Nek Osteochondrosis - Symptoms and Treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (shopping) is one of the most common pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.Every year doctors diagnose this disease more often, and this is more and heavier.According to the statistics, degenerative dystrophic changes in the upper spine are more common in women, especially for patients in the period after fertilization.The most important symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are pain, limitation of mobility, cerebrovascular failure and this is not only dangerous for health, but also for life.To protect yourself against the dangerous consequences of pathology, you must start treatment in early stages.It is important to perform extensive therapy, change the lifestyle to stop the destruction of vertebrates and to prevent serious complications.

The development of the disease

The cervical spine is the most vulnerable to different injuries and degenerative changes.This is due to the fact that this segment is the most mobile and the muscles here are weak.Small cervical vertebrae can withstand strong loads on a daily basis, which leads to the gradual destruction of the intervertebral discs.The vertebrae press each other, so that the cartilage -like gaskets in between lose many liquids, start to break down and deform.

In addition, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is created as a result of insufficient food of cartilage.And the spine in this area is narrow, so it is often cut out, which causes neurological symptoms.

The pathology in women in the early stages is manifested by the weight in the back of the head, tingling in their hands and so on.Patients often confuse the first signs of the disease with overtime.

A large number of blood vessels and nerve roots are located in the neck area and neurological disorders can also occur with their compression.It is especially dangerous if the distorted disc or vertebrae compress the vertebral artery that feeds important parts of the brain.During the compression, the coordination of movements is violated, a woman can lose balance, her vision, hearing hearing deterioration and the risk of strurer increases.

Reference.According to statistics, cervical osteochondrosis is usually found in patients aged 25-40.This is due to a massive decrease in physical activity, sitting work.In women, a disease is found more often than in men, because they have more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.

Doctors distinguish 4 stages of Osteochondrose store:

• Phase 1 - The intervertebral disc loses part of the moisture, the height decreases, cracks can appear on the fibrous ring (outer scale).This is the stage of cervical chondrosis, which is difficult to detect because it has unspoken symptoms.The neck quickly gets tired, discomfort, severity in the damaged area occurs, sometimes a slight pain appears that passes quickly.
• 2 phases - cracks on the surface of the disc rise, the pulpoose core (gel -like content of the disc) is shifted and can protrude by damaged areas.So the protrusions of cartilage are manifested that can compress the spinal cord and its roots.Periodic, pronounced pain, weakness, limitation of mobility appears, numbness of the face, neck, shoulders, hands can occur.
• Phase 3 - Excess protrusion breaks down the outer scale of the disc, so a hernia is formed.The pain is more pronounced, there are neurological disorders.
• Phase 4 - The disk is almost completely destroyed, rubbing the vertebrae against each other, bone growing (osteophytes) appear on their parts that are designed to stabilize the damaged segment.Nerve endings, spinal cord, blood vessels are violated.The neighboring joints are starting to be damaged.Clinical signs are pronounced.

It is easiest to put degenerative dystrophic changes in the first two stages of Chop Osteochondrosis.In 3 phases, extensive treatment will help to stop the further destruction of the spinal segment.In the final phase you cannot do it without surgery.

Reasons

Schop Osteochondrosis is a complex and long -term process that usually has several reasons.In most cases, pathology takes place as a result of a sitting lifestyle, malnutrition and metabolic disorders.The disease often occurs as a result of injuries or due to the natural aging of the body and the weakening of its protective forces.

Doctors distinguish the main causes of osteochondrosis in women:

• Violation of metabolic processes.
• Passive lifestyle.
• Genetic predisposition.
• Chronic muscle tension around the cervical segment.
• Build with posture.
• Shortage of liquid and nutrients in the body.
• Long -term stay in an uncomfortable position (neck extended forward and a curved back).
• Excessive weight.
• Wear frequently on heels.
• Buy injuries.
• Stand up heavy objects.
• Auto -immuun pathologies.
• Frequent tensions, chronic fatigue.
• Hypothermia.
• Infectious diseases.
• Too long or short neck, and so on.

