Cervical osteochondrosis: causes, symptoms and treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a progressive process of dystrophy, disruption of the intervertebral discs.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are characterized by strong pain in the neck, head, shoulders and surprised everyone, regardless of age.

Description of Osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the neck was much younger.Young people suffer from them, starting with adolescence.The neck is the weakest area of the spine.Seven vertebrae adjacent to each other fairly tight, and the muscle frame has been developed worse than the rest of the departments.The neck is subject to serious taxes, because it serves when supporting the skull box and is constantly moving.

What is cervical osteochondrosis?The food of the intervertebral discs is performed by diffusion of adjacent tissues.The deterioration of the blood supply to the tissues around the vertebrae gives a shortage of food, water.The hunger of the Disc core, the fibrous ring led to degenerative processes.

The growing bone tissue near the vertebrae, the clamped intervertebral discs, the transferred nerves and ligaments are first manifested by signs of reduced performance.Very intensity pain initially concentrates in the neck, head, shoulders, heart, arms, upper chest, switching to the lower limbs.Each of the seven vertebrae sends signals to other departments.Sticked nerve roots are reflected in the state of other body systems.

Osteochondrosis is especially dangerous for the brain.The vertebral artery passing here performs the function to guarantee the blood supply to the back of the brain.Pushing leads to headache, which often develops into migraine, not subject to painkillers.Osteochondrosis of the neck can be accompanied by dizziness, visual impairments and hearing, nausea, vomiting.Later, pharyngeal symptoms, suddenly fainting as a result of a lack of oxygen in the brain, are manifested.Compression of the vertebral artery leads to ischemia of the spinal cord and the brain.Exacerbation of the process causes a spinal stroke.

Basic processes for the disease

Osteochondrosis of the neck must be considered by the interaction of physiological and pathological factors:

• Physiological process:The aging of a cartilage spine occurs due to natural irreversible causes.There are changes in the central part of the intervertebral disc.The process of age -related changes in the body leads to the replacement of the pulp with a fiber tissue;
• Pathological process:Degenerative changes in intervertebral structures occur, the destruction of the vessels and nodes around them.Changes occur outside the cartilage itself, there is a compression of blood vessels, irritation of the nerve endings.A person feels discs, painful symptoms of a local and reflected nature.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is given a pathological shape when physiological aging is replaced by a pathological process.In the first instance, the compensatory and protective mechanisms of the body that eliminate the disease are activated.That is why osteochondrosis is able to only pass or stand up episodically.But this function is not forever.

The progress of the disease, expressed in compression of vascular and nervous structures, accompanies the following processes:

• Spondylolistz, in which the spinal disc slides away.Even a slight relocation leads to the development of paralysis.Serious relocation ends in death;
• The Pulpoose core is impregnated with calcium salts.This leads to a violation of the disc food, causes the formation of a hernia;
• Intervertebral Hernia formed by the bulging of the intervertebral disc between the vertebrae.Ignoring therapeutic measures leads to slow paralysis;
• The appearance of micro cracks on the fiber -like ring, the development of protrusion.The intervertebral disc has been extended by its limits;
• Spondylose means the wear of the vertebrae.Osteophytes arise - the growth of bone tissue in the form of hooks and spikes, located on the sides of the vertebral bodies.Severe pain takes place and as a result of the stiffness of movements.

The causes of cervical ostechondrosis

An increase in the load in the cervical area leads to an attempt from the body to compensate for the condition.For example, muscle cramps, deterioration of blood circulation, start distortion.The structure of the vertebrae itself changes.The cause can also be a progressive diskz that occurs as a result of long -term physical exertion.

The most important factors that cause the start of cervical osteochondrosis:

• Hypodynamics;
• weakening of immunity;
• overwhelming physical exertion;
• the presence of injuries of the spine;
• a shortage of reception with the power supply of the necessary substances, obesity;
• Problems with attitude (scoliosis, flat feet, rheumatism);
• hereditary factor;
• car -immune diseases that cause cartilage tissue degeneration;
• stress, long -term nervous tension;
• climatic factor, cold and humidity;
• Congenital abnormalities of the spine.

The main causes of osteochondrosis are the disproportionateness of the load on the spine, a weak muscle corset.People after thirty years are in danger, especially if their day is in a sitting position for a long time.

