Cervical osteochondrosis is most often developing in adults, but due to certain circumstances, a child can happen. When any signs characteristic of such a disease appear, you should contact a therapist or a narrow-profile specialist-a neurologist.
Degenerative-dystrophic destruction of the cervical disk of the spine characterizes cervical osteochondrosis. The gradual progression of the disease leads to the damage to the intervertebral joints, adjacent vertebrae and ligamentous apparatus. Many mistakenly believe that osteochondrosis is the deposition of salts. However, such a statement is fundamentally wrong. Salt can indeed be deposited in various joints, but with other pathologies, for example, due to the development of gout.
Thanks to the muscle system, the backbone of the human neck, consisting of seven vertebrae, is held. In this area, the muscles are poorly developed, due to which, due to long-term tension, fatigue occurs and spasms appear. In the future, the mobility of the cervical vertebrae becomes limited. As a result of this condition, the spine disks are gradually destroyed, which provokes the beginning of the first stage of osteochondrosis. In the absence of treatment, the disease is constantly progressing, causing all greater lesions of the spine. In order to prevent the development of complications, it is necessary to pay attention to the first signs of pathology in time and take appropriate measures.
Most often, people like cervical osteochondrosis are faced with people whose lifestyle provides for a minimum of physical activity and sedentary work. In such a person, with the greatest probability, the first features can manifest itself already at the age of 25-30 years. Among children from the infant to the adolescence, the disease is less common, but can also occur due to an incorrect lifestyle or heredity, other irritating factors.
Stages of development of pathology and their inherent symptoms
The whole process of development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is divided into 4 main stages, each of which is accompanied by certain symptoms. Treatment is completely dependent on the established severity of the disease. For example, the first, preclinical stage does not require drug treatment. To improve the patient's condition, it is recommended to radically review the lifestyle - perform physical exercises and eat right. The features characteristic of this stage: the excessive tension of the muscles of the whole back, the rapid appearance of a feeling of fatigue, a slight, but tangible pain in the moments of the turns and inclinations of the head. The main drawback in this case can be distinguished the fact that few people attach due importance to such symptoms, therefore they do not immediately turn to the hospital.
The following symptoms are characteristic of second -degree osteochondrosis:
- The pain when moving the head becomes more intense and periodically gives to the shoulders, hands, even lower back;
- Pain syndrome can occur in a calm state;
- there are causeless headaches;
- The attention is scattered, the level of working capacity is reduced.
All of the above symptoms cannot continue to go unnoticed, therefore, for the most part, at this stage of the disease, the patient seeks medical help. Strengthening pain is due to a decrease in the distance between the intervertebral discs and the infringement of the nerves. An even greater aggravation of the situation occurs in the third stage. In this case, the pain in the neck constantly bothers, the muscles of the hands become very weak, from time to time, numbness occurs. As for general symptoms, dizziness and weakness become the patient's daily companions. The cervical spine loses mobility.
Unbearable pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, ears in the ears, a complete impaired coordination and the appearance of obvious signs of other diseases indicates the beginning of the final, fourth stage of osteochondrosis. At the same time, intervertebral discs are destroyed, and the pathological process moves further along the spine, affecting other departments. Such a degree of disease is difficult to treat, while at the discretion of the doctor, surgical intervention may be needed. Thus, with the appearance of such symptoms as: soreness in the neck and crunch during head movements, hands of hands, dizziness, nausea, headaches, hands, as well as fatigue and problems with coordination should become an alarming signal indicating real health problems. Do not delay a visit to the doctor, it is best to contact a therapist or immediately to a neuropathologist.
In the process of progression of cervical osteochondrosis, an infringement of the spinal spine may occur. Different sensitive and motor disorders may appear, depending on which spine, which has suffered:
- partial or complete loss of sensitivity of the occipital region, in any part of the neck, shoulders and arms;
- pain in any of the areas of the neck, shoulders, forearms, hands, up to the tips of the fingers;
- numbness of the language, which is why speech impaired;
- decrease in muscle tone of the head and neck;
- Problems with respiratory function, pain in the heart and liver.
The protruding edges of the vertebrae can squeeze arteries through which blood enters the brain. Thus, blood circulation in the brain is disturbed and additional symptoms appear: a sharp change in mood, insomnia, causeless anxiety, fear, irritability. At the same time, with spasm of blood vessels, not only headache, but also eye pain can happen. Patients often note the appearance of "flies" in the eyes, sometimes fainting are possible.
The reasons for the development of cervical osteochondrosis
The most common cause of the appearance of cervical osteochondrosis is considered to be a sedentary lifestyle in conjunction with improper, unbalanced nutrition. Often, not only lazy people suffer from their nature, but also those whose profession obliges most of the time to spend or in the same uncomfortable pose: office employees, drivers of vehicles, etc. Such a way of life provokes a constant load on the cervical vertebrae, which is why muscle spasms arise. The appearance of degenerative processes in the discs is due to a violation of metabolic processes and blood circulation. Other reasons for the development of cervical osteochondrosis include:
- Excess weight provoked by unhealthy nutrition;
- rheumatism, scoliosis, posture problems, flat feet;
- trauma of the spine and neck;
- regular stress, nervous overvoltage;
- hereditary reason;
- Inborn improper development of the cervical vertebrae.
