The simplest and most effective method is to perform a few simple actions for the patient, such as walking, slopes, squats, etc. (their nature depends on where the person experiences pain) and a parallel story about the inner sensations. Then the doctor goes on to feel the back, trying to identify the problem areas: foci of pain, swelling, densities, etc. At the same time, he assesses the condition of different muscle groups, trying to identify signs of atrophy. Be sure to check the reflexes, as well as the sensitivity of individual parts of the body, primarily the fingers (for this purpose, light touches are used, which the patient must feel). Sometimes the information gathered in this way is sufficient to diagnose and begin treatment. However, very often additional studies are required with the use of special medical equipment. How is the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases of the spine, learn in the article on the topic "Diagnosis of inflammatory diseases of the spine."
The most commonly ill person is first sent to the radiograph. However, not always the use of an X-ray apparatus is justified for the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases of the spine. So, if you experience a severe short pain in the lower back (lumbago), the passage of fluoroscopy, most likely, nothing will. Other methods of hardware diagnostics (such as magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography) are also not always effective. Very often they only show that the intervertebral disc is worn out. In itself, this phenomenon can not be considered a cause of problems, as it is often observed in people who do not complain of pain in the back. The use of magnetic resonance imaging allows the doctor to assess the degree of damage to the radicular nerves and intervertebral discs, as well as to detect traces of injuries, tumors, foci of infection and other problem areas. Computer tomography and its main difference lies in the possibility of obtaining a three-dimensional image, which positively affects the accuracy and effectiveness of diagnosis. Especially for the study of the spine and the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases of the spine are methods such as disco- and myelography, which allow more accurate assessment of the state in which the intervertebral discs are located. In myelography, a special contrast colored substance enters the dorsal canal of the patient, which concentrates around the spinal cord and the nerves that leave it. Thanks to this, the X-ray photograph shows clearly those places where the nerves are impaired by a deformed intervertebral disc (the so-called disc hernia). Discography differs from the described method in that the contrast substance is injected directly into the intervertebral disc: if it is damaged, the drug will leak into the surrounding space, which will immediately reflect on the X-ray.
For the study of muscles and the correct diagnosis of diseases of the spine, there is a technique, and the procedure with its use is called "electromyography". It is designed to measure the weak electrical discharges that constantly occur in the muscles. Using this information, it is possible to detect foci of inflammation, tumors, etc. With the help of electromyography, the state of the nerves, in particular the speed of the passage of the electrical signal along them, is also evaluated. Usually this method is used for human complaints of numbness or weakness in the limbs, which can be caused by damage to nerve fibers (for example, as a result of constant compression of the vertebral disc). Electromyography is carried out in two stages. At first, thin needles are introduced into the muscles of a person, along which an electric discharge is applied. In this way it is possible to obtain an image on the screen of a special device - an oscilloscope. In the second stage, electrodes are applied to the skin through which an electrical impulse passes. The doctor's task is to assess how fast the nerves are able to conduct it. Despite the undoubted benefit of various diagnostic methods, one should be cautious with them, since during and after the studies pains can be greatly increased. Now we know how to diagnose inflammatory diseases of the spine.