Many patients do not know how to understand that you have osteochondrosis, but at the same time they are happy to make such a diagnosis for themselves. Meanwhile, the causes of back, spine or neck pain can be many. These include curvature of the spine, disorders of internal organs, tumors, infections, instability of the position of the vertebral bodies, etc. Therefore, you should not diagnose yourself. In case of pain, consult a doctor.
There is no reliable algorithm for how to recognize osteochondrosis without special examinations. However, there are certain clinical signs that suggest the disease. We will talk about them in the material brought to your attention. In the meantime, we recommend getting acquainted with the mechanism of development of osteochondrosis.
Degenerative dystrophic disease of the cartilage of the intervertebral discs - this is scientifically called osteochondrosis. As it develops, it leads to dorsopathy, which is complicated by dorsalgia, sciatica, sciatica, sciatica, lumbago and other syndromes associated with damage to various tissues.
Osteochondrosis is the result of a person's wrong lifestyle. The influential factors are:
- excess body weight - each kilogram of intervertebral disc creates additional cushioning and mechanical load on the cartilage tissue;
- sedentary lifestyle without regular exercise within the back muscles;
- eating large amounts of carbohydrates, refined foods;
- wear tight, uncomfortable clothes and shoes;
- wrong posture, bending, bending, habit of bending the body in one direction or another;
- misalignment of the foot in the form of a straight leg or rod;
- curvature of the spine;
- sedentary work or heavy physical labor;
- smoking and drinking alcohol;
- 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 the intervertebral discs are not able to make a full-fledged diffuse exchange with the cartilage tissue. They do not have their own circulatory system. The mechanism of destruction of the surface of the fibrous ring (this is the outer shell of the disc) is activated. It forms a deposit of calcium salts. They prevent fluid intake from the outside. Therefore, the fibrous ring begins to draw fluid from the pulposus nucleus inside it. This gelatinous body is responsible for maintaining the normal height and shape of the intervertebral disc. Therefore, with fluid loss, the pulp nucleus loses its ability to maintain disc height. The second stage of osteochondrosis develops - protrusion.
In the third stage, the fibrous ring is broken and part of the pulp nucleus is removed. This is a herniated disc. Squeezes the surrounding soft tissues, causes an inflammatory reaction, etc.
The fourth stage of osteochondrosis is the sequestration of the intervertebral hernia. Part of the pulposus nucleus is detached or completely removed as a result of rupture of the fibrous ring. If the hernia enters the cavity of the spinal canal, its sequestration requires urgent surgery. Otherwise, a person can be paralyzed for the rest of his life.
As you can see, this is a very serious disease and should be diagnosed in time. The sooner the complex treatment is started, the better the chances of 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 conduct an examination and a hand examination. They will make an accurate diagnosis and recommend the necessary additional tests. Once the exact diagnosis is made, you will be offered a course of treatment.
How to recognize cervical osteochondrosis
How to understand that it is cervical osteochondrosis, not myositis, and what to do next? Before recognizing cervical osteochondrosis, it is necessary to collect a medical history:
- when pains appear;
- what actions provoke their appearance;
- how long before the first seizure;
- are there any additional clinical signs;
- how the bed and workplace are organized;
- what bad habits you have;
- place of work and profession.
Based on all this information, how to understand cervical osteochondrosis? First of all, it should be noted that degenerative degenerative disease of the intervertebral discs manifests itself only in the initial stage in the form of pain, stiffness of movements, excessive tension in the muscles of the neck and neck area. Later, these symptoms include tension headaches, dizziness, hearing and vision impairment, increased fatigue, decreased mental performance, and so on.
