Osteochondrosis - causes, types and methods of treatment

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Due to the variety of factors that cause these pathological conditions, the diversity of clinical manifestations, frequent recurrence, severity of complications and chronic course, the restriction of healthy lifestyles in patients and, most often, disability in active working youth, the study of many treatment-rehabilitation and disability issues in this regard confirms how relevant it is. Spinal diseases are one of the pathologies that often lead to severe disability in Uzbekistan, as they do not choose a specific location and territorial boundaries.

Scientists around the world have observed that more than 85% of the population of the planet suffers from osteochondrosis of the spine. At the same time, the disease often makes people incapable of working. For example, in Japan, Sweden, England, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, disability has increased due to complications of spinal osteochondrosis. Examination of the majority of patients revealed that their disease was associated with a flange (disc) between the vertebrae. With this in mind, in recent years, effective methods of treatment of patients have been developed and the direction of "vertebrology" in medicine has been formed. Many countries, especially ours, now have highly effective vertebrology research and practice centers for the treatment of osteochondrosis.

Contents [Close]

• Causes of osteochondrosis
• Compressions under the chest
• Treatment of osteochondrosis
• Osteochondrosis syndromes of the neck
• Avoid windshield wipers and rust

Causes of osteochondrosis

It is known that osteochondrosis is mainly accompanied by a symptom of pain. The main cause of pain is damage to the flange between the vertebrae. That is, as a result of heavy lifting or inflammation of the lumbar region, the activity of the spine is impaired.
Also, narrowing of the spinal cord through the spinal canal (stenosis), an abnormal condition in the development of spondyloarthritis - spondylolisthesis, tumors caused by inflammation of the spine cause severe pain in the lumbar region .

In medical practice, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, lumbar region and lumbar spine, as well as the neck area are distinguished. Osteochondrosis of the thoracic part of the spine is accompanied by very dull pain and does not bother the patient much. But if not taken in time, it can lead to other diseases. For example, a patient is treated for gallstones for months, but when examined, it turns out to be osteochondrosis of the breast, which "caused" the disease.

Compressions under the chest

So how can a patient diagnose breast osteochondrosis on their own? If you feel pain in the chest area during deep breathing, discomfort in the armpits or ribs when lifting the right arm, or if the patient feels a feeling of "pressure, tightness" under the chest, immediately consult a doctor. apparently, treatment is mandatory.
Lumbar and lumbar osteochondrosis of the spine is often caused by injury to the spine as a result of excessive lifting, risky movements. This causes the nerves coming out of the intervertebral space in the lumbar region to contract, causing severe pain, and during the attack, the pain spreads throughout the body and even the patient's heel begins to ache. Fearing the frequent exacerbation of the pain, the patient walks bent (self-consciously). If the patient is constantly bent over, this condition has a negative effect on the activity of the liver, bile, lungs, heart and other internal organs. It is also possible that the spine will gradually bend. In this case, the pain torments the patient day and night.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Treatment of osteochondrosis is carried out in two ways (by medication or surgery). When treated with drugs (conservative) non-invasive method, the patient's spine is elongated. That is, after it is inspected, it is systematically placed on a special table and a 10-15 kg stone is hung on its feet for 20 minutes to an hour. Treatment is also done with physical exercise and massage therapy. Painkillers and pathogenetic drugs are recommended. Paraffin, electrophoresis, diadynamic current are applied to the lumbar region, it is also useful to take a rhodon bath.

In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, there is pain in the nerve roots belonging to this area, plexitis (acute inflammation of the nerve endings), brachialgia (pain in the shoulder), cervical radiculitis.
Due to the prevalence of cervical osteochondrosis in medical practice today, let us focus on this topic. It is not difficult to detect the first signs of the disease, that is, as a result of compression of the spinal roots protruding from the neck of the spine, pain in the shoulders and neck, increased pain when moving, as well as in the hands of ants crawling A squeaking sound is heard as the neck and legs are turned and turned. Coldness and tingling are felt in the palms of the hands, and there may be pain in the chest, especially in the heart area.

Osteochondrosis syndromes of the neck

Osteochondrosis of the neck is diagnosed in different ways depending on the course due to the presence of many nerves and blood vessels in the cervical part of the spine.
Pain syndrome is caused by compression of nerve fibers in the spine, in which the pain spreads to the neck, shoulders and arms. Sometimes the pain can be mild, like a "shock." It is aggravated when the patient coughs, shakes his arm, and turns his neck to the side.

