Problems with the spine can be called the scourge of modern society. Increasingly, people are leading an unhealthy lifestyle, replacing active rest after sedentary work with spending time watching TV or at the computer, eating junk food that causes weight gain, and not taking enough vitamins and minerals. All this directly or indirectly affects the spinal column, thinning its structure and causing various kinds of deformations. The most common diseases of the spine are scoliosis and osteochondrosis. Many people often confuse them, and this is not surprising. In addition to the fact that both diseases affect the spinal column, they also have somewhat similar names. What are the differences? Before talking about them, you should understand the very essence of these diseases.
Back pain and atlas adjustment
What causes lower back pain? What causes lead to these and other spinal diseases? Why are these diseases so difficult to cure?
In medicine, it has been known since ancient times that identifying the real cause can cure the disease or, at least, alleviate the symptoms.
In this article we will try to highlight one of the most important reasons affecting the health of the spine and the functioning of the musculoskeletal system in general, and we will also talk about the Swiss method of adjusting the atlas and how this technique can be useful for people suffering from various pains in the atlas. neck, back and lower back areas.
Osteochondrosis: symptoms
Cervical osteochondrosis, thoracic osteochondrosis, osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine - all these are diseases of the same order. Osteochondrosis refers to pathological processes in articular cartilage.
Intervertebral discs are often affected by this disease, although the disease can spread to almost any joint.
The most common symptoms of osteochondrosis are constant aching back pain, which can be aggravated by sudden movements, heavy lifting, and even coughing or sneezing.
With cervical osteochondrosis, pain is noted in the neck and shoulders. In this case, the vertebral artery is often damaged, which, in turn, can cause severe headaches and noises in the head.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, patients often complain of acute pain in the chest, in the heart area.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine is felt as pain in the lower back, radiating to the legs.
Scoliosis: symptoms
Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the spine. It is believed that weak back muscles and incorrect posture contribute to the occurrence and development of scoliosis. There are several stages of development of this disease.
At the first stage, scoliosis appears only temporarily, with severe fatigue of the back muscles. After rest, the curvature disappears.
At the second stage, the curvature becomes permanent. The spine loses mobility, and the symmetry of the chest and the position of the shoulder blades are disturbed.
The third stage is the most severe, since as a result of severe curvature of the spine, internal organs begin to suffer, and the slightest loads become a real test for the patient.
Kinds
Scoliosis is classified according to the presence of structural changes in the spine, the causes of its occurrence, as well as the location and rate of progression. According to the first classification, curvature can be structural or non-structural. The latter is easier to cure, since there is every chance of eliminating the root cause.
Types of non-structural scoliosis:
- postural, caused by poor posture. If you take an X-ray in the supine position, you will not be able to diagnose scoliosis due to the absence of structural deformation. The curvature is not visible even when a person bends forward;
- reflex, which appears as a result of a long stay in a forced position due to a pain symptom;
- compensatory, when the misalignment of the back equalizes – compensates – for the difference in leg length;
- hysterical, having a psycho-emotional nature and occurring in rare cases.
Types of structural scoliosis:
- congenital, caused by underdevelopment, wedge-shaped vertebrae, fusion of ribs and/or transverse processes;
- neuromuscular, occurring against the background of spinal cord injuries, myopathies, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis;
- dysplastic, the cause of which lies in connective tissue dysplasia. Diagnosed with Marfan and Ellers-Danlos syndromes;
- post-traumatic, provoked by fractures, surgical interventions, scar contractures. It can develop after burns, as a result of purulent complications and after operations on the chest organs;
- rare species caused by impaired bone formation, osteomyelitis, homocystinuria or tumors;
- idiopathic, when the cause cannot be determined. This type accounts for 80 to 90% of all cases of scoliosis.
What causes spinal diseases?
Despite the seemingly extensive list of spinal diseases, it has long been believed that most of them are acquired and provoked by a lifestyle in which the spine is subjected to various force loads.
Heavy lifting, sudden bending, turning, prolonged sitting or standing, professional sports, and age are all factors that are believed to contribute to the development of spinal diseases.
However, it is quite difficult for a modern person to completely remove physical activity, prolonged sitting or standing (for example, during professional activities) from his daily life, and even more difficult not to grow old.
Thus, it turns out that every person has a predisposition to the occurrence of spinal diseases.
It is worth noting that the age of the patients is completely different. Back pain and neck pain bother not only older people, but also fairly young people.
Reviews of doctors providing the service - Scoliosis of the lumbar spine
In 2000, Andrei Arkadyevich performed spinal surgery on me.
Four days in the clinic and I have been living a full life for 20 years without restrictions on movement and I remember with gratitude Dr. A.A. Khodnevich. God bless him. And in 2000 he could walk no more than 10 meters. Read full review Viktor Alexandrovich
20.05.2020
Low bow to Alexander Semenovich Bronstein and Andrei Arkadyevich Khodnevich. I arrived at CELT on July 2, 2021 with extreme pain that I endured for 10 days. Hernia C6-C-7. I was given two blockades in Ivanovo, about 9 complex IVs, I lost 6 kg in a week and was in a panic, I didn’t see a way out and nothing happened to me... Read full review
Elena Nikolaevna L.
