Degenerative-dystrophic changes in the structure of the spine and adjacent tissues are called osteochondrosis. More than 70% of the world's population suffered from back pain that was accompanied by a deterioration in mobility, and many of them had no idea that all of these complaints were signs of osteochondrosis, the most common disease of the spine. It is very important to identify the problem at the initial stages, as the later stages of the disease are difficult to treat and as the disease begins you risk losing mobility completely.
Today we will talk about how osteochondrosis is manifested and what symptoms accompany this disease.
Clinical manifestations of the disease
The destruction process in osteochondrosis affects not only the bone-cartilage tissue of the spine, but also the vessels, arteries, and nerve endings.
- As a result of the change and destruction of the vertebrae, excessive pressure appears on the vessels, the main arteries deteriorate blood supply, hypoxia develops - this syndrome is called vascular.
- The deformation of the vertebrae that occurs during the disease leads to abnormal changes in the spine (lordosis, scoliosis, kyphosis), a banal change in posture is a static syndrome.
- Injury to nerve endings, blood vessels and arteries leads to a deterioration in metabolic processes in tissues, their supply of nutrients, as a result of which symptoms (in the form of ulcerative manifestations on the skin) of osteochondrosis, called trophic syndrome, appear.
- Injury to nerve endings is accompanied by numbness of the skin and a deterioration in muscle response, such symptoms of the disease are called neurological syndrome.
The disease can affect any segment of the spine - cervical, thoracic, lumbar spine, moreover, it often affects two sections at the same time. Signs of osteochondrosis directly depend on the place of its localization and the degree of destruction of the affected area.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae
Nowadays, cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed quite often in the working-age population and the first signs that, as usual, few people pay attention to are frequent occipital headaches that gradually move to the temporal area. Even the initial stage of the disease is accompanied by discomfort, draw short-term pain in the cervical spine, a crunch when turning the head.
In addition, in the absence of adequate treatment, the disease progresses, the pain intensifies, the sensitivity of the upper shoulder girdle decreases (this is due to a deterioration in the blood supply).
The climax of the disease is a complete loss of motor activity of the upper limbs. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, which result from impaired blood circulation, are also:
- Deterioration in the functions of the vestibular apparatus, dizziness, noise, ringing, whistling in the ears; impaired visual function (blurred vision, flying in front of the eyes);
- Periodic loss of consciousness, shortness of breath, and lack of oxygen are possible in the elderly.
In addition, a person may be tormented by snoring, numbness, a feeling of cold in the fingers, the likelihood of a violation of coordination of movements is high.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the chest region
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic vertebrae is a rather rare disease because the spine is less mobile at this point and is supported by a strong rib structure. However, this disease takes place, and the signs of osteochondrosis of the chest region are very diverse.
The initial stage of the disease is accompanied by chest pain that descends into the upper abdomen. Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the chest are often confused with manifestations of other ailments - cholecystitis, angina, even renal colic. It is not uncommon for a patient to come to a cardiologist with complaints of pain in the heart region and, after a thorough examination, with suspicion of osteochondrosis, is referred to a neurologist.
Depending on the location of the lesion (upper, middle, lower part of the breast segment), symptoms such as cough, the so-called "lump in the throat", gastritis, increased pressure, cardiac arrhythmias and restricted intestinal motility can occur. Therefore, before an accurate diagnosis, the doctor must conduct a thorough examination to rule out other complaints.
Symptoms of lumbar spine osteochondrosis
The first manifestations of osteochondrosis are pulling pains in the lumbar area that radiate to the lower extremities. At rest, people practically do not notice any discomfort, but should they perform physical work, make a sudden movement or remain in one position for a long time, the pain sensations intensify, accompanied by lumbago and numbness of the lower extremities.
As the disease progresses, the pain syndrome can be given to the groin area, while the sacrum experiences significant relief in a horizontal position. Lumbar spine osteochondrosis also has the following symptoms:
- decreased sensitivity, tingling sensation, skin peeling;
- Numbness of the legs which may later develop into partial or total paralysis;
- a feeling of cold in the legs, this is due to a violation of the blood supply due to compression of the arteries, blood vessels;
- the sweating function can be impaired;
- Malfunctions of the genitourinary system are also possible due to a circulatory disorder in the lower spine.
Osteochondrosis of any kind is accompanied by a deterioration in the motor activity of the vertebrae, blood flow, compression of the nerve endings and muscle fiber spasms. The initial degree of the disease responds well to treatment, which cannot be said about the later stages, so it is very important to diagnose the disease and start treatment in a timely manner.
If you know the first signs of spinal osteochondrosis, there is every chance that you can overcome them completely without the use of medication and surgical intervention. At this stage, full recovery occurs following physiotherapeutic procedures and therapeutic exercises. Be vigilant, listen to your body and then you can avoid many problems.