Cervical osteochondrosis is a progressive degenerative-dystrophic damage to the intervertebral discs located between the first 7 vertebrae. Vertebrae 1-7 belong to the cervical spine.
Pathological changes against the background of osteochondrosis lead to deformation of the vertebrae, which ultimately disrupts their blood supply, nerve conduction in the neck area and areas of innervation of damaged nerves.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be an independent disease or combined with osteochondrosis of other parts - thoracic and lumbar.
Main symptoms
The main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain, the localization and character of which depends on the location of the lesion. It is most often felt in the neck and collar area, one or both arms.
This disease is characterized by unilateral pain and can hurt any part of the arm - the shoulder, the forearm, the hand and even the fingers. Many patients complain of headaches and dizziness.
The pain syndrome can also be felt in the chest, supraclavicular area or spread to the back. For some, the pain is concentrated at the base of the neck or throat.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by various symptoms and is often accompanied by impaired tactile sensitivity, muscle weakness, reduced visual acuity and hearing, increased heart rate and panic attacks.
attention!
Sometimes osteochondrosis is complicated by vertebral artery syndrome, which may require urgent hospitalization of the patient.
First signs
In the early stages, the manifestations of osteochondrosis are more reminiscent of ordinary fatigue after a busy day and appear periodically. In the evening, discomfort and pain in the neck, heaviness and pain in the head appear, mainly in the occipital region. Possible crunching and grinding when turning the head.
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women are more pronounced than in men, and are often accompanied by an unstable psycho-emotional state. In addition, men suffer from this disease much less often.
Exacerbation of chondrosis often occurs during menopause, when hormonal changes occur in the female body and the immune system weakens. Certain difficulties arise in the diagnosis due to signs similar to those of many other diseases.
Men react less to small things like a creak in the neck and often simply do not notice suspicious symptoms. In addition, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men may not appear for a long time, which is explained by the peculiarities of anatomy.
Men have naturally more developed and stronger muscles, which creates additional support for the spine. The muscular framework serves as a kind of armor that protects the vertebrae and prevents their deformation.
Vertebral artery syndrome (VAS)
The clinical picture of SPA is usually presented by several symptoms, but only one of the possible ones can be observed:
- headache with predominant localization in the back of the head and at the base of the skull - basilar migraine, accompanied by classic symptoms: loss of coordination, nausea leading to vomiting, tinnitus, less often - speech disorder;
- dizziness that occurs when the head is turned. They can be accompanied by vomiting, darkening of the eyes and impaired coordination of movements;
- eye fatigue from stress, flickering spots and bright flashes before the eyes and in some places loss of visual fields. Patients may complain of pain, redness and feeling of sand in the eyeballs, inflammation of the conjunctiva;
- constant or episodic tinnitus, the nature of which varies depending on the position of the neck. There may be mild deafness, blocked ears, and lack of response to a soft voice. In some cases, paracusis is noted - selective audibility of sounds, in which a person hears better in the presence of external noise than in complete silence;
- autonomic symptoms always appear during an exacerbation of osteochondrosis and are most often combined with other symptoms. These can be hot flashes or chills, increased sweating, cold feet and hands, feeling short of breath, blood pressure spikes and poor sleep;
- TIA - transient ischemic attacks - accompany mechanical pinching of the vertebral artery and are manifested by double vision, temporary partial blindness with loss of visual fields, dizziness with vomiting, speech and swallowing disorders;
- A seizure can be a consequence of sudden head turns or an awkward position. Loss of consciousness lasts for varying periods of time and leaves behind weakness in the limbs;
- drop attacks are sudden falls, usually without loss of consciousness, caused by a sudden rush of blood to the brain when the head is thrown back. The immediate cause is paralysis of the legs, but motor function is restored fairly quickly.
Headache and dizziness
Most patients with cervical chondrosis have this symptom, but it may be absent. The cause of vertigo is associated with compression of the main arteries and blood vessels, which disrupts the transport of oxygen to the nerve tissue of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord.
Under the influence of mechanical trauma to spinal structures and chronic ischemia of nerve fibers, sensitivity increases and irritation of nerve endings occurs, which ultimately causes cervical dizziness.
Dizziness can be accompanied by uncertainty of movements, increased heart rate, spikes in blood pressure and increased sweating in the face and shoulders.
Headache is a frequent companion of cervical chondrosis. It has a paroxysmal character, the duration of the attack varies from several hours to several days. The intensity of the pain varies, but occurs with enviable regularity.
The headache is caused by compression of the vertebral artery due to changes in the position of the vertebrae and discs. Due to compression of the vessel, the blood supply to the brain is disturbed, which leads to pain.
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The cause of the pain can also be a muscle spasm, characteristic of osteochondrosis.
