Osteochondrosis

Many often hear, but do not know exactly what osteochondrosis is. In fact, this disease is not so rare. This disease is characterized by dystrophic-degenerative lesions of the vertebral tissues, further deformation of the discs between the vertebrae, as well as adjacent ligaments of the spinal apparatus.

As a rule, the pathology first negatively affects the ligaments, then the bones and other tissues. Patients already go to the doctor when they start to experience regular pain.

Statistics show that osteochondrosis of the spine affects 50-90% of the world's population. Often, symptoms of osteochondrosis appear in people who have crossed the threshold of 30 years, but there is a risk of the appearance of manifestations even in adolescents.

Stages of disease development

In medicine, there are several stages in the course of the disease:

• at stage 1dehydration of the nucleus pulposus is observed, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of deformities in the fibrous-like ring. The initial stage is characterized by the development of symptoms in the spinal disc. Signs of osteochondrosis are not pronounced. Treatment of osteochondrosis at this stage can be carried out with the help of exercise therapy and massage;
• at stage 2after a change in the height of the disc and after dehydration of the ligament, the muscles begin to converge. This causes them to sag. Signs of osteochondrosis also include excessive mobility in the vertebral region. This, in turn, can provoke the process of displacement of the vertebrae;
• at stage 3signs of osteochondrosis become most pronounced, since the patient may experience protrusion of intervertebral discs or even prolapse. Also, due to changes in the bones and muscles, the joints begin to suffer, which provokes the formation of arthrosis;
• at stage 4the patient's spine is already adapting to the changes that have occurred. The body tries to immobilize the spine as much as possible in order to preserve its protective function, as well as musculoskeletal. At the same time, osteophytes begin to spread into the intervertebral discs - bony growths that form on nearby vertebrae. The resulting osteophytes can damage nerve endings. The result is their walling in.

Causes of disease

Signs of osteochondrosis can occur for such reasons:

• Spinal injury;
• predisposition to diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• natural aging process;
• the presence of constant physical overload;
• obesity;
• incorrect posture;
• the presence of constant vibrations - relevant for several professions, for example drivers of large trucks;

Disease symptoms

Symptoms of osteochondrosis may not appear immediately. The main symptoms include discomfort in the back, as well as pain. Symptoms of osteochondrosis most often appear when the patient exposes the body to heavy physical exertion. A symptom of the disease is also a feeling of numbness in the limbs. When at least one of these signs appears, you should pay attention to their nature and intensity - pain in the leg or arm can manifest itself in different ways. Additional signs of osteochondrosis are a herniated disc, as well as a protrusion or pinching of the nerve ending.

Osteochondrosis of the spine is of the following types, depending on the location:

• in the cervical region;
• in the region of the sternum;
• in the lumbosacral region.

Disease treatment

The treatment of osteochondrosis involves a combination of the following methods:

• therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis or exercises;
• physiotherapy procedures (acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, electrostimulation);
• diet for osteochondrosis;
• spinal traction;
• massage for osteochondrosis.

Treatment of osteochondrosis should be started as early as possible, but even in the later stages there are high chances of overcoming the disease.

Gymnastics for osteochondrosis is one of the most effective methods of preventing and stopping the manifestations of the disease. Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis includes such exercises that can strengthen the muscles of the back and the whole body. It is necessary to do gymnastics daily to achieve the effect after a few sessions. Gymnastics for osteochondrosis includes popular exercises that are probably familiar to many, as they are used in the complex of morning exercises.

Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis not only contributes to a quick recovery, but is also able to prevent the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease. You can do exercise therapy for osteochondrosis instead of morning exercises.

Osteochondrosis filler should align the uneven column of the spine, strengthen the corset of the back muscles, improve metabolism and blood circulation in the tissues. Proper exercise in osteochondrosis improves blood supply to the brain and helps to widen the gap between the vertebrae, which allows you to release previously pinched nerve endings. For a patient, doing exercises for osteochondrosis can take only a few minutes a day, but even this can lead to a noticeable decrease in the manifestations of the disease within a few weeks. And in the early stages, exercise with osteochondrosis is not the main method of treatment at all.

Another plus of exercise therapy for osteochondrosis is that the complex is designed for people of all ages, as it takes into account age characteristics and body capabilities. Exercises for osteochondrosis can be performed at home or, perhaps, in the clinic on special simulators. It should be noted that with high-quality and appropriate exercises, the treatment of osteochondrosis at home brings the same effective results as carrying out therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis in the clinic.

Nutrition for osteochondrosis should include lean meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruits. The diet for osteochondrosis provides for frequent meals (5-6 times a day). At the last meal of the day, you need to have a glass of fermented milk products.

The diet for osteochondrosis sharply limits the consumption of legumes, grapes and their products, muffins, spices and various refined products. When the doctor draws up his nutritional plan for osteochondrosis for the patient, he will also include baked goods containing bran, fruits, vegetables and berries (especially sea buckthorn).

Nutrition in osteochondrosis performs a restorative function of the body, providing cells with building materials. It is important to remember that a diet for osteochondrosis (as, indeed, for the prevention of various other ailments) involves careful chewing of food. The process of eating food at the same time lasts at least 15 minutes. The more saliva and gastric juice are secreted, the greater the effect of a rational and balanced diet in osteochondrosis.

Treatment of osteochondrosis is also carried out with the help of massage. Massage for osteochondrosis is performed when the patient does not feel pain when touched. Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis reflexly affects painful areas by stimulating areas of the body that are not susceptible to disease. At the same time, massage for osteochondrosis should start very gently, so as not to cause discomfort in the form of muscle tension.

The technique by which massage is performed for osteochondrosis suggests that the patient lies on his stomach in the most relaxed position during the session. The general goals of massage for osteochondrosis are:

• elimination of pain;
• improvement of metabolism in the zone of onset of the disease;
• muscle relaxation;
• suppression of inflammatory processes in the region of the intervertebral disc.

Also, disputes about how to cure osteochondrosis at home do not go away. There are many alternative methods, but their use must be agreed with the attending physician. Now all doctors unanimously say that massage and exercises for osteochondrosis are the right ways to first reduce all symptoms of the disease, and then completely overcome it.