Osteochondrosis is the gradual destruction of spinal structures due to degenerative changes. This is a chronic disease, which takes a leading place among pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Experienced neurologists are involved in his treatment.
About the disease
Almost every third person who consults a neurologist with back pain is diagnosed with osteochondrosis. It affects about 90% of elderly people. The risk group includes older generations, as well as people with professional risks - loaders, drivers, office workers, sellers, hairdressers.
The average age for the first manifestations of the disease is 30-35 years. When they are exposed to unfavorable factors, painful symptoms appear earlier.
In osteochondrosis of the spine, the bone structure, intervertebral cartilage and discs in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar region are damaged. As a result, muscle tension increases and amortization processes worsen. The intervertebral discs wear and move, causing stiffness and pain. Without treatment, degenerative-dystrophic changes progress, nerve roots are injured, and the work of internal organs is impaired. In the last stages of osteochondrosis, there is a partial or complete loss of working ability due to limited mobility.
At the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to immediately contact a specialist - a neurologist. The doctor will prescribe a comprehensive examination and develop effective treatment tactics.
Types of osteochondrosis
Depending on the localization, osteochondrosis is of three types: cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral. In almost 50% of cases, the disease affects the spinal structures in the lumbar region. This is due to the fact that the lower back experiences the greatest static loads.
Cervical osteochondrosis is in second place in terms of frequency. Damage to the cervical vertebrae can be caused by injuries, repetitive physical work, as well as sedentary work, in which you have to keep your head in one position for a long time.
Sitting work and constant positioning of the neck even cause a hernia in the cervical area.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is less common. A sedentary lifestyle also contributes to its development. Its main symptom is chest pain, which can easily be confused with a heart attack.
The diagnosis of "usual osteochondrosis" is made when all departments are involved in the pathological process.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
The clinical picture depends on the affected part of the spine. The common symptom for all is pain. It can be sharp, like "lumbago", or dull and painful. The pain increases with movement, physical activity and staying in one position for a long time. In the later stages, as well as during exacerbations of the disease, it is constant and interferes with sleep and leading a normal lifestyle.
In addition to pain, the patient feels tension and stiffness of the back muscles, heaviness and discomfort. When the nerve endings are pinched, the pain spreads to the adjacent parts of the body (along the nerve), accompanied by numbness, tingling and a feeling of "pins and needles under the skin".
Symptoms of osteochondrosis can be confused with other diseases, so you should not engage in self-diagnosis and self-treatment. In a professional clinic, patients will be given maximum attention and will be examined using new high-precision equipment, which will allow an accurate diagnosis to be made.
Cervical region
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has the richest clinical picture. The disease can begin with painful periodic pain in the neck, a feeling of stiffness or discomfort after staying in one position at the computer, after sleeping. When the nerves and vessels of the spine are involved in the process, the pain spreads to the back of the head, collarbone, shoulder, and sometimes to the chest. The pain becomes more intense when leaning or turning the head, taking a deep breath, and also at night during sleep. The sensitivity of the shoulder blades, shoulders and hands is damaged, tingling and chills appear.
In the later stages, when the intervertebral discs become significantly thinner, lose their fixation and become excessively mobile, the following symptoms may occur:
- stiffness when turning the neck;
- sharp acute pain in the spine;
- headache, which is accompanied by compression and pulsation in the head, noise and ringing in the ears, hearing and vision disorders;
- nausea;
- lack of coordination;
- attacks of vertigo.
Vegetovascular symptoms are a consequence of the vertebral artery syndrome, which occurs due to spasm or compression of the artery involved in the blood supply to the brain.
Acute pain, loss of sensitivity of the skin in the neck, stiffness of the vertebrae occurs when the fibrous ring ruptures, the formation of intervertebral hernias and osteophytes.
Thoracic region
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine "imitates" pain in the heart, as well as intercostal neuralgia. The pain is often worse at night. It can be moderate and gradually increase or appear suddenly and suddenly.
In osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, doctors first rule out the cardiac nature of the pain. For this purpose, a differential diagnosis is carried out.
Painful sensations are localized in the area between the shoulder blades or ribs and intensify when raising the arms, bending, taking a deep breath or exhaling. They radiate to the area of the heart, kidneys and stomach. In the thoracic region, patients notice a feeling of stiffness or pressure, numbness, "pins and needles" in the chest, tingling in the neck, arms and abdomen.
Lumbosacral region
In lumbosacral osteochondrosis, the pain is localized in the lower back, radiating to the pelvis, groin and down the legs. It is accompanied by muscle tension, tingling and numbness. Muscle spasms and pelvic organ disorders are possible.
Reference lumbosacral pain syndrome can be caused by pathologies of the genitourinary system and gastrointestinal tract. Clinical specialists must take this fact into account when making a diagnosis.
Reasons
Damage to the intervertebral cartilage is most often caused by excessive loads, including static loads, as well as injuries to the spine caused by a fall, impact, sudden movement or jumping from a height.
Increased stress, due to which degenerative changes occur, includes lifting heavy loads, uneven distribution of the load on the back muscles, and prolonged stay in one, particularly uncomfortable, position. The most sensitive to overload are the intervertebral cartilage discs, which perform the function of shock absorption and enable movement in the spine.
The development of osteochondrosis is stimulated by:
- excess weight;
- age changes;
- heredity;
- flat feet;
- inflammatory or autoimmune cartilage damage;
- birth defects;
- instability of vertebrae;
- bad posture;
- poor nutrition;
- hypothermia;
- sedentary lifestyle, which causes weakness of the muscular corset, deterioration of nutrition and blood supply of intervertebral joints;
- metabolic disorders;
- lack of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D;
- hormonal, endocrine disorders.
