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. The pathology is a progressive degenerative process involving 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, because 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 of the brain's supply of oxygen and nutrients.
Signs of disease
The 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 on the neck are located close to each other, and the intervertebral discs are of small height. This anatomical feature contributes to the fact that in osteochondrosis, nerve endings, spinal cord and blood vessels are more often compressed.
General symptoms:
- pain syndrome;
- weakness and decreased sensitivity in the upper limbs;
- door mobility restriction;
- impaired coordination of movements;
- frequent dizziness;
- general weakness;
- deterioration of the functioning of the organs of perception (hearing, sight, touch, taste).
The pain is often localized in the neck, radiating to the nape of the neck, shoulders, arms. The upper limbs hurt if the damaged spine tightens the nerve root responsible for their innervation. Neck pain is caused by spastic contractions of the neck muscles attached to the occipital bones and impaired blood circulation in this area.
Weakness of the hands is observed in patients if the nerve root is involved in the pathological process, which ensures the innervation of the muscular structures of the upper extremities.
Limited mobility and characteristic contraction when turning or tilting the neck occur if bone growths appear on the cervical vertebrae, the height of the intervertebral discs decreases, and the joints located between the vertebrae are affected.
The vertebrae in the neck have transverse processes that form the canal through which the artery that feeds the brain passes. 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 supply to the cerebellum and the posterior parts of the brain. As a result, the person has frequent dizziness, impaired coordination of movements, and general weakness. In advanced cases, if the artery is involved in a pathological process or is severely constricted, then the supply to the cerebellum, occipital region, and brainstem deteriorates significantly. In that case, the functionality of the organs of hearing and vision decreases, and numbness of the tongue and fingers is noticed.
The symptoms of the disease also depend on which of the eight vertebrae is affected by the degenerative or inflammatory process. Sensitivity and movement disorders are caused by damage to the spinal root that is affected by certain vertebrae. Depending on this, the following manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are observed:
- first vertebra - neck and occipital part of the head numb, their sensitivity decreases;
- second - there is pain in the scalp and nape;
- third - pain is felt and sensitivity is reduced in the part of the neck where the compressed spinal root is located, the intensity of the sense of taste is reduced, speech disorders are present;
- fourth - painful feelings radiate to the shoulder, shoulder blade, the patient is worried about heart pain, breathing disorders, neck muscle tone decreases;
- fifth - neck pain was noted on 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 inflicted on 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, forearms and little fingers.
There are four degrees of cervical osteochondrosis, depending on the extent of the lesion. These are not the stages of the disease, but the severity of the symptoms, due to the frequency of the pathological process, which affects the vertebrae.
- In the first stage, clinical symptoms are absent or minimal. Patients complain of mild pain, intensified by head movements. Treatment started at this stage of the disease will be effective. However, people often ignore the alarming symptoms or do not feel them, so they do not go to the doctor.
- Worsening of the pathological process increases the symptoms. In the second phase, the pain becomes more pronounced, it is given to the upper extremities, the 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 tightens. This becomes the cause of increasing pain. The second degree of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by headaches, worsening of health and reduced performance.
- The third degree of cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by the formation of a hernia of the affected intervertebral disc. The mobility of the neck is limited, on palpation the patient feels severe pain. With such spreading 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 of the hands.
- The fourth degree of cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed when the intervertebral disc is completely destroyed by a degenerative process. It is replaced by fibrous tissue, which leads to a significant limitation of mobility. The spinal cord and blood vessels in the neck are affected. Such changes are characterized by a significant deterioration in the supply to the cerebellum and the occipital portion of the brain. Oxygen starvation leads to impaired coordination of movements, impaired hearing, vision, numbness of the tongue and speech disorders.
Treatment Methods
Timely visit to the doctor when the first alarming symptoms appear, discomfort in the neck, reactions of the nervous system will prevent the progression of degenerative changes. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis consists of a series of therapeutic measures. Among them:
- taking medication;
- massage;
- physiotherapy exercises;
- physiotherapy procedures.
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, and then the patient is hospitalized.
Drug Therapy
The following groups of drugs are used to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- anti-inflammatory NSAIDs;
- chondroprotectors;
- muscle relaxants;
- drugs that improve the rheological parameters of the blood;
- B vitamins
Doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the intensity of pain, reduce inflammation and swelling of the nerve root. Chondroprotectors repair damaged cartilage tissue on the intervertebral disc. Muscle relaxants relax the neck muscles, relieve cramps. Drugs to improve blood flow help restore the brain's damaged blood supply. B vitamins activate metabolism in nervous tissues. In addition to intense pain, the doctor may prescribe analgesic medications. If the patient has a severe pain syndrome, analgesics are administered parenterally, after the pain subsides, they switch to tablets.