Spinal syndrome is associated with disc herniation in the spine. Because a disc herniation compresses the spinal cord in the neck area. The result is a serious condition that specialists call "discogenic myelopathy." The patient develops sensory disturbances, paralysis of the limbs, weakness. This condition is more common in men than women, especially in people over 50 years of age.

When vegetative syndrome is observed, patients are bothered by constant pain in the neck and shoulders, cold blue color of the hands, atrophy (weight loss) in cats. In the course of this syndrome, the patient has a headache, quickly becomes irritable, memory is impaired.

Cardiac syndrome is important in cervical osteochondrosis. In many cases, the pain in the heart area increases during this disease, and some doctors misdiagnose it as the initial period of angina (chest tightness) or myocardial infarction. In fact, this syndrome can be called "angina pectoris" because the pain in the heart area increases when the patient turns his head, raises his arm or strikes the axis, and the attack lasts for 1,5-2 hours.

Osteochondrosis of the neck is mainly used in novocaine blockade. Due to the blockade, the pain is temporarily reduced, the muscles relax, and the activity of the constricted nerves and blood vessels returns to normal. Therefore, blockade treatment (performed only by a specialist physician) is also a symptomatic treatment.
Massage and therapeutic exercises improve blood circulation in the neck and shoulders, normalize muscle tone. In this case, cervical osteochondrosis is much milder and does not bother the patient too much.
Physiotherapeutic methods (i.e. electrophoresis, ultrasound, Berner currents, inductothermy, paraffin application) are very useful for the patient, such treatments are also performed in outpatient settings, which makes the patient more comfortable. If the above treatments do not benefit the patient, for example, surgery is used in cases of circulatory disorders in the patient's brain, spinal stenosis, paralysis of the limbs.

Exercises to treat osteochondrosis

Avoid windshield wipers and rust

In order to prevent osteochondrosis of the spine, the following recommendations should be followed:

• avoid sitting in one place for long periods of time and rest for fifteen minutes between work shifts and do light exercise with movement;

• if you have to stand upright in a vehicle while traveling a long distance, tighten the abdominal muscles so that no weight falls on the spine;

• even when you are resting, do not bend your body for a long time and try to keep it upright;

• it’s good that your bed at night is a little stiffer;

• Protect your waist from the wind, cold and dust. On rainy days, it is helpful to wear a woolen bandage or a corset.

The more you take care of your spine, the more time it will serve you and keep you healthy. Remember that proper nutrition in the treatment of osteochondrosis also serves to increase the usefulness of the treatments. Abstain from smoking in the first place. This is because nicotine causes narrowing of the large and small blood vessels that run along the spine, and as a result, the intervertebral flank cannot be fully nourished. Consume salty, spicy and fried foods as well as spicy teas in limited quantities. It is very useful to drink mint, thyme, hawthorn, namatak infusions during treatment.
Add bay leaves, chives, parsley, peppers, potassium-rich fruits and vegetables (eg, sorrel, plum peel, raisins, peaches, apricots, potatoes, cabbage, eggplant), as well as high in magnesium. Eat more products (soy, oats and buckwheat groats, wheat bran, almonds, walnuts).

You can do special exercises at home in consultation with your doctor to help treat osteochondrosis of the neck. For example:

• while sitting or standing, tilt your head down and try to bring your chin to your chest. At the same time keep your eyes facing the neck as much as possible. Breathe in as you adjust, pause for a moment, exhale, and bend your head down again. Repeat the exercise 10 times without rushing;

• stand upright with your forehead against the wall and press your head against the wall without moving for 10-15 seconds. Repeat the same exercise with the neck, right and left sides of your head;

• while standing, place your fingers on the nape of your head and bring your elbows together. Then try to touch your chin to your wrist. Raise your wrists as high as possible without moving your fingers. Hold for 10-15 seconds while stretching your neck;

• imagine your nose as a pencil. Sit down and “write” the numbers 0 to 9 and the numbers 9 to 0 with a pencil. Performing such exercises is also beneficial to the vestibular apparatus, which maintains balance;

• lie on your stomach on the floor, stretch your arms across your body and palms up. Look ahead with your head. Leave your body relaxed and slowly turn your head to the right so that your ears touch the ground. Then return to the starting position and turn left in the same way. Repeat the exercise at least 10 times.

© Alisher SATTOROV,
doctor of medical sciences.
Magazine "Health".