Osteochondrosis is a serious disease of the back that interferes with the mobility of the vertebrae, changes their location and results in pinching of nerve roots. There are types of diseases, among which cervical osteochondrosis is considered severe. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are bright, the diagnosis of the disease is not difficult.
Cervical osteochondrosis involves the destruction of the intervertebral space in the cervical spine. The location of the vertebrae changes, pinching occurs. The disease is fraught with consequences, it is worth knowing its symptoms. Every 4 people suffering from back disease have cervical osteochondrosis. The age of the patients decreases.
Symptoms
The main annoying symptom of osteochondrosis is pain. It comes at any time, it does not disappear for several days, weeks. The severity and duration of the pain syndrome depends on the stage of the disease. In cervical osteochondrosis, the neck hurts at the site of displacement of the site of inflammation. The disease affects several vertebrae, the pain spreads throughout the neck.
Cervical osteochondrosis differs from the varieties, suggesting severe symptoms. It's a headache, dizziness. Osteochondrosis causes pinching of nerve roots, irritation of nerve fibers located around. The nucleus of the intervertebral disc is inflamed, as well as the surrounding tissues.
There are many arteries and vessels in the neck that suffer from osteochondrosis. Inflamed nerves cause spasm in blood vessels, which adversely affects patency. In the vessels, the lumen of the blood decreases as they narrow, a smaller volume of blood passes through them. The head and brain suffer from oxygen starvation. Hence the headache, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting.
Headache, migraine in tandem with neck pain causes a state of despair, depression. To eliminate the symptoms, doctors do their best to return the patient to his normal life, rhythm. The patient is subject to relief of symptoms, it is worth to get acquainted with the methods, methods.
Conservative treatment
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis require urgent medical attention. A neurologist treats diseases of the back. If symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis appear, a cardiologist will be needed. The treatment of the disease is complex, multifaceted. Don't expect the disease to go away in a week or two. Improvement should be noted after 2-3 weeks, cure - in 3-4 months, if the disease is in the first stage. If a person consults a doctor later, it will not be possible to fully recover from osteochondrosis.
Much depends on the professionalism and experience of the doctor. It is worth compiling a set of treatments that affect various aspects of the disease. The leading role is played by drug treatment. Medicine is confidently advancing in the development of drugs for osteochondrosis, drugs actively affect the focus of inflammation. The main thing is to choose the right medicine.
Conservative treatment includes taking drugs belonging to the groups:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The drugs are aimed at eliminating the source of inflammation, act gradually, slowly. For the treatment of the patient 2-3 courses of NSAIDs are prescribed, with a break of two weeks. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have side effects that occur when the course of treatment is delayed for more than 10 days. The gastrointestinal tract suffers.
- Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis (neck pain, migraine) require the use of analgesics, serious painkillers. They stop the pain for a while. In order not to worry about the pain for a long time, accompanying methods are used: self-massage, physiotherapy exercises, manual therapy.
- Vasodilators are important in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. Used to relieve vasospasm. Careful, individual selection is recommended. They have many contraindications. Self-selection, medications are not recommended. Illiteracy will make the disease worse.
- Chondroprotectors are aimed at the regeneration of damaged connective tissues. Osteochondrosis thins the intervertebral space, destroys cartilage, connective tissue. Drug-free regeneration is slow because microcirculation is impaired and metabolic products do not leave cells. Chondroprotectors improve microcirculation, remove metabolic products, stimulate metabolic processes in the cells of the affected tissue. Cell regeneration is faster.
Drug groups are considered the main ones in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck, but drugs alone cannot be canceled.
Therapeutic methods
When prescribing treatment, the doctor relies on important factors. It is worth to find out if the patient has an allergy, to choose therapy, drugs. The presence of chronic diseases is established. The treatment regimen, its duration, guidelines depend on the collected anamnesis. The anamnesis shows the severity of the disease.
Therapy is not limited to medication. The treatment is supplemented by the following methods:
- Physiotherapy. Includes methods: magnetic therapy, electrophoresis, hydrotherapy, mud therapy, phototherapy. Electrophoresis and magnetic therapy are used in the treatment of diseases of the back, musculoskeletal system.
- Massage. It is advisable to trust a qualified masseur. The massage of the collar area stimulates blood flow, improves the mobility of the vertebrae and temporarily relieves pain.
- Physiotherapy. A specialist in training therapy will compile, coordinate a course of exercises that have a beneficial effect on the body, will be an additional method of restoring the body.
- Traditional methods. In folk medicine there are many effective recipes for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck. It is worth to approach competently the treatment with herbs, natural ingredients, as plants cause allergic reactions, side effects. Treatment is recommended to be agreed with a doctor. This will save you from unwanted consequences and complications.
The treatment of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis is made by a doctor. Self-medication should be ruled out, a serious illness requires a professional approach. With the wrong drugs, the positive dynamics are minimized.