At the moment, more and more experts are making people diagnosed with subchondral sclerosis of the spine. What is it that interests many. How to deal with it? This is a pathological process in which the density of the bone material of the spinal column increases significantly.
We will try to consider this pathology in more detail. In what cases should I immediately sound the alarm in order to avoid disability in the future?
Briefly about a spinal defect
So, a person has subchondral sclerosis of the spine. What it is?
This is not a separate disease, but a symptom of some other defect. It is for this reason that therapy directly depends on what became the provocateur that caused sclerosis of the vertebra. It is worth noting that this ailment is found not only in humans, but also in animals. Regarding the gender of patients, men are more prone to it.
Vertebral sclerosis often affects people over the age of 50, while the locations of such a disease are as follows:
- Hip joint
- ankle joint;
- middle section of the vertebra;
- cervical and thoracic vertebrae.
But what causes this defect, see below.
The reasons why this defect develops
All of them depend not only on external, but also on internal factors. If you know what can provoke the development of such a disease, then there is a real chance to protect yourself and your loved ones from this dangerous defect.
There are two reasons why subchondral sclerosis of the lumbosacral spine develops, namely:
- the appearance of the inflammatory process, during any disease;
- rapid aging of bone material.
The material of the bones with the defeat of subchondral sclerosis begins to harden. A kind of growths appear on the bones, which gradually provoke the inflammatory process. In this case, a person begins to feel pain in the vertebral region, which blocks his normal movement.
Basically, osteochondrosis and arthrosis lead to the development of such a defect. Under the influence of primary ailments, osteophytes begin to form. If the culprit is osteochondrosis, then osteophytes begin to appear along the edges of the vertebrae. And if the culprit is arthrosis, then such formations appear along the edges of the joints.
With a diagnosis of subchondral sclerosis of the spine, treatment is difficult.
It is unrealistic to completely get rid of a disease that was provoked by arthrosis or osteochondrosis. But if such a defect caused arthritis, then there is a high probability of getting rid of this ailment. The only condition is the timely detection of the disease and adequate treatment. If therapy is not done on time, then such growths can block the joint, which will lead to loss of mobility.
External and internal factors
But there is also a list of some external and internal factors that can trigger the development of this disease, namely:
- the old age of a person, as a rule, people who are over 50 years old are more susceptible to such a defect due to the weakening of muscle material;
- hereditary predisposition of a person;
- if the patient suffers from systemic lupus erythematosus;
- with a disease such as diabetes;
- vertebral trauma;
- fractures of an internal nature, in which the nutrition of the damaged joint is disrupted;
- obesity;
- sedentary lifestyle.
In all these cases, subchondral sclerosis of the spine may develop. What is it, we sorted out.
It is worth noting that often those people who have a permanent job in the same position are subject to this defect. Therefore, if there is a risk of developing sclerosis in a person, then he must undergo a mandatory examination to identify such a disease. One visit per year of the required specialist is enough to prevent an attack on your own body.
Signs by which the disease can be recognized
If subchondral sclerosis of the thoracic spine develops, then the following symptoms will indicate to the person the appearance of this defect:
- pain localized in the region of the vertebra and neck;
- the appearance of pain when trying to bend and on the turns of the body;
- loss of coordination of movements;
- loss of balance;
- the appearance of a feeling of numbness of the limbs;
- a sharp loss of body weight, which is not provoked by any known factors;
- state of depression;
- difficulty concentrating;
- partial hearing loss.
It is worth noting that such symptoms do not always appear in humans. The overwhelming majority of signs directly depend on how the disease progresses, and if the disease is at the initial stage, then there may not be any symptoms of its development.
Types of Subchondral Sclerosis
Depending on the location of the disease, subchondral sclerosis is divided into groups, namely:
- the diagnosis of subchondral sclerosis of the spine is established if the defect has completely affected the entire spinal column;
- subchondral sclerosis of the cervical spine makes itself felt with severe pain in the neck and upper limbs;
- with sclerosis of the thoracic region, the vertebra is completely ossified and becomes motionless, while the person is suffering from severe pain.
And the last group is sclerosis of the hip, ankle and other joints. Only a specialist can diagnose which place was hit, so timely request for help should be mandatory.
