Osteochondrosis is a degenerative process that occurs in the articular cartilage and adjacent bone tissues.Doctors define this disease as a degenerative-destructive lesion of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs: they lose moisture, decrease in height and elasticity.
Osteochondrosis 'looked younger'
If only a few decades ago the articular cartilage began to deteriorate in people who had passed the age of 40, today the disease also manifests itself in adolescence.
Doctors cite many reasons for this unpleasant trend.An unhealthy lifestyle, together with an unfavorable environmental situation and a worsening of the standard of living, cause premature wear and deformation of the bone and cartilaginous structures.
Constantly being in an unnatural position, a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition accompany every person.Few people think about the prevention of osteochondrosis, neglecting exercise, a balanced diet and an approach to maintaining their health in general.The result of such recklessness is usually sad.
Main causes of osteochondrosis
Experts are still debating how many factors actually contribute to the formation of the disease.Unconditional reasons include:
- individual predisposition;
- segmental circulatory disorders;
- changes acquired with age;
- damage to the fibrous ring;
- overweight;
- constant loads;
- poor nutrition;
- bad habits;
- failure of the body during menopause;
- sedentary work.
Stages of development of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is classified into stages, taking into account clinical signs, the degree of tissue damage and the patient's level of discomfort.The pathological process occurs in four stages:
- Preclinical.First, the basic level of nutrition of the intervertebral discs decreases, their elasticity and firmness deteriorate.No changes can be detected on X-ray. The patient may feel mild fatigue, mild discomfort, stiffness, dizziness, headache;
- Stage of discogenic radiculitis.The fibrous ring begins to slowly deform (cracks and protrusions appear).The pain becomes sharper and sudden, the discomfort becomes more noticeable.A symptom such as "low back pain" appears, the limbs begin to become numb;
- Vascular-radicular stage.The fibrinous ring completely loses its shape.From this moment on, hernias can form.X-rays are very informative.The subjective sensations of patients are pronounced (pain, sharp attacks of pain, constant discomfort).Frequent muscle spasms appear and performance decreases dramatically.If the nerve fibers suffer, the first signs of dysfunction of the internal systems are inevitable;
- When the height of the vertebrae decreases, friction between them begins.Osteophytes may appear as a compensatory mechanism.These are specific osteogrowths that help strengthen the area where the friction was most intense.But osteophytes can cause inflammatory processes in the surrounding soft tissues, worsening the pathological picture.
Symptoms of the disease: emphasis on the well-being of patients
Osteochondrosis is characterized by a whole galaxy of very different symptoms.This is due to the vastness of the pathological process itself and its influence on most organs of the human body.There are several main syndromes that occur in patients suffering from osteochondrosis:
- Static syndrome.When the vertebrae lose their shape, posture inevitably changes.Signs of kyphosis, scoliosis and lordosis appear.The discomfort is accompanied by a feeling of stiffness;
- Neurological syndrome.Damage to nervous tissue leads to paresthesia (reduced sensitivity) of different areas, accompanied by a sensation of numbness, tingling, “creeping”;
- Vascular syndrome.Due to compression (squeezing) of large vessels and capillaries by deformed vertebrae, blood circulation is disrupted.Result: nausea, dizziness, paleness, signs of oxygen deficiency;
- Symptom of trophism.Since tissue nutrition is disrupted (due to compression of small vessels), trophic ulcers may appear on the surface of the skin.
Cervical osteochondrosis
The first manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis is headache.Analgesics do not relieve pain.Usually, the pain begins in the parietal area, flowing smoothly into the temporal region.Over time, the patient begins to experience discomfort and numbness in the shoulder girdle.
Due to the lack of blood flow to the brain, a person may experience dizziness, nausea, and increased tinnitus.If the nutrition of the optical zone is interrupted, visual acuity usually decreases sharply.
Older people may suddenly lose consciousness and have difficulty with memory and coordination.Rare symptoms include shortness of breath, anxiety and hiccups.
