What is osteochondrosis? Characteristic symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis

Bardukova Elena Anatolievna
neurologist, homeopath, work experience 23 years
✔ Article checked by a doctor

Famous Japanese rheumatologist:“THIS IS MONSTERAL! Russian methods of treating joints and spine cause only bewilderment. See what doctors offer to treat your back and joints in Russia: Voltaren, Fastum gel, Diclofenac, Milgamma, Dexalgin and other similar drugs. However, these drugs DO NOT TREAT JOINTS and BACK, they only relieve the symptoms of the disease - pain, inflammation, swelling. Now imagine that...”

Read the full interview"

What is osteochondrosis, what are the symptoms and causes, how is treatment carried out? All the answers are in this most detailed article on the Internet. Currently, osteochondrosis of the spine affects from 50 to 80% of the entire population of the planet. Even teenagers sometimes begin to show the first symptoms of this insidious disease. Osteochondrosis is also one of the main causes of back pain.

There are three types of disease: osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. The sooner treatment of the disease begins, the greater the chance of completely stopping the development of osteochondrosis, up to a complete cure.

Most people have heard about this disease at least once in their lives, but not everyone knows what it is.

Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease in which intervertebral discs and vertebrae in the spinal column are destroyed.

The spine becomes unstable, which leads to compression of the intervertebral discs and nerve roots, and this in turn causes pain and inflammation in the tissues and muscles of the back. The pain can be localized in the neck, back, or heart area. And with cervical osteochondrosis, such an unpleasant symptom as a headache always appears. This occurs due to compression of the vertebral arteries and vessels that supply the brain with oxygen.

The disease first negatively affects soft tissues (ligaments, muscles), and then bone tissue, causing irreversible consequences in the spine.

1. The most common ICD-10 codes for spinal osteochondrosis:
2. M42.0x is juvenile osteochondrosis;
3. M42.1x is osteochondrosis in adults;

Instead of x, a number is placed that corresponds to the code of the area affected by osteochondrosis.

• 0 – multiple zones of the spinal column;
• 1 – occipital zone, 1st and 2nd cervical vertebrae;
• 2 – cervical area;
• 3 – cervicothoracic zone;
• 4 – chest area;
• 5 – thoracolumbar zone;
• 6 – lumbar zone;
• 7 – lumbosacral zone;
• 8 – sacral and sacrococcygeal zone;
• 9 – unspecified affected area

For example, for an adult over 18 years of age, the diagnosis of “Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine” will be coded as follows: M42.12.

Interesting! In 2018, a new classification of diseases under the ICD-11 code is expected to be released.

Osteochondrosis: facts and statistics

Real stories from site readers:“My name is Alexandra, I’m 38 years old. I want to tell my story about how I cured osteochondrosis and hernia. Finally, I was able to overcome this unbearable pain in my lower back. I lead an active lifestyle, live and enjoy every moment! A few months ago I got a cramp at the dacha; a sharp pain in my lower back didn’t allow me to move, I couldn’t even walk. The doctor at the hospital diagnosed osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, herniated discs L3-L4. He prescribed some medications, but they did not help, the pain was unbearable. They called an ambulance, they put a blockade and hinted at an operation, I kept thinking about this, that I would turn out to be a burden for the family... Everything changed when my daughter gave me an article to read on the Internet. You can’t imagine how grateful I am to her for this! What I learned from the article literally pulled me out of my wheelchair! In recent months I have started to move more; in the spring and summer I go to the dacha every day. Who wants to live a long and energetic life without osteochondrosis, take 5 minutes and read this article.” Read the article»

Cervical vertebrae of the spine

1. Cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis are the most common diseases throughout the world. About 80% of all people on the planet over 35 years of age suffer from this disease in one form or another.
2. Professions that are at risk are drivers, professional athletes, office workers, and loaders. According to statistics, more than 70% of representatives of these professions have osteochondrosis.
3. Without timely and correct treatment, the death rate from osteochondrosis is about 10%.
4. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine increases the risk of stroke by approximately 40%.
5. In Russia, every 8 adults suffer from some kind of disease of the musculoskeletal system, where this disease occupies one of the first places.
6. Osteochondrosis ranks third in the number of operations performed on the spinal column.
7. Currently, the initial symptoms of osteochondrosis appear even in adolescents, although 30 years ago the disease mainly developed in older people.
8. Cervical osteochondrosis is the cause of headaches in more than half of all cases.

Types of osteochondrosis

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Symptoms of the disease

Stories from site readers:“I love working at my favorite dacha. Sometimes you work so hard that it’s impossible to straighten your back and pain appears in the lower back - no matter how much you cry. I don’t take painkillers because I have a bad stomach. A doctor I know advised me to pay attention to the newest product, which is specially produced only for the domestic foreign market. I ordered and applied it before bed. I felt a slight burning sensation, but then a warmth spread throughout my lower back. 2 days after using it, the wild pain in my back almost disappeared, and after another 2 weeks I forgot the feeling that your back was aching wildly. 4 (!) months have passed, and the result lasts, which means the product really works.” Read the article»

What symptoms of osteochondrosis occur depending on the affected part of the spine?

Japanese rheumatologist: “Do you have a sore Back and Joints? A new safe treatment method at home!” Good article, must read"

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Constant pain in the cervical region is a sure sign of cervical osteochondrosis.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are no different from symptoms in men.

Pain in thoracic osteochondrosis often radiates to various internal organs of the body: heart, stomach, liver or gall bladder. The correct diagnosis in this case can only be made by a competent specialist.

How to distinguish a heart attack from symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine? Take a heart medicine such as nitroglycerin. If the pain syndrome does not go away, then the probable cause of its occurrence is thoracic osteochondrosis.

Symptoms of lumbar (lumbosacral) osteochondrosis

Lower back pain is one of the symptoms of osteochondrosis

• constant aching severe pain in the lumbar region;
• pain may radiate to the legs, tailbone or internal pelvic organs;
• decreased sensitivity of the lower extremities up to paresis or paralysis;
• weakness and aching in the limbs;
• impotence in men;
• women's reproductive function decreases;
• problems with urination;
• discomfort during pregnancy;
• Often the patient cannot bend or turn the body. As a rule, a person takes such a position when the pain is felt the least.

Types of pain in lumbar osteochondrosis

Distinctive features of lumbar osteochondrosis

1. Radicular syndrome. In this case, the pain in the lower back completely disappears, and then appears in the leg. The person begins to limp, leaning on his good leg. It is noteworthy that the patient feels tingling or loss of sensitivity in the lower back.
2. Ischemic syndrome, in which blood microcirculation is disrupted. This leads to pain on the inner thigh of the leg up to paralysis of the gluteal areas.
3. Spinal syndrome. A curvature of the spine appears. A person’s gait changes – it becomes uncertain and awkward.

If two or more simultaneous symptoms appear, you must immediately consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis and timely treatment. Otherwise, you may remain disabled.

With polysegmental osteochondrosis, the symptoms are mixed. This type of osteochondrosis is considered the most dangerous.

Exacerbation of osteochondrosis

In most cases, exacerbation of osteochondrosis occurs in the spring or autumn seasons. An exacerbation can also be triggered by a sudden change in weather, nervous tension, or heavy physical activity.

What to do if osteochondrosis worsens?

What should not be done during exacerbation of osteochondrosis?