How is this disease diagnosed?
If there is a suspicion of this ailment, you should immediately seek advice from a specialist. After the initial examination, the doctor will prescribe the following types of diagnostics:
- the most basic way to detect such an ailment is x-rays;
- MRI
- CT
- densitometry bone density testing;
- blood sampling.
In addition to the above methods, a large role is played by the questioning of the patient himself. In this case, the more clearly a person provides a description of the identified symptoms, the earlier the problem will be diagnosed. But at the same time, the most important thing a person should do is to seek help in a timely manner.
Therapy
What is the treatment for subchondral sclerosis of the cervical spine?
First of all, it is impossible to completely get rid of the two most dangerous provocateurs, such as osteochondrosis and arthrosis. If the diagnosis of arthritis was established at an early stage of development, while bone tumors have not yet formed, then this defect can be cured. The most important thing is not to get involved in folk methods, since such techniques can only temporarily relieve pain and slightly improve blood circulation. But as an assistant for getting rid of the disease, these methods will not work.
Subchondral sclerosis of the lumbar spine can be cured as follows:
- the first stage is the elimination of pain and the complete removal of the inflammatory process;
- the second stage is the preservation of the mobility of the affected joints and the restoration of cartilage.
For these purposes, a specialist prescribes a course of drugs that neutralize inflammatory processes. If a person is tormented by pain, then painkillers are prescribed from their disposal. It is also mandatory to take immunomodulators and chondroprotectors.
The attending physician builds a set of therapeutic measures based on the available signs. Subchondral sclerosis of the end plates of the spine is successfully treated if certain manipulations are performed, namely:
- physiotherapy;
- therapeutic massages;
- physiotherapy.
Such methods make it possible to return the lost mobility to the joints. And also some exercises can affect a person like an effective pain reliever.
It is very important when performing physiotherapy exercises to perform all movements slowly so as not to give a load to a defective joint.
If after the treatment the patient has no improvement, then surgical intervention will be recommended.
What do the luminaries of medicine recommend?
If the case is sufficiently neglected, then the specialists who carried out the treatment will insist on surgical intervention. But it is important to understand that even an operation does not guarantee that a person will completely get rid of such a defect. The fact is that osteophids can reappear and start the growth process again.
Despite the fact that modern medicine in this area has taken a huge step forward, the disease is younger. At the moment, several cases have been recorded when such a defect was detected even in children. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to any changes that occur in the body in a timely manner.
At the moment, it is possible to detect sclerosis in humans using another technique, this is a genetic test. This method of examination is additional to the main methods. It is not mandatory, but with its use, a person will be able to identify any genetic abnormality that can provoke the development of this ailment.
Folk remedies for the treatment of subchondral sclerosis of the spine
Treatment with folk remedies of this disease is not recommended. But as an accompanying measure, their use is possible. Before this, it is necessary to obtain the approval of the attending physician. The disease is very serious, so experimenting with your health is not worth it. This is especially true for self-medication.
What preventative measures will be effective?
There can only be one preventive measure regarding subchondral sclerosis, and this is a timely request for a consultation with a doctor. It is important to understand that pain begins to bother a person when the defect is in a neglected state.
As for the two main provocateurs of this ailment, timely treatment will minimize the development of sclerosis.
It is very important that a person leads a healthy lifestyle and minimizes drinking alcohol, as well as completely quit smoking, since these are two of the main factors that influence the appearance of provocateurs.
Well, a regular massage for the spine will be a very useful measure as prevention. But only a professional should do it, do not forget that the spine is the center that controls all our movements, and if any failure occurs in it, it immediately affects the quality of our life.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, such a defect as subchondral sclerosis of the spinal bodies cannot be completely cured. But subject to all the recommendations to improve the quality of life is quite real.
This is the only condition for achieving long-term remission.
If a person does not follow the advice given by a specialist, then the progression of the disease will only intensify, and ultimately such negligence will lead to a complete loss of the ability to move around fully. Do not forget about it, take care of yourself and your own health, because it is given to a person only once.
We examined subchondral sclerosis of the spine, what it is, it has become clearer.