Osteochondrosis is a lesion of interarticular and intervertebral cartilage.Osteochondrosis is diagnosed in all joints without exception, however, according to medical statistics, such lesions are more common in intervertebral discs.
Function of the intervertebral disc
The main function of the intervertebral disc is to absorb shock when walking and running.Few people think about the load placed on the spine during movement.Each step provides a push to the vertebrae.If there is no disc between them, the bones will wear out quickly, and the ends of the spinal nerves will continue to be pinched between the vertebrae.
The ability to absorb shock depends on the quality of the intervertebral disc.The younger the person, the more elastic the disc.In newborns, the articular cartilage and intervertebral discs are composed of almost 80% water, which gives them the ability to be as elastic as possible, like a sponge.With age, tissue deteriorates, dries out, becomes less flexible and loses its shock-absorbing properties.The older a person is, the higher the risk of developing osteochondrosis complications, which is indicated by:
- hernia;
- radiculitis;
- stand out
Symptoms of intervertebral disc disease
There is cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis.At the same time, problems in the cervical region may not be accompanied by any characteristic pain at all, while problems in the thoracic region may be reflected by pain not in the spine, but in the chest, which is why patients often confuse them with pain in the heart or bronchi.
Sometimes osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifests itself as pain in the arm.If there is no obvious injury that can cause pain in the arm, such symptoms should be a reason to examine the cervical spine.
If the pain, concentrated in the sacral area, flows to the legs and back (usually only on one side), this indicates damage to the intervertebral disc in the lumbar region.After applying pressure to the damaged area, you may experience numbness in the leg, arm, or tingling in one of the limbs.The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the intervertebral space are:
- Pain in the sacral region, preventing a person from sitting.
- Back pain that prevents you from bending over.
- Decreased pain while walking.
At the first signs of damage to the intervertebral disc, you must avoid heavy physical activity on your back, that is, do not lift anything heavy.
Why does osteochondrosis occur?
There are several reasons that affect the state of the disk.These include smoking and excessive exercise, especially when daily activities involve lifting heavy objects.On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition are a sure path to disc destruction.In addition, specific work that forces you to hold your torso in an uncomfortable position, constant load on only one shoulder, as well as sleeping on the wrong mattress is the risk of developing osteochondrosis.
Sleep properly on a mattress of moderate firmness so that the spine is in a natural, even position while resting.A soft feather bed looks just as comfortable.Lying on a soft bed for a long time causes back pain in the morning.This happens because the back muscles are stretched when the back bends under its own weight.Stretching of the back muscles, which continues throughout the night, leads to pain not only in the lower back, but along the entire spine.
Flat feet are a risk of developing osteochondrosis, because such feet cannot fully perform the function of shock absorbers.The spine, because of this, bears an increased load, and the disc wears out faster.
In addition, overweight people put more stress on their spine than those whose body mass index is close to ideal.You need to monitor your form so that the ratio of weight and height does not put additional stress on the frame.
However, a completely healthy person who leads a sports lifestyle can develop osteochondrosis.The main reason for this is injuries.An unfortunate fall or blow to the spine often leads to hernias, protrusions and osteochondrosis.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
A surgeon, orthopedist or neurologist can make a diagnosis.Since pain in the lumbar region is often the reason for contacting a neurologist, such patients are first examined by this specialized doctor.First, the patient is examined.To diagnose, he needs to assess the patient's ability to twist, bend, sit, walk, and bend the legs.After that the spinal column is palpated.Thanks to the manual examination, the doctor will be able to identify the pain point and feel the compaction and also the hernia between the vertebrae.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes an x-ray of the spine.This is the simplest test that can be carried out even in a rural clinic.X-rays have long been available in medical practice and are an essential element of every trauma department.If the x-ray does not confirm the diagnosis, or when a more detailed study is needed, a CT or MRI scan of the spine is prescribed.With the help of such an examination, it is possible to know the quality of the disc, evaluate its elasticity and integrity, and also identify hidden pathologies.
How to treat osteochondrosis
As a conservative treatment, a course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed.If there is no serious injury to the disc, and the doctor sees in the picture that the cause of the pain lies in the pinching of the nerve by the inflamed muscle, then the treatment will be reduced to relieve the inflammatory process.In addition, heating therapy may be prescribed, which will reduce swelling, relax muscles and release pinched nerves.
In the case of protrusion or herniated intervertebral disc, back pain problems can be solved through surgery.Severely worn spines can be replaced with prosthetics.