Osteochondrosis refers to degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the spine and joint tissues with progression. The more the disease is neglected, the more pronounced the symptoms are that affect the person's lifestyle and ability to work. When the structure of the spine is damaged, a person has such problems, for example, how to live with pain, how to sleep with cervical osteochondrosis.
In practice, pathology of various parts of the spine, coccyx and joints often occurs. Previously, only people over 25 years old were sick, but recently there has been a tendency to "rejuvenate" the disease. Symptoms of juvenile or juvenile osteochondrosis have become common.
reason
The causes of osteochondrosis can be different and depend on the damaged part of the body. After any injury, the normal structure of the spine, the coccyx, is disturbed and the process of salt deposition and destruction of the disc structure begins. Overweight people, sedentary lifestyle and athletes are susceptible to this.
During pregnancy, the risk of disease increases due to weight gain and vitamin deficiency. Lymph nodes also enlarge during pregnancy. The heart, other organs suffer from this, and in combination with osteochondrosis, it is very dangerous. The load on the shoulder, knee, neck and coccyx increases.
With age, almost every person suffers from osteochondrosis of the spine. Occupations associated with a long stay in a sitting position, monotonous movements pose a threat to the neck, lower back and tailbone. The following conditions affect the occurrence of the disease:
- genetic predisposition;
- course of pregnancy;
- endocrine, infectious diseases;
- poisoning or exposure to drugs, toxic and chemical substances;
- eating disorder, lifestyle.
In addition to the spine, there are often cases of osteochondrosis of the joints. Pathology is dangerous for the knee, elbow, shoulder joint, coccyx. When considering osteochondrosis of the knee joint, it is worth paying attention to causes such as obesity or malnutrition, a lifestyle associated with excessive loads on the legs, as well as injuries or inflammatory processes in the body.
The muscles of the legs withstand large loads, unlike the joints, so the latter suffer more often.
Symptoms of damage to the elbow joint can be observed together with the actual osteochondrosis of the cervical or thoracic region. Often the pathology is combined with arthritis or arthrosis. Injuries and constant overuse of the elbow joint are predisposing factors.
Due to the constant movements of the neck and head, as well as the hands, over time, the joints begin to wear out, salt deposits appear. This leads to osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and shoulder joints. The causes can be congenital, from compression of the nerve plexuses of the shoulder region or from external factors. Damage to the neck, shoulders or hands causes osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis of the spine
Osteochondrosis of the spine appears in different departments. The most common is the lumbar pathology. The disease is associated with severe stress on the lower back and is dangerous due to the threat of compression of the sciatic nerve and the formation of a hernia.
There are symptoms such as aching pain, aggravated at night or during exercise. It is difficult to find the right position in sleep and rest. There may be "lumbago" of the lower back or impaired sensitivity of the legs, especially the knee joint, coccyx. When they worsen, the lymph nodes become inflamed.
The coccyx area is often affected, making it difficult to sit down properly. If the sciatic nerve in the coccyx area is inflamed, then the pain goes down to the lower extremities, buttocks, to the knee joint. To relieve pain, it is better for a person to take a comfortable position and drink antispasmodics, relaxants or analgesics.
During pregnancy, osteochondrosis of the lower back sometimes makes normal childbirth difficult. Then you have to perform the operation. Antispasmodics are taken during this period with care so as not to harm the fetus.
In diseases of the spine, doctors use the identification of specific symptoms for diagnosis - Lasegue's symptom. For a neuropathologist, Lasegue's symptom is important for determining the extent of the disease.
Lasegue's symptom is always present when a neurological disorder is suspected. With the Lasegue method, the doctor slowly raises the leg in an upward position, not allowing the knee to bend. The Lasegue sign is tested in three stages by flexing and extending the leg. Based on the occurrence of pain in certain postures. During pregnancy, the Lasegue method is not performed.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is often combined with lesions of the shoulder and elbow joints. There is pain in the neck, head, spreading to the shoulders and arms, pain in the heart appears. They are bought with antispasmodics. There is ringing in the ears, the vision worsens.
The pain is made worse by moving the neck, head, or shoulder. In the acute period, lymph nodes may be affected, muscle pain may appear in the neck and elbow joints. Then urgent treatment is needed to prevent complications in the heart, brain, blood vessels.
The patient is constantly tormented by the question: how to sleep with cervical osteochondrosis and correctly place the head on the pillow?
This is especially true for women during pregnancy. Only antispasmodics and treatment help.
Pathology of the chest region is less common. Symptoms of pain in the heart, shoulder area, shoulder girdle, neck are recorded. The lymph nodes are inflamed, sometimes because of the pain it is impossible to raise your hands, take a deep breath. Osteochondrosis is often confused with heart pain. If you take antispasmodics, pain in the muscles, the heart goes away. If the disease is in an advanced stage, then antispasmodics do not always help, and the following symptoms come together:
- violation of the sensitivity of the legs;
- increased pain at night, with movement, breathing;
- burning sensation, itching in heart, scapular region, along ribs.
Often in practice, osteochondrosis affects several parts of the spine. Symptoms during pregnancy are especially unpleasant, when it is undesirable to take antispasmodics. Timely rescues began treatment.
The diagnosis of osteochondrosis involves conducting hardware studies, questioning and examining the patient. It is important to pay attention to such specific signs as Lasegue's symptom. To exclude pathology in the heart and other internal organs, ultrasound, EKG is performed. X-rays, MRI, CT are performed to examine the spine.
Treatment of osteochondrosis should be long and complex. Treatment is divided into symptomatic therapy and rehabilitation. Against pain, muscle relaxants, NSAIDs, analgesics, antispasmodics are prescribed. Muscle relaxants can not only relieve pain for a long time, but also improve mobility. Relaxants are of peripheral and central action. Which medicine to choose, the doctor decides.
Treatment includes a combination of physiotherapy, massage, reflexology. Treatment allows manual therapy, banks, ointments and folk methods.
Osteochondrosis of joints
Often there are diseases of the elbow, knee, shoulder joint. Osteochondrosis of the knee joint often occurs in pregnant women and is accompanied by pain and limited mobility. The elbow joint is characterized by symptoms such as pain during movement, swelling, deformation. The wrongly chosen position of the hand brings discomfort and pain. In the affected area, the lymph nodes become inflamed. In addition, the lymph nodes can damage not only the affected area, but also capture the adjacent lymph nodes.
In order to diagnose correctly, X-rays, CT, MRI are used, they are examined, palpated and the symptom of Lasegue is checked. Complex treatment is needed to restore muscle and joint function. You should do massage, ERT, take antispasmodics, NSAIDs, relaxers. In advanced cases, an operation is performed. But first, conservative treatment is always prescribed, especially during pregnancy.