Today, cervical osteochondrosis has become significantly younger. The reason for this is considered to be the increase in living conditions, a significant decrease in mobility during work and rest, and a craze for fast food. They lead to metabolic imbalance and increase trauma to the cervical intervertebral discs even with minor physical strain or impact.
Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many requests on the Internet - osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: symptoms and treatment. We present a brief overview of these questions, as they are always individual and a vertebrologist or neurologist can answer them only during a meeting.
Characteristics of the disease
With osteochondrosis of the neck, the discs of the intervertebral space are destroyed. Normally, they perform an absorbent and protective function.
Being between the vertebrae, they prevent the vertebral bodies from touching each other. During walking and more active movements, they can be compressed, giving the spine flexibility. In addition, due to the disc-ligamentous apparatus, passages are created for the nerves coming out of the spinal cord.
When the discs and ligaments are destroyed, the vertebrae begin to rub against each other. The friction causes pain and other discomfort in the neck. As the vertebrae approach each other, the nerves are compressed and additional symptoms appear in those parts of the body for which the affected neurons are responsible. Neurological symptoms appear.
Osteochondrosis can affect any part of the spine and the symptoms will vary. Disk corruption can occur in several areas at the same time.
A greater amount of load falls on the lumbar spine, which means that the discs and ligaments here are more often subject to changes. But it is osteochondrosis of the cervical region that causes the most suffering to people. After all, the main vessels for the blood supply of the brain pass through the neck, and there are many nerves and nerve endings.
Statistics show that the cervical region is affected more often. Of all the parts of the spine, it is the most mobile. In an online video you can see how the disease develops and its complications.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women basically do not differ from the symptoms that appear in men. There is a difference: the most common symptom of the disease in women is headache.
Causes
The classic causes of the development of cervical osteochondrosis include:
- low mobility, lack of adequate physical activity;
- disruptions in metabolic processes;
- salt deposits, especially in the cervical region;
- unbalanced diet;
- incorrect body position when working at the computer, driving a car or during other static activities.
If you have a predisposition to deforming joint diseases or salt deposits, the risk of developing a disease from an unhealthy lifestyle increases.
Classification of clinical manifestations
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, symptoms and treatment of pathology are closely related, but complex therapy is prescribed only after instrumental clarification of the diagnosis. Currently, there is the following classification of manifestations.
Radicular syndromes or cervical radiculitis
Radicular syndromes is the medical term for a group of symptoms that occur due to pinched nerve roots located between the vertebrae of the neck. Initially, such compression manifests itself in the form of paresthesia - numbness, tingling and the feeling of "goose bumps" all over the skin.
Ignoring and not treating such manifestations leads to further progression of the disease. Acute pain appears (quick or delayed), which develops into chronic pain syndrome.
The characteristic manifestations of cervical radiculitis depend on the localization of degenerative processes, d. m. th. between which vertebrae the nerve roots were stuck:
Irritative-reflex syndrome
Pain in the irritative-reflex syndrome when the roots of the lower cervical vertebrae are tight occurs between the shoulder blades.
This syndrome is characterized by diffuse, sharp burning pain in the neck, back of the head or upper back. They occur after sleep, or when starting to move after a long static hold of a position. It is possible that the pain radiates with pain in the heart or shoulder joint.
Vertebral artery syndrome
Osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, symptoms (and their treatment) can manifest as combined signs in Vertebral Artery Syndrome:
- headache - point-like, throbbing or burning, diffusely distributed;
- places of localization - above the eyebrows, on the temples, the crown of the head, on the back of the head;
- the pain is constant, but sometimes appears in the form of attacks;
- the severity of the pain increases after the first movements from static positions;
- in weakened people, nausea may develop, coordination of movements may be impaired, and dizziness and fainting may occur;
- Possible decrease in hearing and visual acuity, "bunny" in the eyes, tinnitus, snoring.
On a note! Very often, the only signs of osteochondrosis of the neck are symptoms of the pharynx. These include: pain, dryness and/or difficulty swallowing. However, the cost of ignoring such symptoms can be high. These symptoms are inherent in some inflammatory diseases that can develop into cancer.
Cardiac syndrome
Preliminary diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is often complicated by the presence of cardiac syndrome in the patient.
It is characterized by:
- increased heart rate;
- attacks or prolonged pain in the area of the heart, which are often confused with angina pectoris;
- Chest pain worsens after sudden movements or heavy lifting.
That is why, if angina is detected, an experienced doctor will send the patient to make an X-ray of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, since with a parallel diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms and treatment at home willbe specific.
For example, a vertebrologist is obliged to warn the patient that if "heart pain" is not relieved by nitroglycerin or another coronary dilating drug, then they should not be taken several times in a row in a short period of time. It is enough to drink ibuprofen or nurofen forte.
