Back and neck injuries, heavy physical exertion, sedentary lifestyle, pregnancy, old age - all these are the causes of diseases of the spine, the support of the human body. The symptoms of osteochondrosis, cervical, thoracic or lumbar, are different, so any sign, however subtle, cannot be ignored. The earlier the treatment begins, the faster the healing will be. If you notice the first manifestations of the disease in yourself, consult a doctor and undergo an examination.
What is osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is one of the most diagnosed diseases of the spine, the signs of which are found in every 3 people after 35 years. It mainly affects overweight elderly people, former athletes or workers whose professional activities are associated with heavy loads. According to the statistics of recent years, it is clear that the disease is getting younger. Girls and guys who prefer to lead a sedentary lifestyle no longer surprise doctors with complaints of back pain.
Osteochondrosis is a spinal disease characterized by degenerative-dystrophic damage to the intervertebral discs. If left untreated, the destruction of the vertebrae themselves begins, which leads to disability, atrophy and paralysis of the limbs. Such a problem can also manifest as a stroke, sciatica, kyphosis, protrusion. At the first signs of the disease, you need to seek help from a doctor.
Each degree of this dystrophic spinal disorder is characterized by its own symptoms and signs. There are four stages in total. At the first stage, pathological changes occur, manifested by dehydration and a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc. On the second, the sagging of the spinal muscles and ligaments is fixed, spondylolisthesis is diagnosed (displacement, curvature of the disc). The third stage is characterized by the appearance of prolapse and protrusion of the discs. At the last stage, a deformation of the vertebrae occurs, on which bone growths - osteophytes grow.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of osteochondrosis depend on the stage of development at which it is. The type of disease also plays an important role. Osteochondrosis affects different parts of the spine: cervical, thoracic, lumbar. Some of the patient's signs may not be associated with the spine, for example, heart or headache, numbness in fingers and toes. The patient complains at the same time that the neck hurts or itches in the chest. It is very important to seek help from the hospital. Treatment of the disease lasts about 3 months, plus a year is given for rehabilitation.
The most common symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- back pain between the shoulder blades;
- dizziness;
- feeling of a lump in the throat;
- nausea;
- loss of sensation in the limbs;
- high temperature;
- numbness of limbs.
Cervical osteochondrosis
Considering the signs depending on the type of disease, problems with the cervical vertebrae are dangerous due to the proximity to the brain. Here there is a partial overlap of blood vessels that carry blood to the head. Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are:
- dizziness;
- clouding of the eyes;
- noise in the ears;
- "drift" while walking;
- pain in the back of the head, arms, shoulders.
Thoracic osteochondrosis
This type of disease affects the heart, as a result of which the patient begins to complain of such symptoms:
- pain in the chest, back, shoulders;
- Heartache;
- angina;
- feeling of a lump in the throat;
- bouts of shortness of breath;
- respiratory oppression;
- numbness of hands and feet.
Lumbar osteochondrosis
A disease affecting the lower spine leads to problems with the pelvic organs. Sexual function suffers. Signs of lumbar osteochondrosis are:
- pain in the coccyx, sacrum, lower back;
- spasms of the muscles of the thighs, calves, buttocks;
- shooting in the legs;
- numbness of limbs;
- poor joint mobility;
- exacerbation of diseases of the genitourinary system.
Symptoms of wandering osteochondrosis
This concept means osteochondrosis, which develops in two parts of the spine, for example, the cervicothoracic type of the disease. In this case, the patient will feel pain signs that appear first in one place of the back, and then in another, i. e. the location of the pain will shift. In this case, the patient can diagnose a violation of the cardiovascular system and even take medications to treat this problem, which cannot be done without a medical examination.
Signs of osteochondrosis
Depending on what the disease affects, doctors distinguish four groups of syndromes, each of which is characterized by its own symptoms. The syndromes of osteochondrosis are:
- static syndrome. This concept refers to a change in the shape of the spine. There is a violation of posture: a person begins to bend over, bend over, lower one shoulder under the other. Scoliosis appears.
- neurological syndrome. The disease affects the nervous system. The person complains of tingling, numbness. Neurological symptoms turn into complications in the form of paralysis or seizures.
- vascular syndrome. Here we are talking about squeezing the vessels by the processes of the vertebra. This situation is often observed in the cervical form of the disease. The result is a violation of blood circulation, oxygen starvation of the brain, leading to clouding, dizziness, nausea, loss of hearing and vision. With thoracic or lumbar osteochondrosis, chronic ischemia of internal organs is observed.
- trophic syndrome. It is characterized by insufficient nutrition of the tissues with essential substances. As a result, ulcers, inflammations and other defects appear on the skin.
The first signs of osteochondrosis
At the initial stage of the disease, as well as at the last, the patient does not feel any discomfort. Only a doctor is able to identify a problem at this stage of development, for example, when diagnosing another disease or during a medical examination. The diagnostic methods are as follows:
- X-ray of the spine in two projections, if necessary, X-ray of a single vertebra;
- magnetic resonance imaging (determination of intervertebral disc herniation, assessment of the condition of the spinal cord);
- discography (examination of the intervertebral disc);
- electrophysical examination (determination of the degree of damage to the nerve pathways).