Symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondosis.

Currently, according to medical statistics, almost all people over 25 to 30 complain about symptoms of cervical osteochondosis.The disease affects this spine more often than the others.Pathology is a progressive degenerative process affecting intervertebral discs and vertebrae located in the neck.The disease is common in men and women.It is a dangerous and complex form of osteochondrosis, because the large blood vessels which provide the brain and a large number of nerve endings are located in the neck.The violations of innervation and blood circulation cause brain deterioration to oxygen and nutrients.

Signs of the disease

The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical column are more pronounced than in other parts of the spine, even with minor damage.This is due to the fact that in the neck, the vertebrae are located near each other, and the intervertebral discs have a small height.Such anatomical characteristic contributes to the fact that with osteochondrosis, nerve endings, spinal cord, blood vessels are more often compressed.

General symptoms:

• pain syndrome;
• weakness and decrease in sensitivity in the upper limbs;
• restriction of neck mobility;
• violations of the coordination of movements;
• frequent dizziness;
• general weakness;
• Deterioration of the functioning of the organs of perception (hearing, vision, contact, taste).

Pain is more often located in the neck, give them to the back of the head, shoulders, arms.The upper limbs hurt if the nerve spine is pinned by the damaged vertebra, which is responsible for their innervation.The pain at the back of the head is due to the spastic contractions of the neck muscles attached to the occipital bones and a violation of the blood circulation in this area.

The weakness of the hands is observed in patients if the nerve spine is involved in the pathological process which ensures the innervation of the muscular structures of the upper limbs.The restoration of mobility and a characteristic tightening when the neck is turned or tilted presents if the bone growths appear on the cervical vertebrae, the height of the intervertebral discs is reduced, the joints located between the vertebrae are affected.

The neck vertebrae have transverse processes that form a channel in which the artery that feeds the brain works.With osteochondrosis of the cervical column, the vertebrae is moved, the connective tissue pushes on them.This leads to the compression of the cervical artery, a deterioration of blood supply to the cerebellum and the back of the brain.Consequently, a person has frequent dizziness, coordination of movements, general weakness is disturbed.In advanced cases, if the artery is involved in the pathological or strongly advanced process, then the blood supply of cerebellum, the occipital part and the brainstem worsened significantly.In this case, the functionality of the hearing and vision organs, the numbness of the tongue and the fingers is reduced.

The signs of the disease depend on which eight vertebrae is affected by a dystrophic or inflammatory process.Sensitivity and movement disorders cause damage to the cephalotal roots, which affect certain vertebrae.According to this, the following manifestations of cervical osteochondosis are observed:

• The first vertebra - the neck and the occipital part of the head are numb, their sensitivity decreases;
• The second - the pain in the crown and the nape is felt;
• The third - the pain is felt and the sensitivity is reduced in the part of the neck where the pressed spine is located, the intensity of the taste sensations is reduced and vocal deficiencies are present;
• The fourth - the pain radiates in the shoulder, the shoulder blade, the patient is disturbed by heart pain, respiratory disorders and the tone of the neck muscles decreases;
• Fifth - pain is observed in the neck, given to the outer surface of the shoulder;
• The sixth - The pain in the neck is radiated in the shoulder blades, felt in the forearm and the thumbs;
• Seventh - pain is given to the shoulder, to the back of the shoulder, the forearm and the fingers (from the second to the fourth);
• The eighth - The pain spreads from the neck to the shoulders, forearms and little fingers.

Depending on the prevalence of the lesion, four degrees of osteochondrosis from the cervical column differ.It is not the stage of the disease, but the severity of the symptoms, due to the frequency of the pathological process, of the vertebra it affects.

• In the first degree, clinical symptoms are absent or manifest at least.Patients complain of a slight pain, intensifying during the movements of the head.The treatment started at this stage of the disease will be effective.However, people often ignore disturbing symptoms or do not feel them, so they do not consult a doctor.
• The worsening of the pathological process improves symptoms.In the second step, the pain becomes more pronounced, gives the upper limbs, the shoulder blades.At this stage of the development of the degenerative process, the height of the intervertebral disc is reduced, as a result of which the nerve fiber is pinch.It becomes the cause of the increase in pain.The second degree of osteochondrosis in the cervical region is characterized by the appearance of headache, a deterioration of the well, a decrease in the work capacity.
• The third degree of cervical osteochondosis is distinguished by the formation of an assigned intervertebral disc hernia.The mobility of the neck is limited, palpation, the patient feels intense pain.With this spread of the pathological process, the pain becomes constant, radiating to the upper limbs.The tension of the muscles attached to the occipital bones is felt.Patients complain of frequent vertigo, general weakness, numbness of the hands.
• The fourth degree of cervical osteochondosis is diagnosed when the intervertebral disc is completely destroyed by a dystrophic process.It is replaced by the fibrous tissue, which leads to a significant limitation of mobility.The spinal cord and the flying blood vessels in the neck are affected.These changes are characterized by a significant deterioration in blood supply to the cerebellum and the occipital of the brain.Famine in oxygen leads to a violation of the coordination of movements, hearing disorders, vision, language, speech disorders.

