To date, the disease has become very "young" and more and more often people aged 25 and over are exposed to it, although recently the age of 30-35 years is considered at risk. Pathology of the cervical region is more common, so you need to be able to recognize the symptoms of the disease quickly to begin treatment.
So, what is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine? The term characterizes a degenerative-dystophilic process in the intervertebral disc, which acts as a kind of shock absorber between spinal segments. This condition leads to changes in the structure and anatomy, segments and articular elements of the cervical spine. Osteochondrosis of the neck is characterized by acute pain symptoms that require timely treatment.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Where does cervical osteochondrosis come from? Below we list the factors, chronic or acute actions that cause increased pressure in the neck. As a result, the body balances the increase in load with muscle work, however, due to constant tension, cramps occur in it with disrupted blood circulation. Together, these factors lead to degenerative changes of the spine, structural changes, problems with blood nutrition and metabolism. Next appears a turn of changes in the intervertebral joint, there is excessive growth of bone tissue from the spinal segment.
Let's list the factors that contribute to the development of this disease:
- Scoliosis and poor posture.
- Overweight.
- Stay long in the wrong and inappropriate position
- Common overtrains in the back and cervical spine, for example, because of the uniqueness of the work.
- Low mobility, inactive physical inactivity.
- Injuries to the spine in the past.
- Metabolic problems.
- Excessive physical activity.
- Excessive stress, prolonged susceptibility to depression.
- Hereditary factors.
- Abnormal vertebral development.
Stages of cervical osteochondrosis
It is necessary to be able to distinguish between the concepts of ‘degree’ and ‘degree’, which are characteristic of cervical spine osteochondrosis. We will consider the stage a little later, now we will discuss the stage which depends on the general clinical condition and complaints of the patient, has different symptoms and requires different treatment.
- First degree - 1. . . Cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by small manifestations of the disease, the main symptom of which is pain in the neck area, which does not appear frequently, increasing if you turn the body. They may be accompanied by slightly tense muscles.
- Second degree - 2. . . The severity of the pain and symptoms is much stronger and it can give to the shoulder area. This is due to the fact that the intervertebral disc becomes lower, which causes the nerve to pinch. Pain syndromes tend to increase with movement, feelings of weakness and headaches cause decreased performance.
- Third degree - 3. . . The development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by the formation of a hernia in the intervertebral space. The difference from the previous degree is found in the symptoms, which are more pronounced and painful - it has a stronger effect on the shoulders and arms, where numbness and weakness may occur. The disease is accompanied by headache, weakness, limited neck movement, and different pain syndromes can be detected when throbbing.
- Fourth grade - 4. . . This stage is characterized by complete destruction of intervertebral disc tissue. Problems with the blood supply to the brain are most likely, in particular, through the vertebral arteries, which deliver blood to the cerebellum and the back of the head. Against this background, there are difficulties with coordination, dizziness, ringing in the ears.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Cervical osteochondrosis has some differences from osteochondrosis in other areas. They arise because of the arrangement of segments closer to each other, the more complex structure of the first two segments - the atlas and the axis. In addition, there are fewer shock absorbers between the elements of the spine, and, therefore, they wear out and break faster. In addition, cervical osteochondrosis often causes compression of the spinal cord.
Cervical osteochondrosis - the most common symptoms:
- Painful sensation. . . They are characterized by different localization - in the back of the head, shoulders and cervical area. The occurrence of pain in the shoulder joint indicates pressure on the nerve responsible for the transmission of pain impulses at this location. Occipital pain reflects the presence of neck muscle spasm due to difficulty with blood flow in this area. Probably pain in the vertebrae, the presence of crunchy disease.
- Weakness in the hands. . . It manifests as damage to the nerves responsible for motor activity of the upper limbs.
- Weak sensitivity in the hands. . . The nerve that animates the skin in the arm is damaged.
- Limited movement, clutter. . . This is due to the low height of the intervertebral disc, bone growth in the spinal segment, the presence of small affected structures.
- Coordination problems, feeling weak and dizzy. . . As pathology progresses, fibrous tissue is formed. Partly it causes narrowing of the vertebral arteries, which have their own channels in the elements of the spine. This narrows the vessel lumen, creating a blood deficit in the occiput and cerebellum.
- Hearing, vision, speech problems. . . They are further extensions of the narrowing of the vessels that feed the cerebellar and occipital zones.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis is made in the presence of typical symptoms and complaints of a person. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is diagnosed by a variety of methods, primarily aimed at describing the condition of the damaged part. Commonly used:
- Radiography. It is not very informative, only indicates the presence of abnormalities, it is very suitable for early diagnosis.
