Spinal osteochondrosis is a degenerative dystrophic disease of intervertebral discs, vertebral bodies, and ligaments, in which the bones and cartilage tissues of the neck, thoracic and lumbar spine are destroyed.
Pathology can affect the entire motor segment of the spine, intervertebral discs, the entire vertebral body, and adjacent nerve and muscle structures. This disease is often referred to as the "disease of civilization", and is related to the upright posture and stress of the spine every day.
US statisticians say that the first reason for restricting the activities of people under 45 is back and cervical pain. Most city dwellers, drivers spend most of their time in a sitting position, they need to reinstall their spine, these people are in danger.
Osteochondrosis is the cause of more than 70% of back pain cases. The risk of this disease increases with age.
The etiology and pathogenesis of osteochondrosis of the spine
Spinal osteochondrosis has a long-term pathogenesis (months to decades). It depends on the factors that affect the development of the disease.
Risk factors:
- Age. The elderly (over 60 years old) are at risk. In people under 35, this disease is rare. As a result of age-related changes, human hormonal background violations occur, which makes muscle tissue and blood vessel walls more porous, which means more susceptible to injury. This can cause metabolic disorders and overload the intervertebral discs.
- Autoimmune diseases, can treat cartilage tissue as a foreign body and begin to destroy it.
- Spine injury. This is one of the main reasons for the development of osteochondrosis in young people. It is believed that more than half of young people suffer spinal chondropathy in old age during spinal injuries.
- Being overweight can reduce the wear of intervertebral discs. The cartilage disc is used as a shock absorber for the spine, which can ensure the mobility of the spine during physical exercise, walking, running, etc. , and protect the bone tissue from damage and microcracks. The severity of overweight makes the load heavier, which accelerates the destruction of the cartilage disc.
- Flat feet.
- Genetic susceptibility.
- Endocrine system diseases, which cause metabolic disorders, and then negatively affect the state of cartilage tissue.
Osteochondrosis can be "sleeping" for a long time. When the dystrophic process in cartilage tissue has damaged nerve roots, many patients will learn about the disease in severe pain.
The pathogenesis of osteochondrosis of the spine has the following stages:
- Violation of blood circulation in the intervertebral disc and adjacent structures.
- Especially hormonal and metabolic disorders of the body and intervertebral discs.
- The degradation process of the nucleus pulposus. At this stage, the structure of the intervertebral disc changes-the nucleus is reduced, the intervertebral disc itself becomes thinner, and the load on the annulus fibrosus increases. This causes various delaminations, microcracks, and sometimes rupture.
- Intervertebral hernia. The progress of the protrusion leads to the destruction of the ligaments, the change of the height and shape of the intervertebral disc, and the formation of hernias.
- Compression of the root artery.
- Spinal cord with chronic blood supply.
Symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis
With the development of osteochondrosis, the pathology appears in the intervertebral disc and cartilage itself, and these pathologies then overlap and cause the appearance of disc herniation.
Symptoms can be general or specific, and are characteristic of pathological changes in cartilage, intervertebral discs and adjacent tissues.
The first symptom of osteochondrosis should be called back pain, spinal numbness, restricted mobility, and increased physical exertion.
Specific symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- Cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by blood circulation disorders, causing dizziness, pain and tinnitus, and headache. The brain is rich in oxygen and nutrients, so people are under stress.
- Lumbar osteochondrosis causes low back pain, lumbar spine (sciatica) and the development of lumbar sciatica diseases. For sciatica, the sciatic nerve is affected, and pain and hypotension in the buttocks and hypotension in the calves are observed.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:
- Neck pain-pain in the cervical spine. The nature of the pain is varied (severe or violent when coughing, tilting the head and trunk will aggravate the pain), depending on the factors affecting this part of the spine.
- Cervical and Arm Pain-Pain in the cervical spine, radiating to the arm and numbness.
- Shoulder-bone restenosis and re-inflammation-shoulder joint, clavicle pain, restricting the movement of the arm from top to bottom.
- Upper con disease-pain in the elbow joint, restricted movement.
- Vertebral artery syndrome-so-called cervical migraine, headache and neck pain, nausea, sometimes vomiting, motor coordination disorder-staggering when walking, tinnitus.