Treatment methods

By seeing a doctor in a timely manner when the first alarming symptoms appear, unpleasant sensations in the neck, the reaction of the nervous system will prevent the progression of degenerative changes.Treatment of cervical osteochondosis consists of a complex of therapeutic measures.Among them:

• take medication;
• massage;
• Physiotherapy physiotherapy;
• Physiotherapeutic procedures.

Pharmacotherapy

Doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain intensity, reduce the inflammatory process and swelling of the nerve spine.Chondroprotectors restore damaged cartilage fabric in the intervertebral disc.Musorelaxants relax the muscles of the neck, relieve spasms.Medicines to improve blood circulation help to regain blood altered blood supply.B vitamins activate metabolism in nervous tissues.With intense pain, the doctor can prescribe pain relievers.If the patient suffers from a pronounced pain syndrome, the pain relievers are inserted by parenting, once the pain that calms down, he goes to the tablets.

Physiotherapeutic methods

Physiotherapy is an effective way to combat osteochondrosis in the cervical region.It is imperative to treat this disease using such techniques, after which the following results are obtained:

• The intensity of the pain decreases;
• The restoration of the affected bone, cartilage and muscle tissues is activated;
• Spasms and tension in the muscles are eliminated;
• An inflammatory process is stopped;
• Delivery of oxygen and affected brain nutrients improves.

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

• Drug electrophoresis (the affected area acts with an electric shock, which, in addition to activating blood flow and tissue restoration, improves the delivery of the actor's actor substance to tissues affected by the degenerative process);
• Ultrasonic therapy (metabolic processes in the sick area are activated, pain decreases, inflammation is stopped);
• magnetotherapy (relieves swelling from the affected area, which helps reduce the intensity of the pain);
• Laser therapy (improves blood circulation in the pathological process, has an anti-inflammatory effect).

Medical physical education

Exercises are prescribed during the period when the acute manifestations of the disease are stopped.During gymnastics should not be discomfort and pain.The complex must be carried out during a persistent remission to prevent relapse.

• Take an elongated position on your stomach, raise your head and body, based on your hands.The back is straight, the breath is deep and even.Expect position for a minute or two, then slowly take the starting position.The number of rehearsals is 3.
• The position is lying on the stomach, hands along the body.Turn your head slowly, trying to touch your ear on the ground.Repeat 6 times on each side.
• Sitting or standing, tilt your head on inhalation, trying to reach your chin to the chest.On the expiration, gently reproduce the head, raising the eyes towards the ceiling.The number of rehearsals is 10-15.
• A good exercise to strengthen the cervical muscles is to press the forehead against the hands pressed.To get the effect, you must press the palms on the forehead and forehead on the palm of your hand for 30 seconds.Repeat three times.
• Turn your head in a circle.Do the exercise slowly, gently.In each direction - 10 revolutions each.The occurrence of dizziness during movements is unacceptable.If this happens, you should immediately stop.

Massage

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

Therapeutic effects of the collar area massage:

• Blood flow and lymph in the affected area improve;
• The muscles relax, the spasm is removed;
• The intensity of the pain decreases.

Surgery

The operation is shown if the conservative treatment does not provide results in the six months, the patient is tormented by intense pain, signs of damage to nerve fibers and myelopathy are observed.If osteochondrosis in the cervical region makes complications, there is a threat of a stroke, there is a strong compression of the spinal cord, then the operation is necessary.

According to the indications, they use the types of following surgical procedures:

• Endoscopic discotomy - elimination of the part or an entire intervertebral disc;
• Laminotomy - Excision of bone ligaments and particles invaded by bone tissue (often combined with laminoplasty - the establishment of artificial plates to enlarge the vertebral canal);
• Laser vaporization of the core of the disc - The degradation of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc 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 introduced in the intervertebral disc, an electrode which has a cold plated effect is delivered by the destruction site.

The neck is a complex organ in which the large blood vessels, the spinal cord pass.They are easy to damage, so they use surgery in more than 5% of cases.Surgical treatment is often accompanied by the development of complications.Among them:

• Inflammatory process in the tissues or membranes of the spinal cord;
• osteomyelitis;
• The formation of scars leading to a narrowing of arterial and spinal canals.

Operations on the cervical column are complex and require a long period of rehabilitation.Patient restoration after surgery ends six months or more.

Prevention

To prevent the development of cervical osteochondosis, it is necessary:

• Monitor the position of the spine and neck;
• Conduct an active lifestyle, move more;
• When you do physical exercises, you must be careful to observe the accuracy of the execution, as even minor injuries can affect the state of the musculoskeletal system;
• Take care of the correct position of the body during sleep, buy an orthopedic or anatomical mattress;
• Equip a workplace correctly where a person spends a lot of time;
• regularly engage in physical culture;
• Monitor the diet, ensure the reception of all the useful minerals necessary for the bone fortress, in particular magnesium and calcium;
• Constantly follow dispensary examinations for the appropriate detection of osteochondrosis.

Prevention will help prevent degenerative changes in the cervical column, protect pain, dizzy, numbness of limbs and other unpleasant symptoms.