Too zealous playing sports, which means overly intense physical activity can also become the preceding factor in cervical osteochondrosis. The primary disease under such conditions is most often a disc. The latter characterizes dystrophic disorders in intervertebral discs, mainly lumbar and cervical discords. Osteochondrosis in this case is a consequence of a disc. In addition to the exclusion of heavy physical exertion, with this diagnosis, complex, drug and physiotherapeutic treatment is necessary.
The consequences of progressive pathology
Among the complications that may occur with developing osteochondrosis of the cervical region should be distinguished:
- hernias and protrusion in the spine-can be formed in the third, fourth stages due to the rapid progression of the underlying disease;
- The growth of bone tissues or the formation of osteophytes - are often harbingers of protrusions. Osteophytes have an irritating effect on the muscles located nearby, increasing their tone. So, the pressure on the intervertebral discs increases. In addition, educated osteophytes can cause narrowing of arteries;
- flattening of the spinal disk - a decrease in the intervertebral hole leads to a decrease in the height between the intervertebral discs, the risk of a subluxation of the cervical vertebrae with a sharp turn of the head increases;
- Spondylolistz or displacement of the spinal disk does not happen as often as other above complications, however, in case of occurrence, even death can cause even death. Any, minimum change in the position of the intervertebral disc with the greatest probability leads to paralysis, a more significant displacement - to death.
Cervical osteochondrosis always provokes an increase in blood pressure. In addition, the transition of the underlying disease from one stage to another contributes to the progression of hypertension from the first to the third degree, at which the pressure exceeds the mark of 180 mm. Treatment directly hypertension helps to reduce the severity of symptoms, but only temporarily. In case of not cured osteochondrosis, it is impossible to get rid of increased blood pressure. In the case of a disk damage between the 4 and 5 cervical vertebrae, as a complication, periarthritis occurs. It characterizes the pinching of nerves located in the connection of the shoulder joint with the hand. At the same time, severe pain occurs in the shoulder, having a negative effect on the mobility of the entire limb. Also, manifestations of osteochondrosis can not be based on signs of a heart disease, for example, angina pectoris, but thanks to diagnostic measures, it is possible to differentiate diseases with high accuracy.
It is impossible to determine osteochondrosis of the cervical spine by palpation and as a result of a visual medical examination. Based on the collected history, the doctor can only assume that precisely osteochondrosis became the cause of a certain symptoms. To confirm or refute such an assumption, diagnosis is necessary. The most optimal way today is an MRI or magnetic resonance therapy. This method allows you to consider all bone structures, identify the presence of intervertebral hernias, the size of osteophytes and other complications characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis. Another, slightly less informative way, is computed tomography. It allows you to establish a diagnosis, however, the determination of the size of the hernia, as its presence may be difficult.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical region is always complex and complex. Its duration and saturation depends on the stage of development of the disease, on the individual characteristics of the patient and the presence of other, concomitant diseases. Among the main groups of medications, which are often prescribed in the second and further stages, it should be distinguished:
- Analgesics or painkillers. The listed funds help to reduce pain temporarily. With too pronounced pain, novocaine local blockade is used.
- Nonsteroidal anti -inflammatory drugs and steroid anti -inflammatory drugs. Non -steroidal agents are safer, they have an analgesic effect and can become an alternative to ordinary analgesics. In the event that they do not relieve pain, then steroid drugs are used.
- Antidepressants and sedatives - motherwort, tincture of valerian. Their purpose is due to two factors: if the cause of osteochondrosis is a nervous overstrain or if the pain is so severe that it has a negative effect on the psyche. The use of such drugs should be carried out under strict observation, since each of the drugs has a number of contraindications and is addictive.
- Musorelaxants that help relieve muscle spasms. In combination with anti -inflammatory drugs, they have an analgesic effect.
- Vasransdilators that contribute to the improvement of blood circulation.
- Drugs for increasing immunity and normalization of metabolic processes are ideal for B and C vitamins.
The complex of these drugs is a symptomatic treatment. Compliance with all the recommendations of the doctor and the passage of the prescribed course will help eliminate the pain and get rid of all unpleasant manifestations of the disease. However, the therapeutic course does not end there. When the main features are eliminated, which worsened the quality of life, you can take on the restoration of the cervical region in order to minimize the risk of relapse of the disease in the near future. Unfortunately, a huge mistake of many people is that after the disappearance of the symptoms, they consider themselves completely healthy and abandon treatment. In this situation, osteochondrosis will certainly remind of itself after a while.
Physiotherapy and traditional medicine
The following physiotherapeutic procedures are successfully used to treat cervical osteochondrosis:
- medical physical education - is carried out exclusively under the supervision of a qualified specialist, since with serious lesions of the intervertebral discs, incorrect exercises can injure tissues even more;
- Manual therapy - is a manual effect on certain areas of the patient's body;
- therapeutic massage;
- reflexology and, as a variety, acupuncture;
- Electrophoresis, balneotherapy, laser therapy, UFO, etc.
Each of the above procedures has a number of contraindications, which is especially important for those who have an anamnesis of other diseases that are not related to osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. The decision on the appropriateness of the use of a particular method remains with the attending physician. It may not be safe to carry out such measures of your own free will. As for traditional medicine, you can use the grass of a saberfish, bran. Fig. It is also recommended to reduce salt intake. A responsible approach to the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis will make it possible to get rid of the disease for sure. Let this process take a considerable amount of time, but only complex therapy will reduce the chance of re -development of the disease to a minimum.