Signs and symptoms of osteonecrosis

Osteochondrosis is a widespread and rapidly spreading "rejuvenating" disease that affects masses of people around the world.

These are degenerative changes of a dystrophic nature in the bony tissues of the spine, joints, cartilage, ligaments.

For a while, a person may not notice the disease, but the signs of osteonecrosis make them feel quite quickly: the spine is capable of pathological displacement, encroaching on nerve endingsnerves, blood vessels, and even nearby tissues, causing severe pain.

If the disease starts, the rapid bone growth will further damage nerve roots as well as blood vessels.

Symptoms are largely due to the location of the disease.

The main symptoms of the disease

Typically, all symptoms are grouped into four broad groups and relate both to the affected area and to the individual characteristics of the individual patient's spine. It should be noted that the symptoms of the disease can be greatly increased if a person is kept too warm, has a cold, is under severe stress, abuses alcohol, eats erratically or improperly, and is also not normal. normalization of physical activity.

1. Static symptoms depend on a change in the shape of each vertebra, leading to poor posture: a person with scoliosis, or even scoliosis, is normally unable to straighten and turn the back. free head. The spine loses its flexibility.
2. Neurological symptoms represent damage to nerve tissue, in which not only the strength of muscle contractions is disturbed, but also violation of skin sensitivity. Spinal roots are compressed, there is pain, numbness, tingling, and shivering in the affected area. If the disease starts, it can cause quadriplegia (partial loss of mobility or even complete paralysis).
3. Vascular symptoms develop for two reasons. First, due to compression of the venous arteries (especially in cervical osteochondrosis, when the arteries supplying the brain are compressed), there is a significant decrease in the blood supply. blood flow to the brain, nausea, dizziness and lack of oxygen appear. in certain areas. Second, due to the excitability of nerve fibers, a change in the state of the sympathetic nervous system develops. The result is vasospasm, even ischemia.
4. Nutritional symptoms occur when the aforementioned neurological manifestations are superimposed on vascular symptoms. As a result, tissue nutrition becomes much worse, leading to the appearance of ulcers.

If osteonecrosis of the neck develops

Signs of osteonecrosis vary depending on the specific area of the body affected. Cervical fibroids are dangerous and insidious enemies. First, a headache occurs, for which the pain reliever simply does not work.

The pain can affect the back of the head, the temples, is more intense after a person is in a calm state of inactivity, and not only the head itself, but also the skin. Then, painful sensations in the arms and shoulders join the problem, the sensitivity of these areas is disturbed.

If you do nothing, the case can end with paralysis of the arm.

In addition to pain, cervical osteonecrosis is also accompanied by other symptoms:

• Nausea, unpleasant noises, sudden dizziness.
• Impaired vision, flies ahead of the eyes (all this is a consequence of a violation of proper nutrition and metabolism in the optical system).
• Fainting due to lack of oxygen to the brain, unsteadiness, unsteadiness.
• Hiccups, difficulty breathing (if the sciatic nerve is affected), tumors in the throat.
• Decreased mobility of the neck, painful sensations in it, constant muscle tension.
• Nutritional changes in the skin on the hands.
• Constant weakness, lack of energy and fatigue, frequent irritability, feeling of heat or, conversely, chills.

Often cervical spine injury is mistaken for a stroke, high blood pressure, problems with the ENT organs, and even a nervous breakdown.

If the chest area is affected

What symptoms accompany this disease, if it involves the chest area, it is easy to visualize if you remember which organs may be affected. This part is relatively rarely affected, it is difficult to recognize the disease, from which the signs are easily confused with the manifestations of other problems.

The first is pain between the shoulder blades or in the chest, upper abdomen. It can be associated with internal pain and is mistaken for angina, intestinal or kidney pain, or liver problems. Then it all depends on the affected department:

• If the upper part of the chest is affected, the person has difficulty swallowing, feels a lump in the throat, and coughs.
• The defeat of the mid-thoracic region causes pain similar to manifestations of gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, cardiovascular problems. Arrhythmia appeared, blood pressure increased.
• If the lower thoracic segment is prolapsed, bowel function is disturbed, the pain resembles appendicitis.
• Pain in the heart, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, an unpleasant cold sensation, burning or tingling in the chest and abdomen may be added.

The main problem is not that osteonecrosis can be mistaken for a heart attack, angina, diseases of the abdominal cavity or pneumonia over a long period of time, but rather the pain with which a person tries to breathe correctly. rather, the result is self-save. A vicious cycle is obtained: pathology of the respiratory system, chronic respiratory failure, damage to the heart.

If the lower back is affected

The lumbar region is most often affected, because it is the area that bears the greatest load not only during movements, any movement, but also when lifting heavy objects. Problems with the lumbar region, first of all, make themselves feel pain not only in the lower back but also in the lower extremities, leading to numbness of the skin in the legs. Then additional symptoms appeared:

• If motor fibers are affected, then paralysis may develop, which will end in paralysis of the legs.
• The beating of the nerves causes not only pain in the lumbar spine, but also severe low back pain after any load.
• If pelvic functions are affected and blood supply to the pelvic organs is impaired, a person will not only experience pain but also difficulty urinating (in men, erectile dysfunction may also occur). hard), due to fecal incontinence.

Often, physical activity, sudden movements, hypothermia become triggers for the appearance of pain. The roots are compressed, the discs are displaced. The patient begins to have pain, dull or conversely, sharp pain.

Usually, the sensation of pain affects not only the lower back, but also the buttocks, thighs, legs, and even feet. In advanced cases, the volume of the lower extremities may decrease.

Inference

Regardless of which area is affected by osteonecrosis, this is always a very serious disease that requires the active involvement and intervention of a physician. Although there are different signs, its main manifestation is severe pain, difficulty in movement. Pain is "disguised" as a symptom of other diseases, so most people often go to a cardiologist, therapist, or gastroenterologist, suspecting that they have been diagnosed with a problem. problems with the heart, digestive tract, or other organs.

First of all, it is necessary to contact a neurologist, and this should be done before the pain that is characteristic only of osteonecrosis, and even many other signs (such as paralysis and paralysis). ). First of all, the doctor will make sure to eliminate pain (prescribe various painkillers), improve metabolic processes in all tissues (both cartilage and muscle, and in the nervous system), eliminatehernias if they have formed.

In addition to drugs, patients are prescribed massage, compulsory physical education and various physiotherapeutic measures.