- Computed tomography. Compared with radiography, the pathological display of the cervical spine segment is improved, but it does not accurately determine the presence of a hernia, how large it is. In addition, this procedure is unable to determine the ‘narrowing’ of the duct with the spinal cord.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. Such a diagnosis is the most modern, characterized by an increase in information content, this allows you to assess in detail the defects of bone structure, the condition of the intervertebral disc, the presence of a hernia, its size and direction of growth.
- If there is a suspicion of current deterioration in the vertebral arteries, additional diagnostics are performed using a duplex ultrasound scanning procedure. Such studies accurately determine the presence of resistance that reduces the rate of blood flow.
Based on the data obtained during diagnosis, we can discuss various stages:
- Level 1, characterized by minor violations of vertebral anatomy.
- Level 2. . . Perhaps the non -compliance of the position of the vertebrae with each other, displacement, rotation relative to the axis of the spine, the intervertebral disc may have a slightly reduced height.
- Level 3. . . Discs decreased by a quarter height, joints changed, there was growth of bone tissue, intervertebral foramen congestion and spinal canal.
- Level 4. . . It's still worse than before. The disc herniation is greatly reduced, there is deep articular pathology and extensive bone growth in the back, the spinal canal and the canal under the spinal cord are strongly compressed.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The main methods of such treatment are: drug therapy, physiotherapy, the use of massage of the affected area, therapeutic gymnastics. Let's take a closer look at some of the methods.
Drug treatment
Prescription of any drug can only be handled by a competent specialist.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs derived from non-steroids. Their action is the elimination of pain syndromes, inflammatory and edematous processes from the pinched nerve endings.
- Vitamin B is taken to enhance metabolic processes in the spine and nerves.
- Medicines that increase blood flow. Used to nourish altered nerve endings and increase blood flow to the brain.
- Chondroprotectors are used to restore cartilage tissue and intervertebral discs.
- Muscle relaxation, anti-spasm.
Physiotherapy
- Electrophoresis. . . Delivery of drug ions to the desired pathological part using the action of an electric field. Prior to the procedure, novocaine anesthesia is performed, and aminophylline is also used, which increases blood flow.
- With ultrasound. . . Relieves inflammation, pain, increases metabolism at the site of application.
- Magnetotherapy. . . Has an analgesic effect, relieves swelling.
- Laser therapy. . . Treatment is performed by exposure to light waves with special frequencies. It relieves inflammation well and smoothens blood circulation.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is only allowed if there is no exacerbation of the disease. The technique will be effective if there is no pain and discomfort during implementation, in addition, this technique is very effective as a method of prevention. Here are some basic exercises:
- Lie on your stomach and place your bent hands on the floor. Perform head and trunk lifting for 60-90 seconds, keeping the buttocks straight, and then return to the reposition smoothly. Do 2-3 repetitions.
- Lie on your stomach with your hands down along your torso. Turn your head left, right, in turn, trying to reach the floor with your ears. Do 5-7 repetitions with each side.
- In a sitting position, inhale, bend forward, try to approach the chest with your head. Then, while exhaling, instead, lean back, throwing your head back. Do 12 repetitions.
- In a sitting position, place the palms of your hands on your foreheads. Apply pressure along the forehead to the palms and vice versa. Continue for half a minute, repeat 3 times.
- Rotate the head unhurriedly to the side, 5-7 rotations each. If you feel dizzy, then reduce the number of repetitions, or slow down the speed.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: questions - answers
Does it happen that osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should be treated with surgery?
It does occur, but in rare cases when conservative treatment has no effect half a year after its onset. In such situations, chronic pain and tightness of the nerve endings are usually present.
How long can you take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs?
A large number of these drugs affect the condition of the gastric mucosa, so their frequent and frequent use is not recommended. The exact duration of drug intake is determined by the attending physician, who has information on the degree of osteochondrosis in the patient, as well as whether there is a corresponding pathology.
Are chondroprotective drugs effective in restoring damaged intervertebral disc tissue?
Confirmation of the effect of taking the drug has not been proven, as a result doctors rarely recommend it.
What to do at home when there is no exacerbation to prevent future worsening?
For preventive purposes, it is best to use physiotherapy exercises, massage of the cervical zone, rejection of significant physical activity.