Many of us perceive back pain as normal, because it is quite common. As a result, the symptoms are ignored, and the ailment is aggravated. Well, if we are talking about osteochondrosis, although in this case too, the inflammatory process must be treated on time. But osteoporosis will not at all forgive such an attitude to one’s health. 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 spinal osteoporosis. Symptoms and treatment, prevention and maintenance therapy - all this should be known to everyone who wants to live a long life without pain and taking potent medicines.
What is this disease?
Despite the abundance of information, many do not fully understand what this ailment is. And it is completely in vain, because by skipping the first symptoms, you are at great risk, since a formidable disease will slowly but surely continue to develop. Therefore, every person, especially those over the age of forty, should have a good idea of what spinal osteoporosis is. Symptoms and treatment can be very different in each case, but there are still common features that will help you orient yourself.
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 consider in more detail the biological mechanism due to which this occurs. Most often, women aged 45-55 years after menopause are affected by this disease. But after 70 years, the disease is no longer differentiated by gender, affecting equally both men and women. Moreover, more than a third of all fractures are caused by osteoporosis. After all, even a slight drop can lead to the fact that a fragile bone breaks. Therefore, it is very important to recognize spinal osteoporosis at an early stage. Symptoms and treatment of the disease are closely related to each other. Therefore, therapy should be monitored only by an experienced orthopedist. Never attempt to self-medicate.
The main directions in the treatment of the disease
Depending on the age and condition of the patient in whom 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 LFK office and follow all the recommendations of a specialist. Special gymnastics helps very well in the fight against the development of osteoporosis. Finally, it is very important to adhere to a full, proper diet and use traditional medicine, as they are often very effective.
The basic principles of nutrition
Doctors may not focus your attention on the need to optimize their diet, but folk doctors talk about this in the first place. 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, on the table should be lean meat, vegetables and fruits. 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, you must have butter, eggs, fish and seafood on the table.
What to look for, or Symptoms of the disease
Not a single illness develops simultaneously. Osteoporosis of the spine is no exception. Symptoms develop on an increasing basis, gradually becoming 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, lasts from several days to several weeks. The pain usually subsides on its own, but with any physical exertion it returns again. Most often, it is noted in the thoracic spine.
If you do not pay any attention to this symptom, the situation will gradually worsen. Especially pronounced are the symptoms of spinal osteoporosis in women. This is a sharp decrease in working capacity and increased fatigue from previously familiar loads. We can observe the 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 individually.
Cervical
This is the most vulnerable area of all. It is the pain in the neck that most often catches people who, due to the characteristics of their labor, have to spend a lot of time at the desktop in one position. Therefore, in the first place, we will today consider osteoporosis of the cervical spine. Symptoms and treatment will depend on the degree of development 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 with a long stay in the same position. Soda also include pain in the limbs and leg cramps at night. Often, panic attacks can occur, as well as a strong heartbeat.
A further change in the bone structure leads to increased symptoms. There are aching pains of a constant nature in the neck, because the vertebrae are deformed and the nerve endings get pinched. In this case, compression of the blood vessels leads to headaches and an increase in 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 worsen, so you need to immediately seek help. 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 implies 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 fairly common phenomenon is osteoporosis of the thoracic spine. Symptoms are also slightly expressed in the early stages, and then begin to manifest as sharp pain. It often happens that the first pain symptoms affect this particular section due to the physiological bends of this area. Gradually, the pain intensifies and becomes constant. The patient feels special discomfort with laughter, coughing, and even with 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 normalizing metabolic processes, replenishing calcium deficiency, stimulating bone growth. To do this, it is extremely important to avoid severe stress, exercise and adhere to a healthy diet.
Pathology of the lumbar
With a sedentary lifestyle, this department also suffers, since the vertebrae are constantly experiencing excessive pressure. Often, even relatively young people develop osteoporosis of the lumbosacral spine. Symptoms of the same type - it is aching lower back pain during physical exertion, which gradually becomes permanent. In this case, there is a strong decrease in growth, up to 15 centimeters.
Classic treatment
It must be clearly understood that spinal osteoporosis is not a sentence. Symptoms and types of effective treatment can be evaluated by any competent doctor, which means that everyone has a chance to defeat the disease. First of all, antiresorbitol drugs are used that 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, as well as calcium and vitamin D preparations, play an important role. It does not make much sense to describe drugs in more detail, because such a complex disease cannot be treated independently. 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 cancel the trip to the doctor who diagnoses osteoporosis of the spine. Symptoms and treatment with folk remedies of this disease have been studied by herbalists and healers for many centuries, and the experience gained has passed 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 contribute to maintaining a normal state. At the same time, beekeeping products can be good helpers. Take 100 g of buckwheat honey, 100 g of propolis and 100 g of chopped shells. Mix the ingredients and take 2 teaspoons per day for at least two months.
If you have an allergic reaction to honey, then you can take another recipe. The grass of knotweed and horsetail is filled with boiling water, after which it is necessary to boil it for at least 10 minutes. The resulting broth should be taken at least 3 times a day for 2 tablespoons. The course of therapy is 2 months.
Other recipes for traditional medicine
First of all, enter eggshells in the diet. It is enough to take a quarter of a tablespoon of chopped shells with lemon juice per day. Clay water is also recommended. To do this, take 1 dessert spoon in a glass of water. Take the product 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 bone fracture, then compresses should be made from the infusion of geranium, as well as taken inside. To do this, brew one tablespoon of grass 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 treats osteoporosis very well. To prepare it, you need to take young shoots and crank through a meat grinder.
An excellent tool that strengthens bone tissue is the mummy. It is dissolved in water and taken in courses - morning and evening. The course lasts no more than three weeks, after which a break is required.