Symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

13 September 2020

Currently, according to medical statistics, almost all people over 25 to 30 years of age complain of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. The disease affects this part of the spine more often than others. Pathology is a progressive degenerative process that affects the intervertebral discs and vertebrae located in the neck. The disease is also common in both men and women.

This is a dangerous and complex form of osteochondrosis because there are large blood vessels in the neck that supply the brain and a large number of nerve endings. Disorders of innervation and blood circulation lead to a deterioration in the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain.

Signs of illness

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are more pronounced than in other parts of the spine, even with minor injuries. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae of the neck are close to each other, and the intervertebral discs have a low height. This anatomical feature contributes to the fact that with osteochondrosis, the nerve endings, spinal cord and blood vessels are more often compressed.

General symptoms:

;
weakness and decreased tenderness of the upper extremities;
restriction of neck mobility;

impaired coordination of movements;
frequent dizziness;
general weakness;
deterioration of the functioning of the organs of perception (hearing, vision, touch, taste).

Pain is more often localized in the neck, radiating to the back of the head, shoulders, arms. The upper limbs hurt if the nerve root responsible for their innervation is pinched by the damaged vertebra. Occipital pain is caused by spastic contractions of the muscles of the neck attached to the occipital bones and impaired blood flow to this area.

Weakness of the arms is observed in patients if a nerve root is involved in the pathological process, which provides innervation to the muscle structures of the upper extremities.

Limited mobility and a characteristic crunch when rotating or tilting the neck occurs if bone growths appear on the cervical vertebrae, the height of the intervertebral discs decreases, and the joints between the vertebrae areaffected.

The vertebrae in the neck have transverse processes that form a channel through which an artery that supplies the brain passes. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the vertebrae are displaced, connective tissue grows on them. This leads to compression of the cervical artery, deterioration of the blood supply to the cerebellum and posterior parts of the brain. As a result, a person has frequent dizziness, poor coordination of movements, and general weakness. In advanced cases, if the artery is involved in a pathological process or is severely pinched, the blood supply to the cerebellum, occipital region and brainstem deteriorates significantly. In this case, the functionality of the organs of hearing, vision decreases, numbness of the tongue and fingers is observed.

Symptoms of the disease also depend on which of the eight vertebrae is affected by a degenerative or inflammatory process. Sensitivity and movement disorders are caused by damage to the spinal roots, which are affected by certain vertebrae. Depending on this, the following manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are observed:

first vertebra - the neck and the occipital part of the head become numb, their sensitivity decreases;
second - there are pains in the area of the crown and occiput;
third - pain is felt and sensitivity decreases in the part of the neck where the root of the spine is compressed, the intensity of taste sensations decreases, speech disturbances are present;
fourth - painful sensations radiate to the shoulder, scapula, the patient is worried about heart pain, respiratory disorders, the tone of the muscles of the neck decreases;
fifth - pain is noted in the neck, given to the outer surface of the shoulder;
sixth - pain in the neck radiating to the scapula, felt in the forearm and thumbs;
seventh - pain is given in the scapula, back of the shoulder, forearm and fingers (from second to fourth);
eighth - the pain spreads from the neck to the shoulders, forearms and little fingers.

There are four degrees of cervical osteochondrosis, depending on the extent of the lesion. It is not the stages of the disease, but the severity of the symptoms, due to the extent of the pathological process, the vertebrae it affects.

In the first degree, clinical symptoms are absent or minimal. Patients complain of mild pain, aggravated by head movements. Treatment initiated at this stage of the disease will be effective. However, people often ignore the alarming symptoms or do not experience them, so they do not go to the doctor.
The aggravation of the pathological process increases the symptoms. At the second stage, the pain becomes more pronounced, is given to the upper extremities, shoulder blades. At this stage of the development of the degenerative process, the height of the intervertebral disc decreases, as a result of which the nerve fiber is pinched. This becomes the cause of increasing pain. For the second degree of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, headaches, deterioration in health and decreased performance are characteristic.
The third degree of cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by the formation of a herniation of the affected intervertebral disc. Mobility of the neck is limited; on palpation, the patient feels severe pain. With such a spread of the pathological process, the pain becomes constant, radiating to the upper extremities. There is a feeling of tension in the muscles attached to the occipital bones. Patients complain of frequent dizziness, general weakness, numbness in the hands.
Fourth degree cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed when the intervertebral disc is completely destroyed by the degenerative process. It is replaced by fibrous tissue, which leads to severe restriction of mobility. The spinal cord and blood vessels in the neck are affected. Such changes are characterized by a significant deterioration in the blood supply to the cerebellum and the occipital part of the brain. Oxygen deprivation results in impaired coordination of movement, impaired hearing, vision, numbness of the tongue, and impaired speech.

Processing methods

A timely visit to a doctor when the first alarming symptoms, discomfort in the neck, nervous system reactions appear, will prevent the progression of degenerative changes. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis consists of a set of therapeutic measures. Among them:

take medication;
;
physiotherapy exercises;
physiotherapy procedures.

The treatment is carried out at home and on an outpatient basis, under the supervision of a doctor. In some cases, more drastic methods may be required, and then the patient is hospitalized.

