Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Cervical osteochondrosis is a type of dystrophic change in the intervertebral discs of the neck.

Not only the discs themselves are negatively affected, but also the vertebrae, soft and cartilage tissues. The main feature of the cervical region is the fact that its vertebrae do not have the most reliable structure compared to other regions, which makes this area very vulnerable. The vertebrae are located in close proximity to each other, as well as to those arteries that supply the human brain.

If there is a displacement of the vertebrae, then there is a high probability of compression of the nerve bundles and arteries, which will inevitably lead to a hernia between the vertebrae and the protrusion, ie changes in the structure of the spinal disc.

What is?

Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae (Osteohondroz) is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the intervertebral discs, as a result of which the discs, vertebrae and joints of the cervical vertebrae are damaged and a reduction in the height of the intervertebral discs is observed. . The disease progresses if left untreated and can lead to headaches, poor circulation and even hernias. Like osteoporosis, the disease occurs due to a violation of mineral metabolism, as a result of which bones and joints become weaker.

Why does osteochondrosis occur?

Although traditional medicine considers degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine to be a disease, from the point of view of osteopathy, it is only a manifestation of deeper disorders in the body.

So, the real causes of cervical osteochondrosis are:

1. Muscle spasms. . . Spasmodic reactions of the muscles of the back, chest, press can lead to the fact that certain parts of the body are very tense. As a result, the general equilibrium position of the body is disturbed, which leads to a change in the position of the spine. Deformities can affect the cervical region or other parts of the spine, causing osteochondrosis of the thoracic, cervical and lumbar regions.
2. Bad posture. . . Scoliosis, stooping, rounded back, kyphosis and other postural disorders, even if minor, cause severe spinal imbalance. As a result, the load on the intervertebral discs is distributed unevenly, which provokes their deformation and increased wear. The vertebrae begin to converge, causing a violation of nervous processes, cervical osteochondrosis develops quite rapidly. Posture disorders caused by a change in the natural position of the ribs have similar consequences.
3. Violation of innervation. . . The reduction of the sensitivity of the nerve roots leads to pathological changes in their structure, as a result of which the displacement and deformation of the cervical vertebrae remain unnoticed by the patient. Ultimately, the pain is absent due to sensitivity disorders.
4. Diseases of the internal organs. . . Improper position of the internal organs, their displacement and lowering due to various dysfunctions leads to a violation of the overall balance in the body. As a result, this sharply affects the position of the spine - the cervical, lumbar vertebrae are displaced and deformed, which leads to the corresponding types of osteochondrosis.
5. Impaired blood supply. . . Because spinal discs are not directly connected to the circulatory system, they receive food from the surrounding tissues. Impairment of the blood supply to the cervical spine leads to the fact that the discs do not receive enough fluid for rehydration (recovery of form due to moisture absorption), renewal of cartilage tissue. As a result, their wear is accelerated, there is a reduction in the distance between the vertebrae of the cervical spine, which leads to osteochondrosis.

Stages

The attending physician should determine the degree of development of cervical osteochondrosis based on the history and examination of the patient. There are only four degrees:

1. First degree. . . The disease is in its infancy, the patient has a slight pain in the neck, which may be more intense if the person begins to turn his head.
2. Second specialty. . . The patient may complain of very severe pain in the cervical spine, which may be localized in the upper extremities. The clinical picture shows that at this stage of the disease there is pinching of the nerve bundles, which causes severe pain. Headache, weakness and general malaise are also noted.
3. Third degree. . . The pain becomes almost constant, and also radiates to the shoulder or arm. Some patients are diagnosed with a herniated disc, which leads to loss of sensitivity in the upper extremities. Examination by a doctor shows a noticeable decrease in the mobility of the cervical spine, as well as pain on palpation.
4. Fourth degree. . . At this stage of the disease, the intervertebral disc is almost completely destroyed. In its place connective tissue appears, which leads to deterioration of the patient's condition. He begins to feel more pain, noise in the head, as well as poor orientation in space. This suggests that the artery is constricted, which interferes with the natural nutrition of the brain.

First signs

How does osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifest itself:

• radicular syndrome - against the background of compression of the nerve endings occurs pain that spreads from the neck to the shoulders, forearms, covers the front wall of the chest;
• muscle weakness in the arms, noticeable swelling of the neck;
• a characteristic crunch is heard when moving the head;
• weakness, chronic fatigue, drop in blood pressure;
• lack of coordination, often dizziness, attacks are accompanied by nausea, vomiting;
• impaired vision and hearing, noise, ringing in the ears;
• numbness of the limbs, tongue;
• frequent migraines;
• in women aged 45-65 years during sleep there is pain, tingling, numbness in the upper extremities, seizures may recur several times during the night.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Important symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are dizziness, headache, jumps in blood pressure.

