Osteochondrosis- This is a column disease, or rather, its ligament apparatus.
In a nutshell, a violation of metabolism in intervertebral cartilage.
The name of osteochondrosis comes from the Greek words osteon - "bone" and condres - "cartilage". The essence of osteochondrosis is a distribution process in bone and cartilage, followed by its aging. The osteochondrosis of the spine in the classical medical sense is a degenerative lesion of the cartilage of the intervertebral disc and the reactive changes of the adjacent bodies of the spine. In general, it is accepted that everything starts with disc malfunction, but pain syndrome already occurs due to the neurological complications of this process.
There is an opinion that osteochondrosis is a disease, occurs as a result of the effects of many factors, both hereditary and acquired. People begin to feel manifestations of osteochondrosis more frequently after 35 years. The development and exacerbation of the spine osteochondrosis are facilitated by its macro and microtrauma, static and dynamic overloads, as well as vibrations.
An optimal payload in the vertebrae and intervertebral discs is when we keep the column in its natural position, which is conceived for us by nature. When this position changes, there is an inappropriate distribution of the load in the spine, which leads to a change in cartilage in places of excess pressure.
This can be caused:
- work associated with frequent changes in body position;
- Raise heavy load;
- Owned for a long time (for example, between schoolchildren and students)
- The wrong possession in the standing position, sitting, lying and carrying weights;
- Physical education and sports without taking into account the influence of great physical effort;
- injury, heavy physical work
Most of the time, several factors lead to the development of osteochondrosis. A certain place between them is occupied by stress, hypothermia, adverse climatic conditions (low temperature in combination with high humidity), several chemicals that enter the body with food and breathing. People with excess body mass. The causes of the development of osteochondrosis can be the congenital deficiency of the connective tissue (weakness of the ligamentary apparatus), a hormonal exchange, autoimmune diseases, trophic disorders in the joints, etc.
Osteochondrosis: degradation and destruction of intervertebral discs. Osteochondrosis is the cause of back pain in 80% of cases.
The mechanism of pain appearance can simplify in this way: the intervertebral disc does not resist the load and its bump is formed. Around the intervertebral disc there are nervous processes, vessels and spinal cord. The hernia of the disc, which affects any of the nerve processes causes its inflammation, which leads to pain.
The osteochondrosis of the cervical column is distinguished by a variety of symptoms. There is an unpleasant sensation in the hand, which extends from the shoulder and the forearm to the outer surface of the shoulder and the forearm to the fingers, numbness of this area, an increase or decrease in sensitivity, sometimes you have to get up at night and knead the muscles of the hands. The pain can be acute, shear and accompanied by a sensation of electric current. Often, the pain intensifies with a minimal load in the arm; Some patients cannot walk with a coat: it presses on their shoulders and seems exorbitantly heavy. The pain intensifies with cough, sneezing, tense and especially when leaning on the healthy side. Motor disorders may occur, more frequently in the hands, especially in the fingers. As a general rule, 2-3 the backbone of the spine are affected 2-3.
Sometimes, numbness, burning, tingling in the hands or legs is observed, limiting the mobility of the upper or lower extremities, and the deteriorated sensitivity. The appearance of "cervical migraine" indicates the lesion of the vertebral artery. Blood circulation in the stem and the occipital parts of the brain is altered. A constant symptom is a headache. In general, pain occurs on the back of the head and spreads to the Parietal-Octum region. Pain is constant and intensifies with neck movements, more often in the morning. Older people often lose knowledge with a strong turn of their heads, which is preceded by dizziness, noise in the ears, a decrease in visual acuity and hearing, nausea and vomiting.
Sometimes there are heart pains: prolonged, pressing. With the osteochondrosis of the cervical column, especially in the old and senile age, there are often changes in soft tissues in the form of stamps. These stamps are determined in the neck muscles, in the area of the processes of the cervical vertebrae (often the Vértebra VII), the wrist, the elbow joints, in the supra and subclavian grave. With age, the scar seals in the palm of your hand are increasingly revealed, due to a change in the structure of the tendons.
