Manifestations of sciatica depends on what part of the spinal nerve roots are affected by the disease. Spinal nerves located in the cervical spine, controlled back and neck muscles and thus damaging them can cause various symptoms of sciatica in these parts of the body.

The nerves of the spine control the muscles of the chest and abdomen. The nerves of the lumbar muscles associated with the buttocks and legs.

For all types of sciatica are typical of the following symptoms:

• Pain. When radiculitis Sciatica - ask for help in a timely manner   pain can be very diverse - from dull, aching pain to acute and almost unbearable (the latter usually occurs during exacerbations sciatica). In some patients, the pain occurs from time to time, others - there is almost constantly. As a rule, it is enhanced by a certain type of loads, and weakened or completely passes when the person rests. The pain is localized where the spine is inflamed spinal nerve, but it is almost always given to the other parts of the body;
• Muscle weakness with radiculitis caused by impaired transmission of nerve impulses;
• Reduced flexibility of the spine - a very unpleasant symptom of sciatica, because of which a lot of people to temporarily lose their ability to work, exercise, and so on. The rigidity of the spine tend to be particularly severe in the morning, and many patients extends shortly after they start to rise and move. However, for some people it is stored permanently, that has a significant impact on daily life;
• Changing the sensitivity of certain body parts. This symptom is also directly related to the jamming and / or inflammation of the nerves that lead to problems with the transmission of nerve impulses. As a result, the patient may feel tingling or numbness in the areas that are associated with nerve damage.

Symptoms of sciatica thoracic spine

For this type of sciatica is characterized by pain in the center of the back, which may be given in the chest, and, more rarely, in the stomach. Sometimes the pain is significantly enhanced by a breath and sharp turns of the body. Such symptoms as chest pain Chest pain is one symptom - a lot of diseases Not for no reason is a strong concern for many patients, especially those in whose history has any heart disease. Although the vast majority of cases, such pain is not a sign of a heart attack, when they occur as soon as possible go to the doctor.

Symptoms of sciatica cervical spine

Inflammation of the spinal nerve roots in the cervical spine can cause pain in the back of the neck, head, sometimes - headache Headache: Causes and Complications . The pain may radiate to the shoulders and arms. In addition, when the cervical radiculitis Neck sciatica - a painful violation   as it is often observed numbness and tingling in the arms and hands.

Symptoms of cervical sciatica to some extent depend on where it is inflamed root of spinal nerve. For example, inflammation in the cervical vertebra C5 often causes weakness and numbness in the shoulder muscles. When lesions in the area of ​​vertebrae C6 and C7, the patient may experience muscle weakness when he flexes and extends the arm at the elbow, and with an inflammation in the spine C8 Patients often feel a numbness in the thumb and the weakness of the muscles of the hands.

Symptoms of sciatica lumbosacral spine

Patients suffering from this variety of sciatica, often complain of back pain, radiating to the hips and legs. Typically, if struck by the spinal nerve roots at the top of the lumbar pain and numbness occur in the buttocks and lower back. The following is the source of inflammation, the pain may radiate less - for example, inflammation of the roots in the sacral region of the spine can cause pain, tingling and numbness in the feet and toes. Typically, the pain intensified when walking, running and other forms of physical activity, and during the holiday passes.

During episodes of acute sciatica lumbosacral spine patients feel very strong pain that appears suddenly, and may persist for several hours or days. Often at this person loses the ability to bend or flex and move with great difficulty. Unfortunately, there is no relapse of any warning signs, and tell in advance when happen next attack of sciatica, it is impossible.

Cervical osteochondrosis is most often caused by prolonged sitting with bowed head, for example, when working on the computer. Very often this type of osteoarthritis developed at a young age, if the work is related to forced postures. For the prevention of osteochondrosis Preventing osteochondrosis - should be carried out in youth   for working for physical exercise are recommended to do a five-minute break from the exercises, relieves spasms of the neck muscles.

The structure of the cervical spine

Cervical spine represented by seven cervical vertebrae, one above the other, separated by a 6 elastic intervertebral disc, providing the flexibility of the spine. Each vertebra distinguish its main parts - the body, bone, and several arc processes: one spinous (it faces backward), two and four transverse joint (two on each side).