One of the most common symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis is blood circulation disorder, which causes frequent dizziness, fainting and headaches.
Symptoms of breast cartilage:
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis:
- Lumbodynia-Low back pain, low back pain. The patient feels discomfort when trying to sit or stand up. Exercise, coughing, deep breathing, and bending over can exacerbate the pain.
- Lumbar neuralgia-pain in the lower back, radiating to the legs. There may be paresthesias, leg numbness, muscle cramps and joint pain.
- Vascular Syndrome-Compression of blood vessels, without pain, muscle weakness, Cone Syndrome-weakness of the feet, pelvic organ dysfunction.
The symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are varied. This part of the spine bears more load than other parts.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the spine
When low back pain occurs for the first time, an examination should be performed to determine the source of the pain. Osteochondrosis is a difficult disease to diagnose because the pain may be caused by other pathologies not related to the spine. The patient will need the consultation of several specialist doctors: neurologists, first orthopedic doctors, vertebral doctors.
The diagnosis method of osteochondrosis:
- Radiography. Perform this operation to accurately determine the height of the intervertebral disc or the change in the structure of the vertebrae, as well as the change in the diameter of the foramen between the vertebrae. X-rays are usually done in two locations-lying on your back and on your side. Two different projections of the image can more accurately determine the existence of pathology. Sometimes X-rays are taken with the jaw down.
- MRI and CT. MRI results are considered to be more accurate and help quickly determine the location of the segment affected by pathology, the presence or absence of intervertebral hernia, and root compression.
- Laboratory tests: blood tests to determine the level of calcium in the blood and red blood cell sedimentation rate. Based on these results, laboratory tests were the earliest prescribed, and recently, doctors directed them to hardware diagnostic procedures.
It is important to distinguish osteochondrosis of the spine from many other diseases with similar clinical features, for example: tumors on the spine are tumoral in nature, infringe on the integrity of cartilage tissue, inflammation, intermittent lauches, visceral cystsThe formation of urinary tract stones, gastritis, pyelonephritis, angina pectoris, neurological diseases. For this purpose, studies on the digestive system, nervous system and blood circulation can be prescribed. Use the following diagnostic methods-ECG, ultrasound, EEG, endoscopy (digestive organs).
Complications of osteochondrosis
Most commonly, the course of this disease is accompanied by neurological complications:
- stage. Highlight the complications-intense and painful shooting sensation.
- stage. Nerve radiculitis, which is characterized by pain syndrome and other symptoms, depends on the location of radiculitis.
- stage. Pathology of roots and spinal nerves, the presence of intervertebral hernia. Muscle paralysis often occurs, leading to general paralysis.
- stage. Violation of blood circulation and blood supply throughout the spinal cord. Symptoms: persistent severe back pain, paralysis of certain muscle groups, spinal cord ischemic stroke.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine
The process of treating any type of osteochondrosis is to pursue a goal-to relieve pain and prevent spinal cord tissue damage and deformation. Treatment can be conservative or surgical. According to the diagnosis (stage, type of disease, general health of the patient), the type and method of treatment are specified for each patient individually.
In the acute phase of the pain syndrome, it is recommended to relax and rest, anti-inflammatory drugs (anti-inflammatory drugs (diphyllaceae, votalene), injection of antispasmodic, vitamin B, rubbing agent-soaked vegetable leaves, larkspur, etc. ) canAs a prescription for pain syndrome. Sports and physical therapy (electric current, electrophoresis, magnetic therapy).
Conservative treatment takes about two months. In addition to the listed treatments, massage, manual therapy, reflexology and extraction can also be used. The result of conservative treatment directly depends on the patient's persistence and diligence.
There is also a surgical treatment method for intervertebral hernias that have existed for more than six months. The space between the vertebrae narrows, resulting in compression of the spinal cord. The principle of surgical treatment is to remove deformed intervertebral discs. The recovery period after surgery is about six months. Rehabilitation includes exercise therapy, physical therapy and taking vitamins.
Ways to prevent osteochondrosis of the spine include fighting risk factors-maintaining an active lifestyle, exercising, proper nutrition, using corsets and special belts on the back, sleeping on orthopedic mattresses and pillows, To avoid hypothermia and injury.