Cervical osteochondrosis - causes, symptoms and methods of treatment

Dizziness, fluctuation in pressure, pallor, heart pain - all this often goes from spinal problems.80% of the population suffers from osteochondrosis of the cervical region of varying severity and, according to statistics, men face women in front of women: at the age of 45-50.If you do not start treatment at an early stage, the pathology becomes irreversible.

What is osteochondrosis

The pathology is associated with dystrophic changes in the cartilage between the vertebrae, in which the soft tissue becomes difficult and the depreciation falls.

Osteochondrosis affects the thoracic region, lumbarin, but most often the rest - cervix.The reason is high loads on 1-7 vertebrae, weak muscles, poor nutrition and choosing a wrong sleeping pad.

Mechanism of damage to cervical region vertebrae

Mechanism of the development of cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis develops when the nourishing process of cartilage, mineral metabolism is disturbed.The power of the bone and joints drops, the ligaments lose their elasticity.The shape and structure of the disk are changing, under the influence of loads it is destroyed.The vertebrae is joined, their surfaces are wiped out.Pathology causes such complications:

  1. The closure of the blood vessels passing through 1-7 vertebrae causes the hypoxia (oxygen hunger) of the brain.
  2. Developing problems in the work of the respiratory system, blood vessels, heart, decline in vision.
  3. Violation of brain blood circulation leads to neurocyrulating dystonia (vegetative-vascular).
  4. Reduce neck mobility - when forming bone formations in the beads.
  5. Violation of cerebellum function, squeezing the spinal cord - leads to death with an advanced stage of the disease.

Stages of cervical osteochondrosis

The pathology develops slowly.In the pre -clinical stage, the distance between the vertebrae decreases, they press on a soft disc.Then it becomes thinner, the fibrous ring is destroyed, its essence is whipping.Extension formation is formed, then a hernia.The vertebrae of each other and each other, change shape, growths appear on them.Nerves, blood vessels are stuck.

Initial phase of osteochondrosis of the cervical region

Ackes appear in the fibrous ring, breaks the capsules, the jacket is damaged.The cervical osteochondrosis makes itself feel when the head turns, when the nerve endings are glued, the narrow vessels and the blood flow suffers.There is pain in the back of the head, the back muscles quickly get tired.

2 stages of pathology

The degenerative process on the discs develops, the capsule ring is completely destroyed.The height between the vertebrae is reduced, they become unstable and tighten the nerve roots of the spinal cord.The flexibility and mobility of the neck drops.At this stage, the disease is still treated without surgery.

The last stages of osteochondrosis of the neck

Stages of development of cervical osteochondrosis

In the 3rd phase of the pathology, the disk extension develops, which leads to a hernia, the climbing pulpos ring and burtle.The cervical vertebrae and the change of their axis, the brain food suffers.Moreover, the following processes begin in the last stages (3 and 4) of the pathology:

  • The intervertebral discs are destroyed, which replaces connective tissue;
  • The mobility of the cervical and shoulder joints disappears;
  • By friction on the surface of the vertebrae, growing, nerve fibers are injured;
  • The sensitivity of the hands falls due to problems with their intrigue.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical back

The patient's condition depends on the stage of the disease.First, rare pains appear when turning or lowering their heads, the tension of the back muscle.After a person experiences constant fatigue.The pain becomes stronger and more often.Moreover, add weakness, dizziness, ear rings, visual acuity falls.All signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical back are divided into 3 groups:

  • Irritation reflex syndromes-Manifestations manifested, muscle-tonic-toning and vegetative-vascular.
  • Compression- associated with compression of nerve endings, one of the main symptoms is acute pain when turning your head.
  • Vail artery syndrome- occurs when you narrow the boat that feeds the brain structure.

Neurotic disorders

The brain is poorly supplied with blood, its work and the condition of the nervous system concern.Often the head hurts, the insomnia of torment, which causes a state of fatigue, apathy.Once symptoms appear:

Signs and symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
  • increased sweating;
  • emotional stability (mood instability);
  • increased irritability;
  • dizziness;
  • depression;
  • violation of attention focus;
  • noise in the ears;
  • "Flies" in front of the eyes;
  • anxiety;
  • Vibration (tremor) of the limbs;
  • panic attacks;
  • Disordishes the vestibular apparatus: nausea, vomiting, walking instability, disorientation in space, impaired coordination.