For your information! There is another way by which you can distinguish a real angina attack from painful coronary syndrome. With the latter, the patient is able to walk quickly.
Minor symptoms
nausea
Feelings of nausea and dizziness are the result of problems with blood circulation in the brain. Often patients associate this symptom with errors in nutrition, begin to limit the amount of food they eat and make changes in their diet.
Vomiting and belching itself can reduce appetite. All these phenomena lead to the fact that a person begins to lose body weight, and the balance of nutrients in the body is disturbed.
An attack of nausea can end with vomiting, which also occurs with careless head turns, body bending or vigorous physical activity. In this case, poor circulation leads to insufficient nutrition of the inner ear and the balance center.
Feeling of suffocation
A feeling of lack of air occurs when the phrenic nerve is pressed in the cervical region of the spine. This important nerve is an element of the cervical plexus and regulates how deep breathing is and how often breathing movements are made.
Patients complain of difficulty in breathing with all their strength. Shallow breathing leads to a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the blood, shortness of breath occurs, and in difficult cases, suffocation occurs.
During the night, breathing may stop, often occurring together with a snoring attack. Night problems are provoked if a person lies in an uncomfortable position and the head and neck are not in the correct anatomical position.
If these problems are associated with unsatisfactory hygiene of the room where a person sleeps, when the room is poorly ventilated, dusty and does not have fresh air at night, the patient experiences hypoxia. Lack of oxygen occurs in all tissues of the body, waking up the patient will not feel calm
Feeling of ringing in the ears
Tinnitus occurs due to problems with the blood supply to the vestibular apparatus. Blood vessels in it pass through the cervical vertebrae of the spine.
Disorders in the parts of the inner ear cause sensations of different sounds:
- hissing noise in the background;
- ringing, crackling.
A complex of such complaints is usually called cochlear or cochlear syndrome.
Important: if the patient does not consult a doctor with these symptoms, then over time a decrease in hearing acuity occurs.
Patients often think that such disorders are associated with the hearing analyzer itself. Even a doctor may find it difficult to understand the situation, especially if there are no clear signs of osteochondrosis.
However, when there are problems with the vertebrae, there are specific auditory symptoms. Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra can be distinguished by the characteristics of its appearance, so sounds arise when a person stands in one position for a long time.
Throat problems
Often osteochondrosis can be felt only through a complex of symptoms of the pharynx:
- Sore throatoccurs unrelated to food intake, you can trace the difference between the onset of symptoms and sudden movements of the head and neck.
- Sensation of a foreign body in the throatappears and disappears.
- There are complaints of itching and dryness of the throat, strong unpleasant sensations can provoke the patient's desire to cough. The cough will cause an increasingly dry and scratchy feeling. These complaints are the result of damage to nerve fibers and blood vessels at the same time.
Important: such symptoms can be observed with inflammation in the area of the cervical vertebrae and with the appearance of tumors.
Vision problems
Deterioration of visual function is less common in people with atherosclerotic lesions of the vessels of the head and with a decrease in general pressure.
The vessels that supply the eyes also pass through the cervical vertebrae with their osteochondrosis, the following complaints arise:
the appearance of a "veil" in the eyes; reduction of clarity and visual acuity; the appearance of black dots or bars; difficulty focusing on a specific topic.
Symptoms are not constant. Patients note that vision sometimes worsens and sometimes improves.
A distinctive symptom of osteochondrosis is the inability to influence the state of vision with the help of glasses, medications and gymnastics. Eliminating the symptoms is possible only after treating the root cause of the problem.
Loss of consciousness
Impaired blood supply to the brain can lead to loss of consciousness or syncope. This happens when blood flow to the brain is temporarily cut off.
In this case, the tightening does not necessarily occur in the cervical region, only irritation from the deformed structures of the vertebrae is enough. In response to this effect, a significant spasm occurs in the arteries.
Consciousness returns to a person quite quickly. This is facilitated by changing the position of the body. A person who has lost consciousness should be placed in a horizontal position and his legs raised. In this way, the blood from the lower part of the body will help to restore the blood supply to the suffering brain.
As a rule, such short-term conditions do not bring complications or consequences. If the disruption of blood flow to the brain is stronger, then the consequences are possible.
Important: after losing consciousness, the patient should consult a doctor to undergo an examination and prevent repeated attacks.
Despite the short duration of the condition, a person who has lost consciousness should call an ambulance.
Blood pressure problems
The presence of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine causes an increase in blood pressure. For middle-aged and elderly people, this can be especially noticeable. This is due to the fact that the center responsible for the vascular response to changes in the external environment is located in the brain and also suffers from insufficient blood supply.
The presence of irritating factors in the form of a deformed vertebra worsens the situation. This is how VSD symptoms arise against the background of cervical osteochondrosis. Depending on the predisposition of a person, hypertensive or hypotonic crises occur. Often one type of crisis gives way to another.
