Breakthrough sensation - instability of the spine causes and treatment

Breath sensation on the spine

Back problems in the area of ​​the spine are described by many sufferers as a real "Durchbrechgefühl". Less the pain than the feeling of instability in the area between the sacrum and the lumbar spine, or between the thoracic and cervical spine, gives the impression that the back can break through.

contents

• Breath sensation on the spine
• definition
• Causes of the Durchbrechgefühls
• Symptoms of vomiting
• diagnosis
• Treatment for instability of the spine

definition

The break through sensation describes perceptible instability of the spine.

The sensation of vomiting can be painful but often limited to the feeling of instability. (Image: BlueSkyImages / fotolia.com)

Causes of the Durchbrechgefühls

Mostly, increased mobility of individual segments of the spine is directly responsible for the feeling of break-through. The associated disease is described in the medical literature as Spondylolisthesis (sliding vertebrae). In this case, parts of the spine move in their position.

The disease can either be congenital or be due to wear, injuries, diseases or spinal surgery. If the vertebrae completely lose contact with each other in the course of the disease, this is referred to as spondyloptosis. For those affected, the severity of the disease is associated with an increased spinal sense of vomiting. According to Meyerding, spondylolisthesis is divided into four stages; the fifth stage would be spondyloptosis.

Symptoms of vomiting

Under stress, such as prolonged standing, walking or heavy lifting, there is a sense of lumbar instability. This can be accompanied by back pain, buttocks pain or back pain, but also run completely painless.

A similar sense of instability arises in the area between the cervical and thoracic spine, for example, after prolonged sitting or when the head is put on the neck for a long time. For example, those affected find hair washing at the hairdresser extremely uncomfortable. Even jerky turning of the head can trigger the discomfort. The Durchbrechgefühl may well indicate serious complaints in the spinal area, which is why a medical check should be urgently.

The hair washing at the hairdresser is often very uncomfortable for those affected. (Image: jörn buchheim / fotolia.com)

diagnosis

The localization of symptoms and their intensity usually allow physicians and physiotherapists to make an initial assessment of the causes of the disease. A scan of the spine can provide further information about the diagnosis. The diffraction ability of the individual spinal column sections also allows conclusions about possible underlying diseases.

Furthermore, the neurological examination including checking the reflexes of the diagnosis can serve. Finally, a sliding vertebra can be relatively clearly diagnosed using imaging techniques such as X-rays or computed tomography (CT).

Treatment for instability of the spine

First, it is in the context of therapy to relieve the spine and support. This is often done in spondylolisthesis by hull orthosis, but may require gypsum.

A physiotherapy with exercises for the back and abdomen ensures more stability of the spine. (Picture: Picture-Factory / fotolia.com)

To avoid the symptoms in the long term, patients receive physiotherapy. The training of the back and abdominal muscles hereby stabilize the spine and counteract the Durchbrechgefühl. Other poor posture, for example, impaired balance regulation, are also trying to compensate in the context of physiotherapy. Accompanying massages are often used to relieve the patient's discomfort.

Naturopathic treatment approaches with corresponding back complaints are available, for example, in the area of ​​rolfing and osteopathy. Also acupuncture is successfully used against the various diseases of the back.

However, it may not be possible to relieve the symptoms with non-invasive treatments. It threatens chronic nerve damage and permanent postural damage. In such cases, sometimes only one surgical procedure can help in which the misplaced spinal segments are re-directed. (fp, last updated 18.1.2018)