Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: symptoms and treatment

Spinal diseases are a serious pathology that modifies the normal physiology of the axial skeleton and the body as a whole.Damage to a single cervical region leads to disruption of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, organs of vision and hearing, shoulder and elbow joints.Therefore, everyone who cares about their health should know the reasons for the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, its main symptoms, methods of treatment and prevention.

What is cervical osteochondrosis

The human cervical spine is made up of 7 vertebrae connected by elastic discs.Normally, the vertebrae are close to each other, hold the head securely and participate in movement.The first signs of the disease appear in a person aged 25 to 45 years old.Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra develops - a degenerative-dystrophic change in the intervertebral discs.Their reduction leads to compression and displacement of nerves and blood vessels.If osteochondrosis is not treated, the disease begins to progress rapidly.

Causes of the development of cervical osteochondrosis

Let's consider the main causes of cervical osteochondrosis:

• lack of physical activity, or vice versa, excessive stress;
• sedentary life, sedentary work;
• poor posture such as scoliosis;
• constant stress, nervous tension.

Other causes of cervical osteochondrosis are injuries, hereditary diseases: genetic predisposition, intrauterine trauma.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are very diverse and depend on the stage of development of the disease:

1st degree	The symptoms are mild, there is sometimes slight lumbago, sleep disturbances and headaches.But the first minor signs are not of much concern, which is why people do not seek medical attention.
2nd degree	Photographs show protrusions and a decrease in the height of the intervertebral discs.The pain becomes constant, stiffness and numbness appear in the face and head.A cough appears.Migraine pains develop, nausea and dizziness intensify.Sleep is disrupted and fatigue increases.Deficits in cardiovascular activity are observed.
3rd degree	The development of intervertebral hernias in cervical osteochondrosis leads to compression of neighboring tissues - vessels, nerves.Severe, aching pain in the back of the head and neck appears, dizziness and nausea appear.Patients feel weakness and numbness in their hands.Muscle tone changes, tension in the neck muscles appears.Patients experience the development of sclerosis.
4th degree	The appearance of osteophytes leads to narrowing of the intervertebral foramina, pinching of nerves and joint damage.All symptoms intensify and become permanent.At this stage, there is a decrease in the signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, due to the fact that the vertebrae grow practically together and mobility decreases.Lack of treatment at this stage can lead to disability.

Since the nerves approach each vertebra of certain organs, the location of damage can be determined by the clinical manifestations of the disease.

Cervical osteochondrosis syndrome

With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, compression and pinching of the spinal nerve roots occurs.This pathology is rare.This is due to the fact that the cervical ligaments are strong, and hernial protrusions practically do not come out of the intervertebral foramina.

Radicular syndromes

Radicular syndromes are caused by a lack of oxygen in the latter.

Irritant reflex syndromes

Irritant reflex syndromes are characterized by burning, acute occipital or cervical pain.This occurs when moving the head after prolonged tension caused by a long, immobile state of the neck.Also, unpleasant sensations occur in the chest and shoulder joints.

Cardiac syndrome

Cardiac syndrome resembles angina.Patients complain of heart pain that appears during physical or emotional stress.But when examining the functioning of the heart, no pathologies are detected, and medications for the heart do not bring relief.Cardiac syndrome develops in suspicious people with a tendency to phobias.For treatment, these patients may need the help of a psychotherapist or psychiatrist.

Why is cervical osteochondrosis dangerous?

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease.One of the biggest dangers is narrowing of the heart (coronary) vessels, which can lead to a heart attack.

Severe headaches accompanied by osteochondrosis of the cervical spine lead to a decrease in a person's memory and performance, as well as the inability to perform professional duties.

Changes in the vertebrae and intervertebral discs cause numbness of the roots, accompanied by dysfunction of the corresponding organs or leading to disability.

Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis

If you have neck problems, you should consult a neurologist or orthopedist.The diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis is made on the basis of the patient's complaints, life history, examination and examination.

To clarify the diagnosis, it is necessary to perform x-rays, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging to identify protrusions or hernias.For symptoms of cerebral circulatory disorders, ultrasound of the neck vessels, cerebral encephalography and fundus examination are performed.If there are a variety of symptoms affecting other organ systems, additional diagnostics are carried out, prescribed by a cardiologist or rheumatologist.

How to treat cervical osteochondrosis

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should always be carried out comprehensively.All measures are aimed not only at eliminating pain, but also at eliminating other pathological symptoms.Processing is carried out using methods and means such as:

• drug therapy;
• massage;
• physiotherapy;
• unconventional methods;
• surgery.

