Spinal pathology is widespread among modern society. Many people become familiar with back or neck pain, which is often associated with osteochondrosis. Painful symptoms can significantly limit the active life of patients. Therefore, a natural question arises about what needs to be done to eliminate them. But above all, people want to know which doctor to contact in order to get qualified help.
What you need to know about osteochondrosis
Among the diseases of the spinal column, a special place is given to degenerative-dystrophic pathology, which includes osteochondrosis. From the name it can be inferred that the disease affects cartilage and bone tissue. First of all, small joints of the spine and intervertebral discs are damaged, which, due to metabolic, vascular disorders and mechanical factors, lose their elastic and shock-absorbing properties. Under the influence of a constant load, changes occur in the vertebrae - osteophytes are formed. The biomechanics of the spine suffers, and over time, the ligamentous-muscular apparatus is also involved in the process.
The reasons
Osteochondrosis is not the lot of the elderly - such disorders in the spine are increasingly being detected in young people. Moreover, the cervical region and lower back are more often affected. The following factors contribute to the development of the disease:
As you can see, the range of risk factors for osteochondrosis is quite wide. And patients often have more than one of them. Therefore, in order to prevent the further development of the disease, it is necessary first of all to eliminate the cause. And only a doctor can do this by conducting an examination and an objective study.
Osteochondrosis is becoming a real problem for a large number of people. And lifestyle plays an important role in this.
Symptoms
Each patient should know when to see a doctor for osteochondrosis. And there is nothing new here, because this must be done at the first symptoms. Basically, you have to deal with pain, which becomes the most striking sign of the disease. This makes patients think about their health. When defeated cervical pain has the following characteristics:
- Sharp or aching, in the form of shootings or throbbing.
- Gives to the head, arms, upper chest.
- Increases with tilting and turning the head.
- Strong, moderate or weak.
- Long term or short term.
As a rule, the symptom is of radicular origin, so along with pain, patients will notice other signs. They are associated with a violation of the passage of a nerve impulse along motor, sensory or autonomic fibers. These include:
- Numbness, tingling of the skin.
- Decreased surface sensitivity.
- Change in tendon reflexes.
- Muscle weakness.
- Dry skin or sweating, pallor or marbled hue.
Patients often suffer from headaches, they are familiar with mood swings, sleep disturbances. Such phenomena are associated with changes in the vascular nature. Feeling discomfort, there is no need to postpone going to the doctor, because the symptoms will become stronger over time, the disease will become more severe.
Clinical symptoms of osteochondrosis are quite pronounced. According to it, you can even independently suspect the disease.
Which doctor should be consulted?
Feeling pain in the cervical region, patients often find it difficult to determine who should go for an appointment. Therefore, they are wondering which doctor treats osteochondrosis. And this is a fairly common situation. Of course, you can consult a family doctor about this, who will refer the patient to the right specialist. If the case is not severe, then he himself will prescribe the appropriate examination and treatment. But the consultation of related specialists is still necessary.
If the patient does not want to waste time, but immediately receive specialized assistance, then he should contact a neurologist, because most of the symptoms of the disease are associated precisely with radicular disorders and vascular changes in the head area. During treatment, you may need the help of a specialist in physiotherapy exercises, manual therapist, physiotherapist. These doctors also take an active part in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. In severe cases, surgery may even be required.
How is the treatment going?
Having learned which doctor treats osteochondrosis, the patient should know what awaits him after the diagnosis is established. Therapy of the disease should be complex, and therefore consists of methods that affect the causes, mechanism of development and symptoms of pathology. Mostly conservative means are used, but surgical treatment may be necessary.
Medical therapy
The basis of treatment is the use of medications. The advantage of this method lies in the speed of the onset of a positive effect, its severity and the ability to influence many parts of the pathological process. For this, the following drugs are used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.
- Muscle relaxants.
- Chondroprotectors.
- Vascular funds.
- Vitamins and microelements.
With severe pain, local blockades with anesthetics can be used. If the acute phenomena subsided, injections are replaced by tablets and preparations in the form of an ointment, gel, balm or patch.
Medicines are taken only as prescribed by a doctor and in recommended doses.
