Spinal diseases

Diseases of the spine are extremely diverse in their causes and forms. The most common spinal column diseases occur due to age, increased wear and tear or long-term stress. In addition, there are also some congenital or acutely triggered diseases. In the following, you will find the most important diseases of the spine, arranged in order:

  • Degenerative diseases of the spine
  • Inflammatory spine diseases
  • Congenital spine diseases
  • Changes in the shape of the spine
  • Spinal column injuries due to fractures

Degenerative spine diseases

In the case of a herniated disc, tissue from the disc enters the spinal canal where the spinal cord is located. This can lead to severe pain, paralysis and/or sensory disturbances due to irritation of the nerve roots. The most frequent herniated disc occurs in the area of the lumbar spine.

Spinal canal stenosis causes the spinal canal, in which the spinal cord and nerve roots are located, to narrow. The narrowing can lead to sensory disturbances, numbness and sensations of discomfort due to pressure on the nerves. In addition, severe limitations of the muscular apparatus occur in the affected area.

Spondylolisthesis can either be age-related or congenital. In the case of congenital spondylolisthesis, there is an interruption of the vertebral body arch. This leads to instability among the vertebral bodies.

In contrast, the vertebral body arch is not pathologically interrupted in the degenerative form of the disease. Nevertheless, instability does occur here as well – this time caused by wear and tear of the intervertebral disc. Long-term stress on the intervertebral discs can result in a reduction in their height, which ultimately causes the instability.

In spondylarthrosis, or the so-called facet syndrome, there is advanced wear and tear of the small joint connections between the vertebrae. Spondylarthrosis can either occur independently as the main disease, but can also be triggered by other spinal diseases. The wear and tear of the joint also affects the joint surfaces and joint capsules.

As a result, synovial fluid can leak out and the joint capsule can become inflamed. The pressure on the vertebral bodies increases immensely due to age-related severe wear of the intervertebral discs. In response to this increased pressure, the body forms bone outgrowths (osteophytes) to distribute the pressure over a larger area. These bone outgrowths ultimately cause the severe pain of the spine associated with osteochondrosis.