20.10.2019
Operations for diseases of the spine
- Cost: 100,000 - 250,000 rubles.
- Duration: 40-60 minutes
- Hospitalization: 2-3 days in hospital
More details
Traditional Treatments
Traditional treatments are carried out under the supervision of a doctor. Depending on the nature of the disease, the doctor prescribes a treatment regimen.
However, most traditional methods are not aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease, but rather at relieving symptoms during a period of inflammation and recovery.
After some time, the attack of the disease, for example, radiculitis, stops (remission occurs), and after some time it returns with the same or greater force (relapse occurs).
Traditional symptomatic treatment methods include pain-relieving injections and warming physiotherapeutic procedures, as well as taking B vitamins, which help restore damaged cartilage tissue.
The most lasting results, for example, in the case of scoliosis, are provided by physical exercises and therapeutic exercises. This is due to the fact that regular physical exercise strengthens the muscles of the back and neck, and they, in turn, keep the spine from further deformation.
Treatment
Treatment of the disease must be comprehensive - it is prescribed after a final diagnosis and additional research. For grade 1 lumbar osteochondrosis, conservative methods are sufficient.
5.1. Drug therapy
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis is aimed at eliminating symptoms. For osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine of the first degree, the following groups of drugs can be prescribed:
- anti-inflammatory drugs – relieve inflammation, swelling and pain;
- chondoprotectors – normalize metabolism and strengthen intervertebral discs;
- ointments – have a local anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.
For grade 1 osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, it is recommended to combine these methods with injections, including to block pain in the acute period of the disease.
5.2. Massage
For osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, massage must be done carefully and with the consent of a neurologist
, this also applies to stage 1 of the disease. The main function of massage is to restore blood supply to muscles and their elasticity, and relieve pain.
5.3. Physiotherapy
For grade 1 lumbar osteochondrosis, physiotherapeutic procedures give positive results. They relax muscles and reduce inflammation by improving blood flow in the body. Only a doctor can prescribe physical therapy as a treatment method.
5.4. Physiotherapy
It is the main method of treating the disease, as it can bring good results. Strengthens the muscle corset and restores its functions, improves blood circulation and joint condition. Osteochondrosis of the 1st degree of the lumbar region is the stage of the disease at which exercise therapy gives the best results. However, exercise therapy will be effective provided that the exercises are performed regularly.
5.5. Traditional methods of treatment
Traditional methods are used when it is necessary to relieve symptoms; they are not excluded as an auxiliary treatment. However, they cannot replace qualified medical care. For grade 1 osteochondrosis, traditional methods involve applying compresses to the lumbar back.
Treatment of back pain with warming ointments and patches is not a cure
Taking advantage of the high prevalence of spinal diseases, various ointments, patches and electrical devices are widely advertised on television and radio.
However, you need to understand that applying a warming and anesthetic composition to a sore back will only hide for some time and certainly will not delay the onset of pathological processes in the spine, such as the destruction of intervertebral discs and the formation of intervertebral hernias and protrusions.
Therefore, treatment of osteochondrosis at home is unlikely to be effective.
Manual therapy and its disadvantages
Manual therapy refers to a complex of forceful effects on the patient’s spine using the hands of a doctor.
Using various manipulations, the doctor warms up the muscles surrounding the vertebra, and then forcefully adjusts it, returning it to the correct anatomical position.
Forceful impact on the spine is associated with certain risks, so there is still controversy surrounding manual therapy, and the methods themselves cause a lot of criticism.
There is a so-called muscle memory that strives to keep the spine in a certain state. This explains the inconsistent results of manual therapy: after a certain period of time, the reduced vertebra may return to its previous painful position.
Spine surgery
Surgical intervention in the spine area, perhaps, has been and will remain in the minds of many doctors and patients as a last resort. And, nevertheless, such operations are carried out when the disease progresses and begins to threaten the life of the body.
The essence of these methods usually comes down to fixing one or more vertebrae in a certain position using various metal devices and implants.
However, the effect of such operations is short-lived, and relapses of the disease are possible, which may lead to the need for new surgical intervention.
The connection between back pain and spinal health
What distinguishes a healthy person from a sick person? Why do some people rarely have back pain, while others suffer from it all the time? Where do low back pain, cervical osteochondrosis, radiculitis, intervertebral hernias and protrusions come from?
Obviously, all people suffering from various diseases in the spine have one thing in common - the health of their spine is undermined.
The first cervical vertebra (atlas) is an important component of spinal health.
Sometimes the cause of a disease is not where the patient expects to find it. If a person suffers from back pain, then he is inclined to think that the cause is located exactly in the place where it hurts.
In the case of the spine, this is not always the case. Each part of the spine is very closely connected to the others. A problem in one part of the spine will inevitably affect neighboring parts.
Recent studies in Switzerland (in the 90s) found that the vast majority of people suffering from various diseases of the spine are diagnosed with displacement of the first cervical vertebra - the atlas.