Under the influence of provoking factors, metabolic processes, hydration and blood circulation in the intervertebral discs worsen. As a result, cracks appear in the annulus fibrosus. The height of the discs decreases, the mobility of the spine is disturbed, and reflex tension and spasm develop. Protrusions and hernias occur. The disc protrudes, irritating the spinal roots, causing pain and other discomfort.
Advantages of treatment in a modern clinic
A modern clinic that treats osteochondrosis has a number of advantages:
- Experienced specialists in the field of neurology who regularly improve their skills.
- New diagnostic equipment that increases the accuracy of osteochondrosis diagnosis up to 100%.
- Application of minimally invasive technologies in the surgical treatment of osteochondrosis.
- A 24-hour hospital where patients can stay after spine surgery.
- Individual rehabilitation programs that allow you to regain full motor activity.
- High level of service and affordable prices for treatment of osteochondrosis in Moscow.
- Application of protected methods with proven effectiveness. Focus on non-surgical treatment, taking into account the patient's age and the presence of co-morbidities.
- Qualified help for complications of osteochondrosis - protrusions, pinched nerves, disc herniations, osteophytes, limited mobility of vertebrae.
In a modern clinic, all advanced methods of treating osteochondrosis are available to the patient: drugs, physiotherapeutic procedures, manual therapy, osteopathy, reflexology, therapeutic blocks, surgical interventions.
Diagnostics
There are many causes of back pain. In order to understand what caused the pain, a consultation with a neurologist is required. During the first examination, the doctor reviews the patient's complaints and medical history to identify risk factors, conducts a neurological examination and assesses range of motion. During examination and palpation of the spine, the doctor can detect curvature, muscle spasms, trigger points and other pathological changes.
In addition, the doctor prescribes instrumental diagnostic methods: radiography, CT or MRI of the spine. In case of worsening cervical osteochondrosis, dopplerography of blood vessels of the head and neck, magnetic resonance of the head, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine - electrocardiography or ultrasound of the heart, lumbar spine - ultrasound of the kidneys and pelvic organs may be required. In addition, blood and urine tests may be prescribed.
To rule out diseases of the spinal cord, including cancer, myelography is performed. This is a radiographic examination method using a contrast medium.
Based on the results obtained during the diagnosis, the neurologist creates an individual treatment regimen.
Treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis depends on the affected part of the spine and the stage of the disease. In the initial phase, drug therapy, physical therapy, lifestyle correction, weight and physical activity are sufficient. If the structure of the discs and the mobility of the joints is significantly impaired, there is a protrusion of the disc and other complications, then additional physiotherapeutic procedures may be prescribed, including therapeutic massage, spinal traction and manual therapy. In advanced cases, when osteochondrosis does not respond to conservative therapy, surgery is performed.
Conservative
Conservative treatment methods stop the development of osteochondrosis, help to solve chronic back pain and other unpleasant symptoms, and improve the mobility of the spine. This includes:
- Drug therapy. Prescribed drugs that reduce pain and inflammation, relax back muscles, strengthen cartilage and bone tissue.
- Physiotherapy procedures. They improve circulation and nutrition of the intervertebral discs, promote tissue regeneration, relax the neck, lower back and thoracic muscles. In osteochondrosis, magnetic therapy, UHF, shock wave, vacuum therapy, laser therapy, acupuncture, massage and electrical stimulation are effective. The massage course includes 10-15 sessions, depending on the severity of the changes in the vertebral structures.
- Manual therapy. The procedure is painless. It allows you to get rid of muscle tension, pain, restore the mobility and anatomy of the vertebrae.
- Therapeutic exercise. It is an important component of treatment. The sets of exercises chosen by the doctor of physical therapy strengthen the back corset, correct the posture, improve blood circulation, eliminate pain, improve the mobility of the neck and other parts of the spine.
- Therapeutic blockade. It is used when there is severe pain that cannot be relieved by analgesics. The high efficiency of the procedure is justified by the paravertebral application of drugs - in the tissue near the root of the intervertebral nerve.
- Traction of the spine. Effective in osteochondrosis with disc protrusion and intervertebral hernia, and for radicular syndrome.
The best results are achieved with a complex treatment - a combination of several methods that enhance each other's effect.
Surgical
The main goal of the operation is to remove compression of nerve roots, spinal cord, arteries, etc. During the operation, the hernia, part or all of the intervertebral disc can be removed. The operation is performed with minimal risks, because minimally invasive technologies and modern visualization systems are used, which allow viewing the surgical field in real time in high resolution.
Puncture laser discectomy
It is a new microsurgical method used to treat osteochondrosis, mainly of the cervical spine. The affected intervertebral disc is vaporized with a laser. The light guide is fed through a needle with a diameter of up to 1. 2 mm, which is inserted into the affected disc. Laser exposure lasts 40-60 minutes. The pain syndrome disappears immediately after the procedure.
Puncture laser discectomy is used only in the initial stages of osteochondrosis, in the absence of signs of vertebral instability.
Prevention
Osteochondrosis of any part of the spine can be prevented if preventive recommendations are constantly followed. Moderate loads, maintenance of proper posture and therapeutic exercises for the back are required. You cannot lift weights, sit or stand in one position for a long time.
If you have back problems, you should see an orthopedist or neurologist regularly.
Rehabilitation
The duration of spinal function recovery depends on the type and scope of the intervention. In the first days after surgery, bed rest is indicated, then mild physical activity and the wearing of orthopedic back aids are required. Physical therapy exercises chosen by your doctor allow you to gradually return to your normal lifestyle.