Many of us perceive back pain as a normal phenomenon, because it occurs quite often. As a result, the symptoms are ignored, and the disease worsens. Well, if we are talking about osteochondrosis, although in this case, the inflammatory process must be treated on time. But osteoporosis will not forgive such an attitude to one's he alth at all. By running this serious disease, you can get a bunch of complications and even end up on disability. That is why we want to tell you more about osteoporosis of the spine. Symptoms and treatment, prevention and supportive care - all this should be known to anyone who wants to live a long life without pain and taking strong medications.
What is this disease
Despite the abundance of information, many do not fully understand what this disease is. And it’s completely in vain, because by skipping the first symptoms, you are at great risk, since a formidable diseaseslowly but surely will continue to develop. Therefore, every person, especially over the age of forty, should have a good idea of what osteoporosis of the spine is. Symptoms and treatment can be very different in each case, but there are still common features that will help you navigate.
So, osteoporosis is a chronic disease of the spinal column, as a result of which bone density is gradually discharged, and bone fragility increases. Below we will take a closer look at the biological mechanism by which this occurs. Most often, this disease affects women 45-55 years after the onset of menopause. But after 70 years, the disease is no longer differentiated by gender, affecting both men and women to the same extent. More than a third of all fractures are caused by osteoporosis. After all, even a slight fall can lead to the fact that a fragile bone breaks. Therefore, it is very important to recognize osteoporosis of the spine at an early stage. Symptoms and treatment of the disease are closely related to each other. Therefore, only an experienced orthopedist should supervise therapy. Never try to self-medicate.
Main directions in the treatment of the disease
Depending on the age and condition of the patient in which he went to the doctor, medications of various groups will be prescribed. However, this is only one of the components of a successful medical complex. It is very important to visit the exercise therapy room and follow all the recommendations of the specialist. Special gymnastics helps a lot in the fight againstthe development of osteoporosis. Finally, it is very important to eat a nutritious, he althy diet and use traditional medicines, as they are often very effective.
Basic principles of nutrition
Doctors may not focus your attention on the need to optimize your diet, but folk healers primarily talk about this. First of all, it is very important to include in your daily diet the optimal amount of vegetable and animal protein, vitamins and calcium. That is, first of all, there should be lean meat, vegetables and fruits on the table. This is the basis of the diet. As sources of calcium, you can use legumes, that is, beans and peas, as well as hard cheeses and cottage cheese. So that the body does not lack vitamin D, it is necessary to have butter, eggs, fish and seafood on the table.
What to look for, or Symptoms of the disease
No ailment develops at the same time. The osteoporosis of the spine is no exception. Symptoms develop progressively, gradually becoming more and more pronounced and strong. This process can take several years or even decades. The first symptom is pain in the spine. Most often it is aching in nature, lasting from several days to several weeks. The pain usually subsides on its own, but with any physical activity it returns again. Most often it occurs in the thoracic region.spine.
If you do not pay any attention to this symptom, the situation will gradually worsen. Especially pronounced are the symptoms of osteoporosis of the spine in women. This is a sharp decrease in efficiency and increased fatigue from previously habitual loads. We can observe a progressive stoop and protrusion of the abdomen, the absence of a waist. In addition, striking signs are a decrease in growth (due to a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae) and impaired mobility in the spine. However, it should be noted that osteoporosis of different parts of the spine manifests itself and is treated somewhat differently. Therefore, today we will talk about each of them separately.
Cervical region
This is the most vulnerable area of all. It is pain in the neck that most often catches people who, due to the nature of work, have to spend a lot of time at their desk in one position. Therefore, first of all, today we will consider osteoporosis of the cervical spine. Symptoms and treatment will depend on the extent of the disease. So, a mild degree is manifested by a slight decrease in the density of the spongy tissue of the vertebral body. Among the physical sensations, pain can be distinguished during a long stay in the same position. Soda also refers to pain in the limbs and cramps in the legs at night. Panic attacks can often occur, as well as palpitations.
