Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease characterized by degenerative-dystrophic changes in the tissue of the intervertebral discs, which leads to a decrease in their height, damage to the joints between the vertebrae, the blood vessels and the roots of the nerves.
Previously, the pathology was considered to be a disease of people over 40, but today osteochondrosis is noticeably younger and is often diagnosed for students and students for the first time. The disease leads to a number of complications. First, the blood supply to the brain worsens. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is a long -term process and involves both drug and non -objective therapy.
The causes of the development of the disease
The reasons for the development of cervical osteochondrosis are varied. First of all, the disease occurs due to the wrong lifestyle-hypodynamia, sitting, overweight. At the same time, the main cause of osteochondrosis of the cervical region is a disorder of blood circulation in this area. As a result, the nutrition of the tissues of the intervertebral discs worsens, leading to a change in their structure. There are several factors that contribute to the development of this disease:
- Hypodinamia;
- weak muscle rear corset;
- Excess weight;
- neck injuries;
- stress;
- hypothermia;
- Systemic connective tissue diseases (red lupus, rheumatoid arthritis).
Hypodynamia is one of the most important factors in the development of spinal diseases. Due to the lack of physical activity, people who spend a lot of time sitting face osteochondrosis. It also depends on the posture and muscles of the back. Improper neck position during long -term work on the mass leads to a violation of the food of the intervertebral discs, which over time is poured into the degeneration of cartilage and the development of osteochondrosis. For this reason, the disease is often diagnosed with students and students, since their daily activity is associated with many hours of sitting on the table or on the desk. Also, osteochondrosis is often diagnosed with office workers and all people who spend a lot of time on the computer.
As a rule, the development of osteochondrosis occurs under the influence of several provocative factors at one time. Many doctors consider osteochondrosis not an independent disease, but of the natural consequence of the wrong way of life. Constant fatigue, stress, improper position of the body during sleep or work on a computer, excess weight and bad habits - all this harms the health of the spine. As you know, a strong back is the key to good health and longevity. Despite the fact that osteochondrosis does not threaten life, this disorder is able to significantly impair the general well -being and cause the development of other diseases, it is therefore important to detect the disease in a timely manner and undergo complex treatment.
Symptoms of the disease and the degree of osteochondrosis
Pain syndrome occurs against the background of the progression of the disease. The growth of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women and men is a long process. From the moment the changes in the tissues of the intervertebral discs, before the first signs of cervical osteochondrosis, it can take more than one year when the intervertebral discs occur. There is no difference in the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men, women and children. The only difference: at a young age, the symptoms are not as clearly expressed as in the elderly. It is the lubricated symptoms that are due to difficulties in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. One does not see a doctor until the symptoms of the disease that carry discomfort is expressed. This happens at least 5 years after the start of the degeneration of cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs. In the first years of development, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is practically not accompanied by clinical manifestations. Perhaps just a slight feeling of tingling of the upper back after sleep or short -term muscle cramps at times of psycho -emotional overvoltage. In order to understand the signs of cervical osteochondrosis in men and women, the degree of this disease, which characterizes the severity of the pathological process in the intervertebral discs, must be taken into account.
The first (preclinical) degree of disease: symptoms and characteristics
With cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms and treatment depend on the stage of the pathological process. The first degree is called preclinical because there are no characteristic clinical symptoms. It is possible to recognize osteochondrosis at this stage only through hardware diagnostics - the changes in the disks are visible to X -Ray (not always) and are visualized well on MRI and CT. In the first stage of the disease there is a disorder of the trophism (nutrition) of the intervertebral discs. As the disease progresses, elastic cartilage tissue is compacted. The disks become more difficult, resulting in the vertebrae losing mobility. In this way, degenerative dystrophic processes begin, leading to a disruption of the function of the cervical spine. As a rule, the symptoms become noticeable at the second stage of the disease, but they are so poorly expressed that they rarely bother a person. The first degree of the disease goes the following in a few years.
Symptoms of second degree osteochondrosis
The second degree of cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by an increase in muscle tone in the area of damage. How you can cure cervical osteochondrosis - depends on the severity of the disease. If the preclinical stage often goes unnoticed by the patient, the second degree of the disease acquires some symptoms that should warn the patient and make him or her see a doctor. Is it possible to completely cure the cervical osteochondrosis - depends on the severity of the pathological process. The earlier the therapy begins, the more favorable the prognosis is. In the second stage of the disease, the discs between the vertebrae are compacted. The neck loses mobility, but in ordinary life, this does not interfere with the patient. A characteristic symptom is an increase in muscle tone of the affected area. With prolonged physical activity, acute movements of the head can be observed after long sleep, numbness and muscle hypertension. Sudden movements lead to acute pain. This is due to the fact that the spasmodic muscles compress the nerve, causing severe pain. The pain can be applied to the shoulder blade, the neck, less often in the lower limbs. Such variability of pain syndrome is due to a large number of nerve roots located in the cervical region.
The first signs of cervical osteochondrosis are the following symptoms:
- fatigue;
- headache;
- dizziness after sleep;
- pain in the cervical region with sudden movements;
- Local tingling of the skin of the cervical region.
As a rule, in the second stage of the disease, the symptoms only occur from time to time. This is usually due to severe fatigue or intense exercise. Most patients do not pay due attention to the easy malaise, expecting the discomfort itself. In general, this happens, the symptoms rarely bother a person long than a few hours and pass without taking special medicines.