At the junction of the arc with a vertebral body are the upper and lower vertebral scraps that form in the spine the intervertebral holes through which the spinal nerves, blood and lymph vessels. The size of the intervertebral hole in the neck is smaller than in other parts of the spine.

The load on the cervical vertebrae is small, so their bodies are small. The transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae 1-4 are special openings for the passage of the vertebral arteries that carry blood to the brain. When osteochondrosis hole size can be reduced - this leads to symptoms of cerebral circulation.

Between the vertebrae are intervertebral discs (the cartilaginous spine, between the first and second cervical vertebra disc is missing), consisting of the fibrous ring, inside of which is the nucleus pulposus diameter of 1-2, 5 cm. The fabric is a core cartilage cells, intertwined fibers. In young adults in the nucleus contains more than 80% water, the elderly - 70%, the viscosity and elasticity is lost gelatinous tissue metabolism slows Improves metabolism and losing weight without dieting   in the nucleus.

A feature of the intervertebral discs is a poor blood supply. Because of this, the restoration of the destroyed osteochondrosis disk is almost impossible. Nutrients cells disc received by percolation (diffusion) of the extracellular tissue. If a person moves a little, diffusion processes are reduced, and when activated motor mode increases. The intervertebral discs connect the vertebral bodies to regulate the mobility of the spine and protect the bone from the vertebrae injury. In addition, the stability and mobility of the spine is provided by ligaments and muscles.

Two vertebrae interconnected by a disc with two joints and ligaments, called the vertebral segment. In the cervical spine five segments. When osteochondrosis often affects the lower segments of the cervical spine.

From the spinal cord in the cervical spine moves forward eight pairs of nerve (mainly motor) and posterior (mainly sensory) roots that go through the intervertebral holes and combined with each other in the spinal nerves. Spinal nerve roots also contain autonomic nerve fibers that innervate the internal organs and blood vessel walls.

Cervical spine is bending forward (cervical lordosis). Curvature of the spine provide a springy movement of the human body. Cervical - the moveable spine mobility is carried out by shifting 4-6 vertebrae relative to each other by bending the neck. But it also contributes to narrowing of the intervertebral foramen, ie create additional conditions for infringement of spinal nerves.

The causes of cervical degenerative disc disease

Causes of cervical degenerative disc disease, usually multiple. With age, changes occur as the body of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs: vertebral bodies lose calcium and become brittle, change shape, and the intervertebral discs lose moisture and made flat, thin and inelastic. This process is unique in many ways - found that great importance is the hereditary features of the structure of the spine and metabolic processes in cells drives.

Metabolism in the cells drives aggravated by a sedentary lifestyle (broken cell nutrition), sustained high physical activity (chronic mikrotravmirovanie disks), a variety of chronic diseases, resulting in overall metabolic disorders, exposure to various chemicals coming from outside (eg, nicotine) , hormonal disorders Hormonal disorders - oversupply and a lack of equally dangerous   and so on.

The aggravation of cervical degenerative disc disease may start with a sharp turn of the head, colds, some external influence. For example, a dangerous combination - cervical osteochondrosis and alcohol, as the latter can cause a persistent constriction of blood vessels and increased degenerative processes in the intervertebral discs.

Stages of cervical degenerative disc disease

The intervertebral discs in the cervical osteochondrosis gradually destroyed. In this process, there are four steps (degrees)

• cervical osteochondrosis 1 degree - minor changes in the intervertebral discs; most often it does not manifest;
• 2 degrees of cervical osteochondrosis - protrusion (bulging of the disc into the spinal canal without breaking the fibrous ring) disc, reducing the distance between the vertebrae, pinched nerves, pain;
• cervical osteochondrosis Osteochondrosis - learn how to properly distribute the weight   Grade 3 - the appearance of intervertebral hernia (rupture of the fibrous ring and exit the nucleus pulposus outside of the spinal column), and a significant deformity of the spine;
• cervical osteochondrosis 4 degree - growth of bone tissue and a decrease in the mobility of the spine (deforming spondylarthrosis) - normal traffic can become a cause of severe pain; disability with cervical osteochondrosis develops at this stage.