1. Do hard physical work. Avoid sports completely.
2. Make sudden movements with your neck and body.
3. Overcool the body.
4. Warm painful areas with a heating pad or other method. It is better to wrap yourself in a woolen scarf or handkerchief.
5. Is it possible to do massage during exacerbation of osteochondrosis? You can do a very light massage in the form of stroking using pain-relieving ointments.

How long does an exacerbation of osteochondrosis last?

As a rule, exacerbation of osteochondrosis in any part of the spine lasts up to 10 days. Severe exacerbation occurs on days 3, 4 and 5. If the pain does not go away for 3 weeks or more, you should urgently consult a specialist.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Only the attending physician can prescribe correct and effective treatment for osteochondrosis. What does an approximate treatment plan for osteochondrosis look like?

The best medicine for osteochondrosis is the one prescribed to you by your doctor. Note that this is not one medicine, but a whole complex of drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis.

How long does it take to treat osteochondrosis?

From 1 to 3 months. Additionally, during the year you must carry out all the preventive and rehabilitation measures prescribed by the doctor.

Self-medication for osteochondrosis is extremely undesirable. Simply relieving pain does not cure the disease. The disease, in the absence of proper treatment, continues to develop slowly.

If osteochondrosis is in an advanced form, and the nerve endings in the spinal cord are compressed, then only surgical treatment will help. Rehabilitation after surgery lasts from six months or more.

Only a competent specialist can determine exactly how osteochondrosis should be treated. Sometimes, in order to avoid mistakes, the issue is discussed at a council of doctors.

Important! Sometimes, at the beginning of treatment, the pain symptom may intensify in some patients.

With complex treatment with medications and physiotherapy sessions, the pain is relieved fairly quickly.

Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis

Traditional treatment of osteochondrosis includes:

It is impossible with a 100% guarantee to completely eliminate the disease when treated with conservative therapy. You can only reduce the symptoms of the disease. And in order to achieve a high result, treatment must only be comprehensive.

In the future, throughout life, it is necessary to maintain the condition of the body in order to prevent exacerbations. Exercise and preventive measures will help with this.

Drug treatment of cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis

Treatment regimen for osteochondrosis with drugs:

1. Taking any NSAIDs + muscle relaxants. This is necessary to relieve pain and inflammation.
2. After eliminating the exacerbation, if necessary, additional drugs are prescribed, such as anticonvulsants, glucocorticosteroids or angioprotectors. Each type of medicine only helps with certain symptoms.
3. During remission of osteochondrosis, the doctor may prescribe vitamins to improve metabolism and restore cartilage tissue.
4. Antidepressants are prescribed if the pain lasts for 2-3 months and the person cannot live a full life.

Great article on the topic:

Tablets for osteochondrosis

What pills should I take for osteochondrosis?

List of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in tablets for osteochondrosis of the cervical, lumbar and thoracic regions

NSAIDs for mild pain

Attention! Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs cause serious side effects, such as gastrointestinal pain.

NSAIDs for severe pain and inflammation

The cheapest tablets for osteochondrosis are Diclofenac.

The most effective medicine for osteochondrosis is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen).

NSAIDs for very severe pain

1. Tramadol(Tramal). Very powerful painkillers for osteochondrosis from the group of opioid drugs. Cost: Tramadol - from 100 rubles, Tramal - from 120 rubles.
2. Fentanyl and Pentazocine. Narcotic painkillers that are prescribed for severe back pain.

Medicines for headaches with cervical osteochondrosis

Headaches resulting from cervical osteochondrosis cannot be cured with conventional painkillers.

The most effective tablets for headaches with cervical osteochondrosis: painkillers + antispasmodics + sedatives. Additionally, the doctor may prescribe anticonvulsants, which can also cope with headaches.

Tablets for headaches with cervical osteochondrosis

Only the attending physician should prescribe a treatment regimen for you. In any case, when taking the above medications, you must carefully study the instructions for use.

What drugs are used to treat cervical osteochondrosis? The most popular drugs are Voltaren, Diclofenac, Sirdalud, Actovegin, Structum.

Excellent follow up article:

Muscle relaxants

These are tablets that relax muscles in osteochondrosis, which are prescribed simultaneously with NSAIDs.

Homeopathic remedies for osteochondrosis

But these medications for the treatment of osteochondrosis relate more to alternative medicine. The tablets contain many plant substances. The action is aimed at reducing inflammation, normalizing metabolism, and generally improving the condition of the body. The effect of use appears only 15 days after the start of treatment. You can take homeopathic medicines for the treatment of osteochondrosis only with the permission of a doctor.

Effective homeopathic remedies against osteochondrosis

Great article on the topic:

Injections for osteochondrosis

What injections should be given for osteochondrosis?

NSAIDs - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Such injections are prescribed to quickly relieve pain and inflammation, reduce swelling and muscle spasms. Painkiller injections for osteochondrosis are often prescribed during the acute period.

Names of injections for osteochondrosis

Steroid drugs

These injections for osteochondrosis are given locally to the affected area. Thus, the drug acts directly at the source of pain and inflammation. They are prescribed if NSAIDs do not help.

Blockades

These injections are often prescribed for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbosacral regions. Doctors prescribe them if no other injections help.. Blockades are placed exactly in the place of the spine where inflammation or pinching has formed.

For osteochondrosis, paravertebral blockade is mainly used.

Spinal traction for osteochondrosis

Spinal traction (traction, detensor therapy) is an effective method for pain in the spine. The point of the procedure is that this method increases the space between the vertebrae. This eliminates compression of the nerve roots and muscle tension, and restores the correct shape of the entire spine.

Video: a set of exercises for spinal osteochondrosis

Orthopedic pillow for cervical osteochondrosis

Doctors often recommend sleeping on an orthopedic pillow if you have a disease such as cervical osteochondrosis. How is this pillow better than a regular pillow? Judging by the reviews of patients and doctors, the orthopedic pillow completely relaxes the cervical spine and significantly improves the quality of sleep and rest.

Which pillow is best for cervical osteochondrosis?

1. The pillow should be of medium hardness.
2. The width of the pillow should be the width of your shoulders.
3. The correct pillow for cervical osteochondrosis should almost immediately restore its shape.
4. Be sure to check the product certification.

An orthopedic mattress for osteochondrosis should be of medium hardness. When the disease worsens, it is recommended to sleep on a harder surface. Therefore, manufacturers offer mattresses where you can change the firmness by simply turning the mattress over. If a person is overweight, you should choose a mattress without springs.

The advantage of an orthopedic mattress

Shantz's neck collar

This device is used in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. The Shants collar looks like a frame that is fixed around the neck. This device is often used simultaneously with drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

Advantages of the Shants collar in the treatment of osteochondrosis:

• reducing tension and spasms in the neck muscles;
• gentle traction of the cervical spine;
• improved posture;
• pain relief by increasing the space between adjacent vertebrae.

There are different modifications of collars:

• soft, including for babies;
• inflatable;
• hard.

Treatment of osteochondrosis with folk remedies at home

There is still debate about whether treating osteochondrosis at home helps. Any traditional treatment method must be agreed upon with the attending physician in order to avoid complications. Traditional medicine will help relieve pain and inflammation, reduce the period of treatment and the number of medications taken.

Treatment with folk remedies should be an addition to traditional treatment, and not replace it.

How to treat osteochondrosis at home? Let us give examples of the most popular and effective folk remedies for osteochondrosis.

