Spine diseases are quite diverse such as cervical spondylosis, sciatica, disc herniation, etc. This group of diseases is caused by many causes, so the clinical manifestations are also different. Therefore, equipping knowledge about this group of diseases to have orientation in treatment and care.
The spine is an extremely important part of the body that plays a role in supporting the weight of the body. For some reason, the structure of the spine is changed, leading to spinal diseases that affect the health and spirit of the patient.
Structure of the spine
The spine is the main pillar of the human body, extending from the base of the occipital to the top of the coccyx. The human spine consists of 33 - 35 overlapping vertebrae. The spine is divided into 4 segments. Each segment has its own curvature and structure suitable to the function of that segment, specifically:
The main function of the spine is to support the body's gravity, connect the bones together, and help people move more flexibly. It also protects the spinal cord, which is part of the central nervous system and controls every movement in the body. The shape of the spine is like the letter S. Thanks to this shape and the function of the discs, it helps to distribute the impact force on the body. The spine, together with the ribs and pelvis, forms the skeleton that protects the internal organs in the chest and abdomen.
The spine is made up of 33-35 vertebrae
Common spinal diseases today
Spinal degeneration
Spondyloarthritis is a chronic disease, progressing slowly, the pain level gradually increases and the patient's movement is limited. The spine is deformed without signs of inflammation. The disease leads to damage such as cartilage degeneration and disc herniation.
The most common symptom is a dull ache in the spine. Pain with movement and pain subsides with rest. Stiff spine and back pain when waking up. In the severe degenerative stage, the patient will feel constant pain, there is a clicking sound when moving the spine.
Scoliosis
This is a condition in which the spine is bent to one side compared to the straight spine, scoliosis has the ability to deviate the head to one side or the hips are asymmetrical, low and high. In addition, this disease can cause the chest or back to be misaligned.
Severe scoliosis can reduce the work of the heart and lungs, causing chest pain. Most cases of scoliosis do not cause back pain , but not without.
kyphosis
Spinal kyphosis is a spinal deformity caused by at least 3 consecutive vertebrae joining the vertebral body at an angle greater than 5 degrees. If this curvature exceeds 45 degrees, it is considered a serious, unusual phenomenon.
Disc herniation
It occurs when the disc's mucus moves out of its normal position, pierces ligaments, presses on nerves, and causes pain and numbness. A herniated disc is caused by an injury or a degenerative, torn, or ruptured disc that can occur anywhere on the spine. Patients often experience pain radiating from the waist down to the legs. Therefore, herniated discs in the lumbar spine are the most common.
Sciatica
Sciatica is pain along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from the lower back through the hips, buttocks, and legs. Usually the disease occurs on only one side of the body.
Sciatica occurs when a herniated disc occurs in the lower back. The vertebrae are separated and cushioned by round discs and connective tissue. When the disc wears out due to trauma, the center of the disc is likely to push away from the outer ring. In addition, the bones of the spine or narrowing of the spinal canal pressing on the nerves also cause swelling, pain, and numbness in the legs.
Sciatica pain can spread down the leg causing leg paralysis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammation of the joints in the spine. The disease causes chronic back pain, often appearing at night, directly affecting sleep and reducing the patient's quality of life.
The cause of this disease is not clear. The disease usually appears between the ages of 15 and 30 years, is common in men, and the disease is also hereditary.
Ankylosing spondylitis
This is a chronic condition characterized by pain and damage to the sacrum, spine, and joints of the lower extremities. The disease causes several vertebrae to stick together, causing swelling that makes it difficult to move.
Some cases of ankylosing spondylitis affect other joints of the body such as the hips, knees, feet, ligaments, and even organs such as the heart, liver, and lungs.
Spinal cord injury
Broken bone fragments directly damage the spinal cord or cause compression, increasing pressure in the canal. Clinical symptoms depend on the severity, mildness and location of the lesion. Some of the features of a spinal cord injury that may be experienced are:
Spinal stenosis
The narrowing of the spinal canal due to many different causes leads to compression, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
Symptoms of the disease are very diverse, depending on the location of spinal stenosis, the degree of narrowing can have different characteristics such as numbness of the shoulders and neck, neck fatigue, back pain and sciatic nerve enlargement, numbness and tremors. legs, even paralysis of the lower half of the body or quadriplegia, urinary retention, ...
Spinal tumor
Spinal tumors are abnormal masses of tissue that occur in or around the spinal cord and spine. When these cells grow out of control, they have the potential to form tumors in the spinal cord. Tumors can be benign or malignant.
Primary tumors originate in the spinal cord or spine, while secondary or metastatic tumors are caused by cancer cells from other organs that have spread to the spine. Tumors on the spine are classified according to the location of the tumor, the main areas are cervical, lumbar - sacral spine. They are also divided into 3 large groups according to the area of the tumor such as intramedullary tumors, extramedullary tumors, and epidural tumors.
Spinal tumor
Spine diseases are a collection of abnormalities in many different parts, although the most common symptom is back pain, the method of diagnosis and treatment will vary depending on the disease. If you feel long-lasting back pain or have other unusual signs mentioned above, the patient should see a specialist for timely and appropriate treatment, to avoid leaving sequelae.
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