Osteochondrosis is a common pathology of the spine, characterized by a dystrophic change in the structure of the cartilaginous discs of the vertebrae and their bone base. One way or another, osteochondrosis manifests itself in most people after the age of 30. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are varied, which often complicates diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
General symptoms and signs of cervical osteochondrosis
The process of osteochondrosis affects any part of the spine or several at once. The lumbar and cervical vertebrae are the most susceptible to pathologies, as they are the most susceptible to stress due to the anatomy of the human skeleton.
The consequences of spinal osteochondrosis in the cervical region cause the greatest discomfort and potential complications, because the neck is an area rich in neurovascular pathways, many of which directly feed the brain. For this reason, the clinical symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are largely associated with ischemia of brain areas. Furthermore, the nerve roots that provide sensation and motor activity in the arms and shoulder girdle, when compressed by destroyed spinal discs, can give a varied symptom picture.
Signs of osteochondrosis of the neck depend on which of the body systems is affected by the pathology: below we will consider the general clinic of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Pain in the back of the head, neck and collar area
This is the most common symptom. The localization of pain can extend, affecting the shoulders, the clavicular region, the chest, turning into intense migraines.
The nature of the pain depends on the location of the lesion and the severity of the pathology. In the early stages of the development of the disease, pain can be quickly transient, gradually becoming chronic and painful.
During flare-ups the pain becomes excruciating, with increased tone of the neck muscles and limited movement of the head. Often pain with cervical osteochondrosis can be localized behind the sternum, in which case many patients mistake this symptom for angina pectoris. Differentiation can be done by taking a nitroglycerin tablet: the pain caused by osteochondrosis is not relieved by it.
Noise, ringing, sensation of fullness in the ears
These symptoms are often accompanied by hearing loss. These phenomena are associated with a decrease in blood flow from the vertebral arteries to the vestibular apparatus. The complex of these symptoms is called cochlear or cochlear syndrome, and it is not always possible to determine its connection with osteochondrosis in the cervical region. A specific sign of differentiation is that you experience noise, congestion and ringing in the ears when changing position, after a long stay in the same position.
Dizziness
Dizziness is also caused by a violation of blood flow to the organs of the inner ear, which ensures the balance of the body. Dizziness is often accompanied by nystagmus: voluntary oscillations of the pupils to the sides.
Lack of air
This sensation appears due to irritation of the phrenic nerve endings. It is a component of the cervical nerve bundle and intervenes in the regulation of breathing, its depth and frequency. Patients complain of an inability to breathe deeply. In some cases, the symptom worsens to severe shortness of breath and choking. For the same reason, breathing stops at night and snoring is observed. The lack of oxygen due to respiratory problems ultimately causes increased fatigue, decreased concentration and memory problems.
Nausea
Accompanied by belching of air. It is also caused by blood circulation problems in some areas of the brain and inner ear. Nausea with uncontrollable vomiting, caused by head and body movements, is sometimes observed. Frequent nausea and vomiting cause decreased appetite, weight loss and nutritional deficiency.
Poor eyesight
"Soothing" in the eyes, decreased visual acuity, fog before the eyes - these are all symptoms caused by ischemia of the part of the brain responsible for vision. Patients with osteochondrosis complain less frequently about vision, since the insufficient blood supply from the vertebral vessels is compensated by blood flow from the carotid artery system. Glasses and therapeutic exercises for the eye muscles do not solve the problem; vision usually improves after treatment of osteochondrosis.
Increases in blood pressure
Unstable pressure levels are caused by impaired blood flow in the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for the functions of the vascular-motor center.
Sudden fainting or syncope
It occurs when the cerebral arteries spasm due to a short-term cessation of blood flow through the vertebral arteries. The patient can be quickly brought out of the state of loss of consciousness by lying him down so that his legs are slightly higher than the head: the flow of blood to the brain allows the person to return to consciousness. After a fainting attack, reversible problems with speech and movement may occur for some time due to a brief interruption of blood flow.
