The appearance of uncomfortable sensations in the neck, shoulder girdle, as well as the thoracic spine - are the first swallows of the fact that cervical osteochondrosis occurred.In this case, of course, there is primarily uncomfortable sensations in the neck.The remaining signs will vary greatly, depending on the stage of the disease.
So with cervical osteochondrosis, the main symptoms are:
- Fatigue of the back, periodic or constant.
- The pain is pronounced or worn out.Cervicobrachiolgia - intense pain in the neck - against the background of cervical osteochondrosis.
- The constraint in the amplitude of motor rotations and scope of the upper extremities, as well as the limited rotation of the head.
- Numbness of the limbs and various areas of the back - a change in sensitivity occurs.
- Numbness of the face.
- Dizziness and pain.
- Increased fatigue.
- Hypotony in the muscles of the shoulder girdle.
Various symptoms of osteochondrosis for the cervical spine depend on the individual characteristics of the body and the degree of the disease.Thus, symptoms at 3 stages of osteochondrosis more widely and diversely manifest themselves.
Dizziness
Dizziness appears when sharp turns of the head are performed or after sleep.This condition can be accompanied by darkening in the eyes, the noise in the ears, shaking the condition of the body.
This condition is caused by the fact that the muscles adjacent to the deformed vertebrae are in an inflamed state.The muscles are often spasmodic.This causes a reduction in oxygen access to the brain, which in turn causes a specific state of disorientation.
There is also vertebrobasicular deficiency (VBN) against the background of cervical osteochondrosis, which is accompanied by persistent changes in the brain.This happens due to the fact that not all areas of the brain are irrigated by oxygen and nutrients evenly.And also osteochondrosis can lead to the appearance of a state in which the vertebral artery is compressed, which occurs due to excess pressure of the vertebrae on the artery.This condition causes the following symptoms - disorientation, dizziness, burning pains, etc.
Headache
This symptom is also caused by a reduction in blood flow in the brain and spinal cord.Squeezed arteries, due to the displacement of the vertebrae, reduce oxygen in the blood.This forces separate areas of soft tissues.The peculiarity of this kind of pain is that it may not pass even after taking potent painting drugs.
Noise, sensation of ears, dizziness, as well as other unusual condition in the ears - data and other symptoms are the result of cervical osteochondrosis.They are not treated independently.You can eliminate them only by removing the root cause of their appearance - clamps and destructive processes in the neck.
Air lack
Degenerative changes in the cervical region also cause:
- Heaviness in the chest.
- Pressing sensations.
- The difficulty of breathing.
- Lack of air.
Osteochondrosis and scoliosis, mutually complementing each other, compact and pinch the spine of the nerve.So, the initial stage of osteochondrosis, which begins to only entail scoliosis causes a feeling of lack of air, only as the background of innervation.
With the further development of the disease, the organs located inside the chest will suffer-this is how cardiopulmonary failure is formed.And also a part of the muscles on the head is numb, which causes numbness of the face with cervical osteochondrosis.
Nausea
Attacks of nausea visit the patient usually in the morning.At first, such a symptoms do not appear often and does not last long.But in the case of not treating the disease and with the appearance of old osteochondrosis, the morning nausea will become regular and the duration of the attacks will become larger.
The main thing in this case is to abandon sleep on a high pillow.
Problems with vision
This symptom is manifested only after the disease becomes a more serious form (second third part).Since the development of pathology occurs continuously, as a result, it affects the brain and nervous system, completely different fractions of the hemispheres can be affected.Therefore, this may affect the quality of transmission and processing of a signal coming from the eyeball to certain parts of the brain.
Signs:
- Dangling in the eyes.
- Reducing visual acuity.
- The appearance of black or dark spots and flies, which, as it were, swim in front of the look.
- Along with vision, the ears with cervical osteochondrosis can lay - the phenomenon is associated with changes in the vessels.
Symptoms for cervical osteochondrosis are also manifested by increased blood pressure in the case when protrusion with vertebral mobility syndrome is formed.If you relieve high pressure, without taking into account the causes of it, then a condition arises in which the blood flow in the vertebral artery decreases.This phenomenon contributes to the occurrence of theGip brain.
And this one is in turn, leads to:
- Dangling in the eyes.
- Confusion.
- Dizziness.
- Drowsiness.
- Fatigue.
- Lethargy and weakness.
To distinguish a fainting caused by other diseases from a fainting state with cervical osteochondrosis, attention should be paid to the fact that:
- The pain should occur sharply.
- Subanidity of consciousness quickly appears, but also quickly and passes.
It is very important to take into account the fact that cervical osteochondrosis can lead to a stroke.But this influence is indirectly, since it is caused not by osteochondrosis itself, but by the changes that entails.
