Today, cervical osteochondrosis has become significantly younger. The reason for this is considered to be an increase in living conditions, a significant decrease in mobility during work and rest, and a craze for fast food. They lead to metabolic imbalance and increase trauma to the cervical intervertebral discs even with minor physical exertion or shock.
Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many requests on the Internet: osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: symptoms and treatment. We present a brief overview of these questions, since they are always individual in nature and a vertebrologist or neurologist can only answer during one visit.
Characteristics of the disease
With osteochondrosis of the neck, the discs of the intervertebral space are destroyed. They normally perform a shock-absorbing and protective function.
Being between the vertebrae, they prevent the vertebral bodies from touching each other. When you walk and make more active movements, they can compress, giving flexibility to the spine. In addition, due to the disco-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. When the vertebrae come together, the nerves are crushed and further symptoms appear in those parts of the body for which the affected neurons are responsible. Neurological symptoms occur.
Osteochondrosis can affect any part of the spine, and symptoms can vary. Disk destruction can occur in multiple areas at once.
A greater amount of load falls on the lumbar spine, which means that the discs and ligaments here are often subject to changes. But it is osteochondrosis of the cervical region that causes the greatest suffering in humans. After all, the main vessels for blood supply to the brain pass through the neck, and there are many nerves and nerve endings.
Statistics show that the cervical region is most often affected. Of all the parts of the spine, it is the most mobile. In a video on the Internet you can see how the disease develops and its complications.
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are not fundamentally different from the symptoms that occur in men. There is a difference: the most common symptom of the disease in women is headache.
Causes
Classic causes of the development of cervical osteochondrosis include:
- poor mobility, lack of adequate physical activity;
- disruptions in metabolic processes;
- salt deposits, especially in the cervical region;
- unbalanced diet;
- incorrect body position when working at the computer, driving a car or during other static activities.
If you have a predisposition to deforming joint diseases or salt deposits, the risk of developing a disease due to an unhealthy lifestyle increases.
Classification of clinical manifestations
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, symptoms and treatment of the pathology are closely related, but complex therapy is prescribed only after instrumental clarification of the diagnosis. Currently, the following classification of events exists.
Radicular syndromes or cervical radiculitis
Radicular syndromes are the medical term for a group of symptoms that occur due to pinching of the nerve roots found between the vertebrae in the neck. Initially, such compression manifests itself in the form of paresthesia: numbness, tingling sensation and sensation of "goosebumps" on the skin.
Ignoring and not treating such manifestations leads to further progression of the disease. Acute pain (rapid or delayed) occurs, developing into chronic pain syndrome.
Characteristic manifestations of cervical radiculitis depend on the localization of degenerative processes, i. e. between which vertebrae were the nerve roots pinched:
Irritant reflex syndrome
Pain in irritative reflex syndrome when the roots of the lower cervical vertebrae are pinched occurs between the shoulder blades.
This syndrome is characterized by widespread, sharp, burning pain in the neck, back of the head, or upper back. They occur after sleep or during the onset of movement after a long static stay in one position. It is possible that the pain radiates painfully to the heart or shoulder joint.
Vertebral artery syndrome
Osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, symptoms (and their treatment) can manifest themselves as combined signs in vertebral artery syndrome:
- headache – pinpoint, throbbing or burning, spreading widely;
- 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 manifests itself in the form of attacks;
- the severity of the pain increases after the first movements from static positions;
- in weakened people nausea may develop, coordination of movements may be impaired, and dizziness and fainting may occur;
- Possible decrease in auditory and visual acuity, "rabbits" in the eyes, tinnitus, snoring.
A note! Most often, the only signs of osteochondrosis of the neck are pharyngeal symptoms. These include: pain, dryness and/or difficulty swallowing. However, the price to pay for ignoring such symptoms can be enormous. These symptoms are inherent in some inflammatory diseases that can develop into cancer.
Cardiac syndrome
Preliminary diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is often complicated by the presence of cardiac syndrome in the patient.
It is characterized by:
- increased heart rate;
- attacks or prolonged pain in the heart area, 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 treatment at home will be specific.
For example, a vertebrologist is obliged to warn the patient that if "heart pain" is not relieved by nitroglycerin or another coronary dilating drug, they should not be taken several times in a row in a short period of time. Just drink ibuprofen or nurofen forte.