Pharyngeal symptoms
They can often be the only sign indicating cervical osteochondrosis. Expressed as pain, dryness and sensation of lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing. The symptoms are associated with compression of the nerve plexuses responsible for the innervation of the pharynx. It is necessary to differentiate such manifestations from a similar clinic with inflammation or neoplasms.
Increased body temperature
Increased body temperature in cervical osteochondrosis is not the most typical symptom, it is observed rarely and locally: in the cervical and collar area, with slight redness of the skin. The clinic of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine can be, firstly, of varying degrees of severity, it depends on the stage of development of pathologies, even during periods of exacerbations they are brighter, and secondly, they develop into certain syndromes.
Symptoms depend on the stage of cervical osteochondrosis
Stage I: Beginning of degenerative processes in the cartilage of the vertebral discs. Symptoms are mild and sometimes may not be seen at all. Important: These symptoms become more pronounced when the head is tilted.
As a rule, in the first stage of cervical osteochondrosis, patients do not go to the doctor, believing that all the symptoms are associated with fatigue, stress, age, lack of sleep. Phase II In this phase the protrusion of the vertebral discs has begun, the intervertebral spaces narrow and the collagen fiber of the fibrous ring of the disc is destroyed. Noticeable painful symptoms of a punctual nature appear due to compression of the nerve trunks, which intensify with movements of the neck and rotations of the head. Here you can already suspect cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which in the second stage are as follows: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th.
Keeping your head in one position for a long time causes severe pain. At this stage of the disease, patients already come to the doctor for help. Stage III. The fibrous ring in the disc is destroyed, hernias are formed. In the third stage, spinal deformation, displacement and dislocation of the vertebrae are observed due to their weak fixation.
This is a serious stage of the disease, in which the patient is no longer able to support his head on his own. Spinal cord ischemia and compression of the spinal arteries lead to paralysis and paresis elsewhere in the body and to spinal stroke.
Syndromes caused by osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The non-specificity and large number of different symptoms accompanying cervical osteochondrosis make diagnosis and further treatment difficult, since some of them can be a sign of completely different diseases. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis fall into certain groups called syndromes. Their presence and severity may indicate a pathology in the cervical spine with specific localization.
A group of common syndromes:
Koreshkovy. Otherwise called cervical radiculitis. Combines symptoms associated with crushing of the nerve roots of the cervical vertebrae. Characterized by "goosebumps" in the affected area, tingling in the fingers and forearms, and pasty skin extending to some fingers.
Irritative-reflexive. Sharp, burning pain in the back of the head and neck, sometimes radiating to the chest and shoulders, which occurs when the position of the head and neck changes, when you sneeze, cough, or turn your head sharply.
Vertebral artery syndrome includes:
Cardiac. An almost identical picture with angina pectoris often leads to incorrect diagnoses and treatments. The syndrome appears due to irritation of the phrenic nerve receptors, partially involving the pericardium and the pectoralis major muscle. Therefore, spasms in the heart region are more of a reflex, as a response to irritation of the cervical nerves. Symptoms:
Vegetative-dystonic syndrome. Subluxation of the first cervical vertebra with displacement can lead to the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia. VSD is not a definitive diagnosis, as it does not present pronounced symptoms.
Neurological signs, symptoms of impaired cerebral blood flow, spikes in intracranial pressure, and muscle spasms may occur. As a result, the patient's complaints are reduced to dizziness, decreased visual acuity, loss of consciousness, headache and nausea.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis
The described condition of the spine is a very serious pathology, which, if neglected, leads to disability and, due to profound disorders of cerebral circulation, to death. For this reason you should not self-medicate if such symptoms appear.
In the initial stages, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is conservative, including drugs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anesthetics, hormonal agents, vitamin complexes, chondroprotectors - all this relieves inflammation, pain, improves the trophism of soft tissues and cartilage of the vertebrae.