Treatment of osteochondrosis with folk remedies

1. It is necessary to prepare horseradish juice in an amount of 50 ml. Mix it with the same amount of vodka. The resulting solution should be rubbed into the affected areas several times a day or compresses should be made. This home treatment is especially effective against cervical osteochondrosis.
2. Prepare the mixture by mixing 100 ml of vodka, 200 g. honey and the same amount of radish juice. Rub this mixture onto painful areas as needed.
3. Take a fresh horseradish leaf and scald it with boiling water. Apply the inside of the sheet to the painful area and place cling film on top. Wrap this area in warm woolen cloth. It is advisable to do this at night. It will be much easier in the morning.
4. Mix 1 tbsp. l. vinegar, 100 gr. butter and one raw chicken egg. Mix thoroughly and put the mixture in a dark place for a couple of days. Apply the prepared ointment to sore areas for 1-2 weeks.
5. Treatment of osteochondrosis with kerosene. Soak a cotton cloth in household kerosene and squeeze out excess liquid. Apply soap to the area where you will apply the cloth with kerosene. This will prevent it from evaporating. Place the soaked cloth on the sore spot, place cling film on top and wrap yourself in a warm scarf. When you feel a burning sensation, remove the application. Keep for no more than 3 hours.
6. Coniferous therapeutic bath for osteochondrosis. Prepare half a kilogram of pine needles, fill it with 2 liters of water. Bring to a boil and cool the broth. Add it to your finished bath. You need to take it for 15-20 minutes 3 times a week.

Great article on the topic:

There are many positive reviews about visiting a bathhouse for osteochondrosis. But visiting her is allowed outside the acute phase of the disease.

You can read a detailed treatment plan for osteochondrosis using a bath in this article:

This device produces a low-frequency magnetic field. Advantages of the device:

• normalization of blood circulation;
• restoration of the previous range of movements;
• improvement of metabolic processes;
• headache relief;
• improvement of the human nervous system.

The effect of treatment with Diamag is comparable to a course of physiotherapy in a clinic. The device costs from 25 thousand rubles.

Orion

This device is intended for the treatment of osteochondrosis using a laser. Using laser beams, the device increases blood circulation in the painful area, improves the permeability of medications, and relieves swelling. These devices can cure many diseases of the spine. The price of the device is from 15,000 thousand rubles.

This is a magnetic laser therapy device, which after a couple of procedures significantly reduces pain in osteochondrosis. Additionally, blood circulation improves, swelling is eliminated and spinal mobility improves. The cost of the device is from 8 thousand rubles.

Vitafon

The operation of the device is based on microvibrations using acoustic waves. These vibrations constantly change their frequency, which enhances blood circulation and regeneration. Additionally, lymph flow improves, which leads to rapid elimination of inflammation. The cost of the device is from 5 thousand rubles.

This device is intended for carrying out physiotherapeutic procedures at home. It has 4 types of radiation: laser, infrared, magnetic and red.

This leads to stronger immunity, the blood begins to receive more oxygen, and faster regeneration of affected tissues occurs. The device can be used to treat many diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The cost of the device starts from 20 thousand rubles.

Osteo-DENS, Denas, DiaDENS

This device has the principle of electrical neurostimulation, which effectively relieves spasms and pain symptoms, and also helps people with weather dependence. The device not only treats osteochondrosis, but also improves the general condition of the body. The device costs from 7 thousand rubles.

Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis

If traditional and other treatment methods have not brought any positive effect, or it was temporary, doctors often prescribe surgery for osteochondrosis. It is also prescribed for stages 3 and 4 of the disease. After surgical treatment of osteochondrosis, long-term rehabilitation is required, which can range from 1 month to a year.

Surgery is mainly prescribed for cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis.

Main types of operations:

Discectomy- This is the complete removal of a damaged intervertebral disc. Rarely used due to severe complications.

– This is a minimally invasive operation (has few complications). As a result of the procedure, only the intervertebral hernia is removed without affecting other structures of the spine.

Various exacerbations of stage 1 and 2 osteochondrosis with proper treatment almost always end in recovery. And if you subsequently follow all the doctor’s recommendations, then you can completely forget about osteochondrosis.

If a patient has stage 3 or 4 osteochondrosis, then it is almost impossible to cure it.

Is it possible to completely cure osteochondrosis at home? When treating at home, patients face the following problems:

1. Lack of special medical equipment for physiotherapy and other restorative procedures.
2. Lack of psychological preparation of the patient for permanent treatment, lack of motivation.
3. Problems with organizing proper nutrition. Diet for osteochondrosis is also a very important point that should never be forgotten.

Excellent follow up article:

Prevention of osteochondrosis

Prevention of osteochondrosis should be carried out as early as possible. But if the disease has already appeared in the body, then it is necessary to follow preventive advice throughout your life.

Remember! Taking preventive measures will save you from the development of osteochondrosis and from many other diseases of the spine, for example, intervertebral hernia.

Nutrition for osteochondrosis

Many patients are interested in the question: “How to eat with osteochondrosis?” We will answer this question in as much detail as possible.

It is very important to organize proper nutrition for osteochondrosis. Products for osteochondrosis should contain those substances that will help in the regeneration of cartilage tissue and metabolism. You also need to monitor the amount of fluid you drink to prevent the destruction of the cartilage tissue included in the intervertebral disc of the spine. The diet for osteochondrosis of any part of the spine: cervical, thoracic or lumbar is exactly the same.

The main goals of the diet for osteochondrosis:

• improving metabolism in the body;
• reducing the risk of salt deposits;
• strengthening and preventing deformation of cartilage tissue and intervertebral discs;
• preventing excess weight.

1. Your back should rest on the back of the chair.
2. Don't slouch or crane your neck forward. The muscles of the body should be relaxed when sitting.
3. When sitting for a long time, exercise and warm up your neck every 1.5 hours.
4. Set up your workspace so that you don't have to constantly lean your upper body forward.
5. When driving a vehicle, sit without straining your body. You can place a bolster between the seat and your lower back. If the trip lasts many hours, then stop from time to time to do small warm-ups: turns, squats and bends.
6. Do not sit in the same position for a long time, change your body position periodically.
7. Buy an orthopedic chair that will help keep your spine healthy when working at the computer.

When standing for a long time, a large load is placed on the lumbar spine. So follow these tips.

1. Every 15-20 minutes, change your position, lean on each leg in turn.
2. Don’t stand in one place, move here and there if possible.
3. Bend backwards, stretch your arms up and take a deep breath. This will help reduce fatigue in stiff neck and back muscles.
4. When performing daily household chores, place each foot in turn on a stand or bench.
5. Avoid performing work with low body bends. If you need to lift something, it is better to squat down or lean on some object with your knees bent.

How to stand correctly

How to lift weights correctly with osteochondrosis

How to lift weights correctly

To prevent further development of osteochondrosis and the appearance of intervertebral hernias, you should follow simple rules when lifting and moving heavy things.

1. Don't carry heavy things in one hand. It is better to distribute it evenly on both hands so as not to overload the spinal column.
2. You cannot suddenly lift weights, bend or lean back with a load in your hands.
3. If you have a disease such as osteochondrosis, it is not recommended to lift weights more than 10-15 kg.
4. When carrying heavy items over long distances, it is better to use a rolling bag, cart or backpack.

Let's summarize.

Osteochondrosis is a secretive and dangerous disease that can lead to serious complications, for example, intervertebral herniation of the spine.

