Osteochondrosis: Treatment, Symptoms, Signs, Causes

Here is another pathology that is considered age-related but often occurs without any connection to age.

For example, this fact: More than half of the patients with osteochondrosis worldwide noticed the first signs of its development by the age of 25 years. Yes, no one thought old age would come so soon. . . Some see these years as mature, some are more accustomed to referring to their near adolescence, and for some 60 years is not a cause for discomfort. But firmly everyone will agree that for the aging process this is, to put it mildly, not yet age.

What's the problem? In fact, it is versatile and may seem difficult to a layman. But there is really nothing complicated about it. In the spinal hernia section, we said that its contents are water with proteins dissolved in it, right? Thus, all osteochondrosis, with its speed, severity, and treatment prognosis, is actually built on these proteins. What do we mean? Now everything will become clear.

The proteins "filling" the intervertebral disc are called glycosaminoglycans. Maybe we do not need to remember that name.

But we must remember that the main purpose of glycosaminized containers is water retention. Moreover, with the possibility of its gradual release under pressure. In other words, the proteins that form the jelly-like texture of the "filler" for the disc are made so that the water in it is heated at rest and gradually cools down under load.

Of course, the water itself is too liquid to do such a thing. That is why the body synthesizes special proteins - unique! Analogues of food gel agents such as carrageenan, gums, starch.

In order for the contents of the intervertebral disc (and it, let us remember that it is the basis of its soothing properties) to remain in order, we need throughout our lives:

• Control what we eat, avoid deficiencies in vital substances, especially proteins;
• Avoid spinal muscle cramps;
• To maintain active circulation of cerebrospinal fluid and blood in it to normalize metabolic processes in spinal tissues;
• Prevent damage and infection of spinal tissues;
• Maintaining the rate of water-salt metabolism in the body.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis

So, from the very beginning, our backs begin to "tap-dance" to the rhythm of our every movement. However, for quite a long time, this crackling can only be heard. With movement, they gradually increase. The subjectively, patients note that the joints affected by the process seem to get tired faster than others. Therefore, as the feeling of fatigue intensifies, the excruciating pain also increases.

But this, of course, is far from the end of the process, although it is no longer the beginning. Does the condition of the disc improve and the condition of the cartilage deteriorate as the situation progresses and very quickly. Over time, the seizures themselves become painful.

Each such sound is now accompanied by an explosion of deafness, both at the site of its appearance and in any type of surrounding tissue. It seems that a large painful wave propagates from one point of the joint - exactly according to the laws of resonance.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

If we have problems with the cervical spine, we may feel:

• Headache resistant to standard treatment - dull, painful, pulsating, persistent, evenly distributed throughout the head. This coincides with an increase in neck pain and is similar to a headache manifested by an increase in blood pressure. Typically, very high blood pressure during osteochondrosis causes headaches;
• Unmotivated attacks of dizziness throughout the day: sudden changes in posture, movements of the head, trembling. Dizziness often coincides with the rhythm of breathing - a dangerous "lightness" in the head appears and disappears with each inhalation. , Occur periodically and last for several days. Sometimes one shifts to another, sometimes they move away from each other in periods of relative pressure;
• Painful pain in the neck, especially at the base of the skull. The initial stage is manifested by vague discomfort during the day and convulsions on turning. But touching the spinal column in this area or trying to massage the muscles causes pain and stiffness in the muscle fibers. Subsequent pain is constant, increasing with turning to the side, bending the chest, after sleeping on a high or very soft pillow;
• Painful pain in the chest area (as if under the ribs), under the scalp, with the return of the upper shoulder and chest muscles. They look like an attack of angina or coronary artery disease, as well as pain during a hernia, but are more persistent. For example, in diseases of the cardiovascular system, the pain rarely lasts for more than a few hours and is less dependent on the rhythm of breathing. In osteochondrosis it is constant, intensifying with each exhalation, lasting for several days or more;
• "Lumbago" along the entire shoulder line, often up to the fingertips. Usually, due to the degree of progression of osteochondrosis, the patient suffers simultaneously with either short-term "lumbago" to the shoulder joint, or attacks of numbness and prolonged acute "lumbago" on the small inner surface of the hand. The disorder is not felt at rest, but is aggravated by its first movements after prolonged immobility. Patients describe it as "an electrical discharge along the spine, in the shoulder muscles. Violation;
• Quite often, though in less than half of all cases of cervical osteochondrosis, tongue sensitivity and mobility are reduced. The patient may not be able to distinguish some flavors (not recognizing bitter, sour, sweet, but easy to name mixed flavors). Some people notice changes in diction, especially when they need to speak quickly and / or clearly.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the chest region

