What is the human spine made of? Details about its components

Irina Solopova Articles Hernia, kyphosis, subluxation of the atlas, scoliosis You can make an appointment with a doctor by phone 8(916)-265-92-28

The cervical spine is the most vulnerable, although less mobile compared to the lumbar spine; and the most complex, in terms of the presence and combination of pathologies and their consequences for the whole organism. After all, the cervical spine is responsible not only for the innervation of the upper extremities, but also for the blood supply to the brain. So, the cervical spine may have the following disorders: disc herniations and protrusions, kyphosis and scoliosis, subluxation of the atlas.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are usually divided into radicular and reflex.

Radicular symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

There are many nerves coming out of the spine. They are called spinal nerves. Each such nerve gradually branches and follows a specific area of ​​the body with clearly defined boundaries. This area is called the zone of segmental innervation. Each vertebra, disc, nerve and zone are numbered, strictly corresponding to each other. If a nerve is exposed, then symptoms will appear in the zone of segmental innervation corresponding to a given nerve, and not just anywhere - in an arbitrary place.

Radicular symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include:

• Decreased or lost reflexes;
• Muscle weakness;
• Impaired sensitivity;
• Radicular pain.

Not all areas of the cervical spine are equally susceptible to pathology. The most mobile segments are most often affected: C3–C4, C4–C5, C5–C6 and C6–C7. According to the principle - “More movements - more wear.”

Innervation zones of the cervical segments

Osteochondrosis C3–C4

- indicates that the 3rd and 4th cervical vertebrae and the disc between them are affected. In this case, the 4th spinal nerve, which goes to the neck, is affected. The main signs are decreased sensitivity along the entire circumference of the neck. There is discomfort, and sometimes pain, in this area.

Osteochondrosis C4–C5

- affects the 5th spinal nerve. Pain from the neck extends along the shoulder girdle to the upper front of the shoulder. Sensitivity decreases along the outer surface of the shoulder. Numbness occurs in the same area. The deltoid muscle definitely weakens.

Osteochondrosis C5–C6

- the most common diagnosis. In this case, the 6th spinal nerve is affected. This manifests itself as pain from the biceps to the thumb and index finger along the outer surface of the arm. Sensitivity decreases, numbness or “goose bumps” appear in the same area. And biceps weakness inevitably occurs.

Osteochondrosis C6–C7

- affects the 7th spinal nerve. Pain occurs in the triceps area and at the back of the arm. Sensitivity decreases in the area of ​​the middle and ring fingers. Numbness and “pins and needles” may appear in the same area. Definitely triceps weakness.

Reflex symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Pain in the neck, back of the head, and collar area—more often in the morning. Difficulty in movement, crunch in the neck. Neck muscle tension. Constant aching pain. Headache. Dizziness. Intracranial pressure. Acute pain. Weakness in the arms, numbness, pins and needles and goosebumps. Pain in the shoulders, sometimes radiating under the shoulder blade. Burning between the shoulder blades. A burning sensation in the heart area resembles angina pectoris. Pain in the left side of the chest can sometimes radiate to the left arm. Numbness of the hands or fingers. “Lump” in the area of ​​the seventh cervical vertebra. Poor dental condition. Transient visual disturbances, temporary darkening or “floaters” in the eyes. Decreased vision. Noise or ringing in the ears. Hearing impairment. Nausea, sometimes leading to vomiting. Pressure surges. Fainting or pre-syncope. Loss of consciousness. Feeling of a lump in the throat, problems with swallowing. Sore throat. Weakening or hoarseness of the voice. Feeling short of air. Sleep disturbances, frequent insomnia. Snoring is a consequence of neck muscle tension. Feeling like you didn't get enough sleep. It is difficult to move, especially in the morning. Coordination of movements is impaired - this affects the gait. General weakness, weakness. Irritability. Fast fatiguability.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:

• depend on the stage of osteochondrosis
• worsens when tilting and turning the head
• more often appear after 35–45 years
• in women they occur approximately 3 times more often than in men

You, of course, noticed that the radicular symptoms are defined quite clearly, while the reflex symptoms are very vague and non-specific. And as you know, everything that does not have clear definitions serves as a convenient cover for professional helplessness. This applies to both reflex symptoms and such a favorite concept among doctors as “age-related changes.” Surely many of you are familiar with the situation when the doctor explained the problem as “reflex” or “age-related” processes. Most people at such moments rightly believe that the doctor simply cannot figure out what is happening and is trying to veil his incompetence in the fog of these “magic words.”

