Dorothy FarrarSpinal diseases
Back pain is often due to spinal disorders. It is not uncommon for minor complaints to develop into serious illnesses, which lead to enormous impairments.
What are spinal diseases?
Spinal diseases can be differentiated between degenerative and inflammatory diseases. The degenerative spinal disease describes changes in muscles, ligaments, vertebral joints, vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs. In the course of time, a physiological wear and tear process occurs in every human being.
Inflammatory spinal diseases name inflammation of the intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies. Spinal injuries can manifest themselves in a number of ways. If there is a spinal cord injury, neurological deficits can occur.
The stability of the spine is reflected in its shape, it should appear like a capital S when viewed from the side. There is a change here in certain spinal diseases. Timely treatment of spinal diseases can prevent chronic conditions and, in many cases, prevent extreme, permanent damage.
causes
With increasing age, the water content of the intervertebral discs decreases. This can cause spinal disorders. As a result of this process, tears can form in the intervertebral discs. A tear in the disc is called chondrosis. This causes instability of the spine. In addition, the intervertebral disc can also emerge from the intervertebral space. This is a herniated disc .Hardening of the vertebral body surfaces can occur. As a result of this process, the mobility of the spine steadily decreases. Inflammatory spinal diseases are often due to skeletal tuberculosis. This specific vertebral body inflammation is caused by an infection via the bloodstream. A non-specific vertebral body inflammation is caused by bacteria .
Tumor-related spinal diseases can also be divided into two groups. A primary bone tumor in the spine can result in paraplegia. Metastases, which form as a result of cancer, occur in several places at the same time.
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of a ‘spine disease:
Spinal diseases of the degenerative form cause pain and muscle tension. Pain and enormous pressure sensitivity are caused around the thoracic spine. If the cause of spinal diseases is in the area of the cervical spine, the most common symptoms are dizziness, pain in the head and neck, tension in the shoulder muscles, pain in the arms and severe nausea.
Inflammatory spinal diseases can cause fever, fatigue, profuse sweating and loss of appetite. Tumor-related diseases of the spine manifest themselves in sensory disturbances and even paralysis. Injuries to the spine caused by accidents manifest themselves in the form of pain, misalignment and external bruises. Neurological deficits are also common.
shapes and types
- Chondrose
- disc inflammation
- HWS-Syndrom
Diagnose
Degenerative spinal diseases can be detected through physical exams or X-rays . If there is a suspicion of a serious illness, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are arranged. Herniated discs with an injury to the spinal cord can be seen here.
To diagnose inflammatory spinal disease, blood samples can be tested in a laboratory. In some cases, urine samples and examinations of the gastric juices can also provide information. In the case of tumor-related diseases of the spine, a diagnosis is made by computer tomography, by bone scintigrams, and by magnetic resonance imaging.
In some examinations, contrast media are injected to determine the cause of the symptoms more precisely. X-rays are taken if the spine is injured. These shots are always taken from two angles, and functional shots are often added.
treatment and therapy
Spinal disorders should be treated early. If the causes are not treated adequately, there can be serious consequences such as poor posture , permanent limitations in mobility, chronic pain, paraesthesia, failure of nerve functions and permanent paralysis.
It is not uncommon for secondary diseases such as atrophy of the muscles, displacement of the jaw and other malpositions to occur. Tumor-related spinal diseases depend on the course of the underlying disease. Degenerative spinal diseases can be treated in different ways. Bed rest is often prescribed during an acute phase. Medications to relieve pain and anti-inflammatory preparations can be administered as support. Muscle relaxants are also commonly prescribed.
Physiotherapeutic measures such as physiotherapy and massages or rehabilitation sports help with chronic spinal diseases. Serious herniated discs require surgery. If extreme signs of paralysis occur due to a herniated disc, a surgical intervention is unavoidable. Inflammatory spinal diseases require absolute bed rest. A plaster corset is also often applied to the patient.Once the respective pathogens have been determined, drug treatment is carried out using antibiotics . In the case of tumor-related spinal diseases, the treatment of the underlying disease is the priority. The tumors may be surgically removed or irradiated. Spinal injuries are treated with a neck brace, repositioning (realignment), and stabilization. For less severe spinal disorders, heat and plenty of exercise help.
prevention
In order to counteract wear and spinal diseases, you should exercise regularly. A healthy diet also plays a major role here. Permanent overloading of the spine should be avoided in any case. A large number of spinal disorders are due to poor posture. However, many spinal diseases cannot be prevented. In order to prevent injuries from accidents, it is advisable to drive defensively and not to drink alcohol before driving.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.