Many often hear, but do not know exactly what osteochondrosis is. In fact, this disease is not so rare. This disease is characterized by dystrophic-degenerative lesions of the vertebral tissue, further deformation of the intervertebral disc, as well as the adjacent ligaments of the spinal apparatus.
As a rule, the pathology negatively affects the ligaments first, then the bones and other tissues. Patients already go to the doctor when they start to feel the usual pain.
Statistics show that osteochondrosis of the spine has 50 to 90% of the world's population. Often the symptoms of osteochondrosis appear in people who have passed the threshold of 30 years, but there is a risk of the onset of manifestations even in teenagers.
Disease progression stage
In medicine, there are several stages of the disease course:
- at level 1Dehydration of the nucleus pulposus is observed, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of deformations in the fibrous ring. The initial stage is characterized by the development of symptoms in the vertebral disc. Signs of osteochondrosis are not specified. Treatment of osteochondrosis at this stage can be carried out with the help of exercise therapy and massage;
- at level 2after the change in disc height and after dehydration of the ligaments, the muscles begin to contract. This causes them to sag. Signs of osteochondrosis also include excessive mobility in the vertebral area. This, in turn, can cause the process of vertebral displacement;
- at level 3the signs of osteochondrosis become the most noticeable, because the patient may experience intervertebral disc protrusion or even prolapse. Also, due to changes in the bones and muscles, the joints begin to suffer, which causes the formation of arthrosis;
- at level 4the patient's spine has adapted to the changes that occur. The body makes an attempt to immobilize the spine as much as possible to maintain its protection, as well as musculoskeletal function. At the same time, osteophytes begin to spread in the intervertebral discs - bony growths that form on nearby vertebrae. The resulting osteophytes can cause injury to nerve endings. The result is their immuring.
Cause of disease
Signs of osteochondrosis may occur due to the following reasons:
- spinal cord injury;
- tendency to diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- natural aging process;
- the presence of constant physical load;
- obesity;
- incorrect posture;
- the presence of constant vibration - relevant for some professions, for example, drivers of large trucks;
Disease symptoms
Symptoms of osteochondrosis may not appear immediately. The main symptoms include discomfort in the back, as well as pain. Symptoms of osteochondrosis most often appear when the patient exposes the body to great physical exertion. Also a symptom of the disease is numbness in the limbs. When at least one of these signs appears, you need to pay attention to its nature and intensity - pain in the leg or arm can manifest in different ways. Additional signs of osteochondrosis are herniated discs, as well as protrusion or pinching of nerve endings.
Osteochondrosis of the spine is of the following types, depending on the location:
- in the cervical region;
- in the sternum;
- in the lumbosacral region.
Disease treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis involves a combination of the following methods:
- therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis or exercise;
- physiotherapy procedures (acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, electrical stimulation);
- diet for osteochondrosis;
- spinal traction;
- massage for osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis should be started as early as possible, but even at the last stage there is a great chance to overcome this disease.
Gymnastics for osteochondrosis is one of the most effective methods to prevent and stop the manifestation of the disease. Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis includes such exercises that can strengthen the muscles of the back and the whole body. It is necessary to do gymnastics every day to achieve the effect after a few sessions. Gymnastics for osteochondrosis includes popular exercises that may be familiar to many, as they are used in the morning exercise complex.
Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis not only contributes to a quick recovery, but can also prevent the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease. You can do exercise therapy for osteochondrosis instead of morning exercises.
Charging with osteochondrosis should align the uneven spinal column, strengthen the back muscle corset, improve metabolism and blood circulation in the tissues. Proper exercise in osteochondrosis increases the blood supply to the brain and helps to expand the gap between the vertebrae, which allows you to release the previously pinched nerve endings. For patients, doing exercises for osteochondrosis can take only a few minutes every day, but this can lead to a significant decrease in the manifestations of the disease in a few weeks. And in the early stages, exercise with osteochondrosis is not the main method of treatment.
Another advantage of exercise therapy for osteochondrosis is that the complex is designed for people of all ages, as it takes into account age characteristics and body capabilities. Exercises for osteochondrosis can be done at home, or perhaps in the clinic on a special simulator. It should be noted that with high-quality and correct exercises, the treatment of osteochondrosis at home brings the same effective results as performing therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis in the clinic.
Diet for osteochondrosis should include lean meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruits. Diet for osteochondrosis provides frequent meals (5-6 times a day). At the last meal of the day, you need to take a glass of fermented milk product.
Diet for osteochondrosis sharply limits the intake of legumes, grapes and their products, muffins, spices, and various refined products. When the doctor draws up his nutritional plan for osteochondrosis for the patient, he will also include bread products containing bran, fruits, vegetables and berries (in particular, sea buckthorn).
Nutrition in osteochondrosis performs the function of restoring the body, supplying cells with building materials. It is important to remember that the diet for osteochondrosis (as, indeed, for the prevention of various other diseases) involves chewing food thoroughly. The process of eating food at the same time lasts at least 15 minutes. The more saliva and gastric juices are secreted, the greater the effect of a rational and balanced diet in osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis is also done with the help of massage. Massage for osteochondrosis is performed when the patient does not feel pain when touched. Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis reflexively affects painful areas by stimulating areas of the body that are not exposed to the disease. At the same time, massage for osteochondrosis should start in a very gentle mode, so as not to cause discomfort in the form of muscle tension.
Techniques according to the sequence performed for osteochondrosis suggest that the patient lies on his stomach in the most relaxed position during the session. The general goals pursued by massage for osteochondrosis are as follows:
- pain relief;
- increased metabolism in the disease incidence zone;
- muscle relaxation;
- suppression of the inflammatory process in the intervertebral disc area.
Also, the dispute about how to cure osteochondrosis at home does not subside. There are many alternative methods, but their use must be agreed with the attending physician. Now all doctors unanimously say that massage and exercise for osteochondrosis is the right way to first reduce all the symptoms of the disease, and then overcome it completely.