Thoracic osteochondrosis
The thoracic region is less commonly affected.One of the main reasons for the appearance of the pathology is considered to be scoliosis and improper work at the desk (which means sedentary work).The patient feels a dull, aching pain from the very beginning of the development of the disease.As the disease progresses, it causes other symptoms: chest pain, numbness, paresthesia, aching pain in the liver and kidney area.
In the differential diagnosis, deformation processes in the thoracic region can be confused with myocardial infarction and intercostal neuralgia.This ECG and a more in-depth examination (absence of cyanosis, paleness, yellowish color of the skin) allow you to precisely specify the diagnosis.
Lumbosacral osteochondrosis
The most common type of osteochondrosis.This is due to the fact that this area of the spine bears the greatest load.Hernias occur more often here, complicating the clinical picture.
The main symptoms: prolonged pain, sensation of muscle pain, discomfort, rare low back pain, paresthesia, which ceases from time to time and then resumes.The degree of sensitivity of the skin on the feet, legs and thighs may vary.
A common cause of osteochondrosis in this department is trauma, mechanical compression and severe physical activity.One of the most unpleasant consequences of lumbosacral deformities is the "slipping" of the vertebra and problems in the functioning of nearby organs.
What pain in osteochondrosis will tell you about
Depending on where the deformation processes occur most intensely, the nature and specificity of the pain depends.The main feature: damaged vertebrae pinch the nerve roots, causing pain in the area for which the nerve plexuses are responsible.
Problems can be distributed as follows:
- Cervical region – headache, stiff neck and shoulders, disturbances of vision, breathing and other important functions;
- Thoracic region: pain in the heart, low back pain in the arm and internal organs, impaired digestive function, arrhythmias, problems with the functioning of the endocrine system.The pain is always strong and acute;
- Lower back: constant pain, malfunction of the genitourinary system, pelvic congestion, reproductive dysfunction.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
The doctor needs to take as complete a medical history as possible.During the examination, the specialist palpates the areas where the pain is most pronounced.
An x-ray examination will be informative.Especially in the last stages of the disease.
Modern diagnostic methods include MRI and CT, which allow you to more precisely examine the processes of destruction of cartilage and bone tissue.In addition, using this technique it is convenient to diagnose hernias and other soft tissue defects near the source of the disease.
For differential diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, an ECG is used.The patient must undergo a general blood and urine test.
Working at the computer and developing osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is an insidious disease.It affects both the "office plankton" who sits at the computer all the time, and hardened workers who subject their health to extraordinary stress.Irrational work, abandonment of the rules for the prevention of osteochondrosis and an unhealthy lifestyle cause the rapid destruction of bone and cartilage tissue.
The modern youth generation is excessively "computerized".Many medical professionals cite this as one of the main reasons why osteochondrosis has become so common and affects young people.Top tips from experts:
- You need to monitor your posture and position at the desk;
- Even during hard work it is important to take a break and "stretch" the body;
- You cannot tolerate discomfort while sitting at the computer.The body, especially the back, should be comfortable;
- Active lifestyle.Work or free time at the computer should be alternated with recreational sports or light gymnastics.
Wrong lifestyle
An unbalanced diet causes osteochondrosis.Junk food attacks on multiple “fronts” at once.First, obesity caused by fast food and similar snacks is one of the underlying causes of spinal dysfunction.And the deposited salts and other harmful elements in the bones only aggravate the problem, accelerating the destructive processes.
Alcohol and smoking have similar effects.Harmful substances affect the cellular level, having a destructive effect on bone tissue and cartilage surfaces, which are the most sensitive to nicotine.
By reviewing your lifestyle, diet and eliminating bad habits, you can prevent the appearance or progression of osteochondrosis.The ability to move easily and freely is a true luxury, a gift of nature for every person.Unfortunately, the value of painless movements becomes clear only when the pathological process immobilizes the human body.
Taking care of your health today means having a happy and fulfilling life in the future.