The diagnosis of the disease is difficult, the pain sometimes does not appear and the symptoms disappear, in addition, the uncontrolled use of strong analgesics masks the signs of the disease. A patient who does not feel pain is considered healthy and this continues until the development of irreversible processes in the tissues of the joints of the neck.

Headache with cervical osteochondrosis

The most common causes of headaches in the pathology we describe:

1. Vascular spasms of the brain;
2. Pinched nerve roots;
3. Reflex increase in intracranial pressure.

It is felt that the pain can be paroxysmal, constant, throbbing and dull.

Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis

Dizziness can be the result of:

1. Inflammation in the middle or inner ear;
2. Vascular spasms of the brain;
3. Disorders in the transmission of nerve impulses;
4. Problems with the vestibular apparatus;
5. Diseases of the cardiovascular system.

There are no clear criteria for vertigo in osteochondrosis. However, there are systemic and non-systemic vertigo, they have obvious differences.

It is advisable to know the differences between systemic and non-systemic dizziness, this will help to determine for yourself the causes of the unusual condition:

1. Systemic dizziness is a sensation of circular movement of surrounding objects or the body, which is a consequence of disorders of the vestibular apparatus, visual analyzers and receptors in the joints, muscles and epidermis (osteochondrosis of various etiologies);
2. Unsystematic vertigo is a feeling of dizziness, a feeling of stupor, insecurity that you are upright. In the case of non-systemic dizziness, the sensation of circular rotation is absent and this is an important difference between the compared signs.

A person experiencing dizziness from one of these types should be examined by an experienced doctor, especially by a neurologist or (if ear and nasopharyngeal disease is suspected) by an otolaryngologist.

The reason for emergency hospitalization, which is not related to osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, is the identification of the patient (except for dizziness) of such signs as:

1. Paralysis of the facial muscles and tingling in part of the shoulder girdle;
2. Severe headache against the background of deteriorating health;
3. Disorders of coordination of movements;
4. Loss or disappearance of consciousness.

Blood pressure in cervical osteochondrosis

The connection between cervical osteochondrosis and blood pressure spikes has long been established. The cervical vertebrae have important nerve endings and blood vessels.

A distinctive feature of high blood pressure in cervical osteochondrosis is the combination with the following symptoms:

• Headache;
• Pain in the limbs and chest;
• Decreased sensitivity in the neck;
• The appearance of pressure surges after stress, muscle tension, prolonged awkward posture and other similar situations.

These signs should be taken into account in the self-differentiation of hypertension of various origins.

Sudden spikes in blood pressure and rapid deterioration in health are the basis for seeking emergency medical care.

Osteochondrosis syndromes

Osteochondrosis consists of the following syndromes:

1. Vertebrate. . . It is also called vertebrate, which shows that bone and cartilage are involved in the pathological process. This leads to the formation of such symptoms: limitation of motor activity of the neck, pain when turning, radiological changes in the image of the cervical spine. It is the simultaneous appearance of these signs that is the vertebral syndrome. A similar set of clinical signs is observed in myositis (pathology of muscle tissue), and painful movements are a companion to many other pathologies.
2. Heart syndrome. . . Manifested by a burning sensation in the chest, shortness of breath. The person feels his heart beating faster, becomes tired and irritable. This picture is also typical for cardiac pathology, such as angina pectoris, coronary syndrome, heart attack. An accurate conclusion about the causes of such symptoms can be made after the patient undergoes an ECG.
3. Radicular syndrome. . . The cervical region innervates 8 pairs of nerves, each of which has roots - the place where the nerve exits the vertebra. When involved in osteochondrosis, the patient experiences a decrease in sensitivity or, conversely, severe pain. There may be numbness in the back of the head, whether painful, decreased sensitivity of the tongue, behind the ear, pain in the supraclavicular area. Sometimes there are disorders of swallowing, movements in the girdle of the upper limb, numbness of the fingers.

Diagnosis

If there are clear signs of cervical osteochondrosis on the face, then the doctor prescribes certain methods to make sure that the diagnosis is correct:

1. X-ray of the cervical spine. This method is recommended in the early stages of the disease, but may be useless in advanced forms.
2. CT (computed tomography). It allows you to see structural changes in the vertebrae, but with the help of this method it is impossible to determine the size of the hernia between the vertebrae.
3. NMR. It is considered the most effective diagnostic method in determining cervical osteochondrosis. It is possible to determine the size of the hernia between the discs, as well as the degree of their development.
4. Your doctor may also order a duplex scan to determine if your arteries are working properly.

