Osteosclerosis - this is the name of a pathological change in the structure of bones. It is found in the diagnoses of the elderly, professional athletes and not only. What provokes such processes in the body?
What is osteosclerosis?
Osteosclerosis - what is it? This is a disease of bone tissue, which is manifested by an increase in the density of the bone structure, as well as a narrowing of the bone marrow canal in volume. In a severe form of the process, the bone marrow canal is completely closed, the bone acquires a homogeneous structure.
Develops as a result of impaired blood supply, the presence of a tumor or chronic infection. An x-ray is the only way to determine the disease for a diagnosis. On x-ray, the affected areas of the bone are darker compared to he althy bone. When examining diseased bones in the picture, they look strong, but this impression is deceptive. Osteosclerosis reduces bone elasticity, quality and mechanical function, increasing fragility.
Types of osteosclerosis
Distinguish osteosclerosis bylocalizations:
- Local. A small area of osteosclerosis is mainly a fracture site.
- Limited. It develops on the border between a he althy bone and a focus of chronic inflammation, for example, with syphilis or osteomyelitis.
- Common - involves the bones of one or more limbs.
- System. It is found in diseases of various nature, including genetic ones. The entire bone mass is affected.
Osteosclerosis is divided into three main types depending on the cause of its occurrence:
- Physiological. It develops in childhood, in the process of formation and growth of the skeleton. The reason is congenital malformations of bone tissue.
- Post-traumatic. It is observed in the pathology of healing of bone fractures, as well as in inflammatory processes that change the structure of bone tissue.
- Reactive. The occurrence of osteosclerosis is a reaction to tumor processes, and may also be the result of toxic effects on the body.
Depending on the origin of the disease:
- congenital;
- purchased.
Genetic reasons
One can say about such a disease as osteosclerosis, that it is such a pathological phenomenon that deforms a he althy bone structure. It is not an independent disease, but acts as a manifestation of other diseases. It can be caused by hereditary diseases:
- Melorheostosis (Leri's disease). congenitalpathology of the skeleton, manifested by an increase in the density of the bone area. Foci of osteosclerosis are also found in the ribs, vertebrae, and lower jaw. Manifestations: increased fatigue, pain, weakness, impossibility of flexion and extension of the joints.
- Marble disease (osteopetrosis). This is a severe genetic pathology. It may appear immediately after birth or at about ten years of age. Accompanied by hydrocephalus (dropsy of the brain), malformations of the organs of hearing and vision, enlargement of the liver and spleen. Children suffer from a severe form of anemia, systemic osteosclerosis, lag behind in mental and physical development, and have frequent fractures.
- Osteopokilia. A genetic disease of the skeleton, which is accompanied by numerous foci of osteosclerosis. It does not show any symptoms, it is detected after fluoroscopy.
- Dysosteosclerosis. It appears at an early age. Main symptoms: growth retardation, impaired tooth development, systemic osteosclerosis, paralysis, blindness.
- Pycnodysostosis. Severe violation, detected at an early age. Characteristic signs: children are lagging behind in physical development, have shortened hands, a violation of the structure of the skeleton of the face, teeth, systemic osteosclerosis develops, frequent pathological fractures occur.
- Paget's disease (osteitis deformans). Accompanied by destruction of bone tissue. The bone acquires a mosaic structure, with foci of osteosclerosis and osteoporosis, very fragile and prone to fractures.
Reasons for the acquiredcharacter
- Bone infections. Inflammatory processes of bone tissue caused by infection are often accompanied by local osteosclerosis, which develops at the border of the affected and he althy areas. It manifests itself in diseases such as Garre chronic osteomyelitis, syphilis, Broddy's abscess, bone tuberculosis.
- Injuries to bones, heavy stress on joints or spine.
- Exposure to the body of toxic substances.
- Cancerous tumors that metastasize to bones.
So, osteosclerosis - what is it? This is a pathology of bone tissue that accompanies various bone diseases, congenital or acquired.
Symptoms of osteosclerosis
There are no obvious symptoms of osteosclerosis. A person may feel fatigue, fatigue when walking, but these can be signs of any disease, so osteosclerosis of the bones can only be diagnosed by taking an x-ray. An alarming sign can be frequent fractures of the limbs. Most often, the disease is discovered incidentally during the diagnosis of other diseases. If a person suffers from any disease of the musculoskeletal system, it is very often accompanied by osteosclerosis.
