Osteochondrosis of the spine: how it happens, symptoms and treatment

In osteochondrosis of the spine occurs destruction of the bone and cartilage of one or more departments of the spine. This disease carries a chronic in nature and develops in nearly all older people. It has to do with normal aging.

Pain in the lower back

The intervertebral discs are exposed to atrophic changes, and at what age this happens depends on many factors:

  • injury;
  • disorders and overload the spine.

To overload of the spine include:

  • walking with a curved back;
  • unsuitable diet;
  • functions, structure of the vertebrae of the pillar;
  • inadequate nutrition the tissues of the spine due to hereditary anomalies.

In osteochondrosis of the core, it is among the vertebrates, discs, loses part of the water. For this reason, in the core of the happening of metabolic disorders and is limited by the access of various minerals and vitamins.

After some time on the disc appear, it becomes flat. Next, begin to happens to the surrounding joints and ligaments, which form the inflammation of the tissue. As a result of inflammation occurs displacement of the adjacent vertebrae. This is the dangerous advent of root symptomatology: pain in the course of the affected nerve.

It is also possible the emergence of intervertebral hernia, and this in turn can cause compression of the spinal cord. For degenerative disc disease is characterized by the formation of osteophytes – bony growths on the bodies of the vertebrae. These growths can squeeze the spinal cord and cause radicular syndrome.

Most often, osteochondrosis of the sensitive cervical and lumbar department.

Cervical osteochondrosis

Reasons:

  1. sports activities (weight lifting);
  2. overweight;
  3. disorders of the metabolism;
  4. sedentary work ( programmers, accountants, drivers, etc.);
  5. flat feet;
  6. injury to the spine;
  7. hypothermia.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine – pain in the head and neck area. A man tormented by strong headaches, pain in the neck gives in your hands, pain in the sternum. Sick may complain of back pain – the formation of sharp pain in the neck, muscle spasms of the muscles and limitation of motion.

Also a person can hear the crunch when turning the neck. Due to the pinch points of the nerves and blood vessels in humans can cause numbness of the tongue and finger tips. The patient will complain of decreased hearing and vision, increased blood pressure and weakness of the muscles of the hands and feet.

Thoracic osteochondrosis

This kind of degenerative disc disease occurs relatively rarely. It has to do with the anatomic part of the thoracic spine. It consists of 12 vertebrae, which are connected with the ribs through the joints. The front of the ribs between them are joined with the chest. This way is created a great frame is made of the spine, sternum and ribs, which protect the internal organs from various injuries.

The vertebrae of the thoracic department have a small height and long spinous processes, which are arranged one above the other, as shingles. Because of such construction of this department of the spine has a small mobility. The intervertebral disks of the parent department rarely exposed to injury.

The causes of this type of degenerative disc disease:

  • inappropriate load distribution;
  • the delay in the nutrition of the intervertebral discs;
  • sedentary work;
  • the presence of scoliosis.

Symptoms

As in the other species, the leading symptom of degenerative disc disease of the thoracic department is a pain.

But when breast osteochondrosis pain may be different. Dorsalgia – long, uncomfortable and a slight pain on motion of the thoracic spine. The pain can affect the cervical and the lumbar region.

Dorigo – one of the symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the thoracic department, in which the pain appears in the form of a heart attack. In nature, it is intense, strong, sees the difficulty of breathing, he sees the limitations of muscle movements. In addition to pain patients may incur a feeling of numbness in the breasts, sexual dysfunction, pain in the region of the heart, kidneys and stomach.

Than dangerous defeat breast department?

The spine is designed so that in the infant department of the narrows, so hernias incurred as a result of degenerative disc disease, will quickly lead to pressure of the spinal cord. It is easy to lead to problems from the side of the heart, the pancreas, the liver, and the kidneys, because the thoracic department is affiliated with all these bodies nerve fibres. This is the reason why it is very important to timely seek medical help. This will help you figure out where harassing you, symptoms of degenerative disc disease and the appropriate treatment of the disease.

