spinal cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a progressive degenerative change affecting the intervertebral discs. The pathology can occur anywhere in the spine, but most commonly affects the cervical spine.This problem cannot be ignored, as symptoms intensify over time, and the pathology itself can lead to serious health problems.

what is

The human spine is composed of individual vertebrae, and there is a specific spacer between the vertebrae - the intervertebral disc. It is formed from cartilage tissue and acts as a shock absorber, protecting the bone tissue of the vertebrae from wear and tear, but at the same time it flattens and wears away.Typically, this process occurs as the body ages and begins no earlier than 50-55 years of age. But every year the pathology becomes younger, and there are documented cases of premature wear of cartilage tissue even in young people (25-30 years old).For example, the higher rate of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine compared to the lumbar spine is related to the loading on that specific area, which is caused by the need to hold the skull in an upright position.

The weight of an adult's head can reach 3-5 kilograms: the skull weighs about 1400 grams, about the same weight as the brain, and the mass of blood circulating in the skull is about 500 grams.

A characteristic of the cervical spine is that the vertebrae are located closer together and the intervertebral discs are less thick. Even small changes can lead to complications.

Development reasons

Factors leading to pathological changes in cartilage tissue:

• Sedentary lifestyle;
• Compulsion to maintain tense postures while working (driving, in front of a computer);
• overweight;
• nervous state;
• neck injuries;
• Muscle weakness.

The neck muscles try to compensate for the load caused by these factors, leading to spasms. Blood circulation, nutrition and metabolic processes of cartilage tissue are disrupted, leading to changes in its structure.The following factors can also contribute to premature disc aging:

• genetic predisposition;
• Autoimmune diseases that cause cartilage tissue to degenerate;
• Congenital disorders of spinal development.

Stages and symptoms of pathological development

Degenerative changes go through several stages and are accompanied by specific symptoms:

• Stage 1. The symptoms remain virtually invisible. At this stage you can stop or slow down the pathological process without the help of drugs (diet, exercise). Patients may feel:
  • Discomfort, tension, and hardness of neck and shoulder muscles;
  • Mild pain when turning or tilting the head;
  • Headaches are infrequent and of low intensity (most commonly after static or strenuous work, stressful experiences).
• second stage. The height of the intervertebral discs is reduced, the nerve endings are compressed, and severe pain occurs in the neck, especially when performing activities and turning. Muscle spasms disrupt the blood supply to the skull, thus increasing symptoms associated with vascular insufficiency. The person noted:
  • Creaking of neck joints when turning head;
  • decreased vision;
  • tinnitus;
  • Dizziness;
  • Frequent headaches with no apparent cause;
  • Numbness of the face and neck, and loss of sensitivity of the skin on the hands and collar area;
  • Severe pain radiating to the shoulder blade;
  • sleep disorder.
• The third phase. A herniated disc develops (its core protrudes into the spinal canal), which can lead to nervous system dysfunction. Symptoms may include:
  • Numbness in the hands and possible paralysis of the upper limbs;
  • Pain affects the entire neck and collar area and can radiate to the heart area;
  • "Floaters" appear in the eyes, nausea and vomiting;
  • Feeling of a lump or pain in your throat, such as sore throat;
  • The skin of the upper body may not be felt at all;
  • Dizziness can occur with almost any exercise;
  • The headache is essentially a migraine.
• Stage 4. It is characterized by complete disk corruption:
  • Tinnitus may be permanent;
  • Dizziness may be accompanied by loss of consciousness;
  • Coordination disorders occur when blood supply to the cerebellum region of the brain is reduced.

It is extremely rare for a single disc to be affected. Often the process involves the entire department. Individual disks may be in different stages of corruption.

diagnosis

The diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis includes instrumental examination and comprehensive assessment of symptoms.In instrumental methods, key information will be provided by:

• Radiography - will show changes in spinal structure, but in advanced stages of pathology;
• Computed tomography - shows changes in the vertebrae, but intervertebral hernia and spinal cord compression are difficult to differentiate;
• Magnetic resonance imaging - allows you to see the intervertebral hernia and the direction in which it is growing;
• Ultrasound duplex scan - shows blood flow velocity in areas of suspected osteochondrosis.

When doctors make a diagnosis, they base their diagnosis on the symptoms the patient is exhibiting. A syndrome is a combination of disease symptoms.

Cervical osteochondrosis can cause the following syndromes:

1. spine- Indicates that the pathological process involves bone and cartilaginous tissue. Checklist:
   • Limited neck movement;
   • pain when turning the neck;
   • Structural changes in the vertebrae or discs (shown on X-rays).
2. vertebral artery syndrome– means that the vertebral arteries, which supply blood to the brain, are involved in the pathological process. The main symptoms:
   • Due to lack of blood circulation:
     • noise in ears;
     • Dizziness;
     • nausea and vomiting;
     • pressure fluctuations;
   • Due to stimulation of arterial nerve endings:
     • severe headache (migraine);
     • Numbness of scalp skin;
     • "Floaters" in the eyes or temporary blindness;
   • due to lack of oxygen;
     • faint;
     • lethargy;
     • Loss of ability to focus on anything;
     • frustrated;
     • Panic attacks.
3. heart.Signs similar to cardiovascular system problems:
   • Sternal pain (sometimes like a burning sensation);
   • shortness of breath and fatigue;
   • Increased heart rate.
4. Koreshkovi.Associated with impaired conduction of nerve impulses, depending on damage to a specific pair of roots that innervate the neck region:
   • Root pair 1-2 - pain or numbness in the back of the head;
   • The third pair - numb tongue, difficulty chewing food;
   • The fourth pair - clavicle pain, lump in throat, difficulty swallowing food;
   • Fifth pair - Difficulty moving the arms, the problem is concentrated in the shoulder area;
   • Sixth Couple - Discomfort in the shoulder blade and forearm area;
   • The seventh pair - numbness in the hands, more common in the middle and index fingers;
   • The eighth pair - numbness of the ring finger and little finger.

