Osteochondrosis –Degenerative dystrophic damage to spinal tissue characterized by damage to the intervertebral discs, adjacent articular surfaces and vertebral bodies, and spinal ligaments.
Most commonly, the pathological process of osteochondrosis first affects bones and ligaments.When complications arise—pain, sensory disturbances, muscle atrophy, visceral dysfunction—we usually know that disease has begun.
Who suffers from osteochondrosis?
Today, osteochondrosis affects 40% to 90% of the world's population.Most commonly, this disease affects people over the age of 30.However, the first symptoms of osteochondrosis may appear during adolescence.
Stages of development of spinal osteochondrosis
- The first stage in the development of osteochondrosis.
The nucleus pulposus becomes dehydrated.This results in a reduction in the height of the pan.Cracks appear in the annulus fibrosus, but the pathological process does not extend beyond the disc.
- The second stage of osteochondrosis development.
As the disc height decreases, the attachment points of the muscles and ligaments belonging to two adjacent vertebrae are closer together.As a result, muscles and ligaments sag.This can lead to excessive movement of the two vertebrae relative to each other, creating instability in the vertebral motion segments.This stage is characterized by the slipping or shifting of the vertebrae relative to each other and the formation of spondylolisthesis.
- The third stage of osteochondrosis development.
During this period, the most obvious morphological changes occur, which mainly affect the disc itself: the formation of disc prolapse and herniation.The joint apparatus of the vertebral motion segments is also affected.Subluxations occur in intervertebral joints, nonvertebral joints, and joint forms.
- The fourth stage of osteochondrosis development.
During this stage, adaptive changes occur in the affected portion of the spine.The body attempts to overcome the excessive mobility of the vertebrae and immobilize the spine to maintain its supporting and protective functions.In this regard, marginal bone growth occurs on the adjacent surface of the vertebral body, in other words, osteophytes.Osteophytes that “grow in the wrong place” can cause microtrauma to the nerve roots.In the fourth stage, the process of fibrous ankylosis usually begins in the discs and joints.Eventually, the vertebral motion segments appear to become fixed in a shell—and the clinical manifestations subside.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Of the many existing theories regarding the development of osteochondrosis, each posits various causes for the development of the disease, such as mechanical trauma, genetic predisposition, or metabolic disorders.A particular difficulty in determining the cause of osteochondrosis is due to the fact that the disease can occur in both older and younger adults, in both physically fit and poorly trained individuals.It is generally accepted that the cause of osteochondrosis is salt deposits in the spine: salt is said to be visible on X-rays in the form of "growths" or "hooks" on the vertebrae.If the joints make a crunching sound when moving, as if sand has been poured between the joints, for many patients the only cause of this condition is the infamous "salt deposits."This misunderstanding is not harmless: by analyzing what causes the disease, the correct treatment can be determined.
The word "osteochondrosis" is derived from the Greek roots osteochondrosis ("bone") and chondr ("cartilage").The ending "-oz" means that bone and cartilage diseases are not related to inflammatory processes, but are essentially degenerative dystrophies, that is, the basis of the disease is the destruction of tissue nutrition and, therefore, the degeneration of its structure.Like all living tissue, the bone tissue of the vertebrae and the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs are constantly rebuilding and renewing themselves.Under the influence of regular physical activity, they gain strength and elasticity, while in the absence of load the strength of the tissues decreases.
This is due to the peculiarities of nutrition and blood supply to bone and cartilage tissue.Adult discs have no blood vessels of their own; they get nutrients and oxygen from adjacent tissues.Therefore, for proper nutrition of the intervertebral disc, it is necessary to activate blood circulation in the tissue surrounding the disc.And this can only be achieved through intense muscle exercise.
Depending on its composition, the intervertebral disc can be divided into two parts: the nucleus pulposus in the center, which gives the disc its elasticity, and the strong annulus fibrosus surrounding it.As the nutrition of the intervertebral disc deteriorates, the complex structure of the biopolymer compounds that make up the nucleus pulposus is destroyed.The moisture content in the nucleus pulposus decreases and it becomes more fragile.The nucleus pulposus can break into pieces when subjected to even mild overload.This results in a greater decrease in its elasticity.The strength of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc also decreases.All these factors lay the foundation and form the cause for the occurrence of osteochondrosis.
