Osteochondrosis is a degenerative process that occurs in articular cartilage and adjacent bone tissue.Doctors define this disease as a degenerative-destructive damage to the vertebrae and intervertebral discs: they lose moisture, height and elasticity decrease.
Osteochondrosis “looked younger”
While just a few decades ago the articular cartilage began to deteriorate in people aged 40 and over, today the disease occurs in adolescence.
Doctors cite many reasons for this unpleasant trend.An unhealthy lifestyle, as well as an unfavorable environmental situation and a deteriorating standard of living, lead to premature wear and deformation of bone and cartilage structures.
Constant unnatural posture, lack of exercise and poor nutrition accompany everyone.Few people think about the prevention of osteochondrosis, neglecting physical exercise, a balanced diet and an approach to maintaining one's health in general.The result of such unconsciousness is usually sad.
Main causes of osteochondrosis
Experts still argue about how many true factors exist in the development of the disease.The unconditional reasons include:
- individual disposition;
- segmental circulatory disorders;
- acquired changes with age;
- damage to the fibrous ring;
- obesity;
- constant stress;
- poor diet;
- bad habits;
- failure of the body during menopause;
- sedentary activity.
Stages of development of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is divided into stages, taking into account the clinical symptoms, the degree of tissue damage and the extent of the patient's discomfort.The pathological process occurs in four phases:
- Preclinical.Firstly, the basic nutrition of the intervertebral discs decreases, their elasticity and strength deteriorate.No changes can be seen in the x-ray.The patient may experience mild fatigue, mild discomfort, stiffness, dizziness and headache.
- Stage of discogenic radiculitis.The fibrous ring begins to slowly deform (cracks and protrusions appear).The pain becomes sharper and more sudden, the discomfort becomes more noticeable.A symptom like “lumbago” appears, the limbs begin to go numb;
- Vascular-radicular stage.The fibrinous ring completely loses its shape.From this moment on, hernias can form.X-rays are very revealing.The subjective sensations of patients are pronounced (pain, severe pain attacks, constant discomfort).Muscle cramps often occur and performance decreases significantly.When nerve fibers suffer, the first signs of dysfunction of internal systems are inevitable;
- As the height of the vertebrae decreases, friction begins between them.Osteophytes can occur as a compensatory mechanism.These are special forms of osteogrowth that help strengthen the area where friction was most intense.However, osteophytes can provoke inflammatory processes in the surrounding soft tissues and worsen the pathological picture.
Disease symptoms: focus on patient well-being
Osteochondrosis is characterized by a whole range of very different symptoms.This is due to the scale of the pathological process itself and its influence on most organs of the human body.There are several main syndromes that manifest themselves in patients with osteochondrosis:
- Static syndrome.When the vertebrae lose their shape, your posture inevitably changes.Signs of kyphosis, scoliosis and lordosis appear.The discomfort is accompanied by a feeling of stiffness;
- Neurological syndrome.Damage to the nervous tissue leads to paresthesia (sensory disturbances) of various zones, accompanied by numbness, tingling and “crawling”;
- Vascular syndrome.The compression (squeezing) of large vessels and capillaries by deformed vertebrae disrupts blood circulation.Result: nausea, dizziness, paleness, signs of oxygen deficiency;
- Symptom of trophism.Since tissue nutrition is disrupted (due to compression of small vessels), trophic ulcers may appear on the surface of the skin.
Cervical osteochondrosis
The first manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis is headaches.Analgesics do not relieve pain.Typically, the pain begins in the parietal zone and flows gently into the temporal region.Over time, the patient experiences discomfort and numbness in the shoulder girdle.
Due to impaired blood supply to the brain, dizziness, nausea and increasing tinnitus may occur.If the nutrition of the optical zone is disturbed, visual acuity usually decreases sharply.
Older people may suddenly lose consciousness and have difficulty with memory and coordination.Rare symptoms include shortness of breath, anxiety and hiccups.
