Recently, more and more people have started suffering from osteochondrosis. With this disease, there is a disturbance in the normal functioning of the intervertebral discs.
Recently, more and more young people over the age of eighteen have suffered from spinal pain. First, the ligaments and bones of the spine begin to suffer. If osteochondrosis occurs, treatment should be started immediately. It is recommended to find out in advance what is chondrosis.
Causes and stages of osteochondrosis
The main cause of osteochondrosis is not observed while several provocative factors exist. Experts say this could be caused by the onset of calcium deposition, which is not absorbed by bone tissue. This occurs when there is a violation of blood circulation, the curvature of the spine.
There are the following causes of osteochondrosis:
- physical surge;
- overweight;
- strong loads in the spine;
- heredity;
- frequent hypothermia;
- stressful situations;
- irregular legs;
- unbalanced diet;
- inactive lifestyle.
The disease is more common in women than men. Often, posterior osteochondrosis occurs when a person sits incorrectly or sleeps on a very high cushion. It is difficult to determine the pathology because the disease can occur in humans at any age. The causes of osteochondrosis are different and not so easy to detect.
There are grades of osteochondrosis and it is worth noting that it will be difficult to find the pathology at first. The patient does not complain that he has vivid symptoms, he may feel a slight weakness, discomfort in the spine. In fact, such signs of chondrosis can speak of various diseases.
This pathology may not feel well and will continue in secret. In fact, in the first degree, osteochondrosis is often found completely by accident in various studies. In second-degree osteochondrosis, you may notice that your back is already starting to ache, which means that changes are taking place in the cartilage tissue.
If the patient does not see a doctor and is not provided with effective treatment, the intervertebral fissures will be smaller and the nerve or blood vessels will become constricted. Most often, the pain is removed so much with certain medications. The disease can cause discomfort and pain, the patient should consult a doctor.
With osteochondrosis of the third stage, lordosis, scoliosis, begins to form and a hump is formed. Complex therapy can only slightly improve the spine and remove some defects. The causes of osteochondrosis must be known. In the fourth degree, changes are already taking place that cannot be corrected in any way. The patient can barely walk because even if he turns around a little, unbearable pain occurs. It will have seals in the cartilage tissue and the vertebrae will move.
At this stage of the disease, patients are likely to experience a disability. A person needs to know how chondrosis is different from osteochondrosis. To do this, the characteristics of the pathologies must be taken into account. Chondrosis is the initial stage of osteochondrosis. It develops in different parts of the spine. However, osteochondrosis is already being diagnosed with significant lesions.
Symptoms
The symptoms of chondrosis are extremely uncomfortable and, first of all, there is an uncomfortable feeling in the back. It all depends on the degree of illness of the patient.
First, the patient is sent for diagnosis to identify the causes of osteochondrosis. The patient may constantly feel fatigue in his back, pain in the neck and chest. Symptoms depend on how advanced the spinal osteochondrosis is.
The symptoms are as follows:
- intense pain syndrome;
- muscle cramps;
- limbs may be numb;
- severe headache;
- can shoot in the spine;
- frequent fainting and dizziness;
- point in mind;
- hypertension;
- unbearable neck pain.
If even minor pain sensations occur, it may indicate not only osteochondrosis of the back but also other diseases.
Even if one is over forty, one's intervertebral discs do not accumulate fluid. Therefore, they will not be as flexible as before. They tend to flatten better or the intervertebral discs may extend beyond the spine.
There are painful feelings due to sneezing or coughing. If the symptoms of osteochondrosis do not go away even after a few weeks, you should visit a medical institution. The doctor then first refers to the diagnosis. He is then able to prescribe the correct and effective treatment of osteochondrosis.
Types of osteochondrosis
You should know that there are different types of osteochondrosis. It all depends on exactly where the pathology occurs. There are three types of the disease and you need to know which one can bother you in a given situation.
The following types exist:
Cervical.Such a disease is due to the fact that there was a strong load on the neck area. The thyroid gland is nearby and cannot perform its function normally in osteochondrosis. There is often pressure on the blood vessels that supply oxygen to the tissues. Because of this, there may be a lack of air and cell death begins.
You need to know that the brain is almost completely dependent on blood vessels. If the blood flow is disturbed, it can affect the respiratory and cardiac organs. In osteochondrosis, there is constant headache, hearing and vision loss, and frequent loss of consciousness. Difficulty moving the head, numbness and pain may occur in the arms. If such symptoms occur, treatment of osteochondrosis should be initiated urgently.
Chest.It is difficult for professionals to test for the disease. Most often, the doctor barely manages to understand that these are just painful seizures or heart attacks. In this type of osteochondrosis, there may be complications in the liver, kidneys, stomach, pancreas.
Most often, the pain occurs in the form of a shot in the back and chest. There are sharp and severe sensations of pain in osteochondrosis and malfunction of the respiratory system. There may also be constant discomfort in the spine, and this leads to difficulty walking.
Lumbar.Most often, this class suffers, in osteochondrosis, strong pain sensations appear in the back and can reach both the hips and the buttocks. The pain subsides when the person lies down to rest. Sudden movements may cause discomfort.
This pathology results in poor blood circulation in the lower back, stiffness occurs. The muscles start to weaken, the posture curves, making it difficult to move normally. Your doctor will tell you in detail how to treat osteochondrosis.
