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Osteochondrosis of the spine - symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Osteochondrosis of the spine

Osteochondrosis of the spine is a degenerative-dystrophic destruction caused by gradual thinning of the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs.All people are susceptible to this disease, because the human spine suffers a huge load due to the upright posture.If we take into account the harmful factors, osteochondrosis of the back can be found in almost everyone until the age of 40-50.Pathology cannot be completely cured.It is impossible to stop the age-related degenerative process, but it can be slowed down with appropriate treatment.You need to learn how to properly treat the symptoms of osteochondrosis.





General features of the pathology

The disease develops in three parts of the spine - cervical, thoracic and lumbar.Cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis are diagnosed more often, as there is increased mobility in these areas.The more active movement a person can perform in the joints, the more prone they are to damage and degeneration of the discs.Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is less common, but more serious.

The pathology is insidious, as it contributes to the appearance of other degenerative diseases in the body, including intervertebral hernia.In the initial stage, the patient does not feel pain, but permanent metabolic changes in the calcium-phosphorus metabolism already appear, which disturb the bone structure of the spine.Blood circulation in the affected area deteriorates, leading to premature degeneration.

The intervertebral disc contains a fibrous ring covered with microcracks.A nucleus pulposus appears on the surface of the damage - some parts of it gradually leak out.Against the background of degenerative processes, the fibrous ring begins to weaken and stretch, which leads to an increase in the area of microdamage.When the annulus fibrosus ruptures, the nucleus pulposus comes out.This is how the intervertebral hernia of the spinal cord appears.

If you slow down the process of degeneration that causes osteochondrosis, hernias and protrusions will appear later.The earlier the treatment is started, the easier it is to overcome the signs of deterioration.The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the back depend on the location in the spine and the effect of concomitant diseases on the body.

It provokes osteochondrosis of the spine

In most cases, the disease is hereditary.In other cases, the disease occurs against the background of unfavorable conditions that can cause exacerbation, including:

  1. Previous back injuries, including damage to bones, joints and tendons.
  2. Problems with the musculoskeletal system, including poor posture and flat feet.
  3. A history of metabolic disorders, including endocrine pathologies.People with uncompensated hypothyroidism and diabetes are at risk of developing bone problems.These problems negatively affect the absorption of calcium.
  4. Because of being overweight.In the case of obesity and a high body mass index, a person experiences premature wear and tear of the joints.Heavy weight puts pressure on the musculoskeletal system, which negatively affects the health of the spine.
  5. Bad nutrition.A daily diet depleted of nutrients and microelements causes hypovitaminosis, which causes systemic suffering in the human body, which can negatively affect the condition of the spine.
  6. Physical inactivity.It has been proven that a sedentary lifestyle leads to brittle bones.Moderate physical activity is beneficial.
  7. Lifting weights.Similar to insufficient muscle activity, excessive overexertion is fraught with microtraumas and damage that provoke diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
  8. Previous viral or bacterial infections.Examples: osteomyelitis, poliomyelitis.
  9. He has bad habits.Abuse of alcohol and nicotine causes a deterioration in blood circulation, which negatively affects the condition of the skeletal system.

Factors affecting the development of the disease:

  1. Congenital spine defects.
  2. Bad posture.
  3. With flat feet.
  4. Prolonged sitting or standing.
  5. Belonging to the female gender.During pregnancy and menopause, women experience increased bone loss.In the case of a long-term lack of calcium and other minerals, a degenerative process occurs in the spine, which contributes to the appearance of osteochondrosis.
  6. Hypogonadism.In the absence of steroid hormones in both sexes, calcium is practically not fixed in the bone tissue.As a result, the patient suffers from age-related osteochondrosis.At a young age, such conditions occur very rarely.In this case, we are talking about a mutation.

