Many often hear, but do not know exactly what osteochondrosis is. In fact, this disease is not so rare. This disease is characterized by degenerative dystrophic lesions of the vertebral tissues, increased deformation of the discs between the vertebrae, 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 regular pain.
Statistics show that osteochondrosis of the spine has 50-90% of the world's population. Often, symptoms of osteochondrosis appear in people who have crossed the threshold of 30 years, but there is a risk of the appearance of manifestations even in adolescents.
Stages of disease development
In medicine, there are several stages of the course of the disease:
- in stage 1dehydration of the nucleus pulposus is observed, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of deformations in the annulus fibrosus. The initial stage is characterized by the development of symptoms within the spinal disc. Signs of osteochondrosis are not pronounced. Treatment of osteochondrosis at this stage can be carried out with the help of exercise and massage therapy;
- in stage 2after a change in disc height and after dehydration of the ligament, the muscles begin to converge. This causes them to sink. Signs of osteochondrosis also include excessive mobility in the vertebral region. This, in turn, can provoke the process of displacement of the vertebrae;
- in stage 3signs of osteochondrosis become more pronounced, since the patient may experience protrusion of the intervertebral discs or even prolapse. Also, due to changes in the bones and muscles, the joints begin to suffer, which provokes the formation of arthrosis;
- in stage 4the patient's spine is already adapting to the changes that have occurred. The body tries to immobilize the spine as much as possible to preserve its protective and musculoskeletal function. At the same time, osteophytes begin to spread on the intervertebral discs - bony growths that form on nearby vertebrae. The resulting osteophytes can cause injury to nerve endings. The result is your sandwich.
Causes of the disease
Signs of osteochondrosis can occur due to such reasons:
- spinal injury;
- predisposition to diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- natural aging process;
- the presence of constant physical overload;
- obesity;
- wrong posture;
- the presence of constant vibration, relevant for various professions, for example, drivers of large trucks;
disease symptoms
Symptoms of osteochondrosis may not appear immediately. The main symptoms include back discomfort 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 a feeling of numbness in the extremities. When at least one of these signs appears, you should pay attention to their nature and intensity: pain in the leg or arm can manifest itself in different ways. Additional signs of osteochondrosis are a herniated disc, as well as a protrusion or pinching of the nerve ending.
Osteochondrosis of the spine is of the following types, depending on the location:
- in the cervical region;
- in the region of the sternum;
- in the lumbosacral region.
Treatment of the disease
Treatment of osteochondrosis involves a combination of the following methods:
- therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis or exercises;
- 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 in the later stages there are great chances to overcome the disease.
Gymnastics for osteochondrosis is one of the most effective methods of preventing and stopping the manifestations of the disease. Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis includes exercises that can strengthen the muscles of the back and the whole body. It is necessary to perform gymnastics daily to achieve the effect after a few sessions. Gymnastics for osteochondrosis includes popular exercises that are probably familiar to many, since they are used in the complex of morning exercises.
Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis not only contributes to a speedy 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.
Loading with osteochondrosis should align the irregular spine of the spine, strengthen the corset of the back muscles, improve metabolism and blood circulation in the tissues. Proper exercise in osteochondrosis improves blood supply to the brain and helps to expand the gap between the vertebrae, allowing you to release previously pinched nerve endings. For a patient, doing exercises for osteochondrosis may take only a few minutes every day, but even this can lead to a noticeable decrease in the manifestations of the disease in a few weeks. And in the early stages, exercise with osteochondrosis is not at all the main method of treatment.
Another advantage of exercise therapy for osteochondrosis is that the complex is designed for people of all ages, taking into account the age characteristics and capabilities of the body. Exercises for osteochondrosis can be done at home or maybe in the clinic on special simulators. It should be noted that with proper and high-quality exercise, treating osteochondrosis at home gives the same effective results as performing therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis in the clinic.
Nutrition for osteochondrosis should include lean meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruits. The diet for osteochondrosis provides for frequent feeding (5-6 times a day). At the last meal of the day, you need to drink a glass of fermented milk products.
The diet for osteochondrosis sharply limits the intake of legumes, grapes and derived products, muffins, spices and various refined products. When the doctor draws up his osteochondrosis nutrition plan for the patient, he will also include bran-containing bakery products, fruits, vegetables and berries (in particular, sea buckthorn).
Nutrition in osteochondrosis performs a restorative function of the body, supplying the cells with building material. It is important to remember that a diet for osteochondrosis (as, indeed, for the prevention of various other ailments) involves carefully chewing food. The process of eating food at the same time lasts at least 15 minutes. The more saliva and gastric juice are secreted, the greater the effect of a rational and balanced diet on osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis is also carried out 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 susceptible to the disease. At the same time, massage for osteochondrosis should start very gently, so as not to cause discomfort in the form of muscle tension.
The technique according to which massage for osteochondrosis is performed suggests that the patient lie on his stomach in the most relaxed position during the session. The general objectives pursued by massage for osteochondrosis are the following:
- pain relief;
- improvement of metabolism in the area of onset of the disease;
- muscle relaxation;
- suppression of inflammatory processes in the area of the intervertebral disc.
Also, disputes about how to cure osteochondrosis at home do 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 exercises for osteochondrosis are the right ways to first reduce all symptoms of the disease, and then completely overcome it.