Osteochondrosis is a disease caused by degenerative-district changes in vertebrae, intervertebral discs and ligaments. People after 30 years are more susceptible to the disease, but the initial manifestations of the disease can occur in adolescence.
80-90% of the population face the disease.
Symptoms of the disease
Depending on the location of the pathological focus, 3 forms of the disease are distinguished:
With damage to the cervical spine, the patient's complaints are associated with insufficient brain nutrition due to squeezing blood vessels. The most common complaint is severe headache and dizziness. In addition, patients are concerned:
When compressing the nerves, numbness and fingers, weakness in the limbs occurs.
If the nerves are violated, severe neck pain, headache, sore throat, teeth. The pain extends to the shoulders and limbs.
The symptom of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is also the pain - intercostal neuralgia. The pain is due to compression of the nerve roots. The pain in the chest is acute, intensifies with coughing, inspiration, laughter, when moving.
Pain for osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can simulate other diseases, for example, heartache, abdominal pain.
Lumbar osteochondrosis most often affects people who have a sedentary job. It is characterized by pain in the lower back, which is given the buttocks and legs. With nerve violations, numbness and cooling of the legs, loss of sensitivity, non -restraint and urine are possible.
Causes of the disease
The disease is considered poletiological, that is, many factors contribute to the disease. The most common:
Troubleshooting
The diagnosis of osteochondrosis consists of several stages.
Collection of anamnesis of illness and life
The doctor asks the patient's questions to detect:
It is important to discover the working conditions of the patient, bad habits than they were sick throughout his life, whether there were bruises and spinal cord injuries, whether one of the closest relatives of osteochondrosis.
Inspection and palpation
On examination, the doctor draws attention to the position of the body and behavior, in the symmetry of the back and neck, determines the volume of movements in the back, detects painful areas, estimates muscle tone, determines the presence of pain, controls sensitivity.
X —The examination
Spine radiography is performed in two oblique projections, in direct and lateral information. Sometimes X -ray research with functional samples, flexion, stretch position is required.
Calculated tomography
CT is a study that allows you to consider the bodies of vertebrae, ligaments, blood vessels and soft tissue more clearly. A picture of one or more spine segments is performed. CT allows you to determine the compression of the nerves, tears and hernia of the intervertebral discs, their height, changes in the rigid membrane of the brain, the volatility of the vertebrae.
Magnetic resonance therapy
MRI is used to diagnose osteochondrosis with clear visualization of blood vessels, nerve processes, intervertebral discs.
Complications
Osteochondrosis is a not only spine disease, as is commonly believed. It affects blood vessels, nerves, muscles. Osteochondrosis provokes the development of a number of related diseases, among which:
Treatment of the disease
Treat osteochondrosis conservatively, in severe cases - immediately.
Conservative treatment includes a whole complex of therapeutic procedures: massage, physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, manual therapy, reflexology, spinal traction and medication treatment.
Drug drugs are prescribed during irritation, help relieve pain, inflammation and normalize metabolic processes.
Risk group
The osteochondrosis risk group includes:
PREVENTION
To prevent osteochondrosis, it is important to follow the rules:
Diet and lifestyle
The diet for osteochondrosis has no strict restrictions, it can be attributed to the right food. It is necessary to limit salt and sugar. The main thing is that food corresponds to energy costs. If there is overweight, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of sweets and easily absorbed carbohydrates. Replace coffee with tea, sweets - dried fruits.
Everyday you need to do exercises, which includes: diving, gathering, slope on the sides, body curves, jogging, walking, swinging legs, side and back.
Sleeping with osteochondrosis preferably on a solid surface.
During a long sitting job, you need to lie down and return your body every 20-30 minutes. With prolonged stay, it is important to change the point of support from one foot to another.
If you need to keep heavy, you can distribute the weight in each hand, you can use a wide striped backpack.