Greenous symptoms
In the initial stages of the disease, light deviations in the form of a distortion that do not cause much concern can be observed.But here is what symptoms occur with cervical osteochondrosis in the future:
- The feeling of the presence of a foreign body in the throat.
- Dry, sore and itchy condition.
- Difficult process of swallowing.
Due to the fact that this symptoms can accompany other diseases, it is necessary to sensitively listen to your body.After all, the pharyngeal symptoms caused by cervical osteochondrosis will also be accompanied by other manifestations.Then, as exceptionally uncomfortable sensations in the pharynx, they most likely serve as a sign of another disease.
As a rule, the temperature for cervical osteochondrosis occurs due to compression of the nerves, the presence of protrusion, when the spine protrudes.This is the first symptoms of the formation of the vertebral hernia.
The intervertebral disk (abbreviated MPD) is a watery pulp nucleus in the center and the elastic, strongest fibrous shell that surrounds it.The bodies of neighboring vertebrae are adjacent to it and below.
The receipt (and excretion) of substances and water into the intervertebral disc occurs due to diffusion (direct and reverse filtration, the penetration of molecules into the disk and back) from the bone tissue of the vertebrae.
The gradual aging of the fabrics of the intervertebral disc leads to the fact that the receipt of the necessary substances slows down, and under the influence of provoking factors (pressure, load), it ceases completely.
- MPD loses height;
- The bodies of the vertebrae are shifted, the nerve roots are squeezed and begin to grow with bone spikes, trying to evenly distribute increasing pressure (spondylosis).
Over time, ligaments are involved in the process of ossification, they are impregnated with calcium at the place of attachment to the vertebrae and become the cause of stiffness, constraint of the neck.
Since people continue to load the spine - they are actively moving, sit in an uncomfortable position:
- The bodies of neighboring vertebrae are more and more compressed by the MPD;
- This leads to the fact that the pulpoose nucleus (rather what remains of it) is pushed forward or backward (more often towards the anterior longitudinal ligament, since it is quite thin in the cervical region).
Such a protrusion is called protrusion (the shell of the disk has not yet exploded, but only changed its shape), it presses on adjacent tissues, which leads to the occurrence of muscle tension, pain and other, pronounced symptoms with which cervical osteochondrosis proceeds.
Over time, the fibrous shell of the disk is nevertheless torn, and part of the pulpic nucleus is squeezed into the fabric (this breakthrough is called a hernia).
At this stage (these are 4 stages), all acute symptoms of the disease can subside (a small part of the nucleus is absorbed or covered with calcium and ceases to irritate the surrounding tissues), or, conversely, will lead to the development of the ischemic stroke of the brain (oxygen starvation, the death of a starving area) and disability.
With osteochondrosis in the cervical spine, all manifestations intensify from stage to stage, the more changes occur in the intervertebral disk - the stronger the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.
At the initial stage of a person, muscle tension in the neck and shoulders can be disturbed, because of which they quickly get tired.Then the main sign of pathology appears - the pain that gives to the back of the head, shoulders, arms, chest, can be disguised as tooth pain.A person begins to dizzy, the concentration of attention weakens, vision and hearing falls, this worsens the quality of life and does not affect his ability to work well.
Gradually, the symptoms increase and intensify - a person wakes up with a feeling of stiffness in the spine, during periods of exacerbations any sharp movement (for example, sneezing or a heel on the floor) causes a cutting pain in the neck and along the affected nerves, it becomes difficult to raise the hand or hold the object in the fingers.
At night, the heartbeat may intensify or the appearance of a feeling of lack of air may be concerned-the patient cannot breathe deeply, because of the pain, a person is not able to move, turn his neck or raise his hand.
In symptoms, osteochondrosis in men is almost no different from osteochondrosis in women (they are more often concerned about headaches).
1st stage (degree)
The intervertebral disc lost its elasticity and sagged.
At this stage, with osteochondrosis of the cervical region, tension appears, fatigue, muscle fatigue and neck pain.
The causes of osteochondrosis
The insidiousness of cervical osteochondrosis, as well as any other, is that it is able to develop for a long time, without showing any external signs.And then sharply pain and uncomfortable sensations arise at once.
Among the causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, as a result of which there is a degeneration of cartilage and bone tissues, are:
- Incorrect distribution of loads when wearing bags.
- Incorrect position during sitting.
- An overly soft sleeping place in which the spine is deferred in an unnatural position.
- The wrong pillow is usually too high, which causes an unnatural position of the head in relation to the body.
- A sedentary lifestyle.
- Age -related changes associated with the degenerative transformation of cartilage.
- Stress and nervous - emotional strain.
- Metabolic disorders.
- Harmful working conditions, for example, work on vibration platforms.
- Hereditary and genetic predisposition.
