A characteristic sedentary lifestyle of office workers and those who like to relax in front of the TV or behind the monitor screen often cause osteochondrosis. In the article we will consider what is the osteochondrosis of the cervical column, the main causes of this disease, its symptoms and stages, treatment methods and answer other questions that occur in patients with osteochondrosis.
The osteocondrou process affects any of the column or several at the same time. Lumbar and cervical vertebrae are more affected by pathologies, such as the most susceptible to loads due to the anatomy of the human skeleton. The consequences of spinal osteochondrosis in the cervical region cause the most annoying and potential complications, because the neck is an area rich on neuromusive roads, many of which feed directly to the brain. In addition, nerve roots, which provide sensitivity and motor activity of the hands and shoulder waist, when squeezing with destroyed vertebrates, can give a variety of symptomatic images.
The signs of neck osteochondrosis depend on which of the body systems are affected by the pathology:
- The interrupted blood circulation due to the pressure of the vertebral arteries determines most of the complexes of brain symptoms.
- The compression of the roots left by vertebrates gives an image of peripheral nerve injury.
- The pinch of the spinal cord areas is associated with severe neurological pathologies found in advanced cases.
Next, consider the general clinic of osteochondrosis of the cervical column. Pain on the back of the head, neck and area. This is the most common symptom. The location of pain can be expanded, affecting the shoulders, the clavicle region, the chest, becoming intense migraines of the head. The nature of pain depends on the location of the injury and the severity of the pathology. At first, pain can be quickly transitory, more and more chronic, sore. In moments of exacerbations, pain turned, with an increased tone of the neck muscles and a limited movement of the head. Often, pain with cervical osteochondrosis can be located behind the sternum, in which case many patients take this symptom of angina pectoralis.
Noise, buzzing, feeling of congestion in the ears
These symptoms often bind to a decrease in hearing. These phenomena are associated with a decrease in blood flow from the vertebral arteries to the vestibular device. The complex of these symptoms is called cochlear or snail syndrome, and it is far from possible to determine its connection with osteochondrosis in the cervical region. A specific characteristic for differentiation is that they feel noise, congestion and sound in their ears when changing the position, after a long stay in a position.
Dizziness
The dizziness is also due to a violation of the blood flow to the organs of the inner ear, which guarantees the balance of the body. Nystagm often binds to dizziness: arbitrary fluctuations in the students of the eyes on the sides.
Shortness of breath
This sensation appears due to the irritation of the ends of the diaphragmatic nerve. It is a component of the cervical nerve beam and is involved in the regulation of breathing, its depth and frequency. Patients complain about the inability to breathe in the complete chest. In some cases, the symptom is aggravated to a severe lack of breathing and suffocation. For the same reason, breathing stops at night and snoring. The disadvantage of oxygen due to respiratory problems is ultimately the cause of fatigue, a decrease in concentration and memory problems.
Nausea
It is accompanied by Air Belling. Also due to problems with blood circulation in some areas of the brain and inner ear. Nausea is sometimes observed with indomitable vomiting caused by head and body movements. The consequence of frequent nausea and vomiting is a decrease in appetite, weight loss, food failure.
Vision problems
"Full" in the eyes, a decrease in visual acuity, fog in front of the eyes: these are all symptoms due to the ischemia of the brain area that is responsible for the vision. Patients with osteochondrosis complain less frequently of the vision, since the lack of blood supply of the vertebral vessels is compensated by the blood flow of the carbon arteries system. The therapeutic glasses and gymnastics for the eye muscles do not solve the problem, in general, the vision improves after the treatment of osteochondrosis.
Green symptoms
It can often be the only sign that indicates cervical osteochondrosis. They are expressed as perspiration, dryness and sensation of a lump in the throat, difficulties with swallowing. The symptoms are associated with the compression of the nervous plexus responsible for the innervation of the pharynx. It is necessary to differentiate such manifestations from a similar clinic for inflammation or neoplasms.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis
The described state of the column is a very serious pathology that, negligence, leads to disability and as a result of deep disorders of brain circulation and death. For this reason, by self -medication, if such symptoms appear, I should not do it. Osteochondrosis is treated in a hospital and at home, exclusively as prescribed by a doctor. In the initial stages, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is conservative, which includes drug recipes: non -steroidal, anesthetical anti -inflammatory drugs, hormonal drugs, vitamin complexcartilage
In the acute period, medications are prescribed in the form of injections, since the pain decreases, the patient goes to the tablets. Physiotherapy, massage, exercise exercises, usually prescribed in the remission stage, bind to drug courses. In difficult cases, osteochondrosis is treated with surgery.
The cervical column diagram
The osteochondrosis of the cervical column (osteohondroz) is a degenerative-devophistic lesion of the intervertebral discs, which damage the wheels, the vertebrae and the joints of the cervical region, there is a decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs. The disease progresses if it is not, and can cause headaches, circulatory disorders and even hernias. Like osteoporosis, the disease occurs due to a violation of mineral metabolism, as a result of which bones and joints become less durable. Osteochondrosis can cause instability of the cervical column (symptoms and treatment are similar to condrosis, but have a series of characteristics), which is often accompanied by a displacement of vertebrae. In turn, this accelerates the development of osteochondrosis, destroying vertebrate.