All these factors cause a violation of the food of the intervertebral discs and lead to their degeneration.

Female cervical osteochondrosis can be caused by pathologies of the vertebral artery associated with genetic predisposition, intra -uterine disorders, injuries during delivery.The disease can occur as a result of rheumatism, endocrine disorders, excessive burden on the cervical segment during pregnancy, local overloads.

Important.The main causes of cervical osteochondrosis in women are menopause, as well as changes associated with this period.At this stage the concentration of progesterone is reduced in the body, which is very important for bone tissue.The probability of degenerative changes is associated with age -related weakening of the neck muscles and weakening the support of the vertebrae in this area.

Symptoms

Osteochondrosis is characterized by a wave -like course when the acute period is replaced by remission.Exacerbation can cause infections, injuries, hypothermia, long taxes in the neck.

The first signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women are headache, discomfort, severity in the neck.It is important to distinguish over time to distinguish pain for chondrosis from migraine or autonomous dysfunction.

The clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis in women are caused by neurological syndromes:

• Cervical discs occurs with irritation of nerve endings with fragments of damaged cartilage.Then a specific crunch appears in the neck, pain, which is pronounced more when the head moves and after bed.
• The staircut syndrome becomes the result of damage to the vessels and nerves of the shoulder plexus and the Subclavian artery.This symptom complex is accompanied by pain from the inner surface of the shoulder to the hand of the damaged side.The limb becomes pale, cool, edematous, numbness occurs.The pain in the neck spreads to the back of the head when the patient turns his head.
• The shoulder -pave periaThrosis - Dystrophic changes syndrome influence the tendon fibers that surround the shoulder.Painful sensations from the neck radiate to the shoulder and shoulder are up.There is a forced position of the neck - it is sloping in the affected side and the shoulder is slightly lowered.
• The spinal artery syndrome - a blood vessel compresses fragments of a damaged disc or osteofyt (depending on the stage of the disease).The patient turns and headaches, nausea, sometimes vomiting occurs.The pain is located in the back of the head, the crown and the temples.
• Cardial - The nerve rays of the spinal cord are damaged.There is heart pain, arrhythmia.In the case of damage to C3, the pain appears in half of the neck, the tongue swells, the patient cannot chew normal food.When the C4 is injured, discomfort appears in the area of the shoulder green, collarbone, heart.With damage to C5, the pain reaction of the neck spreads to the shoulder, the inner surface of the shoulder.Irritation of C6 is manifested by pain from the neck and shoulder blades to the shoulder shoulder and spreads over the hand to the thumb.If C7 is damaged, the pain syndrome extends to the back of the shoulder green, grabs the entire hand, including the index and middle finger.When compressing C8, the pain spreads from the affected area to the elbow and the little finger.

A woman can also be disturbed by the emotional atmosphere, the weakness arises, it becomes anxious, sensitive.There is often insomnia, the memory weakened, attention as a result of ordinary headaches.

Symptoms of cerebrovascular circulation disorders appear when a woman throws her abruptly, tilts or performs a work in which her hands and cervical spine are loaded, for example when she digs the ceiling, tolerates the severity.

Violation of cerebral circulation is manifested by dizziness, shaky corridor, "fly" in front of the eyes, noise in the ears, weakness, nausea.In some patients, the voice is hoarse, sometimes disappears, pain in the throat appears.

Osteochondrosis During the menopause is accompanied by migraine, reinforced by sweating the body in the area between the neck and the shoulders.The work of the cardiovascular system is disrupted when compressing the vertebral artery.

If the disease occurs for a long time, there is a lack of blood circulation of important centers that perform neuroendocrine functions.Due to the increased permeability of the vascular walls, atherosclerosis of the brain and heart rate arteries develops.

Diagnosis

If you notice the symptoms of osteochondrosis, go to the therapist.After a visual inspection, the specialist will lead you to an orthopedist, vertebrologist or neurologist.