Subchondral osteosclerosis
Subchondral osteosclerosis is the most common type of tissue hardening. This is one of the main manifestations of such diseases of the musculoskeletal system as osteochondrosis and arthrosis. Compaction of bones occurs at the borders with areas affected by the inflammatory process. The area of its defeat is the spine, most oftencervical and lumbar sections, and joints - knee, hip, fingers.
The term subchondral itself means "subchondral". The bone tissue under the damaged cartilage thickens, grows, and over time, outgrowths are formed - osteophytes. In the initial stage, they do not manifest themselves, in severe form they cause pain during flexion, and ultimately they can make it impossible to flex and extend the joint. If pathological processes occur in the spine, then they mean osteosclerosis of the endplates, which are located between the vertebral disc and its body.
Causes of subchondral osteosclerosis
Since subchondral osteosclerosis is a concomitant manifestation of arthrosis and osteochondrosis, their causes are the same:
- Unhe althy diet and overweight.
- Age changes.
- Congenital predisposition.
- Great physical exertion in the process of work or playing sports, frequent injury to the joints.
- Sedentary lifestyle, staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time.
- Endocrine system disorders.
- Vascular diseases, circulatory disorders.
- Pathologies in the development of the skeleton or muscle mass.
- Disruptions in the endocrine system.
Symptoms of subchondral osteosclerosis
Symptoms of subchondral osteosclerosis depend on the disease that caused it, the nature of the lesion, the severity and complications, ifthere are such. At an early stage, it has no obvious manifestations. If the process is localized in the joints, it can cause deformation of the limbs. Osteosclerosis of the vertebrae does not manifest itself until it causes the occurrence of osteophytes (a pathological growth on the bone tissue), then pain and neurological disorders occur, this is due to the difficulty of the motor process and pinching of the nerves. Patients feel constant pain in the neck or lower back. In a severe, neglected form, it causes vertebral fractures and provokes loss of working capacity.
Joints
Osteosclerosis of the articular surfaces extends its action to the bone plates located under the cartilage of the joint. The most common cause of development is permanent joint injuries or physical exertion that causes arthrosis, and as a result, osteosclerosis. Another common reason is old age. Cartilage tissue wears out over time, and this leads to thickening of the articular part of the bone.
Osteosclerosis of the joints does not manifest itself at an early stage, but with the development of pathology and an increase in the affected surface, pain is felt during exercise, walking, which disappear if the joint is at rest. In a more severe stage, pain is constant and does not disappear with a decrease in load.
Treatment of subchondral osteosclerosis
First of all, it is necessary to treat the diseases that caused the development of osteosclerosis, and do it at the initial stage of the disease. Treatment of advanced ailments will no longer giveresults, but will only allow to suspend or slow down the destruction. The problem is that such diseases do not cause much discomfort to the patient, so he is in no hurry to go to the doctor. But the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the easier it is to deal with it. If we talk about osteosclerosis itself, its treatment involves taking anti-inflammatory and painkillers (if necessary) drugs. Your doctor may prescribe additional medications according to your symptoms, such as those that relieve muscle spasm.
After the pain is relieved, physiotherapy and massage therapy are included in the treatment. Also, therapeutic exercises are used, which should be carried out strictly according to the rules, smoothly, without loading the diseased joint, but giving a full range of motion. If the course of osteosclerosis has been long and has already given such a complication as osteophytes, it is impossible to get rid of them (only a surgical method is possible), so the treatment is aimed at maintaining joint mobility.
Prevention of bone disease
The best cure is prevention. And for it to be fruitful, you need to know everything about osteosclerosis, what it is and what causes it. The main rules of prevention:
- Performing physical exercise. A passive lifestyle has a detrimental effect on the joints and spine, as well as excessively strong loads. But properly selected exercises improve the work and the very structure of bone tissue, stabilize blood supply, prevent articular cartilage from thinning and losing their main function - movement. For example, running is the prevention of arthritis, and therefore osteosclerosis. In addition, an active lifestyle will not allow excess weight to appear, which is a big enemy for the joints and spine, and he alth in general.
- Food matters a lot. All consumed products affect the body positively or negatively. They can increase or decrease the amount of free radicals that destroy joints, relieve or provoke inflammation.
- Listen carefully to your body. In case of any discomfort, do not wait until it passes by itself, but consult a doctor, if necessary, undergo an examination so as not to start an irreversible destructive process.