Signs of Chest Osteochondrosis:

• aching, drawing pain in the chest, "somewhere under the ribs. " Unlike coronary heart disease, the patient has difficulty defining its center more accurately. Such pain is highly dependent on the rhythm of breathing - it increases with inspiration and coughing. And despite the uncertainty of its location in the chest area, each such attack clearly responds to the causal vertebra / vertebra. In 99 out of 100 cases, it is the displaced spine that hurts the most;
• Impaired sensitivity and mobility of the lung diaphragm - the appearance of incomplete breathing sensation, inability to breathe lower;
• Pain and discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract - especially common in the stomach, upper intestine, liver and pancreas. Pain can range from mild, unexplained discomfort to obvious seizures. Therefore, osteochondrosis of the chest region is often mistaken for sluggish gastritis, enteritis, colitis, chronic pancreatitis.

Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis

Lumbar osteochondrosis, also called lumbago (to understand that it is the same), is the most common form of the disease.

We will have with him:

• Painful pain in the lumbar region, aggravated inclination, prolonged sitting or standing - generally almost any movement of the body. It usually bothers the patient at night, on the back, with the habit of sleeping with straight legs. Disappears only with prolonged stay or the habit of sleeping in fetal posture. That is, with the knees inserted into the chest. Patients with lumbar osteochondrosis move quickly and voluntarily from a soft bed to a hard one because it is easier to maintain the position of the embryo on a hard floor overnight;
• Lumbar stiffness syndrome. This includes: the inability to bend quickly after standing or sitting for long periods of time, which is associated not so much with pain as with general decline in muscle expansion and bone strength in the injured area; Rapidly progressive numbness when sitting or standing in the lumbar region, associated with acute disruption of nerve endings in this position of the spine;
• Locking of the sciatic nerve (the main nerve stem of the legs that enters the spine around the coccyx). With osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region, it belongs to a number of sciatica scenarios, though not the only one. Despite the existence of several other options, sciatica is often a painful complication of osteochondrosis.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

The treatment will take a long time, so first we will improve the quality of life of our own spine.

1. Remove the feather bed and feather pillow from the bed. Leaving one main mattress, get an orthopedic pillow - dense, low, with a depression fixed in the middle. Typically, these pillows are made of polyester. Therefore, you need to make sure that it is not too soft - now it is harmful to us. And the probability that it will "swell" and turn into a flat pancake in a week is very high. The thickness of the roller along the edges should be equal to the length of our neck from the base of the skull to the 7th spine, which protrudes when the head is bent. If it is lower by 1. 5-2 cm, the better.
2. We will buy another not so thick pillow or use our old feathers with a new quality. From now on we will always want to put this pillow lying down under the thighs or buttocks, as well as under the upper knee when we sleep in the fetal position. Let's experiment with the optimal height, width, and position of the pillow - the right item placed in the right place will bring the instant disappearance of pain in the most noticeable focus in this particular posture.
3. Lifting and carrying objects weighing more than 10 kg is strictly prohibited during osteochondrosis. Therefore, any exercise should be performed with us on our own or with minimal weight. In case of any type of osteochondrosis, it is more prudent for us not to do it by ourselves, but to go to the gym. This is in the gym because cardio (treadmill, cycling, skiing) and fitness are not the same thing. We must now arrange for additional support of the spine and work the body in exactly the same, correct position. The best for such purposes is a simulator - a steel frame in which both we and the lifted weight can only move in a structure-limited amplitude.
4. After any effort (including routine vertical walking) we should do a light massage of the spine, gently stretching. Heat can be used especially in areas of intense back pain - provided the focus of the pain does not shift with the change in posture, of course. And because pain migration is a common occurrence in osteochondrosis, sometimes a simple "five minutes" on a carpet like the Lyapko applicator is five times more effective than any heater. Heating risks heat stroke.

If we understand all this, take it into account and make sure that we do not forget, we will arrange the metabolic processes in our spine. As already mentioned, you should not exercise at home during osteochondrosis. Or rather, do not be fooled by this - it is best to work with a professional orthopedist or instructor where there is equipment that can compensate for the strength deficits that occur in our spine. But because, unfortunately, not everyone has such an opportunity, we still dare to recommend warm-up exercises with a reduced likelihood of complications.

