Spondylosis of the spine: what is it, causes, symptoms, treatment

What is spondylosis of the spine? This pathology, where the vertebrae change its shape and deform, narrowing the spinal canal. The vertebrae change shape through growths of bone that look like spikes and protrusions. Such protrusions can have a negative impact on longitudinal ligament of the spine. Often deformed vertebrae spliced among themselves, causing narrowing of the spine and can pinch the nerve endings.

What is spondylosis, doctors can give a short answer – a defensive reaction to the destruction of the intervertebral discs of the patient.

When the location of the appendages on the edges of the vertebra the patient can not fully move, osteophytes negatively affect the mobility of the person. With the progression of the disease appear aching pain, possible pinching of the nerve endings. Spondylosis - what is it and what kind of people are at risk, how to treat it? Spondylosis often occurs in the elderly or workers, long time sitting motionless in front of the computer, and the most common place of its localization is the neck.

Reasons

One of the main reasons disease is considered to be low back pain resulting from age-related changes, chronic diseases and problems with metabolism. Its manifestations may be the result of excess body weight, hypertension or diabetes. What are the risks of low back pain? In this disease, the discs between the vertebrae become more fragile, less elastic, they reduced the amount of moisture. Height is also changing discs, and the discs themselves begin to shift, the pressure on the region of the offset increases. At this point begins the inflammatory process that thickens the bone structure. In the damaged region deposited salt, the development of spondylosis.

Following the cause of the disease of the spine is scoliosis. With this type of curvature bone spurs are localized in the anterolateral and the posterior portions of the vertebra. There is a disease of the spine (spondylosis) and after injuries tears of the anterior longitudinal ligament. In this area are formed osteophytes. Some doctors believe that spinal injury is the main cause of the disease. They relate to injuries not only fractures, but minor injuries (microtrauma, exposure to vibration, etc.).

Symptoms

When the disease the patient feels a dull pain in the specific area of the spine because of irritation and pinching of nerves, ligaments. Man complains of weight and muscle tone. Decreases depreciation of the spine, as the patient straighten the curves of the spine.

Signs of spondylosis of the spine: a person feels restriction in the affected area of the spine, and the pain gradually increase during the day and continue to disturb the patient at night. Pain present not only when walking or body movements but also at rest. Person is difficult to accept the position in which he had not been disturbed by the pain. In the initial stage of the disease it can cause discomfort and discomfort, but affects the mobility of the spine.

Spondylosis in the cervical spine, common among people with "sedentary work" and workers engaged in mental labor. Besides pain, spondylosis carries symptoms such as problems with blood pressure and dizziness. Often, patients suffering from this disease complain of this noise in the ears and decreased vision.

Manifestations of disease in the thoracic people pay attention to the pain in the sternum (with lesions of the anterior branches of the spinal nerve) or in the chest, localized on one side. When probing with your fingers you can feel the inflamed areas.

When the disease of the spine spondylosis affects the lumbar spine, starts irritating the nerve roots without pinching. This patient complains of partial loss of sensation in the limbs, discomfort in the gluteal and leg muscles. Uncomfortable condition occurs with prolonged standing or motion. But for spondylosis characteristically, the symptoms disappear when the patient makes forward or rolled into Kalachik. When "intermittent claudication" symptoms will not disappear.

Spondylosis is a disease of the spine chronic, progressive, so treatment of spondylosis is not worth ittighten. It develops gradually and is at the stage of development 3 stages:

1. The first stage is characterized by small spikes that do not extend beyond the vertebral body. Symptoms of the disease is practically absent.
2. The second degree of spondylosis. What is it? Osteophytes of the spine grow, the patient there is limitation of movement, starts, periodic aching pain. Pain is worse with heavy physical loads on the spine or when the impact of drafts and cold.
3. The third degree of the disease involves splicing of the vertebrae with each other, threatening a complete immobility of the spine. The patient suffers severe pain, increased muscle tone. Muscle is high levels of lactic acid. With further progression of the metabolism that many exacerbates the disease.

Usually, spondylosis affects the vertebrae 1-2-3 originating in the neck or lower back, rarely showing itself in the thoracic spine.

Diagnosis

To determine if a patient is disease or not on the basis of symptoms alone, and tests will not be enough. To diagnose the disease are recommended by x-rays, performed in 3 projections. So one can perfectly see the presence or absence of osteophytes, the size of bone tumors, their location, track the course of the disease. Individually, the patient is prescribed a CT scan.

