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 on their own. Meanwhile, the causes of pain in the back, lower back, or neck can be many. These can be curvature of the spine, disruption of internal organs, tumors, infections, instability of the position of the vertebral bodies, etc. Therefore, you should not self-diagnose. Consult a doctor in case of pain.
There is no reliable algorithm for recognizing osteochondrosis without special examinations. But there are certain clinical signs that make it possible to suspect this disease. We will talk about this in the material brought to your attention. In the meantime, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the mechanism of the development of osteochondrosis.
Degenerative dystrophic disease of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs - this is scientifically called osteochondrosis. As it develops, it leads to dorsopathy, which is complicated by back pain, sciatica, sciatica, sciatica, lumbago and other syndromes associated with damage to various tissues.
Osteochondrosis is a consequence of maintaining a wrong lifestyle of a person. The contributing factors are:
- excess weight - each kilogram creates additional depreciation and mechanical load on the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral disc;
- a sedentary lifestyle without regular exercise on the back muscles;
- eating large amounts of carbohydrates, refined foods;
- wearing tight, uncomfortable clothes and shoes;
- incorrect posture, habit of bending, bending, tilting the body one way or another;
- incorrect foot adjustment in the form of flat feet or club foot;
- curvature of the spine;
- sedentary work or heavy physical work;
- smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages;
- insufficient consumption of 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 to be unable to carry out a full-fledged diffuse exchange with the cartilaginous tissues of the intervertebral discs. They do not have their own circulatory system. This is how the mechanism of destruction of the surface of the fibrous annulus (this is the outer envelope of the disc) is triggered. It forms a deposit of calcium salts. They prevent the receipt of fluid from the outside. As a result, the annulus fibrosis begins to suck fluid from the nucleus pulposus located inside. This gelatinous body is responsible for maintaining the normal height and shape of the intervertebral disc. Therefore, with fluid loss, the nucleus pulposus loses its ability to maintain disc height. The second stage of osteochondrosis develops - protrusion.
In the third stage, the annulus fibrosis ruptures and part of the nucleus pulposus comes out. It's a herniated disc. It presses on the surrounding soft tissues, causes an inflammatory reaction, etc.
The fourth stage of osteochondrosis is the sequestration of the intervertebral hernia. Part of the nucleus pulposus separates or it comes out entirely by the resulting rupture of the fibrous annulus. If the hernia enters the cavity of the spinal canal, its sequestration requires emergency surgery. Otherwise, a person can remain disabled with paralysis of the body for the rest of their life.
As you can see, this is a very serious disease, which needs to be diagnosed in a timely manner. The earlier the complex treatment is started, the higher the chances of a 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 manual examination. They will establish a precise diagnosis and recommend the necessary additional examinations. After a precise diagnosis, a treatment will be proposed to you.
How to recognize cervical osteochondrosis
How to understand that you have cervical osteochondrosis, and not myositis, and what to do next? Before recognizing cervical osteochondrosis, you need to collect an anamnesis:
- when the pains appear;
- what actions provoke their appearance;
- how long ago was the first crisis;
- are there any additional clinical signs;
- how the sleeping and working place is organized;
- what are the bad habits;
- place of work and profession.
How to understand this cervical osteochondrosis from all this information? First of all, it is important to know that the degenerative degenerative disease of the intervertebral discs manifests itself in the form of pain, stiffness of movements, excessive strain of the muscles of the neck and the collar area only at the initial stage. Then, tension headaches, dizziness, hearing and visual disturbances, increased fatigue, reduced mental performance, etc. are added to these signs.
A distinctive feature of cervical osteochondrosis is that the exacerbation of symptoms begins at the end of the working day. And the professional activity of the patient is in most cases associated with prolonged static tension of the muscles of the neck and the collar area. On examination, there is 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. It shows the reduced spaces between the vertebral bodies. This indicates that a protrusion is developing. Using an x-ray image, an experienced vertebrologist will be able to exclude instability of the position of the vertebral bodies, their subluxations, retrolisthesis, antelolisthesis, destruction of the intervertebral joints and a number of other serious pathologies. If this examination is not sufficient, it is then recommended to do an MRI or CT scan. If you suspect the development of posterior vertebral artery syndrome, ultrasound of the vessels of the neck and head is recommended.
