Osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is the progressive destruction of spinal structures due to degenerative changes. It is a chronic disease that occupies a leading place among the pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Experienced neurologists are involved in its treatment.

About the disease

Almost one in three people who consult a neurologist for back pain are diagnosed with osteochondrosis. It affects around 90% of older people. The risk group includes the older generation, as well as people with occupational risks - loaders, drivers, office workers, sellers, hairdressers.

The average age of the first manifestations of the disease is 30 to 35 years. When exposed to adverse factors, painful symptoms appear even earlier.

With osteochondrosis of the spine, the bone structure, intervertebral cartilage and discs in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar region are damaged. As a result, muscle tension increases and depreciation processes worsen. The intervertebral discs wear out and shift, causing stiffness and pain. Without treatment, degenerative-dystrophic changes progress, nerve roots are violated and the functioning of internal organs is disrupted. In the late stages of osteochondrosis, partial or complete loss of working capacity occurs due to limited mobility.

At the first signs of illness, you should immediately contact a specialized specialist - a neurologist. The doctor will prescribe a comprehensive examination and develop effective treatment tactics.

Types of osteochondrosis

Depending on the location, osteochondrosis is of three types: cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral. In almost 50% of cases, the disease affects the spinal structures of the lumbar region. This is because the lower back experiences maximum static loads.

Cervical osteochondrosis occupies the second place in terms of prevalence. Damage to the cervical vertebrae can be caused by injuries, repetitive physical work as well as sedentary work, in which you have to keep your head in the same position for a long time.

Sedentary work and constant positioning of the neck even cause a hernia at the cervical level.

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is less common. A sedentary lifestyle also contributes to its development. Its main symptom is chest pain, which can easily be confused with a heart attack.

The diagnosis of "common osteochondrosis" is made when all departments are involved in the pathological process.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis

The clinical picture depends on the affected part of the spine. The symptom common to all is pain. It can be acute, like "lumbago", or dull and painful. The pain intensifies with movement, physical activity and prolonged stay in the same position. In later stages, as well as during exacerbations of the disease, it is constant and interferes with sleep and normal lifestyle.

In addition to pain, the patient feels tension and stiffness in the back muscles, heaviness and discomfort. When nerve endings are pinched, pain radiates to nearby areas of the body (along the nerve), accompanied by numbness, tingling, and a "pins and needles" sensation under the skin.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis can be confused with other diseases, so you should not engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication. In a professional clinic, patients will receive maximum attention and be examined using new high-precision equipment, which will allow an accurate diagnosis to be made.

Cervical region

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine presents the richest clinical picture. The disease can begin with periodic pain in the neck, a feeling of stiffness or discomfort after being in a position in front of the computer, after sleep. When the nerves and vessels of the spine are involved in the process, the pain spreads to the back of the head, collarbone, shoulder, and sometimes even to the chest. The pain becomes more intense when tilting or turning the head, when breathing deeply, as well as at night during sleep. The sensitivity of the shoulder blades, shoulders and arms is impaired, tingling and chills appear.

In later stages, when the intervertebral discs become significantly thinner, lose their fixation and become excessively mobile, the following symptoms may appear:

• stiffness when turning the neck;
• sharp, sharp pain in the spine;
• headaches, which are accompanied by compressions and pulsations in the head, noise and ringing in the ears, hearing and visual disturbances;
• nausea;
• lack of coordination;
• attacks of dizziness.

Vegetovascular symptoms are a consequence of vertebral artery syndrome, which develops due to spasm or compression of the artery involved in blood supply to the brain.

Acute pain, loss of skin sensitivity in the neck area, stiffness of the vertebrae occur during rupture of the annulus fibrosus, the formation of intervertebral hernias and osteophytes.

Thoracic region

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine "mimics" heart pain, as well as intercostal neuralgia. The pain often gets worse at night. It can be moderate and gradually increase or occur suddenly and abruptly.

In case of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, doctors first exclude the cardiac nature of the pain. For this purpose, a differential diagnosis is carried out.

Painful sensations are localized in the area between the shoulder blades or ribs and are intensified when raising your arms, bending over, taking a deep breath or exhaling. They radiate to the region of the heart, kidneys and stomach. In the thoracic region, patients note a feeling of stiffness or pressure, numbness, "tingling" in the chest, tingling in the neck, arms and abdomen.

Lumbosacral region

With lumbosacral osteochondrosis, the pain is localized in the lower back, radiates to the pelvic region, groin and along the leg. It is accompanied by muscle tension, tingling and numbness. Muscle cramps and disruption of the pelvic organs are possible.

Referred lumbosacral pain syndrome can be caused by pathologies of the genitourinary system and the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical specialists must take this fact into account when making a diagnosis.

Reasons

Damage to the intervertebral cartilage most often occurs due to excessive loads, including static loads, as well as spinal injuries caused by a fall, blow, sudden movement or jump from height.

Increased stress, as a result of which degenerative changes occur, includes lifting heavy loads, uneven distribution of the load on the back muscles and prolonged stay in a particularly uncomfortable position. The most sensitive to overload are the intervertebral cartilaginous discs, which perform the function of shock absorption and provide movement of the spine.

The development of osteochondrosis is favored by:

• excess weight;
• age-related changes;
• heredity;
• flat feet;
• inflammatory or autoimmune damage to cartilage;
• congenital malformations;
• spinal instability;
• poor posture;
• poor diet;
• hypothermia;
• a sedentary lifestyle, which causes weakness of the muscle corset, deterioration of nutrition and blood supply to the intervertebral joints;
• metabolic disorders;
• deficiency of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D;
• hormonal and endocrine disorders.

