All diseases and pathologies that occur in humans are recorded in the International Classification of Diseases - ICD-10. This is the most modern, 10th revision conducted by the World Health Organization and recommended for use in Russia in 1999. It has a special section, including diseases of the musculoskeletal system. And pathologies of the spine, characterized by neurological symptoms and damage to bone and soft tissues, are highlighted in the subsection "Dorsopathies". Such diseases are numbered from the 40th to the 54th number according to the ICD. Osteochondrosis occupies a separate position here - M42. Similar degenerative processes also occur in spondylopathies (M45-M49), dorsalgia (M54), osteopathies (M86-M90) and chondropathies (M91-M94).
Why do we need an international classification of diseases?
Such a system was developed by medical professionals for the convenience of processing information about a patient’s illness and for protecting this information. After all, the cipher that replaces the diagnosis in the card is familiar only to doctors. The coding of diseases includes a letter and a numerical designation. And all diseases are divided into groups in accordance with their nature. But not every disease has a separate ICD code. Osteochondrosis, for example, belongs to the group of dorsopathies and is classified by code M42. But various degenerative-dystrophic processes of the spinal column can be indicated by other letter codes. Therefore, in order to prescribe the correct treatment, accurate diagnosis is necessary.
Correct diagnosis
An accurate diagnosis of osteochondrosis is carried out by a doctor on the basis of a special examination. It is necessary to correctly diagnose. After all, the effectiveness of treatment depends on this. Before confirming the diagnosis of the ICD "osteochondrosis of the spine", it is necessary to exclude the possibility of other diseases: pathologies of the kidneys or intestines, traumatic lesions, degenerative processes in the bones. Therefore, the patient’s complaints, the onset of the development of the disease, and the results of the examination are not only recorded in the medical history. The nature of the course of the disease, its phase, features of pain, spinal mobility, and the presence of neurological disorders are also taken into account. To determine the nature of the pathology, an X-ray examination, computed and magnetic resonance imaging are performed. Only after this illness of the patient is a specific ICD code assigned.
Osteochondrosis: causes
This disease 10 years ago was found mainly after 45 years. But now such a diagnosis is made even for young people and adolescents. This is due to a sedentary lifestyle and a passion for gadgets. Because of this, the muscle corset of the spine weakens, and the posture is bent. As a result of increased load, the disks begin to fail. The reasons for the development of osteochondrosis, ICD-10 does not take into account, but doctors need to determine them to choose the right treatment method. Why can osteochondrosis develop:
- due to a sedentary lifestyle;
- heavy physical exertion, weight lifting;
- spinal injuries ;
- age-related changes in bone tissue;
- hereditary predisposition.
Who is affected
According to the ICD, osteochondrosis is considered in the group of dorsopathies, that is, degenerative processes in the spine. Therefore, mainly elderly people are exposed to it. In them, due to a slowdown in metabolic processes and blood circulation, tissues lose fluid and nutrients and begin to break down. But this disease also occurs at a younger age. At risk are athletes, movers and everyone who is experiencing increased physical activity. Drives also suffer from a sedentary lifestyle, which is conducted by office workers, drivers, seamstresses and representatives of some other professions.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
Destruction of the disc causes back pain and limited movement. These are the main symptoms of osteochondrosis. The pain can be severe or aching, may appear periodically after exercise or last a long time. But degenerative processes affect not only discs. Reducing the space between the vertebrae leads to pinching of the nerve roots. This causes neurological symptoms, depending on the location of the disease.
With osteochondrosis of the lumbar, the following symptoms are observed:
- sharp pains extending to the leg;
- disruption of the pelvic organs;
- numbness of the limbs, sensation of goosebumps or tingling sensations;
- leg cramps, weakness;
- in severe cases, loss of sensitivity of the lower body, paralysis develops.
If the cervical region is affected, the situation is even more serious, since the vessels supplying the brain and the nerves connecting it to the body pass in this place. In this case, pain in the head, impaired coordination of movements, decreased memory, vision and hearing, frequent dizziness and fainting may appear.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis are also associated with circulatory disorders. This is a loss of pulse, interruptions in the work of internal organs, pressure fluctuations. If such signs appear, it is necessary to undergo an examination in order to correctly diagnose the ICD-10.
Osteochondrosis of the spine: stages of development
The danger of this disease is that at the initial stage a person may not pay attention to minor pains and restriction of movement. It is then that the disease is easiest to cure. But most often, patients go to the doctor when the changes already become irreversible. According to the ICD, osteochondrosis refers to degenerative diseases. It goes through three stages:
- first, the core of the disk begins to lose water and cracks appear on the fibrous ring, gradually the distance between the vertebrae decreases;
- at the second stage, back pain appears, a crunch may be heard when moving due to the convergence of the vertebrae;
- the third stage is characterized by severe pain not only in the spine, but also in the limbs, and in other organs, displacement of the vertebrae and impairment of the nerve roots may be observed;
- at the last stage, serious complications develop, loss of mobility of the spine.
Types of disease
According to ICD-10, osteochondrosis of the spine is classified according to developmental features:
- youthful - M42.0;
- osteochondrosis of adults - M42.1;
- unspecified osteochondrosis of the spine - M42.9.
But most often another classification of the disease is known - by its localization. In serious cases, with a running degenerative process, a common osteochondrosis is diagnosed, in which many discs and surrounding tissues are affected. But most often, the disease occurs in any one part of the spine.
- Cervical osteochondrosis ICD allocates a separate group M42.2. But this is the most common form of the disease. It is the cervical region that is most often affected due to its mobility and vulnerability.
- Thoracic osteochondrosis is rare. The vertebrae in this place are additionally supported by the ribs. Therefore, you can often find the diagnosis of “cervicothoracic osteochondrosis” - ICD42.3.
- Quite common is the destruction of the disc in the lumbar. In this place, the vertebrae and discs withstand the greatest load, especially with a sedentary lifestyle or lifting weights. Separately, lumbosacral osteochondrosis is also isolated, although there are no discs in the sacrum and the vertebrae themselves and the surrounding soft tissues are destroyed.
Complications of Osteochondrosis
According to the ICD, osteochondrosis of the spine is allocated to a special section, but many doctors do not consider it a separate disease. After all, if degenerative processes in the disks began, they necessarily affect the surrounding tissues: vertebrae, muscles and ligaments. Therefore, disc herniation, spondylolisthesis, protrusion, arthrosis of the vertebral joints and other diseases quickly join osteochondrosis.