Many patients do not know how to know that you have osteochondrosis, but at the same time are happy to make such a diagnosis for themselves. Meanwhile, the causes of back, waist or neck pain can be many. These can be curvature of the spine, disorders of internal organs, tumors, infections, instability of the position of the vertebral bodies and others. Therefore, you should not self-diagnose. Seek medical attention in case of pain.
There is no reliable algorithm for recognizing osteochondrosis without special examinations. But there are certain clinical signs that allow to suspect this disease. We will talk about them in the material presented to your attention. In the meantime, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the mechanism of development of osteochondrosis.
Degenerative dystrophic disease of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs - this is what is scientifically called osteochondrosis. With its development it leads to dorsopathy, which is complicated by dorsalgia, sciatica, sciatica, sciatica, lumbago and other syndromes associated with damage to various tissues.
Osteochondrosis is a consequence of maintaining the wrong lifestyle. Contributing factors are:
- overweight - each kilogram creates additional depreciation and mechanical stress on the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral disc;
- sedentary lifestyle without regular exercise on the muscular frame of the back;
- eating large amounts of carbohydrates, refined foods;
- wearing tight, uncomfortable clothes and shoes;
- improper posture, habit of bending, stooping, tilting the body in one direction or another;
- improper placement of the foot in the form of a flat foot or oblique foot;
- curvature of the spine;
- sedentary work or hard physical labor;
- smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages;
- insufficient consumption of clean drinking water during the day.
All these factors slow down the microcirculation of blood in the capillary network in the thickness of muscle tissue. It turns out that he is not able to perform a complete diffuse exchange with the cartilaginous tissues of the intervertebral discs. They do not have their own circulatory system. This starts the mechanism of destruction of the surface of the fibrous ring (this is the outer shell of the disk). Forms an accumulation of calcium salts. They prevent the ingress of fluid from the outside. Therefore, the fibrous ring begins to draw fluid from the pulpal nucleus located inside it. This gelatinous body is responsible for maintaining the normal height and shape of the intervertebral disc. Therefore, with fluid loss, the pulpal nucleus loses its ability to maintain disc height. The second stage of osteochondrosis develops - bulge.
In the third stage, the fibrous ring ruptures and part of the pulpal nucleus comes out. This is a disc herniation. Compresses the surrounding soft tissues, provokes an inflammatory reaction and more.
The fourth stage of osteochondrosis is the sequestration of the intervertebral hernia. Part of the pulpal nucleus is separated or completely removed by the resulting rupture of the fibrous ring. If the hernia enters the spinal canal cavity, then its sequestration requires urgent surgery. Otherwise, a person may remain disabled with paralysis of the body for the rest of his life.
As you can see, this is a very serious disease that needs to be diagnosed in time. The earlier the complex treatment is started, the greater the chances for complete restoration of the integrity of the intervertebral disc and its functions.
When the first signs of osteochondrosis appear, you can make an appointment with a vertebrologist or neurologist. Doctors will perform an examination and a manual examination. They will make an accurate diagnosis and recommend the necessary additional tests. After an accurate diagnosis, you will be offered a course of treatment.
How to recognize cervical osteochondrosis
How do you know you have cervical osteochondrosis, not myositis, and what to do next? Before recognizing cervical osteochondrosis, you must collect a medical history:
- when pain occurs;
- what actions provoke their appearance;
- how long ago was the first seizure;
- are there any additional clinical signs;
- how the place for sleeping and working is organized;
- what bad habits he has;
- place of work and profession.
How do we understand this cervical osteochondrosis according to all this information? First of all, it is important to know that degenerative-degenerative disease of the intervertebral discs manifests itself in the form of pain, stiffness of movements, excessive strain on the muscles of the neck and collar area only in the initial stage. Then to these signs are added tension headache, dizziness, hearing and vision impairment, increased fatigue, decreased mental performance and more.
A distinctive feature of cervical osteochondrosis is that the exacerbation of symptoms begins at the end of the working day. And the patient's professional activity in most cases is associated with prolonged static tension in the muscles of the neck and collar area. Examination revealed pain on palpation of the spinous processes of the vertebrae, excessive muscle tension and increased pain when trying to turn the head.
