Cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by degenerative-dystrophic disorders of the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine.Metabolic disorders in intervertebral discs, which, in fact, are special “gaskets” between the vertebrae in the cervical region, provoke the development of infringement of the roots of nerves and blood vessels.This is one of the characteristic symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.It is due to the special anatomical structure of this spine.
One of the severe complications of cervical osteochondrosis may be a violation of the spinal artery, which anatomically takes place in the holes of the cervical vertebrae.The growth of bone and fibrous tissues occurring due to dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs can lead to a violation of the work of this artery.
A special anatomical device of the cervical spine, in the form of a closer arrangement of the vertebrae to each other, leads to the fact that even a small violation of one of the vertebrae causes a violation in the entire department.
Nerves and blood vessels are pressed and shifted, much more often and more than with other locations of osteochondrosis processes.The result of such compression is the development of some characteristic symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, which we will talk about below.
At what age do people develop cervical osteochondrosis?
Cervical osteochondrosis is a fairly common regenerative disease of the spine, which in recent years is rapidly “young”.More and more often, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical region is made by people aged 25 to 40 years.
Doctors explain one of the reasons for such an early appearance of destructive spine by the fact that many young people spend most of the day in uncomfortable poses when working at the computer.
Also, the predisposing factors for the development of this disease are working with vibrational mechanisms, hypothermia, accompanying diseases of the metabolic system, work with construction equipment, improper posture, inactive lifestyle, an uncomfortable bed and a pillow, hereditary factors.
Recently, the doctors have been reducing overweight in a number of predisposing factors, the errors of the training process in athletes, a sharp reduction in training volumes or the cessation of the training process, infectious diseases, stress and nervous overstrain, and traumatic back lesions.
Stages of cervical osteochondrosis
Among the stages of development of cervical osteochondrosis, they distinguish:
1st stage
It is characterized by the primary lesions of the intervertebral discs and is expressed in the form of an inconspicuous unstable system of the “vertic” system.
Stage 2
A characteristic feature of this stage is the protrusion of the disks (the protrusion of the pulpoic disk nucleus relative to the vertebral column in the cerebrospinal canal with the phenomena of the fibrous ring).Between the vertebrae, the cracks are reduced, the fibrous ring begins to collapse.Pinching of nerve roots provokes the development of pain symptoms.
Stage 3
At this stage, fibrous rings are finally destroyed.The result of such destruction is intervertebral hernias.There is a serious deformation of the spine.
4th stage
Characterized by difficulty of movement.Any, even a small movement in the neck brings severe torment, making it difficult to independently move the patient.The quality of his life falls significantly.The condition can periodically improve, the symptoms are smoothed out against the background of intervertebral bone growths, which limit the possibility of movement.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Of the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, the following should be listed:
- Pain symptoms in the neck, nape, shoulder and in the hands.Pain, as a rule, is aching;
- Difficulty moving in the neck, accompanied by crunch of joints.The crunch is especially clearly manifested at the moment of rotation or tilt of the neck.After a crunch, relief is often felt, in the form of a decrease in the pain symptom, patients say that “the neck has risen in place”;
- Weakness in the hands;
- Pulling pain in the left side of the chest, which often gives to the left hand;
- A burning sensation between the shoulder blades;
- Periodic headaches;
- Increased fatigue;
- Characteristic irradiation of pain (its distribution).It can often reach the shoulder zone to the hands;
- Complaints about the “overthrow and passage of electric current” on the hands and (or) the legs at the time of the bending of the neck;
- A feeling of general weakness;
- Worse hearing, vision, ringing in the ears, deterioration of the condition of the dentition, night snoring, disturbances in the work of the heart and lungs, impaired gait of dizziness, nausea, numbness of the face and tongue, double and circles before the eyes.
These symptoms are due to impaired nervous innervation.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
At the primary stages, cervical osteochondrosis does not require special measures for his treatment, since he does not cause special inconvenience to the patient.It is easy to adjust it with the help of observing special prevention measures.
It is necessary to improve working conditions.Review your lifestyle and rest for the better, change the water regime (the small flow of water in the body provokes the “dryness” of the intervertebral discs, which leads to their speedy erasing), change the attitude to harmful dependencies that can become provocateurs of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine (alcohol, smoking, some food habits).
In the heavy stages that usually develop over time, osteochondrosis will require treatment.For this, conservative methods of therapy are used:
- Massage,
- LFK,
- Wearing social collars,
- Physiotherapeutic effects.
Drug therapy should be connected in severe cases, exacerbations of the disease:
- Analgesics;
- Anti -inflammatory non -hormonal drugs;
- Antispasmodics;
- Electrophoresis, paraffin applications.
The chronic stage of osteochondrosis will require a long -term hondoprotectors, which lasts over the years of taking.
Also, in therapy of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, vitamin injections (a group of vitamins B), various ointments, creams, gels, which are stimulants of regenerative processes, or containing local foster substances have proven themselves.
Important!Any information about the methods and methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis, which you gathered in this article, is not a guide to action.The therapy protocol for osteochondrosis should be developed by an experienced doctor, based on the clinical picture of the disease, his symptoms, and the general condition of the patient.Do not self -medicate.