To restore the function of the spine, it is necessary to scar the damaged intervertebral discs and mobilize the compensatory capacity of the spine and even the entire musculoskeletal system, rather than solving the "salt deposits" or eliminating the "spikes" on the vertebrae.When X-rays are taken after treatment, it can be seen that the shape of the vertebrae has not changed.The infamous “spikes” are not the cause of osteochondrosis but are the result of the adaptation process.Marginal growth increases the area of the vertebral body's supporting surface.As the area increases, the specific pressure decreases, thus compensating for the decrease in disc strength and elasticity.
The degenerative dystrophic changes that occur in the spine are accompanied by calcification (calcification) of damaged intervertebral discs, joint ligaments, cartilage, and individual parts of the joint capsule.This process can only conditionally be called deposition of salt.Therefore, this is not the cause of osteochondrosis, but only the result and final stage of the above-mentioned process.
Reversing structural changes in the spine is nearly impossible.But minimizing them is a very real task.If efforts are not made to keep the spine in the same condition as it was after treatment, the pain may return.
Clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis
The clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis are diverse.They depend on the stage of development of osteochondrosis.The main clinical symptoms of osteochondrosis occur when the pathological process affects the posterior part of the annulus fibrosus and the posterior longitudinal ligament.Depending on the stage of disc degeneration, irritation, compression, or destruction of conductivity at the base of the spinal cord, compression of blood vessels, or spinal cord can occur.Various neurological syndromes occur - reflexes and compression.
The main cause of pain in osteochondrosis is so-called nerve root irritation.In this case, circulatory disturbances occur, swelling occurs, and fibrosis of surrounding structures may subsequently occur, accompanied by an increased susceptibility of the roots to various influences (movement of the affected part of the spine, etc.).
Vascular disease in osteochondrosis is often associated with impaired vasomotor innervation.Mechanical compression of blood vessels by osteophytes is also possible, for example in the cervical spine.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
One of the hallmarks of exacerbations of spinal osteochondrosis is that its symptoms are too widespread.The disease can manifest itself in different parts of the body.This could be pain or numbness in the limbs, or disturbance and pain in the internal organs.At the same time, people often do not associate heart pain, reproductive organ dysfunction, headaches, leg pain and numbness with osteochondrosis and the spine in general in any way, but directly "treat" the symptoms of osteochondrosis with the help of various painkillers, various advertised drugs, dietary supplements and other methods.But this path will only make the situation worse.Osteochondrosis continues to progress, and the treatments used can only provide temporary pain relief at best, but cannot achieve significant improvement at all. In the worst case, they will cause greater harm to the body.
Therefore, it is important to carefully analyze your condition and the changes it has undergone.It is necessary to start moving in the right direction: promptly consult a doctor, make the necessary diagnosis, and only after the correct diagnosis has been established, treatment can begin under the supervision of the attending physician.
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis include, first and foremost, back pain and discomfort.At the same time, pain may be cyclical, inconsistent, and come and go.But the first feeling of spinal discomfort or pain should make you think.The first appearance of pain is a signal to at least pay attention to and try to remember why they appear.Such causes may be lifting heavy objects, sudden movements, falls, etc.
Another symptom of osteochondrosis is discomfort or back pain along with pain and numbness in the extremities (arms or legs).The pain most often radiates to the left extremity, that is, the left arm or leg.In addition, pain can appear in the heart area, back, not only in the spinal area, but also in the ribs, etc.In this case, it is particularly important to pay attention to the nature of the pain that changes according to the patient's movements, comparing the sensation of pain in the back with the sensation of pain in the legs.If the patient sits for a long time and experiences foot pain or numbness, waist discomfort, and the pain disappears after a short warm-up or walking, then this is an indirect sign of lumbar osteochondrosis.The same image can be used for the neck and arms.All in all, the main symptoms of osteochondrosis are back pain and discomfort.If these symptoms occur at the same time as pain elsewhere in the body, osteochondrosis may be complicated by a herniated disc, a herniated disc, or a pinched nerve.
In addition, I would like to remind everyone that even if it is the first time you experience spinal pain, you need to pay special attention to this disease.After all, osteochondrosis may manifest weakly or not at all for a considerable period of time.At the same time, it will continue to successfully develop in the spine, causing more and more discs to degenerate.Therefore, visiting a doctor in time can detect osteochondrosis early and facilitate treatment.
Osteochondrosis and salt deposits
Osteophytes or hook-like growths develop on the vertebrae to relieve the load on the intervertebral discs.In this case, the presence of osteophytes impairs the mobility of the intervertebral joints.
In daily life, it is generally believed that salt deposition is the main cause of osteochondrosis, but this is wrong.Therefore, there is no point in using a salt-free diet to treat osteochondrosis.
