed daily, but periodically for up to seven days. Manual treatment in combination with physiotherapy and folk remedies, as well as physiotherapy training, is more effective.

   

4. Pharmacopuncture.

   This method uses active points on the human body, where drugs are injected in minimal quantities, indicated for certain diseases. It can be a complex of vitamins, homeopathic remedies, biostimulants, corticosteroids. Introduction was carried out using a microneedle, while practically no discomfort occurred.

   For the treatment of the spine, a customized version is used, which allows you to cure osteochondrosis, vertebral hernias and other problems. It is used for recovery after spinal surgery. Pharmacopunctures increase metabolism, increase connective tissue trophism and blood circulation in the affected area. Even a small treatment complex shows positive and sustainable results.

5. Magnetopuncture.

   This method involves the effect on a biologically active point with a magnetic field. For this, a magnetophore is used, in which the properties of a certain polarity, size, power are set. The device consists of a rubberized magnet, it produces a constant magnetic field. For the treatment of various diseases, metal plates of various shapes, areas and thicknesses as well as magnetic balls are used.

6. Laser therapy.

   This is the effect of a laser on a special acupuncture point through an intact skin area. Low power red lasers are used in most cases, they show the most spectacular activity. As a result of treatment, inflammation and pain, spasms are relieved, blood vessels dilate, metabolic processes are improved, and cell regrowth is enhanced.

7. Electrical stimulation.

   Electric current is used to affect a certain point. It is effective for electrical stimulation of motor muscles and nerve endings. Single impulse single stroke, exponential current, rhythmic continuous current, sinusoidal modulated current are used. It is possible to eliminate severe pain in just 1-3 procedures. The full course requires 10-15 sessions.

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

Traditional methods

In the bank of traditional medicine there are many ways to alleviate the situation with osteochondrosis.

For external use, the following options are used:

1. A small amount of ointment is applied to the affected area, gradually rubbing it into the skin. The treated area should be carefully wrapped to keep it warm. It is enough to carry out the procedure 3-4 times a day.
2. Compressing with ointment is good for relieving inflammation and pain. The oily place is covered with plastic wrap, you can put fresh mint or lemon balm leaves down, burdock leaves or white cabbage works effectively. Wrap with a wool scarf and fix the compressor. Fresh pounded birch leaves give a good effect, it is applied on problem areas and wrapped for half an hour.
3. For scrubbing, you can use vegetable oils infused with herbs - oregano, St. John's wort. For half a liter of vegetable oil, about 500 grams of raw material is taken. Fresh oregano cake is infused for 24 hours, and St. John’s wort. The dried John was filled with oil for 21 days.
4. You can prepare the mass of 1/3 cup of black radish juice, 200 g of fresh honey, 100 ml of vodka and a handful of fresh purple flowers. Insist in a warm place for 24 hours, after which the composition can be used for rubbing.

Don’t forget about proper nutrition and an active lifestyle. It is necessary to monitor your posture constantly, while sitting in a chair and in front of a computer, it is advisable to sleep on a surface of moderate hardness.

The spine must always be supported, for this you can use special exercises and avoid long monotonous positions.

Exercises for osteochondrosis for the home

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

1. Tilt your head forward, grasping the forehead area with intertwined fingers. Make movements with your head down, hold with your hands. The reverse movement is to try to lift your head in inclination, and with your hands, woven at the back of the head, to resist its movement. Each movement takes 10 seconds.
2. Effect on biologically active points with the help of palms and fingers: first, the forehead area is massaged, press on the skin and remove it with gentle movements. Exposure time is 20-40 seconds. Then go to the temporal area, the impact is made in the same way. The procedure ends with a sequence of auricles, the ears stretched in all directions.
3. To improve brain nutrition, you should sit on a flat surface with your back straight. The head is gently pulled back, you can easily help yourself with your hands, pressing your chin with the palms of your hands. Exercise time is 10-30 seconds. Then you can turn your head slightly to one side or the other, lingering in this position for 10-15 seconds.
4. This is an excellent exercise for the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis. It helps improve the function of the nerve plexus located in the neck. IP - sit on a flat surface with a straight back. Slowly move your head to your chest, trying to reach with your chin. You can slightly help yourself with your hands behind your head, pushing forward and up. Sit in this position for about a minute, relax for 10-15 minutes and repeat the exercise.
5. Warming up the body affects the upper spine while simultaneously pulling the shoulders up to the ears as high as possible. Then lower it freely and easily. Repeat 15 seconds. Then repeat the exercise, but for each shoulder joint separately.

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

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

To quickly get rid of pain in the lumbar spine, you need to lie on a hard surface, ideally on the floor, bend your legs at the knees. Make a circle with your feet in one direction and the other, trying to reach the floor with your knees.

With exacerbation - how to relieve pain

Often, with the worsening of the disease, one does not know where to go. Continuous medication is not possible, but there are ways to get rid of acute pain without the use of medication.

First of all, heat should be placed on the problem area. You can wrap a fur scarf around this place. Cold exposure is also possible, but only on the first day after the onset of the problem, and under the supervision of a physician.

Lie on a hard surface and try to repair the sore spot. If it hurts, it is advisable to place a soft roller under the lower back to relieve tension in this area. It is better to bend your legs. The chest part can be wrapped with a tight bandage, and fragments made of cardboard and cotton wool can be used around the neck, as in injuries.

If relief does not come, a doctor should be called. And to relieve severe pain, take anesthesia.

Prevention - how to prevent the appearance of osteochondrosis

Before engaging in prevention, you should explain what causes the most common causes of osteochondrosis. The risk of this disease is increased with improper nutrition, inactive lifestyle, overweight, bad habits (smoking, alcohol dependence), high physical activity and postural disorders.

Obviously, to prevent the progression of the disease, one should first prescribe diet and introduce physical activity. It is enough to do basic morning exercises, stretching, light self -massage on the lower back and neck, swinging arms and legs. At work, you need to take 2-3 minutes to warm up. All types of swimming in the pool work well.

Fighting excess weight will help eliminate the risk, you should not allow body hypothermia, traumatic situations. It is beneficial to deal with the prevention of stressful situations and abandon bad habits. Attention should be paid to proper nutrition, the body should receive a sufficient amount of protein, but salty, floury, fatty foods should be limited.

In some cases, with vitamin deficiencies, doctors may prescribe vitamin and mineral complex supplements. All of this in combination will help protect the spine from problems.