In this article we will discuss the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. What is this pathology? How is it manifested?
Osteochondrosis is the disease that is practically the most common in the world. Many people after 30 years experience this pathology in different forms. There is also a tendency for the disease to rejuvenate, i. e. reduce the age limit. This may be due to the fact that now there are more and more people who are mostly busy at work where people spend most of their time sitting and leading a sedentary lifestyle. By the way, such a disease is dangerous and every person should know what cervical osteochondrosis is, how it is manifested, how to treat it and how to identify its symptoms.
The main causes of the onset of the disease
Humans are designed in such a way that the vertical position of the spinal column can cause the spine to contract more and more over time, allowing the bone and cartilage to gradually degrade and deform.
The spine always starts in the cervical region, which has seven vertebrae. This is a particularly vulnerable part of it as mobility has increased in this area. Such a disease of the cervical spine is reflected primarily on the discs themselves, as they are the weak point of the spine.
Factors such as the small size of the spine and the relative weakness of the neck muscles contribute to the incidence of degenerative disc disease in the cervical region. In addition, poor blood supply to cartilage tissue affects developing diseases. What does all this mean?
Judging by this, it seems that the development of this disease is a long and difficult process where it is difficult to identify the cause. Although a link has been found between a sedentary lifestyle and cervical osteochondrosis, a similar disease is often found in trained people, especially athletes, because they have an increased load on the cervical spine. They lift different weights (barbells, weights), which causes the discs to deform. So everything needs size.
In the elderly and the elderly, as a rule, such degradation of spinal structures is an inevitable process, which in turn is associated with aging of the body and the weakness of its protection. But there may also be a pathological type of cervical osteochondrosis whose symptoms are manifested due to internal or external adverse factors. ენიYour include:
- Various spinal cord injuries;
- Rakiocamp;
- Heavy weight;
- Wrong posture;
- Hypodynamics;
- Heavy physical labor;
- Disturbed metabolic processes;
- Hypothermia;
- Excessive work, stress;
- Infectious diseases;
- Inheritance;
- Congenital pathologies or special features of body structure.
Stages of cervical spine osteochondrosis
Pathology has four stages. It is sometimes quite difficult to determine what stage it is in the patient, according to the general analysis, since most often the level of bone tissue degradation may not match the symptoms observed in the patient.
The first stage of the disease
At this point destructive actions are already taking place in the vertebrates. But the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are not yet pronounced. People may not notice them or do not associate these signs with spinal disease, they call it stress or banal overwork.
The second stage of the disease
As already mentioned, the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are closely related.
At this point the disc thickens noticeably and cracks appear on its surface. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at this stage are marked by constant pain, numbness of the face, weakness.
The third stage
How are the symptoms of cervical spine osteochondrosis manifested at this stage? There are herniated discs, the vessels and muscles of the cervix are affected. The person notices dizziness and pain in the back of the head.
The fourth stage of the disease
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine often results in osteophytes - the proliferation of bone tissue that protects the vertebrae from stress, resulting in nerve entrapment. It is characterized by stiffness of movement and damage to surrounding joints.
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- Acute pain in the shoulders and neck.
- Muscle weakening.
- Increased sweating.
- Disorder of coordination.
- Numbness of the hands.
- Dizziness.
- Hypertension.
- Decreased hearing and vision.
- headache.
These common symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can manifest at all stages of the disease. In most cases, only a few signs appear from this list, while the rest may not be at all. The patient who first met them has virtually no diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis. In this case, he can consult different doctors - cardiologists, neurologists, therapists, surgeons. And finally a reliable diagnosis can be made with a significant delay.
Danger of pathology
Not everyone knows the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
The earliest symptoms of osteochondrosis can appear as early as the age of 20, and the pain and discomfort are mild, so many people decide to wait in the hope that the symptoms will pass, postpone a visit to the doctor, and do not start treatment. In the early stages of osteochondrosis the symptoms may indeed disappear on their own, but this disease will not disappear from a person. If prevention and therapy are not carried out, osteochondrosis begins to develop further and this can be dangerous to human health.
What is the risk of cervical spine osteochondrosis?
The symptoms are mild in the first stage, so most people prefer not to take this disease seriously. But if the patient does not start treatment early in development, this can lead to dangerous, serious complications. The consequences of a neglected stage are a condition in which a person is unable to perform his or her functions. This can often be accompanied by injuries to nearby departments. Such abandoned osteochondrosis will lead to very dangerous consequences, which will lead to disability.
