The human body is a complete system, which includes cells, tissues and organs. The latter are combined with each other to perform important functions. One of the main ones is the human skeletal system, which we will get acquainted with in more detail. Consider pathologies and their treatment.
What is included in the skeletal system?
The human skeletal system is a frame or support for the entire body. It is difficult to imagine what a person would look like without it. It, in turn, consists of individual components that work as a whole. The elements of the musculoskeletal system include:
- Bones.
- Joints.
- Cartilage and tendons.
- Muscles.
All these organs of the skeletal system are a kind of building blocks from which it is built
Functions of the musculoskeletal system
All the organs that belong to it collectively perform the following functions:
- This is the support of our body.
- Provides strength and rigidity.
- Motion function.
- Hematopoiesis and mineral accumulation.
- Protection is vitalimportant organs.
It is the skeletal system, together with the muscles, that gives the human body its appearance. Unfortunately, there are situations when it cannot cope with its functions 100%. Some pathological conditions develop, which disrupt its work. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are now quite common. There are quite a few reasons.
What causes bone and muscle disease
Currently, doctors cannot name the exact cause of the development of a particular disease. One can only assume that the most common cause of such pathologies are:
- Hereditary predisposition, usually if close relatives have problems with the musculoskeletal system, the risk of developing pathology increases.
- Autoimmune disorders.
- Problems in the endocrine system.
- Metabolic disorder.
- Chronic joint injuries.
- Excessive sensitivity of the body to certain drugs and foods.
- Past infectious diseases, especially bacterial and streptococcal.
- The presence of chronic foci of infection in the body, this includes caries, tonsillitis.
- Hypercooling.
The same disease in different patients can be caused by different causes, which are established during the examination of the patient.
How diseases of the skeletal system manifest
Everyone's body is different and does not react the same to thoseor other problems, so the symptoms of such pathologies are quite diverse. Most often, diseases of the bone and muscle systems are manifested by the following symptoms:
- Pain.
- Stiffness in movement, especially in the morning immediately after waking up.
- Increased pain when changing weather conditions.
- Pain on exertion.
- Muscle pain.
- Some patients pay attention to the blanching of the skin of the fingers under the influence of cold, experiences.
- Temperature sensitivity is reduced.
- Injury to the joints or spine can lead to complete immobility of the patient.
- Swelling and redness around the affected area.
The course of the disease has a great influence on the symptoms. There are diseases of the skeletal system that occur almost imperceptibly and progress rather slowly, which means that the symptoms will be mild. And the acute onset of the disease will immediately make itself felt by clear signs.
Bone disease groups
All diseases of the human musculoskeletal system can be divided into several groups:
- Traumatic pathologies. This group is the most understandable, as it arises under the mechanical influence of external factors. With a timely visit to the doctor, the therapy is successful and there are no complications.
- Inflammatory diseases. They can develop as a result of injury or infection. Subdivided intopurulent and tuberculous.
- Diseases are dystrophic. They are most often provoked by disturbances in metabolic processes, but can be caused by errors in nutrition and the influence of external factors. A prime example is rickets.
- Dysplastic diseases are manifested by violations of the shape of the bones, which leads to a change in the human skeleton. The cause of such pathologies is often birth trauma or hereditary predisposition.
It should be noted that the skeletal system also suffers from such pathologies that can be attributed to several groups at once. A combination of different symptoms may be observed.
Pathologies of the skeletal system
Despite all its strength, the skeletal system is quite vulnerable to various kinds of influences. There are many reasons that can provoke diseases. Some patients are forced to struggle with such pathologies due to hereditary disorders, while others acquire them during their lives.
Let's look at some of the most common diseases:
- Osteoporosis. This pathology develops as a result of loss of bone density. With age, the mineralization of the tissue is disturbed, which leads to the fact that the bones become brittle and brittle. Minor injuries can lead to a fracture.
- Osteoarthritis. It is characterized by degeneration of the joint, wear of the cartilaginous tissue that covers the ends of the bones. As a result, friction between the bones leads to the development of bone outgrowths, stiffness in the joints appears andpain on movement.
- Rickets is caused by vitamin D deficiency. Bones become softer and more easily fractured. In infants, a deficiency of this vitamin leads to abnormal skeletal development.
- Osteopetrosis is also known as marble disease. It is much less common and is manifested by hardening of the bones. This pathology refers to hereditary diseases of the skeletal system.
- Osteogenesis imperfecta is caused by a mutation in certain genes that affects the process of collagen synthesis. Bones become quite brittle as a result.
- Bone cancer. This pathology leads to the development of a malignant tumor. It is manifested by pain in the bones, swelling, aching.
This is just a small list of diseases of the skeletal system. But you need to know that even hereditary pathologies are currently amenable to correction and there is an opportunity to improve the patient's quality of life.
