Osteochondrosis is one of the most common diseases worldwide.Most people over the age of 35 experience osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in one form or another.Recently, there has been a tendency to increase the number of people suffering from severe forms of the disease and to rejuvenate the disease, thereby lowering the lower age threshold.This is because more and more people around the world are sedentary and lead a sedentary lifestyle.Now the disease is quite dangerous, and everyone should know what it is - osteochondrosis, how it manifests itself and how it is treated, 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 such a characteristic human feature as walking upright.The vertical position of the spine causes the vertebrae to press against each other and the osteochondral tissue of the spine is gradually broken down and deformed.
The human spine begins in the neck area.In total there are seven vertebrae in this section - from the first to the seventh.The vertebrae are separated from each other by intervertebral discs. The cervical spine is a particularly vulnerable part of it, which is primarily due to the increased mobility of the vertebrae in this area.In the neck area, the disease is primarily reflected in the intervertebral discs, which represent a weak point in the structure of the spine.
The prevalence of cervical osteochondrosis is also favored by factors such as the small size of the vertebrae and the relative weakness of the neck muscles.The development of cervical osteochondrosis is also strongly influenced by insufficient blood supply to the cartilage tissue.
Thus, the development of the disease is a complex and lengthy process and has no single cause.Although a connection has been established between a person's sedentary activity and the presence of cervical osteochondrosis, the disease often occurs in trained individuals, especially athletes, due to the increased load on the cervical spine when lifting weights.
In older people, the breakdown of vertebral structures is usually an inevitable process associated with the aging of the body and the weakening of its defenses.However, the most common pathological form is cervical osteochondrosis, in which external or internal negative factors play a large role.
Factors contributing to the development of neck osteochondrosis:
- Bad posture
- Curvature of the spine
- Back injuries
- Overweight
- Hard physical work
- Sedentary work
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Metabolic disorders
- Frequent hypothermia
- Uncomfortable position when sleeping
- Stress, overwork
- Hereditary factors
- Infectious diseases
- Individual body characteristics include, for example, a neck that is too long or too short
Degree of development of cervical osteochondrosis
The disease progresses in four stages.It is not always easy to determine the stage of the disease by analyzing symptoms, since the degree of degradation of osteochondral tissue sometimes does not correspond to the symptoms observed in the patient.
First degree
Destructive processes begin in the osteochondral tissue of the vertebrae.At this stage of cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms are usually mild.Patients either don't notice them at all or don't associate them with spinal diseases, instead attributing them to stress and overload.
Second degree
The height of the disk begins to decrease and cracks appear on its surface.Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at this stage are manifested by constant pain, weakness and numbness in certain areas of the face.
Third degree
Herniated discs form, neck vessels and muscles are damaged.The patient feels dizziness and pain in the back of the head.
Fourth degree
Osteophytes appear - growths of bone tissue that protect the vertebrae from stress, which leads to pinched nerves.This leads to 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
- Deterioration of vision and hearing
- Increased blood pressure
- Headache
These symptoms, typical of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, can be present at all stages of the disease.In most cases, only some of the listed symptoms are observed, the rest may be absent.Anyone who encounters such signs of the disease for the first time does not always suspect that they are suffering from cervical osteochondrosis.Therefore, he can turn to different doctors - therapists, cardiologists, neurologists, surgeons.This means that the correct diagnosis can be made with considerable delay.
Syndromes
In cervical osteochondrosis, several syndromes occur, that is, typical conditions that have a complex of characteristic symptoms.They manifest themselves depending on which nerves and arteries 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 reduced blood flow to the artery that runs along the spine and supplies the brain.The syndrome is manifested by symptoms such as systemic or periodic dizziness, weakened hearing and vision.In some cases, fainting may occur.A variant of the syndrome is often observed in which the blood flow in the artery is normal under normal conditions, but can decrease sharply when the head is turned in one direction or another.
Cardiac syndrome occurs when the roots of the nerves supplying the diaphragm or pectoral muscle become 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.
High blood pressure syndrome is also one of the most dangerous complications.Unlike vertebral artery syndrome, it is caused by compression of veins, not arteries, which obstructs blood flow from the head.The syndrome leads to an increase in intracranial pressure, which can manifest itself in symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and headaches.
The etiology of cervical migraine syndrome has little in common with classic migraine.It manifests itself as severe pain in the back of the head.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 manifested by pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulder blades, shoulders, numbness and weakening of the tone of certain areas of the arms (up to the inability to perform manipulations) and neck.
