Speaking of osteochondrosis, we mean pathological changes in the intervertebral discs with degenerative changes in the cartilage. This pathology can affect all parts of the spine. At the same time, cervical osteochondrosis occurs in about a quarter of all cases of this condition. As a rule, it mainly affects patients of working age, from 30 to 50 years.
anatomical features
To understand why osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae develops, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of the anatomy of the cervical spine. It consists of 7 vertebrae. And if in the thoracic and lumbar regions the vertebrae are relatively homogeneous, then here they are different in structure. Indeed, in the cervical region, the movements of the shoulder girdle and head are large in complexity and amplitude. Furthermore, the movable neck passes into a relatively static chest region. Therefore, 1, 2 and 7 vertebrae differ significantly from each other.
Through the cervical region, in addition to the spinal cord and spinal nerves, pass peripheral nerves originating from the brain. Some of them, like the vagus, innervate the diaphragm and abdominal organs. In addition to the nerves, the main blood vessels pass through here. And if the blood supply through the carotid arteries and the outflow through the jugular veins do not suffer from osteochondrosis, then the vertebral artery is often involved in pathology with osteochondrosis of the neck. It passes through the foramina of the transverse processes of 2 to 6 vertebrae and accounts for approximately 15% of the total volume of blood entering the brain. With cervical osteochondrosis, this artery may spasm or be compressed by tight muscles or a displaced disc.
The reasons
It is not always possible to determine why osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has developed in this particular case. It has been established that osteochondrosis is not an independent disease. This is a pathological condition or syndrome that is caused by other diseases or negative factors, including:
- Inheritance
- Systematic violations of posture in schoolchildren, office workers.
- Poor nutrition with vitamin and mineral deficiency.
- sedentary lifestyle
- Frequent mechanical impacts, such as bumps, jolts from conductors.
- Concomitant diseases of the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, organs of the endocrine system.
- Weakened immunity.
Symptoms
By itself, osteochondrosis is a painless process. The patient does not feel the dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs. The disease makes itself felt only when the consequences of cervical osteochondrosis appear: displacement of the intervertebral disc in the posterolateral direction with irritation of nearby nerve fibers, impaired blood circulation through the vertebral artery. This is when various sensory, motor and neurological disorders appear. Osteochondrosis of the neck is distinguished by the following symptoms:
- Pain in the neck
- Pathological tension of the neck muscles.
- Restriction of movements in the cervical region.
- Decreased sensation and range of motion in the shoulder girdle and upper extremities
- headache, dizziness
- Unstable gait due to coordination disorders.
- Nausea, feeling like vomiting
- intermittent increases in blood pressure
- Visual disturbances: a feeling of darkening and flies blinking before the eyes.
- Sometimes pain or sensation of a lump in the throat, toothache
- Insomnia, or vice versa, pathological drowsiness
- Emotional lability: crying, irritability.
Pain in cervical osteochondrosis is the main symptom. It is the pain syndrome that makes the patient see a doctor. The nature of the pain depends on the cervical segment affected by osteochondrosis. When the upper cervical segments are infringed, the skin on the back of the head, crown and superciliary region hurts. If the pathology has developed in the middle and lower sections, then the neck pain radiates to the interscapular space, to the shoulder girdle and to the upper extremities.
An exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis begins with the cervix, a sharp pain that resembles a backache. Subsequently, cervical sciatica develops with pain, movement disorders and muscle tension. The main cause of exacerbations is hypothermia. Along with the local symptoms, cerebral symptoms are also observed, due to the vertebral artery syndrome. Headache and dizziness can be so severe that the patient may lose consciousness.
flow characteristics
Osteochondrosis is a chronic pathology. And in the absence of treatment it is progressing steadily. In this regard, 4 degrees are distinguished, reflecting the symptoms and functional disorders in the cervical region.
- The intervertebral disc tissue thickens. Disc displacement is minimal, however, already at this stage, the outer sheath of the fibrous disc is scaly. In the cervical vertebrae, the uncinate processes increase compensatory. Manifestations - cervicalgia, cervical.
- Narrowing of the intervertebral spaces and the lumen of the spinal canal. Pathological mobility leads to subluxations of individual vertebrae and instability of the cervical spine as a whole. Sensory and motor disorders in the upper limbs. Vertebral artery syndrome.
- Further narrowing of the spinal canal and the spaces between the vertebrae. The formation of herniated discs, as a result of which symptoms increase.
- Irreversible structural disorders: spondylolisthesis (displacement of the vertebrae relative to each other) and spondylosis (pathological growths of the bone tissue of the vertebrae). Destruction of discs with the expiration of its nucleus pulposus. Persistent brain and movement disorders.
Treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck is carried out by drugs and physiotherapy procedures. Massages, physical therapy exercises, manual therapy, and acupuncture are also effective. The main group of drugs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Also, in connection with cervical osteochondrosis, local use of NSAIDs in gels and ointments is preferable. Among the means for the local treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, local irritants and chondroprotectors are shown. The treatment can be complemented with the ingestion of immunostimulants and vitamin-mineral complexes.
