Osteochondrosis - damage to the intervertebral discs and cartilage of the spine. Unfortunately, the problem is widespread - almost one in two people is diagnosed with the disease over the age of 40. But the good news is that musculoskeletal disorders can be fixed if detected early. Below we describe the treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine in adults, symptoms and preventive measures.
Causes of occurrence
People over 40 are at risk. But some factors influence the occurrence of the problem in adolescence. The list of causes of the disease includes:
- Obesity;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- displaced spinal injuries with displacement;
- Scoliosis and flat feet;
- Pregnancy;
- constant stress on the spine.
Congenital abnormalities of the spine, oncology in this area and prolonged stress contribute to the development of the disease. Regardless of the factors, the specialists of our clinic will choose the optimal treatment plan for osteochondrosis of the spine and help get rid of the disease.
Stages of development
Changes in the spine do not cause problems at first, but over time all body systems fail. The disease has 4 stages:
- The height of the diseased intervertebral disc is reduced. Fibrous ring cracks appear. The pathology does not go beyond a component.
- The muscles and ligaments attached to the intervertebral disc move closer together. They lose their tone and sag. The defect affects the adjacent vertebrae. You gain additional mobility. The vertebral segment becomes less and less stable. The vertebrae can move, slip, and cause spondylolisthesis.
- There is an unnatural protrusion, the development of osteoarthritis and dislocations in the intervertebral discs.
- The affected parts try to adapt to new conditions, reduce excess mobility at the expense of physical strength and protect the spine. As a result, osteophytes are formed - bone growth. They injure the nerve roots of the spinal cord.
The last stage, in the absence of treatment for osteochondrosis of the spine, is expressed in the form of severe pain in the problem area, but then the pathology takes on a latent form. And the patient stops feeling uncomfortable. A bony shell forms on the vertebrae that "wall up" the entire motor segment.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
In the case of degenerative-dystrophic tissue damage, the vertebrae themselves, the joint surfaces and the intervertebral discs wear off. The disease manifests itself in back pain, but it can also spread to other parts of the body. There are unpleasant sensations in the legs, numbness of the fingers and hands, pain in the genital area, head, heart.
In women, the disease is more often expressed by pain in the lumbar area. But often a problem in the neck, chest, or multiple areas is diagnosed at the same time. Activity decreases and fatigue increases - both mentally and physically. The sensitivity of the upper and lower extremities is impaired.
In the pathology of the cervical spine, the most common symptoms are: headache, severe loss of vision and eye fatigue. The defeat of the lumbosacral region threatens with a dysfunction of the reproductive system.
Effects
Failure to pay attention to the problem in the early stages threatens serious disorders in all systems of the body. The patient feels severe pain, a feeling of a heart attack, dizziness, nausea, chills. In advanced cases, stroke, brain damage, and the development of vascular and heart diseases are possible.
It is important to see a doctor at the first symptoms of osteochondrosis for drug treatment. Uncontrolled use of pain medication only makes the situation worse.
Prevention of osteochondrosis
Preventive measures include an active lifestyle, good diet, and weight control. Yoga and Pilates courses are ideal for strengthening the muscle corset. Courses on special decompression simulators - kinesitherapy are ideal. These simulators are specially designed for the atraumatic restoration of the spine and joints. An orthopedic mattress is chosen for sleeping. High or flat pillows are not used.
diagnosis
To identify the problem and prescribe the most effective method of treating osteochondrosis, a medical history is taken. All patient complaints are taken into account. A visual inspection is carried out. It contains:
- Judgment on body position;
- Examination of the skin;
- Palpation and tapping of areas where the patient complains of pain;
- Determination of skin sensitivity.
In addition, an examination is assigned to the most affected spine. The patient is referred for x-rays, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). With the help of procedures, the degree of damage to the back area, the state of nerve processes and blood vessels are revealed.
The Medical Innovation Center also uses ultrasound to diagnose problems. Ultrasound is informative, safe, and believed to be a cheaper method of detecting pathologies.
Treatment methods of osteochondrosis
To get rid of the disease completely, an integrated approach is required. The choice of options for elimination depends on the etiology of the disease, the age of the patient and the degree of damage to any part of the body. The following methods are used in our osteochondrosis treatment center.