In addition, the following may develop:
- Bulging of the intervertebral discs;
- Protrusions and interstitial hernia;
- Loss of disks;
- Lumbago or sciatica;
- Spinal canal spinoses.
In exceptional cases, the diseases listed above are forced to undergo surgery, and the result of the advanced stage is disability.
The problems listed above are typical of cervical spine osteochondrosis.
Complications of the disease
The danger of the disease lies in the fact that the cervical region is connected to the vessels that supply blood to the brain. The consequences of cervical osteochondrosis disease are sleep disturbance, migraine, vision problems, dizziness. With advanced disease, the symptoms listed will become more noticeable. With cervical osteochondrosis, there may be accompanying problems:
- High or low blood pressure and vascular dystonia;
- Thyroid disease;
- Vestibular disorders;
- Hypertension or hypotension;
- Stroke;
- Epicondylitis;
- Humoscopic periarthrosis.
Diagnosis of cervical spine pathology
Many are interested in the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
You should consult a therapist to make a correct diagnosis. He refers to other specialists - neurologist, vertebrologist, orthopedist.
The following tests are included to diagnose the disease:
- Computed tomography;
- Radiography;
- MRI;
- Doppler scan.
X-ray reveals the formation of growths, movement of the spine, salt deposits and osteophytes, the ring of the disc. With the help of computed tomography you can get a fairly voluminous picture of the organs, in this case, the cervical spine. This will allow you to describe in detail the stage of the pathological process, as well as the nature of the nerve shutter, the height of the discs, and the structure of the osteophytes. Magnetic resonance imaging provides an even more detailed picture of the structure of the spine. Ultrasound scanning can help you determine how the blood circulation in the large vessels of the neck has changed, which was caused by the disease.
Treatment of this disease
Symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are interrelated.
In order for a person to be able to resist illness, medicine develops many methods. There are also therapies that you can use at home. But this procedure is lengthy and complete recovery is unlikely, especially in old age. But it is also worth noting that it is possible to stop and slow down the pathological processes of the spine at any stage of the disease.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervix in the first stage of the disease is mostly conservative. Several methods can be used for therapy:
- Physiotherapy;
- Medicines;
- Massage;
- Physiotherapy;
- Special devices for fixing the spine.
If such a disease has progressed to an extreme stage and the osteochondral structure of the spine is destroyed, then surgical intervention should be used to treat osteochondrosis of the neck.
Medications for the treatment of pathology
Necessary medications for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis:
- Painkillers;
- Vitamins;
- Chondroprotectors;
- Anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Antispasmodics.
When acute pain syndrome occurs that is associated with osteochondrosis, the most important task is to remove it. Oral analgesics are taken in such cases, but if their effect is not noticeable, novocaine blockade may be used.
The symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis often remain controversial for many.
Antispasmodics are often taken. Muscle relaxants show the greatest effectiveness in osteochondrosis. As painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, the patient can use ointments containing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
If there are signs associated with impaired cerebral circulation and vertebral artery syndrome, it is essential to use medications that remove their unpleasant manifestations - medications that lower blood pressure and nootropic drugs.
The symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are no longer a mystery.
Physiotherapeutic exercises
Physiotherapy is the simplest and most affordable type of therapy and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis, as well as quite effective. Physiotherapy can also be done at home. With cervical osteochondrosis, the saturation of the classes does not play a big role, only their regularity is needed. First of all, physical education is designed to strengthen the neck muscles, whose task is to compensate for the lack of functioning of the spine and to support a weakened spine. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be regular.
Daily exercise is essential to strengthen muscles. Such exercises can be very simple, including turning and tilting your head in different directions, and quite complex, involving the hands to help the cervical muscles. They can be made both at home and at work. For example, if you have to work constantly while sitting, then it is very useful to perform various exercises every hour of sitting at a table and monitor. But it is necessary to do it only when there is no exacerbation of the disease and there is no pain syndrome. Otherwise, the same exercises can only make the condition worse.
It is also effective in treating cervical osteochondrosis to strengthen the shoulder girdle muscles, for example, use light dumbbells in regular exercise. However, weight lifting such as boilers or barbells is contraindicated. Regular swimming activities can be beneficial as it relieves spinal stress.
We discussed the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.