There are many diseases characterized by degenerative dystrophy, one of which is osteochondrosis. In humans, signs of cervical osteochondrosis manifest in different ways, and it is sometimes impossible to consider this pathology. The entire spine is gradually affected, especially in the thoracic region.
Many times, other symptoms may be present in addition to pain. Which, you need to know in more detail, because numbness and violations of the tongue are manifestations of this particular disease. This psychosomatic disorder may confuse anyone, and there is a reason for this disorder. We'll try to understand the various symptoms in more detail below.
Degree of disease
Osteochondrosis is characterized by a chronic course with periods of remission and exacerbation that are difficult to eliminate. Psychosomatic can take a person to extremes because pain is especially intense. Even with action on the cause, the disease is evolving and only a certain treatment plan and prompt treatment can help. The psychosomatic does not appear immediately, one feels normal in the first phase, and becomes unbearable after the second or third episode.
In general, the disease has four manifestations:
- In the initial stage, the changes are small and they occur within the disc. It gradually loses water and eventually causes the fibrous capsule to burst. At this stage, nothing will manifest itself in any way, and changes will only be seen on MRI. It is at this stage that it is best to treat the disease, at the same time it is possible to reverse the cause of its occurrence, and by starting treatment, it is possible to completely eliminate the manifestations of the disease.
- In the second stage, disc damage occurs and may be painful. The disc height decreases, causing ligaments and muscles to sag. As instability develops, the vertebrae begin to move relative to each other. At this stage, a person experiences pain and develops specific lesions that are characteristic of osteochondrosis.
- In the third stage of the disease, pain may be more pronounced and is often accompanied by a herniated disc.
- The fourth stage is the final stage, during which osteophytes and spinal deformities are formed. Because of osteophytes, the body tries to reduce the signs of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine. After the ligaments begin to ossify, the vertebrae are gradually displaced.
everything happens for a reason
To better understand the symptoms of a disease, you need to understand why they appear. First, all psychosomatic diseases are caused by the compression of the spinal cord in the spinal canal. But this reason is rare, and the degradation process is very advanced. Occurrence may be due to intervertebral herniation, trauma or displacement of significant size.
Psychosomatic disorders often develop due to compression of the vertebral roots. The pain is due to their possible compression by adjacent vertebrae, herniated discs, and inflammation.
Often the problem may be with a nearby vessel. In particular, psychosomatic disease often develops as a result of damage to the vertebral arteries, which run through the thickness of the spine and supply blood to the back of the brain.
According to the characteristics of the lesions, the symptoms can be understood, and both men and women have the same manifestations.
Symptoms from Spinal Cord Injury
Cervical osteochondrosis in the context of spinal cord compression is rare. This condition can damage not only a person's health, but life as well. In this area, respiration and vasomotor centers are located nearby. If compression occurs at the level of 3 or 4 segments, a person may be completely paralyzed. If the diaphragm is affected, then usually everything ends up being paralyzed and breathing stops.
Body temperature is normal, even if 4-5 knots are affected, paralysis is possible, but breathing is not affected. If sections 5 through 8 are damaged, the muscles of the arms and legs may be damaged, the temperature will not change, and pelvic organ dysfunction may occur.
When nerve fibers are damaged
The temperature also does not increase as the plexus and fibers are damaged. Pain occurs in the neck and chest area. It can be permanent, known as cervical pain, and in the form of an attack - the cervix. Attacks occur in the neck, neck or shoulder girdle, upper thoracic spine. Irritation occurs due to the compression of the root, which becomes inflamed although the temperature remains normal. As a result, the muscles that innervate the roots involved in the pathological process become very tense, numbness joins.
For cervical pain in men and women, the pain is constant and varies in intensity. Her psychosomatic symptoms were so pronounced that the seizures were difficult to eliminate. Too often, everything is thought of as a simple migraine. But you can live with the pain, even though it happens with vigorous movement, turning, head tilting. During exercise, numbness and characteristic tightness may occur.