Physiotherapy
The experience of manual therapists can improve the condition of the spinal column in osteochondrosis. This is achieved by eliminating subluxations of small joints, eliminating muscle blocks and normalizing structural relationships. In this case, specialists use the techniques of stretching, torsion, flexion or extension. In parallel, massage of the cervical-collar zone and back is carried out.
Operation
If patients are worried about a pronounced pain syndrome that is not relieved by conservative means, then it remains to trust the surgeon. In this case, surgical decompression of the affected root is performed, bone growths are removed, and, if necessary, the vertebral segments are stabilized. After that, rehabilitation treatment will be required.
So, in order to conduct adequate treatment, you need to know which doctor to contact for osteochondrosis. Only a specialist can prescribe the most effective methods which will help eliminate problems with the spine.
Osteochondrosis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system. It is diagnosed in every second person, regardless of age category, gender, social status. This disease is localized in different parts of the spine, joints.
To avoid the progression of the pathological process, the development of complications, timely diagnostic measures and treatment are required.
In case of complaints, specify which doctor prescribes an examination to confirm the diagnosis, treats osteochondrosis. Timely seeking qualified medical help will help get rid of the disease and avoid unpleasant consequences.
A number of doctors treat osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spine: neurologist, arthrologist, vertebrologist, rheumatologist, surgeon, orthopedist. It's not yet full list those who cure the disease.
What is a disease?
Pathology is a dystrophic change in cartilage tissue. The disease can affect any joint musculoskeletal system. Most often localized in the intervertebral discs. Changes in cartilage tissues of a dystrophic nature occur more often in thoracic region and lumbar. The growth of bone tissue causes a state of discomfort, constraint movements, pain. Vessels, nerve endings are infringed. In severe cases, against the background of complications of the disease, disability occurs.
The development of the disease contributes to a violation of posture, and other reasons.
Causes and symptoms of the development of the disease
There are factors that contribute to the development of the disease. They cause loss of tissue elasticity, flexibility. The spinal column loses its shock-absorbing qualities.
Causes of the appearance of pathology
- Traumatic injuries of the back.
- Sedentary, inactive lifestyle.
- Overweight.
- Diseases of the endocrine system, accompanied by hormonal changes.
- Violation of metabolic processes.
- Irrational nutrition: drinking excessive amounts of coffee, spicy, fatty, smoked foods.
- Bad habits: smoking, drinking alcohol.
- Posture disorder.
- hereditary predisposition.
- Uncomfortable, atypical position during night rest.
Clinical symptoms of pathology
The disease has several types and stages of the course. Depending on them, the presence of characteristic manifestations is noted.
The presence of osteochondrosis at a certain stage is recognized by the totality of symptoms. A doctor who diagnoses and treats osteochondrosis, after listening to complaints, will suspect the disease without the results of diagnostic studies.
Flow stages:
- Initial. The spinal column loses its shock-absorbing property. Chondrosis occurs, tissues in insufficient quantities receive the necessary minerals, nutritional components. During physical exertion, insignificant pain sensations and discomfort appear.
- Second. The destruction of cartilage tissue progresses. Pain occurs during normal movements without physical exertion.
- Third. The disc protrudes beyond the vertebra, causing severe pain. Nerves are pinched, blood vessels are pinched. Without massage, taking medication, it is difficult for a person to move around, to perform the simplest actions. Complications develop - hernia, vertebrogenic lumbalgia. Need medical help. The doctor treating osteochondrosis selects the treatment personally, based on the results of diagnostic studies.
- Fourth. Cartilage is absent. Bone grows. Mobility is severely limited. With the pathology of the lumbar spine, a complete loss of mobility and disability can occur. Medication is constant.
Types of disease
| View | Clinical manifestations |
| Pathology of the neck area |
|
| thoracic area |
|
| Pathology of the lumbar |
|
If the above symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor.
Modern diagnostic methods
If you do not know which specialist treats osteochondrosis, contact your local therapist. The doctor will determine whether vertebrology, neurology, pathologies of a different nature are present in a particular case. Diagnostics is carried out in a complex manner. The conclusion is made on the basis of the results of all performed diagnostic measures. Diagnosis and treatment of osteochondrosis are closely related to each other. Therapeutic measures are selected depending on the results of the examination.
- anamnestic information;
- Patient complaints;
- X-ray examination of the alleged affected area in different positions;
- CT scan;
- Magnetic resonance therapy;
- Doppler study of the blood supply to the spinal column.
