Dangerous complications of degenerative diseases of the back and cervical spine

This is an automatically translated article.

Degenerative diseases of the spine tend to be younger and cause many unpredictable complications such as pain, numbness of the limbs, vestibular disorders, disc herniation, muscle atrophy, quadriplegia, even disability. ... Therefore, it is necessary to detect and treat the disease early to prevent and prevent dangerous complications of the disease.

1. What is spondylolisthesis?


Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which the bones of the spine degenerate, affecting the structure and function of the spine. The disease is caused by damage to cartilage, subchondral bone, joint fluid,...
Spondylolisthesis is common in the elderly, drivers, office workers, small traders, porters, etc. Although the disease is not life-threatening, if it is not detected early and treated properly, it can leave many dangerous sequelae, even disability.
Manifestations of spondylolisthesis include: Severe pain or stiffness in back, neck, shoulder,... in the early morning; fever, fatigue, shortness of breath, stomach cramps,...; pain in the neck, shoulder, nape, waist, gradually spreading down the extremities,... lasting for more than 1 month; more and more pain in the degenerative spine area, the pain increases when exercising vigorously, working too hard, coughing, sneezing, ... In some severe cases, the patient may lose sensation half of the body, paralysis of the limbs, inability to work,...
The main causes of spinal degeneration are:
Age: The older you are, the faster you will have spinal degeneration due to the impact of the living environment , diseases on the body,...; Job characteristics: People who often carry heavy objects, work too hard, etc. are at high risk of spinal degeneration; Overweight, obesity: Large body weight will put pressure on articular cartilage and discs, over time will cause damage to articular cartilage, subchondral bone, discs,... causing spinal degeneration; Deficiency: People with deficiency of calcium, glucosamine, collagen type II, Proteoglycan,... are in the high-risk group for spondylolisthesis.

Những người thiếu chất nằm trong nhóm nguy cơ cao bị thoái hóa cột sống
Những người thiếu chất nằm trong nhóm nguy cơ cao bị thoái hóa cột sống

2. Dangerous complications of degenerative spine disease


2.1 Complications of spondylolisthesis Some complications may be encountered in patients with lumbar spondylosis:
Causes spinal deformity: People with long-term spondylolisthesis will experience severe pain when changing time. conditions, leading to the inability to work or move, keep a bad posture for too long, cause the lumbar spine to be hunched or crooked, etc. This complication not only causes unsightly but also affects life. normal living and working activities of the patient; Nerve compression: The degenerative condition of the lumbar spine causes compression of the nerves, leading to pain spreading to the buttocks, extremities, ... If this condition lasts for a long time, it will cause pain. muscle contraction, causing difficulty in movement, paralysis, long term can cause paralysis; Chest pain: The patient has chest pain, persistent pain on one side of the chest muscle. Caused by nerve root of cervical spine number 6 - 7 under pressure of bone spurs; Vision problems: Patients with lumbar spondylosis may experience visual impairment, lacrimation, photophobia, painful swollen eyes, reduced vision, even blindness; Injury to discs and spine: Causing herniated discs and spines; Lumbar spinal cord compression: The disease progresses to a chronic stage that can cause dangerous complications such as disability, paralysis of the legs.

Thoái hóa cột sống lưng có thể gây ra biến chứng chèn ép thắt lưng cùng
Thoái hóa cột sống lưng có thể gây ra biến chứng chèn ép thắt lưng cùng

2.2 Complications of cervical spondylosis Cervical spondylosis can cause many dangerous complications such as:
Insomnia: Patients have a lot of pain even at rest, leading to insomnia, prolonged fatigue, even fatigue. even cause high blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke ; Herniated disc: When nerves press on nerve roots, it causes paralysis in one or both arms. Gradually, the degenerated parts can progress to disc herniation, loss of movement control, even muscle atrophy, paralysis, etc., if there is no timely intervention and treatment. ; Causes increased - decreased blood pressure syndrome: The disease can cause blood pressure to drop or rise, usually hypertension; Vestibular disorders: People with cervical spondylosis often have limited blood and oxygen circulation to the brain, easily leading to vestibular disorders; Brain ischemia: The degenerative process of the cervical spine can compress arteries, obstruct blood circulation to nerve cells - brain ischemia. This condition causes a number of symptoms such as difficulty speaking, weakness in limbs, numbness in the half of the body, dizziness, lightheadedness, memory loss, distorted mouth even leading to fainting, stroke or brain hemorrhage. ...; Cervical spine: Degeneration of the cervical spine causes the cartilage surface in the spine to become thinner, the bone under the cartilage is changed in shape, easy to form and develop bone spurs. When the patient moves, the bone spurs will rub against muscles, tendons, ligaments or pinch nerves, causing pain; Neck - heart syndrome: The cervical vertebrae are degenerated, deviating from their original position, causing the structure of the cervical spine to change, compressing the nerves that supply the heart, causing heart attacks, cardiac arrhythmias; Hemiplegia: When the nervous system is compressed for too long, the pressure of the spine will cause stagnation of blood and gas, the nerves gradually lose their motor function, spreading from the limbs to the half of the body, leading to paralysis. to polio.

Thoái hóa cột sống cổ có thể dẫn đến bại liệt nửa người
Thoái hóa cột sống cổ có thể dẫn đến bại liệt nửa người

3. Advice for patients with spondylolisthesis


Each person should have regular health check-ups to detect degenerative spine disease early. When detecting the disease, should pay attention to the following issues to avoid encountering dangerous complications:
Strictly follow the instructions of a specialist during the treatment of the disease, avoid self-treatment; Lose weight, maintain a reasonable weight; Practice gentle sports daily, at least 3 times/week; Maintain a suitable diet, supplement calcium-rich foods; Do not smoke, do not drink alcohol; Taking care of bone and joint health, can apply hot compresses to muscle areas; Do not work too hard. Degeneration of the back and cervical spine can lead to many dangerous complications. To prevent these complications, it is necessary to detect and treat the disease early in the early stages, avoiding long-term exposure because it can lead to many unpredictable consequences.
Surgery to remove lumbar disc herniation is one of the annual surgeries at Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital with a success rate of over 95%. Surgery to treat herniated discs at Vinmec Central Park is performed by a team of experienced doctors and surgical crews with modern machinery such as: Avance CS2 anesthesia machine; GE and C-arm's R860 ventilator.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

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