Considering the above risk factors, you should try to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Stages of disease development

The disease has 4 stages, including the following picture:

  1. The initial stage is the stage of degenerative metabolic processes.The patient has no symptoms as the cartilage tissue has not started to actively deteriorate.Deformation of the intervertebral disc begins.Since there is no protrusion yet, the patient does not feel pain in the back.Usually, in the initial stages of osteochondrosis, the disease is rarely discovered, more often by accident.Not all professionals are able to notice the first signs of degeneration.In rare cases, the patient may experience minimal discomfort due to overload.The patient's back starts to hurt when he stands or sits for a long time.In addition, such pain is associated with overstretching and weakness of the muscular frame.
  2. In the second stage, the active destruction of the fibrous ring begins, which causes a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc.At this stage, the attentive patient already consults a specialist, as he feels more vivid symptoms.The head often starts to hurt, and unexplained pressure rises may occur.It often hurts the lower back, neck or shoulder blades.The patient no longer tolerates long-term stress and gets tired quickly.At this stage, osteochondrosis can be detected by X-rays.
  3. In the third stage, the disease causes protrusion of the annulus fibrosus.During the diagnosis, the patient is diagnosed with a protrusion or a small intervertebral hernia, which causes serious problems in everyday life.The cartilage is already weakened and the patient feels very ill.The third stage is temporary in terms of treatment.At this stage, conservative treatment is still possible to make the patient feel better and to slow down the development of the hernia.
  4. Section 4 - Terminal.The vertebrae lose their flexibility and mobility.The patient suffers pain during movement not only during the day, but also at night.Sleep disturbances and neurological symptoms occur because the discomfort is chronic.Chronic fatigue syndrome is getting worse.At this stage, significant hernias have already been diagnosed, which interfere with the patient's normal life.In this case, surgical intervention is recommended to remove the osteophytes.Conservative treatment does not bring relief in advanced cases.

The sooner osteochondrosis is detected, the easier it will be to overcome it.The 1-2.stage, it is still possible to reverse the development of pathology if you unconditionally follow medical prescriptions.

Types of osteochondrosis of the spine

The spine consists of 3 parts including the lower back, chest and neck.Depending on the individual situation, degenerative changes occur more often in one of the departments.Less often, the pathology affects several segments of the spine.The neck and lumbar regions are most often affected, as increased mobility is observed in these places.If the thoracic spine is affected, the pathology is more severe due to the anatomical features of the spine in this area.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is the most common.The prevalence of the pathology is associated with an increased load on the lower body.In addition, this part of the back is most prone to the development of hernias and protrusions.If complications occur in a patient with such a history, problems with mobility, defecation and urination occur.Advanced cases require serious correction and surgical intervention.

With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, severe pain and shooting occurs in the head.Most often, the disease occurs against the background of prolonged sedentary work and increased physical activity.Patients with this disease also require an integrated approach to therapy.Damage to the cervical spine is also due to increased mobility of the shoulders and head.

Osteochondrosis of the chest occurs less often, since due to well-developed muscles and reduced mobility, this area is the least susceptible to such pathological processes.Diagnosing this type of osteochondrosis is difficult, since the symptoms of the pathology resemble diseases of the heart, lungs or stomach.In the case of thoracic osteochondrosis, pain radiating to the ribs and heart region is more often observed, so the disease is confused with ischemic heart disease and signs of a heart attack.An important diagnostic criterion is that if a heart problem is not detected when complaining of chest pain, a neurologist or traumatologist should be consulted.

The older the patient, the greater the risk of spinal joint degeneration affecting more parts of the spine.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the spine

Symptoms can be divided into general and specific symptoms.The second option is characteristic of osteochondrosis of any part, depending on the location.Common signs of degenerative back disease include:

