Today, cervical osteochondrosis has become significantly younger. The reason for this is considered to be an 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 intervertebral cervical discs even with minor physical exertion or shocks.
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, since they are always individual in nature, and a vertebrologist or neurologist can answer them only during an appointment.
Features of the disease
With osteochondrosis of the neck, the discs of the intervertebral space are destroyed. Normally, they perform a shock-absorbing and protective function.
Being between the vertebrae, they prevent the vertebral bodies from touching each other. When walking and more active movements, they can compress, giving the spine flexibility. In addition, due to the disc-ligamentous apparatus, passages are created for the nerves exiting the spinal cord.
When discs and ligaments are destroyed, the vertebrae begin to rub against each other. Friction causes pain and other discomfort in the neck. As the vertebrae approach each other, the nerves become pinched, and additional symptoms appear in those parts of the body for which the affected neurons are responsible. Neurological symptoms occur.
Osteochondrosis can affect any part of the spine, and the symptoms will vary. Disc destruction can occur in several areas at once.
A greater amount of load falls on the lumbar spine, which means that the discs and ligaments here are most often subject to changes. But it is osteochondrosis of the cervical region that causes the most suffering in humans. After all, the main vessels for blood supply to the brain run through the neck, and there are many nerves and nerve endings.
Statistics show that the cervical region is most often affected. Of all the parts of the spine, it is the most mobile. On a video on the Internet you can see how the disease develops and its complications.
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are fundamentally no different from the symptoms that occur in men. There is one 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 a computer, driving a car or during other static activities.
If you have a predisposition to deforming joint disease or salt deposits, the risk of developing an illness from an unhealthy lifestyle increases.
Classification of clinical manifestations
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, symptoms and treatment of the pathology are closely interrelated, 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 are the medical term for a group of symptoms that occur due to pinched nerve roots that are located between the vertebrae of the neck. Initially, such compression manifests itself in the form of paresthesia - numbness, tingling sensation and the feeling of "goose bumps" across the skin.
Ignoring and not treating such manifestations leads to further progression of the disease. Acute (quick or delayed) pain occurs, which develops into chronic pain syndrome.
Manifestations characteristic of cervical radiculitis depend on the localization of degenerative processes, i. e. between which vertebrae the nerve roots were pinched:
Irritative-reflex syndrome
Pain in irritative-reflex syndrome when the roots of the lower cervical vertebrae are pinched occurs between the shoulder blades.
This syndrome is characterized by diffuse, burning-sharp pain in the neck, back of the head, or upper back. They occur after sleep, or during the start of movement after a long static hold of a position. It is possible that the pain will radiate achingly to the heart or shoulder joint.
Vertebral artery syndrome
Osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, symptoms (and their treatment) can manifest themselves as signs combined into Vertebral Artery Syndrome:
- headaches – point-like, pulsating or burning, spreading diffusely;
- localization places - above the eyebrows, in the temples, crown of the head, on the back of the head;
- the pain is constant, but sometimes occurs in the form of attacks;
- the severity of 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, "bunnies" in the eyes, tinnitus, snoring.
On a note! Quite often, the only signs of neck osteochondrosis are pharyngeal symptoms. These include: soreness, dryness and/or difficulty swallowing. However, the cost of ignoring such symptoms can be enormous. 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 heart area, which are often mistaken for 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 take an X-ray of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, since with a parallel diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms and treatment at home will be specific.
For example, a vertebrologist is obliged to warn the patient that if "heart pain" is not relieved by nitroglycerin or another coronary dilator 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 true angina attack from painful coronary syndrome. With the latter, the patient is able to walk quickly.
Minor symptoms
Nausea
Feelings of nausea and belching 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 to their diet.
Nausea and belching themselves 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 disrupted.
An attack of nausea can end in vomiting, which also occurs with careless turns of the head, bending of the body, or strong physical activity. In this case, poor circulation leads to insufficient nutrition of the inner ear and the center of balance.
Feeling of suffocation
A feeling of lack of air occurs when the phrenic nerve is pinched in the cervical area of the spinal column. This important nerve is an element of the cervical plexus and regulates how deep the breath is and how often breathing movements are made.
Patients complain of difficulty breathing with all their might. Shallow breathing leads to a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the blood, shortness of breath occurs, and in difficult cases, suffocation occurs.
At night, breathing may stop, often occurring along with an attack of snoring. Night problems are provoked if a person lies in an uncomfortable position and the head and neck are not in the anatomically correct position.
If these problems are accompanied by unsatisfactory hygiene of the room where a person sleeps, when the room is poorly ventilated, dusty and there is no flow of clean air at night, the patient experiences hypoxia. Lack of oxygen occurs in all tissues of the body, waking up the patient will not feel rested
Feeling of tinnitus
Tinnitus occurs due to problems with the blood supply to the vestibular apparatus. The blood vessels to it pass through the cervical vertebrae of the spinal column.