Third Degree Osteochondrosis Characteristics
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the third degree cervical spine are pronounced. If in the first stage of the disease the changes start only, the second degree is characterized by a compaction of the discs of the discs, then the third degree of osteochondrosis has cracks and microwaves on the fibrous ring of the disc. Perhaps the formation of hernia - the loss of pulpulated nucleus in the intervertebral space. This is accompanied by a disorder of cerebral circulation, as the flattened discs strongly compress the spinal artery. The typical symptom is a severe headache, frequent dizziness, flickering flies in front of the eyes. With third degree osteochondrosis, a feeling of heaviness in the neck is constantly present. The muscles are almost always spasmodic, one experiences heaviness and sick pain. Long -term stay in one position, tension of the neck muscles or sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow leads to local numbness of the skin or a strong attack of pain. You can experience changes with palpation - the neck muscles become firm to the touch, the pressure causes severe pain. A recognition of cervical osteochondrosis in men is the severe pain in loads (women are less likely to charge this spine in everyday life).
Fourth degree characteristics
The suffocating nerve disrupts blood circulation and causes severe neck pain. The fourth stage of the disease is the most difficult. At the same time, irreversible changes occur in the structure of the discs. The pathological process is spread from the fibrous ring to the vertebrae. The signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in this case are described by several syndromes - these are cock, reflex, spinal syndrome. Severe pain is observed along the suffocated nerve, disorders in cerebral circulation. At this stage, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are varied. Frequent myalgia (muscles), neuralgia, migraine occur. The pain extends to the chest, the patient may encounter discomfort in the heart, which is associated with intercostal neuralgia against the background of left osteochondrosis.
How to cure osteochondrosis?
Such a disease of the spine requires an intervention of a doctor
How best to deal with cervical osteochondrosis - only a doctor can answer this question. There is no universal treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, it all depends on the characteristics of the course of the disease in a particular patient. Patients are often interested in which doctors treat cervical osteochondrosis. Usually the initial diagnosis is made by the therapist or neurologist whom patients have complained of pain in the cervical region. In order to diagnose, it is necessary to make the neck X in three projections and MRI, check the presence of a symptom of Neri. The method of treating cervical osteochondrosis will depend on the results of the study, the therapy is chosen by the neurologist. How exactly cervical osteochondrosis is treated at the stage of development of degenerative dystrophic changes in the discs. In the initial stage of the disease, special physical education will help as well as get rid of the symptoms of osteochondrosis in the cervical region, and prevent the further spread of the pathological process.
The methods of treating osteochondrosis are different. Complex therapy includes:
- treatment with drugs;
- Exercise therapy;
- physiotherapy procedures;
- Manual therapy.
The symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis depend on the severity of pathological changes in the cervical spine. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck should be prescribed by a doctor, the self -measurement will not result in a result and can be dangerous.
Medication
The first thing to do with cervical osteochondrosis is to eliminate pain and muscle spasm; This is the first aid for the patient. Non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs, analgesics and muscle relaxants are used for this purpose. As a rule, this allows you to relieve discomfort for several hours. Relieving muscle spasm is an effective method of treatment as it restores nerve conductivity and circulation in the cervical region. How to treat cervical osteochondrosis in the future depends on the degree of development of pathological changes. Doctors often prescribe:
- In vitamins to restore nerve conductivity;
- chondroprotectors to improve the diet of cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs;
- Nootropes to improve cerebral circulation;
- products that improve the rheological properties of the blood;
- Soothes to relieve stress.
Not all these drug groups are recommended to be used at different stages of the disease. The exact methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis will be selected by the doctor.
Exercise therapy
Media physical education does well with osteochondrosis at the initial stage of development. Medical physical education is the most effective treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at the initial stage. Osteochondrosis in children and adults occurs due to weak back muscles, so this treatment is aimed not only at eliminating the symptoms, but also to eliminate the cause of the disease. In the special cabinet of the clinic, classes are held therapeutic exercises. Exercises are selected individually for each person and performed under the supervision of a doctor. Whether cervical osteochondrosis is treated - depends on how quickly a person has contacted a doctor. The first degree of disease can only be cured by gymnastics. Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae occur after several such classes as muscle spasm decreases.
Physiotherapy
Chronic osteochondrosis, whose symptoms are practically unable to bother a person, are treated with physiotherapy. This method is aimed at restoring the normal nutrition of the tissues of the intervertebral discs. Nicotinic acid electrophoresis is usually used to dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation. This method of treatment relieves the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome and migraine as it reduces nerve compression and improves cerebral circulation. The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can be eliminated by magnetotherapy or heat exposure. Only 10-15 procedures normalize trophic in the cervical region and eliminate the symptoms of the disease.
Forecast
Whether cervical osteochondrosis is cured - depends on the severity of the disease. At the initial stage, the pathological process is completely reversed. The intervertebral discs are restored with the right approach, but slowly. Treatment is aimed at preventing the progression of the disease and restoring cartilage elasticity. In advanced forms of the disease, it is almost impossible to return the former neck mobility. The comprehensive treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in this case allows you to get rid of the symptoms and prevent the development of complications. In severe cases, the patient will need to undergo preventive treatment twice a year.