Cervical osteochondrosis: causes, symptoms and treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical column is a progressive process of dystrophy, the disturbance of the intervertebral discs.

The symptoms of cervical osteochondosis are characterized by high pain in the neck, head, shoulders and surprise everyone, whatever their age.

Description of osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the neck was much younger.Young people suffer from it, from adolescence.The neck is the lowest area of the spine.Seven vertebrae adjacent to each other, and the muscular setting is developed worse than the rest of the departments.The neck is subject to serious loads, because it serves as support for the cranial box and is in constant motion.

What is cervical osteochondosis?The food of the intervertebral discs is carried out by the diffusion of the neighboring fabrics.The deterioration of the blood supply to the tissues surrounding the vertebrae gives a deficiency in nutrition, in water.The famine of the core of the disc, the fibrous ring leads to degenerative processes.

The growing bone tissue near the vertebrae, the tight intervertebral discs, the nerves and the transmitted ligaments are first manifested by diminished performance signs.A very intensity pain is first concentrated in the neck, the head, the shoulders, the heart, the arms, the top of the chest, the passage to the lower limbs.Each of the seven vertebrae sends signals to other departments.The pressed nerve roots are reflected in the state of other bodily systems.

Osteochondrosis is particularly dangerous for the brain.The vertebral artery passing here fulfills the function of ensuring blood supply at the back of the brain.Its push leads to headaches, often transforming into migraines, and not subject to pain relievers.Osteochondrosis of the neck can be accompanied by dizziness, visual disturbances and audiences, nausea, vomiting.Later, pharyngeal symptoms, sudden fainting due to oxygen deficiency in the brain are manifested.The compression of the vertebral artery leads to ischemia of the spinal cord and the brain.The exacerbation of the process causes a vertebral stroke.

Basic process for disease

Osteochondrosis of the neck must be taken into account from the interaction of physiological and pathological factors:

• Physiological process:The aging of a spine of cartilage occurs due to irreversible natural 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 fibrous tissue;
• Pathological process:Degenerative changes in the intervertebral structures occur, the destruction of the vessels and nodes that surround them.Changes occur outside the cartilage itself, there is a compression of the blood vessels, irritation of the nerve endings.A person feels discs, painful symptoms of a local and thoughtful nature.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical column acquires a pathological form when physiological aging is replaced by a pathological process.At the beginning, the compensatory and protective mechanisms of the body which eliminate the disease are triggered.Therefore, osteochondrosis is able to pass or occur episodically.But this function is not eternal.

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

• Spondylolistz, in which the vertebral disc slides.Even a slight displacement leads to the development of paralysis.A serious displacement ends with death;
• The pulpose nucleus is imbued with calcium salts.This leads to a violation of disk nutrition, causes the formation of a hernia;
• An intervertebral hernia was formed due to the bulge of the intervertebral disc between the vertebrae.Ignore the therapeutic measures leads to slow paralysis;
• The appearance of microfirms on the fibrous ring, the development of the projection.The intervertebral disc was distant by its limits;
• Spondylosis meaning the wear of the vertebrae.Osteophytes occur - The growth of bone tissue in the form of hooks and tips, located on the sides of vertebral bodies.Intense pain occurs and, therefore, stiffness of movements.

The causes of cervical ostechondosis

An increase in charge in the cervical region leads to an attempt by the organization to compensate for the condition.So start the muscle cramps, the deterioration of the blood circulation, the deformation.The structure of the vertebrae itself changes.The cause can also be a progressive disc that occurs due to long -term physical effort.

The main factors causing the start of cervical osteochondrosis:

• Hypodynamia;
• weakening immunity;
• crushing physical effort;
• the presence of injuries of the spine;
• deficiency in reception with the nutrition of the necessary substances, obesity;
• posture problems (scoliosis, flat feet, rheumatism);
• hereditary factor;
• autoimmune diseases causing degeneration of the cartilage fabric;
• stress, prolonged nervous tension;
• climate, cold and humidity factor;
• Congenital anomalies of the spine.