For your information! There is another way by which you can distinguish a true angina attack from painful coronary syndrome. With the latter the patient is able to walk quickly.
Minor symptoms
Nausea
Feelings of nausea and belching are the result of problems with blood circulation in the brain. Often patients associate this symptom with nutritional errors, begin to limit the amount of food they eat and make changes to their diet.
Nausea and belching can reduce appetite. All these phenomena lead to the fact that a person begins to lose body weight and the balance of nutrients in the body is disturbed.
An attack of nausea can end with 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
A feeling of lack of air occurs when the phrenic nerve is pinched in the cervical area of the spine. This important nerve is an element of the cervical plexus and regulates 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 the concentration of oxygen in the blood, shortness of breath occurs, and in difficult cases, suffocation occurs.
At night, breathing may stop, often accompanied by an attack of snoring. Night problems occur if a person lies in an uncomfortable position and the head and neck are not in the anatomically correct position.
If these problems are accompanied by unsatisfactory hygiene of the room in which a person sleeps, when the room is poorly ventilated, dusty and there is no flow of clean air at night, the patient experiences hypoxia. Lack of oxygen occurs in all tissues of the body, when waking up the patient will not feel rested
Sensation of tinnitus
Tinnitus occurs due to problems with the blood supply to the vestibular system. The blood vessels pass through the cervical vertebrae of the spine.
Disturbances in parts of the inner ear cause sensations of various sounds:
- background hiss;
- ringing, creaking.
A complex of such disorders is usually called cochlear or cochlear syndrome.
Important: If the patient does not consult a doctor with these symptoms, a decrease in hearing acuity occurs over time.
Patients often think that such disorders are associated with the hearing analyzer itself. Even a doctor may have difficulty understanding the situation, especially if there are no clear signs of osteochondrosis.
However, when problems occur with the vertebrae, specific auditory symptoms occur. Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra can be distinguished by the characteristics of its appearance, so sounds occur when a person stays in the same position for a long time.
Throat problems
Often osteochondrosis can manifest itself only through a complex of pharyngeal symptoms:
- Sore throatoccurs without connection with food intake, it is possible to trace the difference between the appearance of symptoms and sudden movements of the head and neck.
- Foreign body sensation in the throatappears and disappears.
- They complain of itching and dry throat, strong unpleasant sensations can cause the patient's desire to cough. The cough will cause an increasingly dry and irritating sensation. These disorders are a consequence of simultaneous damage to both nerve fibers and blood vessels.
Important: such symptoms can be observed with inflammation in the area of the cervical vertebrae and with the appearance of tumors.
Poor eyesight
Deterioration of visual function is less common; occur more often in people with atherosclerotic lesions of the vessels of the head and with a decrease in general pressure.
The vessels that supply blood to the eyes also pass through the cervical vertebrae; with their osteochondrosis the following disorders occur:
- the appearance of a "veil" in the eyes;
- decreased visual clarity and acuity;
- the appearance of black dots or sticks;
- difficulty concentrating on a specific topic.
The symptoms are not constant. Patients note that vision sometimes gets worse and sometimes gets better.
A distinctive symptom of osteochondrosis is the inability to influence the state of vision with the help of glasses, medications and gymnastics. Eliminating symptoms is possible only after treating the root cause of the problem.
Loss of consciousness
Reduced blood flow to the brain can lead to loss of consciousness or syncope. This happens when blood flow to the brain is temporarily interrupted.
In this case the clamping does not necessarily take place in the cervical region; only the irritation due to the deformed structures of the vertebrae is sufficient. In response to this effect, significant spasm occurs in the arteries.
Consciousness returns to a person quite quickly. This is facilitated by changing the position of the body. A person who has lost consciousness must be placed in a horizontal position and with his legs raised. In this way, blood from the lower part of the body will help restore blood supply to the ailing brain.
As a rule, such short-term conditions do not lead to complications or consequences. If the disruption of blood flow to the brain is stronger, consequences are possible.
Important: After loss of consciousness, the patient should consult a doctor to undergo examination and prevent recurrent attacks.
Despite the short duration of the condition, a person who has lost consciousness must call an ambulance.
Blood pressure problems
The presence of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine causes increases in blood pressure. For people past middle age and older, this may be especially 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 the symptoms of VSD appear against the background of cervical osteochondrosis. Depending on the person's predisposition, hypertensive or hypotonic crises occur. Often one type of crisis gives way to another.