Breast osteochondrosis
The chest region is least likely to be affected.One of the main causes of the occurrence of pathology is considered to be scoliosis and improper work at a desk (i.e. sedentary work).From the very beginning of the development of the disease, the patient feels a dull, aching pain.As the disease progresses, other symptoms appear: chest pain, numbness, paresthesia, aching pain in the liver and kidneys.
In terms of differential diagnosis, deformation processes in the chest area can be confused with myocardial infarction and intercostal neuralgia.This ECG and a more thorough examination (no cyanosis, pallor, pallor of the skin) allow an accurate diagnosis to be made.
Lumbosacral osteochondrosis
The most common type of osteochondrosis.This is because this area of the spine bears the greatest load.Hernias most often occur here, complicating the clinical picture.
The main symptoms: persistent pain, feeling of muscle soreness, malaise, rare lumbago, paresthesias that stop from time to time and then reappear.The level of sensitivity of the skin on the feet, legs and thighs may change.
A common cause of osteochondrosis in this department is trauma, mechanical compression and heavy physical activity.One of the most unpleasant consequences of lumbosacral deformities is the “slipping” of the vertebra and dysfunction of neighboring organs.
What pain in osteochondrosis will tell you?
Depending on where the deformation processes occur most intensively, the nature and specificity of the pain depends.The main feature: Damaged vertebrae pinch the nerve roots and cause pain in the area for which the nerve plexuses are responsible.
The problems can be distributed as follows:
- Cervical spine – headaches, stiff neck and shoulders, problems with vision, breathing and other important functions;
- Chest area - pain in the heart, lumbago in the arm and internal organs, impaired digestive function, cardiac arrhythmias, dysfunction of the endocrine system.The pain is always strong and sharp;
- Lower back – pain, constant pain, malfunction of the genitourinary system, congestion in the pelvis, reproductive dysfunction.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
The doctor must take as complete an anamnesis as possible.During the examination, the specialist palpates the areas where the pain is most pronounced.
An x-ray examination will provide information.Especially in the final stages of the disease.
Modern diagnostic methods include MRI and CT, which make it possible to most accurately study the processes of destruction of cartilage and bone tissue.This technique can also be used to conveniently diagnose hernias and other soft tissue defects near the source of the disease.
For the differential diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, an ECG is used.The patient must undergo a general blood and urine test.
Working at the computer and the development of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is an insidious disease.This affects both the “office plankton” who constantly sit at the computer and hard-core workers who put their health under extraordinary stress.Irrational work, neglect of the rules for preventing osteochondrosis and an unhealthy lifestyle lead to the rapid destruction of bone and cartilage tissue.
The generation of modern youth is overly “computerized”.Many doctors cite this as one of the main reasons why osteochondrosis is so common and affects very young people.Top tips from experts:
- It is necessary to monitor your posture and position at your desk;
- Even when working hard, it is important to take a break and “stretch” your body.
- You can't stand discomfort when sitting at the computer.The body, especially the back, should be comfortable;
- Active lifestyle.Work or leisure at the computer should be alternated with sports recreation or light gymnastics.
Wrong lifestyle
An unbalanced diet leads to osteochondrosis.Junk food attacks on multiple “fronts” at once.First, obesity caused by fast food and similar snacks is a major cause of spinal dysfunction.And deposited salts and other harmful elements in the bones only aggravate the problem and accelerate destructive processes.
Alcohol and smoking have similar effects.Harmful substances act at the cellular level and have a destructive effect on bone tissue and cartilage surfaces, which are most sensitive to nicotine.
By reviewing your lifestyle and diet and eliminating bad habits, you can prevent the onset or progression of osteochondrosis.The ability to move easily and freely is a true luxury, a gift from nature for every person.Unfortunately, the value of painless movements only becomes apparent when the pathological process immobilizes the human body.
Taking care of your health today means a happy and fulfilling life in the future.