Panic attack
Panic attacks are also associated with reduced brain nutrition and cause the following symptoms:
- attacks of fever or chills, increase in body temperature;
- numbness, tingling of the limbs, muscle cramps, impaired motor ability;
- dizziness, loss of coordination, darkening of the eyes;
- pain behind the sternum or in the chest on the left, rapid pulse, increased blood pressure;
- insomnia, fear of death or mental confusion, confusion;
- shortness of breath, difficulty breathing to the point of suffocation, lump in the throat;
- discomfort and pain in the abdomen, indigestion, frequent urination.
Sore throat
The throat with osteochondrosis hurts, as a rule, when the 4th cervical vertebra is damaged or displaced. Localization is usually unilateral as the vertebrae and discs are displaced to one side.
Due to pinching of the roots, there is a spasm and tension of the pharyngeal muscles, accompanied by pain. The throat feels heavy and full and breathing becomes difficult. However, there are no mechanical obstacles to free breathing and swallowing, no foreign objects or tumors in the esophagus and larynx.
Typically, drugs for tonsillitis or sore throat, rinsing and inhalation have no effect.
The source of the pain is in the area between the thyroid cartilage and the jugular cavity. The nature of the pain varies from mild to debilitating.
Treatment
The complex treatment of cervical osteochondrosis includes several methods - taking drugs, performing therapeutic gymnastics, visiting physiotherapy and massage. If you wish, you can use folk remedies and make various compresses, prepare infusions and decoctions.
In case of exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to adhere to bed rest. In addition, you need to lie on a flat and fairly firm, elastic surface - a sagging sofa or feather bed will not work.
attention!
Severe pain requires immediate medical attention.
To fix the cervical spine, the doctor may prescribe wearing a Shants collar. It keeps the neck in an anatomically correct position, eliminating movement and therefore pain.
Medicines are selected taking into account existing symptoms and diagnostic results. If hernias and protrusions are found, treatment may be surgical.
| medicines | Action |
|---|---|
| Vasodilators and nootropics | Improves cerebral blood circulation, dilates blood vessels, relaxes smooth muscles, reduces the frequency of nerve signals |
| Preparations with chondroitin and glucosamine | Restoration of the cartilage tissue of the discs, slowing down of degenerative processes |
| Muscle relaxants | Relief of muscle spasms |
| Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | Alleviation of the inflammatory process, tissue swelling |
| Analgesics | Pain relief |
| Opioids | For severe pain that cannot be relieved by conventional means |
| Vitamin complexes containing vitamins B, A, C, calcium | Strengthening of nerve, muscle and bone tissue, overall healing effect |
| Antidepressants and sedatives | Coping with stress caused by constant pain |
Treatment at home
It is not recommended to lie at home for too long and observe bed rest, and after the acute symptoms subside, you should switch to active actions. You should start with simple exercises and gradually move to more intense ones.
- Exercise 1 - self-extension. Standing with your arms down by your side, tilt your head to the right and at the same time reach down your left arm. Stay in this position and repeat the exercise on the other side.
- Exercise 2 – self-massage. Put the towel on your shoulders and, holding its ends, pull them in one direction or the other.
- Exercise 3 - turning the head left and right, tilting to the right and then to the left shoulder.
- Exercise 4 - same with hand counter: when turning or tilting, press on your temple, creating additional resistance.
Tips to prevent osteochondrosis
Tip #1
Physical education is the main way to fight the aging of the body and the development of dystrophy of the intervertebral discs. Daily exercise and a visit to the pool at least once a week are usually sufficient. All this allows you to strengthen the muscular corset of the spine.
Tip #2
Even a healthy person needs massage sessions, it is recommended to do them once a year.
Tip #3
It is very important to monitor your weight and avoid gaining extra pounds.
Tip #4
When working in a forced position for a long time, you should take breaks, change your body position and warm up.
Tip #5
Eating well means getting enough vitamins and trace elements with food.
Tip #6
Try not to lift or carry heavy objects, and if you must do so, wear a supportive corset.
FAQ
When should you see a doctor urgently?
The reasons for immediate consultation and even calling an ambulance are:
- constant numbness in the hands or feet;
- severe pain that is not relieved by conventional analgesics;
- traffic violation;
- severe headache, dizziness, loss of coordination and other signs of cerebrovascular accident;
- "stuck" on the back in a certain position, sharp restriction of movements.
Is it possible to cure chondrosis forever?
No, it is a chronic disease with periodic exacerbations. Even after treatment and compliance with all the doctor's recommendations, the cartilage in the affected area of the disc is replaced by a scar. That is, the structure of the segment is already broken and this process is irreversible. However, with some effort on the part of the patient, a high quality of life can be achieved.