Cervical osteochondrosis is a progressive degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the intervertebral discs located between the first 7 vertebrae. Vertebrae 1-7 belong to the cervical spine.
Pathological changes against the background of osteochondrosis lead to deformation of the vertebrae, which ultimately disrupts the blood supply, nerve conduction in the neck and innervation areas of the damaged nerves.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be an independent disease or in combination with osteochondrosis of other parts - thoracic and lumbar.
Main symptoms
The main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain, the localization and nature of which depends on the location of the lesion. Most often it is felt in the neck-collar area, in one or both arms.
This disease is characterized by one-sided pain, and any part of the hand can hurt - the shoulder, forearm, hand and even the fingers. Many patients complain of headaches and dizziness.
The pain syndrome can also be felt in the chest, in the supraclavicular region or spread throughout the back. For some, the pain is concentrated at the base of the neck or neck.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by a variety of symptoms and is often accompanied by impaired tactile sensitivity, muscle weakness, reduced visual acuity and hearing, rapid heartbeat and panic attacks.
Caution! Sometimes osteochondrosis is complicated by vertebral artery syndrome, which may require urgent hospitalization of the patient.
First signs
In the initial stages, the manifestations of osteochondrosis are more reminiscent of ordinary fatigue after a long day and appear periodically. At night there is discomfort and pain in the neck, heaviness and pain in the head, mainly in the occipital region. Possible tingling and grinding when turning the head.
The signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women are more pronounced than in men and are often accompanied by an unstable psycho-emotional state. In addition, men suffer from this disease much less often.
Exacerbation of chondrosis often occurs during menopause, when hormonal changes occur in the female body and the immune system weakens. Some difficulties arise with the diagnosis due to signs similar to those of many other diseases.
The severity of symptoms depends on the stage of the disease, the nature and degree of damage to the spine
Males react less to small things, such as a tickle in the throat, and often simply do not notice suspicious symptoms. In addition, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men may not appear for a long time, which is explained by the peculiarities of anatomy.
Men naturally have more developed and stronger muscles, which creates additional support for the spine. The muscular framework serves as a kind of armor that protects the vertebrae and prevents them from deforming.
Vertebral artery syndrome (VAS)
The clinical picture of SPA is usually represented by several symptoms, but only one of the possible ones can be observed:
- headache with predominant localization at the back of the head and at the base of the skull - basic migraine, accompanied by classic symptoms: loss of coordination, nausea leading to vomiting, tinnitus, less often - speech disorder.
- dizziness that occurs when turning the head. They may be accompanied by vomiting, dark eyes and impaired coordination of movements.
- eye fatigue from stress, flickering spots and bright flashes in front of the eyes and in some places loss of visual fields. Patients may complain of pain, redness and feeling of sand in the eyeballs, inflammation of the conjunctiva.
- constant or episodic tinnitus, the nature of which varies depending on the position of the neck. There may be mild deafness, congestion of the ear, and unresponsiveness to a quiet voice. In some cases, hearing loss was observed - selective hearing of sounds, in which a person hears better in the presence of external noise than in complete silence.
- Vegetative symptoms always appear when osteochondrosis worsens and are most often combined with other symptoms. These can be hot flashes or chills, increased sweating, cold feet and hands, feeling short of breath, increases in blood pressure and poor sleep.
- TIA - transient ischemic attacks - accompany the mechanical pinching of the vertebral artery and are manifested by double vision, temporary partial blindness with loss of visual fields, dizziness with vomiting, speech and swallowing disorders.
- Fainting can be a consequence of sudden turns of the head or an awkward position. Loss of consciousness lasts for varying periods of time and leaves behind weakness in the extremities.
- Drop seizures are sudden falls, usually without loss of consciousness, caused by a sudden rush of blood to the brain when the head falls back. The immediate cause is paralysis of the legs, but motor function is restored fairly quickly.
Headaches and dizziness
Most patients with cervical chondrosis have this symptom, but it may be absent. The cause of dizziness is related to the compression of the main arteries and blood vessels, which disrupts the transport of oxygen to the nerve tissue of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord.
Under the influence of mechanical trauma to spinal structures and chronic ischemia of nerve fibers, sensitivity increases and irritation of nerve endings occurs, which ultimately causes cervical dizziness.
Headache caused by chondrosis can be distinguished by its location at the back of the head. However, there are also not quite typical cases when the whole head or one side of it hurts
Dizziness can be accompanied by uncertainty in movements, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and increased sweating on the face and shoulder area.
Headache is a frequent companion of cervical chondrosis. It is paroxysmal in nature, the duration of the attack varies from several hours to several days. The intensity of the pain varies, but it occurs with enviable regularity.
The headache is caused by compression of the vertebral artery due to changes in the position of the vertebrae and discs. Due to the compression of the vessel, the blood supply to the brain is disturbed, which leads to pain.