At one time there was a popular phrase: “Every accident has a name, surname and position.” Every disease has its own unique symptoms. And it is the doctor’s duty to know them clearly. And then there will be no need to cast a fog and blame cervical osteochondrosis for everything. Now you understand how important it is to find an experienced and knowledgeable doctor. Both the correct diagnosis and treatment results will depend on this.

When choosing a clinic, the main thing is to get to an experienced and knowledgeable doctor.

Vertebrae and internal organs

Having found out how many vertebrae there are in the lumbar region, it is also necessary to answer the question of what each of them is responsible for. Each individual segment of the lumbar spine is responsible for specific organs. Therefore, many more functions can be named, since if one of the elements L1-L5 is damaged, this leads to the development of certain diseases of the internal systems. The location of each segment affects the functioning of the entire organism as a whole.

appear here more often than in other places. These are not always fractures, in most cases they are inflammatory and degenerative processes, or a violation of the integrity of the disc. They develop gradually and in the first stages can be painless; subsequently the person feels unpleasant discomfort, which only intensifies over time. The earlier the pathology is diagnosed, the higher the chances of successful treatment.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

As you understand, osteochondrosis is a real “tangle” of symptoms, which, by unraveling, the doctor will relieve you of pain and torment. But it is not possible to eliminate changes in the vertebrae and discs. Therefore, the words “treatment of osteochondrosis” must be understood correctly. If you are interested in eliminating pain and other suffering, then yes, it is quite possible. And if you conduct an academic discussion on the topic of returning the vertebrae and discs to their original appearance, “like a newborn child,” then no, the past cannot be returned. You need to be realistic, and then you won’t fall for scammers.

• Don't fall for scammers!
• It is impossible to return the vertebrae and discs to their original appearance!

What method of treatment is considered the main one?

Gentle manual therapy is the main type of treatment for cervical osteochondrosis. It’s like an antibiotic for pneumonia—you can’t do without it. The remaining types - massage, medications, physiotherapy and exercise therapy - are auxiliary.

How does gentle manual therapy work?

The nutrition of the discs is directly related to the muscles surrounding the cervical vertebrae. In addition, the neck muscles themselves are one of the constituent causes of pain in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Gentle manual therapy is a special method that allows you to return muscles to their natural physiology, eliminate spasms, muscle tension and improve nutrition of the discs.

Intervertebral discs are the only part of the body that does not have blood vessels and is nourished by the proper functioning of the muscles.

In addition, when performing treatment using hands, the chiropractor:

• will relieve the load from the affected vertebrae and discs and distribute it correctly;
• will relax the muscles and help them return to normal.

Thereby:

• relieves the patient of clamps;
• improve disk power supply;
• will restore the motor functions of the body;
• normalizes blood circulation.

Manual influence mobilizes the internal forces of the body and triggers self-healing mechanisms. The treatment is absolutely safe.

Subluxation

The cervical region is most susceptible to pressure, stress and mechanical damage, as it is the most mobile part of the spine. Subluxation is considered a common neck condition that occurs in young children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. Do not confuse a dislocation - a complete loss of joint connection with each other and an anatomical change in the bone structure - with a subluxation - a sprain of the ligaments between the joints.

This phenomenon occurs due to fractures, head impacts, sudden head tilts and high pressure on the spinal segment. In most cases, subluxations occur in professional athletes who engage in wrestling, gymnastics, swimming or skating. Sports injuries can cause severe damage to the spinal column, causing the athlete to develop serious spinal pathologies.

Subluxations also occur in small children and infants. Babies do not have such a developed musculoskeletal system and have underdeveloped ligaments, so even an uncomfortable position can cause subluxation. In this case, the child will experience discomfort and pain.

Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis

To avoid relapses, create comfortable conditions for sleeping and working. Watch your weight and eat right. Keep up your physical activity. But the main thing is not to neglect your health and not to skimp on it. Don't let things take their course. After recovery, try to do at least one maintenance session of gentle manual therapy once every three to six months - this will reduce risk factors. Don’t forget, advanced osteochondrosis leads to complications - protrusion and disc herniation. Remember: your health comes first!

Advanced osteochondrosis leads to complications - protrusion and disc herniation.

Which doctor should I contact?

As soon as a person feels the appearance of unpleasant symptoms and pain in the cervical spine, he should immediately contact a therapist, who will conduct a preliminary examination and collect an anamnesis. After this, the patient will receive a referral to a specialist doctor, who will conduct a detailed study of the condition of this segment and make a diagnosis. Among the specialist doctors, the following specialists are distinguished:

• neurologist - a doctor who treats diseases of the nervous system;
• vertebrologist - a doctor who specializes in spine pathologies;
• rheumatologist - a doctor who specializes in the treatment and diagnosis of pathologies of the joints and the entire musculoskeletal system;
• surgeon - a specialist involved in the surgical treatment of pathological conditions of the body.

Surgery is considered the most extreme measure in all treatment. It is performed when conservative treatment methods do not have the desired effect, and the pathological process worsens.

To verify his assumptions, the specialist will prescribe laboratory tests (blood, urine and feces) and one of the instrumental research methods. In the case of pathology of the second cervical vertebra, you should choose radiography or CT (computed tomography), which are based on the use of radiographic radiation.

Filum terminale disease

After the research of Dr. Royo Salvador and his doctoral dissertation (1992), it was found that several diseases whose cause was previously unknown, such as: Arnold Chiari I syndrome, idiopathic Syringomyelia and Scoliosis, Platybasia, Basilar Impression, Axial vertebral tooth displacement, An angular bend at the level of the arch of the atlas is part of a new pathology - Diseases of the filum terminale - and arises for the same reason: tension in the spinal cord and the entire nervous system. The tension force of the entire nervous system during filum terminale disease is present during the formation of all human embryos; to a greater or lesser extent, everyone suffers from its consequences and various forms of manifestation and intensity. The following diseases may be associated with filum terminale disease: intervertebral hernias, some cerebrovascular insufficiency syndromes, facet syndrome, Bostrup syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, nocturnal enuresis, urinary incontinence and acute paraparesis. For accurate diagnosis, selection of treatment and monitoring of a patient with filum terminale disease, the Filum System® method was created.

Causes

– According to traditional theories:

Like all anomalies at the junction of the skull and neck, tooth displacement of the axial vertebra is usually attributed to congenital (structural or general) or acquired disorders.

– According to the Filum System ® sanitary method:

The deformation observed when a tooth in an axial vertebra is displaced is associated with the asynchronous growth of the spinal cord (and with it the central nervous system) and the spine during the developmental phase of the embryo. This provokes the appearance of abnormal tension in the spinal cord, which is transmitted by a tense and short filum terminale from the coccyx to the skull. The stronger and earlier the abnormal tension of the filum terminale manifests itself, the more manifestations in bone malformations can occur, the more severe the displacement can be. Displacement of the axial vertebral tooth occurs for the same reason as Arnold Chiari I syndrome, idiopathic syringomyelia and scoliosis, and other bone deformities in the foramen magnum area associated with tension in the filum terminale. The earlier and more intense the tension of the spinal cord manifests itself, coinciding with the stage of formation and growth of bones, the more pronounced the displacement of the tooth of the axial vertebra, basilar impression and platybasia manifest themselves.

Types and stages of intervertebral hernias in the thoracic area

The development of thoracic hernias occurs in several stages, or stages. Each stage, which directly indicates the severity of the disc damage, is given a name.

1. Protrusion – initial, stage 1, in which the core partially sags into the weak area of ​​the fibrous ring, lacking elasticity and normal density, causing a small (1-5 mm) marginal bulge of the disc to form. Despite the fact that the inner layers of the ring are already covered with cracks, the integrity of its outer layer is preserved, so the displaced gel-like substance is still located within the disc. This is not a hernia yet, but a small pre-hernia, indicating that the disc is already changed and fragile, it can rupture at any moment.

