The human body is a holistic system, which includes cells, tissues and organs. The latter are combined among themselves to perform important functions. One of the main ones is the human skeletal system, with which we will familiarize ourselves in more detail. Consider pathologies and their treatment.
What is included in the skeletal system?
The human skeletal system is a framework or support for the whole body. It is difficult to imagine how a person would look without having her. It, in turn, consists of individual constituent components that work as a whole. The elements of the musculoskeletal system include:
- Bones.
- Joints.
- Cartilage and tendons.
- The muscles.
All these organs of the skeletal system are a kind of bricks from which it is built.
Musculoskeletal system functions
All organs that relate to it, collectively perform the following functions:
- This is the support of our body.
- Provide strength and rigidity.
- Motion function.
- Blood formation and accumulation of minerals.
- Protection of vital organs.
It is the skeletal system in conjunction with the muscles that gives the human body an appearance. Unfortunately, there are situations when she cannot fully cope with her functions. Some pathological conditions develop that disrupt her work. Musculoskeletal system diseases are currently quite common. There are a lot of reasons.
What triggers bone and muscle disease
At present, doctors cannot name the exact cause of the development of a disease. We can only assume that most often the 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 food products.
- Past infectious diseases, especially bacterial and streptococcal.
- The presence of chronic foci of infection in the body, this includes caries, tonsillitis.
- Hypothermia.
The same disease in different patients can be caused by different reasons that are established during the examination of the patient.
How are diseases of the skeletal system
Everyone has a different organism and does not react equally to certain 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 movements, especially in the morning immediately after waking up.
- Increased pain when weather conditions change.
- Exercise pain.
- Muscle pain.
- Some patients pay attention to blanching of the skin of the fingers under the influence of cold, experiences.
- Temperature sensitivity decreases.
- Damage 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 proceed 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 with obvious signs.
Bone System Disease Groups
All diseases of the human musculoskeletal system can be divided into several groups:
- Traumatic pathology. This group is the most understandable, since it arises under the mechanical influence of external factors. With timely access to a doctor, therapy is successful and there are no complications.
- Diseases of an inflammatory nature. They can develop as a result of an injury or an infectious process. They are divided into purulent and tuberculosis.
- Dystrophic diseases. 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 striking 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 due to birth trauma or a hereditary predisposition.
It should be noted that the skeletal system also suffers from pathologies that can be attributed to several groups at once. A combination of different symptoms can be observed.
Pathology 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 trigger a disease. Some patients are forced to deal with such pathologies due to hereditary disorders, while others acquire them during their lifetime.
Consider 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. Light injuries can lead to a fracture.
- Osteoarthritis. It is characterized by degeneration of the joint, wear of the cartilage 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 and pain when moving.
- Rickets is triggered by a deficiency of vitamin D. Bones become softer and easily fracture. In infants, a deficiency of this vitamin leads to abnormal skeleton formation.
- Osteopetrosis is also known as marble disease. It is much less common and is manifested by hardening of bones. This pathology refers to hereditary diseases of the skeletal system.
- Imperfect osteogenesis is caused by a mutation in certain genes, which affects the process of collagen synthesis. The bones become quite fragile as a result.
- Bone cancer The development of a malignant tumor leads to such a pathology. It is manifested by bone pain, 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 adjustment and there is an opportunity to improve the quality of life of the patient.
Muscular system diseases
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 that manifests itself as skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue . Any muscles of the body can suffer from pathology, quite often these are the muscles of the face, thigh, and shoulder. Damage to the respiratory muscles is often fatal.
Joint pathology
The skeletal system provides us with active movements due to the presence of joints, that is, mobile 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, can become a source of the tumor.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are various, but among them, osteoarthrosis is more common than others. It can have an idiopathic nature or develop against the background of other diseases, for example, with violations in the endocrine glands.
Most often, the joints of the lower extremities are affected, less often the upper ones. The pathological process can cover several joints at once. The sooner the disease is detected, the more effective the treatment process.
Directions for the treatment of diseases of the bone system
As you know, the treatment of any disease requires an integrated approach. This is the only way to quickly and effectively cope with pathology. This, of course, can be attributed to the musculoskeletal system of a person.
Treatment of the skeletal system is most often carried out in several directions:
- Drug therapy.
- Adequate physical activity.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures.
- Alternative methods of treatment.
- Dietary adjustment.
An important role in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system is played by the patient's attitude to his health. If the patient relies only on drugs and does not want to change his diet and his lifestyle, then effective treatment will not work.
Drug therapy
As a rule, almost always the skeletal system of an organism signals pain with its diseases. Since the cause may be inflammatory processes, therapy usually begins with the appointment of drugs:
- Diclofenac.
- Ibuprofen.
- Ketorolac.
- Naproxen.
- "Tselokoksib."
With pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, doctors recommend taking medications containing glucosamine and chondroitin, which have a good effect on cartilage 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 therapeutic massage. Since ancient times, healers have known its healing power.
Massage affects not only a certain area, but also the whole organism. The interaction between systems and organs is normalized, which leads to the disappearance of pathologies and general recovery.
The benefits of massage for diseases of the musculoskeletal system are as follows:
- Muscle tone is normalized.
- Tissue nutrition improves due to normalization of blood circulation.
- Motor functions are restored.
- Soreness of damaged areas is reduced.
- The lymph flow improves, which stimulates the metabolic processes in the tissues.
- Massage does not allow muscles to atrophy.
- Only with the help of massage can you get rid of hematomas, which often appear in an injured place.
Despite such a miraculous effect of massage, there are some contraindications to such a procedure, therefore, before visiting a massage therapist, it is advisable to discuss this issue with your doctor.
Alternative methods for treating diseases of the skeletal system
In the bins of traditional healers, there are many recipes for the treatment of diseases of the joints and muscles. Here are some that you can use at home:
- For pain in the joints and back, onion ointment helps perfectly. To prepare it, grind 5 heads of onion in a blender, add 8 tbsp. l vegetable oil, three tablespoons of beeswax. Pass the whole mixture until the onion is golden brown for about 45 minutes. After that, squeeze out the liquid and can be used rubbing into the joints and lower back. Keep refrigerated.
- Folk doctors say that bay leaf copes with osteochondrosis. It is necessary to fill one and a half packs with a glass of water and boil for 5 minutes. Insist for three hours and take it in small portions throughout the day. Every day a new composition is being prepared. Take 3 days, and then 7 days rest and repeat.
- Using ginger, you can reduce inflammation in the joints or even prevent it with arthritis. Drink like regular tea or add ginger to salads and soups.
Alternative recipes can only be used as an addition to the main course of treatment. You should not take them without consulting a doctor, as some drugs may not be compatible 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 there is nothing to be done, but it is possible to prevent acquired diseases if you follow some recommendations:
- To lead an active lifestyle, there should be daily stress on the bones and muscles.
- The alternation of work and rest.
- Every day walking and walking in the fresh air.
- Introduce more foods containing calcium and silicon into the diet.
- Drinking enough water.
If you make a summary, then our skeletal system needs movement, a healthy lifestyle, proper and rational nutrition, and enough water. It is always worth remembering that it is much easier to get a disease than to get rid of it later, so you need to protect your health from youth.