Currently, according to medical statistics, almost all people over the age of 25-30 complain of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. The disease affects this part of the spine more often than others. Pathology is a progressive degenerative process that affects the intervertebral discs and vertebrae located in the neck. The disease is equally common among men and women.
This is a dangerous and complex form of osteochondrosis, as there are large blood vessels in the neck that supply the brain and a large number of nerve endings. Disorders of innervation and blood flow lead to a deterioration in the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain.
Signs of disease
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are more pronounced than in other parts of the spine, even with minor injuries. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae of the neck are located close to each other, and the intervertebral discs are of low height. This anatomical feature contributes to the fact that with osteochondrosis, the nerve endings, spinal cord and blood vessels are more often compressed.
General symptoms:
- pain syndrome;
- weakness and decreased sensitivity of the upper limbs;
- limitation of the mobility of the neck;
- reduced coordination of movements;
- frequent dizziness;
- general weakness;
- deterioration in the functioning of the organs of perception (hearing, sight, touch, taste).
The pain is most often localized in the neck, radiating to the back of the head, shoulders and arms. The upper limbs hurt if the nerve root responsible for their innervation is pinched by the damaged vertebra. Occipital pain is caused by spastic contractions of the neck muscles attached to the occipital bones and by reduced blood circulation in this area.
Weakness of the hands is observed in patients if a nerve root is involved in the pathological process, which provides innervation to the muscular structures of the upper limbs.
Limited mobility and a characteristic crunch when turning or tilting the neck occurs if bony growths appear on the cervical vertebrae, the height of the intervertebral discs decreases, and the joints located between the vertebrae are affected.
The vertebrae of the neck have transverse processes that form a channel through which the artery that supplies the brain flows. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the vertebrae are displaced, connective tissue grows on them. This leads to compression of the cervical artery, deterioration of the blood supply to the cerebellum and the posterior parts of the brain. As a result, a person experiences frequent dizziness, impaired coordination of movements, and general weakness. In advanced cases, if the artery is involved in a pathological process or is severely squeezed, the blood supply to the cerebellum, occipital region and brain stem deteriorates significantly. In this case, the functionality of the hearing organs, vision decreases, numbness of the tongue and fingers is observed.
The symptoms of the disease also depend on which of the eight vertebrae is affected by a degenerative or inflammatory process. Sensitivity and movement disorders are caused by damage to the spinal roots, which are affected by some vertebrae. Depending on this, the following manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are observed:
- first vertebra: the neck and the occipital part of the head go numb, their sensitivity decreases;
- second - there is pain in the region of the crown and occiput;
- third - pain is felt and sensitivity decreases in the part of the neck where the compressed spinal root is located, the intensity of taste sensations decreases, speech disorders are present;
- fourth: the pain radiates to the shoulder, shoulder blade, the patient is worried about heart pains, respiratory disorders, the tone of the neck muscles decreases;
- fifth - pain in the neck is noted, given to the outer surface of the shoulder;
- sixth - pain in the neck radiating to the shoulder blade, felt in the forearm and thumbs;
- seventh - pain is given in the shoulder blade, back of the shoulder, forearm and fingers (from the second to the fourth);
- eighth: the pain spreads from the neck to the shoulders, to the forearms and to the little finger.
There are four degrees of cervical osteochondrosis, depending on the extent of the injury. These are not the stages of the disease, but the severity of the symptoms, due to how widespread the pathological process is, on which vertebrae it affects.
- First degree, clinical symptoms are absent or minimal. Patients complain of mild pain, aggravated by head movements. Treatment initiated at this stage of the disease will be effective. However, people often ignore the alarming symptoms or don't feel them, so they don't go to the doctor.
- The aggravation of the disease process intensifies the symptoms. In the second stage, the pain becomes more pronounced, it is given to the upper limbs, shoulder blades. At this stage of the development of the degenerative process, the height of the intervertebral disc decreases, as a result of which the nerve fiber is pinched. This becomes the cause of the increased pain. The second degree of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by the appearance of headaches, deterioration in well-being and reduced performance.
- The third degree of cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by the formation of a herniated intervertebral disc. The mobility of the neck is limited; on palpation, the patient feels severe pain. With such a spread of the pathological process, the pain becomes constant, radiating to the upper limbs. There is a feeling of tension in the muscles attached to the occipital bones. Patients complain of frequent dizziness, general weakness, numbness in the hands.
- The fourth degree of cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed when the intervertebral disc is completely destroyed by the degenerative process. It is replaced by fibrous tissue, which leads to a significant restriction of mobility. The spinal cord and blood vessels in the neck are affected. Such changes are characterized by a significant deterioration in the blood supply to the cerebellum and occipital part of the brain. Oxygen starvation leads to impaired coordination of movements, impaired hearing, vision, numbness of the tongue and speech disorders.
Methods of treatment
A timely visit to a doctor when the first alarming symptoms appear, discomfort in the neck, nervous system reactions will prevent the progression of degenerative changes. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis consists of a number of therapeutic measures. Among them:
- taking medication;
- massage;
- physiotherapy exercises;
- physiotherapy procedures.
The treatment is carried out at home and on an outpatient basis, under the supervision of a doctor. In some cases, more radical methods may be needed, so the patient is hospitalized.