Intervertebral discs and vertebrae will begin to become severely deformed, which will lead to muscle spasms and pinched nerve roots. And symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis such as neck pain, headache, dizziness and surges in blood pressure can very quickly lead a person into a depressive state.

The causes of osteochondrosis are very banal - a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, hypothermia and working in the same position.

Regardless of which part of the spine is affected by the disease, be it lumbar, cervical or thoracic, it is better to start treatment as soon as possible. The neurologist must make an accurate diagnosis, eliminate the pain symptom in the back and prescribe a competent treatment plan.

The good news is that osteochondrosis of the first and second stages can be treated very successfully, and in the third and fourth stages it is only possible to reduce the symptoms of the disease. If left untreated, the disease can affect many of a person's internal organs, such as the brain or heart.

1. If you have seriously decided to cure osteochondrosis, then start today by following these important tips:
2. Conduct massage courses at least twice a year.
3. Do exercises, exercise therapy, swimming or yoga regularly.

A positive attitude also plays an important role in the treatment of osteochondrosis.

Remember! Osteochondrosis is not a death sentence, and with proper treatment, the symptoms of the disease can be completely eliminated. Take care of yourself!

Conclusions and Conclusions

What are our Russian doctors keeping silent about? Why in 90% of cases does drug treatment give only a temporary effect? Unfortunately, most of the remedies “treating” back and joint diseases that are advertised on TV and sold in pharmacies are completely.

divorce

At first it may seem that creams and ointments help, BUT in fact they only TEMPORARILY relieve the symptoms of the disease. In simple words, you buy a regular painkiller, and the disease continues to develop into. Ordinary pain can be a symptom of more serious diseases:

• degeneration of muscle tissue in the buttocks, thighs and lower legs;
• pinched sciatic nerve;
• development of arthritis, arthrosis and related diseases;
• acute and sharp pain - lumbago, which leads to chronic radiculitis;
• cauda equina syndrome, which leads to paralysis of the legs;
• impotence and infertility.

How to be?- you ask. We have studied a huge amount of materials and, most importantly, tested in practice most of the remedies for the treatment of diseases of the spine and joints. So, it turned out that the only new remedy which does not remove symptoms, but truly cures - this is a medicine that is not sold in pharmacies and is not advertised on TV! So that you don’t think that they are selling you another “miracle drug,” we will not tell you what an effective drug it is. If you are interested, you can read all the information about it yourself. Here is the link" .

List of used literature

1. Evgeny Cherepanov "Healthy Spine School", 2012;
2. Alexey Ivanchev "Spine. Secrets of Health", 2014;
3. Victoria Karpukhina "Spinal health. Popov, Bubnovsky systems and other treatment methods", 2014;
4. Yuri Glavchev “The spine is the provocateur of all diseases”, 2014;
5. Stephen Ripple "Life without back pain. How to heal the spine and improve overall well-being", 2013;
6. Galli R.L., Speight D.W., Simon R.R. "Emergency orthopedics. Spine.", 1995

Osteochondrosis is a pathology familiar to 40% of the population under the age of 35-40 and almost 90% of the elderly. Even teenagers sometimes show signs of osteochondrosis - decreased disc height, pain, and discomfort in the spine. If you start treating the disease at the first stage, before the disc is destroyed, the chance of stopping the progression is very high.

What is osteochondrosis?

With osteochondrosis of the spine, one or more intervertebral discs are damaged. The disease can occur in any department:

• Grudny;
• Shane;
• Lumbar (lumbosacral).

In severe cases, degeneration of the vertebral discs due to osteochondrosis is observed throughout the spinal column, which becomes the cause of human disability. So what kind of disease is osteochondrosis? The pathology is associated with a gradual, steady and progressive malnutrition of the hyaline cartilages located on the intervertebral discs, as a result of which they change position, shape, and crack. A person experiences severe pain, the functions of the entire musculoskeletal system are disrupted.

What is osteochondrosis regarding its consequences? If treatment is not carried out, the vertebrae will compress, the gaps between them will decrease, and the discs will begin to crush and collapse. This will lead to damage to the nerve roots, damage to the spinal cord and disruption of the internal organs. Bone osteophytes appear along the edges of the discs - growths that cause even more severe pain. The consequences of this spinal disease can be very serious.

Scientists have come to the conclusion, studying osteochondrosis, that this disease is a consequence of human upright walking, so most people are susceptible to it. Daily high loads on the spinal discs, age-related deterioration of vascular function, poor nutrition and aging of the body are the main causes of osteochondrosis. The following factors complicate the situation:

Injuries and heavy physical activity greatly aggravate the development of spinal osteochondrosis. Therefore, among athletes and manual workers, lumbar osteochondrosis is a very “popular” problem. Heredity also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the syndrome - if the parents had serious back problems at a young age, the child has a high risk of developing a spinal disease.

Psychosomatic causes of pathology are a new direction in the search for prerequisites for its formation. Psychosomatics implies the influence of psychological factors on the development and course of physical illness. The connection between physical and mental problems is really close, and a seemingly healthy person can suffer from regular pain. With osteochondrosis, in some people there are no objective reasons for the pathology, but it continues to progress.

Up to 30% of patients after a visit to the doctor indicate such troubles as:

• Constant stress;
• Chronic experiences;
• Nervous tension;
• Family problems;
• Conflicts;
• Moral breakdown.

In this case, psychosomatics in the appearance of spinal lesion syndrome is clearly visible - the person “bends” under the weight of problems, which causes the spine to suffer. If the pathology has similar causes, treatment of osteochondrosis will be difficult; medications usually do not help. Exacerbations of pathology occur during a new wave of stress, and there are no physical reasons for them.

Psychosomatics especially often affects the cervical spine, but the pain syndrome can range throughout the entire spinal column. Treatment of osteochondrosis should begin with searching for and solving psychological problems under the supervision of a psychotherapist.

The intervertebral disc consists of liquid and solid parts. The first is in the center, representing the core, which gives elasticity. The core is surrounded on top by a strong ring. It is from the liquid structure that all pathological changes in the disc begin, which later spread to its shell.

In medicine, there are four stages of development of osteochondrosis. This refers to a conditional division of pathology according to the severity of disorders in the spine:

• The first stage of osteochondrosis. The amount of moisture in the disc drops and it becomes dehydrated. No destruction has yet occurred, but after severe dehydration of the nucleus, microcracks begin to appear on the fibrous ring. There are usually no symptoms at this stage of the disease.
• Second stage of osteochondrosis. The height of the disc begins to decrease, which means the gradual addition of symptoms and progression of pathology. In the spine, the distance between its individual segments decreases, causing the ligaments to sag. At this stage, in a number of patients the disease causes slipping of the vertebrae - spondylolisthesis. Pain and discomfort occur during exacerbations, aching pain can be present even in remission.
• Third stage. Osteochondrosis of the spine at this stage causes severe pain, as complications begin to form. Most often these are protrusions, disc prolapses, less often - arthrosis (degeneration) of the vertebral joints, vertebral subluxations. The pain is complemented by limited mobility of the affected segment of the spine.
• The fourth stage of osteochondrosis. The spinal column begins to adapt to the new conditions of existence, trying to fix the vertebrae in order to protect it from final destruction. For this purpose, osteophytes grow, as if “walling up” the vertebra. The pain can be sharp due to injury to the nerve endings.