Stages of development

The progression of osteochondrosis of the cervical area can be subdivided into different phases:

• The first, pre -clinical.It is characterized by small vertebral distortions, smoothness of cervical lordosis.Pain is felt with sharp movements of the head, fatigue occurs.The development of the disease can be prevented without involving medication.It is required to balance your food, choose exercises, to conduct preventive measures;
• The second.An unstable state is established between the vertebrae.The vertebrae of the vertebrae look like each other, Thuria - the rotation around the spine.The pain becomes more intensive when the neck moves in the shoulders from time to time, hands.The height of the intervertebral discs is reduced, leading to nerves squeezing.Characterized by signs such as distraction, fatigue, head pain;
• The third phase.The height of the intervertebral disc is lowered by a quarter compared to the above disk.Destruction starts to appear in the intervertebral joints.There is a decrease in the lumen of the intervertebral holes, the spine canal.Strong pain is constantly felt.The muscles of the hands are starting to become numb because of the beginning of the formation of hernia of the intervertebral discs.The cervical area loses flexibility.The patient feels dizziness, weakness.

The height of the intervertebral disc has been considerably reduced.Intervertebral discs are destroyed, replaced by connective tissue.Large osteophytes are formed on the back of the cervical area.The spine is very narrowed and causes the development of myelopathy.The patient's condition is worse, accompanied by reduced coordination, dizziness, severe pain, ears.

Symptoms

The symptomatic image of the neck damage differs from disorders in other departments.This is due to a denser arrangement of the vertebrae relative to each other.Due to the low height of the intervertebral discs, the clinic even starts to appear with light pathologies.Signs of damage will vary, depending on which of the eight nerve roots are damaged.There is a nerve among each of the seven vertebrae, the compression has its own symptoms.

Problems in the first two vertebrae disrupt the sensitivity of the back of the head.The pain is located in the parietal, occipital area.The lesion of the nerve end of the third vertebra is rare.Symptoms manifest themselves in numbness of a fixed area, language, speech problems.The fourth spine indicates about malfunctions with pain and numbness in the collarbone, shoulder.It can cause problems when breathing, pain in the heart.The disease of the fifth segment causes pain in the shoulders, a decrease in the sensitivity of the limbs.

The lesions of the sixth and seventh vertebrae are the most common in patients.The neck, shoulder blades, forearms, lower back, back suffer.There is numbness of the hands and fingers.Pathological changes in the eighth nerve root are characterized by the spread of pain in the lower limbs.There is a loss of skin sensitivity, the small fingers become numb on the arms and legs.Disrupted blood circulation causes the feet, hands.

The common signs of cervical osteochondrosis are:

• Pain that spreads to the upper body and lower;
• weakness, decrease in the sensitivity of the hands;
• Difficulty in movements, crunch;
• Reduced coordination, accompanied by a ringing, noise in the ears, a feeling of disorientation, weakness, dizziness;
• nausea, vomiting;
• Numbness of the tongue, fingers and legs, deteriorating hearing, vision.

Diagnosis of cervical ostechondrosis

To determine the damaged intervertebral discs and the degree of disease, the doctor must conduct a number of studies: radiography, MRI, CT (computer tomography), ultrasound duplex scan.The most accurate way to study the health of the cervical area is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).The aim of the MRI is to identify pathological changes in the tissues of the spine, in particular the spinal cord and intervertebral hernias.After the examination and survey of the patient, conducting an investigation, the neurologist present prescribes a provisional diagnosis, prescribes treatment.

TREATMENT

If osteochondrosis is suspected, you must consult a neuropathologist.The duration of the course of therapy depends on the age of the person, the severity of cervical osteochondrosis, such as therapy, and the patient carries out all the doctor's recommendations.A complete healing of serious forms of osteochondrosis is impossible.The purpose of complex treatment is to delay the progress pathological process, the elimination of symptoms.Therapy can be conservative, operational or combine both areas.If headache increases, it is necessary to start therapy as early as possible.

To get rid of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, there are two main types of treatment:

• medication carried out by using medicines;
• Physiotherapy includes UHF, electrophoresis, ultrasound, magnetotherapy, laser therapy courses.They stimulate the action on blood flow, metabolism, remove muscle spasms.

To weaken the compression of the peripheral zones of the central nervous system (central nervous system) and the leveling of pain at the time of worsening the disease, drug therapy is used.After eliminating acute manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis, therapy is not stopped.Physiotherapy procedures are prescribed.It is necessary to regularly massage the collar zone.Folk remedies are also used.

Osteochondrosis drug therapy

Treatment with drugs will only have a complete effect with other methods, for example with physiotherapy exercises (exercise therapy), massage.The drugs are designed to relieve pain, to restore the regeneration of cartilage, to activate the blood circulation in the affected tissues of the neck.