Temperature fluctuations
Temperature fluctuations are not a specific symptom of osteochondrosis. If the body temperature rises, it means that a focus of infection or a neoplasm has developed in the body. The immune system responds in the form of temperature.
However, patients may feel heat and even burning on the skin at the site of the problem, along the back of the neck.
When several symptoms combine, a person begins to feel unwell. General health worsens, mood drops, irritability and inattention arise. For a patient with severe pain or blurred vision, it becomes difficult to carry out daily activities and conduct productive work activities.
Important: If any ailment, even unrelated to spinal problems, prevents you from leading a normal lifestyle, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible and determine the cause of the problem.
Danger of illness
Cervical osteochondrosis represents a great danger, since the affected area is the most important vascular pathways that supply numerous nerve branches to the brain and spinal cord. All symptoms of osteochondrosis have a significant negative impact on the patient's well-being and quality of life.
But this disease has life-threatening complications:
- Intervertebral hernia is considered the next stage in the development of osteochondrosis. It occurs in the absence of treatment. People who suffer from neck or back pain for a long time without consulting a doctor receive just such a diagnosis.
- Compression of the spinal cord processes causes damage to them and radiculopathy develops. Along with this, growths and osteophytes are formed on the vertebrae. All this threatens the patient with loss of mobility and 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 presence of spinal deformities, there is a possibility of damage to the spinal cord itself, located inside the spine. The cost of lack of treatment is organ injuries incompatible with life.
If a person discovers symptoms of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, he should consult a specialist as soon as possible. Deformation of the vertebrae can lead to serious trauma to the spinal cord and this is very dangerous for a person.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and treatment at home require approval from treating specialists. The video in this article with a set of exercises for the neck muscles is not published. There are tons of them on YouTube.
However, you should know that the instructions for physical therapy with this diagnosis prohibit:
- jogging;
- perform any jumping movements;
- pump up the muscles of the shoulder girdle and neck with dynamic exercises, especially with weights or resistance.
Important! If an exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis occurs, the symptoms and treatment with physical exercises, self-massage and physiotherapeutic procedures are suspended. In the acute period, a visit to a chiropractor is also prohibited. Rest and drug therapy with painkillers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablets and ointments are indicated.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies is not very effective and is possible as an auxiliary therapeutic method at the rehabilitation stage. However, vertebrologists praise treatment with leeches and categorically advise against that treatment with bee stings can also help with therapy;
Allergy is an insidious disease, the onset of which is impossible to predict, and an acute allergic reaction: Quincke's edema can lead to anaphylactic shock and be fatal.
Among the non-traditional methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis we can recommend:
- dynamic and static yoga lessons;
- Wushu, Taiji and Qigong gymnastics;
- acupuncture and Su-Jok.
In addition to daily exercise, it is necessary to abandon bad habits, monitor the daily drinking regime and balance the diet, as well as perform special morning exercises for osteochondrosis of the lumbar region. The weekly menu should include raw and semi-cooked vegetables, fresh seasonal fruit, fermented milk drinks and daily dishes.
Natural meat of dietary varieties and fish from the herring or salmon family should be eaten every other day. Replace coffee and tea with rosehip decoction and natural juices.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is a long process that will take not months, but years. Osteochondrosis cannot be cured, but significant remission can be achieved. The results will depend only on the patient himself, on his diligence in following the recommendations and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.
FAQ
What are the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can manifest as pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, dizziness, tinnitus, numbness or tingling in the arms, and limited mobility of the neck.
How can you treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home?
To relieve the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you can use relaxation methods, exercises to strengthen the neck muscles, massage, hot compresses and the use of pain-relieving ointments and gels.
What exercises help with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
To strengthen the neck muscles and relieve the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, stretching and strengthening exercises of the neck muscles, turning the head, bending and rotating the neck, as well as exercises to improve posture are useful.
Useful tips
Tip number 1
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is recommended to perform special exercises to strengthen the muscles of the neck and back. This will help improve blood circulation and reduce stress on the spine.
Tip no. 2
You can use cold compresses or warm compresses to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. The cold helps reduce swelling, while the heat improves blood circulation and relaxes muscles.
Tip no. 3
It is important to monitor your posture and avoid remaining in an incorrect position for long periods of time. Regular breaks to stretch and change your working position can reduce stress on the cervical spine.