Physiotherapy procedures (UHF, amplipulse, electrophoresis) have a similar effect: they eliminate pain, relieve muscle spasm, increase blood circulation and metabolism in the neck tissues. This is also facilitated by massaging the neck area with osteochondrosis. The neck is a vulnerable area. The slightest damage to the cervical spine is fraught with serious consequences. Therefore, massage movements should be smooth, directed along the muscles. For the same reason as the fragility of the neck, all special measures (manual therapy, cervical traction) must be performed by experienced specialists with great care. And in the course of recreational gymnastics, preference is given to static loads with frontal and temporal areas resting on the palmar surface of the hand, with maximum bending of the head forward and sideways.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is aimed at eliminating provoking factors. Hypothermia must be avoided. Office workers, programmers, avid Internet users are recommended 15-minute breaks for health-improving gymnastics during each hour. And, of course, a good diet and avoiding excess weight. And at the slightest sensation of pain and discomfort in the cervical region, it is better to use the Shants immobilizing collar. At the same time, attention should be paid to the treatment of existing chronic diseases of other organs and systems.
Cervical osteochondrosis: symptoms, signs and treatment.
Today, such a disease as osteochondrosis is very common, and in many people it causes feelings of fear and a lot of fear. As medical practice has shown, several main causes contribute to the occurrence of the disease, which, as a rule, are directly provoked by patients. To avoid this disease and prevent its appearance, it is necessary to know its main symptoms and causes.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae.
Most often, osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae manifests itself in the form of a degenerative dystrophic lesion of the intervertebral disc. As practice shows, the disease appears and develops against the background of metabolic disorders that occur in the cervical region. In this case, there is a significant change in the structure and structure of individual vertebrae and intervertebral discs.
The course of the disease in osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae is slightly different from osteochondrosis, which affects other parts (we are talking about the lumbar and thoracic form of osteochondrosis). This type of disease is more dangerous, since it contributes to the direct infringement of the root, which leaves the brain of the spinal nerve, and thus disrupts the blood supply to the cerebral vessels due to direct infringement and compression of Blood vesels. .
In addition, the structure of the vertebrae (in this case, more intertwined) in the cervical region is slightly different from the others, therefore, with the appearance of any changes in pathology, one of them undergoes a noticeable disruption in the normal . functioning of the entire spinal column. That is why, with cervical osteochondrosis, the patient may be disturbed by such obvious signs as: frequent dizziness, impaired sensitivity of the muscles and skin of the hands, neck, face, constant headaches, buzzing unpleasant noises and noises in the ears or noise in the head, hearing or visual impairment, increased sense of fatigue, staggering and unsteady gait, loss of coordination, etc.
Therefore, you should pay close attention to the fact that osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae appears as a result of:
- lifting heavy objects and loads;
- work that is directly related to a constant change in the position of the body - we are talking about extension, flexion, circular movements, turns;
- active sports and physical education;
- incorrect posture when lying down, sitting, standing body positions, as well as when lifting and carrying weights;
- genetic disposition;
- Adverse weather conditions.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Often the symptoms of osteochondrosis in the early stages of its manifestation may not manifest themselves at all. Having already passed into a more advanced stage, the disease begins to manifest itself with frequent cramps during any movement of the head and neck. However, the symptoms of osteochondrosis are quite diverse and are explained by degenerative changes and disorders in the structure of the cartilage, or as a result of severe pinching by a displaced disc of the vertebral artery, passing between the discs.
Pain
The most important and first symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae are pain, which at the first stage can pass quickly, and then become chronic. Pain can appear in the region of the occipital muscles, shoulders and neck and become stronger when turning or tilting the head and neck. Depending on where the injury is, the pain can be aching and permanent. And it can taper off for a while or be stabbing and sharp. Also, any movement of the head and neck becomes difficult over time, which is associated with constant muscle tension in the neck area.
When cartilage tissue, intervertebral disc or tight muscles squeeze the artery of the spinal column, a person can experience a cervical migraine (a headache that occurs as a result of a lack of oxygen in the tissues and weakened blood circulation ), a sharp jump in pressure upwards, short-term loss and deterioration of consciousness, the appearance of ringing in the ears, hearing impairment, the appearance of "flies" before the eyes, visual impairment. The headache is sometimes accompanied by vomiting or nausea.
Nausea
Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae may be accompanied by nausea. Also, nausea is associated with poor blood circulation in the vessels of the brain. Very often, a person loses his appetite, as a result of which a lack of nutrients occurs in the body, and the total weight decreases. In the most severe cases, the disease is accompanied by vomiting, which appears when tilting the head, turning, and even walking. As already mentioned above, this is due to a violation of the blood flow process and insufficient oxygen supply to the inner ear, where the center of balance is located.
Shortness of breath
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae include such a symptom as shortness of breath. It appears with direct injury to the cervical region and is expressed in irritation of the phrenic nerve. As a result, it becomes difficult for a person to breathe, the patient does not have enough air, there is a lack of oxygen, shortness of breath begins to torment, and even severe suffocation can occur.