In addition to pharmaceutical drugs, the patient can use traditional methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis. Before using them, you should consult a doctor to avoid conflicts between drugs and non-traditional means. Decoctions and infusions of dill seeds, pine cones, lilac flowers help stop the inflammatory process and relieve pain.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is an effective way to fight osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is necessary to treat this disease using such techniques, which results in the following results:
- pain intensity decreases;
- activates the regeneration of affected bone, cartilage and muscle tissues;
- relieves cramps and muscle tension;
- the inflammatory process is stopped;
- improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the affected area and brain.
The following types of procedures are considered the most effective in treating osteochondrosis:
- drug electrophoresis (an electric current is applied to the affected area, which in addition to activating blood flow and tissue regeneration, improves the delivery of the active substance of the drug to tissues affected by the degenerative process);
- ultrasound therapy (metabolic processes in the diseased area are activated, pain is reduced, inflammation is stopped);
- magnetotherapy (relieves swelling from 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).
Also, a doctor can advise acupuncture, balneological procedures.
Physiotherapy exercises
Exercises are prescribed in the period when the acute manifestations of the disease stop. There should be no discomfort or pain during gymnastics.
The complex should be performed after achieving stable remission to prevent recurrence.
- Take a lying position, lift your head and body, leaning on your arms. The back is straight, breathing deeply and evenly. Hold the position for a minute or two, then slowly return to the starting position. The number of repetitions is 3.
- Position - lying on your stomach, arms close to your body. Slowly turn your head, trying to touch your ear to the floor. 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 for strengthening the neck muscles is pressing the forehead on the hands. To achieve the effect, you need to press your palms on your forehead and forehead on your palm for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.
- Turn your head in a circle. The exercise should be done slowly, smoothly. In each direction - 10 turns. The appearance of dizziness when performing movements is unacceptable. If this happens, you should stop immediately.
All exercises must be performed smoothly, without sudden movements, in case of deterioration of health, nausea, dizziness, stop immediately.
Massage
The course is prescribed by a doctor in the absence of acute pain, it can be conducted only by a specialist with medical education. Contact with non-professionals is not recommended for such diseases.
Healing effects of neck massage:
- improves blood and lymph flow in the affected area;
- muscles relax, cramps relieve;
- the intensity of painful sensations decreases.
Specialists use a whole arsenal of massage movements: stroking, rubbing, kneading, squeezing and vibrating.
Surgery
Surgery is indicated if conservative therapy does not bring results within six months, the patient suffers from severe pain, signs of nerve fiber damage and myelopathy are noticed. If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine passes with complications, there is a threat of stroke, there is a strong compression of the spinal cord, then surgery is needed.
According to the indications, the following types of surgical interventions are used:
- endoscopic discectomy - removal of part or all of the intervertebral disc;
- laminotomy - excision of bone ligaments and overgrown bone particles (often in combination with laminoplasty - placement of artificial plates to expand the spinal canal);
- laser evaporation of the disc nucleus - cleavage of the intervertebral disc nucleus by laser beam simultaneously with the destruction of its destroyed fragments;
- cold plasma nucleoplasty - instead of an endoscope, a long and thin hollow needle is used which is inserted into the intervertebral disc through which the electrode is delivered to the site of the lesion which has the effect of cold plasma.
The neck is a complex organ that contains 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 often accompanies the development of complications. Among them:
- inflammatory process in tissues or membranes of the spinal cord; osteomyelitis;
- scars resulting in narrowing of the arterial and spinal canal.
Cervical spine surgery is difficult and requires a long period of rehabilitation. The patient's recovery after surgery takes six months or more.
Prevention
To prevent the development of cervical osteochondrosis it is necessary:
- monitor the position of the spine and neck;
- lead an active lifestyle, move more;
- during the performance of physical exercises you must be careful, pay attention to the correct performance, because 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;
- for properly equipping a workplace where a person spends a lot of time;
- engage in physical education on a regular basis;
- monitor your diet, ensure the supply of all the beneficial minerals needed for strong bones, especially magnesium and calcium;
- is constantly undergoing dispensary examinations for the timely detection of osteochondrosis.
Prevention will help prevent degenerative changes in the cervical spine, protect against painful sensations, dizziness, numbness of the limbs and other unpleasant symptoms.