Today, cervical osteochondrosis has become significantly younger. The reason for this is the increase in living conditions, a significant decrease in mobility during work and rest, and the fast food craze. They lead to a metabolic imbalance and increase the trauma of the intervertebral discs even with minor physical stress or shock.
Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many requests on the Internet - osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: symptoms and treatment. We give a brief overview of these questions, since they are always individual and can only be answered by a vertebrologist or neurologist at one time.
Characteristics of the disease
With osteochondrosis of the neck, the plates of the intervertebral space are destroyed. They usually perform a shock-absorbing and protective function.
They are between the vertebrae, preventing the vertebral bodies from touching each other. During walking and more active movements, they are compressed, giving flexibility to the spine. In addition, thanks to the disc-ligamentous apparatus, passages are created for the nerves exiting the spinal cord.
When the 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 come closer together, the nerves become pinched and additional symptoms occur in the parts of the body that the affected nerve cells are responsible for. Neurological symptoms appear.
Osteochondrosis can affect any part of the spine, and the symptoms can be different. Disk destruction can occur in several areas at the same time.
A greater load is placed on the lumbar spine, which means that it is here that the discs and ligaments change most often. But osteochondrosis of the cervical region causes the most suffering in people. After all, the main blood vessels of the brain run through the neck, and there are many nerves and nerve endings.
Statistics show that the neck region is most often affected. It is the most mobile of all parts of the spine. In the Internet video, you can see how the disease develops and its complications.
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are basically no different from the symptoms in men. There is one difference: the most common symptom of the disease in women is headache.
Cause
The classic causes of the development of cervical osteochondrosis are as follows:
- low mobility, lack of adequate physical activity;
- disorders of metabolic processes;
- salt deposits, especially in the neck region;
- unbalanced diet;
- incorrect posture while working with a computer, driving a car or other static activities.
If you are prone to joint deformities or salt deposits, the risk of developing disease resulting from an unhealthy lifestyle increases.
Classification of clinical manifestations
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, symptoms and pathology are closely related to each other, but complex therapy is prescribed only after instrumental clarification of the diagnosis. Currently, the following classification of manifestations exists.
Radicular syndromes or cervical radiculitis
Radicular syndromes are the medical name for groups of symptoms that occur due to pinching of the nerve roots located between the vertebrae of the neck. Initially, such compression manifests itself in the form of paresthesia - numbness, tingling and "goosebumps" on the skin.
Ignoring and not treating such manifestations leads to further progression of the disease. Acute (quick or delayed) pain occurs, which turns into a chronic pain syndrome.
The manifestations typical of cervical radiculitis depend on the localization of the degenerative processes, e. g. between which vertebrae the nerve roots are pinched:
Irritative-reflex syndrome
Pain in irritative-reflex syndrome, when the roots of the lower cervical vertebrae are trapped, 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 appear after sleeping, when starting to move, after holding a static position for a long time. It is possible that the pain radiates painfully to the heart or the shoulder joint.
Vertebral artery syndrome
Osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, its symptoms (and their treatment) can appear as symptoms combined into vertebral artery syndrome:
- headache - point-like, throbbing or burning, spreading diffusely;
- localization places - above the eyebrows, in the temples, on the top of the head, on the back of the head;
- the pain is constant, but sometimes comes in the form of attacks;
- the severity of pain increases after the first movements from static positions;
- in weakened persons, nausea may develop, movement coordination may be impaired, dizziness, fainting may occur;
- Possible decrease in hearing and visual acuity, "bunny" in the eyes, tinnitus, snoring.
In a comment! Often the only sign of cervical osteochondrosis is pharyngeal symptoms. These include pain, dryness and/or difficulty swallowing. However, ignoring such symptoms can be costly. These symptoms are inherent in certain inflammatory diseases that can develop into cancer.
Cardiac syndrome
The preliminary diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is often complicated by the presence of heart syndrome in the patient.
Features:
- increased heartbeat;
- attacks or prolonged pain in the area of the heart, 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 for an X-ray of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, since with a parallel diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms and home treatment will be specific.
For example, the vertebrologist must warn the patient that if the "heartaches" are not alleviated by nitroglycerin or other coronary vasodilator drugs, they should not be taken several times in a row within a short period of time. It is enough to drink ibuprofen or nurofen forte.
