Spondylodiscitis calcification

　　The exact etiology of spondylodiscitis calcification is unclear, and there is little opportunity to obtain specimens, so its pathological changes are mostly speculative. The occurrence of this disease is related to spinal trauma, blood supply obstruction, and infection, etc., and is more common in pre-school children, and can be found in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae. In the cervical segment, C3-4 and C4-5 are more common. Overall, this disease may be related to the following factors:

　　1, Trauma: Trauma can cause bleeding and hematoma formation within the intervertebral disc, followed by calcification.

　　2, Infection: Unexplained infection leads to the deposition of calcium salts within the intervertebral disc, resulting in calcification.

　　3, Intervertebral degenerative changes: The degeneration of the intervertebral disc leads to structural changes and forms calcification foci, which can protrude towards the anterior, posterior, or lateral side of the vertebral body.

　　4, Congenital factors: Children with intervertebral disc calcification often have congenital defects such as spina bifida, foot deformities, and cataracts. Therefore, this disease may be related to congenital factors.

　　5, Mixed factors: The intervertebral disc calcifies due to different degrees of trauma, accompanied by more or less degenerative changes, and finally leads to the deposition of calcium salts within the intervertebral disc.

　　Spondylodiscitis calcification is not uncommon in clinical practice, and it is more common in the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae. Spondylodiscitis calcification is not uncommon in clinical practice, and it is related to spinal trauma, blood supply obstruction, and infection, etc. This disease is more common in the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae and may be accompanied by gout.

　　Intervertebral disc calcification can have various chief complaints depending on the condition, with children with neck lesions mainly feeling neck pain and discomfort during movement, especially at night, which may be accompanied by general weakness and inconvenience in movement. Occasionally, there may be a sensation of swallowing foreign objects, and patients with thoracolumbar lesions usually have few complaints in the early stage, among whom those with involvement of the sinus nerve have more complaints. In addition to some cases having local tenderness (more common at the spinous processes of C3 and C4 in the cervical segment, and more common in the upper thoracic segment in the thoracic segment), there are generally no positive findings, and a few cases may have low fever and other systemic symptoms.

　　Intervertebral disc calcification is a hardening of the body's tissues due to the precipitation of calcium salts, causing bone calcification. In terms of prevention, an appropriate amount of calcium should be supplemented, and more foods high in calcium content such as milk, dairy products, shrimp shells, kelp, sesame paste, and soy products should be eaten in daily life. In addition, long-term vigorous exercise should be avoided.

　　About half of the patients with intervertebral disc calcification have a slight increase in white blood cells and a mild increase in blood sedimentation rate. On the X-ray films of the cervical or thoracic and lumbar spine in anteroposterior and lateral positions, the calcified shadow of the intervertebral disc can be clearly displayed, with the central area being more obvious, mostly solitary. More than half are located at the intervertebral space of C3-4 or the upper thoracic vertebra, and the height of the intervertebral space usually has no significant change. The calcified shadow usually disappears within a few weeks to a few months, and CT or MRI examination can be performed according to circumstances.

　　The diet for intervertebral disc calcification patients should be light in taste, pay attention to hygiene, and rationally match the diet. Patients can supplement an appropriate amount of calcium, and in daily life, they should eat more foods high in calcium content such as milk, dairy products, shrimp shells, kelp, sesame paste, and soy products.

　　In addition to advising patients with intervertebral disc calcification to avoid vigorous activities, plaster immobilization can be used for cases occurring in the neck and lumbar segments for 3 to 5 weeks. In addition, analgesics and oral anti-inflammatory drugs can be administered according to circumstances.