MRI is one of modern methods pathology diagnostics The ability to return lost functions and cure the disease is provided when a complex of therapeutic measures is performed. It consists of restorative exercise, drug treatment, physiotherapy treatment, massage course. The complex of classes is personally selected by the trainer in therapeutic gymnastics. The selection of the optimal set of physiotherapy procedures is carried out by a physiotherapist.
If you don’t know which particular doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis, or another department, whom to contact, sign up with a general practitioner. You can contact the registrar of the medical institution, he will issue a ticket to the right doctor.
Initial contact with a therapist
If you don’t know which osteochondrosis is cervical, lumbar which doctor treats, contact your therapist. Patients with the most versatile complaints visit a therapist if they need advice. The task of the therapist is to provide the necessary assistance. The specialist will prescribe treatment, give a referral to a vertebrog, a neurologist.
Consultation with a neurologist
Which doctor treats cervical, dorsal, or thoracic osteochondrosis? A neurologist specializes in diagnosing and treating pathologies. nervous system. More than half of patients with neck chondrosis come to see him. He analyzes complaints, appoints the volume of diagnostic measures. After receiving the results of the research, he selects a complex of medical procedures. The neuropathologist refers to the surgeon if neurological diseases require surgery.
Which doctor should I contact for osteochondrosis besides a general practitioner and a neurologist? There are a lot of options - a vertebrologist, a chiropractor, a rheumatologist, an arthrologist, an orthopedist. The problem is that not every medical institution has a narrow profile specialist. Often the staff includes a general practitioner, neurologist, surgeon. Other specialists are not always present. Therefore, it is not clear to whom to go with osteochondrosis, which specialist's consultation is required. It is advisable to come to an appointment with a vertebrologist, as this is a doctor who directly treats osteochondrosis.
Appeal to the vertebrologist
Which doctor observes, treats osteochondrosis of the spine? A vertebrologist diagnoses all diseases associated with the spine. He prescribes additional examinations, develops a set of measures to prevent complications, and selects treatment. The doctor determines the allowable load, prescribes diet therapy. A vertebrologist specializes in the pathology of the lumbar spine.
If the examination reveals intervertebral hernia, the patient is given a referral to the surgeon.
Appeal to the surgeon, orthopedist
In the question of which doctor treats osteochondrosis of the spine, it is advisable to name a surgeon, an orthopedist. Patients are referred to them in order to determine further treatment tactics, to resolve the issue of surgical intervention. If necessary, doctors prepare the patient for surgical treatment, carry it out. For spinal diseases that are accompanied by complications, a surgeon's consultation is required. Hernia is not treated medically, it is required surgical intervention.
Which specialists treat the disease?
- Rheumatologist - deals with the treatment of rheumatic heart disease and side effects diseases. The target organs in this pathology of the cardiovascular system are the joints. If joint diseases are associated with rheumatism, a rheumatologist can treat them.
- An osteopath is a specialist who treats back and joint problems with his own hands. For each patient, the specialist selects an individual method of getting rid of the disease.
- An arthrologist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats joint diseases. The spinal column has more than four dozen joints. Therefore, if you have osteochondrosis and do not know which doctor to contact, an arthrologist will definitely help.
- Rehabilitologist - helps patients recover after major surgical interventions, installation of joint implants.
- A physiotherapist selects a set of treatment procedures for people with cervical, lumbar chondrosis - massage, physiotherapy, physiotherapy procedures.
The problem is that not every medical institution has a choice of narrow specialists.
Which specialist to go to during an exacerbation?
The disease is characterized by a change in periods of exacerbation by periods of remission - remissions. In the acute period, the patient's health deteriorates sharply. He is worried about sharp, severe pain. The mobility of the affected joint is severely limited. In the acute period, it is not recommended to stop pain attacks on your own, as there is a risk of aggravating the condition. At this stage of the disease, many procedures are prohibited. Which doctor treats cervical, lumbar, or thoracic osteochondrosis during an exacerbation? In the acute phase, it is better to contact a vertebrologist. He will prescribe the necessary treatment. If there is no such doctor, there are a number of other specialists - consult a neurologist.
Chondrosis is a pathology that is observed in every second person. Many do not attach importance to it, not considering it dangerous. It's a delusion. If the diagnosis is confirmed, specify which doctor to go to. Immediately make an appointment with the doctor, undergo an examination, follow all recommendations.
