Recently, more and more people began to suffer from osteochondrosis. With this disease, there is a disruption in the normal functioning of the intervertebral discs.
Recently, more and more young people, over eighteen years old, began to suffer from pain in the spine. First of all, the ligaments and bones of the spine begin to suffer. If osteochondrosis occurs, treatment should be started immediately. It is preliminarily recommended to find out what chondrosis is.
Causes and stages of osteochondrosis
The main cause of osteochondrosis is not observed, while there are many provoking factors. Experts say that this may be due to the fact that the deposition of calcium begins, which is not absorbed by the bone tissue. This occurs when there is a violation of blood circulation, curvature of the spine.
There are the following causes of osteochondrosis:
- physical overvoltage;
- excess weight;
- strong loads in the spine;
- heredity;
- frequent hypothermia;
- stressful situations;
- irregular foot shape;
- unbalanced diet;
- inactive lifestyle.
The disease is more common in women than in men. Often, osteochondrosis of the back arises if a person does not sit properly or sleeps on a very high pillow. It is difficult to determine the pathology, because the disease can occur in people at any age. The causes of osteochondrosis are different, and it is not so easy to detect them.
There are degrees of osteochondrosis, and it is worth noting that at the first it will be difficult to find pathology. The patient does not complain that he has vivid symptoms, he may feel slight weakness, discomfort in the spine. Indeed, in fact, such signs of chondrosis can speak of various diseases.
This pathology may not make itself felt and proceed secretly. In fact, at the first degree, osteochondrosis is often found completely by accident during various examinations. With osteochondrosis of the second degree, you can notice that the back is already starting to hurt, which means that changes are taking place in the cartilage tissue.
If the patient does not consult a doctor and effective treatment is not provided to him, then the intervertebral clefts will begin to become smaller, and the nerve or vessels will be pinched. Most often, pain is removed at this degree with certain drugs. The disease can bring inconvenience and pain, the patient then has to go to see a doctor.
With osteochondrosis at the third stage, the development of lordosis, scoliosis begins and a hump forms. Complex therapy can only slightly improve the spine and remove some defects. It is imperative to know the causes of osteochondrosis. At the fourth degree, changes are already taking place that cannot be corrected in any way. The patient can hardly walk, because even if you turn slightly, unbearable pain occurs. He will have seals in the cartilaginous tissues, and the vertebrae will shift.
At this degree of illness, patients are likely to experience disability. A person should know how chondrosis differs from osteochondrosis. For this, it is necessary to consider the features of pathologies. Chondrosis is the initial stage of osteochondrosis. It develops in different parts of the spine. At the same time, with significant violations, osteochondrosis is already diagnosed.
Symptoms
The symptoms of chondrosis are extremely unpleasant, and first of all, there is discomfort in the back. Everything will depend on the patient's degree of illness.
First of all, the patient is sent for diagnosis in order to identify the causes of osteochondrosis. The patient may constantly feel fatigue in the back, pain in the neck and chest. Symptoms will depend on how advanced the osteochondrosis of the spine is.
Symptoms appear as follows:
- intense pain syndrome;
- muscle spasms;
- limbs may go numb;
- severe headaches;
- can shoot in the spine;
- frequent fainting and dizziness;
- points in front of the eyes;
- high blood pressure;
- unbearable neck pain.
If even minor pain sensations arise, this may indicate not only that there is osteochondrosis of the back, but also about other diseases.
Already when a person is over forty, then his intervertebral discs do not accumulate fluid. Therefore, they become not as flexible as they were before. They are usually more likely to flatten, or the intervertebral discs may extend beyond the spine.
Painful sensations occur due to sneezing or coughing. If the symptoms of osteochondrosis do not go away even after a few weeks, then you need to visit a medical facility. Then the doctor will refer first of all to the diagnosis. Then he will be able to prescribe the correct and effective treatment for osteochondrosis.
Types of osteochondrosis
You need to know that there are different types of osteochondrosis. It all depends on where exactly the pathology occurs. There are three types of the disease, and you need to know which one may bother a person in a particular situation.
There are the following types:
Cervical.Such a disease can occur due to the fact that there has been a strong load in the neck area. The thyroid gland is located nearby, and with osteochondrosis it cannot do its job normally. There is often pressure on the vessels that provide oxygen to the tissues. Because of this, there may be a lack of air, and cell death begins.
You need to know that the brain is almost completely dependent on the vessels. If blood flow is disturbed, it can affect the respiratory and heart organs. With osteochondrosis, there are constant headaches, impaired hearing and vision, frequent loss of consciousness. Difficulty moving the head, numbness and pain in the arms may occur. If such symptoms occur, it is necessary to urgently begin treatment of osteochondrosis.
Chest.It is difficult for specialists to conduct an examination of this disease. Most often, the doctor hardly manages to understand whether these are just painful attacks or heart attacks. With osteochondrosis of this type, there may be complications in the liver, kidneys, stomach, pancreas.
Most often, pain occurs in the form of shots in the back and chest. There are sharp and strong painful sensations with osteochondrosis, and a failure occurs in the respiratory system. There may also be constant discomfort in the spine, and this leads to the fact that it is difficult to walk.
Lumbar.Most often, it is this department that suffers, with osteochondrosis, strong pain sensations appear in the back, and can also go to the hips and buttocks. The pain subsides when the person lies down to rest. Discomfort may occur with sudden movements.
This pathology leads to poor blood circulation in the lower back, stiffness occurs. The muscles begin to weaken and the posture becomes bent, so it is difficult to move normally. The attending physician will tell you in detail how to deal with osteochondrosis.
