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 occur more often in the intervertebral discs.
Function of intervertebral discs
The main function of the intervertebral discs is to absorb shock when walking and running.Few people think about the load exerted on the spine during movement.Each step provides a push to the spine.If there were no discs between them, the bones would wear out quickly, and spinal nerve endings would continue to get pinched between the vertebrae.
Its ability to absorb shock depends on the quality of the intervertebral discs.The younger a person is, the more elastic the discs are.In newborns, the articular cartilage and intervertebral discs are almost 80% composed of water, which gives them the ability to be as elastic as possible, like a sponge.With age, tissues deteriorate, dry out, become less flexible and lose their shock-absorbing properties.The older a person is, the higher the risk of complications of osteochondrosis, which are manifested by:
- hernia;
- sciatica;
- bulge.
Symptoms of intervertebral disc disease
There is osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.At the same time, problems in the cervical region may not be accompanied by characteristic pain at all, while problems in the chest area may be reflected by 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 is no obvious injury that could cause pain in the arm, such symptoms should be a reason to examine the cervical spine.
If pain, concentrated in the sacral region, radiates to the legs and buttocks (usually only on one side), this indicates damage to the intervertebral discs in the lumbar region.After applying pressure to the damaged area, you may experience numbness in your legs, arms, or tingling in one of your limbs.The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the intervertebral spaces are:
- Pain in the sacral area, preventing a person from sitting.
- Back pain that prevents you from bending.
- Pain that subsides when walking.
At the first signs of damage to the intervertebral discs, you should avoid heavy physical activity on the back, that is, do not lift heavy objects.
Why does osteochondrosis occur?
There are several reasons that affect the condition of the disk.Among them are smoking and excessive exercise, especially if daily activities involve lifting heavy objects.On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition are sure causes of disc damage.In addition, certain jobs that force you to hold your body in an uncomfortable position, constant load on only one shoulder, as well as sleeping on an inappropriately selected mattress are at risk of developing osteochondrosis.
Sleep properly on a mattress with a medium firmness level so that the spine is in a natural and flat position when resting.A soft feather bed seems just comfortable.Lying on a soft mattress for a long time causes back pain in the morning.This happens because the back muscles stretch when the back is bent under its own weight.Stretching of the back muscles, which continues throughout the night, causes pain not only in the lower back, but along the spine.
Flat feet are at risk of developing osteochondrosis, because they cannot fully perform their shock-absorbing function.Therefore, the spine bears increased loads, and the discs wear out faster.
In addition, overweight people put more pressure on the spine than those whose body mass index is close to ideal.You need to monitor your body shape so that the ratio of weight to height does not put additional stress on the skeleton.
However, people who are completely healthy and lead a sports lifestyle can also suffer from osteochondrosis.The main reason is injury.Falling or hitting the spine often causes hernias, protrusions, and osteochondrosis.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis
A surgeon, orthopedist, or neurologist can make a diagnosis.Since pain in the lumbar region is often 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 needs to assess the patient's ability to turn the body, bend, sit, walk and bend the legs.After that the spine is palpated.Thanks to manual examination, the doctor will be able to identify pain points and feel seals and even hernias between the vertebrae.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a spinal x-ray.This is the simplest test that can be done even in rural clinics.X-rays have long been available in medical practice and are an integral element of every trauma department.If x-rays do not confirm the diagnosis, or if a more detailed examination is required, a CT scan or MRI of the spine will be prescribed.With the help of such an examination, it is possible to find out the quality of the discs, assess their elasticity and integrity, and also identify hidden pathologies.
How to treat osteochondrosis
As a conservative treatment, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed.If there are no serious lesions on the discs, and the doctor notices in the picture that the cause of the pain lies in the entrapment of the nerve by the inflamed muscle, then treatment will be reduced to eliminating the inflammatory process.Additionally, warming therapy may be prescribed, which will reduce swelling, relax muscles, and release pinched nerves.
In cases of protrusion or herniation of the intervertebral disc, the problem of back pain can be resolved surgically.Severely worn vertebrae can be replaced with prosthetics.