Very often several syndromes or individual symptoms characteristic of different syndromes can be observed at the same time.
As you can see, the manifestations of the disease in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are diverse and the patient is not always able to correctly identify the cause of its occurrence.If you experience similar symptoms, this is a reason to see a doctor.
diagnosis
In order to make a diagnosis, it is recommended to see a therapist.He will refer specialists - an orthopedist, a vertebral doctor, a neurologist.
The following types of studies are used for diagnosis:
- Radiography
- Computed tomography
- Magnetic tomography
- Ultrasound examination of neck vessels
X-rays allow you to determine the displacement of the vertebrae, the presence of growths - osteophytes and salt deposits - and compaction of the intervertebral discs.Computed tomography involves taking a series of x-rays that provide a three-dimensional view of an organ, in this case the cervical spine.This allows you to describe in detail the degree of the pathological process - the nature of nerve compression, the structure of osteophytes, the height of the intervertebral discs, etc. Magnetic resonance imaging, based on the physical effect of nuclear magnetic resonance, provides an even more detailed structural picture of the spine.An ultrasound examination of the neck vessels helps to detect disease-related changes in blood flow in the large neck vessels.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home
How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home and is it even treatable?Medicine has developed many methods to combat the disease.Some treatments can be used at home.However, this process is lengthy and full recovery is unlikely, especially in old age.However, at any stage of the disease it is possible to slow down and stop destructive processes in the spine.
In the early stages of the disease, conservative treatment is usually used.Various methods are used to treat cervical osteochondrosis:
- Medication
- Therapeutic exercise
- Physiotherapy
- massage
- Special means for fixing the spine
If the disease has reached the final stage and there is serious destruction of the osteochondral structure of the spine, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be treated surgically.
Drugs
The following types of drugs are used:
- Chondroprotectors
- Vitamins
- Analgesics
- Anti-inflammatory drugs
- Antispasmodics
In the case of an acute pain syndrome associated with osteochondrosis, its elimination is the first priority.As a rule, oral medication is used; if it is ineffective, an anesthetic block is used in severe cases.
Antispasmodics are used for muscle cramps.Muscle relaxants show the greatest effectiveness in osteochondrosis.Ointments with non-steroidal active ingredients can be used to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
In syndromes associated with impaired blood circulation and blood supply to the brain - hypertension and vertebral artery syndrome - drugs are taken that relieve the undesirable effects of these syndromes - antihypertensive agents and nootropics.
Therapeutic exercise
Physiotherapy is the simplest and most accessible way of treating cervical osteochondrosis and at the same time very effective.Physiotherapy can also be carried out at home.In osteochondrosis, the intensity of physical activity does not play a decisive role;only regularity is necessary.Physical education is primarily intended to strengthen the neck muscles, which compensate for the inadequate functionality of the spine and help it support weakened vertebrae.
Daily exercises are recommended to strengthen the neck muscles.They can be very simple and consist of turning and tilting the head in different directions, or more complex and involve supporting the neck muscles with the hands.They can be done both at home and at work.For example, if the activity is sedentary, then it makes sense to carry out such exercises after sitting at a desk or monitor for an hour.However, they can only be carried out 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 training with light dumbbells.However, lifting heavy objects (weights, dumbbells) is contraindicated.Swimming regularly is also useful as it relieves the strain on the spine.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a treatment method that uses certain physical fields and radiation to influence the body.A positive feature of physiotherapy is that it has few contraindications.
The following physiotherapeutic methods are used to treat osteochondrosis:
- Ultrasound exposure
- Laser therapy
- Influence of the magnetic field
- Effect of electric current (electrophoresis)
The magnetic field has a positive effect on damaged body tissue and has an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect.Ultrasound improves metabolic processes in the tissue and relieves swelling.The same applies to laser therapy.Electrophoresis is most often used in conjunction with medications because the use of electric current speeds their absorption by the body.
massage
Massage reduces increased muscle tone, leading to cramps, and reduces lymphatic flow, leading to swelling.The procedure helps to improve blood circulation in the affected area, thereby stopping 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 wear it in case of severe pain or during prolonged sedentary work.
To avoid exacerbations, you should also organize a place to sleep.The pillow should not cause neck curvature and the mattress should be firm and flat.In some cases, special sleep aids – an orthopedic mattress and pillow – can help.