The disease, which spills over into the chronic form and damage the spinal discs and the cartilage is called osteochondrosis. Begins to develop usually after 25-30 years, a chronic course occurs closer to 40 years. Low back pain is one of the most common causes of back pain.
What is osteochondrosis
This term denotes a disease that affects the tissues of the spine. Hour spine is compressed and presses the disks. These discs are necessary for strengthening and mobility of the vertebrae. The dimensions of the intervertebral discs change, they don't get enough power and cease to perform their functions. At the advanced stage of osteoarthritis the keeps can occur hernia or curvature of the spine. Often the disease becomes a cause of disability.
Reasons
The real causes of such disease as osteochondrosis are still unknown to doctors, but there are some factors in the development of the disease, for example:
- Congenital and acquired grass of the spine due to frequent drops, impacts.
- Bad genetics and diseases of the spine in the family.
- Older age, overweight.
- Flat feet, posture, and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
- Disorders of metabolism.
- Sedentary and atrophied soft touch.
- Sudden movements or too much load on the basis of muscle and bone, asymmetric motion during exercise or work.
- Unbalanced diet, Smoking, use of drugs and alcohol.
- Adverse environmental conditions — high humidity, low temperature and poor environment.
- The wearing of improper shoes and high heels.
This is just the basic factors that influence the development and course of the disease. The disease occurs in people engaged in heavy physical labor. For example, weightlifters, movers, gymnasts or builders. Constant stress, lack of exercise and diet may also cause the development of such diseases as osteochondrosis of the spine.
Osteochondrosis of the spine in adults and its classification
The disease may begin in adolescence, when the spine simply does not have time to grow. Ale z hour, this problem disappears. Children move a lot, exercise and a balanced diet with a high content of vitamins helps to forget about low back pain.
Ale with adults it's different. Osteochondrosis of the spine in adults POV is associated with age-related changes — namely poor nutrition and circulation of the cartilage and bone. The intervertebral discs of an adult differ in structure, they have their own vessels, so they get food and oxygen from other tissues. To provide cartilage nutrition is the main task in the fight against osteoarthritis. This can only be done by doing exercises that are right for muscle groups the keeps. Also help physical therapy, massage and proper nutrition.
According to scientists the US, the incidence is increasing every year.
Osteochondrosis of the spine in adults in the United States detected more than 30% of the population and this figure is growing every year. It is the compound is more common in men who prefer a sedentary lifestyle, or engaged in heavy physical labor. In Russia, the numbers are even sadder. More than 50% of the adult population are losing performance because of problems with the nervous system and musculoskeletal system.
Pain in the back, neck and head to reduce the craving for life. The person becomes passive and irritable. Frequent depression, accompanied by deterioration of health. Usually low back pain has a number of comorbidities such as chronic emotional stress, migraine and diseases of the vascular system.
The spinal degenerative disc disease: symptoms and diagnosis
Symptoms of this disease white expressed, to confuse it with anything hard.
To early to determine the osteochondrosis it is necessary to remember only a few main signs and pay for qualified help.
There are 4 ViDi diseases: cervical, lumbar, thoracic, and mixed, that is, in several places of the spinal column.
Symptoms depending on the form are different:
- For lumbar degenerative disc disease peculiar to continuous pain, sometimes pass, but often changes acute attacks.
- Back pain may increase with physical rights or sharp movements.
- Most often, the pain is changed to shoots. May radiate to the pelvic organs, buttocks and even legs.
- The sensitivity of the feet is partially broken, and when running the form altogether disappears.
- A man hard to bend over to turn the body, the patient tries to keep the same pose, not to cause yourself discomfort.
Symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease is somewhat different:
- There are frequent headaches that will not go away even after applying pain, aggravated by turning the head and bending.
- The patient may feel very dizzy when moving head.
- Pain of the cervical gives back, arms, chest.
- There is often a deterioration of sight and hearing, before the eyes have dark spots that is difficult to focus the eyes on any object.
- You may feel numbness of the tongue, as well as a noticeable change of voice.
Thoracic degenerative disc disease can often be confused with the cervical eye, but there are several excellent speeches:
- The patient may feel pain in your chest, shoulders and arms.
- When overcooling occurs a marked deterioration, pain is also worse at night or when exercising.
- Often it's hard to take a deep breath, chest as if constricted.
- On the skin have tingling or burning, quickly freezing feet and hands.
- The pain is worse when walking fast or running.
Diagnosis
In order to make a diagnosis, the doctor looks the patient in different positions, standing, lying, sitting, in movement and at rest. So, in consultation it is important to talk honestly about all your complaints, even if the pain is slightly worse when you cough or sneeze. This may also affect further diagnosis. To confirm or refute the presence of diseases, prescribe a number of additional hardware research. One of the most popular types is MRI, x-ray and computed tomography.
The spinal degenerative disc disease, symptoms of which often help to detect several diseases such as kyphosis, herniated disc and protrusion of discs, you need to determine a doctor.
It is not necessary to self-medicate and to postpone the appointment indefinitely. It affects not only the presence of back pain, but the fullness of life.
Osteochondrosis of the spine: treatment medical and surgical
Therapy of this dangerous disease is divided into 2 types — conservative and surgical intervention. Choosing the right treatment can only specialist, the patient is often necessary to consult several doctors — a neurologist, a surgeon and traumatologist.