The main causes of osteochondrosis are the disproportionality of the load on the spine, the too low muscle corset.People after thirty years are at risk, especially if their day has been sitting for a long time.

Development steps

The progression of osteochondrosis in the cervical region can be divided into several stages:

• The first, preclinical.It is characterized by small vertebral deformations, the softness of cervical lordosis.The pain is felt with clear head movements, fatigue occurs.The development of the disease can be avoided without involving drugs.It is necessary to balance your food, to choose exercises, to carry out preventive measures;
• The second.An unstable state is established between the vertebrae.The vertebral discrepancies of the vertebrae appear compared to each other, Thuria - the rotation around the spine.The pain intensifies when the neck moves from time to time in the shoulders, hands.The height of the intervertebral discs is reduced, which leads to a pinch of the nerves.Characterized by signs such as distraction, fatigue, pain in the head;
• The third step.The height of the intervertebral disc is reduced by a quarter compared to the disc above.The deformations begin to appear in the intervertebral joints.There is a decrease in the light of the intervertebral holes, the spine canal.Strong pain is constantly felt.Hand muscles are starting to become numb due to the start of the training of hernia of intervertebral discs.The cervical region loses flexibility.The patient feels dizziness, a weakness.

The height of the intervertebral disc is considerably reduced.The intervertebral discs are destroyed, replacing by the connective tissue.Large osteophytes are formed at the back of the cervical region.The vertebral canal is very narrowed, causing the development of myelopathy.The state of the patient worsens, accompanied by altered coordination, stunning, intense pain, ears.

Symptoms

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

The problems in the first two vertebrae disrupt the sensitivity of the back of the head.Pain is located in the parietal and occipital region.The lesion of the nervous end of the third vertebra is rare.Symptoms are manifested by numbness of a pinned area, language, speaking problems.The fourth spine signals dysfunctions with pain and numbness in the collarbone, the shoulder.This can create difficulties in breathing, pain in the heart.The fifth segment disease 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, the shoulder blades, the forearms, the lower back, the back suffer.There is a 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 little fingers are numb on the arms and legs.The disturbed blood circulation causes feet, hands.

The common signs of cervical osteochondosis are:

• Pain spreading to the upper body and lower;
• weakness, decrease in the sensitivity of the hands;
• Difficulty in the movements, crunchy;
• Altered coordination, accompanied by ringing, noise in the ears, a feeling of disorientation, weakness, dizziness;
• nausea, vomiting;
• Numbness of the tongue, the fingers and the legs, an hearing worsening, a vision.

Diagnosis of cervical ostechondosis

To determine the damaged intervertebral discs and the degree of their illness, the doctor must carry out a certain number of examinations: radiography, MRI, CT (Tomodensitometry), duplex ultrasound.The most precise way to study the health of the cervical region is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).The purpose of MRI is to identify pathological changes in the tissues of the spine, in particular spinal cord and intervertebral hernias.After examining and studying the patient, examining, the treating neurologist made a preliminary diagnosis, prescribed treatment.

TREATMENT

If osteochondrosis is suspected, you must consult a neuropathologist.The duration of the treatment depends on the age of the person, the severity of cervical osteochondrosis, such as therapy, and the patient makes all the recommendations of the doctor.A complete healing of serious forms of osteochondrosis is impossible.The purpose of complex treatment is to slow down the pathological process of the procedure, the elimination of symptoms.Therapy can be conservative, operational or combine these two areas.If the headaches increase, it is necessary to start therapy as soon as possible.

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

• drugs carried out by taking medication;
• Physiotherapy includes UHF, electrophoresis, ultrasounds, magnetotherapy, laser therapy lessons.They stimulated acting on blood flow, metabolism, eliminated muscle spasms.

