The "pearl necklace" of the spine requires careful attention, if there is no proper prevention of diseases of the spine, the symptoms of osteochondrosis appear. Treatment in this case is long, it is impossible to completely restore the integrity of the spine and cartilaginous discs.
In general, osteochondrosis is considered a change in the bone tissue, the ligamentous apparatus, the cartilage, and the intervertebral discs of the spine. This process is long, the changes do not appear "suddenly", but are felt by the first characteristic signs and symptoms. Most often, it is primarily pain that occurs when nerve fibers, soft tissues, or blood vessels are violated. The signs of osteochondrosis directly depend on the stage of the course of the disease and the area of the injury, the treatment of each stage is different.
Clinical picture
Walking upright is a distinctive feature of a person as homo sapiens, and at the same time, it is the upright position that is the main reason for the development of osteochondrosis. Not a single representative of the fauna that walks on 4 legs is familiar with the symptoms of osteochondrosis. When walking upright, the intervertebral cartilages experience a colossal load, and over time they undergo changes, a deformation occurs, the spine stops performing its functions completely.
Four groups of characteristic changes:
Neurological syndrome
With symptoms of nerve damage, there may be a loss of sensation of the skin or a decrease in muscle strength. With osteochondrosis of the spine, the first sign of neurological disorders can be considered the appearance of pain, which is a consequence of compression or irritation of the spinal roots. The first signs are localized in a limited area of the back, where the pathological changes began. With progression, the pain gradually "spreads" to all parts of the body located in the zone of innervation of the compressed nerve root. Basically, the pain can be in the arms or legs, this state of affairs often forms a misconception of the diagnosis and the treatment is not carried out correctly.
In neurological syndrome, symptoms of impaired motor function develop less frequently than sensitivity. If this happens, symptoms of partial or complete loss of mobility of the arm or leg can be observed, for example: with sacro-lumbar osteochondrosis of the spine, paresis of the left or right lower limb is manifested.
Static syndrome
The first symptom appears already when the changes in the vertebrae begin. As a result, an incorrect posture develops - lordosis, kyphosis or scoliosis. In difficult cases, there is a limitation of the mobility of the articular surfaces of the spine, the signs of this are expressed in the impossibility of fully straightening or turning the head.
Vascular syndrome
Spinal vascular problems develop for the following reasons:
- Low sympathetic SN tone (signs of chronic ischemia of internal organs).
- With local compression of blood vessels by altered vertebrae or their processes. Signs of osteochondrosis in this case are expressed in a violation of the blood supply to the brain when the large vessels are compressed. Symptoms of oxygen deprivation include dizziness, poor blood supply to the inner ear, or nausea. Symptomatic treatment, as a rule, does not give serious results.
Trophic syndrome
These symptoms of osteochondrosis are characterized by the appearance of ulcers on the skin, which is a consequence of tissue malnutrition. Skin lesions appear in combination with neurological and vascular factors. The exact signs depend on the part of the back affected.
Typical manifestations of pathology.
Each part of the spine has its own typical signs of osteochondrosis, according to which a vertebral neurologist diagnoses the disease in men and women. Based on these symptoms, he can understand which parts of the back are affected and what treatment is required first.
There are several types of osteochondrosis: thoracic, cervical, lumbar, sacral and mixed, when the localization of the signs is not in a single department, but has a diffuse character. The first signs of the development of osteochondrosis in women and men begin to feel dull, slight aches, discomfort, cracking, often with thoracic osteochondrosis, pain occurs in the region of the heart. Ideally, treatment should start at this stage, then it will be possible to avoid all back problems in the future.
Also, the signs of osteochondrosis become clear, painful sensations in the arms or legs begin to occur. The pain in the spine increases with any load and it gradually becomes problematic to perform movements associated with bending forward. The more the osteochondrosis manifests itself, the more limited the mobility of the back, the thinned intervertebral discs lose their flexibility, the distance between the vertebrae decreases and their mobility is lost. The muscles begin to work in "emergency mode", being constantly in tension, supporting the vertebrae to prevent them from approaching and completely destroying the intervertebral discs.
Tight muscles cause even more discomfort to a person, increase tension, pain, and symptoms of osteochondrosis intensify.
Cervical pathology
The signs of cervical osteochondrosis are often "hidden" under the guise of other diseases. The first sign of neck pathology is a headache that cannot be relieved with conventional painkillers. Start from the back of the head, going to the temples. Unpleasant sensations intensify after a long stay in one position; numbness of the arm, scapula, and shoulder often appears. With strong pinching of the nerve fibers, paresis or paralysis of the hand may develop.
When blood vessels are violated, signs of stroke appear:
- Tinnitus, dizziness: speaks of poor blood flow in the cochlea and semicircular tubules.
- Decreased vision, flies in front of the eyes: indicates poor nutrition of the optical apparatus.
- Severe lack of oxygen in the brain: it can manifest itself in a sudden loss of consciousness, especially if cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by atherosclerosis of the vessels.
Hiccups, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, and panic attacks "speak" of phrenic nerve damage. The phrenic nerve is part of the cervical plexus and is directly related to the regulation of the rate and depth of respiration.
Breast pathology
The signs of thoracic osteochondrosis are quite diverse, although this part of the spine is affected less often, both in women and in men. Painful sensations have a clear location: the upper abdomen, the area of the shoulder blades and between the ribs. But osteochondrosis often "hides" behind signs of intestinal or renal colic, angina pectoris, or cholecystitis.
Symptoms that indicate an injury to one or the other thoracic segment:
- Upper thoracic segment. Sensation of a lump in the throat, violation of the act of swallowing, cough.
- Middle thoracic segment. Symptoms that mimic gastritis and ulcers (gastralgia) and symptoms with arrhythmia and hypertension (cardialgia).
- Lower thoracic segment. Symptoms of intestinal motility disorders and signs similar to appendicitis appear.
Lumbar pathology
The signs of damage in this section are extensive, but most of the time the first signs are manifested with pain in the lower back and legs, loss of sensation and numbness of the skin of the lower extremities.
Changes in the lumbosacral region, characteristic symptoms:
- Pain and lumbago are observed after physical exertion.
- When motor nerve fibers are pinched, paresis and paralysis of the legs develop.
- Pinching of nerves and blood vessels in men and women leads to disturbance of the pelvic organs.
It should always be remembered that osteochondrosis of the spine is a hidden and insidious disease. You can treat the respiratory, genitourinary or gastrointestinal tract for years, but not get positive results from therapy. Therefore, in case of signs of disease, it makes sense to consult primarily a neurologist and not a cardiologist, therapist or gastroenterologist.