Inflammation of the spine, or as it is also called, spondylitis, is a whole collection of diseases. It is important to know that the human spine is a kind of support rod that holds the entire skeleton. Inflammatory processes in it can develop for various reasons.
The essence of the problem
Pathology can be the result of an infectious disease, some types of injuries, tumors, develop with damage to internal organs, as well as intoxication. In the future, inflammation of the spine is accompanied by deformative processes, which can lead to destruction of the vertebrae. That is why it is important to notice the problem in time and begin competent treatment.
What is a disease?
How the disease will proceed is directly affected by its type and the cause of the development of the pathology. For example, a disease of an infectious disease is reactive, acute. The aseptic-type inflammatory process develops mainly gradually. However, at the first stages, the clinical picture of these two types of pathology is similar. In general, inflammation of the spine is manifested by painful sensations, numbness of the limbs or certain parts of the body, a feeling of stiffness. How intensely the symptomatology will develop depends on the stage and characteristics of the pathology.
Inflammation of the spine is of two types: infectious and aseptic.
The difference between aseptic type and infectious
- Infectious type inflammation. Due to the anatomically structure of the spinal column, harmful bacteria easily pass into it. Therefore, virtually any infection can lead to disastrous consequences. The infection enters the spine from other organs, transported through the blood. Another method of infection is the lack of sterility during surgery.
- Aseptic inflammation. This is an inflammatory process that occurs regardless of infection. This type of pathology can also be divided autoimmune and degenerative-dystrophic diseases. The latter leads to deformation of the intervertebral discs, which leads to clamping of the nervous and other tissues. Since the intervertebral discs cannot completely hold the bones of the vertebrae, they gradually fade. As a result of this and some other factors, an inflammatory process develops. Speaking of autoimmune pathology, it is worth saying that in this situation, the body independently fights its own cells with the help of white blood cells. So, in case of Bakhterev’s disease, in the body, which contains a special gene, after infection, the immune system begins to perceive the cartilage tissue of the discs as an infection, and their destruction occurs, replacing them with bone tissue. This leads to limited motor activity of the spine, to painful sensations and an inflammatory process.
Inflammation occurs in about 0.4-1.4% of cases of spinal diseases. This pathology is characteristic mainly for adolescents and young people, but in people of a more mature age this problem is extremely rare. In men, the inflammatory process develops 3 times more often than in women.
The causes of the violation
Factors affecting the development of the inflammatory process in the spine are usually classified into several types:
- Specific - associated with the ingestion of a special bacterium in the body, provoking specific changes characteristic of it only in the vertebrae.
- Nonspecific - provoke a typical development of a disease similar to purulent inflammation. The cause of this course of pathology can be various conditionally pathogenic intestinal bacteria, staphylococci, etc.
- Rheumatoid is an aseptic type of inflammation that occurs as a result of an erroneous attack of vertebral cells by antibodies of the body. In this situation, heredity is very important, which plays a large role in the functioning of the immune system.
In addition to the above factors, inflammation is affected by a prolonged weakening of the immune system (especially after a course of treatment with some medicines), spinal injuries, chronic specific infectious diseases (tuberculosis, gonorrhea, etc.).
The consequences of pathology
Inflammatory processes in the spine can lead to serious complications. In particular, fistulas, deformations of kyphotic and other types, abscesses, neurological problems can form. Also, pathology provokes restrictions on motor activity and destruction of vertebral tissues.
Clinical picture and diagnostic measures
The signs of almost all types of inflammation are not particularly different and depend on the stage and severity of the pathology. The infection enters the vertebra itself or in the arches with processes, multiplies there and leads to the destruction of bone tissue. Subsequently, the dead parts of the spine are separated and squeeze the spinal cord or roots. An edematous process in the central spinal canal can develop, which leads to neurological disorders. In addition, spinal nerve inflammation can occur, leading to meningitis.