If the symptoms appear often, and the pain becomes stronger each time, then you need to contact a medical institution. The specialist will be able to identify the types of osteochondrosis and prescribe a comprehensive examination and treatment.
Diagnostics
The doctor can make an accurate diagnosis of osteochondrosis after the patient undergoes a complete examination. First of all, the patient must be examined by a neurologist. Diagnostics is carried out when a person is lying or sitting. The specialist looks at how he feels in motion, as well as in a prone position. A thorough examination of posture may also be done, with the doctor probing the spine.
Determines the nature and intensity of pain, where exactly it bothers the patient. It also checks for muscle tension in the ridge area. After all, if a muscle spasm occurs, then this may indicate not only that there are signs of osteochondrosis, but also completely other diseases.
The following diagnostics are prescribed to detect the disease:
Radiography.With this procedure, you can see how high the intervertebral discs are. Disorders of the vertebrae and whether bone growths are present. Diagnostics is done in two ways, when the patient is on his back and on his side. The image in two positions helps to find changes in the work of the spine.
Magnetic resonance imaging.With the help of this study, you can see the vessels and nerve endings. An MRI scan finds osteochondrosis of the spine, as well as the exact location of a hernia or pinched nerve.
CT.This examination makes it possible to see a high-quality image of the spine. The procedure is completely painless and does not bring discomfort to the patient.
If the diagnosis is made correctly, it will help to start the treatment of osteochondrosis as soon as possible. At the first symptoms, it is best to see a doctor right away. After all, if you ignore the disease, then it can lead to serious consequences.
Treatment
In order to cure osteochondrosis, you must definitely consult a doctor. He will find the cause of the disease and prescribe the correct treatment. In severe cases, it is necessary to carry out surgical intervention, since without it it is impossible to cure the disease in its advanced form.
Treatment of osteochondrosis includes the following: the use of drugs, manual treatment, remedial gymnastics, proper nutrition, massage.
It all depends on the stage at which the osteochondrosis of the spine is. The therapy can last up to three months, and it also takes another year to consolidate the result of the treatment. Medical therapy or surgery is being performed. Most often, people who have discovered symptoms of osteochondrosis do not know which doctor is best to go to.
A good option would be to visit a therapist first, since you cannot hesitate with such a disease. He knows exactly how to treat osteochondrosis of the spine, and can also refer to other doctors. The specialist will conduct an external examination and refer you to a neurologist. The doctor will prescribe the patient to undergo a full study, only then effective treatment of chondrosis will be prescribed.
Drug treatment
Medicines help relieve inflammation and restore the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. They also stop osteochondrosis of the spine and reduce pain. With osteochondrosis, not only drug treatment is used, you also need to follow a diet and do special exercises.
Drugs that help prevent disease and relieve pain:
- anti-inflammatory drugs: ibuprofen;
- antispasmodics: tizanidine;
- tablets that help improve blood circulation pentoxifylline, vitamin B;
- preparations for the regeneration of cartilage tissue;
- ointments to eliminate symptoms: diclofenac;
Before using these medicines, you should consult your doctor. You never need to self-medicate, this can lead to serious consequences. Before the doctor prescribes treatment for osteochondrosis of the spine, you need to undergo a complete examination.
Manual treatment and massage
How to get rid of osteochondrosis using manual treatment? With its help, you can only remove severe pain and improve posture. Visceral therapy is often used. It makes it possible to work well the joints and help to normalize blood flow. Immunity will also be strengthened, and this will prevent the exacerbation of chronic diseases.
Many people think what to do with osteochondrosis, doctors recommend including massage in treatment. It helps relieve muscle spasms well and quickly strengthens them, and the patient will feel much better. The massage procedure is done for pain in the spine, as well as if there is atrophy of the back muscles. The massage is done to relieve pain.
A session for osteochondrosis has several types: classic, segmental-reflex, point.
How to treat osteochondrosis with massage procedures. A regular massage is done on your own, it will help tone the muscles and remove pain.
First you need to stroke the spine with light movements. Then you need to begin to stretch the muscles of the neck, lower back, chest. You can pinch these places and apply light pressure where it hurts the most. It is also best to make circular motions with your palms.
Preventive measures and diet
Can osteochondrosis be cured with proper nutrition? The diet helps to remove the load on the spine, and it is important that there was an effective treatment for chondrosis. You need to choose a balanced diet and reduce salt intake. There must be all the nutrients in the body in order to speed up recovery. The diet helps to normalize the metabolism, to prevent salt deposition in the spine. If there is a decrease in excess weight, then this will help speed up the treatment of back osteochondrosis.
Foods to eat: fermented milk products and milk, fruits, lean meat, rye bread, nuts, vegetables and herbs, buckwheat porridge, eggs, fish.
You need to try to completely eliminate foods that contain sugar. It is prohibited to consume alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. You need to eat about five times a day. It is best to steam or bake food. Refuse flour, spicy, fatty and salinity. For the whole day, you need to drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water. It is advisable not to consume strong tea and coffee. Now a person knows what osteochondrosis is and how to treat it.
If you adhere to the correct prevention, then you will not even need to know how to treat chondrosis. First of all, try not to lift weights and perform small physical activities.
Stop spending a lot of time at the computer and TV. If a person works and leads a sedentary lifestyle, you need to do exercises at least several times a day.
Osteochondrosis, the symptoms are obvious. The disease can lead to back discomfort and pain. If the first signs of osteochondrosis appear, then you need to see a doctor. It is not recommended to self-medicate, this can lead to serious complications. The specialist will send you for examination, will be able to find the reasons and prescribe the correct and effective treatment.