A therapist with 50 years of experience once said: "When I started working, there were no young patients with osteochondrosis in the country. And today almost every second 30-year-old has this problem."
A sedentary lifestyle, metabolic disorders, spine injuries, obesity, unbalanced diet, prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, stress, hypothermia, smoking are modern paths to chronic degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs and then in the vertebrae themselves.This is osteochondrosis (from the ancient Greek osteon - bone, chondros - cartilage).
Osteochondrosis is a disease caused by the deposition of salt in the spine
Wrong.The intervertebral disc consists of a nucleus pulposus, a fibrous annulus, and hyaline cartilage that covers it above and below.When these elements are destroyed, the balance between the load on the spine and the ability to support it is disrupted.As a result, the vertebrae begin to compress the adjacent nerve and muscle tissue and grow along the edges, forming the so-called.osteophytes, which produce a characteristic crackling sound when moving (patients mistakenly explain it as "salt deposition").
If your back and neck ache, then this is exclusively osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is not the only cause of pain in the spine.Patients often make this diagnosis themselves.However, in addition to this pathology, which is part of 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 years, in 75–100% of people over 40 years old.
These pathological processes make up 20.4% of the general structure of disability from diseases of the osteoarticular system.
Long walking is bad for the spine
On the contrary.Physical activity has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the spine: it maintains muscle tone, maintains intervertebral mobility, stimulates blood circulation and metabolism.Physical inactivity and prolonged standing in a particularly uncomfortable position are "to blame" for the progression of the disease.
It is another matter if an overweight person walks a lot and carries heavy things, then 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 leg does not provide adequate protection when interacting with the support, then the spine receives additional stress, which significantly impairs 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 back pain, which is often accompanied by numbness and a feeling of pain in the limbs.Over time, if left untreated, limb muscles atrophy, spinal joints become less mobile, and muscle spasms appear.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (see diagram), the arms and head can hurt.The so-called vertebral artery syndrome (noise in the head, dizziness, burning "spots" and colored dots before the eyes, throbbing burning headache).This acute condition appears due to spasm of the arteries as a response to the impact of bone growths, as well as due to disc herniation, arthrosis of the intervertebral joint, as a reflex reaction to irritation of spinal receptors.
If a person suffers from coronary or cardiovascular pathology, then the vertebral artery syndrome will worsen the flow.
With osteochondrosis of the chest region, there is pain in the chest (a feeling as if a pin was stuck there) - in the area of the heart and other internal organs;with lumbosacral lesions - in the lower back (radiation to the sacrum, lower extremities, sometimes to the pelvic organs).
If complications of osteochondrosis develop (herniation of intervertebral discs, bone growth, spondylolisthesis, spondyloarthrosis), then damage to the nerve roots is observed - the pain becomes burning, sensitivity worsens, weakness appears in the innervated muscles and the severity of reflexes decreases.
Osteochondrosis can cause dysfunction of a wide variety of organs and tissues
That's right.Hippocrates also taught that all human diseases are related to the spine, because it is a kind of foundation of the body.
With osteochondrosis, there is an increased risk of blood circulation disorders in the cerebellar, stem and occipital regions of the brain.A constant headache appears - first in 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 lose consciousness if they turn their head suddenly.This is preceded by dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision and hearing, nausea and vomiting.
Sometimes there is pain in the heart area - prolonged, pressing, boring.With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, especially in old age, the soft tissues often change - they become denser.
Degenerative processes in the spine can cause congestion in the gastrointestinal tract, disruption of the bronchopulmonary system, which is fraught with inflammatory diseases and others.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia, intercostal neuralgia - the consequences of osteochondrosis
Not really.Osteochondrosis can be one of the reasons (the only reason) for the development of these diseases.When the intervertebral discs wear out and osteophytes grow, the intervertebral foramina and the vertebral artery canal are narrowed and deformed, and this leads to violations of various structures.Especially when the nerve roots are compressed, signs of intercostal neuralgia appear and when the vertebral artery is pressed, the same symptoms as in vegetative-vascular dystonia appear.
It is impossible to cure osteochondrosis
Indeed, spinal structures that have undergone degenerative changes cannot be fully restored.However, adequate comprehensive treatment can eliminate the symptoms of the disease, stop the development of pathology and avoid complications.
For problems with the intervertebral discs, it is useful to heat the sore points
Wrong.Temperature changes, especially extreme ones (for example, a beginner's trip to the bathroom), can cause serious deterioration.Moderate thermal 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.With severe osteochondrosis, careless circular movements can aggravate vertebral artery syndrome, radiculopathy, etc.
Treatment cannot be done without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Not really.During the remission period or when the pain is not strong, conservative therapy (physio-, reflexology and manual) is performed;physiotherapy and traction techniques are used.Drug treatment is indicated during an exacerbation and is aimed at relieving pain, easing the inflammatory process and accelerating metabolic processes (intramuscular or intravenous injections).
Among the most effective medications are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are prescribed to relieve inflammation and pain (meloxicam, diclofenac, ibuprofen);for severe pain, novocaine blockades are used;steroid drugs (epidural, intramuscular injections);NSAIDs in the form of ointments, gels and creams with an analgesic and irritating effect (diclofenac, fastum gel, nise, kapsicam, finalgon);muscle relaxants - to relieve muscle spasms (mydocalm, sirdalud);B vitamins - to improve metabolic processes in the spine (B1, B6, B12).
Osteochondrosis can lead to serious consequences
yes.Due to compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots, osteochondrosis can cause paralysis, and if the vertebral artery is compressed, loss of consciousness.
Exercises to "stretch" the spine help improve your condition
Stretching, or traction, allows you to increase the intervertebral space, relieve pain and restore the correct anatomical shape of the spine.However, the individual load must be calculated correctly."Too much" can lead to a 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 with significant severity of the pathology, by a neurosurgeon or orthopedic-vertebrologist.
A local doctor can also prescribe drug therapy to relieve an aggravation.