Complications of the disease

What is the risk of cervical osteochondrosis:

• frequent migraine attacks;
• arrhythmia, atherosclerosis;
• protrusion, intervertebral hernia, bony outgrowths of the vertebrae;
• serious pathologies of the brain;
• narrowing of the lumen of the vertebral artery, which leads to the development of VSD, cerebral hypertension, disability;
• spinal stroke.

First aid at home in exacerbation of osteochondrosis

In severe pain, painkillers may be used. If analgesics do not relieve, NSAIDs may be taken.

"Distracting" agents are often used, such as Pepper Plaster, which does not heal, but only warms the inflamed area and distracts from the pain. In case of swelling in the area of inflammation, the patient can drink an infusion of herbs or diuretics for 3-4 days. Can osteochondrosis be cured by such methods? These measures are only temporary, to treat the causes, you need to see a doctor.

How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?

In the initial stage of development, osteochondrosis can be cured without medication, it is enough to reconsider the diet, daily routine and regularly perform a set of special exercises. In advanced forms of the disease, effective treatment is possible only with the use of various drugs that help stop degenerative changes in the vertebrae.

The complex of therapeutic measures should include physiotherapy - electrophoresis with drugs, ultrasound, magnetic therapy, laser therapy. These methods help to deal with pain, inflammation, swelling of tissues, improve metabolic processes and blood circulation.

Medication treatment

The main methods of treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are drug treatment, physiotherapy, massage of the cervical neck, therapeutic exercises for cervical osteochondrosis are particularly effective. The main groups of drugs used for this disease include:

> zxtable border = "1" cellpadding = "0" >name Operating principle Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They reduce pain, help relieve aseptic inflammation and swelling of the damaged nerve root. Drugs that improve the rheological properties of blood and blood flow. Improves the nutrition of damaged nerve roots and improves blood flow to the brain. B vitamins. Improves metabolic processes in nervous tissue. Muscle relaxants. These are drugs that relieve muscle spasms. Chondroprotectors. These are glucosamine and chondroitin. These are drugs that repair cartilage tissue, including in the damaged intervertebral disc.

When taking pills for osteochondrosis, it should be remembered that a significant effect of drug treatment with pills will be only if you combine it with other methods, including exercise. It should also be noted that the attending physician should prescribe how to treat the disease based on its stage and other signs.

Many doctors consider the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with injections to be effective, as it allows faster action on nerve endings and causes minimal side effects. At the same time, vitamins are best taken in pill form, as there is no difference in assimilation, but injections can be painful.

Injections used for treatment:

• intramuscular injections cause a general strengthening and anti-inflammatory effect;
• blockades are injected directly into the affected area, resulting in a rapid effect.

Ointments and gels for external use

This is the most affordable group of home remedies. They are divided into relieving inflammation, warming and analgesic.

In cervical osteochondrosis, not all ointments are effective, moreover, due to their availability, they are sometimes used unwisely and without taking into account the peculiarities of the pathogenesis. You must be examined by a doctor before using any medicine.

Exercise therapy

Physiotherapy for cervical osteochondrosis should be performed without acute exacerbation. The greatest effectiveness of this technique is during the recovery period. There should be no discomfort or pain during the implementation of the complex!

> zxtable border = "1" cellpadding = "0" >Exercise number 1 Lie on your stomach, place your hands on the floor, lift your head and torso, your back should be straight. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes. Slowly lower yourself to the floor. Repeat 2-3 times. Exercise number 2 Lying on your stomach, stretch your arms along your body, turn your head to the left, try to touch the floor with your ear, then turn your head to the right. Repeat 6-7 times in each direction. Exercise number 3 In a sitting position, while inhaling, lean forward and try to touch your chest with your head, then exhale, lean back and tilt your head back. Repeat 10-15 times. Exercise number 4 While sitting, place your palms on your forehead, press your forehead and forehead over your palms. Continue this exercise for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times. Exercise number 5 Slowly turn your head first in one direction, then in the other. 10 turns in each direction. Watch out for dizziness. When it appears, the exercise stops.

Massage for cervical osteochondrosis

The massage should be performed carefully, without effort. Inexperienced, unprofessional massage can end in failure. The movements should extend to the cervical region, the collar area and part of the back. The massage is performed in a supine position, in extreme cases in a sitting position.

