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, ligaments.

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

If the disease is started, then the fast-growing bone processes further damage the nerve roots, as well as blood vessels.

Symptoms are largely due to the location of the disease.

The main symptoms of the disease

Usually, all symptoms are cataloged into four large groups and associated both with the affected area and with the individual characteristics of the spine of each patient. It should be borne in mind that the manifestations of the disease can noticeably increase if a person is overcooled, has a cold, is under severe stress, abuses alcohol, eats irregularly or improperly, and also does not normalize physical activity.

1. Static symptoms depend on a change in the shape of each vertebra, which leads to a deterioration in posture: a person acquires scoliosis, or even kyphosis with lordosis, cannot normally straighten his back, and turn his head freely. The spinal column loses its flexibility.
2. Neurological symptoms represent damage to the 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 compressed, there is pain, numbness, tingling, and a creepy feeling in the affected area. If the disease is started, 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. Firstly, due to compression of arteries with veins (especially for cervical osteochondrosis, when the arteries supplying the brain are compressed), which leads to a noticeable deterioration in the blood supply to the brain, the appearance of nausea, dizziness, and lack of oxygen in certain areas. Secondly, due to irritation of the nerve fibers, a change in the state of the sympathetic nervous system develops. The result is spasms of many vessels, even ischemia.
4. Trophic symptoms occur when the aforementioned neurological manifestations are superimposed on the vascular symptoms. As a result, tissue nutrition becomes much worse, which leads to the appearance of ulcers.

If osteochondrosis of the neck develops

Signs of osteochondrosis vary depending on which specific area of the body is affected. Cervical osteochondrosis is a dangerous and insidious enemy. First, a headache appears, on which analgesics 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, it can end up with 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 a consequence of a violation of proper nutrition and metabolism in the optical system).
• Fainting due to lack of oxygen in the brain, wobbly, unsteady gait.
• Hiccups, shortness of breath (if the phrenic nerve is affected), lump in the throat.
• Impaired neck mobility, painful sensations in it, constant muscle tension.
• Trophic changes in the skin on the hands.
• Constant weakness, lack of strength and fatigue, frequent irritability, a feeling of heat or, conversely, chills.

Quite often, a lesion of the cervical spine is mistaken for strokes, hypertension, a problem with the ENT organs, and even neurasthenia.

If the thoracic region is affected

What symptoms accompany the disease, if it concerns the thoracic region, is easy to imagine if you remember which organs may be affected. This department 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 pectoris, intestinal or renal colic, or liver problems. Then it all depends on the affected department:

• If the upper thoracic segment is affected, the person experiences problems with 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, the bowel function is disrupted, the pain is similar to appendicitis manifestations.
• Painful sensations in the heart, increased heartbeat, shortness of breath, an unpleasant feeling of coldness, burning or tingling in the chest and abdomen can be added to this.

The main problem is not that osteochondrosis can be mistaken for a heart attack, angina pectoris, abdominal diseases or pneumonia for a long time, but that because of pain a person tries to breathe more accurately, spares himself, as a result, a vicious circle is obtained: respiratory pathology, chronic respiratory failure, heart damage.

If the lower back is affected

The lumbar region suffers most often, because it is he who receives the greatest loads not only during movements, any movements, but also when lifting heavy objects. The problem with 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 on the legs. Then additional symptoms appear:

• If the motor fibers are affected, then paresis can develop, the case will end in paralysis of the legs.
• The defeat of the nerves gives 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 suffer not only from pain, but also from difficulties with urination (in the case of men, also with an erection), from fecal incontinence.

Most often, physical activity, sudden movements, hypothermia become the trigger for the appearance of pain. The roots are compressed, the intervertebral discs are displaced. The person begins to suffer from aching, dull or, on the contrary, sharp pain.

Often, 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 extremities may decrease.

Conclusion

Whatever areas are 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 are diagnosed with problems with the heart, digestive tract or other organs.

It is necessary to contact a neurologist first of all, and it is advisable to do this before pains appear, which are characteristic only for osteochondrosis, and even more so other signs (such as paresis and paralysis). The doctor, first of all, will ensure the elimination of pain (prescribe various painkillers), improve metabolic processes in all tissues (both cartilaginous and muscular, and in the nervous one), eliminate hernias if they have already formed.

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