Spinal osteochondrosis: symptoms, causes, treatment

Spinal osteochondrosis is a disease in which the structure and function of the intervertebral disc and cartilage are impaired. It is accompanied by regular pain because the affected tissue must provide mobility and flexibility of the spine. According to ICD 10, it belongs to the group of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, code-M42. The essence of the disease is that the intervertebral disc is compressed when the spine is under load, which leads to the destruction or deformation of the intervertebral disc. This can cause nerve endings to be damaged, causing pain and swelling. A neglected osteochondrosis of the spine can cause disability.

Causes of spinal osteochondrosis

What disease is this and where does it come from? In most cases, this disease will appear in people 40 years later. This is due to age-related salt metabolism disorders and body dehydration. Factors that cause disease development:

• Bend over, causing the spine to bend;
• Undeveloped spinal muscles;
• Being in an uncomfortable position for a long time;
• Often carry heavy objects;
• Sedentary lifestyle related to work details;
• Metabolic disorders in the body;
• Genetic predisposition;
• The negative effects of chemicals on the body;
• Contagious metastatic disease;
• Nervous hypertension, pressure with neurological manifestations;
• Hormonal disorders in the body;
• Professional sports related to electrical loads;
• Spinal injury;
• The location changes drastically.

The important thing is to know!Unfavorable climatic conditions, periodic low temperature will promote the development of diseases! Therefore, you should protect yourself from these factors as much as possible.

Common symptoms of the disease

Osteochondrosis is always accompanied by pain and numbness. These diseases may also occur:

• Sharpness, cutting, shooting pain;
• Sore limbs;
• Dizziness and sometimes loss of consciousness;
• Dry and peeling skin;
• Sweating profusely;
• Low limb temperature.

Depending on which part of the spine the disease has progressed, other specific symptoms may appear.

Cervical osteochondrosis: signs

This is the most dangerous place for failure. After all, arteries pass through the neck area, which helps the brain to function properly. Due to the appearance of the disease, this artery is compressed and prevents the blood supply to the brain. As a result, patients experience severe headaches, dizziness, and general weakness. Concentration drops and memory deteriorates.

Accompanied by pain at the back of the neck, under the shoulder blades, forearms, and sometimes upper limb numbness.

Osteochondrosis of the sternal area

This type of disease is very rare, and the most common is damage to other parts of the spine. May be accompanied by such diseases:

• Pain between the shoulder blades;
• Deep breathing pain;
• Finger weakness and numbness.

In some cases, diseases in the chest area can cause discomfort in the heart area.

Lumbar osteochondrosis

The most common type of disease, because the lower back bears the greatest load in a person's life. May cause spinal osteochondrosis with nerve root syndrome. This disease is characterized by compression of the lumbar nerve roots, accompanied by various pains, and can radiate to the thighs, buttocks and other parts.

During development, the normal work of the lower limbs is disturbed, accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Tingling in the back of the leg;
• Weakness of the lower limbs;
• Numbness in the toes.

The genitourinary system and intestinal dysfunction may also occur.

The important thing is to remember!When the first symptoms appear, you should seek expert help! After all, advanced disease in a certain department can develop into multisegmental osteochondrosis of the spine, which includes the failure of all departments.

Stages of spine osteochondrosis

In modern medicine, the disease has 4 stages:

1. The degree of osteochondrosis of the spine. At this stage, this disease is difficult to detect. There are no obvious signs. There are only general minor illnesses, a slight weakness and uncomfortable feeling in the back, which is attributed to overwork. The disease progresses slowly and is usually found randomly during routine examinations.
2. 2 degree osteochondrosis of the spine. Pain symptoms appear due to the initial process of tissue destruction. If you seek help from experts in time, then this degree of disease can be cured quickly with medication.
3. 3 degree osteochondrosis of the spine. An irreversible cartilage deformation process begins, which is the cause of scoliosis, lordosis and humps. Treatment at this stage will improve the condition and minimize bending.
4. 4 degree osteochondrosis of the spine. In this final stage, a person will experience irreversible spinal tissue destruction. It became very difficult for the patient to move, which caused him unbearable pain.

The important thing is to know!The fourth stage of the disease causes the patient to become disabled! Therefore, in the first appearance, you need to consult a doctor and start timely treatment.

Disease diagnosis

New complaints from patients need to contact a specialist. To confirm the diagnosis, you should make an appointment with a neurologist or traumatologist. After detailed investigation and examination, they will send you to the following research:

• Magnetic resonance imaging;
• Ultrasound
• Electrocardiogram
• Radiography
• General analysis of blood and urine.