The techniques are based on the following techniques:

1. Stroking. Effects on the surface layers of the skin. With the palms of the hands or the tips of the fingers from the head down to the upper third of the middle of the back. Stroking from the base of the neck can also be a zigzag;
2. Squeezing. Effect on the deep layers of the skin in the upper third of the back. The fingers (thumb and forefinger) through the neck perform movements to grasp the skin, reminiscent of squeezing. This is done carefully, tissues near the vertebrae are not involved;
3. Trituration. The purpose of the procedure is to warm the skin and increase blood flow to the neck. This is done with extreme caution. No effect on the spinous processes of the vertebrae is allowed. Rubbing can be replaced by cutting-like movements or circular strokes;
4. Kneading. It is of limited importance as it affects very deep tissues, which can worsen the pathology.

Self-massage for cervical osteochondrosis is performed while sitting in a comfortable position. Methods of stroking, circular rubbing in the neck or shoulders are used. It is advisable to combine the method of self-massage with rubbing various ointments that increase blood flow and relieve pain in the kneaded area.

Physiotherapy

Along with taking medication, the patient must undergo physiotherapy procedures. They increase the effectiveness of drugs and promote the recovery of joints and intervertebral discs.

1. Electrophoresis - the ions of the anesthetic penetrate the affected area due to the action of electric current.
2. Laser therapy - has anti-inflammatory properties, ensures improved blood circulation by exposure to light.
3. Magnetotherapy - relieves tissue swelling, has an analgesic effect.
4. Ultrasound - there is an improvement in metabolic processes, pain relief, relief of inflammation of the affected areas.

Several procedures are used in the form of physiotherapy. The doctor prescribes treatment based on the indications and the absence of contraindications.

Folk remedies

Alternative treatments should be used in addition to drug therapy and physical education, non-traditional methods will not help to completely get rid of the disease.

What to do with cervical osteochondrosis at home:

1. Pour boiling water on a fresh horseradish leaf, cool slightly, attach the inside to the neck, fix with a thin natural towel. The procedure is done before bedtime, leave the compress overnight.
2. Grate raw potatoes on a fine grater, mix in equal proportions with warm liquid honey. Use the mixture for compresses, the procedure should be performed 1-2 times a week.
3. Mix raw egg with 100 ml of sunflower oil, 20 ml of vinegar and 20 g of flour, remove the mixture in a dark place for 48 hours, remove the film from the surface. Apply lubricants to the inflamed area before going to bed in the refrigerator.
4. In May, collect pine buds up to 2 cm long, cut into thin slices, fold in a dark glass container. For 1 part of the raw material take 2 parts of sugar, remove the drug in a dark place for 2 weeks. Drink 5 ml of the mixture three times a day, do not swallow immediately, keep in your mouth for 2-3 minutes. Course duration - 15-20 days, repeat 2-3 times a year.
5. Grind 150 g of peeled garlic and 400 g of cranberries, place the mixture in a glass jar, add 800 ml of honey after 24 hours, stir. Take 5 ml of the drug three times daily before meals.

Cope with severe pain, remove excess salts with cabbage leaf smeared with honey, fix the compress on the neck with a warm scarf, leave it overnight.

Applicator

The use of applicators is one of the methods of treating diseases of the spine, including osteochondrosis.

The effect of the device on the cervical spine normalizes metabolic processes, relieves pain, increases muscle tone, improves blood circulation, increases the conductivity of nerve tissue and more.

Manual therapy

Manual therapy is based on the principle of restoring motor functions and mobility between the vertebrae.

Initially, the manipulations consist of a light relaxing massage, then the doctor applies more and more force, acting on the vertebrae by pressing and turning the neck.

Surgery

The spine is the basis of the whole human body. When diagnosing any pathology related to the spine, specialists strive to eliminate it therapeutically. Any spinal surgery is life-threatening.

In cervical osteochondrosis, surgery is allowed for the following indications:

• intervertebral hernia, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis;
• lack of results from therapy with exposure for more than six months;
• the formation of osteophytes.

Modern medicine offers many ways to perform surgery with minimal risks to the health and life of the patient.

Prevention

Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease that develops primarily with an improper lifestyle. Accordingly, disease prevention is a healthy lifestyle.

It is possible to reduce the risk of developing SHO if:

• exclusion of provoking factors;
• exercise regularly;
• do not resort to strenuous physical activity;
• get rid of bad habits;
• try to be as nervous as possible;
• eat right.

Adherence to preventive measures will help speed up the healing process and eliminate the likelihood of recurrence. The elderly and those with a hereditary predisposition are advised to adhere to prevention at all times. Adherence to the diet, performing simple exercises will definitely bring a positive result. It is also useful to do yoga and swimming.