Disturbances in the parts of the inner ear cause sensations of various sounds:
- background hissing noise;
- ringing, squeaking.
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 auditory analyzer itself. Even a doctor can 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 occurrence, so sounds arise when a person remains in one position for a long time.
Throat problems
Often osteochondrosis can make itself felt only through a complex of pharyngeal symptoms:
- Sore throatoccurs without connection with food intake, you can trace the difference between the appearance 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 dry 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 a consequence of damage to both 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 occurrence of tumors.
Vision problems
Deterioration of visual function is less common; they more often occur in people with atherosclerotic lesions of the head vessels and with a decrease in general pressure.
The vessels supplying the eyes also run through the cervical vertebrae; with their osteochondrosis, the following complaints arise:
- the appearance of a "veil" in the eyes;
- decreased visual clarity and acuity;
- the appearance of black dots or rods;
- difficulty focusing on a specific subject.
Symptoms are not constant. Patients notice 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. Elimination of symptoms is only possible 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 interrupted.
In this case, clamping does not necessarily occur in the cervical region; only irritation by the deformed structures of the vertebrae is sufficient. In response to this effect, a significant spasm occurs in the arteries.
Consciousness returns to a person quite quickly. This is facilitated by changing body position. A person who has lost consciousness must be placed in a horizontal position and his legs raised up. This way, blood from the lower part of the body will help restore blood supply to the suffering brain.
As a rule, such short-term conditions do not carry complications or consequences. If the disruption of blood flow to the brain is stronger, then consequences are possible.
Important: after loss of consciousness, a patient must consult a doctor to undergo an examination and prevent recurrent attacks.
Despite the short duration of the condition, a person who has lost consciousness needs to call an ambulance.
Blood pressure problems
The presence of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine causes surges in blood pressure. For people past middle age and the elderly, 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 aggravates the situation. This is how symptoms of VSD arise against the background of cervical osteochondrosis. Depending on a person’s predisposition, 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 temperature.
However, patients may feel warming and even burning of the skin at the site of the problem, that is, along the back of the neck.
When several symptoms combine, a person begins to feel unwell. General health worsens, mood drops, irritability and inattention arise. For a patient with severe pain or blurred vision, it becomes difficult to perform everyday tasks and conduct productive work activities.
Important: if any complaint, even not related to problems with the spine, prevents you from leading a normal normal lifestyle, then you should see a specialist as soon as possible and determine the cause of the concern.
Danger of disease
Cervical osteochondrosis poses a great danger, 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 complications that are life-threatening:
- Intervertebral hernia is considered the next stage in the development of osteochondrosis. It occurs in the absence of treatment. People who suffer from neck or back pain for a long time without seeing a doctor receive just such a diagnosis.
- Compression of the spinal cord processes causes damage to them, and radiculopathy develops. Along with this, growths and osteophytes form on 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 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 of the condition ending with 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 spinal column. The cost of lack of treatment is organ injuries incompatible with life.
If a person discovers symptoms of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, he should consult a specialist as soon as possible. Deformation of the vertebrae can lead to severe trauma to the spinal cord, and this is very dangerous for a person.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Cervical osteochondrosis symptoms and treatment at home requires the approval of the treating specialists. The video in this article with a set of exercises for the neck muscles is not posted. There are plenty of them on YouTube.
However, you should know that the instructions for exercise therapy with this diagnosis prohibit:
- jog;
- perform any jumping movements;
- pump up 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 also prohibited. Rest and drug therapy with painkillers 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 at the rehabilitation stage. Nevertheless, vertebrologists praise treatment with leeches and categorically do not recommend treatment with bee stings; bay leaves will also help with therapy.
Allergy is an insidious disease, the occurrence of which is impossible to predict, and an acute allergic reaction - Quincke's edema can lead to anaphylactic shock and be fatal.
Among the 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 exercise, it is necessary to give up bad habits, monitor your daily drinking regimen and balance your diet, and also do special morning exercises for osteochondrosis of the lumbar region. The weekly menu should include raw and half-cooked vegetables, seasonal fresh fruits, fermented milk drinks and dishes daily.
Natural meat of dietary varieties and fish from the herring or salmon family should be eaten every other day. Replace coffee and tea with rosehip decoction and natural juices.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is a long process that will take not months, but years. Osteochondrosis cannot be cured, but significant remission can be achieved. The results will depend only on the patient himself, his diligence in following the recommendations and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.
FAQ
What are the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can manifest itself 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 pain-relieving ointments and gels.
What exercises help with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
To strengthen the neck muscles and relieve the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, stretching and strengthening exercises for the neck muscles, head rotation, bending and turning 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 wraps 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 an incorrect position for long periods of time. Regular breaks to stretch and adjusting your work position can reduce stress on the cervical spine.