Report:
The cause of pain can also be muscle spasm, characteristic of osteochondrosis.
Panic attacks
Panic attacks are also associated with a decrease in brain nutrition and cause the following symptoms:
- attacks of fever or chills, increase in body temperature.
- numbness, tingling in the extremities, muscle cramps, reduced mobility.
- dizziness, loss of coordination, dark eyes.
- pain behind the sternum or in the chest on the left, fast pulse, increased blood pressure.
- insomnia, fear of death or mental confusion, confusion.
- shortness of breath, difficulty breathing up to suffocation, lump in the throat.
- abdominal discomfort and pain, indigestion, frequent urination.
Sore throat
The neck with osteochondrosis usually hurts when the 4th cervical vertebra is damaged or displaced. The location is usually unilateral, as the vertebrae and discs are displaced to one side.
Sore throat is caused by impaired innervation of pharyngeal muscles due to nerve compression
Due to pinching of the roots, a spasm and tension of the muscles of the pharynx occurs, accompanied by pain. The throat feels heavy and full and breathing becomes difficult. However, there are no mechanical obstacles to free breathing and swallowing; there are no foreign objects or tumors in the esophagus and larynx.
It is typical that drugs for tonsillitis or sore throat, gargling and inhalation do not work.
The source of the pain is in the area between the thyroid cartilage and the jugular cavity. The nature of the pain ranges from mild to debilitating.
Treatment
The complex treatment of cervical osteochondrosis includes various methods - taking drugs, therapeutic exercises, attending physiotherapy sessions and massage. If you want, you can use folk remedies and make various compresses, prepare decoctions and decoctions.
In case of exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to observe bed rest. In addition, you should lie on a flat and fairly hard, elastic surface - a loose sofa or a feather bed will not work.
Caution! Severe pain requires immediate medical attention.
To correct the cervical spine, the doctor may prescribe the use of a Shants collar. It supports the neck in an anatomically correct position, eliminating movement and therefore pain.
Medicines are selected taking into account the existing symptoms and diagnostic results. If hernias and protrusions are found, treatment may be surgical.
| Medicines | Action |
| Active ingredient: Pentoxifylline | Improves cerebral circulation, dilates blood vessels, relaxes smooth muscles, reduces the frequency of nerve signals |
| Preparations with chondroitin and glucosamine | Restoration of cartilage tissue of discs, slowing down of degenerative processes |
| Muscle relaxants | Relief from muscle spasms |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | Relief of the inflammatory process, tissue swelling |
| Analgesics | Eliminate pain |
| Opioids | For severe pain that cannot be relieved by conventional means |
| Vitamin complexes containing vitamins B, A, C, calcium | Strengthening of nerve, muscle and bone tissue, overall healing effect |
| Antidepressants and sedatives | Dealing with stress caused by constant pain |
Treatment at home
It is not recommended to lie at home for a long time and follow bed rest, and after the acute symptoms subside, you need to proceed to active actions. You should start with simple exercises and gradually progress to more intense ones.
Performing neck exercises helps strengthen the neck muscles, thus preventing recurrences of exacerbations
Exercise 1 – self extension. Standing with your arms down along your body, tilt your head to the right and simultaneously reach down with your left arm. Stay in this position and repeat the exercise on the other side.
Exercise 2 – self-massage. Place the towel on your shoulders and, holding its edges, pull them in one direction or the other.
Exercise 3 – turning the head left and right, leaning to the right and then to the left shoulder.
Exercise 4 – the same with your hand counter: when you turn or lean, press on the temple, creating additional resistance.
Tips for preventing osteochondrosis
Tip #1
Physical therapy is the main way to fight the aging of the body and the development of intervertebral disc dystrophy. Daily exercise and visiting the pool at least once a week is usually enough. All this allows you to strengthen the muscular corset of the spine.
Tip #2
Even a healthy person needs massage sessions; they are recommended to be done annually.
Tip #3
It is very important to monitor your weight and avoid gaining extra pounds.
Tip #4
When working in a forced position for a long time, you need to take breaks, change your body position and warm up.
Tip #5
Eating right means consuming enough vitamins and trace elements with food.
Tip #6
Try not to lift or carry heavy objects and if you must, then wear a supportive corset.
FAQ
When should you see a doctor urgently?
The reasons for immediate consultation and even calling an ambulance are:
- persistent numbness of the hands or feet;
- severe pain that is not relieved by conventional pain relievers.
- movement disorder;
- severe headache, dizziness, loss of coordination and other signs of cerebrovascular accident.
- "Blocking" of the back in a certain position, severely limiting movements.
Is it possible to cure chondrosis forever?
No, it is a chronic disease with periodic exacerbations. Even after treatment and following all the doctor's recommendations, the cartilage in the affected area of the disc is replaced by scar tissue. That is, the structure of the part has already been destroyed, and this process is irreversible. However, with some effort on the part of the patient, a high quality of life can be achieved.