Today in the article we will talk about the disease of the century - about osteochondrosis (in ordinary people called chondrosis). Previously, this disease was attributed to people over 50, but now it is "younger" and affects everyone, starting with children as young as 15.
As terrible as it sounds, more and more people are being diagnosed with osteochondrosis. According to statistics, almost 80% of the inhabitants of planet Earth suffer from this spinal disease.
Read more about the disease of civilization and how to live with it later in the article.
What is osteochondrosis?
This is a bone and cartilaginous disease, manifested by degenerative-dystrophic disorders of the cartilaginous structures of the spine, resulting in severe pain.
These degenerative disorders, that is, changes in the spine occur under the influence of normal life factors, that is, simply by doing something, standing, walking, moving, carrying heavy things, etc. harder work, it performs three main functions: support, protection (protects the spinal cord), and the function of depreciation when walking and other body movements due to intervertebral discs.
Gradually, during life, cartilage wears out, loses moisture, which causes microtears. There is a change in the height of the intervertebral discs and the vertebrae begin to irritate the spinal nerve, which causes flare-ups of pain.
When the intervertebral disc loses its elasticity, an excessive load on it leads to so-called protrusion and a hernia appears. It begins to affect the spinal nerve even more, in these cases, if we talk, for example, about cervical chondrosis, the pain radiates to the hands, one feels numbness in the fingers.
If you experience pain in your neck, thoracic spine, or lower back, we recommend that you contact a neurologist or vertebrologist, who deals specifically with conditions associated with the spine. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you will get rid of pain and reduce your risk of complications.
Reasons for the development of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis can develop for a number of reasons. Experts who study this disease believe that the main reason is the uneven and incorrect distribution of load on the spine. Therefore, in places of overload, a change in the structure of the intervertebral discs is observed.
However, there are other reasons that contribute to the development of the disease:
- heredity;
- age-related changes;
- congenital spinal injuries or injuries;
- metabolic failure, overweight;
- flat foot;
- rachiocampsis;
- concussions;
- various infectious diseases;
- spinal overload during sports;
- exposure to chemicals.
There are also so-called risk factors, the presence of which can cause the development of the disease:
- daily driving a car or working on a computer;
- enhanced and serious training in the gym;
- excess body weight;
- unhealthy diet;
- inactive lifestyle;
- smoke;
- hypothermia;
- nervous shocks;
- incorrect posture;
- uncomfortable shoes and high heels;
- drag weights;
- weakness of the back muscles;
- climate dependence, living in unsuitable weather conditions.
If you belong to one of these risk groups, be sure to adopt osteochondrosis prevention (slightly lower) to prevent osteochondrosis from developing.
types and symptoms
In total, there are four types of osteochondrosis. We'll talk about them in this section.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region
It is considered the most dangerous type of disease as the cervical vertebrae are very mobile and even a small load can cause them to dislocate. What is the danger? The fact is that this is where the vertebral artery passes - this is a vessel that affects pressure and the state of the brain. This artery supplies blood to areas of the brain responsible for blood pressure, the rhythm of heart contractions, and vestibular stability. When the vertebrae are displaced, the artery is compressed, due to which the blood flow is disturbed, respectively, the brain no longer receives enough blood. The consequences of this are headaches, blinking black dots ("flies") in the eyes, dizziness, jumping pressure, memory impairment, and decreased mental abilities in general.
Pain in the back of the neck, which radiates to the shoulder, under the shoulder blade, arm, fingers become numb.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
This is a rather rare disease as the thoracic spine is the least mobile and is well protected by ribs and muscles. The cause of the development of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is often scoliosis (curvature of the spine). It is quite difficult to recognize this particular disease, because its symptoms are very similar to other diseases, often thoracic osteochondrosis causes pain in the heart area, which mimics the symptoms of angina pectoris.
This disease manifests itself with pain in the spine between the shoulder blades, numbness and weakness of the muscles of the arms, twinges, aching pains in the region of the thoracic ribs, aggravated by deep inspiration.
lumbar osteochondrosis
It is considered the most common type of disease - osteochondrosis of the lumbar, because the greatest load falls on this particular part of the ridge. The lower back suffers most from a sedentary lifestyle. Due to the pinched nerves in this part of the spine, a person experiences persistent or sharp pain in the lower back, usually radiating to the back of the thigh and buttocks, down the leg.
Pain attacks are accompanied by numbness of the toes, tingling, crawling in the back of the legs. The normal functioning of the genitourinary system and intestines is disrupted.
Generalized osteochondrosis of the spine
It is characterized by the defeat of two or three ridge sections at the same time.
stages
In this section, we will talk about the stages of development of the disease and how they manifest themselves. There are 4 stages of spinal disease in modern medicine:
- 1 stage
In the first stage, it is quite difficult to diagnose this disease and, in principle, to suspect it in yourself. Patients experience general discomfort in their back and often attribute this to overwork, hard work, stress and don't even think about going to the doctor. The disease usually progresses slowly and latently, often discovered incidentally during a general examination of the patient (X-ray or MRI).
- 2 stages
The second stage is characterized by the occurrence of pain attacks, as the cartilage destruction process begins. In the absence of treatment, the size of the intervertebral discs rapidly decreases in the patient, they protrude slightly, this stage precedes the formation of a hernia. There is compression of the nerve roots, in fact, so there is a pain syndrome.
- 3 stages
In the third stage, patients experience serious changes in the spine. The development of lordosis, scoliosis, curvature of the upper part of the crest (kyphosis), a hump begins, a hernia of the intervertebral disc appears. Proper therapy, of course, will no longer be able to completely restore the spine, however, it will decently improve its condition and reduce defects such as a bulge or curvature.