Drug treatment

Drug treatment of osteochondrosis is aimed at reducing pain in the cervical spine, restoring vascular blood flow and maintaining motor and mental activity.Main groups of drugs:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories	Medicines relieve inflammation, eliminate pain and have an antipyretic effect. Caution: you cannot take these drugs for a long time, as they can cause side effects - liver damage, peptic ulcers, hematopoietic disorders and increased thrombus formation.
Muscle relaxers	Reduces muscle tone and spasms.
Vascular drugs	They improve blood circulation in the vessels, relieve headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, “blinking eyesight” and help restore memory.
Venotonics	Venotonics are prescribed in case of violation of venous blood flow of the head.
Antispasmodics	Reduces cerebral vascular spasms.
General tonics: ginkgo biloba, ginseng	Prescribed for alcoholic hypotension.
Serotonin receptor agonists	Increases arterial tone.
Neurotropics	Prescribed for dizziness and tinnitus.
Diuretics	Reduces swelling of pinched tissues.
Chondroprotectors	Prevents the destruction of cartilaginous tissue and intervertebral discs.
Sedatives and antidepressants	Reduces nervous tension, anxiety, depression, depression and increased fatigue.
B vitamins, complex vitamin preparations	Improves trophism (nutrition) of cartilage and nervous tissue.Prescribed in the form of tablets or injections (during an exacerbation).

Caution: Medicines intended for the treatment of osteochondrosis, in addition to their therapeutic effect, may have side effects and serious contraindications.Therefore, do not self-medicate under any circumstances.Only a specialist, a neurologist, can prescribe the necessary medications, individually select the dose and determine the duration of taking medications.

First aid for a disease in the severe exacerbation stage consists of therapeutic and drug blockades, which only a specialist has the right to carry out.

Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis

Surgical treatment is prescribed for cervical osteochondrosis only in extreme cases, for example, with the formation of osteophytes (marginal growths of bone tissue of the vertebrae), spondylolisthesis (vertebral displacement) or stenosis (narrowing) of the spinal canal.Surgery is prescribed only if all other treatment methods have not produced a positive effect.

The operations are as gentle as possible, using microsurgical instruments and a microscope.Surgeons most often perform endoscopic operations or microdiscectomies.During the operation, the ligaments are excised, the affected vertebral fragments are removed, and the hernial protrusions are excised.The postoperative period is generally long, but the rehabilitation prognosis is favorable.

Massage

Massages performed outside the period of exacerbation are prescribed to consolidate the therapeutic effect or for preventive purposes.It is generally prescribed in 10 to 14 sessions, several times a year.Purpose of massage:

• improve lymphatic flow;
• normalize blood circulation;
• relax the neck muscles, collar area;
• improve the nutrition of cartilage tissue;
• prevent further development of the disease;
• reduce the risk of relapse.

The choice of massage - manual or mechanical, which also helps well with cervical osteochondrosis, is decided only by the doctor.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapeutic procedures complement other types of treatment and have a beneficial effect on the health of the cervical spine.Physiotherapy procedures are prescribed in the remission phase, relieve pain, muscle spasms, strengthen muscles and restore motor activity.For osteochondrosis, the following are most often used:

• balneotherapy;
• detensive therapy;
• laser therapy;
• magnetic therapy;
• UV therapy.

Unconventional treatment methods

Non-traditional treatment methods complement official methods and help to quickly cope with problems of the cervical spine.

1. Acupuncture.Inserting needles into special, painful points along the spine relieves muscle tension, relieves pain, reduces inflammation and improves blood circulation.
2. Dry or underwater extraction.It is prescribed to elevate the vertebrae and increase the distance between them.Thanks to this procedure, pain subsides, blood circulation is restored and the load on the joints is reduced.
3. Needle applicator.The needle-like tips of the applicator affect active points of the cervical spine, restore function and reduce inflammatory processes in muscle and cartilage tissues.
4. Leeches.Unpresentable in appearance, but medicinal leeches have a unique saliva, the components of which relax muscles, improve the trophism of affected tissues, reduce swelling and relieve pain.
5. Hydrotherapy.Water showers, saunas and medicinal herbal baths complement traditional forms of treatment.
6. Foot massage.Effectively affects the whole body, relieves fatigue, pain, improves metabolic processes in the spine.

Therapeutic exercise

This disease does not like movement, which is why, to get rid of such a serious scourge, it is necessary for physical exercise to become firmly established in our lives.Therapeutic gymnastics can be practiced daily, except during periods of exacerbation.A doctor can help you choose the right exercises and the first sessions can be done in a physiotherapy room under the supervision of a health professional.

The task of a physiotherapy specialist is to show how to perform exercises correctly, to help choose the correct rhythm, amplitude and duration of exercises.In the future, you will need to undergo physical therapy at home, not forgetting that the load should be increased gradually and all movements should be performed smoothly.