There is only one rule here that should not be broken. Namely: If we decide to take matters into our own hands, we must definitely order or buy a special medical bandage or corset before training. A bandage for reliable fixation of exactly the part of the spine where there is a pathological process. You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render toward other people.

ეSo:

1. We sit close to the table, the head of which rests on our stomachs, on a chair with a narrow and high back. We need to have a firm support on both the back and the back of the head. Let us lean on the back of the chair with our whole back, arms outstretched, sliding along the roof as much as possible. It is necessary to bend the shoulder blades even slightly, but it is forbidden to cut off the back of the head or the back of the support. On the line where our wrists remain in this position, we must place an object weighing more than 10 kg. Its shape and surface should be comfortable, then we will need to take this item slightly downwards with our hands and lift it towards our head, without lifting it from the surface. Its movement is required not so much by the hands as by the efforts of the occipital muscles, which are now trying to return the forearms out to a normal position. As you can see, we are talking about a "domestic" and slightly tailored rowing machine for our needs. More precisely, its modification, which means easy weight lifting. We will push the weight towards us, we will have to move it back and repeat the traction 15 more times.
2. Stand close to a table already familiar to us and place the pelvic bones on the edge of the lid. Put your hands behind your head, lower your head so that your forehead rests on the table. However, the back should not be rounded - we will round it later. At this time, our task is to make 15 turns on the table itself with straight backs and hands on the back of his head. The correct position of the body means that in the future, if we fall on the table, we will be the whole face and not the forehead. Therefore, we must be above the head, not lean on it.
3. We use one of the exercises that is discussed in detail about the prevention of spinal diseases. Namely: we lie on the floor with our hands raised above our heads, with our legs straight. Lift one (any) arm off the floor and stretch forward at the same time, as well as the opposite leg. Of course, you should not try to throw yourself on the top of the foot, but rather pull back with the motion of the kick. Then lower the limbs, count to three in your mind, and repeat with another pair of "opposite foot. " In total, you should do 20 repetitions for both pairs of limbs.
4. We sit on the floor, leaning against the wall with our backs to the legs. Do not rest your back too tightly against the wall and rest your hands firmly on the floor. Now we have to lift the body with one hand above the floor as high as we can. It is better to straighten the legs while maintaining a sitting position. If these do not work with straight lines, you can try to stretch them on the chest. In this case, you will have to take into account that changing the position of the legs will shift the center of gravity and you will have to lean your head against the wall. Repeat 5-7 times.
5. We get a special weight belt - made of wide, thick skin, which perfectly fixes the lower back. In milder forms of osteochondrosis it is quite possible to leave only a bandage that strengthens the diseased area. Take a 15-liter pool or bucket to the bathroom that we use on the farm. Fill with water so that it does not fall on the edges, put it in any free place. A container full of water should be placed on the floor, the legs should be slightly apart and bent. Elbows for stability, slightly move the body forward. We should adopt a very ambiguous posture - with slightly forward tilted, noticeably lowered buttocks but an even line of the spine in the upper torso. This is completely normal and correct in terms of the anatomy of the human body. When we reach the desired position, we should still sit until we reach the pelvic handles without rounding the spine. After that, the pelvis should be raised, straightening the knees and back with a synchronized movement.

As mentioned above, self-massage is easier for most people to understand intuitively, based on the sensations in the process. And we recommend that you simply conduct a regular (daily) independent session with a massager, to find out the structural features of your spine - with all its pathologies and proportions. One and the same, there are no two identical spins in the world. So no masseur or doctor will examine this organ better than us. Meanwhile, the individual details of our spinal structure can be very important here. Especially if only one part of the spine is damaged or its damage involves "aggravating circumstances" in the spirit of curvature, hernia, malformations.

Nevertheless, here are some recommendations related to the nuances of massage in different sections. Indeed, in the original they were known only to specialists and were often omitted in the popular presentation of massage techniques. ეSo:

In cervical osteochondrosis, the process affects both types of muscles equally often and strongly. Therefore, regular, though in-depth massage does not always bring patients the relief they hoped for. After all, the shoulder girdle is the most massive in the whole body and the skeletal muscles are nowhere to be "hidden" as deeply as here.