With the cervical spine, the temperature will not rise, but the pain has its own characteristics. It comes in the form of "lower back pain" or electric shocks for no apparent reason. The strength is so great that it can yield to a hand and a person is just forced to wear a Shats collar. The duration is from a few seconds to a few minutes, and then cervical pain takes its place. This occurs due to sharp movement or compression of nerves in the neck or upper thoracic spinal cord, which can cause numbness and mild tremors.
root damage
The main nerves of the upper extremities are formed by the root of the cervical spinal cord, and there are three nerves: the ulnar, radial, and median nerves. If cervical osteochondrosis develops, these structures may be affected, causing not only pain and tremors but also numbness. All of these nerves have mixed fibers responsible for sensitivity and motor ability. Symptoms can be so severe that a Shants collar must be worn and depends on the type of root affected. Numbness or loss of sensation, or even partial muscle paralysis, may occur in the second or third fingers of the hand. The neurologist was able to pinpoint exactly where the violation occurred.
occipital neuralgia
This rather unpleasant condition develops due to damage to the occipital nerve. These structures consist of 2, 3, and 4 pairs of spinal nerves. With the development of osteochondrosis leading to damage to the nerves, the temperature remains normal and the severe pain in the head is worrying, especially in the back of the head. A lot of times, in connection with this, the patient, usually a woman, is simply forced to wear a Shants collar.
The symptoms of the disease are very typical, and a diagnosis can be made without the need for special testing methods if appropriate questions are asked of the patient. Everything happens suddenly and is limited to one side, with few bilateral features. For a person, "lower back pain" is like an electric shock, forcing him to wear a Shants collar. The attack lasts only a few minutes, but can be repeated throughout the day. It all starts in the area of the posterolateral surface of the neck and extends to the area of the occipital bulge. The sensitivity of the skin is disturbed, there is numbness, a crawling "goose bumps" sensation, a tremor, which makes the wearing of the Shants collar. The temperature does not rise.
From the side of the heart
Many times, an invasion of the neck can lead to lesions of the chest organs. Angina and other heart problems may be directly related to osteochondrosis. Sometimes first aid for a heart attack doesn't bring the expected relief. The reason is that the neck forms nerves that participate in the innervation of the thoracic trunk, and the fibers of the phrenic nerve partially lead to the pericardium. That's why help doesn't make any sense.
Damaged nerve fibers send signals to the chest muscles, causing heart-like pain. Pain in osteochondrosis is long-lasting, up to hours or days, and is not affected by angina medications. There was no change in temperature, the pain itself was not related to physical activity, but lessened with changes in body position, and when the Shants collar was worn, the pain went away. Intensifies with movement and turning of the head during coughing or sneezing. What are the symptoms of angina? Therefore, nitroglycerin preparations do not relieve pain.
But don't relax, because doctors know there are atypical variants of angina. If there is pain in the heart or thoracic spine area, it is best to do another ECG, completely safe and painless. If you have osteochondrosis, there may be more numbness than the changes on the film with the next pain attack.
vertebral artery injury
If there are symptoms of vertebral artery injury, a Shants collar will be required for the remainder of the treatment. The brain lacks oxygen, causing head pain and numbness. It manifests as a throbbing headache in the back of the head, temples, and top of the head. In some cases, tremors, dizziness, nausea, and then vomiting occur.
Body temperature was normal, but there was visual disturbance, tinnitus, and hearing loss. Along with the fact that the tremors, the coordination of movement and balance is disturbed. Treatment and a Shants collar can help eliminate these symptoms.
In severe cases, a fall attack occurs, in which the state does not lose consciousness and the head turns sharply. Decreased memory, decreased ability to work, and difficulty concentrating.
If you have the above symptoms and hand tremors, then you will need to make an appointment with a neurologist for additional testing. You don't need to choose a Shants collar yourself, it's best done with the help of an expert.