Signs of osteochondrosis

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 when the process of tissue destruction is already severe, many patients turn to their doctors. But even in this case, the diagnosis is not made immediately, but after a series of laboratory and instrumental tests. Proper diagnosis of osteochondrosis is important because the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of preventing complications. It is for this reason that you need to promptly recognize the symptoms of osteochondrosis and consult a doctor.

Causes and mechanisms of development

Osteochondrosis begins with the destruction of the intervertebral discs. They gradually dry out and reduce in size. This causes the disk to no longer perform its function correctly. They may collapse and then form a hernia. But most often, this condition leads to the development of osteochondrosis.After all, intervertebral discs protect the vertebrae from damage, act as shock absorbers during various movements, and keep the vertebrae in the correct position. As the size decreases, the vertebrae shift. Instability of spinal segments can lead to the formation of osteophytes – bone growth that keeps the vertebrae at arm’s length. Otherwise, nerve roots and blood vessels may be compressed. All of these processes can lead to many different symptoms of osteochondrosis, which is why it can be difficult to diagnose in time. But if you know why the condition occurs, people at high risk can be more careful.Osteochondrosis is usually caused by:

• Congenital disorders of spinal development or connective tissue defects;
• Injury or frequent overload, heavy physical work;
• Poor posture, flat feet, wearing uncomfortable shoes;
• Maintaining uncomfortable postures and sedentary lifestyles for long periods of time;
• Obesity, malnutrition, overweight;
• Exposure to chemicals, such as having bad habits or taking certain medications;
• often under stress;
• The natural process that occurs as the body ages;
• Continuous vibration has an impact on the spine.

Osteochondrosis develops when the disc height decreases, after which the vertebrae themselves begin to collapseTherefore, 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 and women, who often worry about their loved ones and are stressed as a result.

symptom

The symptoms of osteochondrosis depend on the stage of the disease and which part of the spine is affected by the degenerative process. Many times, patients don't even experience back pain at first, just a slight stiffness in the morning. When the vertebrae shift and the intervertebral discs are destroyed, the nerve roots are squeezed, causing pain. Depending on the location of the disease, they can appear not only in the back area. Pain usually radiates to the shoulder blades, chest, arms, or legs, and headaches may occur.A characteristic of the early stages of osteochondrosis is that pain worsens with physical activity and decreases with rest. Even after adopting a comfortable position, the patient will feel better. Pain can worsen after hypothermia, stress, or staying in a static position for long periods of time, such as when working at a computer or sleeping in an uncomfortable bed. Patients with osteochondrosis often experience stiffness of movement, muscle weakness, and persistent fatigue. The patient attempts to assume a comfortable position to reduce pain.The main symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are pain and stiffness during movement.

Symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis

The most common site of degenerative dystrophic processes is the lumbar spine. Not only can it bear the heaviest load when moving, but also when a person sits in one position for a long time. Due to modern people's sedentary lifestyle, the muscle bundles here are weak, so any overload can lead to disc destruction or vertebral displacement.In addition to pain and general stiffness, lumbar osteochondrosis has specific symptoms. You need to make an appointment with a neurologist if you experience the following symptoms from time to time:

• numbness in lower limbs;
• Impaired skin sensitivity and possible paresis;
• Pain is felt in the pelvic organs, their functions are disturbed;
• The patient is unable to turn or bend over and has pain even while sitting.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

It is especially important to understand the symptoms of patients with cervical osteochondrosis. After all, sometimes neck pain isn't even felt, while other symptoms resemble the vascular conditions people try to treat with medication. If the destruction process of the cervical spine is not stopped, it may lead to interruption of blood supply to the brain and even complete paralysis of the body. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the following signs promptly:

• Headaches that are not relieved by conventional analgesics;
• Dizziness when turning the head;
• Pain may be felt in shoulders, back of head, and arms;
• Decreased vision, with spots or stains visible in front of the eyes;
• Have hearing loss and tinnitus;
• Tongue and fingers become numb;
• Impaired coordination of movements.

Headache and tinnitus are common symptoms when suffering from cervical osteochondrosis

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis

Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis can easily be confused with those of internal organ disease. And although the main symptom is back pain, it also has its own characteristics. Patients describe the sensation as being like a tightening of the chest. The pain worsens when breathing in and out, so many people attribute these feelings to heart disease.In thoracic osteochondrosis, the pain is worsened by hypothermia, raising the arm, and at night. You may experience numbness in your skin, goosebumps, and cold extremities. Digestive system function is often disrupted.

diagnosis

To prevent complications of osteochondrosis, it is important to see your doctor as soon as the first signs appear. This is stiffness of movement and back pain after exercise. This pathology is treated by a chiropractor or neurologist. An experienced doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis during examination and conversation with the patient.But some symptoms of the disease are very non-specific and appear similarly to many other conditions. Therefore, differential diagnosis is important, which will help exclude disorders that present with both vascular and neurological symptoms. This may be angina, hypertension, peptic ulcer, pyelonephritis. The main difference between osteochondrosis and them is that it has a chronic course, develops slowly, gets worse periodically, and the pain usually subsides with rest.But without a specific diagnosis, it's still difficult to make the right diagnosis. Most often, instrumental examination methods are used for this purpose: radiography, CT, MRI, ultrasound, myelography, etc. Sometimes laboratory testing may also be needed. They will help to identify the presence of inflammatory processes and an increase in calcium concentration in the blood.The most common method of diagnosis in the early stages of the disease is radiographic examination.

radiography

In the initial stages, diagnostic X-rays are needed to confirm the diagnosis. This is the main test method for osteochondrosis. It is the simplest, most accessible, and has the fewest side effects. Once you have determined the location of the pain, take pictures of that area of the spine. They are usually performed in two ways of projection: direct projection and transverse projection.If the diagnosis is correct, it will be indicated by the following radiological signs: the distance between the vertebrae is reduced, disc atrophy is observed, osteophytes are visible, the vertebral tissue may be destroyed or there are changes 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 injecting a special contrast fluid into the spinal canal. This can lead to allergic reactions and even damage to the spinal cord. Afterward, an X-ray is taken of the spine.This method allows you to examine the spinal canal and determine where it has been damaged by degenerative processes. Additionally, myelography can determine early on whether an intervertebral hernia is present.MRI is a more information-rich examination and is therefore used when differential diagnosis is required.

tomography

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis using CT or MRI is less frequent because these methods are not yet available everywhere. Therefore, they are used in difficult cases and when osteochondrosis needs to be differentiated from other diseases. But with an MRI or CT scan, you can examine the spine and surrounding tissue in detail.These diagnostic methods can tell you about the condition of your blood vessels, the presence of a hernia, nerve root compression, and the shape of your discs. They are necessary for the differential diagnosis of osteochondrosis from osteomyelitis, spinal cord tumors, spondylitis, ankylosing spondylitis, and syringomyelia.Prompt recognition of symptoms of osteochondrosis and correct diagnosis will help start treatment on time. This will prevent complications, relieve the patient's condition and reduce the number of exacerbations.