Osteochondrosis is a disease that is one of the most common in the world.Most people after the age of 35 suffer from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in one form or another.Recently, there has been a trend to increase the number of people suffering from severe forms of the disease and to rejuvenate the disease, lowering its lower age threshold.This is due to the fact that an increasing number of people around the world perform sedentary jobs and lead a sedentary lifestyle.Meanwhile, the disease is quite dangerous and any person should know what it is - osteochondrosis, how it manifests itself and how it is treated, be able to recognize its symptoms and start treatment in a timely manner.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is one of the few diseases that are characteristic only of humans.This disease does not occur in other animals.The reason for this is a human trait as distinctive as walking upright.The vertical position of the spine causes the vertebrae to press against each other and the osteochondral tissue of the spine gradually degrades and deforms.
The human spine starts from the cervical region.In this section there are a total of seven vertebrae, from the first to the seventh.The vertebrae are separated from each other by intervertebral discs. The cervical spine is a particularly vulnerable part, which is due, first of all, to greater mobility of the vertebrae in this area.In the cervical region, the disease is mainly reflected in the discs, which are a weak point in the structure of the spine.
The prevalence of cervical osteochondrosis is also facilitated by factors such as the small size of the vertebrae and the relative weakness of the neck muscles.In addition, the development of cervical osteochondrosis is greatly influenced by insufficient blood supply to the cartilaginous tissue.
Therefore, the development of the disease is a complex and prolonged process and does not have a single cause.Although a connection has been established between a person's sedentary work and the presence of cervical osteochondrosis, the disease often occurs in trained people, especially athletes, due to the increased load on the cervical spine when lifting weights.
In older people, as a rule, the degradation of spinal structures is an inevitable process associated with the aging of the body and the weakening of its defenses.However, the most common pathological type of cervical osteochondrosis occurs, in which external or internal negative factors play an important role.
Factors contributing to the development of osteochondrosis of the neck:
- bad posture
- Spinal curvature
- back injuries
- Overweight
- hard physical work
- sedentary work
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Metabolic disorders
- frequent hypothermia
- Uncomfortable sleeping position.
- Stress, overwork
- Hereditary factors
- infectious diseases
- The individual body structure has, for example, a neck that is too long or too short.
Degree of development of cervical osteochondrosis.
The disease has four stages.It is not always easy to determine the stage of the disease by analyzing the symptoms, since sometimes the degree of degradation of the osteochondral tissue may not correspond to the symptoms observed in the patient.
first grade
Destructive processes begin in the osteochondral tissue of the vertebrae.As a rule, at this stage of cervical osteochondrosis the symptoms are mild.Patients do not notice them at all or do not associate them with spinal diseases, but attribute them to stress and overwork.
second grade
The height of the disk begins to decrease and cracks appear on its surface.The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at this stage manifest themselves in constant pain, weakness and numbness in certain areas of the face.
Third degree
Herniated discs form, cervical vessels and muscles are damaged.The patient experiences dizziness and pain in the neck.
fourth grade
Osteophytes appear: growths of bone tissue that protect the vertebrae from stress, which causes pinching of the nerves.This causes stiffness of movement and damage to neighboring joints.
Cervical osteochondrosis: symptoms
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Neck and shoulder pain
- muscle weakness
- increased sweating
- numb hands
- Loss of coordination
- Dizziness
- Impaired vision and hearing.
- Increased blood pressure
- headaches
These symptoms, typical for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, can be present at all stages of the disease.In most cases, only a few symptoms from the list are observed and the rest may be absent.A person who first encounters such signs of the disease does not always suspect that he has cervical osteochondrosis.Therefore, you can go to various doctors: therapists, cardiologists, neurologists, surgeons.And as a result, the correct diagnosis can be made with a significant delay.
Syndromes
With cervical osteochondrosis, several syndromes occur, that is, typical conditions that have a complex of characteristic signs.They manifest themselves depending on the nerves and arteries that are affected as a result of the disease:
- vertebral artery syndrome
- cardiac syndrome
- hypertensive syndrome
- radicular syndrome
- cervical migraine syndrome
Vertebral artery syndrome is one of the most unpleasant and dangerous complications of cervical osteochondrosis.It is caused by a decrease in blood flow through the artery that runs along the spine and supplies the brain.The syndrome manifests itself in symptoms such as systemic or periodic dizziness, weakening of hearing and vision.In some cases, fainting may occur.A variation of the syndrome is often observed, in which under normal conditions the blood flow in the artery is normal, but when the head is turned in one direction or another, it can drop sharply.
Cardiac syndrome develops when the roots of the nerves that supply the diaphragm or pectoral muscle are compressed.As a result, the patient may experience pain reminiscent of cardialgia, although there is no direct effect on the heart.However, the syndrome can be characterized by phenomena such as tachycardia, hypotension and arrhythmia.
Hypertension syndrome is also one of the most dangerous complications.Unlike vertebral artery syndrome, it is caused by compression of veins rather than arteries, preventing blood flow from the head.The syndrome causes an increase in intracranial pressure, which can manifest with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and headache.
