Osteochondrosis

If the lower back, back or neck hurts, it is difficult to straighten up, the spine contracts - many people self-diagnose: “of course - osteochondrosis!”The reasons for this “disease” seem extremely clear: we live in the 21st century, we move little, we don’t eat well...

However, in reality everything is a little more complicated.

What is it - osteochondrosis of the spine?How appropriate is this diagnosis?And what happens in the spine?

In scientific terms, osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease (that is, it leads to premature “aging”, “wear and tear”) of the spine (in fact, it can also affect other joints).The pathological process begins in the intervertebral discs and gradually spreads to the vertebrae.

Osteochondrosis of the spine - is there such a diagnosis?

In English-speaking medicine, this term denotes a completely different group of diseases that have nothing to do with our “native” osteochondrosis.In the International Classification of Diseases, a book that all neurologists should consult when making a diagnosis, there are terms such as “adult osteochondrosis of the spine”, “juvenile osteochondrosis of the spine” and “unspecified osteochondrosis of the spine”.

However, sometimes this diagnosis is not made completely justified, when the doctor actually cannot fully understand what is happening to the patient.This term can cover diseases such as:

• Myofascial pain syndrome– a condition in which spasm occurs constantly in the same muscles.
• Muscle injuries.After an injury, the pain begins to bother and after a while disappears on its own.
• Otolithiasis– a condition in which calcium salt crystals accumulate in the inner ear.They lead to dizziness - they are sometimes confused with a manifestation of spinal diseases.
• Headaches.They are also often associated with degenerative changes in the cervical spine.In fact, more often they have other reasons.

Treatment of spinal osteochondrosis

The standard set of treatment measures for exacerbation of the disease looks like this:

• Anti-inflammatories and analgesics..
• If the pain is very strong and does not go away- novocaine blockades are used.The doctor, equipped with a needle and syringe, injects the anesthetic into special locations where it blocks the transmission of pain nerve impulses.
• Physiotherapy helps:medicinal electrophoresis with anesthesia, ultrasound, ultraviolet irradiation, diadynamic currents.
• If pain forces you to be constantly in nervous tension,Prescribe medication to help calm him down.
• To the area of paindry heat is applied.
• To unload the column,Different types of traction are used.The patient can be placed on a special bed with a raised headboard and secured with rings in the armpits.Underwater traction in the pool is also used.
• Your doctor may recommendyou should visit a chiropractor, acupuncture sessions.
• During an exacerbationuse special orthopedic devices that help relieve muscles and support the spine - corsets, Shants collar.

When the exacerbation passes, it is necessary to take measures to help prevent a new one.Therapeutic exercises and massages help strengthen the muscles that support the spine.Physiotherapy courses are prescribed.Swimming is good for you.All methods of treating osteochondrosis have contraindications, they must be used wisely, therefore self-medication is not the best choice.Visit your doctor.

Sometimes the symptoms of the disease, despite treatment, continue to increase and the patient's condition worsens.In this case, the neurologist may raise the question of surgical treatment.

Why should you visit a doctor soon?Firstly, “real” osteochondrosis is not such a harmless disease.Over time, it can make a person disabled if left untreated.Secondly, the symptoms can be caused by the same myofascial pain syndrome - a neurologist will be able to quickly detect the cause of the pain and eliminate it. 

Back pain is a symptom that, according to statistics, more than 90% of people experience at least once in their lives.Most often it is attributed to osteochondrosis.Not everyone who experiences back pain goes to the doctor.Many people treat themselves with medications that can be obtained without a prescription at a pharmacy or with folk remedies.Sometimes such “treatment” brings temporary relief - but in the meantime, the disease can continue to progress, and perhaps the next time the back or lower back will “twist” much harder.

An experienced neurologist will be able to correctly assess the symptoms of osteochondrosis, understand its causes and prescribe the correct treatment for osteochondrosis.

Pain, the main manifestation of osteochondrosis, can be fought more or less successfully for a long time with the help of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as some folk remedies.But this doesn't solve the main problem;pathological changes in the spine continue to increase.

Over time, this is fraught with compression of the spinal cord and the arteries supplying it, and the development of serious neurological complications: severe weakening, up to complete loss of movement and sensitivity, loss of control over the bladder and rectum.

What symptoms usually manifest in spinal osteochondrosis?

A typical manifestation of the disease is pain.As a rule, they hurt, are constantly uncomfortable, accompanied by a feeling of numbness, pain in the arms and legs.Typically, the pain intensifies during sudden movements, lifting weights, physical work, sneezing, coughing and prolonged stay in a monotonous, uncomfortable position.

The muscles around the spine respond to pain.Tension arises in them.Because of this, the patient can be in an antalgic position – one in which the pain does not bother them as much.Gradually this leads to curvature of the spine.

Over time, if the disease is not treated, the pain intensifies and becomes unbearable.Other signs of osteochondrosis occur:

• Sensitivity is impaired, there is a sensation of numbness, tingling and “crawling” in the arms and legs.
• Limb muscles weaken and decrease in size over time - atrophy develops.
• With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, patients complain of headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, “spots” and bright spots before the eyes.
• In thoracic osteochondrosis, pain in the heart is dull.The person may experience a sensation “as if a stake had been driven into the chest.”
• If compression of the nerve roots of the spine occurs (for example, during the formation of a herniated disc, bony protrusions in the vertebrae), severe sharp pains occur.

Correct treatment of the symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis

The key to effective treatment is correct and timely diagnosis.During a neurological exam at the clinic, a specialist doctor will assess your symptoms and the degree of impairment of certain nerve functions.