The first signs of osteochondrosis usually begin at the initial stage, when there is no pain yet. In the neck, lower back, and less often in the thoracic region, you can hear a crunching sound when moving (this means a malnutrition of the disc, its dehydration). Further, when overloaded or working in an uncomfortable position, a person may notice stiffness in the muscles of the back or neck. They become “stony” on one or both sides, which can be uncomfortable, causing burning and irritation.

Subsequently, the symptoms of osteochondrosis become more obvious. At rest, a person may feel normal, but work, heavy lifting, or sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow can provoke the following phenomena:

• Aching pain;
• Aches;
• Numbness of the hands (if the neck is affected);
• Feeling of stiffness;
• Forced reduction in movements;
• Muscle spasm;
• Shoots;
• Increased pressure;
• Poor posture.

When the diseased spine is overloaded, osteochondrosis gives more pronounced signs and symptoms. Pain occurs in the shoulders, radiates to the arms, elbows, and headaches appear. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, there is tinnitus, dizziness, vertebral artery syndrome develops, and vision is impaired. Over time, without treatment for osteochondrosis, muscle atrophy occurs and the skin becomes pale. The course of cardiac pathologies may worsen, the functioning of the liver, gallbladder, and gastrointestinal tract may be disrupted.

The consequences of this disease are always unpleasant; they provoke increased pain. With osteochondrosis, the following occurs:

• Disc protrusion;
• Prolapse and disc herniation;
• Attacks of radiculitis, sciatica, lumbago;
• Kyphosis, scoliosis.

The danger to humans largely depends on the type of hernia in spinal osteochondrosis. They can be anterior, posterior, lateral, and the most dangerous are posterior hernias - they can compress the spinal cord. In the lumbar segment of the spine, hernias occur most often, mainly between 4-5 vertebrae.

Lumbar osteochondrosis can cause very unpleasant symptoms - lumbago (lumbago). The pain of lumbago is burning, sharp, unbearable, and very difficult to bear. The cause is a pinched nerve, because the patient’s neurovascular bundle is damaged. Particularly dangerous in cases of osteochondrosis is cauda equina syndrome, when a large bundle of spinal nerves is pinched in a person. As a result, bowel and bladder functions suffer, and paralysis of the legs may even occur.

Signs of osteochondrosis often boil down to severe muscle atrophy. If muscles do not participate in the work of the body for a long time, the movements of the spine are constrained, then individual fibers weaken. As a result, the patient may become disabled and bedridden. Cervical osteochondrosis is also very dangerous, because a hernia in this segment can cause disruption of the blood supply to the brain. At this stage there is a risk of impairment of vision, swallowing, speech and other brain functions.

Having independently recognized the signs of osteochondrosis, you need to think about its treatment. Since damage to the spine can reach different stages, the treatment of osteochondrosis will also be different. It is important to make the correct diagnosis so that the therapy is selected correctly.

Due to the widespread nature of the disease and the presence of characteristic symptoms, the doctor will be able to suggest a diagnosis during a preliminary examination. But to differentiate osteochondrosis from other diseases of the back and internal organs, the following diagnostics are performed:

• X-ray of the spine. It will help to identify the height of the discs, the degree of their thinning, as well as the presence of osteophytes.
• CT, MRI. More preferable in examination. With this disease, it will be possible to determine the severity of damage to nerves and soft tissues, and to find the smallest protrusions.

In osteochondrosis, laboratory tests do not play a primary role, but general analysis and biochemistry are required to exclude an inflammatory process, rheumatoid damage to bones and joints. To study muscle function, the doctor conducts a series of physical tests, and to clarify the functioning of blood vessels and nerves, they do duplex electromyography.

If the symptoms and treatment for osteochondrosis are determined, you should not delay treatment - the disease progresses quickly. At an early stage, gymnastics and massage to strengthen muscles are usually recommended - this will be enough. At other stages of osteochondrosis, drug treatment and sometimes surgery will be required.

Pain, the most unpleasant sign of the disease, can be relieved with the help of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They cannot cure osteochondrosis, but they are always prescribed before exercise therapy to relieve symptoms. In severe cases, the drugs are administered in injections, but more often they are recommended in a course of 7-14 days in tablets and topically, in the form of ointments. The most popular NSAIDs for osteochondrosis are:

• Meloxicam;
• Ketorolac;
• Ketoprofen;
• Arcoxia;
• Dexalgin;
• Diclofenac.

If a person has a severe painful syndrome in the spinal area, he is given injections of glucocorticosteroids directly into the affected area. The drugs of choice are Diprospan, Kenalog. Short-term pain relief is possible using blockades with Novocaine and other anesthetics.

Treatment of osteochondrosis is also carried out using the following means:

• B vitamins (Milgamma, Neuromultivit). Helps improve nerve conduction in the spine.
• Chondroprotectors (Artra, Dona, Alflutop). Nourishes intervertebral cartilage, strengthens discs.
• Muscle relaxants (Mydocalm, Sirdalud). Reduce the strength of muscle spasms in osteochondrosis.
• Vascular drugs (Trental, Actovegin). Optimize blood circulation in the spine.

If osteochondrosis has developed, then only chondroprotectors are given for pain relief and pathogenetic treatment; they are taken in courses of 3-6 months. The remaining drugs have a symptomatic effect and do not affect the course of osteochondrosis itself.

The list of measures to treat osteochondrosis must include physiotherapeutic methods. Thanks to physiotherapy, the treatment of osteochondrosis will be more effective, because the effect extends directly to the source of inflammation. Physiotherapy will relieve the painful syndrome, eliminate spasms, improve blood microcirculation, and help remove pressure from the nerves. The most popular methods are:

• Electrophoresis. Treatment of osteochondrosis using this method will allow you to deliver relaxing, anti-inflammatory substances and anesthetics directly to the area of ​​the vertebrae, muscles, and ligaments.
• Ultrasound. Relieves unpleasant symptoms, relieves pain, creates the effect of vibration massage, and activates metabolism at the local level.
• Magnetotherapy. Alternating or constant magnetic fields anesthetize and eliminate the inflammatory process.
• Detensor therapy. In this disease, a person is placed on a special mattress with “ribs”, where the spine is stretched and massaged. At the same time, muscle tone improves.

All types of physiotherapy should be carried out in courses of 10-15 procedures, while individual contraindications must be taken into account.

Exercise therapy plays a leading role in the treatment of osteochondrosis. Without exercise therapy, it will not be possible to form a strong muscle corset, and the latter is urgently needed to maintain a diseased spine. Gymnastics also increases blood circulation in the vertebral area, improves metabolic processes and helps to quickly remove decay products.

How to cure osteochondrosis with gymnastics? The complex is selected only individually, and only at stages 1-2 it can be carried out without the supervision of a doctor. In later stages, unnecessary, forceful movements can cause the disc to slip and worsen the problem. At stage 3, all exercises are done only in a lying position.

To treat osteochondrosis, massage is required. In the acute stage it is not done - it will cause sharp sensations. But a properly performed massage in the chronic stage of osteochondrosis is irreplaceable. After a course of sessions, muscles relax, clamps are removed, and nerves and blood vessels begin to function normally. The massage is carried out only in a gentle mode, without sudden movements. You cannot trust your spine to a non-professional!