Lumbar osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine occurs because of lifting weights. In the standard in the center of the intervertebral disc is the nucleus containing a large amount of water. Thanks to the liquid core becomes a little compressible, and for his bursting need a compression of 500 units

However, the affected osteochondrosis of the disk becomes weaker, and for his rupture only need 200 units of If a person weighing 70 kg to lift a 15 kg load in a bent position, the spine and it is a load up to 200 kg — the intervertebral disc can burst. This is the reason why the first symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the spine manifested when lifting weights.

Symptoms

  • pain in the lumbar region;
  • the impossibility of movement in the lower part of the back;
  • sleep disorders;
  • irritability;
  • fatigue;
  • the impossibility of the implementation of the daily needs;
  • the decrease in sexual function in men;
  • violation of the menstrual cycle;
  • the syndrome of "cold feet".

In the transition of degenerative disc disease at the sacral guests at the patient experiences pain in the kidney area and violation of urination.

Diagnosis

Treatment degenerative disc disease performed by a physician-neuroscientist. For the beginning is made by examination of the spinal pillar, noting the presence of scoliosis. After the feelings of the doctor will be able to understand how overwhelmed the spine, tendons and nerves.

After the neurologist suspected osteochondrosis of the spine, he will send the patient for further examination. It involves the passage of x-ray studies, magneto-resonant tomography. On suspicion in destruction of the intervertebral disc is performed by discography. It is also prescribed for determining the extent of the lesion of the nerve tract.

In general, the diagnosis of "osteochondrosis of the spine" to give a very hard. After all, the person may the favor of the majority of users on the pain in the heart, liver, kidney, pancreas helena sexual dysfunction. But still, with careful examination, an experienced physician will be able to have this disease and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Treatment

Therapy degenerative disc disease – this is a very lengthy and difficult process. In the acute period, the patient requires the peace of mind of the affected segment. If it is hit by a cervical department, then the patient must wear a lock collar Trench. If the pain of lumbar department – the patient requires bed rest. Best place the patient to the hospital. Just there will be able to fully comply with the designated mode. Most popular for such a patient should be tight. For this under the mattress, insert a wooden shield.

Treatment treatment

As stated above, the main symptom of the disease is pain. So the patient is for relief of pain and other symptoms of degenerative disc disease are appointed painkillers.

Also appointed as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Unfortunately, long-term use of these drugs causes the defeat of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract and in patients appear the following symptoms:

  • nausea;
  • vomiting;
  • pain in the stomach;
  • a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen.

It can also aggravate the gastric ulcer helena appear stomach bleeding. Therefore, before using these products, it is necessary to consult with your doctor. If the pain caused by osteochondrosis, it takes over 3 months, along with these drugs are antidepressants. Found that in addition to soothing actions, which are able to reduce the pain.

All of the above products can be attributed to symptomatic therapy. Help to relieve pain but do not relieve a person from the disease itself.

To restore the intervertebral disc and cartilage are appointed chondroprotectors. These drugs improve the metabolism in the connective tissue and promote the recovery of cartilage. Medicines that you are taking a longer time, on average 4 – 6 months.

In addition to the renewal of the tissues and improve the metabolism in them, these drugs have analgesic action. Another group of drugs needed in osteochondrosis of the spine – is it the drugs, improve blood circulation. Their use contributes to the expansion of blood vessels, and is in a complex with them taking the drugs-antioxidants, then in humans, improves the metabolism of nerve cells.

As with any illness, the sick the necessary drugs calcium. It restores the activity of bone tissue, enhance the strength of ligaments and tendons, and also becomes the prevention of osteoporosis – a disease that is accompanied by osteochondrosis.

Exercises with the roller under your lower back

Therapeutic physical education

The dosage load on the spine will improve the condition of the patient. But do the exercises, it is necessary very carefully. In the acute period of the lesson the exercise is contraindicated. Just subsided painful feelings, you can gradually begin to practice.

