The most common degenerative-dystrophic disease of the spine is osteochondrosis. Its peculiarity is that it does not manifest itself in any way in the initial stages, so many patients turn to the doctor when the processes of tissue destruction are already far away. However, in this case, the diagnosis is not made immediately, but after a series of laboratory and instrumental examinations. The correct diagnosis of osteochondrosis is very important, because the earlier the treatment is started, the greater the chance of preventing complications. It is for this reason that it is necessary to identify the signs of osteochondrosis in time and consult a doctor.
Causes and mechanism of development
Osteochondrosis begins with destructive processes in the intervertebral discs. They gradually dry up and decrease in volume. This leads to the fact that the disks can no longer perform their functions properly. They can collapse, then a hernia is formed. But often this condition leads to the development of osteochondrosis.
After all, the intervertebral disc protects the vertebrae from destruction, serves as a shock absorber during various movements and keeps the vertebrae in the correct position. As its volume decreases, the vertebrae begin to shift. The instability of a segment of the spine leads to the formation of osteophytes - bony growths that keep the vertebrae apart. Otherwise, compression of nerve roots and compression of blood vessels may occur. All these processes lead to the presence of many different symptoms of osteochondrosis, so it is very difficult to make a timely diagnosis. But if you know why this pathology develops, people at risk can be more careful.
Osteochondrosis usually occurs for the following reasons:
- congenital disorders in the development of the spine or connective tissue defects;
- injuries or constant loading, heavy physical labor;
- poor posture, flat feet, wearing uncomfortable shoes;
- staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time, sedentary lifestyle;
- obesity, poor nutrition, overweight;
- exposure to chemicals, for example, having bad habits, taking certain medications;
- frequent stress;
- natural processes that occur during the aging of the body;
- constant vibration effect on the spine.
Osteochondrosis develops after a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc, after which the vertebrae themselves begin to collapse.
Therefore, it is necessary to carefully monitor your health in order to consult a doctor at the first symptoms. This is especially important for athletes, loaders, drivers, gymnasts, women who often worry about their loved ones and are stressed because of it.
Symptoms
Symptoms of osteochondrosis depend on the stage of the disease, as well as which part of the spine is affected by degenerative processes. Very often, at first the patient does not even feel back pain, only mild stiffness in the morning. As a result of the displacement of the vertebrae in the process of destruction of the intervertebral disc, the nerve roots are compressed and pain occurs. Depending on the location of the disease, they may not appear only in the back region. Often, the pain spreads to the shoulder blade, chest, arm or leg, and there may be headaches.
A feature of osteochondrosis in the initial stages is that the pain increases with physical activity and decreases after rest. Even after adopting a comfortable body position, the patient feels better. Painful sensations worsen with hypothermia, stress, after a long stay in a static position, for example, when working at a computer or lying in an uncomfortable bed. Very often, stiffness in movements, muscle weakness and constant fatigue are observed with osteochondrosis. The patient tries to take a comfortable position where he feels less pain.
The main symptom of lumbar osteochondrosis is pain and stiffness in movement.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
The most common place of degenerative-dystrophic processes is the spine. Not only when moving, but also when a person sits in one position for a long time, he can withstand the heaviest loads. Due to the sedentary lifestyle of modern people, the muscle corset here is weak, so any overload can lead to the destruction of discs or displacement of vertebrae.
In addition to pain and general stiffness, there are specific symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis in the lumbar region. You should consult a neurologist if the following symptoms are felt occasionally:
- lower limbs are numb;
- skin sensitivity is impaired, paresis may develop;
- pain is felt in the pelvic organs, their activity is disturbed;
- the patient cannot turn and bend, pain is felt even when sitting.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
It is especially important to know what symptoms a patient experiences with cervical osteochondrosis. After all, sometimes the pain in the neck is not even felt, and other symptoms are similar to vascular diseases, which a person tries to treat with drugs. If the destructive processes in the cervical spine are not stopped, it can lead to disruption of blood supply to the brain and even complete paralysis of the body.
Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to the following signs in time:
- headaches that cannot be relieved by conventional analgesics;
- dizziness occurs when turning;
- pain can be felt in the shoulders, back of the head, arms;
- vision deteriorates, spots or colored spots appear in front of the eyes;
- there is hearing loss, tinnitus;
- tongue and fingers numb;
- coordination of movements is disturbed.
Headache and tinnitus are often observed with cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis
Symptoms of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region are easily confused with diseases of internal organs. And although the main symptom is back pain, it has its own characteristics. Patients describe this feeling as if the chest is squeezed by a ring. The pain intensifies when inhaling and exhaling, so many attribute these feelings to heart pathologies.
Pain with thoracic osteochondrosis will intensify with hypothermia, raising your arms, and also at night. You may feel numbness of the skin, swelling of the abdomen and coldness in the extremities. Disturbances in the work of the digestive system often occur.
Diagnostics
In order to prevent complications of osteochondrosis, it is very important to consult a doctor as soon as its first symptoms appear. This is stiffness in movement and back pain after exercise. This pathology is treated by a vertebrologist or neurologist. An experienced doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis during the examination and conversation with the patient.
However, some symptoms of the disease are very non-specific and resemble the manifestations of many other pathologies. Therefore, differential diagnosis is very important, which will help to exclude diseases in which vascular and neurological symptoms develop. It can be angina pectoris, hypertension, stomach ulcer, pyelonephritis. The main difference of osteochondrosis from them is that it has a chronic course and develops slowly, with periodic exacerbations, and the pain most often disappears with rest.
However, it is still difficult to make a correct diagnosis without special diagnostics. Instrumental examination methods are often used for this: X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, myelography, etc. Sometimes laboratory tests may also be necessary. They will help reduce the presence of the inflammatory process and increase the concentration of calcium in the blood.
In the initial stage of the disease, the most common diagnostic method is radiography.
Radiography
At the initial stage, X-ray diagnostics is required to confirm the diagnosis. This is the main examination method for osteochondrosis. It is the simplest and most accessible and has the least side effects. After determining the location of the pain, photographs of this area of the spine are taken. They are usually performed in two projections: direct and lateral.
If the diagnosis is made correctly, it will be indicated by the following X-ray signs: the distance between the vertebrae decreases, atrophy of the intervertebral discs is observed, osteophytes appear, and there may be destruction or deformation of the spinal tissue. of the spine.
Myelography
This is a more complicated method, may have side effects and is not suitable for everyone. After all, myelography is based on the injection of a special contrast liquid into the spinal canal. This can cause an allergic reaction or even damage to the spinal cord. After that, an X-ray of the spine is performed.
This method allows you to examine the spinal canal and determine where the degenerative processes are damaged. In addition, myelography can determine the presence of intervertebral hernias at the initial stage.
MRI is a more informative examination method, so it is used when differential diagnosis is necessary.
Tomography
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis using CT or MRI is performed less often, because these methods are not yet available everywhere. Therefore, they are used in difficult cases, as well as when it is necessary to distinguish osteochondrosis from other diseases. But with MRI or CT, you can examine the spine and surrounding tissues in great detail.
These diagnostic methods allow you to see the condition of blood vessels, the presence of hernias, compression of nerve roots and the shape of intervertebral discs. They are necessary for the differential diagnosis of osteochondrosis from osteomyelitis, spinal cord tumors, spondylitis, ankylosing spondylitis and syringomyelia.
Timely identification of osteochondrosis symptoms and correct diagnosis will help to start treatment in time. This will prevent the development of complications, alleviate the patient's condition and reduce the number of exacerbations.