Spinal osteochondrosis: Causes and treatments

Up to 76% of people experience back pain every year. This statistics affects people of all ages and majors. The causes of pain may be different, and one of them is osteochondrosis in the spine. Due to the sedentary lifestyle, bone cartilage in the spine is increasingly discovered, and it is not always possible to defeat it by yourself. Let's talk about why it appears and how to deal with it.

What is osteochondral disease in the spine

There are several different perspectives on the definition. Some experts believe that using the general name - back pain or nonspecific back pain is correct. Difficulties in definition are also related to the fact that various specialists are related to the disease - neurologists, orthopedics, neurosurgeons and general practitioners. Sometimes, people diagnosed with "spine osteochondrosis" become cardiologists because the disease manifests very similarly to heart pain.

Hilderandt proposed the term "spine osteochondrosis" in 1933 as a multifactorial degenerative disease in the motor segment of the spine. What is a spinal movement segment? These are two vertebrae located on each other, between them - a disc. Because of such joints, a person's spine can be bent and bent, tilted and twisted. But for different reasons, the disc loses its properties, degeneration, and then gradually affects the vertebrae itself. That is to say, the essence of osteochondrosis in the spine lies in the gradual destruction of the intervertebral disc.

Osteocartilage can develop in any spine.

Osteochondrosis is most commonly found due to the high loadLumbar spine. Symptoms are:

• Lower back pain, which may be sharp or stupid, constant, can be exacerbated when moving;
• It can cause pain in the bones and pelvic organs.
• In severe cases, sensitivity or mobility is violated, and atrophy of the lower limb muscles may occur.

The second type of osteochondrosis occurs in the cervical spine, such as when working on a computer or using a document, which is usually associated with uncomfortable head postures on the head. Osteochondral diseaseCervical spineIt is manifested by the following symptoms:

• Headache and dizziness, migraine;
• Visual impairment or hearing, "flies" flash in front of your eyes;
• Pain can be brought to the head, shoulders, and the back of streptococci;
• The sensitivity in the hands may be impaired.

Osteochondrosis is the most unlikely to be surprisedThoracic spine, because the vertebrae are not active with each other. Failure in this area can be concealed as the heart or lungs. Symptoms of sternum osteochondrosis in the spine:

• Back pain in the shoulder blade bone, chest, tiles can be used during inspiration or exhale, turning, turning aggravate;
• Skin sensitivity disorders.

Regardless of the level of injury, the pain of osteochondrosis in the spine can be exacerbated because of those vertebrae involved in the process.

Due to the damage to multiple departments, we can immediately talk about common osteochondrosis in the spine.

Risk factors and causes of disease

The spine has high strength, and the role of several outrageous factors is necessary for the development of the disease. It is important to understand that most, if not all, may affect the possibility of this disease.

• Lack of exercise - At the same time, the blood supply deteriorates, and therefore the nutrition of all elements of the spine;
• Excessive physical exercise is also harmful and can lead to disc damage;
• Long-term stay in an incorrect non-physiological state - the inappropriate height of the tabletop or chair causes a person to be forced to constantly tilt his head, intuition;
• Pressure - Excessive tension of the muscles can cause compression of blood vessels that feed the spine;
• Overweight;
• Smoking can worsen the microcirculation of all tissues in the body;
• Inadequate use of water and protein is also affected by disc status.

The direct causes of spinal osteocartilage degeneration are not always obvious, but the following options can be distinguished:

• Genetic tendency - genetic programming characteristics of cartilage and bone tissue, where wear and tear is faster;
• Spine injury - Various complications may occur at the site of the injury, including osteocartilage;
• Professionally harmful, such as vibration;
• exposure to infection or chemicals;
• Natural aging of the body.

Development of spinal osteochondrosis in risk areas is a variety of professionals. These are builders and athletes, surgeons and office workers.

Osteochondrosis and the stages of possible complications

A description of the four stages of spinal osteochondrosis was proposed in 1971. They are not used to make a diagnosis, but to give you an idea of how the disease proceeds.

1. The disc becomes less elastic. The disk can be slightly deformed, and the internal slurry inside the disk moves. This stage either does not show in any way or there is a slight pain.
2. In the second stage, the crack may appear in the disk, weakening of the surrounding ligaments. The connection of the vertebrae becomes unstable. There is acute pain and disability attack.
3. The third stage is characterized by complete damage to the intervertebral disc. When the pulp pulposus exits outside the disk, a hernia of the intervertebral disc occurs. Spinal deformation or nerve root invasion may occur.
4. In the fourth stage, the surrounding fabric is affected - vertebrae, ligaments, spinal shells. As a result, the spinal segment may lose its mobility completely.

Due to osteochondrosis in the spine, various complications occur in some cases. Problems with intervertebral discs, hernia and protrusions can lead to narrowing of the spinal ducts, compression of the spinal cord and disability.

Depending on the level of damage, neural root involvement can have various problems. This is intercostal neuralgia, impaired sensitivity and motor function of the upper and lower limbs, and violation of internal organ work. Inflammation of the sciatic nerve, or Isians, can not only cause severe pain, but also cause diseases of the pelvic organs and infertility.

