Spondylosis of the spine - Causes, symptoms and treatment. MF.

Spondylosis is a chronic disease of the spine, accompanied by deformation of the vertebrae due to the growth of bone tissue on their surface in the form of protrusions and thorns and their degeneration, followed by a narrowing of the vertebral canal and intervertebral foramen. Being under the anterior longitudinal ligament of the spine, osteophytes sometimes irritate it. Osteophytes can reach considerable sizes, sometimes causing fusion of bodies of adjacent vertebrae. Osteophytes narrow the vertebral canal and exert pressure on the nerve roots. The appearance of these outgrowths is a defensive reaction of the body to the degeneration of the intervertebral disc.

The sprouting of ovoid processes - osteophytes along the vertebrae margins - causes their mobility to be restricted. With the development of spondylosis, it is possible to squeeze the nerve endings with pain syndromes. The patient experiences dull, aching pain in the diseased part of the spine. Spondylosis, as a rule, people of advanced age. The most common form of spondylosis is cervical spondylosis.

Usually, the spinal fusion of the spine is manifested over the years in those who spend a lot of time in fixed positions, for example, working at a computer.

The classification of spondylosis is based on the topographic development of the pathological process. Distinguish cervical( the most common), thoracic and lumbar spondylosis.

Causes of Spinal Spondylosis:

The causes of the disease are metabolic disorders leading to excessive deposition of lime salts in the body. In general, spondylosis develops in the elderly( 30-40% of the population over the age of 40) due to long-term heavy loads on the spine and age-related changes in the cervical spine;men are sick more often than women( 3: 1).In young people the cause of spondylosis can be the curvature of the spine, tk.they lead to an irregular, uneven distribution of the load on the vertebrae. Other causes of the disease are possible.

The main causes of spondylosis:

• trauma or microtrauma of the spine
• static spine congestion
• various metabolic disorders
• advanced age

Spondylosis usually affects one part of the spine, for example, lumbar or cervical spine. The case of common spondylosis is less common.

Spondylosis Symptoms of the Spine

Spondylosis fixes the area undergoing overload, causing irritation of the nerve endings of the ligament. Patients experience dull, aching local pain and heaviness in the spine. Spondylosis is accompanied by muscle tension around the motor segment, and then these two fixation mechanisms not only aggravate the pain, but also worsen the cushioning function of the spine, straightening its physiological curves.

Osteophytes in spondylosis of the spine

Symptoms of spondylosis: pain in the affected spine and restriction of its mobility caused by compression of nerve endings( compression of intervertebral discs).Back pain intensifies throughout the day and causes anxiety at night. Pain occurs not only when moving, but also in a stationary state. The patient for a long time can not find the painless position of the body or head. At the initial stage, spondylosis develops without pain symptoms and can only be manifested by the limitation of mobility.

Cervical spondylosis is widespread due to the increase in the number of people engaged in "mental work": neck and shoulder pain often disturb this contingent, since the work of such patients is mostly sedentary. Painful syndrome is associated with vascular disorders: dizziness, tinnitus, visual impairment, pressure changes.

The lesion of the of the thoracic spine during spondylosis of is less common, but the clinical picture is pronounced. Patients are concerned about pain in the middle and lower spine, more often one-sided, which can spread to the chest and sternum, if the anterior branches of the spinal nerves are involved in the pathological process. When palpation, painful areas( as a result of inflammation) are found along the spine and anterior thorax.

With spondylosis of the lumbar spine of , the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae are more often affected, it can be one- and two-sided. Osteophytes in the form of a spur or rings often do not squeeze the nerve roots, but irritate, causing the corresponding radicular symptomatology. In patients with lumbar spondylosis, a symptom of spinal "intermittent claudication"( a symptom of false intermittent claudication) is possible: discomfort is localized in the buttock, hips and leg. Patients describe this discomfort in different ways: "cotton feet", "okazhenie", "sensation of wooden legs".Complaints arise when walking, or with a prolonged vertical static load. All symptoms are eliminated when the torso is tilted forward, when the patient lies down in the "hanging" position. Unlike true "intermittent claudication"( vascular), the pain in spondylosis does not stop until the patient bends his back.