FYI! There is another way to distinguish a true angina attack from painful coronary syndrome. With the latter, the patient can walk quickly.
Minor symptoms
Nausea
Nausea and belching are the result of blood circulation problems in the brain. Patients often associate this symptom with nutritional errors, begin to limit the amount of food they eat, and modify their diet.
Nausea and belching alone can reduce appetite. All these phenomena lead to the fact that a person begins to lose weight and the balance of nutrients in the body is disturbed.
An attack of nausea can end in vomiting, which also occurs with careless turning 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 balance center.
Feeling of suffocation
The sensation of shortness of breath occurs when the phrenic nerve is pinched in the cervical region of the spine. This important nerve is part of the cervical plexus and controls the depth of breathing and the frequency of respiratory movements.
Patients complain of difficulty breathing with all their might. Shallow breathing leads to a decrease in blood oxygen concentration, shortness of breath and, in severe cases, suffocation.
At night, breathing may stop, often accompanied by a snoring attack. It causes problems at night when a person lies in an uncomfortable position and the head and neck are not in an anatomically correct position.
If these problems are accompanied by inadequate hygiene of the room where a person sleeps, when the room is poorly ventilated, dusty and there is no clean air at night, the patient experiences hypoxia. Lack of oxygen occurs in all tissues of the body, and the patient does not feel rested when he wakes up
A sensation of tinnitus
Tinnitus occurs due to problems with the blood supply to the vestibular apparatus. The blood vessels leading to it pass through the cervical vertebrae of the spinal column.
Disorders of the parts of the inner ear cause the sensation of various sounds:
- background hissing noise;
- ringing, squeaking.
The complex of such complaints is usually called cochlear or cochlear syndrome.
Important: if the patient does not consult a doctor with these symptoms, hearing acuity will decrease over time.
Patients often believe that such abnormalities are related to the hearing analyzer itself. Even the doctor has a hard time understanding the situation, especially if there are no clear signs of osteochondrosis.
However, if there are problems with the vertebrae, special hearing symptoms occur. Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra can be distinguished by the characteristics of its occurrence, so sounds are produced when a person stays in one position for a long time.
Throat problems
Osteochondrosis is often felt only through the pharynx symptom complex:
- Sore throatappears without connection with food intake, the difference between the onset of symptoms and the sudden movement of the head and neck can be traced.
- Feeling of a foreign body in the throatappears and disappears.
- There are complaints of itching and dry throat, strong unpleasant sensations can trigger the patient's desire to cough. Coughing causes an increasingly dry and scratchy feeling. These complaints are the result of simultaneous damage to nerve fibers and blood vessels.
Important: such symptoms can be observed in the area of the cervical vertebrae with inflammation and the occurrence of tumors.
Vision problems
Deterioration of visual function is less common in those with atherosclerotic lesions of the head, and the general pressure decreases.
The vessels supplying the eyes also pass through the cervical vertebrae with osteochondrosis, the following complaints occur:
the appearance of a "veil" in the eyes; reduced visual acuity and visual acuity; the appearance of black dots or bars; it is difficult to focus on a specific topic.
Symptoms are not permanent. Patients notice that vision sometimes worsens, sometimes improves.
A characteristic symptom of osteochondrosis is that the state of vision cannot be influenced with the help of glasses, medicine and exercise. Eliminating the symptoms is possible only after treating the root cause of the problem.
Black out
Impaired blood supply to the brain can lead to loss of consciousness or fainting. This occurs when blood flow to the brain is temporarily interrupted.
In this case, compression does not necessarily occur in the neck region, only irritation caused by the deformed structures of the vertebrae is sufficient. In response to this effect, a significant spasm occurs in the arteries.
Consciousness returns to the person quite quickly. This is facilitated by changing the body position. The unconscious person should be placed in a horizontal position and the legs should be elevated. In this way, blood from the lower body helps to restore blood supply to the suffering brain.
Such short-term conditions usually have no complications or consequences. If the disturbance of blood flow to the brain is stronger, then consequences are possible.
Important: after losing consciousness, the patient must see a doctor for examination and to prevent repeated attacks.
Despite the short duration of the condition, a person who has lost consciousness should call an ambulance.
Blood pressure problems
The presence of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine causes an increase in blood pressure. In the case of middle-aged and elderly people, this can be particularly 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 VSD symptoms appear against the background of cervical osteochondrosis. Depending on the tendency of the individual, hypertensive or hypotensive crises occur. Often one type of crisis gives way to another.