The clinic for the treatment of osteochondrosis offers comprehensive diagnostics, an individual approach and high-quality prevention of the disease. The clinic employs excellent specialists with many years of experience, including doctors and candidates in the medical sciences. Many doctors have been awarded the highest qualification category. The staff of our center for the treatment of osteochondrosis are able to provide effective assistance in the elimination of pathologies in adults with their experience, knowledge and skills.
In the Innovative Medical Center, the specialists focus on finding and eliminating the causes of the pain syndrome and on further rehabilitation. To eliminate pain, blockades, acupuncture courses, shock wave therapy (shock wave) or khivamate therapy are prescribed to the patient. Then comes the period of restoration of the impaired functions of the spine, during which the following modern and effective methods of treating osteochondrosis are used in courses:
Kinesitherapy
The patient is assigned a number of exercises, which he performs on special simulators and with additional equipment: rollers, balls. When performing tasks, the spine is relieved, muscles are trained, joints are restored. Strengthening the muscle corset is a guarantee that there is no risk of the disease returning after a certain period of time. The method has a minimal list of contraindications and is suitable for patients of all ages.
Massotherapy
It is prescribed only after the exacerbation is removed. The minimum course is 10 sessions. It helps clear swelling, relieve pain, and improve blood circulation. The technique and goals of the procedure depend on the exact diagnosis. For problems with the cervical spine, for example, the cervical collar zone is used. The specialist performs rubbing, stroking and kneading to relieve pain and revitalize. The therapist can also prescribe the treatment of osteochondrosis with acupressure massage. This procedure affects pain points and acupuncture points.
acupuncture
The main tasks of acupuncture are to relax the deep layers of muscles, relieve sore muscles and increase blood flow to the affected areas of the body. The session lasts 20-60 minutes. The duration depends on the extent of the skin being treated. 10-15 procedures are prescribed as standard. With a complex course of treatment, the number of procedures may be less due to the complementary effect of other procedures. The manipulations are practically painless. The effect of needles is similar to that of mosquito bites. Although it all depends on the patient's pain threshold.
In the Innovative Medical Center, this modern treatment method for osteochondrosis is used by doctors. Experienced specialists competently perform manipulations, so you should not worry about the result.
UHT therapy
It is prescribed to relieve pain and remove inflammation. The procedure is an effective way to get rid of the degenerative complications of the disease - herniated disc and other pathologies of the ridge. The operating principle of shock wave therapy is to influence the affected area with a shock wave. This leads to the destruction of salts and salt deposits, and blood circulation improves.
The duration of the procedure is approx. 5 minutes. For each patient, depending on the degree of development of the pathology, an individual scheme is selected. The effectiveness of the therapy is compared to a deep, intensive massage. A positive trend can already be seen after 2-3 sessions.
Kinesitaping
The therapist uses tape, an elastic patch, to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. It is gently fixed on the affected part of the body and the top layer of skin is slightly lifted. The patient is not restricted in his physiological mobility.
Kinesitaping is prescribed in conjunction with physical therapy exercises. Due to its elasticity, which is compared to the elasticity of the skin, the tape begins to act on the inflamed area from the first day. By default, the patch is fixed for 3-5 days, and then the course is repeated two more times until the discomfort during movement is completely eliminated.
There are few contraindications: skin diseases and high sensitivity of the epidermis. The procedure is prescribed for patients of all ages and genders. When applying the tape, perfect knowledge of physiology and anatomy is required. In our center, this procedure is carried out by experienced chiropractors.
PRP therapy
Plasma therapy - injections of the patient's own plasma. For its implementation, special equipment is used that extracts platelets from the blood. Plasma is mixed with blood cells and injected into the patient. The procedure allows you to quickly regenerate the affected tissue and stop inflammation. This restores the synovial fluid and improves joint mobility. The blood circulation improves in damaged tissue.
The process takes about 20 minutes. The duration of the course depends on the stage of the disease. On average, 2 to 6 procedures are prescribed.
Each consists of 3 phases:
- A blood sample will be taken.
- Plasma is being prepared.
- Autoplasma is injected into the affected area.
Plasma administration does not cause pain. The patient feels only slight discomfort.
The method not only eliminates the symptoms, but also affects the cause of the disease. A long-term effect is provided.
In the Innovative Medical Center you can get detailed advice from a traumatologist, neurologist or physiotherapist. After the diagnosis, they will prescribe a series of measures aimed at getting rid of back diseases without pills. We have modern equipment and effective methods of treating osteochondrosis in women and men of all ages.