Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment of radicular syndrome cervical, lumbar, thoracic

Radicular syndrome of the cervical spine is manifested by pain along the neck and the upper extremities. The symptoms of the pathology should be detected at early stages of the disease, as otherwise high risk of serious complications.

The First symptoms – pain in upper extremities and upper back. They are not specific for this disease, but if after they appear to perform x-ray examination of the cervical or thoracic spine, diagnosed low back pain.

Pinching the nerve roots in humans often occurs against a background of degenerative diseases. When they disrupted the blood supply in the functional segments of the spine. Anatomical intervertebral discs have no blood supply. They get nutrients from nearby vertebrae.

In violation of microcirculation is observed in bone structure of the vertebral segments. Against this background, the cartilage disks does not receive a sufficient number of chemicals, vitamins and minerals.

The cause of the disease can also be bone growth along the spine in spondylosis, the lesions of muscular-ligamentous apparatus, hypertonicity of muscle fibers.

Symptoms of nerve infringement

The Symptoms of infringement of the nerves of the cervical the following:

• pain in the neck and upper limb
• if the infringement of nerve in the thoracic region – the pain in the heart area and stomach;
• radicular syndrome is accompanied by painful sensations in the gluteal region, perineum and lower limbs.

Regardless of the localization of the pain is worse when turning the torso, engage in other movements, bending of the trunk.

Types of pain with radicular syndrome:

• shooting
• whining
• permanent;
• backache (lumbago).

Shooting pains appear in the temporary infringement of spinal nerves on the background of instability of the vertebrae or spasmodic contraction of muscle fibers.

These symptoms also occur in instability of the vertebral segments. When berneliai vertebra moves relative to the underlying (spondylolisthesis), there is pinching the nerve root. Mobile vertebral segment comes in the unstable condition when driving and cornering of the body.

Aching pain appear when intervertebral hernia or protrusion. In such a situation is observed the compression of the spinal nerve prolapsed disc. The severity of symptoms in such a situation depends on the size of the protrusions.

Persistent pain in the back and waist are formed on the background of osteochondrosis, spondylosis and tension of muscle tissue, infectious disease of the spine with deformity of bone structure.

Backache (lumbago) – severe pain with restriction of mobility of the spinal column. It occurs with sciatica and hernia of the intervertebral disc. Any careless movement pain in the back worse and lead to limited mobility of the spine.

Aggravation can Cause emotional stress and not just physical movement. Sometimes pains appear at night, and hypothermia. The symptoms of lumbago accompanied by redness and swelling of the skin. Sometimes the background pathology there is increased sweating.

Pathological signs

Pathological symptoms of infringement of the nerve root is additionally accompanied by loss of tactile and temperature sensitivity. If the answer to the question of why there is a loss of sensitivity, it is necessary to tell about structure of nerve fiber.

The composition of the spinal nerve contains two types of fibers – motor and sensory. Motor nerve fibers Innervate muscle tissue. Sensory nerves provide temperature and tactile sensitivity. Depending on the predominant infringement of nerve fibers formed the specific symptoms of the disease.

To determine the neurological symptoms, the neurologist diagnoses violations of the sensitivity of the upper and lower extremities. A slight tingling needle for skin allows you to identify pathological changes.

Types of pain

When radicular syndrome in the thoracic region can cause compression of spinal nerves at the level of Th1-Th12. Pathological changes are usually seen in the lower part of the thoracic spine. In this situation, most patients experience the following symptoms:

• increased heart rate
• acceleration of the respiratory movements;
• pain between the shoulder blades;
• discomfort "in the pit";
• loss of sensation in the lower abdomen.

Radicular impairment of the thoracic spine accompanied by severe pain back pain – dorsalgia.

Entrapment of the nerve in the cervical spine is accompanied by the following clinical symptoms:

• dizziness and headache;
• muscles of neck
• accelerated heart rate
• increase of the respiratory movements;
• chest pains
• decreased sensitivity in the upper abdomen.

Osteochondrosis the lower part of the thoracic spine can mimic renal colic. If it there expressed the pain in the back that do not pass after taking pain medication.

When dorsalgia pain worse due to the stress, mental strain and nervous exhaustion background in neurological diseases. The discomfort in the back accompanied by a decrease in body mass.

Diagnosis on clinical grounds

Radicular syndrome can be diagnosed on clinical grounds. Violations of motor and sensory sensitivity require magnetic resonance imaging. It allows you to set the location of the infringement of the spinal nerve, and lumbodynia.

With a fever and a high temperature reaction requires laboratory analysis of blood, determination of biochemical markers of pathology. The level of alkaline phosphatase indirectly indicates pathology of the skeletal system and the presence of degenerative-dystrophic processes.

The Standard instrumental method that provides the possibility of qualitative diagnosis of the infringement of the nerve roots, is a radiography of the spine in frontal and lateral projections. Images allow us to determine the initial changes, and then complement the study of magnetic resonance imaging.

It is Important to start treatment of the disease in the initial stages, when you can avoid the pain. With the development of the chamber only surgical treatment will help eliminate the pain expressed.

Competent treatment pathology will allow to get rid of pain and prevent changes in blood supply. Qualified and high-quality therapy of radicular syndrome prevents multiple changes in the internal organs.