Intervertebral osteochondrosis refers to the primary osteochondrosis. It is caused by degenerative-dystrophic changes in the most loaded discs. This disease is characterized by loss of many of the vertebrae, sometimes even all. First come degenerative changes pulpous (jelly) engine and replacing the lost parts of fibrous connective tissue. In the intervertebral disc increases the amount of collagen and decreases the amount of fluid. Disk lose turgor, flattens, the function of the joint greatly disturbed.
Degenerative changes of intervertebral disks exercise can lead to increased intradiscal pressure, bulging disks (disk hernias), cracks fibrous ring and breaks the nucleus pulposus. Bulging disc and decrease of its height is called convergence of the vertebrae, the development of edema in the intervertebral joints, root compression, and sometimes the spinal cord with the relevant neuralgic disorders.
For the clinical picture of the intervertebral osteochondrosis is characterized by a chronic disease with periods of exacerbation and remission.
There are osteochondrosis of the lumbar and cervical spine (less breast).
Depending on the prevalence of this or that pathogenetic factors are the following syndromes of lumbar osteochondrosis:
reflex (lumbago, lumbodynia, lumboischalgia);
radicular (mono-, bi-, polyradicular);
radicular-vascular (radiculoischemia);
compression-spinal (caused by a herniated disc, osteophytes, epiduritis).
These syndromes appear severe pain and immobility of a certain area of the vertebral column; can develop contractures of superficial and deep muscles of the back.
The disease usually begins gradually after static stress or hypothermia.
For lumbodynia characterized by chronic nagging pain, stiffness, or numbness in the lumbar region, involuntary body position.
When compression syndromes pain similar to the passage of electric current ("shooting" pain), musculoskeletal disorders are manifested in the form of weakness extensor of the big toe, hypotension and hypertrophy of the anterior tibial muscle.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are: to improve pathological proprioceptive activity coming from the cervical spine; swelling in the tissues of the intervertebral holes; a sharp pain in the upper trapezius muscle, impaired function of the vestibular analyzer.
To cervical osteochondrosis can lead systematic muscle strain when performing labour activities associated with long-term fixation of the working postures. A significant role in the origin of the disease is played by the influence of General and local vibrations in the human body, as well as the so-called "fly" head shakes when braking transport.
Treatment of osteochondrosis is complex. Leading method is conservative - neuroorthopedics. The main emphasis rest, immobilization and unloading of a spine, manual therapy (manual exposure, enabling them to mobilize moving parts of the vertebral segments in a state block). Are also used drugs that reduce pain and reduces muscle tension, physical therapy, warm baths, massage.
In the practice of medical physical culture allocate two periods. The first period corresponds to the phase of the disease with a pronounced pain syndrome, severe muscle tension and significant restriction of mobility in the affected spine. Hence the specific objectives of the first period:
1) the normalization of tone of the Central nervous system;
2) promote muscle relaxation; 3) strengthening the blood and lymph circulation in the affected segments; 4) maximum unloading the affected area of the spine; 5) prevention adhesive processes.