Many doctors write injections for a more effective effect on nerve endings.But vitamins can best be taken in the form of tablets, because the injections are very painful.To have an anti -inflammatory effect, the doctor introduces intramuscular injections.

The most important types of drugs for therapy:

• Non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).They have an analgesic effect, remove the aseptic inflammatory process, swelling of the spine.With clear signs of the disease, injections are made twice a day with these medicines.Use creams appearance;
• Chondroprotectors.Activate metabolism, regenerate cartilage fabrics.Eliminate damage to the intervertebral discs.There are injection drugs for the administration of joints and muscles.The course of the therapy is carried out for up to 4 months;
• B Vitamins (B1, B2, B6), E, A, C, DContributing to the improvement of metabolism in tissues, catalyzes their recovery;
• Musorelaxants.For relaxation of cramp muscles.Tablets are used for a month.An injection variety of drugs is used in a severe form of the disease;
• Medicines for activating blood flow in the brain,Rheological properties of blood.

As extra medicines are used to speed up recovery:

• Angioprotectors- Drug injections are designed to activate blood flow in the veins, to strengthen the tone of blood vessels;
• Glucocorticosteroids- to reduce swelling and inflammation in the form of injections;
• Biogenic stimulating agents.Gear the metabolic processes, help repair the destroyed substances.

PHYSIOTHERAPY

Physiotherapeutic methods serve as an addition to drug treatment, considerably activate the recovery speed, extend the remission phase and reduce the frequency of exacerbations.

Physiotherapy methods:

• Transport therapy- This is one of the most effective methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis.Regular classes activate blood circulation, contribute to the repair of damage;
• massageimproves the conductivity of the nerves, muscle tension recovers;
• MagnetotherapyRemoves swelling from substances;
• Laser therapyWorks with a concentrated beam of optical light.Activates recovery processes in the body;
• reflexology- Activation of certain points.Improves immunity, relieves spasms and neck pain;
• ultrasondgives an analgesic, anti -inflammatory effect;
• Electrophhoresis with the help of medicinal herbs.Electric current helps to penetrate the medicine ions in a certain place.

To get rid of cervical osteochondrosis, manual therapy, thermotherapy and fashion is also used.All these methods slow down the progress of the disease.

Osteochondrosis cannot be cured with herbs, but with the main therapy they help relieve the condition.Mix 2 teaspoons of bee honey with two tablets mummy.The mixture is heated, applied to a warm scarf that is tied with the neck at night.The biostimulating properties of honey complement the treatment perfectly.For rubbing, tincture prepared from radish, vodka and honey in a share of 1.5: 0.5: 1, measurements in glasses are used.You can run three large lemon with a meat mill with four garlic slices.Pour the mixture into a jar with two liters with boiling water.After mixing the content, you drink half a glass on an empty stomach.The pain can also be removed with heating with mustard plasters, peppers.

Therapeutic exercises

During the recovery period you can perform a complex of therapeutic charging for the neck.LFK is based on various dynamic exercises.Gymnastics may not be performed with exacerbation.When performing exercises, it is recommended to check the appearance of discomfort, it is unacceptable.

From the position of lying on the belly, you have to lift the upper body, based on your hands.A delay of 1-2 minutes.Get in the starting position and repeat 2-3 times.Then you have to stretch your hands over the body.The heads of the head are made to the right and 6-7 times to the left and try to get the floor with his ear.Sit down.Tilt the case forward through inspiration, the head leans to the chest.On the exhalation, leaning back, throwing his head backwards.10-15 tendencies are sufficient.Now you have to put your palms on your forehead and exert mutual pressure for 30 seconds.Repeat 2-3 times.To rotate 10 times in each direction.When the head starts to turn, the exercise must be interrupted.

Complications

The cervical area is rich in blood vessels, nerve endings that feed the brain.Their least compression is harmful to the whole body, disturbing blood circulation in the brain and causing neurological disorders: migraine, malfunctions of the heart, respiratory system, vision, hearing, hypertension.The complication in the form of the vertebral artery syndrome, ischemia of the brain, the backbone, which occur with an advanced form of the neck disease is particularly dangerous.When radiculopathy occurs, mobility is lost.Keeping the spinal cord leads to death.

To prevent surgical intervention in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, you should not be drawn with a doctor in the first signs.It is necessary to use all available therapy methods, as well as a change in lifestyle, nutrition.