Pathology affects the entire motor segment of the spine, disc, both vertebral bodies, adjacent nerves, and muscle structures. This disease is often called the "disease of civilization", which is associated with upright posture and stress on the back every day.
The main cause of spinal osteochondrosis is microtrauma during physical exertion, unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle and even a genetic predisposition. If the disease progresses, then the intervertebral disc and adjacent structures are affected first. The central part of the disc changes, which leads to the loss of the cushioning properties of the bead, as a result of which cracks and thinning are formed in the fibrous ring.
US statisticians say the first reason to limit the activity of people under 45 is pain in the dorsal back and cervix. Most city dwellers, drivers, who spend a significant portion of their time in a sitting position, refilling their spine, are at risk. Osteochondrosis is the cause of more than 70% of back pain cases. The risk of disease increases with age. Etiology and pathogenesis of spinal osteochondrosis Spinal osteochondrosis has a long-term developmental pathogenesis (from several months to decades). It depends on the factors that influence the development of the disease.Risk Factors:
- Age. Older people (over 60 years old) are at risk. In people under 35, the disease is rare. As a result of age-related changes, disturbances occur in the human hormonal background, which makes the muscle tissue and blood vessel walls more porous, meaning more vulnerable. This provokes metabolic disorders, overloads the intervertebral discs.
- Autoimmune diseases that can perceive cartilage tissue as foreign and begin to destroy it.
- Spinal cord injuries. This is one of the main reasons for the development of osteochondrosis in young people. It is believed that more than half of people with spinal cord injuries at a young age suffer from spinal osteochondrosis in old age.
- Overweight, which reduces the consumption of intervertebral discs. Cartilaginous discs serve as a kind of shock absorber for the spine, which ensure its mobility during physical activity, walking, running, etc. and protect bone tissue from destruction and the appearance of microcracks. The severity of the excess weight makes the load even stronger, which accelerates the destruction of cartilaginous discs.
- Flat feet.
- genetic predisposition.
- Diseases of the endocrine system, which provoke metabolic disorders, which in turn negatively affect the condition of cartilage tissue.
Osteochondrosis can be in a "sleeping state" for a long time. Many patients learn about the disease in the presence of severe pain, when the dystrophic process in the cartilage tissue has already damaged the nerve roots.
There are such stages in the pathogenesis of spinal osteochondrosis:
- Violation of blood circulation in intervertebral discs and adjacent structures.
- In particular hormonal and metabolic disorders in the body and intervertebral discs.
- Degeneration processes of the pulposus nucleus. At this stage, the structure of the intervertebral disc changes - the nucleus shrinks, the disc itself becomes thinner, the load on the annulus fibrosus increases, which includes various stratifications, microcracks, and sometimes rupture.
- Intervertebral disc protrusion - extension of intervertebral disc tissue, often toward the spinal canal, hitting it, causing severe pain.
- Intervertebral hernia. Progression of elongation leads to destruction of ligaments, a change in the height and shape of the disc, which in turn provokes the formation of hernias.
- Compression of radicular arteries. Chronic Insufficient blood supply to the spinal cord.
Symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis
<The first sign of osteochondrosis should be called back pain, numbness of the vertebral sections, limited movement, increased pain during physical exertion.
Specific symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- Cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by impaired blood circulation, which causes dizziness, pain and tingling in the ears, headache. The brain is poorly enriched with oxygen and nutrients, as a result of which a person experiences a stressful state.
- Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, often accompanied by intercostal neuralgia. There is pain in the chest and ribs. Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine provokes the development of diseases of the lumbago, lumbosacral (sciatica) and lumbar sciatica. With sciatic nerve pain, the sciatic nerve is affected, pain and hypotension are observed in the buttocks, as well as hypotension in the calves.
- Cirvicalgia - pain in the back of the cervix. The nature of the pain is varied (dull, sharp, aggravated by the tilt of the head and torso when coughing), depending on the factor affecting this part of the spine.
- Cervicobrachialgia - pain in the back of the cervix, radiating to the arm, numbness.
- Rearthrosis and shoulder-shoulder rearthritis - pain in the shoulder joint, cervical bone, restriction of hand movement from top to bottom.
- Epicondylosis - pain in the elbow joint, limited movement.
- Syndrome of the vertebral artery - so-called cervical migraine, headache and cervix, nausea, sometimes vomiting, impaired coordination of movements - shocking when walking, tinnitus.
One of the most common signs of cervical osteochondrosis is impaired blood circulation, which leads to frequent dizziness, fainting and headaches.
