Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease in the tissues of the articular cartilage, which can be localized in any joints, as well as in the intervertebral discs.
The name of the disease comes from the Greek words meaning "bone" and "cartilage".Osteochondrosis develops due to a physiological (ie, normal, provided by nature) weakening of the nutrition of the intervertebral discs.This leads to the fact that cartilage tissue is poorly restored even after minor injuries.In addition, most people, especially those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, unevenly load the back muscles due to prolonged stay in one position at work, talk on the phone for a long time with an ear pressed to the shoulder, carry bags on one shoulder and use too soft mattresses and pillows.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Almost all middle-aged and older people are at risk of developing spinal osteochondrosis, as the processes that cause the degeneration of cartilage tissue are completely natural.Risk factors and causes of osteochondrosis in more pronounced forms are:
- flat feet;
- overweight;
- heavy physical exertion;
- lack of physical activity;
- heredity;
- spine injuries.
Previously, it was believed that osteochondrosis of the spine occurs mainly after the age of 35, but recently, patients aged 18-20 years complain of back pain caused by osteochondrosis.The probable reasons for the spread of osteochondrosis among young people are not only a sedentary lifestyle, but also frequent stress and bad posture.
Manifestations of osteochondrosis - pain and limited movements
There are osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae, osteochondrosis of the thoracic vertebrae and osteochondrosis of the lumbar vertebrae.But regardless of the type of disease, a person always complains of pain.In which part of the back it manifests itself and whether it radiates to the limbs depends on the localization, that is, in which part of the spine the degenerative processes have occurred.The pain can be caused by various reasons, for example pinched (compressed) nerve roots or herniated intervertebral discs.Disc herniation is a rupture of the fibrous ring and a protrusion of the core of the disc, that is, the cartilage tissue itself.The herniation of the intervertebral discs in many cases occurs precisely against the background of osteochondrosis.
Men and overweight people face a herniated disc much more often than others
Pain in osteochondrosis can vary not only in intensity, but also in location.With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the pain appears not only in the neck, but also in the shoulder, radiating to the arm.
Sometimes patients experience headaches and dizziness.
Osteochondrosis of the chest sometimes "imitates" pain in the heart.It can intensify with various movements, be sharp or pulling.With osteochondrosis of the lumbar region, the pain can radiate to the leg.In the presence of herniated intervertebral discs, sometimes there is numbness of the limb, as if it is being "taken away".Low back pain significantly limits range of motion and can affect the functioning of internal organs.
Intervertebral discs are found mainly in the cervical and lumbar vertebrae, much less often in the thoracic vertebrae.
Complications of osteochondrosis and its treatment
This disease of the spine is associated with pain, so the treatment of osteochondrosis is necessary to get rid of it or significantly reduce it, thereby increasing the quality of life.The question of how to treat osteochondrosis causes a lot of controversy.The process of treating osteochondrosis is very long;it is related to the restoration of the spinal structures and the strengthening of the back muscles, and, if indicated, to the surgical treatment of disc herniations.All this time it is necessary to fight the pain, because the cause of the disease - the degenerative phenomena in the tissues of the articular cartilage - is irreversible and it is possible to affect mainly the surrounding tissues.The improvement of blood circulation and strengthening of the muscle corset is done through physiotherapy, massages 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 the pain of osteochondrosis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for external and internal use are used (unfortunately, their long-term use in the form of tablets has significant side effects) and vitamins of group B. Vitamins of group B are called neurotropic because they help restore the functions 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 the passage of nerve impulses, while both vitamins help reduce pain.Group B vitamins for osteochondrosis are one of the elements of an integrated approach to therapy.