Causes and symptoms of osteochondrosis of the spine, diagnosis, treatment
Osteochondrosis can affect various joints. Above all, he "loves" intervertebral discs. Everyone should know the causes and symptoms of osteochondrosis of the spine - this nosology is on the list of the most common diseases that afflict people in the current millennium.
It is true that osteochondrosis is a kind of payment of homo sapiens for the fact that he walks on his two legs. Animals move on all fours, there is no pressure on the intervertebral discs, so they do not suffer from changes in them. Veterinarians are never asked why disorders occur in the intervertebral discs in a cat, how to treat osteochondrosis of the sacral spine in a dog, and so on.
From the tissue point of view, osteochondrosis is a dystrophic (nutrition-related) disorder that is difficult to overcome. It sounds unpleasant. However, in reality, the disease will not change the quality of your life, if it is kept under close control, closely monitored so that there is no progression, and immediate measures are taken. With osteochondrosis, you can do yoga, physical education, sports (even reach heights) and generally conquer the whole world - everything, as you did before. The main thing is not to delay the trip to the doctor when the first symptoms appear, so as not to trigger the disease.
Classification of osteochondrosis
According to which intervertebral discs of the spine are affected, osteochondrosis is divided into:
- cervical;
- chest;
- lumbar
- mixed (cervicothoracic, thoracolumbar, etc.).
Such distribution is purely anatomical. After all, the prevention and treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is no less important than in the case of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, even if they occur with different frequency.
Degrees of severity of osteochondrosis:
- mild - there are tolerable pains in the spine, patients may not pay attention to them;
- average - symptoms appear more and more confidently, especially if the patient begins to make active movements;
- severe – symptoms are significantly pronounced, manifest not only during movement, but also at rest.
Such a classification is important for the choice of treatment. But only a doctor should know this. For example, which exercises for the back with osteochondrosis of varying degrees of difficulty should be prescribed by a vertebrologist and a physical therapy specialist. Even if the exercises are indicated, but the patient complains that it is difficult to perform them, there is a rather pronounced discomfort in the back - physical therapy should be canceled.
You can learn about other classifications of osteochondrosis by visiting our site Dobrobut.com.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
With osteochondrosis of different fragments of the spine, many symptoms are similar - signs of cervical-thoracic or lumbar osteochondrosis. The difference is only on the part of the internal organs, the work of which is controlled by the nerve roots affected by osteochondrosis.
The most common symptoms:
- pain that increases in a sitting or standing position, and in advanced cases - aggravates even when at rest;
- restriction of movements - but not only in the affected area, but often in the adjacent one as well (occurs reflexively - the patient spares neighboring departments from the load as well);
- sensation of "tingles running" and numbness in the limbs.
Symptoms develop that clearly depend on the level of the spine affected by osteochondrosis (for example, headache and dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis, pain behind the sternum in thoracic).
Treatment of osteochondrosis
The main methods of treatment of typical osteochondrosis of the spine are actually simple:
- physical activity is not only fashionable therapeutic gymnastics, but also good old exercise (both morning and industrial);
- massage – it should be performed in repeated courses; the doctor should immediately clear all doubts of the patient whether massage is possible for osteochondrosis;
- physiotherapy;
- manual therapy;
- pharmacy drugs.
The doctor is in no hurry to prescribe drug treatment for osteochondrosis, he will try other, non-drug methods. It happens that gymnastics and massage can work wonders, and the action of ultrasound will consolidate the beneficial effect. Tableted drugs practically do not work or help weakly, therefore, having adopted drug therapy, a medical specialist will prescribe injections of drugs. Injections for exacerbation of osteochondrosis can only be prescribed by a doctor. They should not compete with other treatments. If the disease is advanced, the effect can be observed only after 5-6 infusions.
A couple of decades ago, people with osteochondrosis tried to sleep on any hard surface. There were even curiosities, when wooden shields and even doors were piled on the bed. But the times of such sadomasochism have passed.
In the 21st century, various orthopedic devices help in the treatment of osteochondrosis (for example, an orthopedic pillow for cervical osteochondrosis). Don't skimp on them, choose pillows and mattresses recommended by doctors. If such "devices" initially prevent you from falling asleep, you should not force yourself. You should gradually get used to them. Later, without orthopedic devices, it will be difficult for you to fall asleep - the spine will "develop" a kind of habit.
Medical gymnastics for osteochondrosis, other types of physical activity
Physical exercises have always been considered a boon for the musculoskeletal system, and for the spine, as well as pain, in particular with osteochondrosis. First of all, it is:
- therapeutic gymnastics (or physical therapy);
- charging - morning and production;
- swimming under the supervision of a coach.
Do not ignore therapeutic gymnastics - with osteochondrosis, patients make a real discovery for themselves, how effective it is. Sometimes it is enough to get rid of unpleasant, burdensome sensations in the spine. A set of exercises is formed by an exercise therapy specialist and approved by a vertebrologist. Exercise therapy (physical therapy) for lumbosacral osteochondrosis may differ from exercises for cervical osteochondrosis.
When working in a sitting position, you primarily complain of discomfort in the thoracic region of the spine. During the working day, it is hardly possible to engage in therapeutic gymnastics in its classical form, but simple exercise for osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is what is needed. The main secret of its magical action is regularity. In the warm season, it is not a shame to stop somewhere in the city park and perform simple exercises.
Don't be lazy at home either and don't forget about physical activity. You can perform the exercises recommended by your personal physical therapy specialist according to the scheme. And you can stop at the lighter version. A set of home exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is no less important than physical therapy under the supervision of a specialist.
During swimming, the load on the intervertebral discs is instantly reduced, the spine is strengthened due to the fact that the muscles and ligaments that fix it become stronger and more elastic.
Infecting osteochondrosis of any part of the spine requires the same attention. Knowing the causes and symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is no less important than the causes and symptoms of the lumbar region, on which the entire load of the vertebral column falls.
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