  1. Pain, discomfort and discomfort.Taking into account the degree and localization of the pathological process, the patient experiences different degrees of pain.In the initial stage, the discomfort is slight and depressing.At night, the discomfort temporarily decreases.As the degeneration of the spine progresses, the pain becomes stronger and more frequent.In the worst case, the pain does not go away and prevents you from sleeping at night.
  2. Weakness, constant fatigue.Spine problems are often associated with impaired nerve conduction and poor blood flow.If the patient is actively developing osteochondrosis, chronic fatigue syndrome occurs over time.The patient becomes increasingly unable to work and does not sleep enough.The more advanced the pathology, the worse the patient feels.
  3. Reduced mobility in a certain part of the spine.During the exacerbation period, there is not only persistent pain, but the mobility of the affected area of the back is also significantly limited.This phenomenon is not only related to the inflammatory process, but also to muscle spasms.
  4. Muscle spasm in the affected part of the spine.Osteochondrosis is not only the result of natural degenerative processes in the body.Physical inactivity often triggers the disease.In the absence of motor activity, the muscles atrophy and cannot properly remove the load from the spine.As a result, permanent stress is created, which is associated with severe deterioration.The patient experiences multiple convulsions that must be relieved with medication.
  5. Radicular syndrome.This phenomenon is characteristic of all types of osteochondrosis without exception.If the pathology is complicated by the appearance of hernias, the increased pressure of the protruding nucleus pulposus on the nerve segments.As a result, adverse effects occur - limited movement, pain, lumbago, paresthesia, and in severe situations - loss of sensation in the fingers and lower limbs.
  6. Other vegetative manifestations.These include symptoms reminiscent of vegetative-vascular dystonia, neurological disorders, heart, lung and stomach symptoms.

The characteristic symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are as follows:

  1. Headache.It appears suddenly, and the attack itself often turns into a migraine, with dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness and increased pressure.The condition often involves chronically poor circulation in the affected area and pinching of nerve roots.
  2. Pain in the neck, trapezius, or upper back.This symptom is associated with increased muscle spasms.The spine cannot withstand the load, so these muscles are overloaded.Also, this condition is more common among office workers.The nature of pain is annoying, limiting, painful.
  3. Increased pressure.If an intervertebral hernia compresses the vascular bed, the patient experiences a hypertensive attack that is not accompanied by cardiovascular problems.
  4. The appearance of a tightening sensation in the neck and throat.The phenomenon is also related to muscle spasms, which cause pinching of the carotid arteries.
  5. Shooting in fingers, clavicles and arms.This is a purely neurological symptom involving pinched nerve roots.
  6. Shortness of breath, heart and throat pain occur less frequently.

Signs of thoracic osteochondrosis look like this:

  1. Tightness in the chest.
  2. The appearance of attacks of intercostal neuralgia.
  3. Pain in the area of the heart that is not related to cardiac pathology.
  4. Complaints of shortness of breath, pain deep in the chest.
  5. Coughing is not associated with respiratory problems.
  6. Unpleasant feeling in the stomach or esophagus.
  7. Pain in the interscapular area.It is characterized by a chronic course.More often, this occurs against the background of static muscle overload.
  8. Numbness in the arms, collarbones and fingers.Less often - in the lower back.

This is how symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis manifest themselves:

  1. Pain in the lower back.
  2. Pulling sensation in the kidney area or in the lower abdomen.
  3. Occurrence of sciatic nerve entrapment.
  4. The appearance of the symptom of a tight piriformis muscle.When this muscle spasms, it compresses the sciatic nerve, causing specific symptoms, including burning and shooting in the lower leg, starting from the gluteal area to the thigh and lower leg.This neurological symptom most often indicates spinal problems.
  5. Problems with bowel movements and urination.When a hernia or protrusion compresses the lower parts of the nerve endings, the contraction force of the smooth muscles of the intestines and bladder weakens significantly over time.As a result, intestinal atony and urinary retention develop.Such conditions are extremely dangerous and require qualified medical attention.
  6. Over time, the patient's gait changes, lameness appears in one leg.The condition also involves pinching of nerve endings.

If the patient has several symptoms in a specific part of the spine that are reminiscent of advanced osteochondrosis, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible.There are no specific diagnostic criteria that allow for self-recognition of the disease.A comprehensive diagnosis must be carried out, after which the exact cause of the disease will be determined.

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the back

The primary diagnosis consists of taking an anamnesis.The neurologist or traumatologist asks about the complaints and examines the patient's back.If the patient is not sure that he should see these specialists specifically, he should see a therapist first.The family doctor examines the patient, records the complaints on a card and issues a referral to a specialist.

The main problem in diagnosing osteochondrosis of the spine is that the pathology gives many false signals that point to other diseases.Therefore, it is necessary to visit specialists several times to make sure that there are no pathologies of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system and digestive system.