The main causes that can cause osteochondrosis:
- incorrect nutrition and excess weight;
- Posture violations, scoliosis, rheumatism, flat feet;
- Sedentary lifestyle: sedentary work (drivers, office workers), lack of physical effort, etc. ;
- neck injuries, column injuries;
- Too much physical activity, unusual for the body;
- nerve tension, frequent tensions;
- hereditary predisposition to the development of the disease;
- Incorrect development of the cervical column.
Most of the above reasons cause a burden on cervical vertebrae, as a result of which muscle spasm occurs. Due to this, the blood circulation process is altered, the effectiveness of metabolic processes is reduced, which causes degenerative changes. The structure of the intervertebral discs changes, they lose weight and deform, speaking beyond the spine. Often, the cause of osteochondrosis is a progressive disc, extended to adjacent vertebrae or bone tissue. It occurs more frequently with a prolonged physical effort in lumbar and cervicals, almost never touching the chest. In development, osteochondrosis goes through several stages characterized by certain signs and symptoms. We will consider these stages below.
First grade osteochondrosis of the cervical region (preclinical stage)
In general, in the initial stage of disease development, only a slight softened of the neck lordosis is observed, patients experience the pain that intensifies with the turns and the inclination of the head, the tension and the rapid fatigue of the muscles on the back and the lower part of the back. At this stage, osteochondrosis is cured without medications, it is sufficient to change nutrition, perform exercises and other events.
Osteochondrosis 2 degrees
In the second stage between the vertebrae, instability is observed, the patient begins to disturb a more intense pain, which periodically gives to his hands or shoulders, the pain also intensifies with turns and inclination of the head. Patients begin to notice rapid fatigue, absent mentality, reduction in performance level and headaches.
Osteochondrosis 3 degrees
At this stage, the pain begins to intensify, it constantly occurs not only in the neck, but also on the shoulders, it gives it to your hands. The muscles of the hand become weaker, numbness is observed, since they begin to form hernias of intervertebral discs. In this case, the diagnosis reveals the small mobility of the cervical region. Patients are concerned about dizziness and weakness.
Osteochondrosis 4 degrees
In the final stage, intervertebral discs are destroyed, which are replaced by connective tissue. The pathological process affects several segments of the crest at the same time, which can be in different stages of destruction. In patients, there is a violation of coordination, dizziness and pain are improved, there is noise in the ears and other disorders. Even the initial stage of the disease can be identified according to the following signs:
- Headaches for osteochondrosis of the cervical region
- neck pain, neck, shoulders or arms;
- Hand weakness;
- Crunch and pain during head movements;
- General weakness, fatigue, deteriorated coordination, dizziness;
- Reduction of the acuity of vision and hearing, numbness of language.
One of the most common signs is the dizziness for the osteochondrosis of the cervical column. At the same time, dizziness symptoms can be accompanied by noise and sound in their ears (reduced auditory acuity), sensations of disorientation, migraines, as well as nausea and vomiting. In addition, he is the doctor who determines how to treat these symptoms that one should not try to get rid of dizziness with popular methods. Another unpleasant consequence is frequent headaches, especially in women. Migraine can occur several times a day, causing unpleasant and painful sensations. The signs of the disease of the cervical region are manifested slightly different from the osteochondrosis of another spine in relation to that the vertebrae in the neck are close to each other, the height of the intervertebral discs is small, which leads to complications even with minor degenerative changes.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis that occur in the brain
With the development of osteochondrosis, the flow of blood to the brain trunk through the arteries, which are compressed by the outstanding edges of the vertebrae, decreases. As a result, there is a violation of the blood circulation of the brain. In patients, neurotic disorders are observed: irritability, anxiety, frequent change of mood, resentment, insomnia, the ability to focus. In some cases, outbreaks of anger, fear, yearning may occur. Vascular spasms can cause fainting, headache, noise in the ears, the appearance of points in front of the eyes. In this case, the following symptoms of exacerbation appear: dizziness, a feeling of instability, nausea, in some cases vomiting.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical column
For the treatment of a disease such as osteochondrosis, several methods are used: medications, physiotherapy, massage of the crow-brother area for blood supply to the brain and therapeutic gymnastics, and the maintenance of adequate nutrition. Although women are more susceptible to headaches and numbness of the limbs in this disease, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is no different from their treatment in men: the same medications and exercises are prescribed.
Diagnostic methods
An experienced doctor easily diagnoses cervical osteochondrosis, since the disease has a characteristic clinical image. To determine the stage, negligence and prevalence of the pathological process, several additional exams to the patient are prescribed:
- Radiography: A change in mobility and disposition of vertebrae, a decrease in intervertebral cracks, saline deposits are determined;
- Computerized tomography: allows you to see spaces, changes in the height of the disc, the instability of the vertebrae, the compression of the nerve fibers and the spinal cord;
- Magnetic resonance allows you to see the pathological changes precisely, determine the blood flow and the condition of nerve roots.
In general, only the radiography of the cervical column is sufficient, the most expensive methods are used in confusing and unclear cases.
Medical Physical Education
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis can do strictly during remission, movements in the acute phase can lead to deterioration in the patient's condition. All physiotherapy exercises are reduced to the curves and inclinations of the head. It is important to perform actions slowly, without sudden movements. In case of pain, stop the lesson and look for advice on a specialist.
If a person tends to develop pathology, he needs to periodically visit a specialist and undergo investigation. This will help identify the disease at an early stage and start treatment on time. For example, cervical osteochondrosis, whose symptoms are described in the article, affect the cervical vertebrae and begin to literally destroy them. What will come from him is easy to guess.