To exclude the development of complications, do not allow hypothermia, move more, get rid of bad habits.
Not the last role is played by body weight, which must be monitored. In the presence of the disease, vertebrologists advise sleeping on orthopedic mattresses and pillows. Timely appeal to a specialist for medical help contributes to a speedy recovery without complications.
Osteochondrosis is a fairly common serious disease, affecting not only pensioners, but also young people. That is why many people want to know who treats osteochondrosis. When the body is affected by this disease, a huge number of people do not know at all which doctor to contact for osteochondrosis for help and treatment. After all, home gymnastics and self-medication most often do not give the desired result and do not bring relief. Only a specialist can identify the type of disease and prescribe the correct course of treatment.
This disease is a complex disorder in the joints, which consists in problems with cartilage. The problem can affect absolutely any joint in the body. Depending on in which part of the body the violation occurred, the types of osteochondrosis are distinguished. It is thoracic, cervical and vertebral. Most often, people who seek help complain of pain in the cervical region. This may be related to the person's lifestyle or profession.
By the age of 35-40, people associated with sedentary work begin to feel the first signs of the disease. Secretaries, office workers, designers, dentists, dispatchers suffer the most. Every year the disease progresses and overcomes the person with painful symptoms. Without the timely intervention of a specialist, the disease can acquire more serious stages. To understand which doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis, it is necessary to seek help from a medical center.
Causes
A large number of reasons can contribute to the appearance of the disease:
- Heredity and genetic predisposition;
- Metabolic disorders;
- Attack of the body by viruses or dangerous bacteria;
- Excessive body weight;
- Old injuries of the back, neck and spine;
- Passive lifestyle;
- Constant weight lifting
- Overuse alcohol and cigarettes;
- Standing or sedentary work;
- Stress, nervous shocks, tension.
All of them, together or singly, can cause long-term painful spasms that prevent a person from leading a normal life. In addition to pain, osteochondrosis makes itself felt in the form of dizziness, noise in the head, weakness, deterioration in the sensitivity of the affected area of the body, and even a violation of the nerve endings of a person.
Which doctor to contact with osteochondrosis
At the first manifestations of the disease, do not delay a visit to medical institution even if the patient does not know which doctor to go to. It is there that they can provide timely assistance and suggest the right direction for further actions. First of all, with osteochondrosis, you need to contact a therapist who will give professional advice and suggest further treatment. It is the therapist who will be able to get acquainted with the focus of pain, determine the type of osteochondrosis and refer the patient to a narrow specialist.
A doctor treating osteochondrosis must have extensive knowledge in the field of neurology, since this ailment is just that. It can be a neurologist or a neuropathologist. If these specialists need an additional examination of the patient or want to clarify the correct diagnosis, then they will then appoint the patient a visit to their highly specialized colleagues.
If you do not know which doctor treats osteochondrosis of the spine, then this is a vertebrologist. His specialization is diseases that lead to pain in this area of the body. This specialist helps adults and children, regardless of their age. He can make a more accurate diagnosis and prescribe a comprehensive treatment. Further, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine is taken over by a chiropractor. His main tool is experienced hands that feel the condition of the spine and make an accurate diagnosis without additional equipment. His therapy is quite painful, but effective. 
You can contact a physiotherapist for cervical osteochondrosis and its other types. Its main task is aimed at comprehensive assistance to sore muscles. Using various techniques, it can improve local blood flow and relax tight muscle areas. Most often, his work consists in special massages and acupuncture. Another doctor who can treat the lower back or painful areas of the neck is a trauma surgeon. It quickly removes painful symptoms and can reveal the presence of hernias, osteophytes and other problems of the vertebral discs.
What is a rehabilitator?
If the patient does not know which doctor treats osteochondrosis of the cervical region or other areas after the approval of an accurate diagnosis, then such is the rehabilitation specialist. It helps to gradually and qualitatively restore the lost functions of the body, controlling the healing process and helping to avoid problems during exacerbations of the disease. This specialist can combine rehabilitation and treatment in a single direction, which will bring a quick and desired result.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine needs surgical intervention. Other types of disease - can do with conservative treatment. In all cases, the rehabilitation doctor will help the body competently and gradually recover. Conservative treatment includes restorative measures and additional medications. They are aimed at reducing pain, relaxing the muscles of the collar zone, removing the primary symptoms of the disease.