At the same time, a person may not know that his atlas is displaced, and live with such a displacement (sometimes significant) all his life.
The atlas has a very important function - it connects the spinal column to the skull and forms a balance point at the junction.
Unlike other vertebrae, displacement of the atlas can affect the entire spine as a whole and can bend it, cause scoliosis and premature abrasion of the intervertebral discs, which in turn can lead to radiculitis, intervertebral hernias and, of course, osteochondrosis.
The main differences between scoliosis and osteochondrosis
The essence of both diseases was briefly outlined above. As you might have guessed, this is the main difference. The fact is that with osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs do not deform and do not move to the sides. They simply harden, losing their supply of nutrients, and begin to pinch blood vessels and nerve endings. The greatest harm in this case comes not even from the spine, but from the fact that the nerve roots are pinched, thereby disrupting the activity of the brain and spinal cord. With scoliosis, direct deformation occurs, which in an advanced stage can even lead to a displacement of the position of internal organs and disturbances in their functioning.
Another difference is the age category of people susceptible to these diseases. The fact is that osteochondrosis affects, for the most part, older people. With age, bones become more fragile, and the body as a whole is weakened. Therefore, with the slightest exposure to negative external factors (for example, drafts and respiratory viral infections), osteochondrosis can worsen. On the contrary, young people are most susceptible to the development of scoliosis. The fact is that desks in schools may not be selected according to the child’s height, which causes him to hunch his back. This also happens with poor eyesight, when the child cannot see what is written in notebooks and textbooks at close range, and he has to bend significantly over the desk. After school, children like to watch cartoons on TV or play on the computer, while taking an uncomfortable position. Also, the development of scoliosis and its progress to extreme stages is facilitated by the reluctance of many young patients to visit an orthopedic doctor.
The difference between scoliosis and osteochondrosis is also observed in the methods of detecting the disease. As a rule, scoliosis is visible to the naked eye even to an amateur in the field of medicine, and even more so to an experienced doctor. Therefore, in most cases there is no need to use special examination methods. Osteochondrosis is invisible, and its symptoms are very similar to other diseases, so X-ray examinations are indispensable.
The diseases also have significant differences in symptoms. The main symptoms of the development of scoliosis are various difficulties when walking, asymmetry in the structure of the shoulder blades and lumbar region, and disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. With osteochondrosis, the main thing that torments the patient is severe, sometimes even unbearable pain, especially severe when the cervical spine is affected.
Thus, scoliosis and osteochondrosis are in many ways similar to each other, because both of these diseases affect the human spinal column. However, they also have many differences that you need to know in order not to confuse the diseases with each other and to use competent methods in the treatment of osteochondrosis and scoliosis.
In what cases is the atlas displaced?
Mostly, displacement of the atlas occurs during childbirth. Due to the heavy load on the neck, the baby's atlas (the first cervical vertebra) can become dislodged and then remain in that position for the rest of its life.
Displacement of the atlas will cause the spine to curve, and the intervertebral discs will begin to wear out quickly with age.
With a stronger displacement of the atlas, the atlantoaxial joint (the joint at the junction of the spine with the skull) stops working normally. In this case, the head will be turned by the entire body, which will create additional stress on the connective cartilaginous tissue between the vertebrae and lead to degeneration of the intervertebral discs in the neck or lumbar region (or in both sections at once).
Causes
The most common causes of a pathology such as scoliosis include:
- congenital pathologies due to trauma during childbirth and developmental anomalies;
- excessively intense or, on the contrary, insufficient loads on the spine;
- disturbances in the formation and growth of the spine that appear in childhood;
- excess body weight;
- flat feet or club feet.
Often there is so-called idiopathic lumbar scoliosis, in which it is impossible to determine the cause.
What makes the spine sick?
The desire to keep the head straight is an innate feature of the human body, acquired over thousands of years of evolution of the human body.
However, with a displaced atlas, this desire leads to curvature of the spine, scoliosis and other serious consequences that only progress with age.
Thus, back pain, neck pain, lower back pain, osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia and other diseases are becoming an integral part of modern life.
Is there an effective method to combat spinal diseases?
Today, a doctor trained in the Atlas-Standard technique can identify displacement of the atlas, and also carry out a procedure to correct it without surgery and without sudden force on the cervical spine.
An important feature of the technique is its safety, since the effect on the first cervical vertebra is not direct, but indirect, through the muscles of the cervical spine.
The method allows the Atlas to return to its natural place in one procedure and for life.
Correction of the atlas allows you to eliminate the main reason why the spine is in the wrong position. As the experience of using the procedure shows, after the atlas is realigned, the process of self-straightening of the spine begins in the body.
Diagnostics
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine of the 1st degree can be detected using the following diagnostic methods: x-ray:
- identifies the location of damage and the location of pinched nerve root;
- blood test for biochemistry: allows you to identify a lack of microelements, which is often the cause of osteochondrosis.
MRI or CT may be prescribed as an additional research method. It is strictly not recommended to make a diagnosis on your own and self-medicate, since grade 1 osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is easily disguised as other diseases.