Disc protrusion - a common form of degenerative disorders of the intervertebral discs, accompanied by pain in the back Back pain: Do not start the process   and neck. Usually disc protrusion caused by trauma or natural age-related changes, and for a time could go unnoticed if not affect the nearby nerves.

The healthy lumbar vertebrae reserved intervertebral disks - oval cartilaginous joints between the vertebral bodies, performing a damper function. But over time or due to external factors is a disturbance structure intervertebral disc, whereby degenerative disorders lead to dehydration, reducing elasticity and reducing the height of the disc, which leads to displacement of the disc from its normal position in the spine.

There are the following stages of degeneration of the intervertebral discs:

• Flexing (prolapse) disk: inner disc material (nucleus pulposus), beyond the limits and abuts the outer wall (annulus), creating a bulge of the rear contour of the vertebrae in the spinal canal. This prolapse takes more than half (180 degrees) of the circumference of the disc.
• The next stage of degeneration of the intervertebral disc - disc protrusion: the bulge is still limited to the outer wall of the disc, but it has increased and even more pressure on the spine. Disc protrusion can take 180-degree circumference of the disc or less.
• The final stage - a herniated disc Herniated Disc - when to sound the alarm? : There is a rupture of the fibrous ring and a portion of the nucleus pulposus pressure comes out and forms a protrusion in the spine.

The spine is the spinal cord and nerve roots dozens that come out of the spine and innervate the appropriate parts of the body. When a disc protrusion in the limited space of the spinal canal, which leads to an effect on the spinal cord or roots, which leads to symptoms such as:

• localized chronic back pain;
• muscle weakness;
• sciatica Sciatica - ask for help in a timely manner ;
• pain, numbness and tingling in the extremities;
• stiffness or soreness;
• loss of elasticity and mobility.

Specific symptoms rather individual and depends on the cause of damage to the disk and its location. Thus, the protrusion of the disc in the cervical spine can cause pain and stiffness in the shoulder, and the protrusion of the lumbar spine can cause weakness in the legs. Protrusion in the thoracic spine, though rare, but occur. The cause and severity of the protrusions determine the intensity of symptoms.

For a correct diagnosis of disc protrusion need to use imaging techniques (magnetic resonance or computed tomography). In most cases, conservative treatment (physical therapy, bed rest, massage, medical treatment) are effective in the disc protrusion. By resorting to surgery only if conservative treatment has been ineffective protrusion, or prevent the symptoms of the patient to lead a normal life.

Reasons disc protrusion

In certain circumstances, disc protrusion can be quite a painful condition, but what causes it? Many factors contribute to the degeneration of intervertebral disks, but the primary among them - the age-related changes.

With age, the cartilage discs between the vertebrae begin to break down. These degenerative changes are often associated with osteochondrosis Osteochondrosis - learn how to properly distribute the weight   Each intervertebral disc consists of a fibrous outer layer, the inner gelatinous material and saturated with water .  These moist disks perform a damper function to the vertebrae and remain elastic and mobile .  But with age drives "wear out" and lose moisture .  Dehydration causes the disc loses its elasticity and the supporting force .  As a result, the disc compresses the adjacent vertebrae, its internal material beyond the limits and abuts the weakened outer wall, creating a bulge .  Disc protrusion usually occurs in middle-aged people, but can also develop in young people .  As a rule, there is a disc protrusion in the lumbar (lower back) of the spine, but can develop into cervical or thoracic .  Thick disc can put pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots, causing pain .  In many cases, the protrusion of the disc is not accompanied by symptoms .

Tuberculosis of the spine, if not timely treated, can lead to serious complications, including - neurological problems and skeletal deformities. Fortunately, in most cases, this kind of TB respond well to treatment with medicines, and sometimes surgical methods.

Symptoms of tuberculosis of the spine, which is also called tuberculous spondylitis or Pott's disease, was found in the study of human remains of the Iron Age and ancient mummies found in Egypt and on the Pacific coast of South America. As with pulmonary tuberculosis, a disease that seems to accompany a person throughout its history. In 1779, Dr. Percival Pott described in detail the disease, which is now named after him.

With the advent of anti-TB drugs and to improve the quality of health care, in general, the incidence of tuberculosis of the spine in the developed countries has decreased significantly, but in developing countries it is still a fairly common disorder.

Typically, tuberculosis of bones Tuberculosis of the bones - one of the most common forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis   Spine is a secondary infection that starts to develop in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. From light (much less - from another primary tumor) TB germs get through the blood to other parts of the body, including the spine. Will the developed secondary infection depends mainly on the overall health of the patient, and above all - how strong his immune system.

Tuberculosis usually affects the spine more than one vertebra; In typical cases, the infection begins to develop in the surface portion of the vertebrae adjacent to the subchondral bone, and in the area of ​​tuberculosis may extend to the next intervertebral discs. In children, tuberculosis of the spine sometimes begins to develop into the intervertebral disc.

In 40-50% of cases of this type of tuberculosis is striking thoracic vertebrae in 35-45% of cases - the lumbar spine. Cervical spine suffers from Pott's disease in approximately 10% of patients.

Statistic

Pott's disease is diagnosed in 1-2% of the total number of TB patients. In developed countries, tuberculosis Tuberculosis - a full recovery is not guaranteed   spine occurs predominantly in adults; in Third World countries, the disease most often diagnosed in young adults and children of preschool and school age. In addition, studies conducted in the United States and Western Europe have shown that spinal tuberculosis is more common in people of African, Hispanic and Asian descent than European immigrants. It is assumed that this is not due to innate characteristics that make the members of certain ethnic groups more susceptible to tuberculosis, and the fact that these populations standard of living, on average, below, and that is what makes the prevalence of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis of the spine is slightly more common in men than in women: the proportion of patients with this diagnosis ranges from 1.5: 1 to 2: 1.

Symptoms of tuberculosis of the spine

Symptoms of the disease are caused by its stage, the presence of complications, as well as those which struck the portion of the spine tuberculosis.

The earliest and most common symptom of tuberculosis of the spine is a pain in the back. As a rule, the pain does not pass after a holiday or after a massage or use any other means to relieve pain, and many patients seek treatment within a few weeks after its occurrence. In patients with secondary tuberculosis of the spine (ie the vast majority) are observed and symptoms such as fever, weight reduction, cough, weakness, chest pain Chest pain is one symptom - a lot of diseases .

In tuberculosis of the cervical spine, in addition to back pain, stiffness in the neck can be observed, dysphagia - a condition in which a person can not swallow normally, torticollis and change of voice.

Almost all patients with the disease Pott observed some degree of deformity of the spine (kyphosis). A significant proportion of patients are also marked muscle spasms and muscle stiffness.

Usually, symptoms of TB Symptoms of TB - how to recognize the disease   spine gradually intensified, but the top of the tuberculosis of the cervical, they can progress very quickly.