To which of the specialists the patient would not get in the first place, in the future they will tell which doctor to contact next. And in 80% of cases, it turns out to be a rehabilitation specialist. The most useful and effective methods of treatment that he will prescribe are as follows:
- Manual treatment with acupuncture and acupressure;
- Hydromassage in the form of strong streams of water;
- Physical exercises, gymnastics and physiotherapy exercises;
- Swimming in pools, especially if the lower back hurts a lot;
- Irradiation with ultraviolet rays;
- Electrophoresis and magnetic therapy;
- Mud wraps;
- Swimming with dolphins.
self-treatment, ethnoscience and other alternative forms of assistance should be completely eliminated. Knowing which doctor treats osteochondrosis and, relying solely on his appointments, you should deal with the recovery stage. Treatment will depend on the severity of the disease, body weight and individual characteristics of the person. If a doctor has been prescribed medications, then they must be taken until complete recovery or maximum improvement in health. Overdose of drugs should be avoided, but their receptions should not be skipped either.
Whom to contact at the advanced stage?
Those who treat cervical osteochondrosis and its other types know that a comprehensive treatment can completely put the body in order completely. In the most advanced cases, surgery will come to the rescue and also eliminate the existing problem. The main thing is not to start the disease to a critical state. The last stage can be diagnosed by a neuropathologist or a neurosurgeon. It is these specialists who, in order to improve the patient's condition, will prescribe an operation.
Any surgical manipulations and intervention in the body will occur only with the help of a number of special medical equipment and equipment. Before the operation, the patient must undergo an MRI or CT scan. The resulting images will help doctors determine the damaged area and localize this focus. If the versions of the diagnosis differ, these procedures can be repeated. If the patient is in a critical condition, then surgery is performed instantly, without additional preparation.
Medications for osteochondrosis
A vertebrologist and a neuropathologist can prescribe drugs to the patient that are anti-inflammatory drugs. And also prescribe vitamin complexes, vasodilators and sedatives. All of them together help relieve pain symptoms, improve blood circulation and relieve inflammation. If these symptoms have passed, then the recovery processes of damaged joints will begin in the neck and back.
Sedative drugs can be prescribed in different dosages, depending on the individual characteristics of the person and the pain of osteochondrosis.
Medications can dull or completely eliminate painful symptoms, relax muscles, remove feelings of anxiety and fear. With the help of sedatives, the patient can sleep soundly and feel more relaxed during the daytime.
Doctors may also prescribe non-steroidal drugs that are aimed at removing inflammatory process. They help not only to localize inflammatory foci, but also fight painful discomfort. Such medications relieve fever and lower body temperature. Some of them are able to regulate the hormonal background of the body, which can slightly go astray with this ailment of the body.
Timely treatment and seeking help from specialists will help preserve health for many years!
Osteochondrosis is a serious disease that affects many people. This problem with the back has become relevant all over the world. Now this pathology can be found even in young children. According to medical data, osteochondrosis affects sedentary people at a young age. Therefore, you need to take care of your health responsibly in order to avoid illness.
Osteochondrosis is translated from Greek as "cartilage". To avoid possible complications, each person first of all needs to know which doctor treats osteochondrosis. In the early stages, it is possible to stop the process of destruction of the vertebra.
The concept of osteochondrosis
The disease is a chronic process in which dystrophic and degenerative phenomena begin in the spine, which leads to damage to the intervertebral discs, joints and ligaments. All these changes cause severe back pain. With untimely treatment of osteochondrosis may suffer internal organs. The work of many body systems can be disrupted.
If the disease is in the advanced stages, quite serious consequences can be expected. Basically, the changes relate to the joints, muscles and ligaments. Outwardly, the disease is manifested by pain, muscle atrophy and a change in their sensitivity. Osteochondrosis can develop in everyone. Feeling something was wrong, you should immediately go to the hospital. You can find out from your local specialist in the clinic. In severe cases, when protrusions and hernias appear, the patient is recommended surgical treatment.