Here you can have an examination using new, modern equipment - this will help you understand in detail what is happening with your spine, nerve roots, surrounding tissues and muscles.

Treatment should not be directed solely against the symptoms of osteochondrosis.You need to try to eliminate the cause and, if this is not possible, understand how it is most effective to keep the disease under control and prevent it from progressing.The neurologist will draw up the correct treatment program and adjust it taking into account changes in your condition.

To defeat the enemy, you need to know him by sight.This is the case with any disease: a careful examination by a doctor, modern instrumental studies and laboratory tests help to establish an accurate diagnosis, understand what is happening in the patient's body and prescribe effective treatment for osteochondrosis.

The main manifestation of osteochondrosis is back pain, a symptom that can occur with many other diseases.To establish the exact cause and deal with it, you need the help of a specialist. 

Neurological examination in the diagnosis of osteochondrosis: what is the appointment like at the neurologist's office?

During your appointment, your doctor will ask you a few questions:

• What complaints bother you?
• Where does the pain usually occur?
• How long does the pain last?How strong is she?
• What is the nature of the pain: is it stabbing, shooting, aching, pulling?
• When do your symptoms usually occur?What causes them?
• When and after what do you feel best?

The doctor will then perform a neurological examination, checking skin sensitivity, muscle strength and tone, reflexes, sense of balance and coordination of movements.The neurologist may press specific points near the spine to determine pain.After that, to clarify the diagnosis, an examination program will be prescribed.

Our neurologists work according to the same standards: they will examine you carefully, won't miss anything, and prescribe all the necessary tests.

What diagnostic methods are used for osteochondrosis?

Most often, the following diagnostic methods are prescribed for osteochondrosis:

• Radiography.It is performed in at least two projections: frontal and profile.If necessary, photographs are taken in other positions.
• X-ray contrast studies.To further examine pathological changes in the spine, you may be injected with a contrast agent solution into the spinal canal (myelography), intervertebral disc (discography), and blood vessels (angiography).These studies are carried out only for special indications.
• Computed tomography.It helps to examine bone structures in more detail, compared to radiography, to detect a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc and bone growths on the vertebrae.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.Helps detect changes in soft tissues with high accuracy.

Your doctor may also prescribe other diagnostic methods for osteochondrosis.The specialist will make sure you make an appointment with the right doctor and undergo all the necessary tests, so you don't have to pay extra for unnecessary procedures.

Prevention of osteochondrosis

To keep your back healthy, follow these recommendations:

• Your nutrition must be complete.
• You need regular physical activity.If you have chronic illnesses, consult your doctor and ask him to recommend a suitable gym complex.
• Maintain a normal weight - this will help prevent not only osteochondrosis, but also many other “sores”.
• If you have a sedentary job, take breaks more often to walk and stretch.
• Lift weights correctly.Do not bend at the waist.Keep your back straight – your legs should do the work.

Osteochondrosis belongs to a group of diseases that are scientifically called “degenerative pathologies”.In other words, these are diseases in which the vertebrae, intervertebral discs and joints themselves “wear out” prematurely, “age” (this is not a completely accurate explanation, but in general it helps to roughly imagine what is happening with the spine).But what causes this premature wear?

Why does osteochondrosis occur?

Spinal osteochondrosis is a disease that does not have a specific cause.Several factors lead to its occurrence:

• Injuries.Osteochondrosis can become a loud echo of a previously suffered fracture or ligament damage.
• Microtraumas.They can be caused by similar frequent movements in the spine, prolonged stay in a monotonous and uncomfortable position.
• Congenital anomalies of the spine.They are different: non-fusion of the vertebral arches, changes in the number of vertebrae in the lumbar and sacral region, incorrect location of the articular processes in the lumbar region.A person may not suspect their entire life that they have one of these conditions, and then when their back “hurts,” the abnormality is revealed during an examination.
• Autoimmune conditionsin which immune cells appear in the intervertebral discs, attacking the body's own tissues.
• Circulatory disorders.The spinal tissues no longer receive the necessary amount of oxygen-rich blood.

Who gets osteochondrosis most often?

Certain conditions contribute to back problems:

• Sedentary lifestyle, low physical activity.Office workers are most at risk.
• Overweight.Every extra kilogram adds stress to the spine.
• Excessive physical activity.Overload during training in athletes.
• Poor nutrition.In order for the vertebrae, ligaments and muscles to be strong and bear loads, they must receive the necessary substances - “building material”.
• Previous injuries to the neck, back and lower back.
• Untreated postural disorders, scoliosis.
• Constant standing, working in a forced and uncomfortable position, when you often have to stand or sit hunched over for a long time.
• If you have close relatives with osteochondrosis, your risks also increase.

What happens to the spine during osteochondrosis?

The development of osteochondrosis is mainly based on the “wear and tear” of the intervertebral disc.Its structure changes at the molecular level.At first, the intervertebral disc swells, then “dries up”, its height decreases, it begins to protrude beyond the vertebral body, and cracks and tears appear on its outer part.Through them, vessels grow inside, the disc becomes denser and calcification begins in it.The vertebra becomes loose.

Then the degenerative process spreads to the vertebrae themselves and the intervertebral joints.The muscles surrounding the affected part of the spine are constantly under tension and compactions appear in them.

To compensate for the increased load on the vertebrae, bone protrusions (osteophytes) appear, increasing their surface.

Depending on where the pathological changes occur, cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis are distinguished.Two or all three sections may be affected at the same time.