Drug therapy
For the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, the following groups of drugs are used:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- chondroprotectors;
- muscle relaxants;
- drugs that improve the rheological parameters of the blood;
- Vitamins of group B
Doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain intensity, reduce inflammation and swelling of the nerve root. Chondroprotectors restore damaged cartilage tissue in the intervertebral disc. Muscle relaxants relax the neck muscles, relieve spasms. Medicines to improve blood flow help restore the impaired blood supply to the brain. B vitamins activate metabolism in nerve tissues. With severe pain, the doctor may prescribe analgesic drugs. If the patient has severe pain syndrome, analgesics are administered parenterally, after the pain subsides, they switch to pills.
In addition to medications, the patient can use traditional methods for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. Before using them, you need to consult a doctor so that there are no conflicts between medicines and non-traditional means. Decoctions and infusions of dill seeds, hop cones, lilac flowers help to stop the inflammatory process and relieve pain.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is an effective way to combat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is imperative to treat this disease using such techniques, as a result of which the following results are achieved:
- pain intensity decreases;
- activation of the restoration of the affected bone, cartilage and muscle tissues;
- muscle spasm and tension are relieved;
- the inflammatory process is stopped;
- improves the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the affected area and the brain.
The following types of procedures are considered the most effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis:
- drug electrophoresis (an electric current is applied to the affected area, which, in addition to activating blood flow and tissue restoration, improves the delivery of the drug's active substance to the tissues affected by the degenerative process);
- ultrasound therapy (metabolic processes in the diseased area are activated, pain decreases, inflammation is stopped);
- magnetotherapy (relieves swelling of the affected area, which helps reduce the intensity of pain);
- laser therapy (improves blood circulation in the area of the pathological process, has an anti-inflammatory effect).
Even the doctor can recommend acupuncture, balneological procedures.
Physiotherapy exercises
Exercises are prescribed during the period when the acute manifestations of the disease are stopped. During gymnastics, there should be no discomfort and pain.
The complex should be performed upon achieving stable remission to prevent relapse.
- Take a prone position, raise your head and body, leaning on your hands. The back is straight, the breathing is deep and regular. Hold the position for a minute or two, then slowly return to the starting position. The number of repetitions is 3.
- Position: lying on the stomach, arms along the body. Slowly turn your head, trying to touch the floor with your ear. Repeat 6 times on each side.
- Sitting or standing, tilt your head as you inhale, trying to reach your chest with your chin. As you exhale, gently pull your head back, raising your eyes to the ceiling. The number of repetitions is 10-15.
- A good exercise to strengthen the neck muscles is to press the forehead on the hands. To achieve the effect, you need to press with your palms on your forehead and your forehead on your palms for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.
- Rotate your head in a circle. Exercise should be done slowly, smoothly. In each direction - 10 turns. The occurrence of dizziness when performing movements is unacceptable. If so, stop it immediately.
All exercises should be performed smoothly, without sudden movements, in case of deterioration of health, the appearance of nausea, dizziness, stop immediately.
Massage
The course is prescribed by the doctor in the absence of acute pain, it can only be performed by a specialist with medical education. With such a disease, it is not recommended to contact non-professionals.
Healing effects of cervical massage:
- improves blood and lymphatic flow in the affected area;
- muscles relax, spasm relieves;
- the intensity of painful sensations decreases.
Specialists use the entire arsenal of massage movements: stroking, rubbing, kneading, squeezing and vibrating.
Surgery
The operation is indicated if conservative therapy does not bring results within six months, the patient suffers from severe pain, signs of damage to the nerve fibers and myelopathy are observed. If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine proceeds with complications, there is a threat of stroke, there is a strong compression of the spinal cord, then an operation is required.
According to the indications, the following types of surgical interventions are used:
- endoscopic discectomy - removal of a part or an entire intervertebral disc;
- laminotomy - excision of bone ligaments and overgrown particles of bone tissue (often combined with laminoplasty - the installation of artificial plates to expand the spinal canal);
- laser vaporization of the disc nucleus - splitting of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc with a laser beam simultaneously with the destruction of its destroyed fragments;
- cold plasma nucleoplasty - instead of an endoscope, a long thin hollow needle is used, which is inserted into the intervertebral disc, through which an electrode is delivered to the lesion site, which has a cold plasma effect.
The neck is a complex organ containing large blood vessels, the spinal cord. They are easy to damage, so surgical interventions are resorted to in no more than 5% of cases. Surgical treatment is often accompanied by the development of complications. Between them:
- inflammatory process in the tissues or membranes of the spinal cord;
- osteomyelitis;
- scars that lead to narrowing of the arterial and spinal canals.
Surgery of the cervical spine is difficult and requires a long rehabilitation period. A patient's recovery after surgery takes six months or more.
Prevention
To prevent the development of cervical osteochondrosis it is necessary:
- monitors the position of the spine and neck;
- lead an active lifestyle, move more;
- while doing physical exercises, you need to be careful, observe correct execution, as even minor injuries can affect the condition of the musculoskeletal system;
- take care of the correct position of the body during sleep, buy an orthopedic or anatomical mattress;
- adequately equip a workplace where a person spends a lot of time;
- regularly engages in physical education;
- monitor the diet, ensure the supply of all useful minerals necessary for strong bones, especially magnesium and calcium;
- constantly undergoes dispensary examinations for the timely detection of osteochondrosis.
Prevention helps prevent degenerative changes in the cervical spine, protects against painful sensations, dizziness, numbness of the limbs and other unpleasant symptoms.