The most common degenerative-dystrophic disease of the spine is osteochondrosis. Its peculiarity is that in the initial stages it does not manifest itself in any way, so many patients turn to the doctor when the processes of tissue destruction have already gone far. But even in this case, the diagnosis is not made immediately, but after a series of laboratory and instrumental studies. It is very important to correctly diagnose osteochondrosis, because the earlier treatment begins, the greater the possibility of preventing complications. For this reason, you should identify the symptoms 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 out and decrease in volume. This leads to the fact that the disks can no longer perform their functions properly. They can collapse and then a hernia develops. But most 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 the volume decreases, the vertebrae shift. The instability of a given segment of the spine leads to the formation of osteophytes - bone growths that hold the vertebrae apart. Otherwise, pinching of nerve roots and compression of blood vessels may occur. All these processes cause the presence of many different signs of osteochondrosis, which is why it is so difficult to diagnose in time. But if you know why this pathology develops, people at risk can be more careful.
Osteochondrosis is usually caused by the following reasons:
- congenital disorders in the development of the spine or connective tissue defects;
- injuries or constant overload, heavy physical labor;
- bad posture, flat feet, wearing uncomfortable shoes;
- staying in an uncomfortable position for a long time, a sedentary lifestyle;
- obesity, improper nutrition, overweight;
- exposure to chemicals, for example, bad habits, taking certain medications;
- frequent stress;
- natural processes occurring during the aging of the body;
- constant vibrational effect on the spine.
Osteochondrosis develops after a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc, after which the vertebrae themselves begin to collapse
That is why it is necessary to carefully monitor your health, 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 experience stress because of this.
Symptoms
Signs of osteochondrosis depend on the stage of the disease, as well as on which part of the spine is affected by degenerative processes. Very often at the beginning the patient does not even feel pain in the back, but only a slight stiffness in the morning. In the process of destruction of the intervertebral disc due to displacement of the vertebrae, the nerve roots are pressed and pain occurs. Depending on the location of the disease, they can appear not only in the back area. Often the pain radiates to the shoulder blade, chest, arm or leg and there may be a headache.
A characteristic of osteochondrosis in the initial stages is also that the pain intensifies during physical activity and disappears after rest. Even after adopting a comfortable body position, the patient feels better. Painful sensations worsen after hypothermia, stress, prolonged stay in a static position, for example, when working on a computer or while sleeping on an uncomfortable bed. Very often, stiffness of movements, muscle weakness, constant fatigue is observed in osteochondrosis. The patient tries to take a comfortable position in which he feels less pain.
The main symptom of lumbar osteochondrosis is pain and stiffness when moving.
Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis
The most common localization of degenerative-dystrophic processes is the lumbar spine. It can withstand the greatest loads not only when moving, but also when a person sits for a long time in one position. 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 the vertebrae.
In addition to pain and general stiffness, there are special symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis in the lumbar region. If the following signs are felt from time to time, you should make an appointment with a neurologist:
- lower limbs tingle;
- skin sensitivity is impaired, paresis may develop;
- pain is felt in the pelvic organs, their functioning is disturbed;
- the patient cannot turn or bend, pain is felt even when sitting.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
It is especially important to know what symptoms the patient experiences with cervical osteochondrosis. After all, sometimes neck pain is not even felt, and other symptoms are similar to vascular disorders, 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 the blood supply to the brain and even complete paralysis of the body.
That is why it is very important to pay attention to the following signs in time:
- headache that cannot be relieved with conventional analgesics;
- dizziness occurs when turning the head;
- pain can be felt in the shoulders, back of the head, hands;
- vision deteriorates, spots or colored spots are visible in front of the eyes;
- there is hearing loss, tinnitus;
- tongue and fingers numb;
- movement coordination is impaired.
With cervical osteochondrosis, headaches and tinnitus are often observed
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis
Signs of osteochondrosis in the chest area 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 pressed by a hoop. The pain intensifies when inhaling and exhaling, so many attribute these sensations to heart pathologies.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, the pain increases with hypothermia, raising the arms up, and also at night. You may experience tingling of the skin, goosebumps and coldness of the extremities. Disturbances in the work of the digestive system often occur.
Diagnosis
To prevent the complications of osteochondrosis, it is very important to consult a doctor as soon as the first signs appear. This is stiffness with movement and back pain after exercise. This pathology is treated by a vertebrologist or neurologist. An experienced doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis during an examination and conversation with the patient.
But some symptoms of the disease are very non-specific and resemble manifestations of many other pathologies. Therefore, the differential diagnosis is very important, which will help to exclude diseases in which vascular and neurological symptoms also develop. It can be angina pectoris, hypertension, peptic ulcer, pyelonephritis. The main difference between osteochondrosis and them is that it has a chronic course and develops slowly, with periodic exacerbations, and the pain most often subsides with rest.
But without special diagnostics, it is still difficult to make a correct diagnosis. Most often, instrumental research methods are used for this: radiography, CT, MRI, ultrasound, myelography and others. Sometimes laboratory tests may also be necessary. They will help identify the presence of an inflammatory process and an increase in the concentration of calcium in the blood.
The most common diagnostic method in the initial stage of the disease is radiography.
Radiography
In the initial stage, X-ray diagnostics is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. This is the main method for studying osteochondrosis. It is the simplest and most affordable and has the fewest side effects. After determining the location of the pain, photographs are taken of this area of the spine. They are usually performed in two projections: direct and lateral.
If the diagnosis is made correctly, it will be indicated by the following radiological signs: the distance between the vertebrae is reduced, atrophy of the intervertebral discs is observed, osteophytes are visible, there may be destruction of the spinal tissue or a change in the shape 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. The spine is then X-rayed.
This method allows you to examine the spinal canal and determine where it is damaged by degenerative processes. In addition, myelography can determine the presence of intervertebral hernias in the initial stage.
MRI is a more informative research method, so it is used when a differential diagnosis is needed.
Tomography
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis using CT or MRI is performed less often, since these methods are not yet available everywhere. Therefore, they are used in difficult cases, as well as if 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 the blood vessels, the presence of a hernia, the compression of the nerve roots and the shape of the intervertebral discs. They are necessary for the differential diagnosis of osteochondrosis from osteomyelitis, spinal cord tumors, spondylitis, ankylosing spondylitis and syringomyelia.
Timely identification of the symptoms of osteochondrosis and its correct diagnosis will help to start treatment on time. This will prevent the development of complications, alleviate the patient's condition and reduce the number of exacerbations.