The disease is most easily amenable to complex therapy if it is treated using different approaches. It is very important to improve nutrition in case of osteochondrosis - it should include vitamins, minerals, more food with gelatin, jellied meats, broths (if they are not contraindicated). This way, the nutrition of the cartilage will be improved, and the discs will begin to recover.

Methods for treating spinal osteochondrosis may be as follows:

• Manual therapy. The specialist physically influences the vertebrae, “puts” them in place when they are displaced, after which the result should be consolidated by exercise therapy.
• Extraction or traction. An effective method of treating osteochondrosis, carried out only with an individually selected load, quickly eliminates the unpleasant syndrome.
• Acupuncture. In the treatment of osteochondrosis, this method helps activate blood circulation in the vertebral area, which relieves pain and improves nutrition of cartilage.
• Orthopedic therapy. It involves wearing bandages that relieve pain and straighten posture, as well as sleeping on special pillows.

There is also a folk treatment for osteochondrosis. This is the use of ointments, drinking herbal infusions, rubbing and herbal poultices. Such methods can be used in complex therapy, but they will not work as the only remedy for this disease.

How to treat osteochondrosis if the situation has reached the point of disc destruction? Only surgery will help, because otherwise the person remains disabled. There are not many indications for intervention; for osteochondrosis these are:

• Intractable pain (2-3 months or more);
• Movement disorders;
• Progressive muscle atrophy;
• Disk destruction;
• Complications from the nerves and spinal cord.

For the treatment of osteochondrosis, microdiscectomy (microsurgery) is most often recommended. It is performed by an experienced neurosurgeon to eliminate radicular compression. Part of the disc is removed, and it stops pinching the nerve. The doctor also removes bone osteophytes, which can be voluminous at an advanced stage of the disease. The disc itself remains in place, and the incision is only 1-2 cm.

For osteochondrosis, a more serious operation is the complete removal of the disc and its replacement with a graft. The vertebrae are fixed with iron devices. Unfortunately, at this point the spine will become immobile, but the nerve roots will be freed. You can also place elastic silicone discs between the vertebrae - then the spinal column will fully retain its functions, but this intervention for osteochondrosis is quite expensive.

In order to avoid surgery for osteochondrosis, it is important to carefully consider preventive measures:

• Avoid physical inactivity. This disease can progress with strength loads, but swimming, skiing, and exercise will only be beneficial and will help strengthen muscles and health in general.
• Watch your posture. At work and at home, it is important to sit correctly and not hunch over, and this has been happening since childhood.
• Sleep on comfortable pillows. There are preventive pillows; for existing osteochondrosis, several other, therapeutic ones are used.
• Do not lift heavy objects. If necessary, you should sit down and stand with the object, keeping your back straight.
• Do regular exercise to strengthen your muscles. This is important for the muscles of the neck, back, abs, and lower back.
• Wear comfortable shoes. High-quality shoes (orthopedic, if necessary) will prevent the development of flat feet - a risk factor for damage to the vertebrae.

It is also important to eat well, not smoke, enrich your diet with vitamins, and consume more fluids - this will reduce the likelihood of pathology.

is a condition in which a number of disorders of the articular cartilage of a dystrophic nature are observed. Osteochondrosis can manifest itself in different joints, but most often osteochondrosis affects intervertebral discs . If we consider the location of the disease, then osteochondrosis is usually divided into chest , cervical , lumbar .

Osteochondrosis is a disease that causes pain in the back in approximately 80% of cases. In case of complications of osteochondrosis herniated intervertebral discs pain sometimes occurs in the head, limbs, and other organs. The most common is considered lumbar osteochondrosis , causing pain in the legs. Many people complain about symptoms cervical osteochondrosis , which causes pain in your arms and head. At chest form disease, pain occurs in the internal organs.

Causes of osteochondrosis

The initial cause is considered to be human upright posture. There are many different theories regarding the causes of osteochondrosis. These, for example, are hereditary predisposition, injuries, and metabolic disorders in the body. Determining the causes of this disease is complicated by the fact that the disease manifests itself in people of different ages, different physiques and physical levels of development.

There is also a theory that the cause of osteochondrosis is salt deposits in the spine. However, experts say that it is to a certain extent a misconception. And it is the correct analysis of the causes of the disease that is the basis for effective treatment of the disease.

With osteochondrosis, the nature of the disease is non-inflammatory , degenerative-dystrophic . During the development of the disease, tissue nutrition is disrupted and its structure is degenerated. People who constantly have active physical activity have stronger and more elastic bone tissue. This is explained by the fact that the discs of the spine in an adult do not have their own vessels, therefore, both oxygen and nutrients enter the discs from tissues that are located nearby. Such a process can only be complete if active blood circulation, which is only possible in the process of constant intense muscle work.

Each intervertebral disc is made up of two parts. In the center of the disc is the nucleus pulposus, which makes the disc elastic, and is surrounded by a fibrous, strong ring. If the nutrition of the intervertebral discs becomes worse, the structure of the biopolymer compounds may be destroyed. Due to the decrease in moisture content in the disc, it becomes brittle. And if the spine is subjected to overload, the nucleus pulposus is divided into fragments. As a result, its elasticity is significantly reduced. The fibrous rings also lose strength. Such phenomena become the starting point for the manifestation of osteochondrosis in a person.

Due to the manifestation degenerative-dystrophic changes occurs in the spine calcification damaged discs, ligaments, capsules. This phenomenon is the last stage of the disease development process.

Unfortunately, the reverse process after such changes in the spine is almost impossible. Therefore, the main task of treating osteochondrosis is to maintain the current standing.

Basically, the manifestations of osteochondrosis become more pronounced in people after reaching the age of thirty-five. Moreover, the older a person becomes, the more manifestations of the disease he or she experiences. However, recently more and more young people are turning to doctors with complaints of back pain.

The reasons for such an early onset of osteochondrosis are, first of all, very poor physical activity , problems with posture , and curved spine , And . Today, the main causes of osteochondrosis are considered to be the following:

• hereditary predisposition;
• problems with metabolic processes, intoxication, infections;
• being overweight, poor nutrition (low fluid intake, lack of microelements);
• the presence of spinal injuries, its curvature, incorrect posture, flat feet;
• existence in poor environmental conditions;
• inactive lifestyle;
• regular lifting of weights, working in uncomfortable positions for a long time, activities in which a person often repeats jerking movements, turns and bends of the body;
• too much physical exertion, overload of the spine due to foot diseases, inconvenience in wearing shoes, as well as stress during the period;
• sudden cessation of regular training by people who play sports, stress, heavy smoking.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis

People who suffer from osteochondrosis first of all experience noticeable pain in the back. Sometimes such pain is accompanied by numbness, as well as aching sensations in the limbs. If therapy for osteochondrosis does not begin on time, then the person quickly loses weight and develops atrophy limbs . During physical exercise and stress, as well as during the process of lifting too heavy objects, in the process and coughing, the pain may become more intense. In a patient with osteochondrosis, the range of movements decreases, muscle spasms .

Cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself due to the structural features of the cervical spine. The vertebrae of the cervical spine are significantly smaller than the vertebrae of other parts of the spine. Accordingly, cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself due to constant load on the neck. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are expressed as follows: pain appears in the arms, neck, shoulders, and headaches may also occur. This type of disease is characteristic. When this syndrome manifests itself, a person feels the presence of noise in the head, “spots” flash before the eyes, and becomes dizzy. Multi-colored spots may appear before the eyes, and at the same time the person feels severe pain in the head of a pulsating nature. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis sometimes resemble signs, but the patient does not observe changes in the heart during examination.

