Radicular syndrome

The neuralgic syndrome developing as a result of a prelum of initial departments of spinal nerves or nervous roots around their branch from a spinal cord in medicine is called a radicular syndrome or a radiculopathy. The pain accompanying this pathology is localized in the most different parts of a human body, depending on location of the center of defeat. So, pain can arise in a waist, extremities, a neck and even to irradiate to the area of internals, for example, in a stomach, heart, intestines.

Reasons of a radicular syndrome

The radicular syndrome is very widespread disease and has very many reasons. Developing of a disease is promoted, first of all, by various degenerative diseases of a backbone. Most often it is osteochondrosis, a spondylosis or a hernia nuclei pulposi. Besides, the radicular syndrome can be a consequence:

• Various injuries and cicatricial changes;
• Osteoporosis (as a result of fractures of vertebras);
• Osteomyelitis or tuberculosis (as a result of injury of vertebras of infectious character);
• Changes of the hormonal status;
• Spondylarthrosis;
• Various inborn defects of a backbone;
• Oncological diseases of a spinal cord;
• Regular loads of a rachis;
• Slow-moving way of life;
• Overcoolings.

It should be noted that the radicular syndrome arises not right after influence of one of the above-named reasons. As a rule, initially there are disturbances around intervertebral disks that provokes formation of hernias. After that hernia is gradually displaced, beginning to put pressure upon a nervous root that interferes with outflow of a venous blood from it. It leads to development of this disease.

Radicular syndrome of lumbar department

Most often the radicular syndrome of a backbone strikes area of a waist. It is caused by the fact that this site, as a rule, experiences the maximum loads in comparison with other departments of a backbone. Besides, muscles and ligaments of a waist rather weak, and openings for an exit of nervous roots from vessels quite large.

At a radicular syndrome of lumbar department the expressed unilateral pain of various character (aching, acute, stupid, shooting, cutting etc. is usually observed). Character of pain depends on intensity of defeat of a nervous root and concurrent factors. Attacks in this case can be provoked by the sharp movements or overcooling. Localization of pain is caused by defeat of specific roots of a waist:

• The radicular syndrome of lumbar department mentioning 1-3 roots is characterized by pain in a lower back, in the bottom of a stomach, the front and internal surface of hips, around a groin and a pubis. They often are followed by numbness of skin and feeling of goosebumps in these zones;
• At defeat 4 roots of a waist are observed the pain around a lower back and hips giving to a knee and a shin. At the movements in a knee noticeable weakness is felt;
• The radicular syndrome of a backbone striking the 5th root of lumbar department is shown by the pain around the internal surface of hips and a shin reaching foot and a thumb of a leg. Muscles of foot become weak, quite often it leads to difficulty of standing on the struck foot.

It should be noted that pain at a radicular syndrome of a backbone in a waist, as a rule, stops or decreases at rest or when lying on a healthy side.

Symptoms of a radicular syndrome

The very first symptom of a radicular syndrome is pain along the injured nerve. So, if the disease affects cervical department, then pain is observed around a neck and hands, chest – in a back zone, sometimes a stomach or heart, a waist – in a lower back, buttocks and the lower extremities. Practically any sharp careless movements or heavy lifting can promote developing of pain.

Together with it quite often painful symptoms of a radicular syndrome can have an effect at night during sleep what often is followed by the increased perspiration, and also hypostasis and erubescence. Overcooling or an emotional overstrain can become an origin of attacks of pain also.

Other common symptom of a radicular syndrome it is possible to call disturbances of sensitivity in the affected nerve. For example, the pricking by means of a needle in this zone is followed by considerable decrease in sensitivity in comparison with the similar procedure done with the opposite healthy side.

Besides, as an accessory sign of a radicular syndrome disturbance of movements as a result of gradual weakness, drying and an atrophy of muscles can act that is the result of damage of the innervating their nerves.

Treatment of a radicular syndrome

Diagnosis of a disease is carried out by means of a case history of the person, physical survey, a front and side X-ray analysis of a backbone, and also a magnetic and resonant tomography. Treatment of a radicular syndrome can be divided into the following methods:

• Bed rest;
• Medicamentous therapy;
• Muscle relaxants;
• Hondroprotektora;
• Vitamins;
• Physical therapy;
• Physiotherapy exercises and massages.

Drug treatment of a radicular syndrome assumes use of anesthetics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The first are directed to elimination of pain, the second – to removal of an inflammation in the center.

Muscle relaxants help to remove muscular spasms, and hondroprotektor slow down destruction of a cartilage in intervertebral joints, activating process of their recovery. Vitamins at a disease are directed to improvement of exchange processes in nerve tissues, and also to maintenance of the general condition of the patient.

Treatment of a radicular syndrome by means of physical therapy can include radonic bathtubs, magnetotherapy, mud cure, ultrasound etc. However physiotherapeutic procedures are, as a rule, applied after the end of the acute period of a disease.

Physiotherapy exercises and massages at a syndrome strengthen backbone muscles, improve blood circulation and recover a physical activity of the patient. In the most hard cases of a disease surgical intervention can be necessary.