Spondylosis is chronic and progresses a long time. It is important to prevent development in the initial stages.

Often spondylosis accompanies osteochondrosis.

Diagnosis of spinal spinal fusion

As a rule, a diagnostic measure that can reveal spondylosis in the early stages is an x-ray examination of the spine, the radiographs of which clearly show the beak-shaped bone protrusions. For the same purpose, computerized tomography and MRI are used.

Spondylosis. X-ray of the lumbar spine with coarse degenerative changes - decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs, large osteophytes

Spinal cord spondylosis treatment

Treatment of spinal spondylosis is mandatory in the early stages. The osteophytes themselves with conservative treatment will not disappear anywhere, and the goal of treatment is to prevent their further growth and relieve disturbing symptoms. Treatment of spondylosis is aimed at eliminating pain and inflammation, strengthening the muscular corset in the affected area. is carried out medical measures that help to eliminate the causes that lead to the pathology of the spine.

Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs only alleviate the condition and do not treat the disease itself. Drug therapy is represented by drugs of the NSAID group( ibuprofen, indomethacin, diclofenac, ketonal, movalis).Effective in this case, massage, physiotherapy( electrophoresis with novocaine on the affected area, diadynamic currents, ultrasound on the spine), therapeutic exercises to strengthen the muscular backbone.

Usually, short-term acute periods precede chronic, obvious clinical signs, so when exacerbating parenterally apply analgesics - novocaine( blockade), baralgin, ketorol. Injections are carried out for several days, usually this is quite enough to restore work capacity. However, such an attack must be perceived as an alarm and urgently begin to engage in therapeutic gymnastics, correct posture during long monotonous work, otherwise the process can go on in a chronic form.

Treatment of chronic forms of spondylosis should be directed to secondary prevention( prevention of complications).For this, if you have a long sedentary work with the torso tilted forward, for example, at the computer, it is necessary to recline once per hour in the back of the chair, raise your head and relax your arms along the trunk. During work, follow the posture - the back should be flat, with the neck not protruding forward. A major role in the prevention of spondylosis is played by professional therapeutic massage.

Modern successful methods of treatment: applied kinesiology, osteopathy can quickly eliminate the pain and help to find an approach to improve metabolic processes in the body. Manual therapy is an effective method of pain relief in spondylosis and prevention of complications, along with exercise therapy. It is also very important to eliminate the cause, change the way of life or at least the pose, if your work is connected with a constant sitting.

Drug treatment for spondylosis is ineffective, surgical methods for spinal spondylosis are used only in case of complications.

In the treatment of spondylosis, a complex approach is required - therapeutic massage and soft osteopathic techniques, as well as reflexotherapy( acupuncture) techniques for removing hypertonicity in muscle tissue. In acute pain, an effective and gentle technique is used, such as hirudotherapy, which facilitates the rapid removal of edema.

An effective treatment for spondylosis can consist of physiotherapy techniques:

• HILT therapy especially helps with osteophytes;
• Laser therapy MLS( relieves pain after the first procedure).

After removal of the pain syndrome, exercises of exercise therapy are necessary - a set of physical exercises for fixing a positive result and preventing the recurrence of spondylosis. The use of physiotherapy exercises makes it possible, by activating the muscular activity, to improve blood circulation in the spine and to maintain the functional state of the muscles at a satisfactory level. Therapeutic exercise is also aimed at maintaining optimal mobility of the spine, and at different stages of the disease, physicians use different approaches in its designation. Physical loads must be performed in positions that ensure the unloading of the spine, for example, in a lying position or on all fours. Some exercises can be performed standing only with a not very pronounced pain syndrome, and the entire course of exercise therapy is performed against a background of reducing the overall burden on the spine, in some cases even wearing a special orthopedic corset.

Warning! Contraindicated the following medical manipulations: gymnastics for mobilization of the spine, intensive massage and intensive manual therapy, stretching of the spine.

Severe forms of spondylosis are very difficult to treat( only surgery can help).If the growth of osteophytes is not interrupted, the process ends with the fusion of two vertebrae with each other and with stenosis of the spine. So do not run the disease.