2. Extrusion is an intermediate stage, stage 2-3, when in a certain area the integrity of the fibrous rim is disrupted, and a part of the pulpous substance “crawls” into the vertebral space through an absolute gap. This stage indicates a finally formed hernia. A disc sticking out in the wrong place at this stage already begins to irritate the spinal nerves, causing neurological symptoms. The lesion, taking into account the size of the protrusion, is diagnosed as moderate (5-8 mm) or severe (> 8 mm).

3. Sequestration is the last stage (4th stage), which is the most dangerous consequence of a hernia not resolved in time at the extrusion stage. For this stage, a characteristic feature is the separation (separation) of dead hernial fragments from the main mass of the nucleus pulposus. The detached pieces of necrotic tissue migrate into the spinal canal in different directions, which can lead to fatal damage to the nerves and spinal cord. Disability with severe functional deficit in 80-85% of cases is the outcome of a sequestered thoracic hernia.

We have looked at all the stages, now we will announce what types of intervertebral disc protrusions at the thoracic levels are. Based on size and effect on the size of the intravertebral space, hernias are classified into:

• small – reduce the size of the call. channel by 0-10%;
• medium - narrow the channel by 10% -20%;
• large ones - cover the vertebral space by more than 20%.

Pathogenesis is also usually distinguished by the nature of the direction of the hernial material. According to this criterion, hernias at T-levels are:

• lateral (lateral) – located in the lateral (right/left) direction from the vertebral bodies;
• ventral (anterior) - protrude anteriorly, that is, they are concentrated in the direction opposite to the spinal canal;
• median (middle, posterior) – directed strictly to the center of the spinal canal;
• paramedian (median-lateral) - directed slightly to the side from the median vector.

All types of thoracic disc bulge are extremely dangerous. But anterior deformities are less critical in the clinical course, since they do not grow into the cavity of the spinal column, where the spinal cord is contained. The most unfavorable in terms of manifestations and consequences are median hernias. In terms of frequency of occurrence, it is in the thoracic segments that medial disc deformations account for about 10%, paramedian – 33%, lateral – 50%, ventral – 5%-7%.

Bibliography:

1. Dr. Miguel B. Royo Salvador (1996), Siringomielia , escoliosis y malformación de Arnold-Chiari idiopáticas, etiología común (PDF). REV NEUROL (Barc); 24 (132): 937-959.
2. Dr. Miguel B. Royo Salvador (1996), Platibasia , impresión basilar, retroceso odontoideo y kinking del tronco cerebral, etiología común con la siringomielia , escoliosis y malformación de Arnold-Chiari idiopáticas (PDF). REV NEUROL (Barc); 24 (134): 1241-1250
3. Dr. Miguel B. Royo Salvador (1997), Nuevo tratamiento quirúrgico para la siringomielia , la escoliosis , la malformación de Arnold-Chiari , el kinking del tronco cerebral, el retroceso odontoideo, la impresión basilar y la platibasia idiopáticas (PDF). REV NEUROL; 25 (140): 523-530
4. M. B. Royo-Salvador, J. Solé-Llenas, J. M. Doménech, and R. González-Adrio, (2005) “Results of the section of the filum terminale in 20 patients with syringomyelia , scoliosis and Chiari malformation .” (PDF). Acta Neurochir (Wien) 147:515–523.
5. M. B. Royo-Salvador (2014), “Filum System® Bibliography” (PDF).
6. M. B. Royo-Salvador (2014), “Filum System® Guía Breve.”

Definition

Tooth displacement of the axial vertebra is one of the malformations in the upper cervical region, which consists of backward deviation of the axis, which leads to displacement and compression of nearby nerve structures. The axis tooth extends beyond the imaginary line between the sphenoid process and the angle of the posterior wall of the C2 vertebra. Often accompanied by platybasia and basilar impression.

Fig. 1 Displacement of an axial vertebral tooth on a CT image.