What types of diagnostics are usually prescribed:

  1. Radiography.This type of examination is quick and does not require large financial costs.The image can be obtained free of charge if the patient undergoes the procedure at the clinic at the place of registration.X-rays can be used to assess the condition of the spine superficially.If there are serious defects or signs of decreased intervertebral space, the patient is referred to other procedures to clarify the diagnosis.
  2. MRI or CT scan.These types of tests clearly see the soft tissues, so they are the main diagnostic methods that detect various degenerative processes - displacements, disc herniations, protrusions.With the help of such diagnostics, not only osteochondrosis, but also hernia, protrusion and pinching of nerves can be detected.
  3. Laboratory tests.Sometimes a series of blood tests are needed to help find hidden diseases that negatively affect the course of the disease.As a rule, tests are carried out in combination - OBC, OAM, sugar, calcium-phosphorus metabolism regulators, rheumatological tests.

Based on the data received, the doctor makes a final diagnosis.After receiving the conclusion, follow the recommendations of the specialist in order to endure the course of the spinal disease less painfully.There are pathologies that cannot be completely cured.These include osteochondrosis.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

There are many treatment options for this spinal condition.They are used depending on the stage of the complication.If the pathology is at an early stage, the best remedies are drugs and conservative treatment.In advanced cases, it is rare, but surgical intervention may be necessary if drug treatment does not help and the patient loses sensation in his limbs and becomes disabled.

What is used in medical products:

  1. NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.These medications quickly relieve pain associated with inflammation or irritation.The therapeutic effect is achieved quickly, within one day.Therefore, such drugs are the first choice.Disadvantages of NSAIDs - you cannot administer them for more than two days.In oral form, certain types of drugs are used for up to three weeks.This limitation of use is explained by the high gastrotoxicity of the drugs.People suffering from peptic ulcer or gastritis are also prescribed additional medicines to protect the stomach lining.
  2. Corticosteroids are hormonal pain relievers.In case of severe pain and degenerative processes, special drugs are administered intra-articularly to eliminate local inflammation.The use of long-lasting components is recommended.The active ingredient lasts for 3-4 weeks.For some patients, a single injection is enough to forget the pain for a long time.
  3. Chondroprotectors are drugs used to strengthen and nourish cartilage tissue.In many patients with spinal osteochondrosis, cartilage and bone tissue are weak and need to be strengthened.Chondroprotectors do not stop the development of the disease and do not rebuild the cartilage tissue, but help to slow down the degenerative processes.They take a long course.
  4. Muscle relaxants.Medicines used to relax tight muscles.The duration of therapy is 2-4 weeks.
  5. B vitamins.Neurotropic substances – B1, B6 and B12 help with sciatica or pinched sciatic nerve.In high doses, these substances have an analgesic effect and nourish damaged nerve fibers.

Conservative treatment methods include:

  1. Manual therapy.The method makes it possible to relax tight muscles with the help of a specialist.This type of treatment cannot be used during an exacerbation.
  2. Exercise therapy.You can strengthen your muscles with the help of physical therapy.It has been proven that back pain is more often associated with muscle weakness, as the spine cannot withstand the load, which is why fatigue and discomfort appear.In order for the patient to feel relief, it is necessary to perform the exercises consistently 2-3 times a week.Physical education improves posture and eliminates pain.
  3. Massage.With the help of a massage therapist, blood flow to damaged muscles can be improved, which has a positive effect on well-being.The increased blood flow nourishes and relaxes the tissues, which helps to fight the spasms.The procedure is contraindicated in the acute period and is performed only during rehabilitation.
  4. Physiotherapy.The goal of conservative treatment is to improve blood flow in damaged tissues using the hardware method.With the help of electric or magnetic radiation, muscle communication is improved, which helps to overcome spasms and chronic pain.Physiotherapy allows the local application of systemic drugs that penetrate well under the skin.

Disease prevention

Osteochondrosis of the spine can be prevented if you follow a healthy lifestyle, including giving up bad habits, proper nutrition and combating physical inactivity.You should also watch your weight.Obese patients experience greater stress not only on the back, but also on the entire body.It is recommended to wear orthopedic shoes and monitor your posture.