Degenerative damage to the spine, if not:bone necrosis- a disease that includes damage to the ligaments and articular apparatus of the person, discs and vertebral bodies.
Osteosarcoma mainly affects older adults, regardless of sex, although it should be noted that there is a recent trend towards younger age of the disease. Such rejuvenation of osteosarcoma is directly related to poor physical development in children and overweight in many adolescents. In addition, modern youth enjoy sedentary pastimes near TVs or computers, avoiding sports. The combination of these factors leads to weak back muscles, poor posture, and other negative consequences for the spine.
Osteochondrosis and its causes
The central disease of osteonecrosis is a dysfunction of the vertebrae and discs, which alters the normal structure of tissues. As a result, disc cartilage loses its elasticity and normal shape, reducing the width of the space between the vertebrae. Violation of the disc ratio leads to compression of the nerve endings of the spinal cord, as well as significant overstretching of the spinal muscles, which explains the painful manifestation in osteonecrosis. In addition, with osteonecrosis, quite serious complications also often occur such as partial bulging of the disc, as well as vertebral herniation.
In the future, the destructive degenerative changes that occur during bone resorption leading to bone formation develop in the vertebrae, which also spread to the intervertebral ligaments and small joints of the spine. People with osteosarcoma have difficulty performing extensor movements and over time they can develop conditions - scoliosis or kyphosis.
All these destructive degenerative lesions of the spine are usually the result of the inevitable physiological aging of the human body, but for a number of reasons discussed later in this publication, Bone resorption can accelerate dramatically.
It should be noted immediately that there is no single cause for the occurrence of osteonecrosis, but there are a large number of predisposing factors, and the main ones are:
- bruises, fractures, dislocations and other injuries of the spine;
- genetic predisposition;
- various diseases of the feet that cause strain on the vertebrae, such as clubfoot, flatfoot and others, as well as wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes for a long time;
- excessive obesity or overweight;
- natural age-related changes in the body;
- violation of metabolic processes in the body;
- maintain a sedentary lifestyle;
- sudden cessation of professional sports competition;
- the specifics of occupational activity, for example, frequent jerking and turning, lifting weights, uncomfortable body positions during work;
- persistent and frequent hypothermia, aggravated by high humidity;
- the presence of frequent and prolonged stressful situations.
The presence of some or even one of the above factors can lead to the development of osteonecrosis, which is generally divided into four stages:
- Early stage- reduce the amount of moisture contained in the disc with a decrease in the distance between the discs. In this case, small cracks appear in the cartilage.
- Second stage- due to a decrease in the space between the intervertebral discs, there is a slackening of the ligamentous and muscular apparatus, which entails unnatural mobility of the vertebral bodies, their displacement and sliding.
- The third stage- due to progressive degenerative-destructive damage of the spine, there is extrusion of the intervertebral discs, as well as the intervertebral discs below the vertebrae.
- Fourth stageTo prevent vertebrae from escaping and unnatural movement, osteogenic cells develop between the vertebrae, which are commonly referred to as "salt deposits" in the treatment. time becomes so much that the vertebrae lose mobility. With such bone growth, injury to the nerves and blood vessels located near these vertebrae inevitably occurs.
It should be noted that in the early stages and stage 4 of the degenerative joint process, the patient does not experience pain.
Osteochondrosis and its taxonomy
Although osteonecrosis has many different classifications, the most common is the classification of osteonecrosis, which takes into account the localization of the lesions of the spine:
- osteonecrosis of the cervical spine;
- osteonecrosis of the thoracic spine;
- osteonecrosis of the lumbar spine;
- osteonecrosis of the sacral spine;
- Osteonecrosis is common, including disease of two or more vertebrae.
Osteochondrosis and its symptoms
Osteochondrosis, being a disease, is chronic in nature and it is characterized by alternating periods of remission and periods of exacerbation, in which the symptoms of osteonecrosis are particularly characteristic, depending on the location. location of spinal disease, as well as the presence of possible complications.
Therefore, for osteonecrosis of the neck, direct pain in the neck, in the hands, certain stiffness, headache, and numbness of the fingers will be characteristic. Yes, in the case of vertebral artery compression, the patient may experience spontaneous pulsating headache, decreased hearing aid functions, dizziness and fainting may also occur.
A little different are the symptoms of thoracic osteonecrosis. Patients are concerned with back pain, which can also be acute, shortness of breath with full chest, pain in the heart, as well as the feeling, folk treatment called "cola in the chest".
Symptoms of osteonecrosis in the case of a lumbar spine injury are manifested by pain in the lower back, legs, and sacrum that is increasingly severe with movement. In addition, numbness of the legs appears and different functions of the genital organs may develop.
During the remission phase, the person may also experience pain that is not very pronounced and occurs only in the presence of a trigger, for example, an uncomfortable position of the patient's body.
Osteochondrosis and its diagnosis
First of all, patients should be aware that a neurologist is involved in the treatment of osteonecrosis. Typically, the diagnosis of osteonecrosis involves the following steps:
- ask the patient;
- externally examine and palpate the patient's spine in different positions of the body, as well as establish possible range of motion;
- special studies for the diagnosis of osteonecrosis through nuclear magnetic resonance, computed tomography, as well as radiological examination of the patient;
- special peripheral nerve and vascular studies, but only in cases where it is necessary for an accurate diagnosis of osteonecrosis.
If you do not engage in timely and proper treatment of osteochondrosis, preferably without resorting to folk remedies, then there is a real risk of developing various complications in the form of diseases such as painsciatica, disc herniation, migraine, vascular dystonia. , and with lumbar osteonecrosis - also spinal stroke. Therefore, the diagnosis of osteonecrosis and its treatment should be given due attention, avoiding independent alternative therapies, so as not to initiate the development of this disease.
Conservative treatment of osteonecrosis
In the treatment of osteonecrosis in medical institutions, in contrast to traditional medicine, classical methods of treatment are used. At the same time, the attending physician employs a rigorously individualized approach to the patient. Treatment of osteonecrosis to achieve an effect is carried out in a complex way. Treatments for autologous osteonecrosis are divided into the following groups:
- Drug treatment of osteonecrosis.
- Physiotherapy treats osteonecrosis, especially magnetic therapy, through the use of special medical equipment.
- Treatment of necrotic disease of osteonecrosis disease.
- Organize proper nutrition, with the help of a special diet.
Surgical intervention in the treatment of osteonecrosis
Treatment of osteonecrosis with the support of surgery is performed only in cases where the above conservative methods do not give the desired effect. The most common is removal of a herniated disc mass, where the incision is no larger than one centimeter and the patient is able to stand up the very next day after such an operation. The patient's full recovery was completed within six months of surgery.
There is also a surgical interventional treatment of osteonecrosis, in which the affected disc is removed and a silicone implant or prosthetic is inserted in its place, which restores the gap. needed between the vertebrae and as a result, eliminates the symptoms of osteonecrosis.
Prevention of bone necrosis diseases
First of all, to prevent osteonecrosis, you should:
- avoid increasing stress on the spine by wearing comfortable shoes;
- try not to stay long in an uncomfortable position of the body;
- regularly control their weight, avoid being overweight;
- maintain correct posture at all times;
- when lifting weights, use both hands evenly;
- perform general strengthening exercises daily, as well as pay attention to regular yoga classes or in the pool;
- following a diet that includes foods in your diet such as fish, leafy greens and vegetables, dairy products, jellies and jellies, broths, eggs, butter and olive oil;
- Avoid alcohol, carbonated drinks, strong coffee, salty foods and fatty meats.