To weaken the compression of the peripheral areas of the central nervous system (central nervous system) and the leveling of pain at the time of exacerbation of the disease, drug treatment is used.After eliminating acute manifestations from cervical osteochondrosis, therapy is not stopped.Physiotherapy procedures are prescribed.It is necessary to regularly massage the collar area.Popular 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.Medicines are designed to relieve pain, restore the regeneration of cartilage, activate blood circulation in the affected tissues of the neck.

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

The main types of drugs for therapy:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).They have an analgesic effect, eliminate the aseptic inflammatory process, swelling of the spine.With obvious signs of the disease, injections are carried out twice a day with these drugs.Use the creams externally;
• Chondroprotectors.Activate metabolism, regenerated cartilage tissues.Eliminate damage to intervertebral discs.There are injection drugs for the administration of joints and muscles.The course of therapy is carried out up to 4 months;
• B vitamins (B1, B2, B6), E, A, C, DContribute to the improvement of metabolism in the tissues, catalyze their restoration;
• Musorelaxants.For the relaxation of spasmodic muscles.The tablets are used for a month.In a serious form of the disease, a variety of drug injection is used;
• drugs to activate blood circulation in the brain,Rheological properties of blood.

Like additional drugs to accelerate recovery are used:

• Angioprotective- The forms of injection of drugs are designed to activate blood flow in the veins, strengthen the tone of blood vessels;
• Glucocorticosteroids- Reduce swelling and inflammation in the form of injections;
• Biogenic stimulants.Accelerate metabolic processes, help restore destroyed tissues.

PHYSIOTHERAPY

Physiotherapeutic methods are used as adding to drug treatment, considerably activate the recovery speed, extend the stage of remission and reduce the frequency of exacerbations.

Physiotherapy methods:

• Exercise therapy- This is one of the most effective methods for treating osteochondrosis.Regular classes activate blood circulation, contribute to the restoration of damage;
• massageimproves the conductivity of the nerves, restores muscle tone;
• Magnetotherapyremove the swelling from the tissues;
• Laser therapyActs with a concentrated beam of optical light.Triggers the recovery processes in the body;
• reflexology- Activation of certain points.Improves immunity, relieves spasms and pain in the neck;
• ultrasoundgives an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect;
• Electrophoresis using medicinal herbs.Electric current helps penetrate the drug ions into a certain place.

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

Osteochondrosis cannot be healed with herbs, but, accompanying the main therapy, they help to mitigate the condition.Mix 2 teaspoons of bee honey with two mom's tablets.The mixture is heated, applied to a hot scarf, which is attached with the neck at night.The biostimulant properties of honey perfectly complete the treatment.For friction, the dye prepared from radish, vodka and honey in a proportion of 1.5: 0.5: 1, measurements in glasses are used.You can twist three tall lemon with a meat crusher with four garlic slices.Pour the mixture into a two -liter jar with boiling water.Having mixed the contents, drink with an empty stomach half a glass.Pain can also be eliminated with heating with mustard plaster, peppers.

Therapeutic exercises

During the recovery period, you can perform a complex of therapeutic loads for the neck.LFK is based on several dynamic exercises.Gymnastics should not be carried out with an exacerbation.When you do exercises, it is recommended to monitor the appearance of discomfort, it is unacceptable.

From the position of sleeping on your stomach, you must raise the upper body, depending on your hands.A period of 1 to 2 minutes.Put yourself in the starting position and repeat 2-3 times.Then you have to stretch your hands along the body.The heads of the head are made on the right and on the left 6-7 times, trying to get the ground with your ear.Sit.Tilt the box forward by inspiration, the head leans towards the chest.On the expiration, leaning back, throwing his head back.10-15 inclinations are enough.You must now put your palms on your forehead and put mutual pressure for 30 seconds.Repeat 2-3 times.To rotate the head 10 times in each direction.If the head begins to turn, the exercise must be interrupted.

COMPLICATIONS

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

To avoid surgery in the treatment of cervical osteochondosis, you should not be fired with a doctor during the first signs.It is necessary to use all the therapy methods available, as well as a change in lifestyle, nutrition.