Further change in the bone structure leads to increased symptoms. There are aching pains of a permanent nature in the neck area, because the vertebrae are deformed and pinchednerve endings. At the same time, squeezing of blood vessels leads to headaches and increased blood pressure.
What to do and how to treat this disease
If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis of the cervical spine, the symptoms will only get worse, so you need to seek help immediately. Moreover, in the early stages, the main task is to reduce the rate of bone loss, that is, calcium-based preparations are used. In more complex cases, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs are needed. However, the best treatment for this disease is prevention, which involves normal physical activity, mandatory gymnastics and good nutrition so that the body is provided with calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D.
Pathology of the thoracic spine
A rather common phenomenon is osteoporosis of the thoracic spine. In this case, the symptoms are also slightly expressed in the early stages, and then begin to manifest themselves in the form of a sharp pain. It often happens that the first pain symptoms affect this particular section due to the physiological curves of this area. Gradually, the pain intensifies and becomes constant. The patient feels special discomfort when laughing, coughing, and even when taking a deep breath. A characteristic symptom is the formation of a hump.
Treatment of this department, like any other, involves a complex effect aimed at normalizingmetabolic processes, replenishment of calcium deficiency, stimulation of bone growth. To do this, it is extremely important to avoid severe stress, play sports and adhere to a he althy diet.
Lumbar Pathology
With a sedentary lifestyle, this department also suffers, as the vertebrae are constantly experiencing excessive pressure. Often, even relatively young people develop osteoporosis of the lumbosacral spine. The symptoms are the same - this is aching pain in the lower back during physical exertion, which gradually turns into a permanent one. At the same time, there is a strong decrease in growth, up to 15 centimeters.
Classic treatment
It is necessary to clearly understand that osteoporosis of the spine is not a sentence. Symptoms and types of effective treatment can be assessed by any competent doctor, which means that everyone has a chance to defeat the disease. First of all, anti-resorbital drugs are used, which will stop the destruction of bones. This is Calcitonin and others. At the same time, anabolic drugs are prescribed to stimulate bone formation. Hormone therapy also plays an important role, as well as calcium and vitamin D preparations. It does not make much sense to describe medications in more detail, because such a complex disease cannot be treated on its own. Additionally, kinesiology and osteopathy, manual therapy and massage are used.
Folk wisdom
In fact, the advice of doctors can also help, but this does not negate the trip to the doctor who diagnosesspinal osteoporosis. The symptoms and folk remedies of this disease have been studied by herbalists and healers for many centuries, and the accumulated experience has been passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, there are recommendations that can help as part of complex therapy. A balanced diet and sleep for at least 8 hours a day help maintain a normal state. At the same time, bee products can become good helpers. Take 100 g of buckwheat honey, 100 g of propolis and 100 g of crushed shells. Mix the ingredients and take 2 teaspoons daily for at least two months.
If you have an allergic reaction to honey, you can take another prescription. Knotweed grass and horsetail are poured with boiling water, after which it is necessary to boil it for at least 10 minutes. The resulting decoction should be taken at least three times a day, 2 tablespoons. The course of therapy - 2 months.
Other traditional medicine recipes
Introduce eggshells into your diet first. It is enough to take a quarter tablespoon of crushed shells with lemon juice a day. It is also recommended to drink clay water. To do this, take 1 dessert spoon per glass of water. Take the remedy should be 3 times a day for a third of a glass for three weeks. In addition, be sure to eat boiled eggs and green beans, tomatoes and tuna, as well as Chinese cabbage. Dried fruit compote is also very useful. And if osteoporosis has led to a fracture of the bones, then compresses should be made frominfusion of geranium, and also take it inside. To do this, brew one tablespoon of herbs with a glass of boiling water and leave for one hour.
It is very useful to take the juice of young nettles. This is a seasonal remedy, but it is an excellent treatment for osteoporosis. To prepare it, you need to take young shoots and turn through a meat grinder.
An excellent tool that strengthens bone tissue is mummy. It is dissolved in water and taken in courses - in the morning and in the evening. The duration of the course is no more than three weeks, after which you need to take a break.
