Osteochondrosis is a widespread and rapidly "rejuvenating" disease that affects many people around the world.
These are degenerative changes of dystrophic nature in the bone tissue of the spine, its joints, cartilage, ligaments.
For a while a person may not notice the disease, but the signs of osteochondrosis are felt quite quickly: the spine acquires pathological mobility, penetrates nerve endings, blood vessels, even adjacent tissues, causing severe pain.
If the disease starts, then the fast-growing bone processes additionally damage the nerve roots, as well as the blood vessels.
The symptoms are mainly due to the location of the disease.
The main symptoms of the disease
Usually, all symptoms are divided into four large groups and are related to both the affected area and the individual characteristics of each patient's spine. It should be borne in mind that the manifestations of the disease can be significantly increased if a person has a cold, a cold, under severe stress, abuses alcohol, eats irregularly or improperly, and also does not normalize physical activity.
- Static symptoms depend on the change in shape of each vertebra, which leads to worsening posture: a person gets scoliosis and even kyphosis with lordosis, can not normally straighten his back and turn his head freely. The spinal column loses its flexibility.
- Neurological symptoms are damage to nerve tissue, which disrupts not only the strength of muscle contractions, but also impaired skin sensitivity. Spinal roots are compressed, there is pain, numbness, tingling, creepy feeling in the affected area. If the disease starts, it can cause limb paresis (partial loss of ability to move or even complete paralysis).
- Vascular symptoms develop for two reasons. First, due to compression of arteries with veins (especially in cervical osteochondrosis, when the arteries that supply the brain are constricted), which leads to a noticeable deterioration in the brain's blood supply, nausea, dizziness and lack of oxygen. in certain areas. Secondly, due to the irritation of the nerve fibers, the state of the sympathetic nervous system changes. The result is spasms of many blood vessels, even ischemia.
- Trophic symptoms occur when the above neurological manifestations are upgraded to vascular symptoms. As a result, tissue nutrition becomes significantly worse, leading to ulcers.
If osteochondrosis of the neck develops
Signs of osteochondrosis vary depending on which area of the body is affected. Cervical osteochondrosis is a dangerous and insidious enemy. Headache occurs first, which is simply not affected by analgesics.
Painful sensations can affect the back of the head, the temples, intensify after a person is at rest without movement, and not only the head but also the skin hurts. Then the problem is accompanied by painful sensations in the arms and shoulders, the sensitivity of these areas is disturbed.
If you do nothing, the case can end in hand paralysis.
In addition to pain, cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by other symptoms:
- Nausea, unpleasant sounds, unexpected dizziness.
- Deterioration of vision, flies in front of the eyes (all this is due to violations of proper nutrition and metabolism in the optical system).
- Unconsciousness due to lack of oxygen in the brain, shaky, unsteady gait.
- Hiccups, difficulty breathing (if the phrenic nerve is affected), lumps in the throat.
- Impaired mobility of the neck, painful sensations in it, constant muscle tension.
- Trophic changes in the skin on the hands.
- Constant weakness, lack of strength and fatigue, frequent irritability, feeling hot or, conversely, chills.
Very often a cervical spine lesion is mistaken for a stroke, hypertension, ENT problem, and even neurasthenia.
If the thoracic region is affected
What symptoms accompany the disease, if it is the thoracic region, is easy to imagine if you remember which organs may be affected. This department is relatively rarely affected, it is difficult to recognize the disease, because the signs are easily confused with the manifestations of other problems.
First there is pain between the shoulder blades or in the chest, in the upper abdomen. It may include internal pain and be mistaken for angina pectoris, intestinal or renal colic, or liver problems. Then it all depends on the affected department:
- If the upper thoracic segment is affected, the person has trouble swallowing, feels a lump in the throat and coughs.
- Defeat of the middle part of the chest causes pain similar to the manifestation of gastritis, peptic ulcer, heart problems. Arrhythmia appears, blood pressure rises.
- If the lower thoracic segment suffers, bowel function is impaired, the pain is similar to the manifestations of appendicitis.
- To this can be added painful feelings in the heart, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, an unpleasant feeling of cold, tingling or tingling in the chest and abdomen.
The main problem is not that osteochondrosis can be replaced for a long time with heart attack, angina pectoris, abdominal diseases or pneumonia, but that a person tries to breathe more accurately because of the pain, spares himself, as a result, a vicious circle. The following were obtained: pathology of the respiratory system, chronic respiratory insufficiency, heart damage.
If the lower back is affected
The lumbar region usually suffers, because it receives the greatest loads not only during movements, any movements, but also when lifting heavy objects. The problem with the lumbar region, first of all, feels painful sensations not only in the lower back, but also in the lower extremities, leading to numbness of the skin on the legs. Then additional symptoms appear:
- If the motor fibers are affected, then paresis can develop, the case will end in paralysis of the legs.
- The defeat of the nerves gives not only pain in the lumbar spine, but also a strong lumbago after any load.
- If the pelvic functions are affected and the blood flow to the pelvic organs is disturbed, the person will suffer not only from pain, but also from difficulty urinating (in men and with erections), from fecal incontinence.
Most often, physical activity, sudden movements, hypothermia become the trigger for the appearance of pain. The roots are compressed, the intervertebral discs are displaced. A person begins to suffer from aching, dull or, conversely, sharp pain.
Often painful sensations affect not only the lower back, but also the buttocks, thighs, legs, and even the feet. In advanced cases, the volume of the lower extremities may decrease.
Conclusion
Whatever area is affected by osteochondrosis, it is always a very serious disease that requires the active participation and intervention of a doctor. Despite the various signs, its main manifestation is severe pain, difficulty moving. Painful feelings are "masked" in the manifestations of other diseases, so most often people first turn to cardiologists, therapists, gastroenterologists, suspecting that they have been diagnosed with problems with the heart, digestive tract or other organs.
First of all, it is necessary to contact a neurologist, and it is desirable to do this before the onset of pain that is characteristic only of osteochondrosis, and even more other signs (such as paresis and paralysis). The doctor will first of all ensure the elimination of pain (prescribe various painkillers), improve metabolic processes in all tissues (both cartilage and muscle, and nerve), remove hernias if they have already formed.
In addition to medication, the patient is prescribed massage, mandatory physical culture and various physiotherapy measures.