Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a change in the cartilaginous and adjacent muscle-connective structures, which causes a loss of their regenerative abilities. In the early stages of this process, a gradual decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc is observed. Because of this, there is a violation of metabolic processes in its core and the appearance of cracks in the fibrous ring.
In the absence of timely treatment, osteophytes appear in cartilage tissue and bones. Because of this, the mobility of the cervical spine is significantly reduced, leading to the appearance of a severe pain syndrome. According to studies conducted in many countries of the world, almost every person aged 30-35 years has various signs of osteochondrosis.
Symptoms of various stages of osteochondrosis
Depending on the stage and severity of the disease, the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can be:
- headache;
- noise or ringing in the ears.
- severe nausea;
- lack of coordination;
- pain and tingling when turning the head.
- deterioration of vision and hearing.
Do not forget that cervical osteochondrosis refers to chronic diseases in which the symptoms vary depending on a certain stage of the development of the disease. Because of this, the patient may experience certain signs that indicate a certain stage of changes in the cervical spine:
- Tolerable pain in the neck that occurs during physical activity, as well as discomfort during normal turns of the head, occurs at the initial stage of the disease, when there is a slight decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc of the cervical spine.
- Severe pain and a feeling of stiffness when rotating the neck, as well as tingling and headaches occur during the period of abnormal growth of the cartilage tissue, with a decrease in the height of the spinal disc and the appearance of cracks in the annulus fibrosus.
- Acute pain in the neck that does not subside for a long time, numbness and partial loss of sensitivity of the skin areas in the neck area are recorded when the annulus fibrosus is broken and intervertebral hernias are formed, as well as when the spine is deformed.
Loss of mobility of the neck and upper shoulder girdle with severe pain that lasts for a long time is one of the strong signs of cervical osteochondrosis grade 4, when many osteophytes develop and the structures of the intervertebral disc are gradually replaced by scar tissue.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The main cause of problems with the cervical spine is an unbalanced and excessive load. As a rule, osteochondrosis occurs due to age-related changes in the spine, injuries to the cervical spine or metabolic disorders. In addition, the following factors contribute to the appearance of this disease:
- genetic predisposition. If a person has a congenital weakness of the connective tissue, they may experience a dysfunction of the cervicothoracic spine.
- Spinal instability. The increased mobility of the upper part of the spine very often leads to a deterioration of the damping properties of the intervertebral discs.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The mobility of the cervical spine is very often reduced due to abnormalities in the development of the skeletal system, scoliosis, flat feet and rheumatic diseases.
- Low physical activity. A sedentary and sedentary lifestyle contributes to the deformation of the vertebrae and the deterioration of the connective tissue.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
To identify the causes of the disease, it is mandatory to conduct research and examination of the patient, determine the pain zones and the degree of mobility of the spine and evaluate the quality of reflexes.
Various methods are used to diagnose this disease, such as:
- Radiography and multi-slice computed tomography. These methods of instrumental diagnosis have proven to be the best for determining changes in the cervical spine in the last stages of the development of the disease, when the lesions of the bones and cartilage of the spine become clearly visible.
- magnetic resonance imaging. Currently, to determine the changes that occur in the cervical spine, this diagnostic method is used more often, since with its help the doctor can identify the disease at the early stage of its appearance.
- Double scanning of the arteries of the head and neck. This type of instrumental examination is performed to assess the quality of blood flow and detect vasoconstriction. It is this method that is most often used by doctors to determine the causes of headaches and dizziness in patients.
In addition, ultrasound examination of nearby organs, EKG of the heart, blood and urine tests may be prescribed.
Expert opinion
Despite the fact that this disease cannot be completely cured, you should not be too afraid of it. If appropriate measures are taken in time, then almost any manifestation of the disease can be minimized. For example, you need to learn how to constantly monitor the correct position of the body, as this can increase the load on the spine. In addition, we must not forget that some sports are dangerous for the cervical spine.
I strongly advise many of my patients to avoid competitive sports where there is a high risk of injury of any kind. It is better to make a choice in favor of hiking, skiing and swimming. Such physical activity will positively affect all parts of the spine.
Conservative methods of treatment of osteochondrosis
If the disease of the cervical spine was detected at an early stage, then conservative methods are used for its treatment. They allow you to prevent the further development of the disease, relieve unpleasant symptoms and restore the mobility of the upper spine.
The conservative method of treating cervical osteochondrosis includes:
- Medical care.In this case, doctors prescribe a number of drugs that make it possible to effectively relieve pain and stop the inflammatory process. In addition, modern means contribute to the restoration of blood circulation. Most often, hormonal drugs, analgesics, chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants and other drugs in the form of tablets and injections are used for these purposes.
- Physiotherapy treatment.As a rule, physiotherapy is prescribed as a complementary treatment with drugs. This can be therapeutic massage, acupuncture, laser exposure, magnetotherapy, UHF therapy and other procedures that help relax the neck muscles, eliminate spasm and normalize blood circulation.
- Physiotherapy.This is a very important part of treating the cervical spine. The fact is that special physical exercises help not only to strengthen the muscular frame and straighten your posture, but also to improve the blood supply to the upper part of the spine. Initially, the doctor selects a set of 6-8 exercises and then adds new ones, gradually increasing the physical activity.
Surgical methods of treatment of osteochondrosis
In the absence of the effect of conservative treatment methods or in advanced cases of the disease, it is necessary to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine using surgical methods. The main task of the surgeons is to eliminate the pressure on the nerve roots, arteries, spinal cord and other structures in the respective area.
To solve this problem, the following types of operations on the cervical spine are used:
- microsurgical discectomyin which the doctor, under microscope control, performs an excision of the intervertebral hernia with incomplete or total removal of the intervertebral disc.
- laminectomy, which provides for partial or complete excision of the vertebral arch, spinous processes, joints and ligaments to reduce the load on the root of the spinal cord.
- endoscopic surgeryby removing hernias, tumors and degenerative-dystrophic changes through microscopic access using an endoscope.
- laser nuclear plastywith puncture puncture through which a laser light guide is inserted, which is necessary to remove a small fragment of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Many patients mistakenly believe that cervical osteochondrosis disappears immediately after conservative treatment or surgery. But any treatment method can only stop or slow down the progression of the disease. That is why, after a course of treatment, a person should observe the following measures to prevent cervical osteochondrosis:
- lead a healthy and active lifestyle.
- Avoid lifting heavy weights.
- sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- visit the pool regularly.
- perform a set of sports exercises.
- be careful when turning your head.
- maintain a balanced diet.
Reform
The rehabilitation plan is drawn up according to the stage of the pathology, the state of health of the patient, as well as his age, weight and general well-being. The program may include medical massage, exercise and physiotherapy. This will help improve health, avoid complications and relapses.
questions and answers
Which doctor should I see for cervical spine problems?
The diagnosis and treatment of these problems is done by a neurologist and a traumatologist-orthopedic.
What medications can be used to relieve cervical spine pain?
The appointment of painkillers should be made by an experienced doctor after examination and thorough diagnosis.
What is the chance of having spinal problems if I don't exercise at all?
Unfortunately, spine problems eventually occur to almost all people. To avoid serious complications, regular exercise is necessary, as well as taking prophylactic chondroprotectors and multivitamins.