In addition to the nerve roots with osteocartilage, the vertebrae can be squeezed. If blood flow in the vertebral artery that violates the cervical vertebrae, brain disease, vision problems or hearing, breathing or heart activity can develop.

Methods for diagnosing and treating osteochondrosis: universally accepted and alternative approaches

Within the official medical frameworkDiagnosis of osteochondrosisIt includes examinations for neurologists to determine the extent of damage to the nerve roots, test reflexes and sensitivity.

In the instrument method, the following methods can be used:

• Ultrasound of blood vessels allows you to determine the extent of circulating disease, such as in vertebral arteries;
• Spinal radiography;
• CT also uses an X-ray method, but allows you to build three-dimensional images of the study area and even identify small vertebrae displacements.
• MRI specializes in soft tissue research, allowing you to evaluate the condition of the spinal cord and visualize the internal structure of the intervertebral disc.

Used for differential diagnosis, laboratory tests, general blood and urine tests, and calcium metabolism indicators.

Osteochondrosis therapyThis is comprehensive.

• The first and very important method of treating osteochondrosis is a way of life. Working conditions, moderate and regular physical exercise, and normalization of healthy sleep significantly improved the patient's condition.
• For medications to treat spinal bone cartilage, a neurologist or general practitioner may prescribe medication. Most commonly, prescribe non-replacement anti-inflammatory drugs – which is the standard for treating osteochondrosis of the spinal cord. They relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Myotoxins can cause reduced muscle spasms. Prescribe vitamins and antioxidants to protect nerve tissue from damage. However, any medication has side effects, such as NSAID can have a negative impact on the stomach.
• In addition to medications, physical therapy products are also used, such as massage of spinal bone cartilage and manual treatment. In severe osteochondrosis complications, surgical procedures may be required, but are only prescribed without prolonged conservative treatment.

In most cases, treating osteochondrosis in classical medicine is a long process that can have a negative impact on human health. Therefore, many drugs, especially painkillers and muscle relaxants (especially with sedative effects), may lead to addiction, and some methods have negative effects on the work of the gastrointestinal tract. As an alternative, you can consider the methods used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine is very popular all over the world, with special centers and training courses in many countries. The treatments and approaches in the Middle Kingdom differ from familiar, European views on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. All diseases are considered to be an invasion of the energy balance and movement in the body, and treatment measures are designed to restore this balance. China uses a variety of therapeutic herbs, animal ingredients, minerals, and various external influence methods such as acupuncture and initiation. These methods have a wide range of indications and a minimum number of side effects.

Needle prick

The synonym for this method is acupuncture, reflexology. The treatment principle through acupuncture is to set the needle as a biologically active point. Each point is related to the organ that performs the impact. Reflexology can relieve and muscle cramps, have anesthetic effects, and help reduce pain syndrome. This method is safe because most doctors use disposable sterile needles. If the needle is coated with a gold or silver coating, it is mandatory. Feelings during the surgery depend on the individual's sensitivity and the patient may feel tingling or numb. Importantly, the program is conducted by highly qualified experts with extensive experience. Incorrect needle installation will be useless or even harmful. In some cases, acupuncture is combined with the effects of weak dose currents.

Moksotherapy

This is a specific method to use a special worm cigar to affect active points. The principle of action is similar to acupuncture and is usually used in combination. Smolder cigars are installed in special wooden houses, while active points are heated. Warmwood has a disinfectant, soothing and relaxing effect.

This method is safe because the stuffy areas of the cigar do not have contact with the skin, although in some areas in China, direct methods of acting on the skin are also used.

massage

Chinese massage practices several different schools in China. They use a rotation technique, pressing a finger on the manual treatment method. Traditional massage techniques allow you to build muscles and joints and act indirectly on other organs and tissues, thus helping increase the body's protection.

Qigun

Traditional Chinese gymnastics, such as massage, have several schools. Qigong, smooth, stretched and twisted movements are the perfect movement of spinal movements for osteochondrosis. Qigong technology does not require special equipment and can be performed at home. However, before this, it is best to choose the right exercises with the doctor under the guidance of a qualified expert and develop the correct execution skills.

China has a high level of science and medicine, and the combination of tradition and innovation can bring amazing results. An example of how Chinese science has achieved is DNA therapy and DNA vaccine methods - these methods are currently used to develop cancer treatments and anti-HIV.

prevention

Regardless of the treatment you choose, there are many effects on preventing osteochondrosis. What can be done for spinal health:

• Use sufficient amount of water;
• Control the weight and don’t eat enough;
• If necessary, choose the right shoes - orthopedic insoles;
• Choose a good mattress to sleep, not very soft and provide enough support for the spine;
• Eat foods rich in collagen (fish, Türkiye, jelly, various jelly);
• Regular physical exercise;
• With growth in mind, adjust the height of the tabletop and stool.

As for alternative preventive methods, massage, qigong and acupuncture have established their own status well - for reasons above that are very understandable and described.

It is important to remember that in back pain, you can fight against you. To change your lifestyle, you don’t have to wait for the first sign of illness. You can already stand up from your computer, rub your neck, and include a walk or massage on your business list. And if the osteocartilage of the spine becomes a peacefully disturbing life issue, the joint efforts of science and traditional medicine will help restore the health and happiness of exercise.