General clinical signs

Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae causes headaches, visual damage.In 2 stages of pathology, patients complain of a bell in the ear, a lump in the throat, weakness of the wrist muscles, numbness of the tongue.When you turn the neck and slope of the head, a crisis is heard, the black spots appear in front of your eyes.With vertebral artery syndrome, other symptoms appear:

  • migraine that goes from the back of the head to forehead;
  • darkened in front of the eyes;
  • Headache;
  • hearing loss;
  • raising blood pressure;
  • Fingertips sound.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women

Clinical photography does not depend on the floor, but women aged 45-65 more often experience limb numbness in a dream, tingling and pain in the hands.The attacks repeat the night several times.

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

The pathology develops under the influence of a high load on the beads, which causes muscle spasm.Often, sitting work leads to this - to the computer, to the vehicle.

At risk are people with behavioral disorders.Other causes of cervical osteochondrosis:

  • nervous tension, frequent stressful situations;
  • Hippodynamia - lack of physical exercise, low activity;
  • the weakness of the neck of the neck;
  • hereditary predisposition;
  • Spine injuries;
  • rheumatism;
  • Excessive physical activity, weight lifting;
  • Improper food;
  • metabolic disorders;
  • Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
  • frequent hypothermia;
  • age -related changes in the skeletal muscle system, cartilage fabric;
  • congenital abnormalities in the development of the cervical region;
  • autoimmune pathology that affect the cartilage tissue;
  • overweight;
  • The volatility of the vertebrae.

Troubleshooting

The doctor studies the patient's complaints, evaluates behavior, muscle tension.Clarify the diagnosis using a neck radius in 4 projections: the picture shows the position of the beads, the displacement.The stage of the disease and hidden pathologies are detected by the following methods:

  • Magnetic Resonance Tomography- The most productive method shows in detail degenerative changes in bones, hernia, extension, fracture of the fibrous ring.It can be prescribed instead of radiography, but the examination is expensive.
  • Double scan with ultrasound- to evaluate blood flow disorders in the arteries.
  • Calculated tomography- does not detect the size and area of the hernia, is described in the early stages to determine the narrowing of the vertebral gap, the displacement of the cervical spine segments, the edge of bone growth.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

The goals of therapy are to restore blood flow, tissue nutrition, remove symptoms of hypoxia, stop destroying beads and discs.It is important to strengthen the muscle crust that supports the neck, to restore mobility to the joints.Treatment tactics are selected at the stage of the disease:

  • initial- Massage, gymnastics, physiotherapy, taking chondroprotectors and medicines that improve blood circulation.
  • Osteochondrosis 2-3 phases- Medical treatment, therapeutic exercises, massage.
  • Irreversible degenerative changes with destruction, bead deformity- Surgical intervention and symptomatic therapy with medication.
  • Chronic form of osteochondrosis of the cervical- Pain that relieve pain, spasms or tablets.

Help in pronounced pain

Locally in the neck they affect the pepper or heat oil.The active heat of a particular site distractions from pain, increases blood flow to the tissue.Ointments are applied with a very thin layer using an applicant.Other ways to relieve pain in osteochondrosis:

  • Analgesics in tablets- They have a moderate effectiveness, contraindicated in problems with blood clotting.
  • Non -inflammatory drugs non -inflammatory- The tablets are obtained in the absence of a result from analgesics, as this group of medicines adversely affects the stomach and liver.
  • Injections- They put it with acute intense pain, the action manifests after 15 minutes.For intramuscular injections, NVPS, myotropic antispasmodics are used.In severe cases, they make a blockade.

Conservative methods of therapy for neck osteochondrosis

In stages 1-2 of the disease without symptoms of brain hypoxia, treatment is performed at home.The basis of therapy is gymnastics and massage.They improve blood flow, strengthen the muscles.Other methods:

  • Drug therapy- Oral administration of drugs and injections for irritation, ointments and creams the rest of the time.
  • Physiotherapy-Deaks of 7-10 procedures during remission.
  • Folk remedies- as an additional method of treatment of osteochondrosis.
  • Dietary therapy- Products that are rich in fatty acids, magnesium, calcium are inserted into the diet.Exclude salt, smoked meat, pickled and spicy foods, fast food.

potion

Treatment for cervical osteochondrosis during irritation is aimed at relieving unpleasant symptoms, stimulating blood flow, tissue nutrition.

During the prayer period, medicines that improve cartilage quality are used and prevent collapse beads.Medicines are used inside and locally.The main groups of funds are:

  • Musorexant- relieve muscle spasm, reduce pain, are used for a month.
  • Anti -inflammatory non -steroidal drugs (NSAIDs)- They are used locally and inside, relieve pain, swelling.Tablets are used for no more than 10 days.
  • Analgesic- Anesthesia, but do not remove inflammation and in terms of effect we are weaker than NSAIDs.
  • Chondroprotectors- Protect and reset cartilage.
  • Explosive- often described for women in which osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is complicated by severe neurotic disorders.
  • Nootropics- They act in the cerebral circulation, help fight dizziness.
  • Vitamin and mineral complex- Improve metabolism in nerve tissue.

