It is important to recognize the first signs of cervical osteochondrosis in time in order to seek qualified medical help and prevent the negative consequences of the disease - chronic hypertension, heart attack, stroke, partial or complete limitation of motor activity, disability.
Why is osteochondrosis dangerous?
The main function of intervertebral discs is to cushion and prevent any damage to the vertebrae during walking, running, and jumping. In addition, they ensure mobility of the entire spine.
As the body naturally ages and due to the influence of unfavorable factors - stress, injury, excessive physical activity - the height of the intervertebral discs decreases. The progression of osteochondrosis provokes the following complications:
- The dense fibrous ring of the intervertebral discs is destroyed and cracks appear in it.
- The contours of the intervertebral disc shift beyond the physiological boundaries, forming a protrusion
- Without the help of specialists at the previous stages, the patient faces a rupture of the fibrous ring and a hernia
- Osteophytes form on cartilage and bone tissues - pathological growths, which become one of the causes of decreased spinal mobility and pain.
- The roots of the spinal cord and surrounding tissues are subject to compression and inflammation
Features of cervical osteochondrosis that are not talked about
Many people mistakenly believe that osteochondrosis is exclusively an age-related disease. But, in most cases, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine begins to develop in childhood as a consequence of natal trauma. For many children, the first clear symptoms appear when they start school. It is during this period that the need for prolonged sitting in a forced position, physical inactivity, and spasms of the neck muscles as a reaction to stress joins the already existing negative phenomena and factors.
Many birth injuries of the cervical spine are not noticeable during normal visual examination. Although it is because of them that children, and then adults, experience serious problems with the respiratory, cardiac, central nervous systems, sensory and motor functions of the body.
What threatens the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
The brain is responsible for regulating the entire body. It is also the main consumer of oxygen, which comes through the blood.
The blood supply to the brain is carried out by the basilar artery. It, in turn, is formed from the fusion of two vertebral arteries that pass through the cervical vertebrae.
Deformation and damage to the intervertebral discs lead to instability and displacement of the cervical vertebrae. Compression of one or both vertebral arteries occurs, as a result of which the supply of oxygen to the brain is reduced, and it begins to send commands to increase pressure. This is how chronic non-infectious diseases develop, in particular hypertension.
Over time, patients experience disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. The risk of stroke, heart attack, and coronary heart disease increases significantly. In men - impotence.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
- Spasm and limitation of neck mobility, pain when turning and tilting the head
- Burning, soreness, feeling of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing
- Numbness and coldness of the hands or just the fingers
- Pain and burning in the chest
- Lack of air
- Chronic hypertension
- Headache, migraine
- Dizziness, fainting
- Noise and ringing in the ears
- Decreased visual acuity, appearance of dots before the eyes
- Increased fatigue, weakness, drowsiness, decreased performance
- Difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness
- Sleep disorders
- Chronic depression
- Panic attacks
- Pain of varying intensity, spreading in the neck, shoulders, collarbones, upper back, and the entire surface of the head from the back of the head to the forehead
If you notice any of the listed symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis of the spine, we recommend immediately contacting specialists at a modern clinic. Professional doctors will perform comprehensive diagnostics and develop individual treatment procedures.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in men and women in the clinic
The patented technique of Candidate of Medical Sciences, Dr. Alexander Yuryevich Shishonin, allows you to stop the development of osteochondrosis and significantly improve the well-being of patients of all ages.
At the initial appointment, the clinic’s specialists perform microanatomical ultrasound of the neck vessels to measure the speed of blood flow and identify muscle spasms that provoke compression of the vertebral arteries.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine includes:
Physical therapy. Physical inactivity is one of the key reasons for the development of osteochondrosis. Therefore, an individual set of physical exercises is developed for each patient. A complex of exercise therapy is prescribed based on the diagnosis, health status of the patient and the presence of acute or chronic diseases.
All exercises are performed under the supervision of certified instructors on special simulators, this helps restore muscle tone and strengthen the muscle corset.
Correction of the deep muscles of the neck and back. Correctologists at the clinic restore blood supply to the brain through manual manipulation of the deep muscles of the neck and vertebrae. Blood pressure is normalized, cognitive functions - memory, concentration, mental performance - improve.
You can learn more about the wide range of services and all the features of treating osteochondrosis in a professional clinic by reading more detailed materials.
Prevention of the development of cervical osteochondrosis
You can prevent the occurrence or development of the disease by adhering to the following recommendations:
- Take long daily walks. In total, you need to take at least 6, 000 steps per day.
- Play sports. The load should not be excessive. Start with feasible exercises, gradually increasing the duration of exercise and the number of repetitions.
- Balance your diet and maintain normal body weight.
- Perform Dr. Shishonin’s neck exercises.