- When with active growth of the body there is a violation of posture, that is, the formation of scoliosis.
- Discomfort shoes, especially if she has high heels.
- Regular dehydration of the body, which lead to a violation of water-salt metabolism.
- Dining with vitamins and microelements nutrition.
- Smoking and other bad habits.
- Pregnancy.
The main reasons that contribute to the occurrence of osteochondrosis are:
- not proper nutrition and the accompanying weight gain, creating enhanced loads on the spine;
- curvature of the spine, incorrect position of the body, myodinia, deformation of the foot;
- hypodynamia, lack of physical activity;
- damage to the cervical vertebrae and spinal column;
- Excessive physical activity for the body;
- tense atmosphere at work and at home;
- pathological development of the cervical spine;
- The transfer of the disease by inheritance.
Due to the above reasons, an excessive load is laid on the cervical vertebrae, which is the cause of the subsequent muscle spasm.As a result, circulatory disorder occurs, metabolic processes slow down, and degenerative changes occur in the structure of the intervertebral discs.They read to protrude outside the spinal column, become thinner and change their appearance.
Often osteochondrosis occurs due to the increasing discus that applies to neighboring vertebrae.Discose manifests itself after long -term physical exertion, during which the cervical and lumbar departments are intensively involved, but not involved in the chest.
Considering the causes of osteochondrosis, it is worth noting that the basis of violations is the natural aging of the fabrics of the intervertebral disc.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Congenital defects in the development of the cervical spine (deformation of the body of the first cervical vertebra).
- Damage and surgical interventions.
- Excessive mobility of the cervical region (for example, in sports training).
- Lack of physical activity (sedentary work).
- Violation of posture (stoop).
- Age.
- Nervous stress.
- Hypothermia.
Factors that affect the occurrence and development of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra:
- Light weight.
- Sitting work, inactivity.
- Previously transferred spinal injuries.
- Mental disorders, nervous strain, stress.
- Poor physical preparation.
- The curvature of the spine, scoliosis, improper posture.
- Incorrect positions of the body that are in the habit.
- Stress of the neck, back, by means of operation.
- Hereditary predisposition.
- The body unusual for the body, an increase in activity.
- Violation of healthy diet rules.
The cervical section of the ridge experiences an increase in the load that the neck muscles are trying to balance, during the influence of the factors called above.A spasm of the muscle occurs, the blood circulation of the body is disturbed.Anatomical damage appears.
A complete list of causes of osteochondrosis is very large.It includes both individual factors and their combinations caused by the displacement of the intervertebral discs.But most often osteochondrosis develops due to the following reasons:
- heredity - if one of the parents had osteochondrosis, then a person falls at risk, since the structure of intervertebral cartilage is often inherited;
- hard work, loads in which exceed the permissible sanitary standards for workers;
- A long stay in one position can also become an important factor.Often osteochondrosis is diagnosed in people of sedentary professions;
- various diseases of the back, leading to curvature of the spine;
- vitamin deficiency and hypovitaminosis;
- back injuries;
- infectious diseases;
- congenital defects of the spine, which lead to rapid erasing of the intervertebral discs;
- natural aging of the body;
- obesity;
- constant stress;
- hypothermia.
People of young and elderly are subject to the disease, which are at risk.Among the main causes of the disease, they distinguish:
- Unusual physical activity and their incorrect distribution on the spine.They are characteristic of people involved in amateur and professional sports, heavy physical labor.
- A sedentary lifestyle and sitting work.It also involves uneven pressure on the spine and muscles that are formed around it.For people leading a sedentary lifestyle, excessive muscle tension in the neck is characteristic.
- Traumatic damage to the spine and neck.In most cases, they lead to rapid destructive-dystrophic changes in cartilaginous and bone tissues in the spine.
- Anomalies in the development of the spine, birth injuries.Often accompanied by additional uneven loads, therefore, in most cases, they also lead to the development of cervical osteochondrosis.
- Salt deposition, high level of blood salts and lymph.It occurs with a sitting lifestyle with stagnation of blood circulation.As a result, salts come to soft tissues worse, which contributes to their deposition in the spine and further degradation of tissues.
- Violation of metabolic processes.In such cases, the balance of minerals in hard and soft tissues is disturbed, the vertebrae and intervertebral discs become fragile and vulnerable.As a result, destructive changes arise in the areas of the spine subject to the greatest pressure.
- Violation of posture, scoliosis, lordosis and kyphosis.For these diseases of the spine, accompanied by the curvature of the latter, the vertebrae and intervertebral discs are also uneven pressure, which contributes to destruction.