Cervical migraine syndrome has little in common in its etiology with classic migraine.It manifests itself as intense pain in the neck.The pain is paroxysmal, lasts up to ten hours and is accompanied by vomiting.
Radicular syndrome is the most common syndrome in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Caused by compression of individual nerve roots in the cervical vertebrae.It can be expressed in pain in the neck, neck, shoulder blades, shoulders, numbness and weakening of the tone of certain areas of the arms (up to the impossibility of performing any manipulation) and neck.
Very often several syndromes or individual symptoms characteristic of different syndromes can be observed at once.
As you can see, with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the manifestations of the disease are multifaceted and the patient cannot always correctly recognize the cause of its occurrence.If you encounter similar symptoms, this is a reason to consult a doctor.
Diagnosis
To establish a diagnosis, it is recommended to consult a therapist.He will refer you to specialists: an orthopedist, a vertebrologist, a neurologist.
The following types of studies are used for diagnosis:
- Radiography
- computed tomography
- magnetic tomography
- Ultrasound examination of the vessels of the neck.
X-ray allows you to determine the displacement of the vertebrae, the presence of growths: osteophytes and salt deposits and compaction of the discs.CT scanning involves creating a series of x-rays that provide a three-dimensional view of an organ, in this case the cervical spine.It allows you to detail the degree of the pathological process: the nature of the nerve compression, the structure of the osteophytes, the height of the discs, etc.MRI, based on the physical effect of nuclear magnetic resonance, provides an even more detailed structural image of the spine.Ultrasound of the neck vessels helps identify changes in blood flow in the large vessels of the neck caused by the disease.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home?Is it treatable?To combat the disease, medicine has developed many methods.Some treatments can be used at home.But this process is long and complete recovery is unlikely, especially in old age.However, slowing down and stopping destructive processes in the spine is possible at any stage of the disease.
In the initial stages of the disease, methods are usually conservative.Various methods are used to treat cervical osteochondrosis:
- Medications
- therapeutic exercise
- Physiotherapy
- Massage
- Special means for fixing the column.
If the disease has progressed to the last stage and severe destruction of the osteochondral structure of the spine occurs, then surgical intervention can be used to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Drugs
The following types of medications are used:
- Chondroprotectors
- vitamins
- Painkillers
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Antispasmodics
In case of acute pain syndrome associated with osteochondrosis, the first priority is its elimination.As a rule, oral medications are used, but if they are ineffective, an anesthetic block is used in severe cases.
For muscle spasms, antispasmodics are used.Muscle relaxants demonstrate the greatest effectiveness in osteochondrosis.Ointments containing non-steroidal drugs can be used as anti-inflammatories and pain relievers.
In the presence of syndromes associated with problems with circulation and blood supply to the brain (hypertensive and vertebral artery syndrome), drugs are taken that alleviate the undesirable effects of these syndromes: blood pressure-lowering agents and nootropic drugs.
therapeutic exercise
Physiotherapy is the simplest and most accessible type of treatment for cervical osteochondrosis and, at the same time, quite effective.Physical therapy can also be done at home.In osteochondrosis, exercise intensity does not play a decisive role;only regularity is necessary.First of all, physical education is aimed at strengthening the neck muscles, which compensate for insufficient functionality of the spine and help it support weakened vertebrae.
Daily exercises are recommended to strengthen the neck muscles.They can be very simple, consisting of turning and tilting the head in different directions, or more complex, including assistance to the neck muscles from the hands.They can be done both at home and at work.For example, if the work is sedentary, then it is useful to perform such exercises after an hour of sitting at a desk or monitor.However, they can only be performed outside the period of exacerbation of the disease and in the absence of pain.Otherwise, they can only worsen the condition.
Strengthening the muscles of the shoulder girdle is no less effective, for example, through regular exercise with light dumbbells.However, lifting heavy objects (weights, bars) is contraindicated.Regular swimming is also useful, which relieves stress on the spine.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a treatment method that uses certain physical fields and radiation to influence the body.A positive property of physiotherapy is that it has a minimum number of contraindications.
The following physiotherapy methods are used to treat osteochondrosis:
- Ultrasonic exposure
- laser therapy
- Magnetic field impact
- Exposure to electric current (electrophoresis)
The magnetic field has a positive effect on damaged tissues in the body and has an anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.Ultrasound improves metabolic processes in tissues and relieves swelling.The same can be said for laser therapy.Electrophoresis is most often used in conjunction with medications, since the use of electrical current accelerates their absorption by the body.
Massage
Massage reduces increased muscle tone, which causes spasms, and reduces lymph flow, which causes swelling.The procedure helps improve blood circulation in the affected area, which stops the process of destruction of the intervertebral discs.
Other treatments
What to do with cervical osteochondrosis if classic home treatment methods do not help?To reduce the load on the cervical spine, a special device is used - a Shants collar, which fixes the neck in a constant normal position.It is recommended to use it during pain exacerbations or during prolonged sedentary work.
To avoid exacerbations, it is also worth organizing a place to sleep.The pillow should not cause the neck to curve and the mattress should be firm and uniform.In some cases, special sleep aids (an orthopedic mattress and pillow) may be helpful.