The most common complaints of spinal osteochondrosis
The most common osteochondrosis complaints are as follows:
- Discomfort occurs in various parts of the spine.The level of pain varies from a mild, dull, lingering ache to severe, sometimes very intense and unbearable pain - accompanied by shooting.
- Increased physical and mental fatigue during work.
- Loss of sensitivity in the limbs and various parts of the body, and the hands and feet become cold.
- The pain radiates down the nerve trunk into the leg.
- The pain radiates to the shoulder blades, shoulders, and pain in the neck and back of the head.
- Common symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are headache and dizziness.Increased visual fatigue or decreased visual acuity are often observed.
- Reproductive disorders (various sexual dysfunctions) are common when the lumbosacral region is affected.As a result, most men experience increased sexual performance after treatment.For women, normal function of the lumbosacral region increases the likelihood of conception and contributes to a comfortable pregnancy.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
In order to diagnose osteochondrosis, it is necessary to collect a past history.Determining the patient's chief complaint is critical.Some symptoms of osteochondrosis are very characteristic.Instead, other diseases must be differentiated from symptoms of other diseases.Importantly, the neurological, vascular, and nutritional disturbances that occur in osteochondrosis can mimic a variety of diseases, such as angina, gastritis, gastric ulcers, and acute surgical disorders of the abdominal organs.Therefore, in order to avoid misdiagnosis and subsequent incorrect treatment, each symptom must be analyzed in detail.
When collecting medical records, including the patient's chief complaint, history of current illness, and the patient's life, physicians focus on the patient's age, since osteochondrosis most commonly occurs in older adults, and on the evolution of symptoms from the onset of symptoms to the patient's presentation.Osteochondrosis is characterized by a slow progression, with periods of exacerbation periodically replaced by periods of remission.Additional research methods are prescribed to clarify the diagnosis.
X-ray studies for osteochondrosis
The most convenient and informative way to diagnose osteochondrosis is an X-ray.There are several types of X-ray methods used to diagnose this disease:
Spinal X-ray is the simplest radiological method for diagnosing osteochondrosis.Its essence is to obtain an X-ray of the spine as a whole or of its individual segments.The most common is targeted radiography—locating spinal lesions based on symptoms of the disease and the patient’s complaints.On X-ray images of spinal segments affected by osteochondrosis, one can see a reduction in the thickness of the intervertebral discs (atrophy), manifested by a reduction in the space between the vertebrae, the appearance of bone growth in the vertebral bodies - osteophytes, partial dissolution - resorption of the vertebral body bone tissue, changes in the shape of the spinal segments, for example, smoothing of the vertebrae, lumbar lordosis.
Myelography is a more complex and dangerous diagnostic method.During such an examination, a certain amount of contrast fluid is injected into the spinal canal.Risks of this method of examination are possible allergic reactions to the contrast medium or risk of spinal cord damage during spinal puncture.Myelography can determine the internal structures of the spinal canal.This method is particularly useful in identifying spinal hernias.
Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are the most modern, but also the most expensive and difficult to obtain, methods of diagnosing osteochondrosis.These diagnostic methods are often used when it is necessary to differentiate between osteochondrosis and other spinal conditions with similar symptoms, such as spinal canal tumors.
In order to fully evaluate the patient's condition, a neurological examination is necessary in patients with osteochondrosis.Neurological consultation can clarify the location and extent of motor and sensory impairments.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
The clinic provides effective treatment for all forms of osteochondrosis.Treatment is performed on an outpatient basis.The treatment is based on a comprehensive plan designed to quickly eliminate underlying symptoms and causes of pain.The following methods can be used as part of comprehensive treatment:
- acupuncture;
- vacuum therapy;
- Gentle manual therapy techniques (followed by isometric relaxation);
- laser treatment;
- drug puncture;
- dry traction;
- magnetic needle puncture;
- Treatment methods such as electrical stimulation.
The average course of treatment is 10-15 times, and the elimination of acute pain syndrome is 1-3 times.
The sooner you start treatment, the better the results!
Can osteochondrosis really be completely remitted?
This depends on the form, severity of the disease, correctness and timeliness of treatment.Complete cure is possible only in the initial stages.
But you can prevent the progression of osteochondrosis and stay pain-free for years.If a person has osteochondrosis but is not experiencing discomfort now, this does not mean that it has passed without a trace.Changes may occur in the spine.
The main task is to prevent the progression of the disease and do everything possible to ensure that some spinal lesions disappear and symptoms disappear or are alleviated (back pain, cold limbs, numbness, headache, etc.).