Causes of the disease
There are a lot of factors. But the main cause of osteochondrosis is sedentary image life. In this case, the muscles on the back weaken and lose their ability to hold the spine. With strong physical exertion, especially when lifting weights, osteochondrosis also occurs. With such problems, the intervertebral discs are simply deformed. Which doctor treats osteochondrosis, except for a neurologist and a chiropractor, can be found at the registry of the local clinic. At the first symptoms, therapy should be started immediately.
A sedentary lifestyle contributes to the fact that blood supply and nutrition are disturbed in the cartilage and tissues of the spine. An important role in the occurrence of this disease is played by heredity, as well as spinal injuries that occurred not so long ago. Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, overweight, unbalanced diet - all these are enemies of a healthy musculoskeletal system.
How to detect a disease in all parts of the spine in the early stages?
Cervical osteochondrosis is the most insidious type of disease. If the patient has frequent dizziness, pain in the head and neck, flies in the eyes, blurred vision, unsteady gait, numbness in the fingers, tinnitus, sleep disturbance, you should immediately contact a specialist. All these are symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. a specialist will tell you after passing an additional examination in a medical institution.
Thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis is characterized by pulling pains. During walking and during physical exertion, sharp shooting pains occur. Sensitivity is broken.
Which doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis?
After clarifying the symptoms and passing the examination, you need to seek help from a neurologist who will help get rid of this pathology. In addition to cartilage and joints, blood vessels are affected. Therefore, treatment for this disease is prescribed by a neuropathologist. Also, this specialist will tell you which doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis with other methods. Complex therapy is the way to success. The main thing is to comply with all the requirements of a qualified specialist.
Which doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis yet? A chiropractor will be able to help correct disc deformities. Massage plays an important role. However, manipulations should be carried out only by a real professional.
Therapy of other forms of the disease
Now let's figure out which doctor treats lumbar osteochondrosis. Knowing this is no less important, since every second person faces a problem. With physical exertion, pain in the lumbar region may occur. In this state, it is difficult to lean forward or simply step with your foot. A neuropathologist with osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine in an acute form prescribes bed rest. Additionally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, injections and vitamin therapy are attributed.
When the acute period ends, gymnastics and physiotherapy are added to the course of treatment. Which doctor treats osteochondrosis in the lumbar and can alleviate the patient's condition, if it does not help conservative treatment? Again, a manual therapist will come to the rescue!
Prevention of osteochondrosis
Even from childhood, it is necessary to pay attention to posture, so as not to miss the curvature of the spine. It is definitely worth doing exercise. It will help strengthen your back muscles. What kind of doctor is known to everyone for a long time. If you experience back pain, you need to urgently contact a specialist and undergo an examination.
Food should be rich and varied. It is worth eating more foods with calcium, magnesium, vitamins. Good to eat sea fish, nuts, cottage cheese. Body weight should be normal. Excess weight will almost certainly lead to problems with the spine. People who spend a lot of time at the computer should properly organize their workplace. Be sure to take breaks, because a sedentary lifestyle has a very negative effect on the spine.
Osteochondrosis of the spine is a frequently diagnosed disease that has no age, gender or social restrictions. These are complex degenerative disorders of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. They can affect any joint, any part of the spine, which subsequently affects the entire musculoskeletal system. The disease is accompanied by pain in the back. But to independently determine the presence of a pathology in oneself and, moreover, it is not worth treating it, because. very many violations in the work of the body are similar in their symptoms, but require different methods of correction. Therefore, a person who is faced with such a problem needs to know which doctor treats osteochondrosis of the spine in order to contact him in a timely manner and receive qualified assistance.
There are three types of osteochondrosis: cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. It depends on the part of the body where the affected vertebrae or intervertebral discs are located. They consider it the most dangerous and serious, because a small and short load on the back is enough to compress the nerves and blood vessels, which immediately responds with pain.
To determine the directions of treatment of a patient with osteochondrosis, it is necessary to find out what caused its development. There are many such reasons:
- hereditary factor.
- Disrupted metabolic process.
- Various chronic diseases infectious nature of origin.
- Obesity.
- Traumatic injuries of the spinal column.
Body mass index is equal to weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.
A lecture on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of the disease is given by a neuropathologist Radion Gennadievich Ignatiev:
Any of the above reasons or a combination of them can become a condition for the development of pathology, so the doctor who treats osteochondrosis will, during a conversation with the patient, find out what factors contributed to its occurrence and whether it is possible to correct them, prescribe treatment.