- 4 stages
If the disease has reached the fourth stage, there are already irreversible changes in the spine. It becomes difficult to move because every movement causes terrible pain. Cartilage is compressed, vertebrae are displaced, bone tissue grows. Often, at this stage, patients receive a disability.
Medical treatment
After a specialist (orthopedist, neuropathologist, vertebrologist) makes a complete diagnosis and diagnoses osteochondrosis, he prescribes a complex therapy, which includes various treatment methods. With the right combination of them, you can get very good results in the treatment:
- preparations
First of all, the treatment is aimed at relieving the pain crises, for this painkillers and local analgesics are prescribed. Then, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and antioxidant therapy is performed. Then you need to restore normal blood circulation.
- exercise therapy
When the drug treatment is completed and the inflammation is removed, you can and should go to exercise therapy classes, in principle you can do the exercises at home on your own, but it is better to work with a specialist first, and then apply the knowledge acquired at home.
- Manual therapy
Manual therapy is also very useful, it helps to increase the distance between the vertebrae, release pinched nerves and blood vessels, facilitate and accelerate tissue healing. Dislocated vertebrae are removed. The main thing you need to pay attention to when choosing a chiropractor is whether he has a medical degree, neurologist certificate and chiropractor certificate. If at least something is missing, you should not be treated by this specialist.
- Acupuncture
Reflexology (acupuncture) is no less effective. It can be said that it produces a miraculous effect, almost from the first session you will feel its analgesic effect, the swelling will subside at the site of a pinched nerve and the muscle spasm caused by an attack of pain will be relieved. It relieves inflammation, removes the numbness of the fingers, which is characteristic of this disease, restores the passage of nerve signals.
- stone therapy
Stone therapy or stone therapy warms up the muscles very well, improves blood flow and nutrition of the intervertebral discs.
- magnetotherapy
With magnetotherapy, the patient will also be able to feel much better. It helps to reduce blood viscosity, improve nutrition of damaged tissues, reduce swelling, restore mobility and much more.
- Pool
Often patients are recommended special exercises in the pool, in addition to floating - this procedure allows you to completely relax the spine due to being in a saline solution, thanks to which the patient "floats" and the entire load is removed from the spine.
In principle, as a prevention of osteochondrosis, you can float in any SPA salon, this service is offered almost everywhere.
- Operation
In extremely severe cases, an operation is prescribed, during which the hernia and affected discs are removed and the structure of the spine is stabilized. Surgery is a great risk for the patient, so it is performed in an emergency.
At an early stage of osteochondrosis, you can get rid of it quickly and you will only need to do a few exercises to prevent its re-development. The therapy complex will be selected by the attending physician, taking into account all the characteristics of your body.
treatment at home
As we mentioned just above, it is important to perform the first exercises of exercise therapy under the supervision of a specialist so as not to overload the spine. But after a few sessions, you can do the exercises at home.
After home gymnastics, people diagnosed with spinal disease are advised to do self-massage, you can ask someone close to help you.
You need to start with gentle movements along the entire spine. Then the muscles of the neck, chest and lower back are kneaded in circular or pinching motions, it is not necessary to press hard with the fingertips. You can also rub the spaces between the ribs, also without pressing hard.
It is very important if you have a disease, which we are talking about in the article, to eat right. What diet to follow and what foods to exclude from the diet in the next section.
diet for osteochondrosis
Proper nutrition for chondrosis includes the use of products that contain substances that promote the formation of cartilage in the spine - mucopolysaccharides. Most of them are in various jellies, jellies, jellied fish. For dessert, jam is perfect, in which the main ingredient is gelatin, which, in turn, is saturated with mucopolysaccharide.
In addition, you need to drink a lot of water, its lack leads to damage to the intervertebral discs, and this leads to the first manifestations of the disease.
Vegetables and fruits are one of the most important foods for chondrosis, their use is necessary for the healthy functioning of the comb. They contain polyunsaturated fatty acids that the body needs.
What can and should you eat?
The body needs many trace elements:
- One of them is calcium, found in milk, almonds, hard cheeses, curd, legumes.
- Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium: eggs, sea fish, butter. In addition, it is recommended to be in the sun frequently.
- Calcium is stored in bone tissue only with a sufficient amount of magnesium in the body; is found in cucumbers, nuts and avocados.
- In addition, it is important to eat foods that contain phosphorus: fish, soy, peas, white cabbage.
- B vitamins are also very important for our disease, to get them you need to eat: beef, pork, mushrooms, seafood, cereals. Vitamin A is also helpful and is found in carrots, melons, pumpkins, and liver.
In general, as you can see, the diet is not terrible, you do not have to go hungry, just delete something from your menu, but there is something to replace these products.
What is not recommended to use
- The first thing to say is to reduce the amount of salt consumed. Especially if you have cervical osteochondrosis, a salt-free diet will be helpful.
- Prohibitions also include marinades, semi-finished products, spicy foods, pickles.
- Sweets, like salt, slows down blood circulation, and if we already have an interrupted blood supply to the brain, sweets will only make the situation worse.
- We excluded coffee and all types of sodas from the menu as they do a good job of flushing calcium from the body, as well as potassium, magnesium and other important minerals.
And, of course, it is very important to monitor your weight, especially with lumbar chondrosis, as the lower back already assumes all the main load, and if the body weight is large, imagine how difficult it is for him to bear it!
The diet can also be observed as a preventive measure, even if you do not have a diagnosis of osteochondrosis, all the vitamins and minerals shown in the chondrosis diet will be very helpful for your body.
Listen carefully to your body and don't be afraid to seek medical help if needed.
We wish you good health!