Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a widespread and rapidly "rejuvenating" disease that affects masses of people around the world.

These are degenerative changes of a dystrophic nature in the bone tissues of the spine, its joints, cartilage and ligaments.

For a while, a person may not notice the disease, but the signs of osteochondrosis make themselves felt quite quickly: the spine acquires pathological mobility, impinges on nerve endings, blood vessels, even adjacent tissues, thisthat causes severe pain.

If the disease is triggered, the rapidly growing bone processes further damage the nerve roots, as well as the blood vessels.

The symptoms are largely due to the location of the disease.

The main symptoms of the disease

Usually, all symptoms are categorized into four broad groups and associated with 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 significantly increase if a person is too cold, has a cold, is under severe stress, abuses alcohol, eats irregularly or incorrectly and does not normalizenot physical activity either.

1. Static symptoms depend on a change in the shape of each vertebra, which leads to deterioration of posture: a person acquires scoliosis, even kyphosis with lordosis, normally cannot straighten his back, and freely turn his head. The spine loses its flexibility.
2. Neurological symptoms represent damage to nervous tissue, in which not only the strength of muscle contractions is disturbed, but also a violation of the sensitivity of the skin. The spinal roots are squeezed, there is pain, numbness, tingling, fearful feeling in the affected area. If the disease is triggered, it can cause paresis of the limbs (partial loss of the ability to move or even complete paralysis).
3. Vascular symptoms develop for two reasons. First, due to the compression of the arteries with veins (especially for cervical osteochondrosis, when the arteries supplying the brain are compressed), which leads to a noticeable deterioration of the blood supply to the brain, the appearance of nausea, dizziness and lack of oxygen. in some areas. Second, due to irritation of nerve fibers, a change in the state of the sympathetic nervous system develops. This results in spasms of many vessels, and even ischemia.
4. Trophic symptoms occur when the above neurological manifestations overlap with vascular symptoms. As a result, the nutrition of the tissues worsens a lot, which leads to the appearance of ulcers.

If osteochondrosis of the neck develops

Signs of osteochondrosis vary depending on the specific area of the body affected. Cervical osteochondrosis is a dangerous and insidious enemy. First of all, a headache appears, on which pain relievers simply do not work.

Painful sensations can affect the back of the head, temples, intensify after a person is in a calm state without movement, and not only the head itself, but also the skin hurts. Then painful sensations in the arms and shoulders join the problem, the sensitivity of these areas is disturbed.

If you do nothing, the case may end in paralysis of the hands.

In addition to pain, cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by other symptoms:

• Nausea, unpleasant noises, unexpected dizziness.
• Deterioration of vision, flies in front of the eyes (all this is the consequence of a violation of proper nutrition and metabolism in the optical system).
• Fainting from lack of oxygen in the brain, shaky, unsteady gait.
• Hiccups, shortness of breath (if the phrenic nerve is affected), lump in the throat.
• Reduced mobility of the neck, painful sensations, constant muscle tension.
• Trophic changes in the skin of the hands.
• Constant weakness, lack of strength and fatigue, frequent irritability, feeling of heat or, conversely, chills.

Quite often, an injury to the cervical spine is mistaken for a stroke, hypertension, a problem with ENT organs, and even neurasthenia.

If the chest area is affected

What symptoms accompany the disease, if it involves the thoracic region, is easy to imagine if we remember which organs may be affected. This service is relatively rarely affected, it is difficult to recognize the disease, since 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 can involve internal pain and be mistaken for angina, intestinal or renal colic, or liver problems. Then, it all depends on the department concerned:

• If the upper chest segment is affected, the person has difficulty swallowing, feels a lump in the throat, and coughs.
• The defeat of the middle chest region 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 disturbed, the pain is similar to the manifestations of appendicitis.
• Painful sensations in the heart, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, unpleasant feeling of cold, burning or tingling in the chest and abdomen may be added to it.

The main problem is not that osteochondrosis can be mistaken for a heart attack, angina, abdominal disease or pneumonia for a long time, but because of the pain a person tries to breathe more precisely, A vicious circle is thus spared: pathology of the respiratory system, chronic respiratory failure, cardiac lesions.

If the lower back is affected

The lumbar region suffers most often, since it is he who receives the greatest loads not only during movement, any movement, but also when lifting heavy objects. The problem of the lumbar region, first of all, makes itself felt with painful sensations not only in the lower back, but also in the lower extremities, leads to numbness of the skin of the legs. Then additional symptoms appear:

• If the motor fibers are affected, then paresis may develop, the case will end with paralysis of the legs.
• The defeat of the nerves causes not only pain in the lumbar spine, but also severe lumbago after any load.
• If the pelvic functions are affected, and the blood supply to the pelvic organs is impaired, a person will experience not only pain, but also difficulty in urinating (in the case of men, also with an erection), fecal incontinence.

Most often, physical activity, sudden movements, hypothermia become the trigger for the onset of pain. The roots are compressed, the intervertebral discs are displaced. The person begins to suffer from painful, dull or, conversely, sharp pains.

Often the painful sensations affect not only the lower back, but also the area of the buttocks, thighs, lower legs and even feet. In advanced cases, the volume of the lower limbs may decrease.

Conclusion

Regardless of the areas affected by osteochondrosis, it is always a very serious disease that requires the active participation and intervention of doctors. Despite various signs, its main manifestation is severe pain, difficulty in movement. Painful sensations are "disguised" as manifestations of other diseases, so most often people first turn to cardiologists, therapists, gastroenterologists, suspecting that they have been diagnosed with problems. cardiac, digestive or other organs.

You should first consult a neurologist, and it is advisable to do so before the onset of pain, which 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 pain relievers), improve metabolic processes in all tissues (cartilage and muscle, and nervous), eliminate hernias if they have already formed.

In addition to medication, the patient is prescribed massage, compulsory physical education and various physiotherapy measures.