The manifestations of the osteochondrosis of the thoracic column are extremely diverse, but none of the symptoms is strictly specific. Basically, the symptoms are determined by the location (location) of the painful process and the degree of gravity. The pain in the thoracic column is the main symptom. After physical effort or a long stay in a position, pain intensifies, which forces patients to change the own even at night. A burning, painful or opaque pain in the scapula and the space between spaces is very characteristic. Patients complain about the feeling of "iron ticks. "Drinking in the processes of the vertebrae is painful. Pain can spread to several internal organs.
Osteochondrosis diagnosis
The diagnosis of osteochondrosis is performed by a neuropathologist, orthopedist. To confirm the diagnosis of osteochondrosis, the doctor discovers the symptoms of the disease, the history of the development of the disease and examines the patient. When examining patients with osteochondrosis, the curvature of the column (scoliosis), the presence of painful points and tense muscles on the sides of the spine is usually detected.
To clarify the diagnosis of osteochondrosis, a radiological examination of the column, computerized tomography or nuclear magnetic resonance of the spine.
How to treat osteochondrosis
Currently, there are many ways to treat osteochondrosis, take medications and end surgery. Naturally, there is a lot of controversy on these methods and their effect on the body. When choosing a treatment method, you must pay attention to some points.
For example, if you are going to be treated with drugs, you should pay attention to the fact that most of them negatively affect the stomach and liver, so it is important to contact experienced specialists who will select the most saving medication therapy.
When choosing a manual therapist, it is desirable to be more closely, since a non -professional, which now is enough, can take it to a wheelchair. When selecting therapeutic exercises, it is necessary to pay attention to ensure that the exercises do not cause load in the column, but only develop the muscles of the back. Try to do all exercises slowly, without sudden movements.
For the prevention of osteochondrosis and the exclusion of its exacerbations, it is advisable to observe several rules that will reduce the load in the column:
- Always keep your back exactly
- Try not to lift heavy objects. If necessary, becking them and not leaning
- Move more frequently, do not let the atrophy of the back muscles
- Hang on the horizontal bar as frequently as possible and swim
But not everything is so afraid. For those who still do not have this disease, there are a series of preventive measures, the rest has a complete arsenal of funds for the treatment of this disease.
Osteochondrosis prevention
As you know, it is easier to prevent the disease than treat it. Osteochondrosis prevention is necessary for all, both children and adults. In addition, there is nothing complicated, and the prevention of osteochondrosis does not require any special effort. The first and perhaps the most important point is the health care of the spine. To do this, the world of advice advises constantly or at least gymnastics sports, which will help develop the corset of the spinal muscle and improve blood circulation. The following is constantly monitoring posture and march, do not hunt and not bend down.
The ideal posture is when the head and back are in the same vertical, the shoulders are straightened, the shoulder blades do not stand out, the chest rises and the stomach is thrown. My yoga teacher once said that the stomach is remarkable not because we eat a lot, but because we walk badly. How is it correct? Imagine that they throw the top of the head, and you are barely touching the socks of the floor. Practice such exercise for a couple of weeks and soon you will not realize that you have become the owner of an excellent position.
It is also advisable to hang as often as possible in the horizontal bar, stretching the spine and letting it relax. Provide a dream in which your View you will take the correct position. Scientific studies have shown that the ideal pose for the backbone on the back. But at the same time, the mattress should be difficult enough for the View you to take a convenient natural pose. To do this, place an elastic roller under your feet. We recommend that you buy an orthopedic mattress and a pillow and finally throw the grandmother from the feather bed.
If you have a monotonous sedentary work, always every two hours (more often, better) breaks are taken. Relax, make the head and shoulders move, go. If possible, go in fresh air. By the way, such breaks are legalized, and in the Labor Code they are allowed for people who constantly work on the computer.
We include balanced and vitaminized nutrition for prevention. Try to eat fish and shellfish, nuts, legumes and several dairy products. Take complex vitamins periodically. With this, it will not allow a metabolic violation. Excess weight is a destructive load for the column, so try not to recover.
Well, some words about prevention in children. It is necessary to monitor the child's posture, do gymnastics or morning exercises (it will be more effective if you do). And yet, it gives preference to school backpacks, and not the bags, because it is the backpacks that balance the load on the back.