Symptoms of breast osteochondrosis:
- Thoracalgia - chest pain, pain accompanied by immobility (manifested by prolonged sitting, at night), aggravated by physical activity, deep breathing, coughing.
- cardiac syndrome.
- Posterior chest wall syndrome - pain in the area of the shoulder blades, pain sensations depend on body position.
- Anterior degree muscle syndrome.
- Trunkalgic syndrome - pain in half of the chest.
- Exacerbation of intercostal neuralgia.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis:
- Lumbodynia - pain in the lower back, lumbago. The patient feels discomfort when trying to sit or stand up. The pain intensifies with physical activity, coughing, deep breathing, bending.
- Lumboischialgia - pain in the lower back, radiating to the legs. There may be paresthesia, numbness of the legs, muscle spasms and joint pain. Vascular syndromes - they debut with vascular compression, are not associated with pain, have muscle weakness, cone syndrome - weakness in both legs, pelvic organ dysfunction.
The symptoms of osteochondrosis in the lumbar spine are different. This part of the spine is loaded more than the others.
Diagnosis of spinal osteochondrosis
At the first back pain, an examination should be performed to determine the source of the pain. Osteochondrosis is a difficult disease to diagnose, as the pain can be caused by other pathologies that are not associated with the spine. The patient will need consultation of several specialists: a neurologist, first of all, an orthopedist, a vertebrologist.
Methods for diagnosing osteochondrosis:
- Radiography. It is performed to accurately determine the height of the intervertebral discs or changes in the structure of the vertebrae, changes in the diameter of the holes between the vertebrae. X-rays are most often done in two positions - lying on your back and side. Two different projections of the images make it possible to more accurately determine the presence of pathology. Sometimes an x-ray is done with the lower jaw down.
- MRI and CT. MRI results are considered more accurate and help to quickly determine the localization of segments that are affected by pathology, the presence or absence of intervertebral hernias, and root compression.
- Laboratory tests: a blood test to determine the level of calcium in the blood and the degree of erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Laboratory tests are prescribed from the beginning, finally, based on these results, the doctor directs them in diagnosing the equipment.
it is important to differentiate osteochondrosis of the spine in a number of other diseases with a similar clinical picture, for example: neoplasms of the spine of an oncological nature, violation of the integrity of cartilage tissue, inflammation, interrupted claudication, formation of cysts in internal organs, urolithiasis, gastritis, pyelonephritis, stomach, angina pectoris, disorders of the nervous system. For this purpose, studies of the digestive system, nervous system and blood circulation can be described. The following diagnostic methods are used - cardiogram, ultrasound, electroencephalography, endoscopic examination (digestive organs).
Complications of osteochondrosis
Most often, the course of this disease is associated with neurological complications:
- Scene. Complications caused by prolongation - sharp painful sensations of shooting.
- Scene. Radiculitis, which are characterized by pain syndromes and other symptoms, depending on the localization of the radiculitis.
- Scene. Pathology of the roots and spinal nerve, the presence of intervertebral hernias. Often, muscle paresis occurs, resulting in paralysis of the entire body.
- Scene. Violation of blood circulation and blood supply throughout the spinal cord. Symptoms: persistent severe back pain, paralysis of certain muscle groups, ischemic stroke of the spinal cord.
Treatment of spinal osteochondrosis
The process of treating any type of osteochondrosis pursues one goal - to relieve pain, prevent the destruction and deformation of back tissue. Treatment can be conservative or surgical. The type and method of treatment is described individually for each patient, based on the diagnosis (stage, type of disease, general well-being of the patient).
In the acute period of pain syndrome, relaxation and rest, anti-inflammatory drugs (dicloberl, voltaren), injections of antispasmodic mixtures, vitamin B, preparation for rubbing - diving, larkspur, etc. are recommended. , Can be described when pain syndrome is reduced physical education and physiotherapy (diadynamic currents, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy).
Conservative treatment lasts about two months. In addition to the listed treatment methods, massages, manual therapy, reflexology and extraction can also be used. The outcome of conservative treatment depends directly on the patient's persistence and diligence.
There is also a surgical method of treatment, which is used in the presence of intervertebral hernias more than six months old, compression of the spinal cord roots due to narrowing of the gap between the vertebrae. The principle of surgical treatment is the removal of the deformed disc. The rehabilitation period after surgery is approximately six months. Rehabilitation includes exercise therapy, physiotherapy and vitamin intake.
Preventing osteochondrosis of the spine consists of combating risk factors - maintaining an active lifestyle, playing sports, eating right, using special corsets and belts when loading your back, sleeping on mattresses and orthopedic pillows, avoiding hypothermia and injuries.