Daily exercises help to strengthen the neck muscles, reduce the load on the intervertebral discs and are a good prevention of osteochondrosis.

Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis

It’s no secret: prevention is the best treatment.And the sooner you do it, the fewer health problems there will be in the future.

When to start preventive measures?Of course, it is better from childhood.If you are the parent of a preschool-age child, do not limit the child's natural desire for physical activity.There is no need to enroll him in a sports section - let him run, jump on the street, buy a skipping rope, a hoop, a bicycle, a scooter.Set up a sports corner at home, invent or find interesting exercises on the Internet, turn them into a game and have fun doing them yourself.

If your child is already a schoolboy, pay attention to how he sits at the desk, whether he is comfortable and whether he has to bend too much over his notebooks and textbooks.Remember that when sitting in a chair, a child's knees should be bent at a 90 degree angle?The same degree should be between the hips and the spine.If the angle is not maintained, then you need to adjust the height of the chair or table.The chair should have a comfortable seat, armrests and a high back on which you can lean on your elbows while relaxing.

Pay attention to the height of the monitor: When seated, your eyes should be looking at the top of the monitor and the keyboard should be below elbow level.Check how comfortable it is for you and your child to sit at your desk.Are you comfortable having a sedentary job in an office?If not, think about how you can help yourself.Perhaps you can change the height of your chair, raise the monitor, or invest in a stylish footrest.

Watch your posture when working.Do not be offended, remember how animals sit, for example, your favorite dog, placing the entire surface of the buttocks on the floor, stretching the lower back, without bending over like a donut.After 15-20 minutes you need to take a short break.At home, it is easier to warm up: you can get up, stretch with pleasure, do a few dance steps to the music and stretch your neck.

What can you do in the office if the natural desire to leave the office often is not welcome?You can use a seated warm-up:

1. Gentle head turns left and right, up and down, rotating in a circle, clockwise and counterclockwise (be careful not to get dizzy);
2. Press your chin against your neck, then against your chest and turn your head left and right;
3. Place your palm on your forehead and press it as hard as possible (10 seconds), then move your palm to your right, your left temple and the back of your head.Do you feel your neck muscles tense?Amazing;
4. Massage your neck, starting from the occipital opening to the shoulders, knead the shoulders, then gently run your fingers from the occipital to the shoulders several times to ensure even blood flow.

The warm-up will be incomplete if you do not take care of the condition of the lower spine and arms:

1. Rotate your shoulders: 10 times forward and backward, up and down;
2. Bring and spread your shoulder blades together, feel the pleasant tension in your back muscles and thank you.These muscles perform static work, supporting our body in an upright position.But they also get tired more quickly than others, especially children.This is why children so often struggle to change their sitting position.And there is no need to scold them for that;
3. To help relax the pelvic spine, contract and relax your gluteal muscles several times;
4. Move towards your legs, contract and relax the muscles of your thighs, then your shins, toes, repeat this exercise several times;
5. Clasp your hands in a lock, make a “sign” several times, including your hands, elbows and shoulders in the work;
6. Make a fist with four fingers and rotate your thumbs clockwise and counterclockwise several times;
7. Work with your hand - clench your fist tightly, then forcefully straighten your hand and spread your fingers wide.

These exercises, depending on the number of repetitions, can last 3 to 5 minutes.You can do several approaches per day.You may wonder why you need to do full-body exercises if only the cervical spine bothers you.The fact is that the entire spine usually suffers, so a general preventive warm-up will only bring benefit.

Interesting: Estonian healer Luule Viilma writes that any illness is given to a person in order to have time to understand his life.And the sooner a person realizes his mistakes in life, the sooner healing will occur.According to L. Viilma, the fear of being guilty, accusation, excessive demands on oneself and others are the causes of this disease.Understanding why the illness occurred, forgiving yourself and others is a way to get rid of everything bad and regain health.

Physical activity and simple exercises should be included in your daily routine.You don't have to study for hours, especially if you don't have time for it.On the Internet you can find videos with short warm-ups.To lose weight and reduce the load on the problem part of the spine, you should pay attention to the system of exercises using the Tabata method, which suggests performing exercises at a high pace, with certain intervals of rest and load.

Attention: Before engaging in such physical activity, you should consult with specialists and choose the optimal exercises.You cannot train yourself to use such a system during periods of exacerbation of osteochondrosis.

To reduce the load on the cervical vertebrae, it is advisable to ensure a comfortable body position during sleep.For your neck and head, using the perfect orthopedic pillow is an ideal option.

What else can I say about prevention?Of course, this is a reasonable diet, monitoring your body mass index, exercise, walks in nature and, most importantly, the desire to be healthy.Our health is in our hands and everyone must use this gift.