In patients osteochondrosis of the thoracic region spine, the patient feels pain in the chest. The pain can radiate to the heart area, as well as to other internal organs.

Sick osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine they feel pain in the lower back, which can radiate to the legs, sacrum, and pelvic organs. Their nerve roots are affected, sensitivity is impaired, and may decrease and manifest hypotension .

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis

Preliminary diagnosis osteochondrosis“The specialist establishes this already during the initial examination of the patient. As a rule, the examination is carried out by a neuropathologist. Typically, the patient comes to the appointment with complaints of pain, as well as deformation or limited mobility.

The examination of the patient's spine is carried out in a standing, lying and sitting position, the doctor examines him both in motion and at rest. During the examination, the doctor must pay attention to the person’s posture, features of his physique, features of the spine, and the relief of the muscles that are located near the spine.

By palpating the spine, the results of the patient’s examination can be supplemented with information about whether there is a spinal deformity, where the pain is localized, and the degree of its intensity can be determined. During the palpation process, it is also determined how tense the muscles near the spine are, because muscle tone accompanies most diseases and injuries. In order to determine the range of motion of different parts of the spine, the possibilities of its flexion are studied.

When diagnosing osteochondrosis, it is often used CT scan , x-ray , Magnetic resonance imaging . These methods make it possible to find out what level of damage to the spine is, determine whether there are hidden pathologies and specify the diagnosis.

Thanks to the correct approach to diagnosis, the doctor can determine which treatment tactics to choose so that the result is the most effective.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Treatment cervical osteochondrosis, as well as other forms of the disease and their complications, is carried out using conservative methods, the purpose of which is to eliminate pain, restore the functions of the spinal roots, and also to prevent degenerative phenomena in the structures of the spine.

If all methods of conservative treatment do not bring the desired effect, and there are special indications for this, then patients are sometimes prescribed surgical methods for treating osteochondrosis. The extent of surgical intervention directly depends on how affected the spine is and the intensity of the symptoms of the disease.

The duration of therapy also depends on the severity of the disease. As a rule, the active phase of treatment using conservative methods generally takes about 1-3 months. After the operation, the patient recovers for approximately one year. After the start of conservative treatment, many patients with osteochondrosis experience increased pain. This expresses the reaction of muscles and other formations to treatment.

If the pain syndrome is too severe, it can be stopped relatively quickly with the help of physiotherapeutic methods, medications and the use of a set of specially designed exercises for patients with osteochondrosis. It is important to take into account that an important factor that affects the effectiveness of treatment is the correctness of the patient’s behavior, his adequate attitude towards the need to adhere to the developed treatment method. For this, perseverance, patience and the desire to defeat the disease are important. It has been proven that the most effective is to carry out conservative treatment and recovery after surgery in sanatorium conditions, as well as in medical centers that specialize in the treatment of this disease. If you have the necessary equipment, as well as qualified doctors, comprehensive treatment will be the most effective and efficient.

Complex therapy for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis necessarily includes physiotherapy , massage , reflexology , use of medications.

One of the most important methods of influencing the condition of the human musculoskeletal system is physical therapy. The patient regularly performs a certain number of exercises, during which the nerve roots are gradually decompressed, the muscle corset is corrected, and the flexibility of the ligamentous-muscular system increases. Special exercises for cervical osteochondrosis can also provide effective prevention of further development of the disease. The main condition for this is the regularity of performing all exercises.

When using physiotherapy, osteochondrosis is treated using physical factors - magnetic fields , low frequency current , ultrasound etc. This technique allows you to shorten the rehabilitation period after surgery, as well as enhance the effects of various medications.

With the help of massage, you can relieve muscle tension, improve blood flow, and have a generally strengthening effect.

Used to relieve severe pain manual therapy. This technique also allows you to correct your posture. Pain can also be relieved with spinal traction– procedures carried out using special equipment. Reflexology affects the reflexogenic zones of the human body and can significantly improve the effects of other methods.

During an exacerbation of the disease, treatment is used with medications, which relieve inflammation, relieve pain, and activate metabolic processes. Medicines are administered intravenously or intramuscularly.

The most noticeable treatment results are observed when several methods are used in combination. However, when treating cervical osteochondrosis and other forms of the disease, they should only be prescribed by the attending physician.

The doctors

Medicines

Prevention of osteochondrosis

To prevent the manifestation of osteochondrosis, you must constantly remember to follow several important rules. First of all, patients suffering from a certain form of osteochondrosis should be aware that they are prohibited from lifting weights exceeding 10 kilograms. If heavy loads and heavy lifting are expected, a special belt or corset should be used. You should not hold heavy objects on outstretched arms, this creates additional stress on the spine. When lifting weights, you should squat down and stand up with the heavy object. The load should be distributed evenly.

It is very important to drink some fluid before starting physical exercise or before any other activity, because if the body is dehydrated, the spinal discs cannot absorb the required amount of moisture.

Periodic back massage improves blood circulation and metabolic processes. After exertion or prolonged work in one position, it is advisable to hang on the horizontal bar or at least stretch a little with your arms raised up. Sudden turns and movements should not be allowed.

There is a special set of exercises aimed at preventing osteochondrosis. These are exercises aimed at developing flexibility and training the back muscles.

Complications of osteochondrosis

The following diseases appear as complications of osteochondrosis: protrusion, disc herniation, .

Diet, nutrition for osteochondrosis

List of sources

• Epifanov, V. A. Osteochondrosis of the spine (diagnosis, treatment, prevention) / V. A. Epifanov, A. V. Epifanov. - 3rd ed. - M.: MED-press-inform., 2008.
• Zhulev N.M., Badzgaradze Yu.D., Zhulev S.N. Osteocondritis of the spine. A guide for doctors. St. Petersburg, 1999
• O. N. Rodionova, G. A. Nikitina Osteochondrosis. The best methods of treatment. - M.: Vector, Nevsky Prospekt, 2007.
• Yulia Popova Osteochondrosis. The most effective methods of treatment. - St. Petersburg: Krylov, 2008.
• Kuznetsov, V.F. Handbook of vertebroneurology: clinic, diagnostics / V.F. Kuznetsov. - Mn.: Belarus, 2000

Education: Graduated from Rivne State Basic Medical College with a degree in Pharmacy. Graduated from Vinnitsa State Medical University named after. M.I. Pirogov and internship at his base.

Experience: From 2003 to 2013, she worked as a pharmacist and manager of a pharmacy kiosk. She was awarded diplomas and decorations for many years of conscientious work. Articles on medical topics were published in local publications (newspapers) and on various Internet portals.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar region requires timely treatment, otherwise if it is neglected, temporary incapacity will turn into disability.

Nature of the disease and causes of occurrence

The lumbar region connects the thoracic and sacral regions and includes five vertebrae. This department is mobile and is subject to heavy loads every day. Chronic osteochondrosis of the lower back develops gradually and can lead to disability.

Causes of the disease:

• excessive loads;
• incorrect posture;
• spinal injuries. They can be obtained by incorrectly performing exercises in the gym or at home;
• poor diet and daily routine;
• constant being in a stressful state;
• lack of sleep;
• metabolic disease;
• genetic predisposition;
• presence of ankylosing spondylitis;
• rheumatoid arthritis.