Based on the research conducted, doctors will draw conclusions based on the stage of the disease and prescribe effective treatments.

Treatment of spine osteochondrosis

You can influence the course of the disease in many ways. They are designed not only to relieve discomfort, but also to fully recover. The most effective treatment is:

medical treatement

They are designed to relieve pain, relieve inflammatory processes, restore cartilage tissue and prevent the dynamic development of diseases. It is very important to take vitamins during this period.

Chondroprotective agent

The treatment effect will not appear immediately, so a course of treatment is prescribed, which lasts approximately 2 months.

injection

Their use is intended to eliminate pain syndrome; injections have no therapeutic effect.

ointment

Using various ointments, creams or gels can help eliminate inflammation. They also have analgesic and warming effects.

acupuncture

For this type of surgery, the patient will be referred to a chiropractor. After all, only experienced experts can perform this operation qualitatively. Acupuncture helps relieve even intolerable severe pain, is beneficial to the nervous system, and normalizes hormones.

Cupping massage

The essence of the procedure is to apply a vacuum to the skin, which helps restore blood flow, eliminate toxins and improve the state of the entire body. Effectively relieve the feeling of pain. This type of massage cannot be performed on the spine itself, breasts, heart, and kidneys. Contraindications for using this procedure: Patients suffering from skin rash, heart disease and pregnancy.

1. Magnetic therapy. It is used as an additional method to treat osteochondrosis. Helps weaken the inflammatory process, relieve swelling, and regulate spinal muscles.
2. physiotherapy. It aims to restore the mobility of the spine, strengthen the back muscles, and normalize metabolism. It is very important not to overwork when exercising.
3. massage. Need to eliminate pain and strengthen muscles.

The important thing is to remember!Regardless of the stage of osteochondrosis, only a specialist can prescribe a treatment! He can choose a method or a complex treatment method.

Treat with folk remedies

To combat this disease, you can use traditional medicine recipes that are easy to prepare at home. For this, only natural ingredients are used.

garlic

To prepare the medicine, you need 200 grams of chopped garlic and pour 0. 5 liters of vodka or alcohol. Leave it in a cool place for 1 week, shaking it every day. After a while, use it as a back massage. Help relieve pain.

Bay leaf and juniper

You should eat 1 teaspoon. Original ingredients, ground into powder consistency. Grind with 100 grams of softened unsalted butter, and apply the resulting ointment to the affected area 3 times a day.

Sagebrush

This will require 1 tablespoon. Lake wormwood, pour 1 cup of boiling water. Persist for 3 hours. Strain the resulting broth and rub your back before going to bed.

The important thing is to remember!No matter which formula you choose for treatment, you need to consult your doctor! He may consider using homemade medicine as a supplementary treatment.

Army and spine osteochondrosis

Will they be recruited into the army after being diagnosed? In order to prevent a young person from doing military service, the following moments must exist:

• Intervertebral osteochondrosis;
• Strong tingling during physical activity;
• Clear signs of spinal deformity;

The important thing is to know!The feeling of pain should be confirmed by seeking medical help regularly! Only in this case, this young man is not suitable for military service.

Complications of the disease

Since the spine is the foundation of the musculoskeletal system, osteochondrosis can cause irreparable damage to health. The possible consequences of the disease:

• Herniated disc;
• Prickly pear;
• Vertebrae displacement.

This can lead to interruption of organ function and a decline in the immune system, which can lead to new serious diseases.

The important thing is to know!Neglecting osteochondrosis leads to disability! Therefore, when a disease occurs, treatment should be started immediately.

Prevention of spine osteochondrosis

To avoid the development of the disease, the following preventive measures should be taken:

1. diet. This is especially true for the elderly. The consumption of spicy, fat, canned and smoked foods needs to be minimized. You should also avoid excessive use of salt, coffee, chocolate, and alcoholic beverages. Proper nutrition helps to remove salt from the body.
2. Daily morning exercises. Light exercise helps keep the body healthy and strengthens the muscle system.
3. Orthopedic mattress. For rest, you should buy it, because healthy sleep and complete relaxation can minimize the possibility of illness.

Pay special attention to where you want to sleep. The most comfortable position of the spine is the embryo. In this situation, he was completely relaxed. It is best to use a small pillow. In these ways, you can protect your spine from excessive stress and give it the rest it needs.