A certain therapist with 50 years of experience once remarked: “When I started working, there was not a single young patient with osteochondrosis on the site. And today almost every second 30-year-old has this problem.”
A sedentary lifestyle, metabolic disorders, spinal injuries, excess weight, unbalanced diet, prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, stress, hypothermia, smoking are modern paths to chronic degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs, and subsequently in the vertebrae themselves. Esta é a osteocondrose (do grego antigo osteon - óso, chondros - cartilaxe).
A osteocondrose é unha enfermidade causada pola deposición de sal na columna vertebral
Wrong. O disco intervertebral está formado por un núcleo pulposo, un anel fibroso e cartilaxe hialina que o cubre por riba e por debaixo. Cando estes elementos son destruídos, o equilibrio entre a carga sobre a columna vertebral e a capacidade de soportala é perturbado. Como resultado, as vértebras comezan a comprimir os tecidos nerviosos e musculares adxacentes e crecen ao longo dos bordos, formando o chamado. osteófitos, que producen un ruído característico cando se moven (os pacientes explícano erróneamente como “deposición de sal”).
Se te doen as costas e o pescozo, isto é exclusivamente osteocondrose
A osteocondrose non é a única causa de dor na columna vertebral. Patients often make this diagnosis themselves. However, in addition to this pathology, which is part of the group of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine, there is also osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and differentiation can only be made after a comprehensive examination.
Os cambios dexenerativos-distróficos ocorren nun 30-50% dos casos en persoas de 30-40 anos, no 75-100% das persoas maiores de 40 anos.
Estes procesos patolóxicos representan o 20,4% da estrutura global da discapacidade por enfermidades do sistema osteoarticular.
Long walking is bad for the spine
On the contrary. Physical activity has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the spinal column: it maintains muscle tone, preserves intervertebral mobility, stimulates blood circulation and metabolism. A inactividade física e a permanencia prolongada nunha posición, especialmente incómoda, son "a culpa" da progresión da enfermidade.
Outro asunto é se unha persoa con sobrepeso camiña moito e leva cousas pesadas, entón a columna vertebral experimenta un aumento do estrés.
Os pés planos contribúen ao desenvolvemento da osteocondrose
That's right. Os arcos do pé, como as curvas fisiolóxicas da columna vertebral, están deseñados para absorber as cargas de choque ao camiñar, correr e saltar. If the foot does not provide adequate protection when interacting with the support, then the spinal column receives additional stress, which significantly impairs the nutrition and functioning of its structures and accelerates the development of the disease.
A dor nas costas é o único síntoma da enfermidade
Not really. Como regra xeral, os pacientes quéixanse de dor constante nas costas, que adoita ir acompañada de entumecimiento e sensación de dor nos membros. Co paso do tempo, se non se tratan, os músculos das extremidades atrofianse, as articulacións da columna vertebral fanse menos móbiles e aparecen espasmos musculares.
Coa osteocondrose da columna cervical (ver diagrama), os brazos e a cabeza poden doer. The so-called vertebral artery syndrome (noise in the head, dizziness, flashing “spots” and colored spots before the eyes, burning throbbing headache). This acute condition occurs due to artery spasm as a response to the impact of bone growths, as well as due to disc herniation, arthrosis of the intervertebral joint, as a reflex reaction to irritation of the spinal receptors.
Se unha persoa sofre de patoloxía coronaria ou cardiovascular, a síndrome da arteria vertebral agravará o curso.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, there is pain in the chest (a feeling as if a stake had been stuck there) - in the area of the heart and other internal organs; con lesións lumbosacras - na parte baixa das costas (irradiación ao sacro, extremidades inferiores, ás veces aos órganos pélvicos).
If complications of osteochondrosis develop (herniated intervertebral discs, bone growths, spondylolisthesis, spondyloarthrosis), then damage to the nerve roots is noted - the pain becomes shooting, sensitivity worsens, weakness appears in the innervated muscles, and the severity of reflexes decreases.
