Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease that causes the degeneration of soft intervertebral pulp into ossified tissue.Pathogenesis also affects nerve roots and blood vessels.The pathology is difficult to diagnose, as it disguises itself as various disorders.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
There are many reasons for the development of cervical osteochondrosis, but many of them are associated with changes in cartilage tissue due to the accumulation of salts in the blood and lymph.With a proper diet and constant physical activity, salts are normally consumed and are not collected.Otherwise, the cartilage tissue will become less mobile, losing flexibility, and the vertebrae will begin to shift, pinching arteries and nerve endings.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, degenerative changes occur, in which osteophytes develop - bone growths in the cervical vertebrae, causing irritation and muscle strain, further aggravating the patient's condition.
In most cases, changes and disorders in the cervical spine occur due to a sedentary lifestyle.Cervical osteochondrosis is especially familiar to office workers who have to sit for 8 hours a day and who do not engage in any sports.
Previously, it was generally accepted that osteochondrosis was a disease that affected people of mature age, but today the disease has become much younger.Young people sometimes begin to feel the first symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis while still at school or university, which is associated with a sedentary lifestyle and poor posture.
People who do physical work at work also suffer from cervical osteochondrosis, since high loads on the back, combined with an uncomfortable body position and long-standing back injuries, adversely affect the health of the neck, causing overstrain in this area.Experts also include other reasons for the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- excess weight;
- heredity;
- improper diet;
- disruption of metabolic processes;
- constant stress;
- hypothermia;
- flat feet;
- lifting heavy objects with weak back muscles;
- spinal injury.
Degree of development of neck osteochondrosis
Doctors determine the stage of development of cervical osteochondrosis based on the patient’s symptoms and complaints.
First degree
With minimal clinical manifestations, the patient may feel pain in the neck of low intensity, which intensifies when rotating the head.During the examination, specialists sometimes detect muscle strain.
Second degree
The patient feels pain in the neck of a higher intensity, which can radiate to the arm and shoulder.The cause of pain can be abrasion of the intervertebral disc and pinched nerves.The pain intensifies when turning and tilting the head.A person’s performance decreases, weakness appears and a headache begins.
Third degree
At this stage, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis intensify, and the pain becomes constant and radiates to the upper limb and shoulder.Weakness appears in the arms, and they gradually become numb due to the formation of herniated intervertebral discs.The patient is overcome by dizziness and weakness, and upon medical examination, limited mobility in the cervical spine and pain when touching the neck are diagnosed.
Fourth degree
The intervertebral disc is completely destroyed and replaced by connective tissue.Dizziness becomes more severe, noise occurs in the ears, and coordination of movements worsens.This is due to the involvement in the process of the vertebral artery, which is responsible for supplying the cerebellum and occipital lobe of the brain with oxygen and nutrients.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
- Symptoms of the development of neck osteochondrosis differ from the manifestations of this disease in other parts of the spine.This is explained by the peculiarity of the structure of the human body: the vertebrae are located closer to each other, and the height of the intervertebral discs is not very large, so symptoms occur even with minor pathologies.
Let's consider the main signs by which cervical osteochondrosis can be diagnosed:
- Pain.They can be localized in different places (in the neck, back of the head, shoulder or arm).Pain in the arm and shoulder occurs when the nerve root that innervates the upper limbs is compressed.Pain in the back of the head is associated with spasms of the cervical muscles attached to the occipital bone.
- Weakness in the limbs.Weakness appears in the arms due to damage to the root containing the motor nerves that innervate the muscles of the arm.
- Decreased hand sensitivity.The symptom makes itself felt when the root with the sensory nerves innervating the skin of the hands is damaged.Sometimes, along with loss of sensitivity, numbness of the fingers or hands may occur due to cervical osteochondrosis.
- Limited mobility of the cervical spine and crunching.They appear due to the wear of intervertebral discs and the appearance of growth on the vertebrae, as well as when small joints between the cervical vertebrae are affected.
- Dizziness, weakness and poor coordination of movements.These symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis occur when the vertebral artery, passing in a special canal through the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae, is involved in the process.Fibrous tissue is formed, the vertebrae are displaced, the blood flow in the artery is disrupted - this leads to a deterioration in the blood supply to the back of the brain and the cerebellum.
- Deterioration of vision, hearing and numbness of the tongue.These are signs of a serious deterioration in the blood supply to the cerebellum and occipital region of the brain with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
How to treat neck osteochondrosis?
Without timely treatment, cervical osteochondrosis is actively developing, and getting rid of negative pathologies will be much more difficult.This can be done only with the help of long-term complex treatment.Doctors prescribe different treatment methods to their patients:
- manual therapy;
- laser exposure;
- vacuum therapy;
- pharmacopuncture;
- dry traction;
- electrical stimulation, etc.
Several sessions help get rid of the pain, but the course of treatment should not be interrupted.
If conservative treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck is unsuccessful, the patient may be referred for surgery.The duration of treatment depends on the severity of vertebral damage and the techniques used.Success also depends on the age of the patient.
Conservative treatment methods include the following:
- physiotherapy;
- therapeutic exercises;
- massage for osteochondrosis;
- other methods (corsets, medicinal baths, herbal medicine for osteochondrosis, etc.)
Doctors resort to drug treatment during exacerbations to quickly relieve pain and inflammation.You can stimulate metabolic processes and blood circulation in the body with the help of intravenous and intramuscular injections.
Therapeutic gymnastics (physical therapy) is a set of special exercises for osteochondrosis, aimed at strengthening muscle tissue and correcting posture.Physical education makes the ligamentous-muscular system more flexible, normalizes nutrition of the intervertebral discs, promotes the formation of a muscle corset and reduces the load on the vertebrae.
Physiotherapy includes procedures using laser, ultrasound, magnetic fields and low-frequency currents.The use of these techniques helps speed up the patient’s recovery and increase the effectiveness of other procedures.Unlike drug treatment, physiotherapeutic methods have no side effects.
To treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, a special neck corset is sometimes used, which is also effective in prevention.A procedure called reflexology, in which specialists influence selected areas of the human body, has proven itself to be excellent.Spinal traction relieves pain in the cervical region and joints, helping to restore its anatomical shape and increasing the intervertebral interval.
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis
After a course of treatment for cervical osteochondrosis, you must follow the advice of doctors in order to prevent the development of the disease in the future.First of all, you need to monitor the position of the body so that the spine does not overstrain.You can stretch your back muscles.
You cannot stand for a long time and make sharp turns and tilts of your head.Do not lift weights with outstretched arms, but rather sit down first, take the load in your hands and only then rise with it.When carrying heavy bags or other objects in your hands, change hands or distribute the load evenly.
Control your posture when working.Get used to doing regular exercises by changing your body position.You should sleep on a medium-hard mattress with an orthopedic pillow.When getting out of bed, lean on your hands so as not to overstrain your back.
Before exercising, always drink a glass of water and wear comfortable shoes that support your feet.After sitting for a long time in an uncomfortable position with your body bent, stretch or hang from the bar.
Swimming strengthens the muscle corset well, and hardening and contrast showers also bring benefits.Eat a varied diet and avoid fatty and salty foods.Better lean on lean meats, cereals, dairy products and vegetables.