Symptoms
Clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis include the following characteristic symptoms:
- Soreness in the cervical, thoracic, or lumbosacral spine. Moreover, with the chest type of the disease, it increases at the time of sighing, deep breaths.
- With cervical osteochondrosis, a person has a headache. This pain is directly related to neck movements.
- Due to the compression of blood vessels, the blood supply to the brain is disrupted, so a person often feels dizzy.
- Increased or decreased sensitivity of the hands and feet. Restriction of motor activity.
- Decreased visual acuity, hearing.
- Pain radiating to other parts of the body and internal organs: shoulders, arms, buttocks, legs, liver, heart.
- With lumbar osteochondrosis, dysfunctions of the urinary and reproductive systems are possible.
- The need to take an uncomfortable posture (stand or walk, bending over) due to.
Any of these signs cause inconvenience to a person, so you need to know which doctor to contact to treat spinal osteochondrosis.
Which doctor to contact
If a person notes the symptoms of a pathology, then first you should get an appointment with a general practitioner or family doctor. The specialist will examine the patient, take anamnesis, establish a preliminary diagnosis. During a medical examination, he will try to find out if the person’s complaints are related to the symptoms of osteochondrosis, then he will advise which doctor to go for a consultation. Treatment depends on the characteristics of the course of the disease, the degree of tissue damage. Therefore, doctors of the following specializations treat diseases: vertebrology, neurology, neurosurgery, rheumatology, arthrology. Let's consider in more detail which specialist to contact with:
- A vertebrologist is a doctor whose specialization is any problems with the spine. This specialist has the ability to use modern equipment to diagnose, to establish the causes of osteochondrosis. After analyzing the information received, he appoints the necessary corrective measures. This can be drug therapy (taking NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, corticosteroids, painkillers), stimulating the body with vitamin complexes (for example, Pentovit vitamins). In a non-acute period - massage, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, etc. Vertebrologists are available only in the staff of narrow profile clinics, but, if possible, you should try to get an appointment with them.
- A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in treating disorders of the nervous system. In diseases of the spine, a neurologist organizes the treatment of neurological disorders that are provoked by compression (squeezing) of the nerve endings in the spinal cord, as well as impaired blood supply and the supply of nutrients to the spinal cord and brain. These processes manifest themselves in the form of a burning, acute pain syndrome in different parts of the back, which is especially felt during physical activity, becomes less pronounced or stops completely at rest. In severe situations, the patient's sensitivity to the arms or legs is disturbed, they become numb, paralysis and immobilization are possible. These cases are also handled by a neurologist. With cervical osteochondrosis, a sick person is often tormented by drowsiness, headaches, and loss of consciousness may occur. If such signs are observed, then it is necessary to undergo treatment with a neurologist.
- A rheumatologist is a doctor who is being treated if rheumatism has become the cause of osteochondrosis. With this systemic inflammatory pathology in the human body, joints and ligaments are repeatedly affected.
- An arthrologist is a doctor who specializes in joints. The spinal column has more than forty of them. If a person has a dull pain in the back (in the cervical, thoracic, vertebral part), which increases in a calm state, but disappears with little physical activity, it is difficult for him to bend over, turn his whole body, and his posture is also disturbed, then it is necessary to undergo treatment with arthrologist. In addition, a doctor of this specialization observes patients with organic disorders of the spine that have formed: bone growths (osteophytes), atrophy of joint capsules, problems with ligaments.
- Neurosurgeon. He is engaged in the treatment of patients if therapeutic methods have not given the desired result and a surgical solution to the problem is necessary. A doctor specializing in neurosurgery performs operations to remove and replace intervertebral discs, remove osteophytes, etc.
- A rehabilitation specialist is a specialist who helps people recover after surgery on the spine. This doctor develops an individual rehabilitation program and monitors the progress of its implementation by the patient.
In the most advanced and difficult situations, it is possible that a person will have to consult and fulfill prescriptions for the treatment of osteochondrosis from doctors of various specialties.
In any case, you should not self-diagnose yourself, take medications, apply prescriptions alternative medicine so as not to hurt yourself. It will be much more effective if a person, having learned which doctor to contact for osteochondrosis, gets an appointment with him and begins to follow the recommendations received.