A osteocondrose pode causar disfunción dunha gran variedade de órganos e tecidos
That's right. Hipócrates tamén ensinou que todas as enfermidades humanas están asociadas coa columna vertebral, porque esta é unha especie de base do corpo.
With osteochondrosis, there is an increased risk of circulatory disorders in the cerebellar, stem and occipital regions of the brain. A constant headache appears - first in the back of the head, then spreads to the area of the crown and temples, intensifies with neck movements (more often in the morning). As persoas maiores poden perder o coñecemento se xiran a cabeza de súpeto. This is preceded by dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision and hearing, nausea, and vomiting.
Sometimes there is pain in the heart area - prolonged, pressing, boring. Coa osteocondrose da columna cervical, especialmente na vellez, os tecidos brandos adoitan cambiar - fanse máis densos.
Degenerative processes in the spinal column can cause congestion in the gastrointestinal tract, disruption of the bronchopulmonary system, which is fraught with inflammatory and other ailments.
Vegetative-vascular dystonia, intercostal neuralgia - consequences of osteochondrosis
Realmente non. A osteocondrose pode ser unha das razóns (en ningún caso a única) para o desenvolvemento destas enfermidades. When intervertebral discs wear out and osteophytes grow, the intervertebral foramina and the vertebral artery canal become narrowed and deformed, and this leads to infringement of various structures. In particular, when the nerve roots are compressed, signs of intercostal neuralgia appear, and when the vertebral artery is compressed, the same symptoms appear as in vegetative-vascular dystonia.
É imposible curar a osteocondrose
Indeed, the structures of the spinal column that have undergone degenerative changes cannot be completely restored. Nevertheless, adequate comprehensive treatment can eliminate the symptoms of the disease, stop the development of pathology and avoid complications.
Para problemas cos discos intervertebrais, é útil quentar os puntos doloridos
Wrong. Temperature changes, especially extreme ones (for example, a beginner's trip to the bathhouse), can cause serious aggravation. En tratamentos complexos úsanse procedementos térmicos moderados, pero deben ser prescritos por un médico.
Se realizas movementos circulares coa cabeza durante a osteocondrose da columna cervical, a túa saúde empeorará
That's right. These exercises are best done for prevention - they help maintain the range of motion in the intervertebral joints. With severe osteochondrosis, careless circular movements can aggravate vertebral artery syndrome, radiculopathy, etc.
Treatment cannot be done without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Realmente non. During the period of remission or when the pain is not severe, conservative therapy (physio-, reflexology and manual) is carried out; physical therapy and traction techniques are used. Drug treatment is indicated during an exacerbation and is aimed at relieving pain, relieving the inflammatory process and accelerating metabolic processes (intramuscular or intravenous injections).
Among the most effective drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are prescribed to relieve inflammation and pain (meloxicam, diclofenac, ibuprofen); for severe pain, novocaine blockades are used; steroid drugs (epidural, intramuscular injections); NSAIDs in the form of ointments, gels and creams with an analgesic and irritating effect (diclofenac, fastum gel, nise, capsicam, finalgon); muscle relaxants - to relieve muscle spasms (mydocalm, sirdalud); B vitamins - to improve metabolic processes in the spine (B1, B6, B12).
Osteochondrosis can lead to serious consequences
Si. Due to compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots, osteochondrosis can cause paralysis, and if the vertebral artery is pinched, loss of consciousness.
Exercises to “stretch” the spine help improve your condition
Extension, or traction, allows you to increase the intervertebral space, relieve pain and restore the anatomically correct shape of the spine. However, the individual load must be correctly calculated. “Too much” can lead to a reflex contraction of the paravertebral muscles and worsen the condition.
Only an orthopedic traumatologist has the right to treat osteochondrosis.
Incorrecto. Most patients are observed by a neurologist, and in cases of significant severity of pathology, by a neurosurgeon or orthopedist-vertebrologist.
A local physician can also prescribe drug therapy to relieve an exacerbation.