Neurological problems
Neurological health problems depend on the location of the inflammation:
- Serious symptoms are observed with inflammation of the cervical spine. There is a risk of complete or partial paralysis of the extremities, a decrease or complete loss of sensitivity below the affected vertebral area, problems associated with involuntary urination and fecal incontinence.
- A similar clinical picture is present with inflammation of the thoracic spine. The only difference is that disturbances in motor activity are observed only in the lower extremities and are spastic in nature. Other symptoms are identical, only the pain is of the herpes zoster.
- Disturbances in inflammation of the lumbar spine are characteristic symptoms. There are mild paralysis of the lower extremities, in some cases involuntary urination and bowel movement, pain in the legs, which give to the perineum. The pain is usually stitching and sometimes shoots as if. Sometimes the temperature may rise, dizziness, weakness appears. This is a sign of intoxication.
Regardless of the type of disease, whether it is inflammation in the joints, spine or root impairment, it is imperative to undergo an examination at a medical institution. Diagnostic measures are reduced to examination and some general clinical studies. In particular, an x-ray is prescribed, and in especially difficult cases - an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or MKT (multispiral computed tomography).
Disease treatment
Treatment of inflammatory processes in the spine should be comprehensive and consist of such important stages:
- special diet and special motor mode;
- a course of drug therapy;
- physical therapy.
Drug treatment
Medication aimed at eliminating the symptoms of treatment of inflammation of the spine is based on three components:
- Etiological treatment. It consists in eliminating the factor provoking the disease. In this case, antibacterial drugs are prescribed. With the fungal nature of the disease, it is necessary to take antifungal medications, in particular, Itraconazole. With aseptic inflammation, an etiological treatment is not necessary.
- Pathogenetic treatment. It consists in the destruction of the chain of pathological reactions. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are aimed at eliminating inflammatory processes. These include “Revoksikam”, “Diclofenac” and others. With a more severe course of the disease, hormonal agents can be prescribed - glucocoticosteroids, which effectively eliminate inflammatory processes and are used for autoimmune diseases. It is important to know that such drugs have many side effects, so it is strictly forbidden to take them without prescribing and observing a specialist.
- Symptomatic treatment. It is designed to eliminate unpleasant symptoms and improve the general well-being of the patient. Anesthetics are used, for example, Ibuprofen, Ketanol. They can also minimize the side effect of other medicines.
In some cases, you have to resort to surgical intervention. So, with inflammation of a hernia of the spine and similar diseases, it may be necessary to eliminate the problem by the surgeon.
Also, surgery can be prescribed when conservative methods of treatment do not work, or the symptoms do not disappear for a long time. An important stage of treatment is a special motor regimen. Depending on the type of pathology and its course, the doctor may recommend a special therapeutic physical education complex (exercise therapy) or therapeutic massage. Various physiotherapeutic procedures may also be prescribed.
If the disease is not complicated, home treatment can be prescribed, which boils down to medications and some physical exercises. A specific diet may sometimes be recommended.
Preventive actions
As a preventative measure, the following recommendations are made:
- It is important to strengthen immunity to eliminate the risk of infectious inflammation of the spine.
- Be sure to move a lot and go in for sports, however, without excessive loads and stresses.
- A major role is played by nutrition. The diet should be balanced. In case of problems with excess weight, it is necessary to carefully monitor the diet, because excess weight increases the load on the spine.
- Try to protect your spine from injuries.
- With a sedentary lifestyle, regularly take breaks and gymnastics.
- Regularly and timely undergo an examination of the body to prevent the occurrence and development of infections that provoke the inflammatory process.
Forecast
With timely and effective treatment, the disease does not pose any threat, because it can be cured in the initial stages. In case complications and neurological problems begin, therapy will require more time and more complex methods. However, compliance with all the recommendations of a doctor will help to achieve positive results. When the first suspicions of inflammation of the roots of the spine or any other parts of it appear, you should contact a specialist as soon as possible.