Treatment programs

Only a comprehensive approach is suitable for the treatment of osteochondrosis. The battle with pathology can even last for many years.

medical treatement

The purpose of using medications to treat cervical osteochondrosis is to:

• relief the pain;
• Relieve inflammation and swelling;
• Reduce neck muscle tension;
• Improve blood circulation;
• Protects cartilage tissue from damage and promotes its repair.

To diagnose and treat cervical osteochondrosis, you should contact a neurologist. If the clinic has a chiropractor who directly deals with spinal conditions, you can contact him immediately.

Your doctor may prescribe the following medications:

• NSAIDs – Relieve inflammation and swelling and reduce pain.
• B vitamins – Help improve the function of nervous tissue.
• Chondroprotectants - protect cartilage tissue from destruction and restore its structure.
• Medications that improve blood flow.
• Muscle relaxants are medications that relieve muscle spasms.

physical therapy methods

Physiotherapy methods can provide rapid relief for patients and are combined with medications:

• electrophoresis– The affected area is exposed to low intensity electrical current. Delivers medication directly to problem areas. Anesthetics are usually used to relieve pain, or medications are given to improve blood flow to the neck area.
• ultrasound– Has anti-inflammatory properties, improves blood flow and metabolic processes.
• Magnet therapy– Helps to quickly relieve tissue swelling and improve metabolic processes.
• Laser Treatment– Helps improve blood circulation at the contact site and has anti-inflammatory properties.

massage

During the course of medication and physical therapy, it is best to have a specialist massage the neck and collar area.

Self-massage can be used later, just be very careful not to try to repeat the depth of impact shown by a professional massage therapist.

During the surgery, specialists use classic massage techniques:

• Stroking - Activates the surface of the skin;
• Squeeze - connect the deep layers of the skin;
• Rubbing – warms and relaxes muscles and improves circulation;
• Kneading - affects very deep tissues, so use with caution;
• Vibration - Tapping and shaking ends the process.

manual therapy

Sometimes, with cervical osteochondrosis, consultation with a chiropractor is recommended. But this technique draws conflicting reviews: In some cases it really helps, but in others it almost makes it worse. The whole gist is this:

• There is no doubt that a chiropractor must be a highly qualified doctor with medical education and qualifications as a neurologist or orthopedic traumatologist.
• There are many contraindications to manual treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. Two people with similar symptoms may get different answers as to whether they need manual therapy—one can and should, the other definitely not.

To contact a chiropractor, there must be strict indications and no contraindications. They are determined by the attending physician who gives guidance on such treatment.

A highly qualified chiropractor will not treat a patient without studying the x-ray results.

treatment at home

The use of traditional treatments or any home remedies should be discussed with your doctor in advance, as they can help or worsen the condition in each specific case.This applies, for example, to the needle applicator used. It consists of plastic spikes attached to wide tape that people apply to the painful area (you can lie on it). Stinging stimulates skin receptors and increases local blood circulation. But it cannot be used for infectious and vascular diseases.It was also popular to warm the affected area with a mustard paste or a bag of salt or sand. But for vascular disease, it can also be dangerous.

Therapeutic exercise (physical therapy)

Therapeutic exercise is the safest way to treat cervical osteochondrosis. It is recommended to do this both during exacerbations and in the future - to prevent disease.

Patients should not feel pain while performing the exercises. Doing it "with pain" not only has no benefit, but will harm your health.

The simplest but most effective movements are turns, bends, and head rotations. It is strictly prohibited to perform this operation at high speed and high amplitude. Movement should be barely noticeable. Despite such low mobility, this exercise ensures blood flow to the neck area and improves its circulation.

saint collar

The Shant Collar is a rigid head support that relieves tension in the neck muscles and prevents movements that may cause pain. Recommended to be worn during treatment and for prevention of cervical osteochondrosis.The collar is constantly worn. The vertebrae are held in the correct position without putting pressure on each other and on blood vessels and nerve endings. As a result, pain disappears, blood circulation normalizes, and many pathological symptoms disappear.

If 5-7 cervical vertebrae are unstable, bandages cannot be used as they will not be held in the correct position. It is also not recommended to wear a collar if the thyroid gland is enlarged.

Application of orthopedic pillow

Many times, osteochondrosis is worsened by sleeping on uncomfortable pillows that compress the carotid arteries and nerve roots. Orthopedic pillows ensure that the spine maintains an even, level position during the night.It does not cure osteochondrosis itself, but it can provide relief and is also a good measure to prevent the development of degenerative spinal conditions.

prevention

There are some simple rules that, if followed, will help prevent premature aging of your spinal discs:

• Monitor your weight; 10kg over the standard can severely load the entire spine;
• Try not to lift or carry heavy objects;
• If you need to carry a heavier bag, hold it alternately with your left and right hands (or better yet, use a backpack that distributes the load evenly across your entire back);
• Every half hour of static work should be alternated with light exercise to relieve muscle tension and improve blood circulation;
• Engaging in sports such as swimming is beneficial, but running, jumping, weightlifting, etc. are harmful to the spine;
• When sleeping, use an orthopedic mattress and pillow.

Cervical osteochondrosis can significantly worsen a person's quality of life. This disease can be treated in its early stages, but even during its development a series of daily exercises, compliance with preventive rules, massage and other measures prescribed by your doctor will allow you to live a comfortable life.