To date, the disease has become very 'younger' and more and more often people aged 25 and over are exposed to it, although more recently the age of 30 to 35 has been considered risky. Pathologies of the cervical part are more common, so you need to be able to quickly recognize the symptoms of the disease in order to start treatment.
And so, what is called osteochondrosis of the cervical spine? This term characterizes the degenerative-dystophilic process in the intervertebral disc, which acts as a kind of shock absorber between segments of the spine. This situation leads to changes in its structure and anatomy, segments and articular elements of the cervical spine. Osteochondrosis of the neck is characterized by symptoms of acute pain that require prompt treatment.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Where does cervical osteochondrosis come from? A little below we list the factors whose chronic or sudden action leads to an increase in stress in the neck. As a result, the body compensates for increased loads with the work of the muscles, however, due to constant tension, spasms occur in them with impaired blood circulation. Together, these factors lead to degenerative changes in the spine, changes in its structure, problems with blood nutrition and metabolism. Next comes the turn of changes in the intervertebral joints, there is an overgrowth of bone tissue from segments of the spine.
List the factors contributing to the development of the disease:
- Scoliosis and poor posture.
- Overweight.
- Stay in false and unnatural positions for a long time.
- Regular overwork of the back and cervical spine, for example, due to the peculiarities of the work.
- Low mobility, sedentary physical inactivity.
- Injury to the spine in the past.
- Metabolic problems.
- Excessive physical activity.
- Stress overwork, prolonged susceptibility to depression.
- The factor of heredity.
- Abnormal development of the vertebrae.
Degrees of cervical osteochondrosis
It is necessary to be able to distinguish the concepts of "stage" and "degree", which characterize osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. We will consider the stages a little later, now we will talk about the degrees that depend on the general clinical condition and complaints of the patient, have different symptoms and, accordingly, require different treatment.
- First degree - 1. . . Cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by minor manifestations of the disease, the main symptoms are pain in the neck area, which does not appear often, intensifying if you turn your head. They may be accompanied by slightly tense muscles.
- Second degree - 2. . . The severity of the pain and the symptoms is much stronger and they are able to give to the shoulder area. This is due to the fact that the intervertebral disc became lower in height, which resulted in nerve pinching. Pain syndrome tends to increase with movement, a feeling of weakness and headaches lead to decreased performance.
- Third degree - 3. . . This development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by the formation of hernias in the intervertebral space. The differences from the previous degrees are in the symptoms, which are even more pronounced and painful - this gives more intensely to the shoulder and arm, in which a feeling of numbness and weakness is possible. The disease is accompanied by the same headache, weakness, mobility of the neck is limited, and a separate pain syndrome is detected during palpation.
- Fourth degree - 4. . . This degree is characterized by complete destruction of the tissues of the intervertebral disc. Problems with the blood supply to the brain are likely, in particular, through the vertebral artery, which carries blood to the cerebellum and the back of the head. Against this background, there are difficulties in 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 due to the narrower arrangement of the segments relative 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 as a result, they wear out and break down faster. In addition, it is cervical osteochondrosis that often leads to compression of the nerves in the spinal cord.
Cervical osteochondrosis - the most common symptoms:
- Painful sensations. . . They are characterized by a different localization - on the back of the head, shoulders and cervical regions. The appearance of pain in the shoulder joint indicates pressure on the nerve responsible for transmitting pain impulses there. Occipital pain reflects the presence of a spasm of the muscles of the neck due to difficulty with blood flow to that area. Perhaps a feeling of pain in the vertebra, the presence of a tightening.
- Weakness in the hand. . . It manifests itself by lesions of the nerve responsible for the motor activity of the upper limbs.
- Poor hand sensitivity. . . The nerve that innervates the skin of the arm is damaged.
- Limited movement, crunch. . . It is a consequence of the low height of the intervertebral disc, bone growth in the segments of the spine, the presence of small affected structures.
- Coordination problems, feeling weak and dizzy. . . Due to the progression of the pathology, fibrous tissue is formed. This partially leads to constriction of the spinal artery, which has its own channel in the elements of the spine. This narrows the lumen of the vessel, creating a blood deficit in the occiput and cerebellum.
- Hearing, vision, speech problems. . . They are a further development of the constriction of the vessel supplying the cerebellar and occipital area.