How to recognize osteochondrosis of the chest region
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, etc. Consider how to recognize osteochondrosis of the chest region:
- the most important diagnostic technique is palpation, if the pain is determined exclusively by the spinous processes of the vertebrae, and in the region of the paravertebral muscles, the degenerative destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs is not excluded;
- mobility is limited and bends and tilts of the body increase pain;
- the pain crisis was brought on by physical exertion, hypothermia, or psychological stressors;
- deep breathing does not make the pain worse.
It is very important to know how to understand the heart or osteochondrosis, because acute chest pain is not uncommon as a precursor to myocardial infarction. And in this condition, the patient should receive immediate cardiac care.
So, if anxiety, panic and fear of death arise during a pain attack, there is a 90% chance of having a heart attack and you need to urgently call an ambulance. If there is a tonometer, you need to measure blood pressure and count the pulse. When the pulse slows down to bradycardia (less than 50 beats per minute) and with an increase in blood pressure 20-40 mm Hg above the age norm, an attack of unstable angina shouldalso be suspected with a possible transition to myocardial infarction.
You should not look for information on how to understand heartache or osteochondrosis, it is much more productive to seek medical help. Even the most common ECG, taken in the hospital emergency room, will show what gives the pain syndrome: the heart or the spine. Independently, you can only rely on sensations 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 such clinical symptoms of osteochondrosis as shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air, pallor of the skin, a feeling of cold sticky sweat on the skin, cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle andsevere muscle weakness.
How to recognize lumbar osteochondrosis
The question of how to understand that osteochondrosis of the lumbar causes severe pain is quite acute. Also, with the defeat of some paired root nerves, as well as nerve plexuses, clinical symptoms appear that resemble diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system. These are constipation, diarrhea, frequent urination, etc.
How to understand that your back osteochondrosis causes pain and all other clinical signs:
- no increase in body temperature;
- no nausea and vomiting;
- the tongue is not covered with a white or yellow coating;
- when urinating, the color of urine does not differ from normal;
- when emptying the intestines, there is no tenesmus and other pain sensations;
- there is no mixing of blood or mucus in the feces.
To exclude kidney pathology, a Pasternatsky symptom test is performed. The patient stands straight with his back to the doctor. The doctor with the edge of the palm lightly strikes the edge of the lower costal arch. If there is pain, there is a high probability that lower back pain is associated with damage to the kidneys and ureters.
How to recognize lumbar osteochondrosis by indirect signs:
- with any movement, the pain increases sharply;
- exacerbation of the condition begins after serious physical exertion, heavy lifting, hypothermia or overheating of the body;
- stiffness of movement is felt, often combined with muscle weakness;
- the muscles of the lumbar region are strongly tense, painful on palpation;
- pain can spread along large nerves, for example, in the groin area, on the anterior abdominal wall, along the lower extremities;
- at rest, the pain syndrome fades quickly.
When characteristic symptoms of osteochondrosis appear, it is important to contact a neurologist or vertebrologist as soon as possible. Only an experienced doctor can exclude the possibility of spinal displacement, herniated disc, spinal stenosis and other dangerous pathologies that require immediate medical attention.
What to do with pain from osteochondrosis
We figured out how to understand that the pains come from osteochondrosis. At this time, this is important information. You need to know how to behave correctly and what to do to get rid of such a disease.
A 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. First, calcification of the surface of the fibrous ring occurs, as a result of which it loses the ability to absorb fluid secreted by working muscles. Secondly, during the process of reducing the height of the intervertebral discs, a secondary contraction of ligaments and tendons occurs. It will be impossible to restore alone the height of the intervertebral spaces necessary for the straightening of the discs.