Under the influence of provoking factors, metabolic processes, hydration and blood circulation in the intervertebral discs deteriorate. As a result, cracks appear in the annulus fibrosus. The height of the discs decreases, spinal mobility is impaired, and reflex tension and spasms develop. Protrusions and hernias form. The disc protrudes and irritates the spinal roots, causing pain and other discomfort.

Benefits of treatment in a modern clinic 

A modern clinic where osteochondrosis is treated has many advantages:

1. Experienced specialists in the field of neurology who regularly improve their skills.
2. New diagnostic equipment that increases the accuracy of osteochondrosis diagnosis to 100%.
3. The use of minimally invasive technologies in the surgical treatment of osteochondrosis.
4. A 24-hour hospital where patients can stay after spinal surgery.
5. Individual rehabilitation programs that allow you to regain full motor activity.
6. High level of service and affordable prices for the treatment of osteochondrosis in Moscow.
7. Application of proprietary methods with proven effectiveness. Favor non-surgical treatment, taking into account the patient's age and the presence of concomitant diseases.
8. Qualified assistance for complications of osteochondrosis - protrusions, pinched nerves, herniated discs, osteophytes, limited mobility of the vertebrae.

In a modern clinic, all advanced methods of treating osteochondrosis are available to the patient: medications, physiotherapeutic procedures, manual therapy, osteopathy, reflexology, therapeutic blockades, surgical interventions.

Diagnosis

There are many causes of back pain. To understand the cause of the pain, a consultation with a neurologist is necessary. During the first appointment, the doctor reviews the patient's complaints and medical history to identify risk factors, performs a neurological examination and assesses the range of motion. When examining and palpating the spine, the doctor can detect curvature, muscle spasms, trigger points and other pathological changes.

Additionally, the doctor prescribes instrumental diagnostic methods: x-ray, CT scan or MRI of the spine. In case of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, Dopplerography of the vessels of the head and neck, MRI of the head may be necessary, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine - electrocardiography or ultrasound of the heart, lumbar spine - ultrasound of the kidneysand pelvic organs. Additionally, blood and urine tests may be ordered.

To exclude diseases of the spinal cord, including cancer, myelography is performed. This is a method of x-ray examination using a contrast medium.

Based on the results obtained during diagnosis, the neurologist draws up an individual treatment regimen.

Treatment

Treatment of osteochondrosis depends on the affected part of the spine and the stage of the disease. At the initial stage, drug treatment, physical therapy, correction of lifestyle, weight and physical activity are enough. If the structure of the discs and mobility of the joints are significantly impaired, there is a disc protrusion and other complications, additional physiotherapeutic procedures may be prescribed, including therapeutic massage, spinal traction and manual therapy. In advanced cases, when osteochondrosis does not respond to conservative treatment, surgical intervention is performed.

Conservative

Conservative treatment methods stop the development of osteochondrosis, help eliminate chronic back pain and other unpleasant symptoms, and improve spinal mobility. These include:

1. Drug therapy. Prescribed medications that reduce pain and inflammation, relax back muscles, strengthen cartilage and bone tissue.
2. Physiotherapeutic procedures. They improve blood circulation and nutrition of the intervertebral discs, promote tissue restoration, relax the muscles of the neck, lower back and thoracic region. For osteochondrosis, magnetic therapy, UHF, shock waves, vacuum therapy, laser therapy, acupuncture, massage and electrical stimulation are effective. The massage course includes 10-15 sessions, depending on the severity of changes in spinal structures.
3. Manual therapy. The procedure takes place without pain. Helps get rid of muscle tension, aches, restore mobility and anatomy of the vertebrae.
4. Therapeutic exercise. This is an important part of treatment. Sets of exercises selected by a physiotherapist doctor strengthen the back corset, correct posture, improve blood circulation, eliminate pain and improve mobility of the neck and other parts of the spine.
5. Therapeutic blockade. Used for severe pain that cannot be relieved by painkillers. The high effectiveness of the procedure is substantiated by the paravertebral administration of drugs - into tissues close to the intervertebral nerve roots.
6. Spinal traction. Effective for osteochondrosis with disc protrusion and intervertebral herniation, as well as for radicular syndrome.

The best results are achieved through complex treatment - a combination of several mutually reinforcing methods.

Surgical

The main goal of the operation is to eliminate compression of nerve roots, spinal cord, arteries, etc. During surgery, a herniated part or all of the intervertebral disc can be removed. The operation is carried out with minimal risks, thanks to the use of minimally invasive technologies and modern visualization systems, allowing the operating field to be seen in real time and in high resolution.

Laser discectomy by puncture

This is a new microsurgical method used to treat osteochondrosis, mainly of the cervical spine. The affected intervertebral disc is laser evaporated. The light guide is powered by a needle with a diameter of up to 1. 2 mm, which is inserted into the respective disc. Laser exposure lasts 40 to 60 minutes. The pain syndrome disappears immediately after the procedure.

Laser discectomy by puncture is used only in the early stages of osteochondrosis, in the absence of signs of spinal instability.

Prevention

Osteochondrosis of any part of the spine can be avoided if preventive recommendations are constantly followed. Moderate loads, maintaining correct posture and therapeutic exercises for the back are necessary. You cannot lift weights or sit or stand in the same position for a long time.

If you have back problems, you should regularly consult an orthopedist or neurologist.

Rehabilitation

The duration of restoration of spinal function depends on the type and volume of the procedure. Bed rest is indicated in the first days after surgery, then gentle physical activity and wearing back orthopedic devices are necessary. Physiotherapy exercises selected by a doctor allow you to gradually return to your normal lifestyle.