Diagnostic
Diagnosis is carried out in the presence of symptoms and complaints characteristic of a person. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is diagnosed by various methods, mainly aimed at visualizing the condition of the damaged part. Most often used:
- X-ray. It is not very informative, only shows the presence of deviations, it is mainly suitable for early diagnosis.
- Computed tomography. Compared with the x-ray, the display of pathologies of the segments of the cervical spine is improved, but it does not accurately determine the presence of a hernia, its size. In addition, this procedure cannot determine the "constriction" of the canal with the spinal cord.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. Such a diagnosis is the most modern, it is characterized by increased information content, it allows you to assess in detail the defects of the bone structure, the condition of the intervertebral discs, the existence of hernias, their size andtheir direction of growth.
- If there is a suspicion of deterioration of current in the vertebral arteries, additional diagnostics are carried out using the ultrasound duplex scanning procedure. Such a study accurately determines the presence of obstacles that reduce blood flow.
Based on the data obtained during the diagnosis, we can talk about different stages:
- Step 1, characterized by minor violations of the anatomy of the vertebrae.
- 2nd step. . . Probably non-compliance with the position of the vertebrae relative to each other, displacement, rotation relative to the axis of the spine, the intervertebral disc may have a slightly reduced height.
- Step 3. . . The height of the disc is reduced by a quarter, the joints are changed, there are growths of bone tissue, tightness of the intervertebral foramen and spinal canal.
- Step 4. . . It is even more aggravated than the previous one. The disc is considerably reduced in height, there are deep joint pathologies and large bone growths behind, the spinal canal and the passages under the spinal cord are strongly compressed.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The main methods of this 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.
Medical treatment
Prescribing any medication should only be handled by a competent specialist.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs of non-steroidal origin. Their action is the effective elimination of pain syndrome, the inflammatory and edematous process of clamped nerve endings.
- Vitamin B is taken to improve metabolic processes in the vertebrae and nerves.
- Medicines that increase blood flow. Used to nourish altered nerve endings and improve blood flow to the brain.
- Chondroprotectors used to restore the tissue of cartilage and intervertebral discs.
- Muscle relaxants, anti-spasms.
Physiotherapy
- Electrophoresis. . . Delivery of drug ions to the desired part of the pathology using the action of an electric field. Before the procedure, novocaine anesthesia is performed and aminophylline is also used, which improves blood circulation.
- By ultrasound. . . Relieves inflammation, pain, promotes metabolism at the site of application.
- Magnetotherapy. . . Has analgesic effect, relieves swelling.
- Laser therapy. . . The treatment is carried out by exposure to light waves of a particular frequency. It relieves inflammation well and promotes blood circulation.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is allowed only in the absence of exacerbations of the disease. The techniques will be effective in the absence of pain and discomfort when performing, in addition, they are very effective as a preventive measure. Here are some basic exercises:
- Lie on your stomach and put your bent arms on the floor. Perform head and torso lifts for 60-90 seconds, keeping your back straight, then gently return to its original position. Do 2-3 repetitions.
- Lie on your stomach with your arms extended down along your torso. Turn your head left, right, in turn, trying to reach the floor with your ear. Do 5-7 repetitions on each side.
- While sitting, inhaling, lean forward, trying to reach the chest with your head. Then, on the exhale, on the contrary, lean back, throwing your head back. Do 12 repetitions.
- While seated, place your palms on your forehead. Apply mutual pressure from the forehead to the palm and vice versa. Continue for up to half a minute, repeating 3 times.
- Neat and unhurried rotation of the heads to the sides, 5-7 rotations each. If you feel dizzy, reduce the number of repetitions or slow down the speed.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: question - answer
Is it possible that osteochondrosis of the cervical spine needs to be treated with surgery?
This happens, but in the rare cases when conservative therapy does not give an effect six months after its onset. In such situations, chronic pain and tightness of the nerve endings is usually present.
How long can you take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs?
Most of these drugs affect the condition of the gastric mucosa, so their frequent and regular use is not recommended. The exact duration of taking the drugs is determined by the attending physician, who has information about the stage of osteochondrosis in the patient, as well as the existence of concomitant pathologies.
Are chondroprotective drugs effective in restoring damaged intervertebral disc tissue?
Confirmation of the effect of taking such drugs has not been proven, so doctors rarely recommend them.
What to do at home when there is no exacerbation to avoid an exacerbation in the future?
For preventive purposes, the best will be to use physiotherapy exercises, massage of the cervical area, rejection of significant physical activity.