Exercise will improve blood circulation in the area of the spine, strengthen the muscles. Due to the influx of blood improve metabolism and begin to restore the damaged intervertebral disc. But it is also necessary to remember that the exercises should be done regularly, otherwise the result will not be.

Exercise when damage to the cervical

  1. Lie on your back and straighten. Place one zika on his stomach and the other on your chest and take a breath delay breath for 10 minutes, then exhale and relax. The period of exercise 3 – 5 minutes. A day should be performed 3-5 times.
  2. Lie on your stomach and straighten your legs. Rely on stomach and legs it is necessary to lift the head and upper part of the chest. Exercises to do 3 – 5 minutes with an interval of 30 seconds.
  3. Lie on your back and bend your legs at the knees. In such a situation, turn to the right and left side. Exercises to do 3 – 5 minutes with an interval of 30 seconds.

Exercise for loss of the parent department

  1. Lie on your stomach. The rest of the hands into the floor and bend back. Linger in this position for 5 -10 seconds. Exercises to do 3 – 5 minutes with an interval of 20 seconds.
  2. Lie on your back. Lift your head up and the feet ("ship"). Linger for 10-20 seconds. Exercises to do 3 – 5 minutes with an interval of 20 seconds.

Exercises in damage to the lumbar

  1. Lie on your back, bend your legs at the knees and press them to his chest. Swing up-forward and rolling from the back to the sacrum and back. Swing in 2 minutes. Then you must lie quietly and relax.
  2. It is necessary to stand on all four and bend over backwards as possible. Exercises to do 3 – 5 minutes with an interval of 20 seconds.
  3. In a standing position, imagine that you spin the hoop for 2 – 3 minutes. Exercises performed 10 times per day.

Surgical treatment

In the absence of effect of conservative treatment and the occurrence of complications of degenerative disc disease, is associated with operative treatment. During the operation to perform stabilization of the spine, removing pressure on the spinal cord and roots. If one has available the intervertebral hernia – it is removed. So as in the implementation of this operation it is possible to damage the spinal cord and nerves, her to spend only on vital testimonies.

Physiotherapy treatment

Indications of physiotherapy procedures a positive effect on the course of the disease and speeds up the process of recovery. When osteochondrosis enabled:

Massage
  • access to the sauna, helena steam bath;
  • swimming in the pool;
  • massage;
  • paraffin;
  • manual therapy;
  • laser;
  • various baths;
  • mud;
  • electrophoresis with anti-inflammatory means helena relaxant;
  • magnetic therapy;
  • The D'arsonval.

All these procedures improve blood circulation to the sick area, will allow you to relax do not exceed your muscles and to get relaxation of the whole organism. Rehabilitation procedures are appointed in the rehabilitation period, when the patient is not troubled by severe pain.

Prevention

From degenerative disc disease, no one is safe. Because we're all getting older, and with us getting older and our entire organism. To the disease is not destroyed do not exceed your plans, you need more of the youth to play sports. Reasonable physical exercise helps to improve blood circulation, the normal exchange of substances. In addition, trains the muscles that protect the spine. For prevention of degenerative disc disease should every person:

  1. eat properly – vitamins and minerals needed for the body;
  2. give up bad habits;
  3. engage in physical activity;
  4. do not slouch;
  5. protect your back from hypothermia;
  6. not lifting too heavy objects;
  7. take a contrast shower and tempered;
  8. avoid stress.

People who suffer from this disease it is particularly important to follow all the recommendations, because their failure would mean a deterioration. Upon the occurrence of pain in the back, which for a long time does not pass, it is necessary to turn for help to the expert. Only a doctor will be able to give the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Overtighten with a visit to the clinics because of the disease is best treated in the early stages. Also it is not necessary to engage self – heal - any drug has its contraindications, you might not know about. Follow all recommendations of your doctor, and then the disease soon diminish!