And for complete satisfaction with the result, we will consider a few provisions that will be easier to come by:

• When massaging painful deltoid muscles, their outer edge is most easily "reached" by pressing a finger from above between the larynx and the "bump" of the shoulder joint. You should not press your finger too hard - there. In addition to the muscle, shoulder ligaments are also located. However, when we tighten the muscle head, we choose more precisely its soft fiber and spring ligament apparatus. It is necessary to work exclusively with the soft head, swirling it with twisted movements. You can then go up and down 2-3 cm along the shoulder line, continuing to work from the top;
• The inner edge of the deltoid (the most problematic shoulder muscle in daily life) is attached to the 7th vertebra. He acts strongly on others when we, as they say, bow our heads to the chest. But under the deltoid muscle there are several skeletal muscles and it completely covers them from the top by manipulation. Meanwhile, the lion's share of osteochondrosis "discharge" passes through their fibers, so we need to lie on our backs on a soft surface.

The middle part of the spine will give us less of a problem with the number of muscle fibers themselves. However, their design is very complex - in the sense that most of the muscle heads here are not attached to the edges of the bones, but as it turns out, go under them. This is especially true for shoulder blades to which all the muscles in the middle are attached on one side, but none of these attachments are placed directly on the edge of the bone or on top of it:

• If we suffer from burning or stinging pain "somewhere under the scapula", it does not matter if it is observed at the top, bottom or even in the middle of the scalp. Lying on the floor. The working hand is always the opposite and it should be tightly cut from the top, behind the head. Incomfortable but effective. The middle part under the shoulder is better but massaged with a massager - we can barely reach with our fingers and therefore can not press. To increase the area we canPlace the working hand under the elbow;
• How to stretch the upper corners of the latissimus dorsi, to put your hand from above, even a genius of acrobatics will not be able to. Lathes are muscles that allow bodybuilders and generally physically well-developed individuals to show the classic V-shaped extension of the spine from the torso to the shoulders. It is they who develop rowing well - attracting heavy objects to the chest. They are located at the top of the back and strictly on the sides. The importance of developed lats for the strength of the arms and lower back can not be overstated, so they need not only development, but also monitoring their condition. Moreover, the vast majority of people do not follow them at all and in ordinary life they use them very rarely directly. For lat massage it is better to use a lying position. In this case, for stability, the legs should move closer to the abdomen, the working hand should be stretched forward along the bed and placed under the arm joint during the massage. For convenience, the massager's hand is not needed down the side of the page - it is more advisable to lower it to the bed at breast level. Then the lower edge of the scapula is stretched after it and the laths are immediately attached to it.

The lumbar region has its own structural characteristics. First, the same row of small skeletal muscles runs along the spine, moving the vertebrae in rotation. Secondly, in this place, many muscles protruding from the top are attached to the sacral. That is, connecting it to the upper spinal cord - in fact, allows you to maintain and maintain a rate of S-shaped back curvature throughout your life. Incidentally, for this reason, middle spinal weakness (scoliosis) is often accompanied by curvature of the lower spine - lordosis and kyphosis. The main muscle of the lumbar spine is the lats. Without his health, we would not be able to see normal S-shaped ears. And the sacral and tail bones hurt constantly, even without osteochondrosis.

So let's start:

• We must remember that the latissimus dorsi muscle goes strongly obliquely: its upper edge is attached to the lower part of the scapula, and the lower edge to the sacrum, or kudusuna. Therefore, if you walk straight from the neck with your fingers or a massager down to the side, we will stretch the muscle that is equally connected to both the back and the abdomen - the oblique muscle of the abdomen. These are not laths that connect the lower back to the arm - the oblique muscle is responsible for tilting the body strictly to the side. Basically for successfully correcting this tilt. He is very worried about scoliosis and pelvic injuries. For us its main section is the bottom, near the thigh itself. There are two heads to which it is attached to the shin joint. One is located closer to the buttocks (joins its upper part), while the other goes slightly forward, in the groin area. So if we usually massage the whole area around the pelvic rash, it will not necessarily become superfluous;
• If for some reason (most often due to pain) we decide to warm the buttocks, it is better to do it while lying on your side, with your knees on your chest. This position makes all the gluteal muscles accessible for massage. At first the buttocks may look very painful and seem to be made entirely of wood - it will be so dense to the touch. In fact it should not be so - a spasm. Particularly noticeable in the upper extremities and middle. Normally, the middle finger of the buttocks should be pressed freely to a depth of one phalanx - the buttock muscle mass is not less than the shoulder muscle mass. This is what we need to achieve without any burning pain.