Many often hear, but do not know exactly what osteochondrosis is. In fact, this disease is not so rare. This disease is characterized by dystrophic-degenerative lesions of the vertebral tissues, further deformation of the discs between the vertebrae, as well as adjacent ligaments of the vertebral apparatus.
As a rule, the pathology negatively affects the ligaments first, then the bones and other tissues. Patients go to the doctor already when they start to feel regular pain.
Statistics show that osteochondrosis of the spine has from 50 to 90% of the world's population. Often the symptoms of osteochondrosis appear in people who have passed the 30-year mark, but there is a risk of manifestations even in teenagers.
Stages of disease development
In medicine, there are several stages of the course of the disease:
- in stage 1dehydration of the nucleus pulposus is observed, which in turn leads to the appearance of deformations in the annulus fibrosus. The initial stage is characterized by the development of symptoms within the vertebral disc. The signs of osteochondrosis are not pronounced. Treatment of osteochondrosis at this stage can be carried out with the help of exercise therapy and massage.
- in stage 2after changing the height of the disc and after dehydrating the ligament, the muscles begin to converge. This makes them relax. Signs of osteochondrosis also include excessive mobility in the area of the vertebrae. This, in turn, can cause the process of displacement of the vertebrae.
- in stage 3the signs of osteochondrosis become the most pronounced, as the patient may present intervertebral disc protrusion or even prolapse. Also, due to changes in the bones and muscles, the joints begin to suffer, which causes the formation of joints.
- in stage 4the patient's spine is already adapting to the changes that have occurred. The body makes efforts to immobilize the spine as much as possible to maintain its protective as well as musculoskeletal function. At the same time, osteophytes begin to spread to the intervertebral discs - bone growths that form on nearby vertebrae. The resulting osteophytes can cause injury to the nerve endings. The result is their murmur.
Causes of the disease
Signs of osteochondrosis may appear due to such reasons:
- spinal cord injury;
- predisposition to diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
- natural aging process;
- the presence of continuous physical overload.
- portliness;
- wrong attitude.
- the presence of constant vibrations - relevant for many professions, for example, drivers of large trucks.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of osteochondrosis may not appear immediately. The main symptoms include back discomfort as well as pain. The symptoms of osteochondrosis appear more often when the patient exposes the body to great physical stress. Also a symptom of the disease is the feeling of numbness in the extremities. When at least one of these signs appears, you need to pay attention to their nature and intensity - pain in the leg or hand can manifest itself in different ways. Additional signs of osteochondrosis are disc herniation, as well as protrusion or pinching of the nerve ending.
Osteochondrosis of the spine is of the following types, depending on location:
- in the area of the cervix;
- in the sternum area;
- in the lumbosacral region.
Treatment of the disease
Treatment of osteochondrosis includes a combination of the following methods:
- therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis or exercises.
- physiotherapy procedures (acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, electrical stimulation).
- diet for osteochondrosis;
- spinal traction;
- massage for osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis should be started as early as possible, but even in the last stages there are great chances to overcome the disease.
Exercise for osteochondrosis is one of the most effective methods of preventing and stopping the manifestations of the disease. Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis includes such exercises that can strengthen the muscles of the back and the whole body. It is necessary to exercise daily to achieve the result after a few sessions. Gymnastics for osteochondrosis includes popular exercises that are probably familiar to many, as they are used in the complex of morning exercises.
Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis not only contributes to quick recovery, but is also able to prevent the first symptoms of the disease from appearing. You can do exercise therapy for osteochondrosis instead of morning exercises.
Loading with osteochondrosis should align the abnormal spine, strengthen the corset of the back muscles, improve metabolism and blood circulation in the tissues. Proper exercise in osteochondrosis improves blood supply to the brain and helps to widen the gap between the vertebrae, which allows you to release previously pinched nerve endings. For a patient, doing exercises for osteochondrosis may only take a few minutes each day, but even this can lead to a noticeable reduction in the manifestations of the disease in a few weeks. And in the initial stages, exercise with osteochondrosis is not the main method of treatment at all.
Another advantage of exercise therapy for osteochondrosis is that the complex is designed for people of all ages, as it takes into account the age characteristics and capabilities of the body. Exercises for osteochondrosis can be done at home or perhaps in the clinic on special simulators. It should be noted that with high-quality and correct exercise, the treatment of osteochondrosis at home brings the same effective results as performing therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis in the clinic.
The diet for osteochondrosis should include lean meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruits. The diet for osteochondrosis provides for frequent eating (5-6 times a day). At the last meal of the day, you need to take a glass of fermented milk products.
The diet for osteochondrosis sharply limits the intake of legumes, grapes and their products, muffins, spices and various refined products. When the doctor draws up his osteochondrosis nutritional plan for the patient, he will also include bakery products containing bran, fruits, vegetables and berries (especially sea buckthorn).
Nutrition in osteochondrosis performs a restorative function of the body, supplying the cells with structural material. It is important to remember that a diet for osteochondrosis (as, indeed, for the prevention of various other diseases) includes careful chewing of food. The process of eating at the same time takes at least 15 minutes. The more saliva and gastric fluid are secreted, the greater the effect of a rational and balanced diet on osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis is also carried out with the help of massage. Massage for osteochondrosis is performed when the patient does not feel pain when touched. Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis reflexively affects painful areas by stimulating areas of the body that are not susceptible to disease. At the same time, massage for osteochondrosis should be started very gently so as not to cause discomfort in the form of muscle tension.
The technique according to which massage for osteochondrosis is performed suggests that the patient lies on his stomach in the most relaxed position during the session. The general goals pursued by massage for osteochondrosis are the following:
- eliminate pain;
- improvement of metabolism in the zone of occurrence of the disease.
- muscle relaxation;
- suppression of inflammatory processes in the area of the intervertebral disc.
Also, disputes about how to treat osteochondrosis at home do not subside. There are many alternative methods, but their use must be agreed with the attending physician. Now all doctors unanimously say that massage and exercises for osteochondrosis are the right ways to first reduce all the symptoms of the disease, and then completely overcome it.