As a rule, shortness of breath is accompanied by snoring, especially during an uncomfortable position of the head when resting. This condition leads to the fact that a person wakes up very tired and absolutely broken, he is disturbed by malaise and weakness. Prolonged stay in this state leads to decreased concentration, impaired memory and irreversible changes in brain tissue.
ringing and tinnitus
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis are sometimes manifested in the form of ringing and noise in the ears. It's just that the vestibular apparatus is enriched with blood exclusively from the system of vertebral arteries. That is why, with inflammation of the cervical region, a violation of the function of the inner ear occurs, as a result, ringing and tinnitus torment a person. Sometimes, hearing impairment is added to the symptoms described.
Pharyngeal signs
Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae can also manifest itself in this way. Often a person is disturbed by a constant unpleasant sensation of dryness and perspiration in the throat, difficulty swallowing, tickling and itching, foreign body sensation. All these symptoms are directly related to the violation of the vascular and nerve trunks extending from the spinal cord.
Visual disability
The most common and frequent sign of cervical osteochondrosis is impaired visual acuity. This is due to the fact that the visual analyzer is enriched with blood not only due to the carotid, but also to the vertebral arteries. When these arteries are compressed, visual impairment occurs. Additionally, patients may complain of:
- low pressure;
- atherosclerosis of the arteries of the brain;
- inability to concentrate on a subject;
- "swimming" or flashing spots;
- sensation of a veil or mist before the eyes.
In this condition, doing eye exercises or wearing glasses does not show a positive effect. Only with proper treatment can there be an improvement in vision.
sudden loss of consciousness
The most dangerous and unpleasant sign that occurs with osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra is an unexpected loss of consciousness. This is due to a temporary cessation of blood flow through the arteries of the brain. Thus, a pronounced spasm of the arteries is obtained, which occurs from the side of the deformed processes of the bones of the vertebrae, as a response to irritation of the nerve endings.
But after losing consciousness, a person can recover quickly if given time to lie down and raise their legs to improve blood supply to the brain and increase blood flow from the legs.
pressure instability
The symptoms of osteochondrosis do not end with the symptoms described above. Often there is a spasm or instability of blood pressure, which appears due to impaired blood supply. Further, the pressure drops sharply or, conversely, rises. The person's condition is deteriorating and he needs complete rest.
Dizziness
Osteochondrosis is often accompanied by dizziness. In this case, such a phenomenon may have a spontaneous character. Dizziness is caused by a lack of oxygen reaching the inner ear canals. These channels are located in the brain and are totally responsible for balance. Dizziness can occur with any movement of the neck or head. Often and with a sharp increase from a lying position.
How to cure osteochondrosis?
If a person notices one or more of the above and indicated symptoms behind it, then his initial action should not be self-treatment based on the recommendations of friends and relatives, but a timely visit to the appropriate doctor. The actions of a specialist are aimed at conducting tests to identify the main cause of osteochondrosis, as well as choosing the appropriate treatment.
The treatment of the disease, taking into account the patient's condition and its degree, is complex. During treatment, the doctor may prescribe therapeutic exercises, massage, the use of drugs aimed at eliminating the causes of inflammation and relieving pain.
therapeutic treatment
The drug treatment regimen is represented by the following groups:
- Chondroprotectors - allow to stop the destruction of cartilage and contribute to the restoration of cartilage tissue.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - effective removal of inflammation and pain, low risk of side effects, possibility of long-term use.
Treatment of symptoms of osteochondrosis with ointments is quite popular, but ineffective. As a rule, ointments from the NSAID group or ointments containing irritants are used for treatment.
B vitamins are used against osteochondrosis.
Folk methods of treatment
Recipes for rubbing and ointments for the treatment of osteochondrosis:
- Lemon. In the juice of one lemon, you need to add as much iodine as the juice that was squeezed out. Mixture. This composition is for external use only. With a swab soaked in this solution, a strip is drawn every night along the entire length of the spine.
- Honey rub. Mix a glass of honey, alcohol, aloe juice and radish. Add to 1 tbsp. dry mustard and mix well. Apply compresses for several hours.
- Vinegar and egg. Make a mixture of vinegar and an egg: add vinegar to the egg and let it dissolve completely. Then add 90 gr. butter and stir. A homogeneous white mass should come out, similar to oil. Rub the solution into the painful areas.
- Peppercorns with camphor and bile. It will take 300 gr. medical bile and a couple of bottles of camphor alcohol. Mix the ingredients in a glass container, add 3 pods of hot pepper and let it rest for a week. Apply compresses for 5-7 hours. Shake the paste well before using.
Osteochondrosis, like all other diseases, is much easier to prevent than to completely cure. In order to never suffer from this disease, it is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle by alternating different sports. Nutrition should be fortified and complete, smoking should not be the norm. By following simple rules, you will have more chances to live to old age without deterioration in quality of life and without pain.