Cervical osteochondrosis is a common disease that occurs as a result of a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, and decreased physical activity.Pathological changes can manifest themselves at a young age, mainly in office workers, people who spend a lot of time at the computer, in front of the TV, and neglect the recommendations of specialists for arranging a place to sleep and relax.
Osteochondrosis of the neck is a degenerative lesion of the intervertebral discs and joints of the cervical spine, which leads to pinched nerve endings and inflammatory processes.The result is pain, weakness, and dizziness.If the problem is ignored, metabolic processes are disrupted, the spine is destroyed, and there is a risk of a hernia.
The Neurology Department of the Elena Malysheva Clinic invites you to undergo diagnosis and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.If you have signs of pathological changes, do not delay your visit to a specialist.After all, the quality of your life and the full functioning of your entire body depend on it.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are:
- feeling of weakness;
- pain in the neck, shoulders, back of the head, arms;
- lack of coordination;
- nausea and dizziness;
- pain and crunching when turning the head;
- deterioration of hearing and vision.
The manifestation of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depends on the degree (stages) of the disease:
- 1st degree.Preclinical stage.Minor manifestations.The feeling of pain occurs only during movement.
- 2nd degree.Nerves are pinched when intervertebral discs are displaced, which leads to intense pain, as well as a deterioration in general condition.Absent-mindedness, fatigue, and decreased performance appear.
- 3rd degree.The pain spreads to the arms and shoulders, dizziness and muscle numbness appear.
- 4th degree.Intervertebral discs are destroyed, which leads to poor coordination and curvature of posture.
Diagnostics
To draw up a program of assistance in identifying signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the doctor conducts an initial examination and prescribes subsequent diagnostics.The patient may be referred to:
- radiography.Allows you to see displacements in the spine;
- MRI.Creates a picture of the development of pathology, the size, direction of growth of deviations;
- CT.Makes it possible to assess the size of vertebral changes;
- UDS.Helps assess blood flow speed;
- urine and blood tests to assess general condition and exclude contraindications;
- examination of a gynecologist, oncologist, psychologist, therapist, as well as other specialists, which eliminates contraindications when choosing methods of providing care to the patient
Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor makes a decision on prescribing treatment methods.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is aimed at:
- elimination of pain syndrome;
- relieving tension from the cervical-collar area;
- improving blood supply to the problem area;
- relapse prevention.
To comprehensively solve the problems, the treatment of neck osteochondrosis uses medication and physiotherapy aimed at:
- relief of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis;
- relieving swelling and affecting nerve endings;
- reduction and elimination of muscle spasms;
- restoration of cartilage tissue;
- acceleration of metabolic processes for recovery;
- improvement of rheological properties of blood;
Drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in advanced forms of pathology is carried out using methods that provide a rapid analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, providing a general strengthening effect.In this case, blockades and injections are used, which are prescribed by a doctor and performed by special medical workers in a hospital.
To completely eliminate the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, treatment is carried out using physiotherapy (ultrasound, magnetic therapy, electrophoresis), which is prescribed individually to each patient undergoing a recovery course in the clinic.
Additional ways to eliminate the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and treat them are:
- physical therapy;
- classical and manual massage;
- manual therapy;
- swimming;
- special diet.
A set of treatment methods for cervical osteochondrosis is selected by a neurologist based on the patient’s complaints, diagnostic results, and general condition of the body.