Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative and dystrophic processes occur that affect the tissues of the spine. A person has damage to the discs, articular surfaces, and the vertebrae themselves. There are various treatments for osteochondrosis. They are associated with specific areas of the spine where the disease develops.
During the development of the disease, bone tissue and ligaments are most often affected. It should be noted that a person will not notice the development of the disease until the presence of pain, disturbed sensitivity levels, atrophy of muscle tissue, and dysfunction of internal organs are observed.
Osteochondrosis is an unpleasant disease, especially if the stage is very severe. Eliminating this disease is not easy. In this case, it is very important not to delay treatment and to choose the most effective method.
Today, more than half of the world's population suffers from the disease. Basically, osteochondrosis starts to plague people aged 35-40. Therefore, effective treatment of osteochondrosis is the key to maintaining a healthy back and spine.
disease progression
Osteochondrosis develops gradually, therefore, it has several stages of development.
The first stage
This stage begins with dehydration of the nucleus pulposus. Due to this position of the disc, it is disturbed and a fissure forms within the annulus. At this stage, the disease does not progress beyond the affected disc.
second stage
It is characterized by a tighter tightening of the muscular corset due to improper placement of the intervertebral discs. Because of this, the muscles and ligaments begin to sag, causing the adjacent vertebrae to overmobilize. The vertebrae are displaced relative to each other, so spondylolisthesis occurs.
The third phase
It is characterized by the most intense changes in the intervertebral disc. Disc prolapse begins to develop, damage is observed in the joint organs of the musculoskeletal system, subluxation occurs, arthropathy develops.
fourth stage
This stage of the disease is due to the changes that the affected area undergoes as the body tries to adapt. During this phase, the body tries to cope with the overmobility of the vertebrae, activating the spine to sustain life functions. As a result, bone formation begins to grow on the surface of the vertebrae, which leads to damage to the nerve endings within them. After that, the vertebrae are fixed, and the manifestations of the disease occur internally.
Disease diagnosis
In order to determine the necessary treatment for osteochondrosis, a correct and comprehensive diagnosis is necessary, which makes it possible to determine in which specific sector the disease develops and for what reasons. Depending on where the lesions are concentrated, there are the following types of osteochondrosis:
- Cervical spine - characterized by pain in the upper extremities and shoulder girdle in the form of a headache that turns into an arterial migraine, ringing in the ears.
- Chest-Pain syndrome is located in the chest and the pain can spread to the peritoneum and other internal organs of the chest.
- Lumbosacral - accompanied by pain in the lower back, radiating to the lower extremities and sacrum, in addition, the muscle fibers in the affected area may lose sensitivity.
- Combinations of several types of osteochondrosis are common in medical practice and, therefore, complex treatment of osteochondrosis is required to avoid many complications.
Treatment and its types
There are two treatments for osteochondrosis—conservative and surgical. The use of one or the other type depends entirely on the severity and stage of the disease. Furthermore, the internal reserves of the organ state and the vitamin base in the body are very important for the healing process.
Considering that the treatment of osteochondrosis is a conservative approach and the period of convalescence that follows, it should be noted that a comprehensive approach is important. It is based on the simultaneous use of several treatments. Modern medicine simplifies the approach of conservative treatment into two main parts: treatment with medication and treatment with the aid of hardware devices. However, it must be said that both types do not take into account the body's own resilience, and the treatment proceeds as if the patient were not present. It is this aspect that results in a longer recovery period, so sometimes treating osteochondrosis may not be useful.
Osteochondrosis is treated conservatively as well as during convalescence, including several ways to treat the disease:
- A healthy exercise complex;
- Isometric exercise therapy;
- manual processing;
- reflexology;
- massage and hydromassage;
- Spinal traction therapy;
- Treatment of osteochondrosis by stimulating methods;
- Ultrasound and laser therapy;
- mobilize vacuum therapy;
- diet and proper nutrition;
- Treatment aimed at recovery and maintenance of the mind;
- medical treatement.
It is important to say that by choosing the right many different medical treatments and the smallest amount, for example, in the acute attack of the disease process.
However, medical treatment is necessary in any case, so medical treatment of osteochondrosis may include the following:
- Pain relief - take various pain relievers and pain relievers;
- Inhibition of inflammation - taking drugs designed to eliminate the inflammatory process local to the disease;
- Antispasmodics - drugs designed to suppress muscle spasms;
- Antioxidants - take products high in vitamins;
- activate blood microcirculation;
- Psychedelics - Drugs that maintain a normal state of mind.
Surgical treatment
The surgical treatment of osteochondrosis is used in situations where a person may be incapacitated due to the progressive development of the disease. Before deciding on surgery, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination and consult a specialist.
It is important to know that all patients with suspected osteochondrosis require an MRI. If this test shows abnormalities that are outside the normal range, your doctor may recommend surgery. However, in most cases, if a person does not complain of severe pain, surgery is not necessary.
Osteochondrosis needs to be treated surgically in two cases:
- If a person has signs of a ponytail;
- If a person cannot control the process of urinating and defecation.
Cauda equina syndrome is a disorder of the nervous system in the lower part of the spine. That is, there are bifurcations of nerve roots in the spinal cord. At the same time, if a person experiences pain during palpation of nerve endings, surgery is unavoidable.
He will note that surgical intervention for osteochondrosis occurs in two steps. First, the specialist eliminates the cause of the pain, and then applies methods of stabilizing the spine. If they can speak the language of medicine, the decompression and stabilization procedures are performed at the same time. The approach to surgical treatment may vary. The choice of a specific method depends only on the individual case of the course of the disease, mainly on the choice of the surgeon.