Diseases of the muscular system
Muscles are an integral part of the musculoskeletal system, so their diseases also lead to various disorders throughout the body. Here is a list of the most common pathologies:
- Muscular dystrophy. It is characterized by symmetrical muscle atrophy, which is accompanied by progressive weakness. Everything can end with complete immobility.
- Myasthenia gravis is a chronic disease characterized by weakness and fatigue of the skeletal muscles. Any muscle in the body can suffer from pathology, quite oftenthese are the muscles of the face, thigh, shoulder. Respiratory muscle damage is often fatal.
Pathologies of joints
The skeletal system provides us with active movements due to the presence of joints, that is, the movable joints of bones. Diseases of these formations can be associated with various processes:
- Degenerative changes that lead to the development of arthrosis.
- Inflammatory processes ending in arthritis.
The shell of the joint, as well as cartilage tissue, can become a source of tumor.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are different, but among them osteoarthritis is more common than others. It can be idiopathic in nature or develop against the background of other diseases, for example, in violations of the endocrine glands.
Most often affects the joints of the lower extremities, rarely the upper. The pathological process can cover several joints at once. The earlier the disease is detected, the more effective the treatment process.
Directions in the treatment of diseases of the skeletal system
As you know, the treatment of any disease requires an integrated approach. This is the only way to quickly and effectively deal with pathology. The same, of course, can be attributed to the human musculoskeletal system.
Treatment of the skeletal system is most often carried out in several directions:
- Drug therapy.
- Adequate physical activity.
- Physiotherapy treatments.
- Folk waystreatment.
- Diet adjustments.
An important role in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system is played by the patient's attitude to his he alth. If the patient relies only on drugs and does not want to change the diet and lifestyle, then effective treatment will not work.
Drug Therapy
As a rule, almost always the skeletal system of the body signals about its diseases with pain. Since inflammatory processes can be the cause, therapy usually begins with the appointment of drugs:
- Diclofenac.
- Ibuprofen.
- Ketorolac.
- Naproxen.
- Celocoxib.
For pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, doctors recommend taking drugs containing glucosamine and chondroitin, which have a good effect on cartilage tissue and contribute to its restoration.
If there is an infectious nature of the disease, then you can not do without antibacterial drugs and corticosteroids.
Therapeutic massage against bone and muscle diseases
If the musculoskeletal system has failed, treatment will require a long and complex. Not the last place in therapy is occupied by therapeutic massage. Since ancient times, healers have known its healing power.
Massage affects not only a certain area, but the whole body as a whole. The interaction between systems and organs is normalized, which leads to the disappearance of pathologies and general recovery.
The benefits of massage in diseasesmusculoskeletal system as follows:
- Muscle tone normalizes.
- Improves tissue nutrition due to normalization of blood circulation.
- Motor functions are being restored.
- Reduces soreness of damaged areas.
- Improves lymph flow, which stimulates metabolic processes in tissues.
- Massage prevents muscle atrophy.
- Only with the help of massage you can get rid of bruises that often appear in the injured area.
Despite such a miraculous effect of massage, there are contraindications to such a procedure, so it is advisable to discuss this issue with your doctor before visiting a massage therapist.
Folk methods for the treatment of diseases of the skeletal system
In the bins of folk healers there are quite a lot of recipes for the treatment of diseases of the joints and muscles. Here are some that you can use at home:
- Onion ointment helps with pain in the joints and back. To prepare it, you need to chop 5 onions in a blender, add 8 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, three tablespoons of beeswax. Saute all this mixture until the onion acquires a golden color, about 45 minutes. After that, squeeze out the liquid and can be used by rubbing it into the joints and lower back. Store in refrigerator.
- Folk healers claim that the bay leaf copes well with osteochondrosis. It is necessary to pour one and a half packs with a glass of water and boil for 5 minutes. Infuse for three hours and take small portions throughout the day. Every day a new composition is being prepared. Take 3 days, then 7 days rest and repeat.
- With the help of ginger, inflammation in the joints can be reduced or completely prevented in arthritis. Drink like regular tea or add ginger to salads and soups.
Folk recipes can only be used as an addition to the main course of treatment. Do not take them without consulting your doctor, as some medications may be incompatible with herbs.
How to prevent the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Of course, it is clear that if there is a hereditary pathology, then nothing can be done, but it is possible to prevent acquired diseases if you follow some recommendations:
- Keep an active lifestyle, there should be daily stress on the bones and muscles.
- Alternating work and rest.
- Walking and walking outdoors every day.
- Introduce more foods containing calcium and silicon into the diet.
- Drinking enough water.
To summarize, our skeletal system needs movement, a he althy lifestyle, proper and rational nutrition and enough water. It is always worth remembering that acquiring a disease is much easier than getting rid of it later, so you need to take care of your he alth from youth.