Osteochondrosis is a widespread and rapidly "rejuvenating" disease that affects masses of people around the world.
These are dystrophic degenerative lesions in the bone tissues, joints, cartilage and ligaments of the spine.
For a while, a person may not notice the disease, but the signs of osteochondrosis become noticeable quickly: the spine gets abnormal mobility, damaging nerve endings, blood vessels, and even adjacent tissues, causing severe pain.
If the disease is started, the rapidly growing bone processes further damage the nerve roots as well as the blood vessels.
Symptoms largely depend on the location of the disease.
The main symptoms of the disease
Generally, all symptoms are grouped into four major 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 be noticeably increased if a person is exposed to chills, colds, severe stress, alcohol abuse, irregular or improper eating, and no normalization of physical activity.
- Static symptoms depend on the deformity of each vertebra, which leads to a deterioration in posture: a person gets a scoliosis, or even lordosisos kyphosis, unable to straighten his back normally, turning his head freely. The spine loses its elasticity.
- Neurological symptoms include damage to nerve tissue, in which not only the strength of muscle contractions but also a violation of the sensitivity of the skin. The roots of the spine are compressed, there is pain, numbness, tingling, and a creepy feeling in the affected area. If the disease starts, it can cause paresis of the limbs (partial loss of mobility or even complete paralysis).
- Vascular symptoms develop for two reasons. First, due to compression of the arteries with the veins (especially in cervical osteochondrosis, when the arteries supplying the brain are compressed), leading to a noticeable deterioration in the blood supply to the brain, nausea, dizziness, and lack of oxygen. in certain areas. Second, the state of the sympathetic nervous system changes due to irritation of the nerve fibers. As a result, many blood vessels spasm, even ischemia.
- Trophic symptoms occur when the aforementioned neurological manifestations are superimposed on vascular symptoms. As a result, the tissues will be fed much worse, leading to the appearance of ulcers.
If cervical osteochondrosis develops
Signs of osteochondrosis vary depending on which area of the body is affected. Cervical osteochondrosis is a dangerous and insidious enemy. First, a headache appears in which the painkillers simply don’t work.
Painful feelings can affect the back of the head, the temple, intensify after a person is at rest without movement, and not only the head itself but also the skin hurts. Then the painful feelings in the arms and shoulders join the problem, the sensitivity of these areas is confused.
If you do nothing, the case can lead to paralysis of the hands.
In addition to pain, osteochondrosis of the neck is associated with other symptoms:
- Nausea, unpleasant noises, unexpected dizziness.
- Vision loss, be in front of the eyes (all due to violation of proper nutrition and metabolism in the optical system).
- Fainting due to lack of oxygen in the brain, unsteady, insecure gait.
- Hiccups, shortness of breath (if the pharyngeal nerve is involved), dumplings in the throat.
- Decreased neck mobility, painful feelings in it, constant muscle tension.
- Trophic changes in the skin of the hand.
- Constant weakness, lack of strength and fatigue, frequent irritability, feeling hot or on the contrary, chills.
Cervical spine lesions are often confused with stroke, high blood pressure, otolaryngology problems, and even neurasthenia.
If the chest region is affected
It is easy to imagine the symptoms that accompany the disease if they affect the chest region, if you remember which organs are affected. This class is relatively rarely affected, and the disease is difficult to recognize because the signs can be easily confused with manifestations of other problems.
First, there is pain between the shoulder blades or in the chest, in the upper abdomen. This can include internal pain and can be confused with angina pectoris, colic or kidney colic, or liver problems. Then it all depends on the department involved:
- If the upper part of the chest is affected, the person experiences swallowing problems, feeling a lump in the throat and coughing.
- The defeat of the middle thoracic region causes pain similar to the manifestations of gastritis, peptic ulcer, and heart problems. Arrhythmia appears, blood pressure rises.
- If the lower chest segment suffers, the bowel function is disturbed, the pain is similar to the manifestations of appendicitis.
- This may be accompanied by a painful feeling in the heart, an increased heartbeat, shortness of breath, a feeling of being cold, a burning or tingling sensation in the chest and abdomen.
The main problem is not that osteochondrosis can be confused with myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, abdominal disease, or pneumonia for a long time, but that because of the pain, one tries to breathe more accurately, sparing oneself as a result. a vicious circle develops: pathology of the respiratory system, chronic respiratory failure, heart damage.
If the lower back is affected
Most often, the lumbar region suffers because he receives the greatest load not only during movements, any movement, but also when lifting heavy objects. The problem of the lumbar region, above all, causes painful sensations not only in the lower back but also in the lower limbs, leading to numbness in the skin of the legs. Additional symptoms then occur:
- If the motor fibers are affected, paresis can develop, ending in paralysis of the legs.
- Defeat of the nerves causes not only pain in the lumbar spine but also severe lumbago after any load.
- When pelvic functions are affected and the blood supply to the pelvic organs is impaired, a person suffers not only from pain but also from difficulty urinating (in men, erections), stool incontinence.
Most often, physical activity, sudden movements, hypothermia trigger the appearance of pain. The roots are compressed and the intervertebral discs move. The person begins to suffer from painful, dull or, conversely, sharp pain.
Painful feelings often affect not only the lower back, but also the buttocks, thighs, legs, and even the legs. In advanced cases, the volume of the lower limbs may decrease.
Conclusion
Whatever area is affected by osteochondrosis, it is always a very serious disease that requires active participation and intervention from doctors. Despite the various signs, the main manifestation is severe pain, difficulty moving. Painful feelings are "disguised" as manifestations of other illnesses, so people most often turn to cardiologists, therapists, gastroenterologists on suspicion of diagnosing problems with the heart, digestive system, or other organs.
First of all, you should consult a neurologist, and this should be done before the pain that is characteristic of osteochondrosis alone, and even more so before the onset of other symptoms (such as paresis and paralysis). Above all, the doctor ensures the elimination of pain (prescribes various analgesics), improves the metabolic processes in all tissues (both cartilaginous, muscular and nervous), eliminates hernias when they have already formed.
In addition to medications, the patient is prescribed massage, compulsory physical education, and various physiotherapy measures.