Not the most affordable option of studies, but the most reliable and effective is an MRI. It allows you to see the patient the spine and to fathom to millimeter scale size of osteophytes. Tomography performed on the computer are more informative for the doctor than x-rays, but less effective than MRI.

Treatment

Doctors do not find methods of treatment that can help to completely overcome spondylosis, because the process of degenerative disease. Treatment aims to eliminate pain, improve blood flow, relieve inflammation, slow irreversible changes in the tissues of the affected spine.

What to do if the patient has spondylosis which treatment to prescribe? The doctor uses anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, treatment with acupuncture, folk remedies, exercise, etc.

Medication methods

Prescription medications to relieve pain and inflammation but do not cure the cause. Doctors appointed Movalis, ibuprofen, diclofenac, kanatal. Important periodic course of massage to relieve pain and improve circulation.

When the disease periods of exacerbation followed by chronic symptoms. With the appearance of acute pain patients are advised to take baralgin, keratol, producing blockade novocaine. Injections the patient is held for several days. This time is enough to relieve spasms, but in the long run, you must perform daily physiotherapy sessions and to monitor the posture.

Physiotherapy

The question how to treat spondylosis doctors answer unanimously – to do physical therapy. These exercises help to remove the recurrence of disease, stimulate the muscles and maintain their functionality. Physical therapy exercises help to maintain mobility of spine. Physical load on the spine is in the prone position or on all fours. Part of the exercise (according to doctor) can be performed standing, it is possible to wear a special supportive corset.

• See also: spondylosis deformans

Folk remedies

The question of how to cure spondylosis, doctors recommend a complex effect of several methods of treatment. One of complementing the main treatment will be folk remedies that involve the use of natural ingredients. They facilitate emergent patient exacerbation.

• Well help shoots mistletoe. Ointments and decoctions from the plants relax tense muscles, relieve pain, heal wounds, strengthen the immune system.
• Another means used to treat the American agave, which contains steroids and vitamin C.
• A decoction of the roots of parsley also facilitates pain, but the use of it should be daily.
• Bring salt from the tissues will help tea made from the roots of sunflower.
• Recommendations of folk medicine – taking a hot shower and hirudotherapy. The saliva of leeches and injected into the blood hirudin provides comprehensive anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Due to this the patient raises the immune system, and the plastic spine is improving.

Physical therapy

The patient's doctor prescribe a course of physical therapy. It can be an electrophoresis with Novocainum in a given area or impact diadynamic currents, ultrasound. Gently used acupuncture, massage the affected part of the spine, a course of manual therapy.

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Prevention it is recommended to monitor body position during work and for posture. It is not necessary to fix the spine in the slope for a long time, to be in static poses. If it is impossible to avoid prolonged sitting (for example, when working at a computer) the patient should from time to time to get up, walk, stretch.

Surgical treatment

Such a treatment of spondylosis is appointed by the doctor when the disease is neglected, complications, and other treatment methods do not bring results. A surgeon made an incision on the spine, the surgical instruments are removed osteophytes, released the moving parts of the spine. In some cases, it is recommended that the replacement of vertebrae in patients with prostheses made of artificial materials.

Food

Important in spondylosis to eat right. If the disease is not have strict limits, but at the insistence of a doctor should carry out a number of recommendations. The myth of the spondylosis: the main factor that contributes to disease and salt. Yes, salt should eat less, but that did not develop atherosclerosis and did not pressure increased.

Once considered a disease caused by an excess of calcium, but now doctors concluded that spondylosis is the deficiency of calcium, so the patient is recommended to eat more fermented milk products, cheese, vegetables, nuts. Recommended to patients and a large number of fruits. The patient must remember that appearing growths disappear, their growth can only suspend.

Than complicated disease?

If left untreated spondylosis, or wrap it in a chronic stage on the background of the disease developing a hernia between vertebrae, can atrophy the muscles of the back, leading to a real estate person. You may experience the patient of paralysis, stenosis of the spinal canal, paresis of spine. The patient does not hold urine and feces.

Preventive measures

That the disease did not develop (if the patient falls into a risk group), from a young age, doctors recommend to lead a active lifestyle (daily gymnastics, sports or gym). If a person has a "Desk job" with a small movement, to warm up during the working day, make sure not to spoil posture. To improve metabolic process you need to follow the diet to the body to receive the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals.