Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disorder in the articular cartilage tissue, which can be localized in any joint, as well as in the intervertebral disc.
The name of this disease comes from the Greek words meaning "bone" and "cartilage."Osteochondrosis develops due to physiological (that is, normal, naturally provided) weakening of nutrition of the intervertebral disc.This leads to the fact that the cartilage tissue is not well restored even after a minor injury.In addition, most people, especially those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, unevenly load their back muscles due to prolonged in one position at work, talking on the phone for a long time with their ears pressed to their shoulders, carrying bags on one shoulder, and using mattresses and pillows that are too soft.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Almost all middle-aged and older people are at risk of developing osteochondrosis of the spine, because the process that causes the deterioration of cartilage tissue is natural.Risk factors and causes of osteochondrosis in a clearer form are:
- flat feet;
- Overweight;
- strenuous physical activity;
- physical inactivity;
- descent;
- Spinal cord injury.
Previously, it was believed that osteochondrosis of the spine manifested itself mainly after the age of 35, but recently patients aged 18-20 years have complained of back pain caused by osteochondrosis.Possible reasons for the prevalence of osteochondrosis among young people are not only an inactive lifestyle, but also frequent stress and poor posture.
Manifestations of osteochondrosis - pain and limited movement
There are osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine and osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.But regardless of the type of disease, a person always complains of pain.Where in the back it manifests itself and whether it radiates to the limbs depends on the location, that is, where in the spine the degenerative process occurs.Pain can be caused by various reasons, for example, pinching (compressed) nerve roots or herniated intervertebral discs.Disc herniation is the rupture of the fibrous ring and the protrusion of the core of the disc, which is the cartilage tissue itself.Herniated intervertebral discs in many cases occur precisely against the background of osteochondrosis.
Men and overweight people suffer from herniated discs more often than others
Pain with osteochondrosis can vary not only in intensity, but also in location.With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, pain occurs not only in the neck, but also in the shoulders, radiating to the arms.
Sometimes patients experience headaches and dizziness.
Osteochondrosis in the thoracic spine sometimes "imitates" pain in the heart.It can be intensified by various movements, sharp or interesting.With osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, the pain can radiate to the legs.In the presence of a herniated intervertebral disc, sometimes numbness of the limb occurs, as if it is "taken".Low back pain significantly limits range of motion and can affect the function of internal organs.
Herniated intervertebral discs occur mainly in the cervical and lumbar spine, less often in the thoracic spine.
Complications of osteochondrosis and their treatment
This disease of the spine is associated with pain, so osteochondrosis treatment is needed to get rid of it or significantly reduce it, thus improving the quality of life.The question of how to cure osteochondrosis causes a lot of controversy.The process of treating osteochondrosis is very long;It is associated with the restoration of the spinal structure and the strengthening of the back muscles, and, if indicated, with the surgical treatment of disc herniation.All this time it is necessary to fight pain, because the cause of the disease - a degenerative phenomenon in the articular cartilage tissue - cannot be restored, and may affect mainly the surrounding tissues.Improving blood circulation and strengthening the muscle corset occurs through physiotherapy, massage, and swimming.However, the pain, even with diligent and regular exercises and procedures, does not disappear immediately.
Complex treatment of osteochondrosis: additional options
To reduce pain in osteochondrosis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for external and internal use are used (unfortunately, their long-term use in tablet form has significant side effects), and B vitamins. B vitamins are called neurotrophic, because they help restore the function of nerve fibers.The most important are vitamin B1 (benfotiamine) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).pills.Benfotiamine normalizes metabolic processes in damaged nerve roots, and pyridoxine improves nerve impulse pathways, while both vitamins help reduce pain.Vitamin B for osteochondrosis is one of the elements of an integrated approach to therapy.