When conducting a healthy lifestyle and timely medical care, the listed causes can be eliminated, and the probability of the occurrence of osteochondrosis of the cervical region, the treatment of which is long and difficult, will be reduced to the minimum.But in the presence of risk factors, this probability can be increased several times.Among other prerequisites for the disease, they distinguish:
- hereditary predisposition to spinal diseases;
- obesity and significant increase in body weight;
- frequent nervous shocks and stresses;
- low -quality and unbalanced nutrition;
- weakness of the muscles of the neck and back;
- Hormonal disorders, endocrine pathologies.
In the early stages of the progression of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the symptoms and treatment are simplified.The regulation and elimination of risk factors significantly reduces the likelihood of a disease at a young age, and also relieves the symptoms of the first manifestations of destruction.
Symptoms and signs of the disease
- numbness of the language;
- crunch when turning the head;
- hearing deterioration;
- decrease in visual acuity;
- optical effects, “flies” before the eyes;
- nausea and vomiting;
- neurotic changes (irritability and increased nervous excitability, insomnia, outbreaks of anger, depressive state);
- fainting;
- tingling in the upper limbs and neck (mainly during sleep);
- a feeling of instability.
For men and women with cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms and treatment are identical.Additionally, cardiovascular accompanying diseases, lesions that generate blood pressure leaps can occur.In some situations, manifestations are diagnosed incorrectly and symptomatic treatment and therapy against hypertension is performed.
Treatment
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis can be carried out on the basis of conservative (drugs and non -drug) and radical (surgical) methods.The basis for using only conservative measures (as a rule, both in aggregate) can be the first degree of progression of cervical osteochondrosis.
At the later stages of the development of the disease, surgical intervention is required with the removal of growths (if any), the restoration of posture and the installation of prostheses.After the operation, the patients show a rehabilitation period.
The methods of therapeutic effects in most cases are combined.With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the symptoms and treatment require an integrated approach to achieve a sustainable result.
The use of medicines involves treatment with courses, since drugs have a strong symptomatic effect, but do not allow to completely eliminate the disease.In the process of therapy are used:
- Non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs.They help reduce the inflammation and swelling of the soft tissues, as well as reduce the severity of the pain syndrome caused by compression of the nerve roots with vertebrae.At the first stages of the development of cervical osteochondrosis, NSAIDs are more often used in the form of gels and ointments, severe pain decreases due to tabletized agents.In difficult situations, analgesic injections are possible.
- Musorelaxants.The main purpose of funds is the removal of muscle tension and spasms in the neck.As a result, blood supply and oxygen nutrition are restored, the severity of the pain syndrome is reduced and one of the causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical region is eliminated.
- Chondroprotectors.They are not direct drugs, but help to significantly improve the condition of cartilage tissue.They contribute to the restoration processes of the intervertebral discs and strengthen them.They are used during therapy and the recovery period after surgery.The action of chondroprotectors is felt six months later from the beginning of the reception and is constantly preserved with systematic use.
- Vasodilators.Improve blood circulation and blood supply, expand the vessels, improve overall well -being and contribute to the regulation of blood pressure.They are used in the form of injections.
- Sedatives.They help to relieve stress as one of the risk factors.With serious stable disorders, antidepressants can be used.
- Steroid anti -inflammatory drugs.They are used by short -term courses in cases where the NSAIDs do not have the proper effect.Long-term use of glucocorticosteroids is not allowed due to side effects in the form of a decrease in immunity, deterioration of the state of internal organs, bones, joints.
- Paravertebral blockade.They are used in emergency situations to quickly relieve pain of high intensity.Injections are placed directly in the affected area.The effect of anesthesia lasts for several hours.
- Vitamins.They help restore metabolic processes in nerve tissues.Products rich in vitamins are also included in the restoration diet.
Medicine therapy is almost never prescribed as the main and (or) the only method of therapeutic effect.Treatment with drugs is combined with exercise therapy and physiotherapy, diet.
The main indication for surgery is the narrowing of the lumen of the spinal column, which is usually the result of protrusion or hernia.The phenomenon is often accompanied by stenosis, compression of the nerve endings and blood vessels.In such situations, the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are pronounced, and treatment with surgical methods becomes a necessary measure.
The choice of surgical intervention as a method of treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical region is carried out individually.The patient can be shown an operation in the absence of a positive effect of conservative therapy, carried out for six to eight months before.
Surgical methods are used to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical region:
- Dynamic stabilization of the spinal column.It involves the installation of a stabilizer made of high -strength silicone, which redistributes the pressure on the spine.The implant is introduced between the spinous processes along the back.
- Spondylodez.It involves the removal of the damaged cartilage disk, followed by its replacement with an implant.The mobility of the back, neck and individual vertebrae is restored and preserved.
- Laser surgery.During the operation, the laser beam is directed directly to the disk core, after which the protrusion is reduced.Such treatment is effective in cases where a hernia is no more than six millimeters.