The following methods are used for the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis:

• With X -Ray you can find out that the patient has the vertebrae in the patient, osteophytes are present at their edges, the distance between the vertebrae has decreased.For this, the study is being carried out in various aircraft.To describe the characteristic changes, the doctor focuses on photos.
• CT of the cervical department provides detailed information about pathological changes in the vertebrae.With this method you can get volumetric images for a more detailed examination, which is used in severe diagnostic cases.
• MRI is used to accurately assess the condition of soft tissues (nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, muscles) in the affected area.
• With electromyography you can check the conductivity of the nerve fibers.

Doctors can also prescribe UZDG (ultrasonic dopplerography of the main arteries of the brain) to determine the condition of the blood flow in this area.

Conservative treatment

In the early stages, treatment with Chop -Osteochondrosis in women can be performed at home.However, a doctor must be put together by a doctor.It is important to understand that this is a long process and it is unlikely that it will be completely cured (especially older women).

The composition of complex treatment includes:

• Take medication.
• With the help of orthopedic devices.
• Therapeutic gymnastics.
• Physiotherapeutic procedures.
• Massage, manual exposure.
• Alternative treatment methods.

Conservative techniques will help to stop pain, inflammation, to normalize muscle tone, to improve metabolic processes, nutrition of damaged spine segments.With timely therapy it is possible to stop pathological changes.

Medicines for cervical osteochondrosis will help to get rid of inflammation and pain.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is performed using medicines that will help improve the metabolism of cartilage packages between the vertebrae, to stop inflammation, pain.The following medicines are used for this purpose:

• NSAID.The inflammation and pain of mild or average strength will help to relieve.
• Analgetic.Stop the pain syndrome.
• Preparations for improving the cerebral circulation.
• Musodies help to eliminate muscle cramps.
• Chondroprotectors.They help to stop the destruction of disks, to improve metabolic processes, accelerate recovery.
• Majesty -based medicines.
• Nootropics.They stimulate the functioning of the brain because of the normalization of his blood circulation, have a mild sedative effect.

Reference.Therapeutic blockade, for example with a solution of Novocaine or NSAIDs, are used with intense pain, not stopped by oral medicines.

You can supplement the treatment with anti -inflammatory and pain killers in the form of gels, creams and ointments.They will be effective in the remission or in combination with oral agents.

The decision to choose medicinal combinations is taken by the doctor.The specialist draws up a diagram of taking drugs and also determine their dosage.It is important to follow his recommendations because many of the aforementioned drugs threaten with dangerous complications.

During the acute stage of Osteochondrosis, the woman must give up serious physical activity.To unload the cervical segment, you must wear a special corset (Shansa collar), which will repair the vertebrae in the correct position.This device is recommended to be used for long -term sitting or hard physical work.

Physiotherapeutic procedures will help to weaken the pain and improve blood circulation in the damaged area:

• Diadinamotherapy.
• Magnetotherapy.
• Electrophhoresis.
• Electroanalgesia.
• Ultraviolet radiation and so on.

The therapeutic effect manifests itself after the third session, then headache, hearing disorders, vision, dizziness, sleep and the general situation improves or disappears.

With the help of the underwater traction of the cervical segment you can expand the distance between the vertebrae, free the nerve or blood vessel from compression and restore the normal position of the vertebrae.

Massage will normalize the muscle tone, reduce the flow of lymph fluid, which causes swelling.After a few sessions, blood circulation in the damaged area improves.

Therapeutic gymnastics is one of the most effective methods for treating osteochondrosis.With LFK you can strengthen the weak muscles of the neck, which will then take on part of the load of the spine and can stop or delay degenerative-dystrophic changes.During classes, blood circulation, metabolic processes, discs improve foods are accelerated, which positively influences their condition.

Women must give training every day.They consist of simple but effective exercises.The complex consists of bends, tilting the head in different directions, as well as movements of the neck, in which hands use.These elements can be performed at home, but only after permission from the doctor.Medical physical education is only carried out in the remission.

Complex treatment can be supplemented with reflexology (acupuncture), hirudotherapy (leech treatment), swimming, and so on.