Drug treatment

For the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, the following groups of drugs are used:

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
chondroprotectors;
muscle relaxants;
drugs which improve the rheological parameters of the blood;
Vitamins B

Doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the intensity of pain, reduce inflammation and swelling of the nerve root. Chondroprotectors restore damaged cartilage tissue in the intervertebral disc. Muscle relaxants relax the muscles of the neck, relieve spasms. Medicines to improve blood circulation help restore impaired blood supply to the brain. B vitamins activate metabolism in nervous tissue. With severe pain, the doctor may prescribe pain relievers. If the patient has severe pain syndrome, pain relievers are administered parenterally. Once the pain subsides, they switch to pills.

In addition to pharmaceutical drugs, the patient can use traditional methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis. Before using them, you need to consult a doctor so that there is no conflict between drugs and non-traditional means. Decoctions and infusions of dill seeds, hop cones, lilac flowers help to stop the inflammatory process and relieve pain.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is an effective way to combat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is imperative to treat this disease using such techniques, as a result of which the following results are obtained:

the intensity of the pain decreases;
the restoration of affected bone, cartilage and muscle tissue is activated;
muscle spasms and tensions are relieved;
the inflammatory process is stopped;
improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the affected area and to the brain.

The following types of procedures are considered to be the most effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis:

electrophoresis of the drug (an electric current is applied to the affected area, which in addition to activating blood circulation and tissue restoration, improves the delivery of the active substance of the drug to the tissues affected bythe degenerative process);
(metabolic processes in the diseased area are activated, pain decreases, inflammation is stopped);
(relieves puffiness in the affected area, which helps reduce the intensity of pain);
(improves blood circulation in the area of the pathological process, has an anti-inflammatory effect).

In addition, a doctor can advise acupuncture, balneological procedures.

Physiotherapy exercises

Exercises are prescribed during the period when the acute manifestations of the disease are stopped. During gymnastics there should be no discomfort and pain.

The complex should be performed after reaching stable remission to avoid relapses.

Adopt a supine position, raise your head and body while leaning on your hands. The back is straight, the breathing is deep and regular. Hold the position for a minute or two, then slowly take the starting position. The number of repetitions is 3.
Position - lying on your stomach, arms at your sides. Slowly turn your head, trying to touch your ear to the ground. Repeat 6 times on each side.
Sitting or standing, tilt your head while inhaling, trying to reach your chest with your chin. As you exhale, gently pull your head back, looking up towards the ceiling. The number of repetitions is 10 to 15.
A good exercise to strengthen your neck muscles is to rest your forehead on your hands. To achieve the effect, you need to press with your palms on your forehead and your forehead on your palms for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.
Rotate your head in a circle. The exercise should be done slowly, smoothly. In each direction - 10 turns. The appearance of dizziness when performing movements is unacceptable. If this happens, you must stop immediately.

All exercises should be carried out smoothly, without sudden movements, in case of deterioration of health, the appearance of nausea, dizziness, stop immediately.

Massage

The course is prescribed by the doctor in the absence of acute pain, it can be carried out only by a specialist with medical training. With such a disease, it is not recommended to contact non-professionals.

Neck massage healing effects:

improves blood and lymphatic circulation in the affected area;
muscles relax, spasms provide relief;
the intensity of painful sensations decreases.

Specialists use the whole arsenal of massage movements: stroking, rubbing, kneading, squeezing and vibrating.

Surgery

The operation is indicated if conservative therapy does not bring results within six months, the patient suffers from severe pain, signs of damage to nerve fibers and myelopathy are observed. If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is accompanied by complications, there is a risk of stroke, strong compression of the spinal cord, then an operation is required.

Depending on the indications, the following types of surgical interventions are used:

endoscopic discectomy - removal of part or an entire intervertebral disc;
laminotomy - excision of bone ligaments and overgrown particles of bone tissue (often associated with laminoplasty - the installation of artificial plates to widen the spinal canal);
laser vaporization of the disc nucleus - splitting the intervertebral disc nucleus with a laser beam simultaneously with the destruction of its destroyed fragments;

cold plasma nucleoplasty - instead of an endoscope, a long and thin hollow needle is used, which is inserted into the intervertebral disc, through which an electrode is delivered to the site of the injury, whichhas a cold plasma effect.

The neck is a complex organ containing large blood vessels, the spinal cord. They are easy to damage, so surgeries are not used more than 5% of the time. Surgical treatment is often accompanied by the development of complications. Among them:

inflammatory process in the tissues or membranes of the spinal cord;
;
scarring causing narrowing of the arterial and spinal ducts.

Cervical spine surgery is difficult and requires a long period of rehabilitation. It takes six months or more for a patient to recover from surgery.

Prevention

To prevent the development of cervical osteochondrosis, you should:

monitors the position of the spine and neck;
lead an active life, move more;
while doing physical exercises, one should be careful, observe proper execution, because even minor injuries can affect the condition of the musculoskeletal system;
take care of the correct position of the body during sleep, buy an orthopedic or anatomical mattress;
properly equip a workplace where a person spends a lot of time;
participate regularly in physical education;
monitor your diet, ensure the intake of all the beneficial minerals necessary for strong bones, especially magnesium and calcium;
is constantly undergoing dispensary exams for the early detection of osteochondrosis.

Prevention will help prevent degenerative changes in the cervical spine, protect you from painful sensations, dizziness, limb numbness and other unpleasant symptoms.