Temperature fluctuations
Temperature fluctuation is not a specific symptom of osteochondrosis. If the body temperature rises, it means that an infection or a tumor has appeared in the body. The immune system reacts in the form of temperature.
However, patients may feel warmth and even burning on the skin at the site of the problem, i. e. the back of the neck.
If several symptoms are combined, a person feels bad. The general state of health deteriorates, the mood decreases, irritability and inattention appear. It makes it difficult for patients with severe pain or blurred vision to perform everyday tasks and work productively.
Important: if any complaint, even if it is not related to spinal problems, prevents you from leading a normal, normal lifestyle, then consult a specialist as soon as possible and determine the cause of concern.
Risk of disease
Cervical osteochondrosis poses a great danger, since the area affected by it is the most important vascular system, which supplies 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.
However, this disease has life-threatening complications:
- Intervertebral hernia is the next stage in the development of osteochondrosis. Occurs in the absence of treatment. People who suffer from neck or back pain for a long time without consulting a doctor are given exactly such a diagnosis.
- Compression of spinal cord processes causes damage, radiculopathy develops. At the same time, growths and osteophytes form on the vertebrae. All this threatens the patient with the loss of mobility and the 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 that the condition will end in a stroke.
- If the disease is not treated for years, in the case of vertebral deformities, the spinal cord itself, which is located inside the spinal column, can be damaged. The price of the lack of treatment is organ damage incompatible with life.
If a person discovers the symptoms of aggravation of cervical osteochondrosis, he should consult a specialist as soon as possible. Deformation of the vertebrae can cause serious damage to the spinal cord, and this is very dangerous for humans.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
The symptoms and home treatment of cervical osteochondrosis require the approval of treating specialists. The video in the article with exercises for the neck muscles is not published. There are tons of them on YouTube.
However, you should know that the instructions for exercise therapy with this diagnosis prohibit:
- jogging;
- do any jumping moves;
- pump up the muscles of the shoulder girdle and neck with dynamic exercises, especially with weights or resistance.
Important! If cervical osteochondrosis worsens, symptoms and treatment with physical exercises, self-massage and physiotherapy procedures are suspended. Visiting a chiropractor is also prohibited during an acute period. Rest and drug therapy with pain relievers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablets and ointments are recommended.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies is not very effective and is possible as an additional method of therapy in the rehabilitation phase. However, vertebrologists praise treatment with leeches and categorically do not recommend treatment with bee stings, it also helps in 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 can be fatal.
Among the non-traditional methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis, we recommend the following:
dynamic and static yoga classes; Wushu, Taiji and Qigong gymnastics; acupuncture and Su-Jok.
In addition to daily exercise, you should give up bad habits, monitor your daily drinking schedule and balance your diet, as well as perform special morning exercises for osteochondrosis of the lumbar region. The weekly menu should include raw and semi-cooked vegetables, seasonal fresh fruits, fermented milk drinks and daily meals.
Natural meat of dietary breeds and fish from the herring or salmon family should be eaten every other day. Replace coffee and tea with rosehip decoction and natural fruit juices.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is a long process that takes not months, but years. Osteochondrosis cannot be cured, but significant remission can be achieved. The results depend only on the patient himself, on his diligence in following the recommendations and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.
F. A. Q
What are the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can manifest itself in neck, shoulder, and arm pain, dizziness, tinnitus, numbness or tingling in the arms, and limited movement of the neck.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home?
To alleviate the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you can use relaxation methods, neck muscle strengthening exercises, massage, warm compresses, pain-relieving ointments, and gels.
What exercises help with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
Exercises that stretch and strengthen the neck muscles, head rotation, bending and turning the neck, and posture improvement exercises are useful for strengthening the neck muscles and alleviating the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Useful tips
Tip #1
In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is recommended to perform special exercises to strengthen the muscles of the neck and back. This improves blood circulation and reduces stress on the spine.
Tip #2
You can use cold compresses or warm packs to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Cold reduces swelling, while heat improves blood circulation and relaxes muscles.
Tip #3
It is important to monitor your posture and avoid incorrect posture for long periods of time. Taking regular breaks to stretch and adjust your work position can reduce stress on the cervical spine.