VERTEBRAL MANIFESTATIONS OF ADAPTATION DISORDERS

Background. Long-term muscle tension, which occurs in neuroses, increases energy costs to ensure muscle activity. This leads to constant fatigue, decreased vitality and performance, and is a factor in increasing emotional discomfort. Purpose. To study the static features of the cervical spine in patients with neurotic, stress-related, somatoform disorders. Material and methods. A total of 52 patients with neurotic, stress-related, somatoform disorders aged from 24 to 54 years were examined. The patients underwent spondylography of the cervical spine and manual muscle testing. Results. In patients with adaptation disorders, a violation of the statics of the cervical spine in the form of straightening of the cervical lordosis was detected in 76.9% of cases; C-shaped scoliosis was noted in 36.5% of cases. Tension of the muscles of the cervical spine – the upper portion of the trapezius muscle, the muscle lifting the scapula, the scalene muscles – was detected in 86.5 % of cases. Manual testing revealed functional blocks in the vertebralmotor segments of the cervical spine in 41 (78.8%) patients. Conclusion. Vertebral changes in patients with neurotic, stress-related, somatoform disorders are manifested by straightening of cervical lordosis and C-shaped scoliosis. Adaptation disorders are accompanied by tension of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and the muscles of the cervical spine: the upper portion of the trapezius muscle, the muscle lifting the scapula, and the scalene muscles. Tension of the cervical spine muscles and the muscles of the shoulder girdle is complicated by a decrease in the volume of active and passive movements in the cervical spine due to functional blocks in the vertebral-motor segments of the cervical spine.