If symptoms occur frequently and the pain gets worse each time, you should contact a health care provider. The practitioner will be able to identify the types of osteochondrosis and prescribe a comprehensive examination and treatment.
Diagnostics
The doctor can make an accurate diagnosis after osteochondrosis after the patient has a complete examination. First, the patient must be examined by a neurologist. Diagnosis is performed when a person is lying or sitting. The specialist will examine how you feel in motion as well as in a predisposed position. A thorough examination of the posture can also be done, the doctor will examine the spine.
It determines the nature and intensity of the pain where it exactly disturbs the patient. It also monitors muscle tension in the spine area. After all, if muscle cramps occur, it can indicate not only signs of osteochondrosis but also completely different diseases.
The following diagnostics are prescribed to detect the disease:
Radiography.Use this procedure to see how tall the intervertebral discs are. Vertebral disorders and the presence of bone growths. Diagnosis is performed in two ways when the patient is on his back and side. The image in the two positions helps to find changes in the work of the spine.
Magnetic resonance imaging.With this study, you can see the blood vessels and nerve endings. MRI reveals osteochondrosis of the spine and the exact location of the hernia or pinched nerve.
CT.This examination allows you to view a good quality image of the spine. The procedure is completely painless and does not cause any inconvenience to the patient.
If the diagnosis is made correctly, it will help you start treatment for osteochondrosis as soon as possible. For the first symptoms, it is best to see a doctor immediately. After all, if you ignore the disease, it can have serious consequences.
Treatment
Be sure to see a doctor to cure osteochondrosis. You will find the cause of the disease and prescribe the right treatment. In severe cases, surgery is needed because without it, the disease cannot be cured in an advanced form.
Treatment of osteochondrosis includes: use of medications, manual treatment, curative gymnastics, proper nutrition, massage.
It all depends on the stage of osteochondrosis of the spine. Therapy can take up to three months, and it can take up to a year to consolidate the results of the treatment. They are undergoing medical therapy or surgery. Most often, people who have discovered the symptoms of osteochondrosis do not know which doctor is best to go to.
A good option would be to visit a therapist first, as you cannot hesitate with such an illness. He knows exactly how to treat osteochondrosis of the spine and can refer to other doctors. The specialist will perform an external examination and refer you to a neurologist. The doctor will require the patient to perform a full study before prescribing effective treatment for chondrosis.
Drug treatment
Medications help relieve inflammation and restore the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. They stop osteochondrosis of the spine and reduce pain. In osteochondrosis, not only is medication used, but you must also follow a diet and perform special exercises.
Medications that help prevent disease and relieve pain:
- anti-inflammatory drugs: ibuprofen;
- antispasmodics: tizanidine;
- circulatory tablets pentoxifylline, vitamin B;
- preparations for the regeneration of cartilage tissue;
- ointments to relieve symptoms: diclofenac;
You should consult your doctor before taking these medicines. You should never self-heal, this can have serious consequences. Before your doctor prescribes treatment for spinal osteochondrosis, you should have a full examination.
Hand treatment and massage
How to get rid of osteochondrosis using manual treatment? You can only use it to remove severe pain and improve your posture. Visceral therapy is often used. It allows proper functioning of the joints and normalization of blood flow. Immunity is also strengthened, and this prevents the aggravation of chronic diseases.
Many people think about what to do with osteochondrosis, doctors recommend including massage in the treatment. It helps relieve muscle cramps and strengthens them quickly and the patient will feel much better. The massage procedure is performed in case of spinal pain as well as atrophy of the back muscles. The massage is used to relieve pain.
There are several types of treatment for osteochondrosis: classical, segmental-reflex, point.
How to treat osteochondrosis with massage procedures. Regular massage is done on its own, it helps to tone the muscles and remove pain.
The spine should be stroked with light movements first. Then you need to start stretching the muscles of your neck, lower back, chest. You can pinch these places and put light pressure on where it hurts the most. It is best to perform circular movements with the palm of your hand.
Preventive measures and diet
Can osteochondrosis be cured with proper nutrition? Diet helps to remove the load on the spine and it is important that it was an effective treatment for chondrosis. You should choose a balanced diet and reduce your salt intake. To speed up healing, all the nutrients you need to contain in your body. Diet helps to normalize metabolism, prevent the deposition of salt in the spine. If you are overweight, it will help speed up the treatment of posterior osteochondrosis.
Foods to eat: fermented dairy products and milk, fruit, lean meat, rye bread, nuts, vegetables and herbs, buckwheat porridge, eggs, fish.
You should try to completely eliminate sugary foods. Consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products is prohibited. You should eat about five times a day. Steam or bake the best food. It refuses flour, spicy, greasy and salty. Drink at least 1, 5 liters of clean water throughout the day. It is advisable not to drink strong tea and coffee. Now a person knows what osteochondrosis is and how to treat it.
If you follow proper prevention, you don’t even need to know how to treat chondrosis. First, try not to lift weights and do less physical activity.
Don't spend a lot of time with your computer and TV. If a person is working and living a sedentary lifestyle, he or she should exercise at least several times a day.
Osteochondrosis, the symptoms are obvious. The disease in the back can lead to discomfort and pain. If the first signs of osteochondrosis appear, you should see a doctor. Self-medication is not recommended as it can lead to serious complications. The specialist will send you for an investigation, be able to find the causes and prescribe the correct and effective treatment.