Temperature fluctuations
Temperature fluctuations are not a specific symptom of osteochondrosis. If the body temperature rises, it means that a focus of infection or a neoplasm has arisen in the body. The immune system responds in the form of fever.
However, patients may feel heat and even burning of the skin at the site of the problem, namely along the back of the neck.
When several symptoms are combined, a person starts to feel bad. General health deteriorates, mood drops, irritability and inattention arise. For a patient with severe pain or blurred vision, it becomes difficult to perform daily tasks and perform productive work activities.
Important: if any complaint, even if it is not related to problems with the spine, prevents you from leading a normal lifestyle, then you should go to a specialist as soon as possible and determine the cause of the discomfort.
Risk of disease
Cervical osteochondrosis poses a great risk, since the area affected by it is the most important vascular pathways that supply the brain and spinal cord with numerous nerve branches. All symptoms of osteochondrosis have a significant negative impact on the patient's well-being and quality of life.
But this disease has life-threatening complications:
- Intervertebral hernia is considered the next stage in the development of osteochondrosis. Occurs in the absence of treatment. People who suffer from neck or back pain for a long time without visiting a doctor receive exactly such a diagnosis.
- Compression of the processes of the spinal cord causes their damage and radiculopathy develops. Along with this, growths and osteophytes are formed in the vertebrae. All this threatens the patient with loss of mobility and sensitivity of the areas for which the affected nerve fibers are responsible.
- One of the most dangerous complications is the vertebral artery syndrome with cervical osteochondrosis. This artery supplies important parts of the brain - the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum. When this vessel is compressed by osteochondrosis, ischemia of the spinal cord and brain occurs. There is a risk that the condition will end in a stroke.
- If the disease is not treated for years, in the presence of vertebral deformities, there is a possibility of damage to the spinal cord itself, located inside the spine. The cost of not treating is organ damage incompatible with life.
If a person detects worsening symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, he should consult a specialist as soon as possible. Deformation of the vertebrae can lead to severe trauma of the spinal cord and this is very dangerous for a person.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and home treatment require the approval of specialist doctors. The video in this article with a set of exercises for the neck muscles has not been posted. There are many of them on YouTube.
However, you should know that the instructions for exercise therapy with this diagnosis prohibit:
- running;
- perform any dance moves;
- pump the muscles of the shoulder girdle and neck with dynamic exercises, especially with weights or resistance.
Important! If there is an exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms and treatment with physical exercises, self-massage and physiotherapeutic procedures are suspended. In the acute period, visiting a chiropractor is prohibited. Rest and drug therapy with pain relievers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablets and ointments are indicated.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies is not very effective and is possible as an auxiliary method of therapy in the rehabilitation phase. However, vertebrologists praise treatment with leeches and categorically do not recommend treatment with bay leaves will also help with therapy.
Allergy is an insidious disease, the appearance of which is impossible to predict, and an acute allergic reaction - Quincke's edema can lead to anaphylactic shock and be fatal.
Among non-traditional methods for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, we can recommend:
dynamic and static yoga classes; Wushu, Taiji and Qigong gymnastics; acupuncture and Su-Jok.
In addition to daily physical exercises, it is necessary to give up bad habits, monitor the daily drinking regime and balance your diet, as well as do special exercises in the morning for osteochondrosis of the lumbar region. The weekly menu should include raw and semi-cooked vegetables, fresh seasonal fruits, fermented milk drinks and dishes every day.
Natural meat of dietary varieties and fish from the herring or salmon family should be eaten every other day. Replace coffee and tea with rose decoction and natural juices.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is a long process that will take not months, but years. Osteochondrosis cannot be cured, but considerable remission can be achieved. The results will depend only on the patient himself, his zeal to follow the recommendations and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
FAQ
What are the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can manifest as pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, dizziness, tinnitus, numbness or tingling in the arms, and limited neck mobility.
How can you treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home?
To relieve the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you can use relaxation methods, exercises to strengthen the neck muscles, massage, warm compresses and the use of ointments and gels that relieve pain.
What exercises help with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
To strengthen the neck muscles and relieve the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, tightening and strengthening exercises for the neck muscles, head rotation, bending and turning of the neck, as well as exercises to improve posture are useful.
Useful tips
Tip #1
For osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is recommended to perform special exercises to strengthen the muscles of the neck and back. This will help improve blood circulation and reduce stress on the spine.
Tip #2
You can use cold compresses or hot compresses to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Cold helps reduce swelling, while heat improves blood circulation and relaxes muscles.
Tip #3
It is important to monitor your posture and avoid staying in the wrong position for long periods of time. Taking regular breaks to lie down and adjusting your working position can reduce stress on the cervical spine.