Reflex symptoms
Symptoms of this category are characterized by creaking of the vertebrae when turning the head, which, due to pain, forces patients to occupy a certain position. Osteochondrosis causes pain of a pressing nature that spreads to the temporal zone. Sometimes patients experience a decrease in visual acuity.
Irritation of the nerve connections of the vertebral artery can provoke the appearance of a syndrome that is often diagnosed as a violation of cerebral circulation, which causes dizziness.
In this case, dizziness and nausea can also be caused by a sudden movement of the head. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis also include cardialgia syndrome. Its manifestation resembles an attack of angina pectoris.
Root syndromes
The root symptoms of osteochondrosis of the neck are usually the result of compression of the vertebral root. Violations of the musculoskeletal system or sensitivity directly depend on the affected nerve ending:
- S1 - leads to a violation of sensitivity in the occipital zone;
- S2 - causes pain in the parietal area, which may cause dizziness;
- S3 - reduces the sensitivity of the neck, in addition, there may be a violation of speech;
- S4 - leads to a decrease in sensitivity in the shoulder area, reduces the tone of the neck muscles and causes respiratory failure;
- S5 - causes pain and a violation of susceptibility in the outer part of the shoulder;
- S6 - causes pain that travels from the neck to the shoulder blade, to the outer part of the shoulder and even to the thumb;
- S7 - leads to pain extending from the neck to the scapula, the back of the shoulder and the II-IV fingers of the hand.
- S8 - causes pain, decreased sensitivity that travels from the neck to the forearm, to the little finger.
Symptoms by group
The division of clinical phenomena into groups will help to better understand the symptoms of osteochondrosis. With osteochondrosis, three key groups are observed. The first group determines the manifestation of pain, the second is manifested in movement disorders.
As for the third group, it is characterized by vascular manifestations. Based on this, it is necessary to consider in detail each type of complications of cervical osteochondrosis.
The nervous system
The defeat of the remote part of the nervous system can lead to the manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis. The effect of pain will be accompanied by regular pain in the neck.
Among the main symptoms are:
- muscle pain;
- pain in the joints;
- pain in the chest area.
Most often, the onset of pain occurs without external stimuli. When you try to roll over to the other side, lift your head, or cough, there may be an increased pain effect. The main localization of pain falls on the neck.
The manifestation of pain may resemble an electric shock. In addition, there is tension in the muscles of the neck, difficulty breathing. With exacerbated osteochondrosis, a non-standard posture gradually appears: the patients head is slightly tilted to the side.
Cervical lumbago limits the rotational movements of the head. While the rotation of the head is often accompanied by a cracking of the vertebrae and noise phenomena, especially if the disease has been triggered. Patients often believe that the cause of painful spasms may be hypothermia in the neck or increased stress on the cervical spine. Therefore, it is important to understand which symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis cause pain, and which exacerbate the clinical manifestations of the disease.
Resulting symptoms
Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra often provokes the development of cervical and shoulder sciatica. As a result, patients complain of pain in the occipital region and upper neck. There are times when the pain moves to the shoulder girdle area.
It usually happens when the muscles connected to certain nerve endings are tight. The main reason is the compression of the nerve endings of the vertebrae.
Movement disorders
Osteochondrosis often leads to the development of torticollis. This is the result of a spasm of the neck muscles. Such manifestations of the disease lead to a lack of movement in the cervical spine.
Each attempt to turn the head is accompanied by a cracking of the vertebrae and pain in the neck.
Cervical spine x-rays show clear changes in individual vertebrae. The compression of the vessels weakens the pulse of the radial artery. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is often accompanied by whitening of the fingers.
An additional manifestation of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae is pain in the shoulder joint. A painful spasm usually occurs at night. Pain is given to the neck or arm, especially when trying to take the arm to the side.
Attempts to soothe the hand cause the development of stiffness in the joint and form a kind of posture: the shoulder leaning against the chest. As a result, osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae in a neglected form allows you to raise your hand only at eye level. Periods of exacerbation are often accompanied by an increase in skin temperature.
Vascular phenomena
Insufficient blood flow leads to cerebral manifestations of the disease. The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae with vascular manifestations:
- hypothalamic;
- gout syndrome;
- vestibular stem;
- ochlear-stem;
- pharyngo-laryngeal;
- visual disturbances.
The first symptom indicates a malfunction of the hypothalamus and leads to increased fatigue, sleep disturbances. There is a decrease in memory capacity. Cases of manifestation of causeless fear or anxiety are known. You may also notice a decrease in sexual desire and frequent urination.
The second symptom is characterized by causing dizziness, fainting and loss of consciousness. The attacks usually cause weakness in the legs and a feeling of weakness. The third syndrome causes dizziness, nausea, and unsteadiness when walking.
However, dizziness can be the cause of a number of other illnesses. For example, conditions such as vestibular neuritis, migraines, or a brain tumor can also cause dizziness.
The fourth symptom manifests as tinnitus or hearing loss. The main manifestations of the fifth syndrome are a feeling of dryness or a foreign body in the throat, loss of sound in the voice and fatigue during a conversation. The last sign of cervical osteochondrosis is determined by a decrease in visual acuity.
Factors affecting compression of nerve endings:
- displacement of vertebral discs;
- osteophytes;
- the formation of protrusion of the vertebrae;
- change in the height of the vertebral disc.
Cervicothoracic osteochondrosis
The basis of osteochondrosis of the cervico-thoracic spine is the destruction of spongy bone tissue. Pathological changes in the spine create conditions conducive to the violation of nerve endings in the chest region. As a result, there is a feeling of electric shock, for example, when trying to bend the neck.
Cervicothoracic osteochondrosis is accompanied by pressing and dragging pains in the chest area. Complications result in reduced mobility of the elbow and shoulder joints. But, since in the thoracic region there are no conditions of trauma to the vertebral discs, this pathology rarely leads to the formation of a hernia.
Symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis:
- fatigue;
- headache, chest pain;
- drop in blood pressure;
- fog before the eyes;
- dizziness;
- tinnitus;
- pain in the neck (vertebrae) and ribs;
- finger numbness;
- movement coordination disorders.