Jod

During remission, the treatment of neck osteochondrosis is based on local procedures that improve blood flow, metabolism, relieve pain, inflammation.The patient is engaged in gymnastics daily, whose plan designs a doctor.The main methods of treatment are:

  • Manual therapy- Directing the position of the vertebrae and their consolidation with massage.The course of 5-10 sessions exceeds 2-4 times a year.At home, light massage is allowed with strokes and friction of the cervical area and collar from top to bottom for 7-10 minutes to relieve muscle spasm.
  • Electrophoresis- Preparations are used to relieve pain and improve blood circulation, which with the current falls faster to the desired point.
  • Magnetotherapy- aims at removing edema.
  • Acupuncture- Improves blood flow, relieves inflammation.It is held in courses in 8-10 sessions after 1-2 days.
  • Chaste- The controversial method to eliminate the symptoms of osteochondrosis, as the load on the muscles is removed, but they do not strengthen.The product adjusts the neck and extends the spine, increasing the distance between its segments.They wear a collar for 3 hours a day for a month.

Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis of cervical vertebrae

Outside of irritation periods, the patient is shown to perform therapeutic exercises.The strong slopes of the head front and back are prohibited, the rotation is prohibited.Eachdo exercise is done no more than a minute, with no sudden movement, jerk.If discomfort or pain appears, the lesson is stopped.Proven exercises for the cervical back:

  • Slowly turn your head to the right and left, looking at the point in front of you: so you check the small amplitude of the movement.Do 10-15 times in each direction, gradually bring to 30.
  • Put your palm on your forehead and press it as you try to glue your head forward.Read at 5 and relax.Repeat 10 times.
  • Cover the left temple with your right palm, press to glue your head to the shoulder.Read on 5, let it go.Do each side 10 times.
  • Lying in the abdomen, stretch the arms along the body.Raising your head slightly, slowly turn it in order to touch the floor with your ear.Make 10 movements on each side.

Surgical methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical region

If the nerve roots are affected, there is a hernia with a rupture of the ring, the beads are destroyed and there is no result from the main therapy, and the operation is done.

Symptoms of a serious condition: hands paralysis, muscle atrophy, stroke.Key treatment methods:

  • Fassetectomy- Endoscopic removal of the joints with subsequent vertebrae fixation, which will be without movement.
  • Dissectomy with spondylodes- is described for serious deformation changes.During surgery, a soft disk is removed, vertebrae is spent to stop their destruction.CONS: Cervical region mobility is limited, long rehabilitation.
  • Enclosure- Removing fragments of a destroyed disk, bone processes, introducing an artificial transplant and fixing of beads.The recovery period is one year, the patient is indicated by wearing a corset.
  • Cordomy- Removing the destroyed vertebra and nearby discs is performed in the absence of the effect of other methods.

Folk remedies for cervical osteochondrosis

With severe pain, take 1 tsp.Alcohol and camphor, add 2 drops of iodine and rub the areas to the left and right of the spine (do not touch the pole yourself) for 3-5 minutes.This is done 1-2 times a day.

Other popular recipes in addition to basic therapy:

Folk remedies for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
  1. Pour 500 g Knotweed with water (2 l), boil, insist.Pour the cooled soup through the gauze in a prepared bath, take it for 15-20 minutes.The procedure is performed at night, it relaxes and calms down.The course is 7-10 sessions.
  2. Mix 1 tbsp.l.Birch Buds, St. John's Plants, mint leaves.Grind, pour a glass of water, simmer for 5 minutes.Stretch, mix with butter and vegetable oil (75 g each).Apply the oil with a thin layer of neck, cover with polyethylene and scarf at the top.Keep an hour.Procedures are performed daily for 2 weeks.
  3. Pour 100 g of nursing berries with vodka (600 ml).Insist a week in a cool place.Rub the neck with this tool 2 times a day for 10-15 days.

PREVENTION

Patients over 40 years should take calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and magnesium every six months - they improve the condition of bones, ligaments and cartilage.The diet includes fatty fish, shrimp, mussels, nuts, legumes, spinach, cheeses, milk.Other preventative measures:

  • In case of sitting work, change the neck position more often, cook it every hour;
  • Choose a comfortable pillow;
  • make swimming, yoga;
  • Avoid heavy athletics, dance sports, run;
  • Do not allow hypothermia.