The "pearl necklace" of the spine requires special attention, if diseases of the spine are not properly prevented, symptoms of osteochondrosis occur. Treatment in this case is tedious, it is impossible to fully restore the integrity of the spine and cartilage discs.
Osteochondrosis is generally understood to mean a change in the bone tissue, the ligamentous apparatus, the cartilage and the intervertebral discs of the spine. This process is lengthy, the changes do not occur "suddenly", but are noticeable through the first signs and characteristic symptoms. Most often, pain occurs when nerve fibers, soft tissues or blood vessels are injured. The signs of osteochondrosis depend directly on theDepending on the stage of disease and the area of the lesion, treatment for each stage is different.
Clinical picture
Walking upright is a peculiarity of humans as Homo sapiens, and at the same time the vertical position is the main reason for the development of osteochondrosis. Not a single representative of the four-legged fauna knows the symptoms of osteochondrosis. When walking upright, the intervertebral cartilages experience a colossal load, and over time they change, deformations occur and the spine can no longer fully fulfill its functions.
Four groups of characteristic changes:
Neurological Syndrome
Symptoms of nerve damage may result in a loss of skin sensitivity or a decrease in muscle strength. With osteochondrosis of the spine, the first sign of neurological disorders may be the appearance of pain resulting from compression or irritation of the roots of the spine. The first signs are localized in a limited area of the back, where pathological changes began. As the pain progresses, it gradually "spreads" to all parts of the body that are located in the innervation zone of the compressed nerve root. Pain in the arms or legs can occur in the first place. This fact usually creates a misunderstanding of the diagnosis and theTreatment is not being done properly.
In the neurological syndrome, symptoms of impaired motor function are less likely to develop than sensitively. In this case, symptoms of partial or complete loss of movement of the arm or leg can be observed, for example: in sacro-lumbar osteochondrosis of the spine, paresis of the left or right lower extremity is manifested.
Static Syndrome
The first symptom already appears when changes in the vertebrae begin. As a result, a bad posture develops: lordosis, kyphosis or scoliosis. In difficult cases, there is a limitation in the mobility of the articular surfaces of the spine, the signs of which are expressed in the impossibility of completely straightening or turning the head.
Vascular syndrome
Spinal vascular problems develop for the following reasons:
- Low tone of sympathetic NS (signs of chronic ischemia of internal organs).
- With local compression of blood vessels due to altered vertebrae or their processes. Signs of osteochondrosis in this case are manifested as a violation of the blood supply to the brain, when large vessels are compressed. Symptoms of a lack of oxygen include dizziness, poor blood flow to the inner ear, or nausea. Symptomatic treatment usually does not produce serious results.
Trophic syndrome
Such symptoms of osteochondrosis are characterized by the appearance on the skin of ulcers, which are a result of malnutrition of tissues. Skin lesions occur in combination with neurological and vascular factors. The exact signs depend on which part of the back was affected.
Typical manifestations of pathology
Each part of the spine has its own typical signs of osteochondrosis, which a spinal neurologist uses to diagnose the disease in both men and women. These symptoms can help you identify which parts of the back are affected and what treatment is needed first.
There are several types of osteochondrosis: thoracic, cervical, lumbar, sacral and mixed, if the localization of the signs is not in one department, but has a diffuse character. The first signs of osteochondrosis in women and men are noticeable with slight dull pains, discomfort, crunching, often with thoracic osteochondrosis, pain in the heart area. Ideally, treatment should be started at this stage so that all back problems can be avoided in the future.
In addition, the signs of osteochondrosis become clear, painful sensations appear in the arms or legs. The pain in the spine increases with every load, and gradually it becomes problematic to perform movements associated with forward bending. 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 an "emergency mode", constantly tense and supporting the vertebrae to keep them from contracting and to completely destroy the intervertebral discs.
Tense muscles cause even more discomfort in a person, increasing tension, sore muscles, symptoms of osteochondrosis intensify.
Cervical pathology
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis often "hide" under the guise of other diseases. The first sign of neck pathology is a headache, which cannot be relieved with conventional pain relievers. It starts at the back of the head and goes to the temples. The unpleasant sensations intensify after staying in one position for a long time; numbness often occurs on the arm, shoulder blade and shoulder. If the nerve fibers are severely pinched, paresis or paralysis of the hand can occur.
When the blood vessels are injured, signs of a cerebrovascular accident appear:
- Tinnitus, dizziness - speak of poor blood flow to the cochlea and semicircular tubules.
- Decreased eyesight, flying in front of the eyes - indicate poor nutrition of the optical apparatus.
- Severe lack of oxygen to the brain - may manifest itself as a sudden loss of consciousness, especially if cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by arteriosclerosis of the vessels.
Hiccups, lack of air, shortness of breath and panic attacks "speak" of damage to the phrenic nerve. The phrenic nerve is part of the cervical plexus and is directly related to the regulation of the respiratory rate and depth.
Breast pathology
The signs of thoracic osteochondrosis are very diverse, although this part of the spine is less affected in both women and men. Painful sensations have a clear localization: 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 suggestive of a lesion of one or the other breast segment:
- Upper breast segment. Lump sensation in the throat, violation of the act of swallowing, cough.
- Middle breast segment. Symptoms that mimic gastritis and ulcers (gastralgia) and symptoms of irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure (cardialgia).
- Lower breast segment. Symptoms of intestinal motility disorders and symptoms similar to appendicitis appear.
Lumbar pathology
The damage to this section is extensive, but most of the time the first signs are pain in the lower back and legs, loss of sensitivity, and numbness of the skin of the lower extremities.
Changes in the lumbosacral area, characteristic symptoms:
- Pain and lumbago are observed after physical exertion.
- When motor nerve fibers are pinched, paresis and paralysis of the legs occurs.
- Pinching of nerves and blood vessels in men and women leads to a disruption 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 tract, the urogenital tract or the gastrointestinal tract for years, but you will not achieve any positive therapy results. Therefore, if there are signs of illness, it makes sense to see a neurologist and not a cardiologist, therapist or gastroenterologist in the first place.