A distinctive feature of cervical osteochondrosis is the onset of symptoms at the end of the working day. And the patient's professional activity is often associated with long-term static tension of the muscles of the neck and collar area. During the examination, there is pain during 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 reduced gaps between vertebral bodies. This indicates that the protrusion is developing. With the help of X-ray imaging, an experienced vertebrologist will be able to rule out the instability of the position of vertebral bodies, their subluxation, retrolisthesis, antilistesis, destruction of intervertebral joints and a number of other serious pathologies. If this is not enough, then an MRI or CT scan is recommended. If you suspect the development of posterior vertebral artery syndrome, it is recommended to perform an ultrasound examination of the vessels of the neck and head.
How to recognize thoracic osteochondrosis
Prior to the recognition of thoracic osteochondrosis, internal organs, such as the heart, coronary circulatory system, lungs, pleura, bronchi, etc. Consider how to recognize thoracic osteochondrosis:
- The most important diagnostic method is palpation, if the pain is detected only in the region of the spinous processes of the vertebrae and paravertebral muscles, degenerative destruction of cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs is not excluded;
- mobility is limited and any turns and inclinations of the body increase pain;
- the pain attack was triggered by physical force, hypothermia, or psychological stress factors;
- deep breathing does not aggravate the pain.
It is important to know how to understand the heart or osteochondrosis, because acute chest pain is rarely unaware of myocardial infarction. And in this case, the patient should be given immediate heart care.
So, if you feel anxiety, panic and fear of death during a pain attack, this is a 90% chance of a heart attack and you should call an ambulance immediately. If you have 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 to 20-40 mm Hg above the age norm, an attack of unstable angina pectoris with a possible transition to myocardial infarction should also be suspected. .
It is not necessary to look for information on how to understand heart pain or osteochondrosis, it is more productive to seek medical help. The most common ECG performed in the hospital's emergency department will show what is causing this pain syndrome: the heart or the spine. Independently, you can only rely on the senses during palpation. As a rule, with 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 clinical signs of osteochondrosis, such as shortness of breath, shortness of breath, pale skin, 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 very acute. In addition, the defeat of some paired radicular nerves, as well as nerve plexuses, leads to clinical symptoms similar to those of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system. These include constipation, diarrhea, frequent urination, and so on.
How to understand that your back osteochondrosis causes pain and all other clinical symptoms:
- no increase in body temperature;
- no nausea and vomiting;
- the tongue is not covered with a white or yellow coating;
- the color of urine does not differ from normal when urinating;
- when emptying the bowels, there are no tenesmus and other sensations of pain;
- There is no blood or mucus in the stool.
A test for Pasternatsky's symptom is performed to rule out kidney pathology. The patient's back is upright towards the doctor. The doctor, who is on the edge of the palm, gently taps the edge of the lower rib arch. If pain occurs, low back pain is more likely to be associated with damage to the kidneys and ureters.
How to recognize lumbar osteochondrosis with indirect symptoms:
- pain increases sharply with any movement;
- exacerbation of the condition begins after severe physical exertion, weight lifting, hypothermia or overheating of the body;
- stiffness of movements is felt, often associated with muscle weakness;
- muscles in the lumbar region become tense, painful on palpation;
- pain can spread along the course of large nerves, for example, in the groin area, the anterior wall of the abdomen, along the lower extremities;
- pain syndrome disappears quickly at rest.
When the characteristic symptoms of osteochondrosis appear, it is important to contact a neurologist or vertebrologist as soon as possible. Only an experienced physician can rule out the possibility of vertebral displacement, disc herniation, spinal stenosis and other dangerous pathologies that require urgent medical attention.
What to do with the pain from osteochondrosis
We understood how to understand that pain is caused by osteochondrosis. This is important information now. To get rid of such a disease, you need to know how to behave properly and what to do.
Degenerative degenerative disease of the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs does not go away on its own. This is due to a number of factors. First, the surface of the fibrous ring becomes calcified, as a result of which it loses its ability to absorb the fluid secreted by the working muscles. Second, secondary contraction of ligaments and tendons occurs in the process of reducing the height of the intervertebral discs. It will not be possible to restore the height of the intervertebral spaces needed to straighten the discs yourself.