MedClinic > Blog > Algology > Osteochondrosis

 

Osteochondrosis is a chronic degenerative – dystrophic disease affecting the intervertebral discs, and secondarily other parts of the spine, musculoskeletal system and nervous system. Osteochondrosis is a pathological process, the appearance of which is associated with various diseases and age-related changes in the body, leading to premature ageing and wearing off of all elements of the spine.

Timely treatment of osteochondrosis is the key to the absence of unpleasant complications that will cause dysfunction of many internal organs and systems.

Why does osteochondrosis occur?

The main reason leading to the development of osteochondrosis is an improperly distributed load on the spinal column. The factors provoking pathology are as follows:

  • constant stoop;
  • incorrect posture;
  • “Sedentary” work and a passive lifestyle;
  • curvature of the spinal column;
  • work with heavy loads;
  • metabolic disorder;
  • genetic predisposition to pathologies of the spine;
  • musculoskeletal system injuries;
  • severe diseases of an infectious nature;
  • hormonal disbalance;
  • excessively active sport;
  • sudden movements from the wrong body position;
  • diseases of the central nervous system;
  • bad habits, stress, psycho-emotional shocks.

Clinical feature

Common symptoms of osteochondrosis:

  • back pain;
  • feeling of numbness in the legs and arms;
  • muscle cramps;
  • shooting pain in the spinal column;
  • muscle weakness in the arms and legs;
  • joint aches;
  • severe headache, migraine;
  • dizziness;
  • visual impairment;
  • heartache;
  • dry skin, peeling;
  • excessive sweating (sometimes the opposite symptoms are observed).

The intensity of the manifestation of pain and other symptoms depends on the degree of development of osteochondrosis:

  • Stage 1 – the absence of specific symptoms, the pain is slight, appears after excessive physical activity and increased movement.
  • Stage 2 – the pain intensifies, cartilage begins to collapse gradually, nerves and blood vessels are compressed, there is constant discomfort when performing simple tasks.
  • Stage 3 – pathological changes in the spinal column, curvature of the spine, pain is always present, intensifies after exertion, in some patients, depending on the type of the curvature of the spinal column, a hump appears.
  • Stage 4 – pathological processes in the spine become irreversible. Back pain is strong, persistent, dysfunction of internal organs adds up.

The treatment of osteochondrosis is long and complex. How long does it take for a patient to restore the body depends on the severity of the symptomatic picture and the degree of development of the disease. In the treatment of osteochondrosis, drug therapy is used, sometimes physiotherapy,  and in extreme cases, an operation is performed. Adherence to a therapeutic diet is a mandatory measure, as well as limitation of physical activity, if possible – compliance with bed rest.

The doctors of the MedClinic Medical Center have extensive experience in the treatment of acute and chronic pain syndromes associated with the pathology of the musculoskeletal system and not only. Here you will receive qualified advice from a neurologist, neurosurgeon, orthopedist – traumatologist. You will be provided with a full range of services of a conservative and surgical nature, depending on the specific clinical situation.

The MedClinic Medical Center uses modern, effective, minimally invasive (non-surgical) methods adopted by the world medical community for the treatment of back pain:

  • selective transforaminal radicular blockade;
  • interlaminar (epidural blockade);
  • caudal epidural block for pelvic pain;
  • radiofrequency ablation of the medial root branch (facet syndrome);
  • radiofrequency neuromodulation of the spinal roots;
  • block/ neuromodulation/ablation of the solar plexus;
  • block/ neuromodulation/ablation of ganglion impar (coxalgia);
  • block of ganglion stellate;
  • block of triggering points.

The advantages of these techniques:

  • performed on an outpatient basis under local anaesthesia;
  • duration of the procedure is 15-30 minutes;
  • duration of being under medical supervision is up to 1 hour;
  • there are practically no restrictions in the post-procedural period;
  • minimal risk of complications;
  • effective and safe;
  • have a high level of evidence;
  • there are practically no contraindications;
  • can be performed in combination with other treatment methods, provide a faster and more stable treatment result.

Surgical methods for treating back pain used at the MedClinic Medical Center:

  • spinal fusion (in degenerative processes);
  • microdiscectomy (removal of a hernia of the intervertebral disc from a mini-access);
  • kyphoplasty (with compression fractures);
  • vertebroplasty (in the presence of neoplasms);
  • corpectomy (removal of the vertebral body with prosthesis);
  • laminectomy (in case of damage to nerve endings due to stenosis of the spinal canal);
  • foraminotomy (when the roots of nerve endings are squeezed at the level of the intervertebral foramen).

The operative method is selected by the doctor individually.

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13.04.2020

Травматология

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