Diseases

Spondylosis - causes, symptoms, therapy

Spondylosis - causes, symptoms, therapy / Diseases

What is a spondylosis??

The term spondylosis summarizes various complaints in the area of ​​the spine, which are based on signs of wear. In particular, degenerative bony changes occur on the vertebrae and their interstices, such as, for example, extensions, elevations, irregular surfaces, marginal attachments or points. These changes are called spondylophytes. First and foremost, these symptoms are found in patients of advanced age, but may occur earlier in individuals with genetic disposition or as a result of accidents or constant stress.


contents

  • What is a spondylosis??
  • A short overview
  • symptoms
  • risk groups
  • Causes of spondylosis
  • Preventive measures
  • diagnosis
  • therapy

A short overview

  • definition: Spondylosis is a disease of the spine or intervertebral disc that is caused by either overuse or age-related wear.
  • causes: Age-related wear, regular overuse, poor posture, overweight, lack of exercise, genetic pre-treatment.
  • symptoms: Restricted mobility, back pain, tension, numbness.
  • Synonyms: Spondylosis deformans, vertebral body degeneration, vertebral artery disease, spondylopathy.
  • therapy: Pain therapy, physiotherapy, in severe cases operations.
The red marks indicate the areas of the spine where signs of wear and spondylophytes occur frequently. But they can also arise in the blue areas. (Image: staras / fotolia.com)

symptoms

Since the wear of the intervertebral disc and the associated sequelae are creeping processes, the symptoms often appear only sporadically and in a weak form. Depending on the severity of the spondylosis, the symptoms increase over time and new ones are added. Common conditions include:

  • back pain,
  • neck pain,
  • Cervical spine syndrome (cervical spine syndrome),
  • lumbar pain,
  • radiating pain in the arms, legs or shoulders,
  • Tingling and numbness in and around the affected areas,
  • increasing movement restrictions,
  • Pain in certain movements,
  • low back pain,
  • Poor posture,
  • Crack in the back,
  • Muscle hardening or tension, up to muscle control loss

Symptoms occur increasingly during rest periods

Not only after heavy exercise but also more in rest periods, the symptoms of spondylosis show up. Often, this results in an unfavorable cycle in which sufferers move less because of the pain and thus increase the pain. In addition, many patients tend to restrain, which in turn has an adverse effect.

risk groups

In addition to normal age-related wear, certain risk factors may favor the development of spondylosis. These factors include:

  • Overweight (obesity),
  • lack of exercise,
  • constant overloading (for example during strenuous physical activities),
  • frequent unfavorable posture (e.g.,
  • hereditary preload.
Regular miscarriages, such as office work, as well as constant overloads, such as hard physical labor, promote wear and the development of spondylosis. (Image: leszekglasner / juefraphoto / fotolia.com)

Causes of spondylosis

The intervertebral discs between the individual vertebrae cushion shocks and other external forces that occur, for example, during movements. So they protect the spine from wear. From around the age of forty, dehydration of the intervertebral discs is intensifying. As a result, they increasingly lose their fullness and elasticity. As a result, the individual vertebral bodies increasingly come into contact with each other. Bones then rub on bones causing wear. The body responds to this with bone build-up, which leads to the typical pain and movement restrictions of a spondylosis.

Formation of marginal cultivation (spondylophytes)

As a result of a malfunction of the body of this marginal attachments or spikes to the damaged vertebra. These reduce the mobility even further and push in the worst case on the nerve tracts. Possible consequences include muscle loss, poor posture and severe pain. In other cases, the spondylophytes cause no symptoms at all.

Preventive measures

Unfortunately, some age-related wear can not be avoided. Nevertheless, there are measures that can be taken to delay, alleviate or even prevent spondylosis. Risk-reducing factors include:

  • Avoid or reduce overweight,
  • avoid strong and regular overload,
  • correct posture,
  • correct sitting posture,
  • enough exercise.
These measures help to prevent spondylosis. (Image: heilpraxis.de/Trueffelpix/fotolia.com)

diagnosis

The suspicion of spondylosis arises in many cases during the anamnesis, during which doctors ask their patients about their medical history and symptoms. A series of functional and flexibility tests serve to verify this suspicion. Often, various imaging techniques such as X-rays provide clear evidence of a spondylotic change. If the X-ray image is not meaningful enough, computerized tomography (CT) can also reveal minor changes in the spine.

Another diagnostic option is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which focuses on abnormalities of the ligaments, nerves, muscles or tissue. In addition, the nerve activity can be measured in a so-called myelogram, which shows possible nerve damage. Using these procedures, spondylosis can also be distinguished from similar conditions such as herniated disc, osteoporosis or vertebral fractures.

therapy

The earlier an incipient spondylosis is detected, the better it can be treated. At an early stage, the disease can be stopped, advanced disease stages can not be reversed. The therapy focuses primarily on pain relief, improving mobility and preventing further wear.

pain Management

The usual painkillers such as ibuprofen, paracetamol or diclofenac are used against the pain. Also a pain relief by acupuncture shows up to a certain degree of illness effect. With increasing symptoms, a muscle relaxant is used, which should have an antispasmodic and relaxing effect. If necessary, anti-epileptic drugs are also prescribed to treat damaged nerves. For very severe pain, narcotics can be injected directly into the painful area.

physical therapy

Much of the treatment is covered by physiotherapy. An individual training plan is created for those affected, which on the one hand to improve mobility and on the other hand by weakening weakened muscles to strengthen.

On the left side of the X-ray, spondylocytes have changed the natural shape of the spine. On the right side, this change was corrected by surgery. (Image: stockdevil / fotolia.com)

operations

If all non-invasive options are exhausted and no satisfactory improvement can be achieved, there is the possibility of an operation in which the marginal attachments are removed, the damaged area is stabilized and nerves and intervertebral discs get enough space again. However, due to certain risks, this is only done in severe cases. (tf, vb; updated May 23, 2018)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)