Many hear often, but do not know exactly what osteochondrosis is. In fact, this disease is not that rare. This disease is characterized by dystrophic-degenerative lesions of the vertebral tissues, further deformation of the discs between the vertebrae and adjacent ligaments of the spinal apparatus.
As a rule, the pathology first affects the ligaments, then the bones and other tissues. Patients go to the doctor as soon as they start to feel regular pain.
Statistics show that osteochondrosis of the spine has 50 to 90% of the world population. Often the symptoms of osteochondrosis appear in people who have crossed the threshold of 30 years, but there is a risk of onset of manifestations even in adolescents.
Stages of development of the disease
In medicine, there are several stages of the course of the disease:
- at stage 1dehydration of the nucleus pulposus is observed, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of deformations in the fibrous type ring. The initial stage is characterized by the development of symptoms within the vertebral disc. Signs of osteochondrosis are not pronounced. Treatment of osteochondrosis at this stage can be carried out with the help of physical therapy and massage;
- at stage 2after a change in disc height and after ligament dehydration, the muscles begin to converge. This makes them give in. Signs of osteochondrosis also include excessive mobility in the vertebral region. This, in turn, can cause the vertebrae to shift;
- at stage 3signs of osteochondrosis become the most pronounced, as the patient may experience protrusion of the intervertebral discs or even prolapse. In addition, due to the changes in the bones and muscles, the joints begin to suffer, causing the formation of arthrosis;
- at stage 4the patient's spine is already adapting to the changes that have taken place. The body tries to immobilize the spine as much as possible to preserve its protective and musculoskeletal function. At the same time, osteophytes begin to spread into the intervertebral discs - bony growths that form on neighboring vertebrae. The resulting osteophytes can cause injury to nerve endings. The result is their murring.
Causes of the disease
Signs of osteochondrosis can occur due to such reasons:
- spinal injury;
- predisposition to diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- natural aging process;
- the presence of constant physical overload;
- obesity;
- incorrect posture;
- the presence of constant vibrations, relevant for different professions, for example, drivers of large trucks;
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of osteochondrosis may not appear immediately. The main symptoms include back discomfort and pain. Symptoms of osteochondrosis most often appear when the patient exposes the body to great physical exertion. Also a symptom of the disease is a feeling of numbness in the limbs. When at least one of these signs appears, attention should be paid to their nature and intensity: pain in the leg or arm can manifest itself in different ways. Additional signs of osteochondrosis are a herniated disc, as well as protrusion or pinching of the nerve ending.
Osteochondrosis of the spine is of the following types, depending on the location:
- in the cervical region;
- in the region of the sternum;
- in the lumbosacral region.
Treatment of the disease
Treatment of osteochondrosis involves a combination of the following methods:
- therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis or exercises;
- physiotherapeutic procedures (acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, electrical stimulation);
- diet for osteochondrosis;
- spine traction;
- massage for osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis should be started as early as possible, but even in the later stages there is a great chance of overcoming the disease.
Gymnastics for osteochondrosis is one of the most effective methods of preventing and stopping the manifestations of the disease. Physical therapy for osteochondrosis includes exercises that can strengthen the back muscles and the whole body. It is necessary to perform gymnastics daily to achieve the effect after a few sessions. Gymnastics for osteochondrosis includes folk exercises that are probably familiar to many, as they are used in the complex of morning exercises.
Physical therapy for osteochondrosis not only contributes to rapid recovery, but is also able to prevent the first symptoms of the disease from appearing. You can do physical therapy for osteochondrosis instead of morning exercises.
Bulking with osteochondrosis should align the uneven spine of the 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 expand the space between the vertebrae, which allows previously pinched nerve endings to be released. For a patient, doing exercises for osteochondrosis may take only a few minutes a day, but even this can lead to a noticeable decrease in the manifestations of the disease within a few weeks. And in the early stages, exercise with osteochondrosis is by no means the main method of treatment.
Another advantage of physical 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 performed 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.
Nutrition for osteochondrosis should include lean meat, dairy, vegetables, and fruits. The diet for osteochondrosis involves frequent feeding (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 drastically limits the intake of legumes, grapes and products from it, muffins, spices and various refined products. When the doctor makes his osteochondrosis nutrition plan for the patient, he will also include baked goods containing bran, fruits, vegetables, and berries (specifically, sea buckthorn).
Nutrition in osteochondrosis performs a restorative function of the body, providing cells with building material. It is important to remember that a diet for osteochondrosis (as, for that matter, for the prevention of various other ailments) involves careful chewing of food. The process of eating food at the same time takes at least 15 minutes. The more saliva and gastric juice are secreted, the greater the effect of a rational and balanced diet in 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, osteochondrosis massage should begin in a very gentle mode, so as not to cause discomfort in the form of muscle tension.
The technique by which osteochondrosis massage is performed suggests that the patient lies on his stomach in the most relaxed position during the session. The general objectives pursued by massage for osteochondrosis are as follows:
- elimination of pain;
- improved metabolism in the area of onset of the disease;
- muscle relaxation;
- suppression of inflammatory processes in the area of the intervertebral disc.
In addition, the controversies about how to cure 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.