Surgical

The operation is prescribed in the last stages of Osteochondrosis of the Chop, which are accompanied by the serious destruction of bone -ocal structures.Also, surgical intervention cannot be done if conservative methods were not effective or the spine considerably reduced considerably.

In the above cases, the front cervical discoctomy is performed.During the procedure, the doctor immobilizes the damaged segment of the spine and removes the hernia, which has pressed into the spine.Subsequently, the vertebrae, between which the disk was removed, are published.If necessary, the space between the vertebrae is filled with a synthetic insert (cage).

After 3-5 days the patient is discharged home.The rehabilitation period is approximately 12 weeks.To speed up the recovery, you must use medicines, wear a corset, lead the correct lifestyle, go to physiotherapy procedures and perform sports therapy over time.

Life recommendations

To quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms of osteochondrosis and stopping degenerative dystrophic changes in the cervical segment, you must adjust the lifestyle.For this, the patient must follow the following recommendations:

• Go to walk daily, avoid running, jumping and other explosive stress.
• You cannot wear heavy objects.
• You can't sit long, in extreme cases to wear a corset and take a horizontal position periodically.
• Perform special physical exercises at home for the rear muscles.
• Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and a special pillow.
• Follow the diet, complete the diet with products rich in magnesium, calcium (nuts, dairy products, seafood, legumes), as well as plant fiber, chondroitin (Jelly, Jelly).Refuse oily, baked, too salty food, alcohol.Read more about the power rules will be advised by the doctor.But in any case it should be correct.

Numbering cannot be allowed, global warming will benefit without an inflammatory process.

Complications

In the absence of timely treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a woman can feel the following consequences of the pathology:

• The chance of protruding takes place, which after a while turns into a hernia.The protrusion compresses the spinal cord, as well as its nerves that cause neurological disorders.
• Osteophytes appear with serious damage to the disk, they irritate the spine and blood vessels.
• In advanced cases, a strong weakening of the neck muscles or incomplete paralysis is possible, then the head hangs involuntarily sideways or ahead.
• Compression of the vertebral arteries, violation of the blood circulation in the affected area.This condition can cause neuralgia (pain along the nerve), hearing disorder and vision.
• Paralysis (incomplete or full) hands.
• Brain.

If a woman is solving the problem in the early stages of Osteochondrosis of the store, she can warn the above conditions.

Preventive measures

Ideally, the prophylaxis of osteochondrosis of the CHOP is necessary during the period of intra -uterine development.The future mother must exclude factors that negatively influence the development of the fetus: infections, oxygen -hunger, intoxication.If there is a birthrough, the newborn treatment must undergo.

To reduce the chance of developing Chop -Osteochondrosis, a woman must follow the following recommendations:

• Stop the spine evenly, for example, wear a load in both hands or in turn in the right and then left.
• Do not pick up too many weights yourself.
• Try to prevent injuries from your neck, hypothermia.
• While working in garden areas, take a break every 1.5 hours, rest for 20 minutes.
• Choose shoes with an elastic sole that will be softened during running or jumping.
• Use a chair with a high back and a headrest or put on a corset with a long chair.

It is also important to eat, to control weight, avoid stress, take vitamin preparations to treat medical reasons, treat pathologies over time that can cause osteochondrosis.In the remission phase it is recommended to visit sanatoriums to undergo a treatment course.

The most important

As you can see, women more often occurs in men's cervical spine in women, because the first has more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.Patients are especially susceptible to patients in the post -climacteric period.The disease is manifested by pain, neurological disorders, as well as dangerous symptoms of cerebrovascular accident.The treatment is recommended to start in the early stages to prevent dangerous complications of osteochondrosis.To do this, a woman must use medicines, adjust the lifestyle, visit physiotherapeutic procedures, do massage, physiotherapy exercises.Surgical treatment is only displayed in advanced cases.To prevent pathology, you must perceive moderate physical activity, treat injuries and diseases that can provoke osteochondrosis over time.