Before recognizing osteochondrosis of the cervical region, the doctor recommends that the patient take an X-ray. Shows the reduced spaces between the vertebral bodies. This indicates that a bulge is developing. With the help of an X-ray image, an experienced vertebrologist will be able to rule out instability of the position of the vertebral bodies, their subluxations, retrolistas, antilistas, destruction of the intervertebral joints and a number of other serious pathologies. If this test is not enough, then it is recommended to do an MRI or CT scan. If you suspect the development of posterior vertebral artery syndrome, it is recommended that an ultrasound scan of the vessels of the neck and head be performed.
How to recognize osteochondrosis of the chest
Before recognizing thoracic osteochondrosis, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of developing pathologies of internal organs, such as the heart, coronary circulatory system, lungs, pleura, bronchi and others. Consider how to recognize osteochondrosis of the chest:
- the most important diagnostic technique is palpation, if the pain is determined exclusively by the spinous processes of the vertebrae and in the area of the paravertebral muscles, degenerative destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs is not excluded;
- mobility is limited and any bends and inclines of the body increase the pain;
- the attack of pain is provoked by physical exertion, hypothermia or psychological stressors;
- deep breathing does not worsen the pain.
It is very important to know how to understand heart or osteochondrosis, as acute chest pain is not an uncommon precursor to myocardial infarction. And in this condition the patient should be given cardiac care immediately.
So, if you feel anxiety, panic and fear of death during an attack of pain, then this is a 90% chance of a heart attack and you need to call an ambulance urgently. If there is a tonometer, then you need to measure your blood pressure and count your heart rate. When the pulse slows to bradycardia (less than 50 beats per minute) and blood pressure rises by 20-40 mm Hg above the age limit, an attack of unstable angina pectoris with a possible transition to myocardial infarction should be suspected.
You don't have to look for information on how to find out about heart pain or osteochondrosis, it's much more productive to seek medical help. Even the most common ECG taken in the hospital's emergency department will show what causes the pain syndrome: the heart or the spine. However, you can only rely on sensations during palpation. As a rule, in case of damage to the heart muscle, palpation of the spinous processes of the vertebrae does not give any unpleasant sensations. But at the same time there are such clinical symptoms of osteochondrosis as shortness of breath, shortness of breath, pale skin, a feeling of cold sticky sweat on the skin, cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle and severe muscle weakness.
How to recognize lumbar osteochondrosis
The question of how to understand that lumbar osteochondrosis causes severe pain is quite acute. In addition, with the defeat of some paired radicular nerves, as well as nerve plexuses, clinical symptoms appear that resemble diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system. These include constipation, diarrhea, frequent urination and more.
How to find out that your spinal osteochondrosis is causing pain and all other clinical signs:
- no increase in body temperature;
- no nausea and vomiting;
- the tongue is not coated with white or yellow plaque;
- when urinating the color of urine does not differ from normal;
- when emptying the bowels there are no tenesmus and other pain sensations;
- there is no impurity of blood or mucus in the stool.
To rule out renal pathology, a test for Pasternak's symptom is performed. The patient stands with his back to the doctor. The doctor with the edge of the palm lightly strikes the edge of the lower costal arch. If pain occurs, then there is a high probability that the pain in the lower back is associated with damage to the kidneys and ureters.
How to recognize lumbar osteochondrosis by indirect signs:
- with each movement the pain increases sharply;
- exacerbation of the condition begins after strenuous exercise, weight lifting, hypothermia or overheating of the body;
- stiffness of movements is felt, often associated with muscle weakness;
- the muscles in the lumbar region are sharply tense, painful on palpation;
- the pain can spread along the nerves, for example in the groin, anterior abdominal wall, lower extremities;
- at rest the pain syndrome quickly subsides.
When typical symptoms of osteochondrosis appear, it is important to contact a neurologist or vertebrologist as soon as possible. Only an experienced doctor can rule out the possibility of vertebral displacement, disc herniation, spinal stenosis and other dangerous pathologies that require immediate medical attention.
What to do with the pain of osteochondrosis
We learned how to understand that pain arises from osteochondrosis. This is important information at the moment. You need to know how to behave properly and what to do to get rid of such a disease.
Degenerative degenerative disease of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs does not go away on its own. This is due to a number of factors. In the first place, calcification occurs on the surface of the fibrous ring, as a result of which it loses its ability to absorb the fluid secreted by the working muscles. Secondly, in the process of reducing the height of the intervertebral discs, a secondary contraction of the ligaments and tendons occurs. It will be impossible to restore the height of the intervertebral spaces needed to straighten the discs on your own.