Osteochondrosis is a lesion of the interarticular and intervertebral cartilage.Osteochondrosis is diagnosed in all joints without exception, however, according to medical statistics, such lesions are more common in the intervertebral discs.
Functions of the intervertebral discs
The main function of the intervertebral discs is to absorb shock when walking and running.Few people think about the load placed on the spine during movement.Each step gives a push to the vertebrae.If there were no discs between them, the bones would wear out very quickly and the nerve endings of the spinal column would remain continuously crushed between the vertebrae.
Its shock absorption capabilities depend on the quality of the intervertebral disc.The younger the person, the more elastic the discs.In newborns, articular cartilage and intervertebral discs are made up of almost 80% water, which gives them the ability to be as elastic as possible, like a sponge.With age, fabrics deteriorate, dry out, become less flexible and lose their shock-absorbing properties.The older a person is, the greater the risk of developing complications of osteochondrosis, manifested by:
- hernias;
- radiculitis;
- sticks out.
Symptoms of intervertebral disc disease
There are osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.At the same time, problems in the cervical region may not be accompanied by any characteristic pain, while problems in the thoracic region may be reflected in pain not in the spine, but in the chest, which is why patients often confuse them with pain in the heart or bronchi.
Sometimes osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifests itself as pain in the arm.If there were no obvious lesions that could cause pain in the arm, such a symptom should be a reason to examine the cervical spine.
If the pain, concentrated in the sacral area, extends to the leg and buttock (usually only on one side), this indicates damage to the intervertebral disc in the lumbar region.After applying pressure to the damaged area, you may feel numbness in your leg, arm, or tingling in one of your limbs.The main striking symptoms of osteochondrosis of the intervertebral space are:
- Pain in the sacral area, which prevents sitting.
- Back pain that prevents you from bending.
- Pain that eases while walking.
At the first signs of damage to the intervertebral discs it is necessary to avoid heavy physical activity on the back, that is, do not lift anything heavy.
Why does osteochondrosis occur?
There are several reasons that affect the condition of disks.These include smoking and excessive exercise, especially when daily activities involve lifting heavy objects.On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet are a surefire path to disc destruction.In addition, specific work that forces you to keep your torso in an uncomfortable position, constant load on only one shoulder and sleeping on an incorrectly selected mattress carry the risk of developing osteochondrosis.
Sleep correctly on mattresses of moderate hardness so that the spine is in a natural and uniform position during rest.The soft down beds just look comfortable.Lying on a soft bed for a long time causes morning back pain.This happens because the back muscles stretch when the back bends under its own weight.Stretching of the back muscles, which continues throughout the night, leads to pain not only in the lower back, but along the entire length of the spine.
Flat feet pose a risk of developing osteochondrosis, because such a foot cannot fully perform shock absorber functions.Due to this, the spine bears greater loads and the discs wear out faster.
Additionally, overweight people put more strain on their spine than those whose BMI is close to ideal.You need to monitor your shape so that the ratio of weight to height does not put additional stress on the skeleton.
However, completely healthy people who lead a sports lifestyle can have osteochondrosis.The main reason for this is injury.An unfortunate fall or blow to the spine often leads to hernias, protrusions and osteochondrosis.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
A surgeon, orthopedist or neurologist can make a diagnosis.Due to the fact that pain in the lumbar region often becomes a reason for contacting a neurologist, such patients are first examined by a doctor of this particular specialty.First, the patient is examined.To diagnose, he must evaluate the patient's ability to twist the body, bend, sit, walk and bend the legs.The spine is then palpated.Thanks to the manual examination, the doctor will be able to identify painful points and feel compactions and even hernias between the vertebrae.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes an x-ray of the spine.This is the simplest test that can be performed even in a rural clinic.X-rays have long been available in medical practice and are an integral part of every trauma department.If the x-ray does not confirm the diagnosis or when a more in-depth study is necessary, a CT scan or MRI of the spine is prescribed.With the help of such an examination it will be possible to find out the quality of the discs, evaluate their elasticity and integrity, and also identify hidden pathologies.
How to treat osteochondrosis
As a conservative treatment, a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed.If there are no serious lesions of the discs and the doctor noted in the images that the cause of the pain lies in the compression of the nerve by the inflamed muscle, the treatment will be reduced to the removal of the inflammatory process.Additionally, warming therapy may be prescribed, which will reduce swelling, relax the muscle, and release the pinched nerve.
In case of protrusion or herniation of the intervertebral disc, the problem of back pain can be solved surgically.Severely worn vertebrae can be replaced with prosthetics.