Important! Signs of the disease can appear all at once or separately. If at least one of them is noticed, then you should consult a doctor and not start the disease, which can develop into disability.

Degree of disease progression

They are presented in four stages:

1. The first is characterized by changes and displacements of the disk core within it.
2. At this stage, the destruction of the fibrous ring begins.
3. The third is characterized by rupture of the fibrous ring and the formation of a hernia.
4. An increase in hernia and pinching of the nerves and brain of the spine and the disease developing into arthrosis of the intervertebral joints.

Dorsopathy of the cervical spine is considered a chronic change, which involves premature wear of the intervertebral discs, and this subsequently provokes the appearance of changes in the intervertebral joints and ligaments. Cervical dorsopathy is not a disease, it is a syndrome that involves pain that occurs due to diseases of the spine. This includes osteochondrosis, various injuries, and disc herniations.

Treatment of the disease

To treat the disease, an integrated approach is required. The complex includes:

• lifestyle change. This is the initial stage at which the patient radically reconsiders his lifestyle. Begins to take care of health, compliance with work and rest schedules;
• massage treatments. One of several types of massage can be used: cupping, honey, classic and Thai;
• stretch marks. This refers to exercise therapy and is carried out under the supervision of a doctor. The complex is selected individually.

Important! The patient should not experience pain when performing the exercises. Movements should be smooth and careful, then there will be no harm to health. The muscle corset will become stronger.

• manual therapy;
• specialized diet. In this case, there is no strict diet, but you should adhere to a balanced diet;
• taking medications. For severe pain, the doctor prescribes painkillers. In addition, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and ointments is mandatory;

Important! Taking medications should always be in combination with other methods, otherwise the result will be short-lived.

• folk remedies. Among them, compresses and rubbing based on medicinal herbs and honey are often used;
• hirudotherapy. This is a treatment with leeches. This method allows you to relieve pain.

Important! Treatment with conservative methods takes about 2-3 months. If a positive result is not achieved, then doctors resort to surgery.

Prevention measures

It is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. Prevention is carried out using the following methods:

• maintaining an active lifestyle;
• maintaining correct body position while sleeping;
• doing exercises in the morning, swimming;
• proper nutrition.

Important! These measures must be carried out on a daily basis, then they will give a positive result.

is a disease that needs to be treated in a timely manner so that it does not develop into a disability. You should not self-medicate so as not to harm your health. You need to see a doctor for consultation, examination and treatment.

Spinal pathologies arise due to a number of specific reasons. Basically, this is a sedentary lifestyle and extra pounds, which create additional stress on problem areas of the cervical and lumbar region. Incorrect treatment or ignoring doctor's recommendations can cause an exacerbation, and the form of the disease can become chronic.

Chronic osteochondrosis can also be caused by a genetic predisposition. If among your parents or their close relatives there is a person with diseases of the skeletal system, you have a chance to be at risk of developing pathology.

Causes of acute and chronic forms

The causes of spinal disease are changes in the composition of the bone and cartilage tissues of the intervertebral discs. Such degenerative disorders occur due to the fact that cartilage is not able to receive nutrients on its own, but does so through adjacent tissues. If blood circulation decreases in the area of ​​the cervical and lumbar spine, cartilage tissue completely ceases to receive the necessary microelements, which is the main reason for their destruction. It is no longer possible to stop the chronic stage of the pathology; you can only slow down the process, somewhat reducing its intensity.

A few decades ago, it was believed that chronic manifestations of osteochondrosis of the lumbar and cervical spine could only occur in older people.

Modern medical clinical research suggests the opposite. Symptoms indicating an exacerbation of the pathology - pain and stiffness of movement - are noted by almost every young person.

Against the background of a pronounced clinical picture of degradation and deformation of discs, such signs are diagnosed today in 35% of people aged 35 to 40 years who seek advice from a specialist. The picture is disappointing, since, according to experts, chronic manifestations of degradation of the cervical and lumbar spine appear only 8-12 years after the initial stage of circulatory disorders. In other words, the vertebra begins to collapse after many years, which means that osteochondrosis today is on average 10-15 years younger.

Stages of development of chronic pathology

The chronic form of cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis has several stages of pathogenic changes:

• Degradation or damage to the bone and cartilage tissue of the spine and intervertebral discs;
• The formation of intervertebral hernias and protusions due to trauma or pathogenic damage to the tissues of the lumbar and cervical region;
• Dislocations and mechanical displacement of damaged vertebrae;
• Compression of the spinal nerves, exacerbation and accompanying symptoms - pain and limited movement;
• Partial, and over time, complete disruption of blood flow;
• Acquisition of myofacial and vertebrogenic syndromes.

If treatment is incomplete or completely absent, exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the lumbar and cervical spine can provoke the following unpleasant symptoms:

1. Numbness of the limbs after sleep;
2. Pain in the area of ​​the problematic spine;
3. Dizziness, nausea, decreased hearing and visual acuity with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
4. Partial or complete loss of sensation in the toes and hands.

With myofascial syndrome, the muscles covering the problem area of ​​the spine develop unevenly. As a result of this pathology of the lumbar and shoulder region, scoliosis occurs, accompanied by chronic radiculitis, and in the cervical region, chronic headaches occur.

And if you notice insufficiently symmetrical development of the bone and muscle skeleton in your child, be sure to consult a doctor and start treatment. Childhood scoliosis causes the so-called wedge-shaped pathology, the symptoms of which are severe pain and deformation of the intervertebral spaces. The consequence of the disease is the chronic stage of lumbar spine disease, accompanied by Scheuermann-Mau syndrome. Exacerbation leads to deformation of the intervertebral discs, taking on a wedge shape.

Consequences of the development of chronic stages

Symptoms of chronic disease of the cervical and lumbar spine are very similar to the disease in the early stages. The only difference is that you feel symptoms such as pain and cramps more and more often, and these sensations cause more and more discomfort from time to time.

Treatment is the only way to avoid serious consequences. One of the critical conditions as the disease progresses is paralysis of the limbs. The first symptoms of paraplegia are astringency in the fingers, impaired sensitivity of the skin, and numbness. In this case, treatment with medications will not only not help, but will also significantly aggravate the problem, causing an exacerbation.

Another unpleasant phase in the development of chronic lumbar or cervical osteochondrosis is spinal torsion. This is an abnormal phenomenon in which the vertebrae rotate around the main axis of the spinal column. The main symptoms of the pathology are pinched nerve roots, compression of blood vessels and arteries, swelling and pain in the problem area of ​​the spine. In this case, the muscular system also suffers. When rotating, the ligaments and muscles are stretched, and then cause sharp pain and cramps. Treatment in this case is only the removal of pain symptoms. Everything else is recommended by specialists during a thorough medical examination.

Let us note another form of the chronic stage of diseases of the skeletal system - radiculitis. Familiar to many, this disease is not as innocent as it seems at first glance, and is one of the serious forms of manifestation of chronic stages. Severe pain in the lower back is the first symptom that accompanies an exacerbation of radiculitis. And the treatment for such an ailment is not only a woolen scarf encircling the hips. Advanced stages of radiculitis lead to paralysis of the lower extremities, and therefore self-medication in this case is categorically unacceptable!

It is possible to prevent chronic manifestations of spinal diseases, and, in particular, osteochondrosis. To do this, you must strictly follow all the doctor’s recommendations even with what you think are the most minor ailments, take treatment on time and lead a healthy lifestyle.