More advanced forms of the disease can be eliminated only through surgery. Next you need a conservative treatment that helps the body to recover. The postoperative period includes massage, physiotherapy and diet.
Medication
Often the doctor prescribes, upon detection of such diseases as osteochondrosis, treatment with medicines. In combination with a certain diet, which includes eating more of minerals and vitamins. A large consumption of vitamins is necessary when taking medications that they do not anyone a negative effect on bone, cardiovascular system and GASTROINTESTINAL tract.
Treatment of osteochondrosis with the help of medications may include several types:
- The use of analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Antispasmodic complex.
- Antioxidants.
- Blood microcirculation.
- Preparations for the restoration of cartilage.
But don't rely solely on medications. Often this "passive" treatment does not produce the desired results, and sometimes is useless method. It is important not just to wait to improve and take care of your health and physical form. Even when running the patients solved a number of physical exercises to increase muscle tone and improve blood circulation.
Conservative treatment should always consist of several procedures, for example:
- Physiotherapy.
- Manual therapy and massages.
- Physiotherapy medical devices.
- A balanced diet and work with a mental condition in cases of stress.
In many cases, helps patients with physical therapy, massage and manual therapy. Most doctors try to do in the treatment without medication, as all medications do not only treat, but also cause some harm to the body.
Massage and manual therapy
Often patients are sent for treatment to chiropractors. But this is only the prevention of the disease or a great way to relieve acute attacks of pain. The procedure should only be performed by experienced specialists. Often patients are offered to undergo a course of massage or even acupuncture. To choosing a massage therapist should be taken with great caution as any wrong move can cause pain and even spinal injury.
Acupuncture helps to normalize hormonal balance, relieve pain and spasm, to restore the tone of muscles.
Exercise
To increase the effectiveness of massage and medicine with the help of exercises. But it is important to remember that they need to carry out regularly and without fanaticism. Also can not exercise, during bouts of illness. First you need to remove the aggravation. A special set of exercises should choose a doctor, it depends on the stage of the disease. But most often it is the simple gymnastic movements without any sudden movements.
Physical therapy helps to relieve pain, strengthen m atovi frame and remove spasms. Methods of massage and physical therapy often provides the opportunity to push into the background the use of medicines.
Physical therapy
This procedure is an important part of treatment. The patient in the postoperative period or as a Supplement to the basic treatment can appoint the following kinds of therapy:
- Shock-wave method.
- Magnetotherapy.
- The laser treatment.
- Balneotherapy.
- Detensor or stretching the spine.
- Vibro.
Each method actually has a positive effect on the body, but to undergo such procedures should for the purposes and under the supervision of a physician.
Treatment of folk remedies
To relieve nagging pain or cramping can and traditional methods. For example, rubbing of various herbs and roots, wool or bee venom.
Many folk remedies can be used internally and externally — rubbing, compresses and baths. Hello need to know is whether you have Allergy to some components. Special attention should be given to rastertime and ointments on the basis of poisonous plants. In addition, some plants are able to reduce the effect of the medication. It is important to consult a specialist before connecting to the main treatment.
A rubbing of an application and give a warming effect that provides blood flow to the damaged discs.
Sheep or dog hair relieve pain and spasms and swelling. Well warm up the sore spot. Also warm up low back pain will help the application of Gus and cute. For this you need to moisten the natural fabric in kerosene, wring out and soap it. The fabric need to attach to the skin and wrap a warm scarf. Leave for 1-2 hours, POV'yazku it is necessary to remove any discomfort.
Diet
Sol axis what to exclude in the first place, in the presence of degenerative disc disease. But it is important to gradually reduce the amount of this product. Exclude from your diet you need coffee, soda and too sweet food. In excess weight it is recommended to remove the bread, and regular bread instead of muffins with bran or her a cookie.
The main part of your diet should consist of animal proteins — meat, poultry, fish, milk and eggs. About fruits and vegetables should not be forgotten. A lot of vitamins contained in the cabbage, peppers, carrots, celery and parsley! Purchased mayonnaise and sunflower oil is better to replace the olive with a few tablespoons of lemon juice.
To restore cartilage tissue, it is important to consume vitamins a, C, D, B, calcium, magnesium and manganese. All of this is contained in large quantities of products available — nuts, cheese, lettuce, saltwater fish, and butter. Khvorov need to ensure that a high intake of calcium along with magnesium, otherwise the calcium will not be absorbed and will leach out of the bones, which will adversely affect the progress of the treatment.
Complications
If you do not treat any disease, it will cause complications. Low back pain can develop sciatica, a hernia, hypertension, and intercostal neuralgia.
More serious consequences — is a stroke and a heart attack, and inflammation of the sciatic nerve. One of the most dangerous complications is compression of the vertebral arteries. They deliver to the brain the oxygen, without high risk of problems with the cardiovascular system, hearing and vision.
Prevention
To avoid this disease need regular exercise — yoga, swimming, running.
Take care of proper posture, as well as on the chairs with a rigid backrest that will support your back straight. An excellent prevention state special massage mattress.
Try not to carry heavy weights in one hand and do asymmetrical exercises when training.
Choose shoes with the right Shoe and shock-absorbing sole.
Food is an important element in the fight against degenerative disc disease, so stick to a proper diet is one of the most important rules.