Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with the most modern, highly effective techniques, with modern equipment and under the guidance of experienced specialists.
Spinal disorders can cause a person a lot of uncomfortable sensations, especially if they affect the neck area: there is a risk of damage to the spinal cord and brain. In addition, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine often leads to headaches, causes dysfunction of internal organs and contributes to the deterioration of blood circulation. Fortunately, today several therapeutic techniques have been developed that will help you get rid of unpleasant symptoms and restore a healthy state to the spine.
In this article we will tell you in detail about the features of cervical osteochondrosis and describe the main methods of treatment. We hope that after reading it, you will be able to choose the most effective way to treat this disease and avoid radical surgery.
What is cervical osteochondrosis?
Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease in which the soft pulp, which acts as a cushion between the vertebrae, ossifies. At the same time, blood vessels and nerve roots are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.
A characteristic feature of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is the appearance of pain in the shoulders, back of the head, neck and head. In addition, patients note the appearance of dizziness, increased blood pressure, lack of oxygen, loss of sensitivity on one side of the tongue and other symptoms characteristic of cardiovascular pathologies. This becomes the reason for contacting doctors of other specialties and significantly slows down the process of diagnosing the disease.
Most often, middle-aged and older people tend to ossify the tissues of the upper part of the spine. This is due to the incorrect distribution of dynamic and static loads on the human skeleton.
However, if previously had cervical osteochondrosis and theirsSymptomshave been diagnosed in people over 45-50 years of age, but now the age of patients suffering from this disease is significantly younger. Today it affects young people aged 20-40, which is accompanied by a deterioration in diet and a lack of exercise.
At present there is a twofold approach to the problem of the cervical spine: it is viewed as a combination of physiological and pathological factors. In the first case, it is about the aging of the body under the influence of inevitable natural phenomena, in the second, it is assumed that the destruction of intervertebral formations occurs against the background of inflammatory and dystrophic processes caused by an improper lifestyle.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Problems in diagnosing this disease are due to the lack of pain in some situations and the implicit nature of the symptoms. In addition, a person may not feel the signs of illness while taking strong pain relievers regularly to minimize general discomfort. All of these can lead to serious disorders in the neck joint area.
Among the obvious symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis that the need ofTreatment,include: headache, high blood pressure, more frequent dizziness. We will talk about them further.
Dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis
Dizziness can not always manifest itself against the background of problems with the cervical spine. In some cases, it indicates diseases of the brain, dysfunction of blood vessels and heart, inflammatory processes in the ear and nasopharynx, the presence of malignant neoplasms or pathological conditions of the nervous system.
Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis and the need for its treatment can have a non-systemic or systemic etiology.
In the first case, a person may express a feeling of numbness, insecurity in standing, and some semi-weakness. At the same time there is no circular rotation.
As for systemic dizziness, most often it is an indication of vestibular disorders, malfunction of the visual analyzers and other changes that have arisen against the background of osteochondrosis. In this case, the patient can feel the circular rotation of the body or nearby objects.
If the patient is dizzy and develops symptoms such as acute pain in the head, numbness in the upper chest, fainting or impaired movement coordination, he must be admitted to the hospital urgently.
Headache with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The appearance of a headache can indicate a variety of ailments. Most often it occurs in women against the background of hormonal disorders, stressful situations, increased intracranial pressure, spasms in the brain, pinched nerve endings, inflammatory processes and other diseases.
can signal the presence of a variety of complaints. Most often it occurs in women against the background of hormonal disorders, stressful situations, increased intracranial pressure, spasms in the brain, pinched nerve endings, inflammatory processes and other diseases.
Pain andNoise in the headwith cervical osteochondrosis, which requires treatment, is often confused with symptoms of acute disruption of the blood supply to the brain, arterial hypertension, or coronary artery disease. Most often, such signs appear in the elderly who suffer from the diseases mentioned above.
To determine the exact cause of a headache, you should consult an experienced specialist. In this case, it is recommended to undergo an EKG and exclude the presence of cardiovascular diseases.
Pain of other localization, characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis
Pain in the back of the head and head isn't always a sign of cervical osteochondrosis. In some cases, the discomfort can spread from the neck to the arms and shoulders. Such symptoms are sudden in nature and may arise against the background of sudden movements, after a sharp sneeze, or while remaining in one position during a night's sleep.
If the cause of the pain syndrome is chondrosis of the cervical spine, this usually disappears after a certain time or disappears after manual therapy on the cervical spine.
It should be noted that massage in this area is carried out only after a thorough examination of the patient. In the case of a non-professional approach, there is a high risk of the patient's condition worsening or even becoming disabled.
If we talk about osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and the need for its treatment, then patients notice the following painful sensations:
- The appearance of a crunch during the turn of the head;
- The presence of a pain syndrome in the neck;
- Worsening of sensitivity and the appearance of muscle weakness in different areas of the body.
Increased blood pressure with problems with the cervical spine
Since the cervical vertebrae are directly connected to blood vessels and nerve endings, any disturbance in this area can trigger an increase in blood pressure. However, such jumps are temporary in nature, manifest as short-term convulsions, and are not symptoms of high blood pressure.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, in addition to an increase in pressure, the patient may experience other symptoms, and treatment in this case includes the use of special anesthetics. These include:
- The appearance of pain in the head area;
- Loss of sensitivity in the collar;
- Pain in the chest, arms, and legs;
- A sharp rise in blood pressure after stressful situations, prolonged staying in one position, excessive muscle tension and other similar situations.
A sharp deterioration in the patient's condition and a sharp increase in pressure indicate an urgent need to consult a doctor.
Stages of development of cervical osteochondrosis
In the course of development, the above disease goes through several stages, which are accompanied by specific symptoms. We'll talk about them in more detail below.
Early stage osteochondrosis
When the first degree of the disease occurs, patients usually experience only minor discomfort. You may only show pain with sudden movements, tilting and twisting of your head. Many patients report increased lumbar and back fatigue and a constant feeling of tension. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the initial stage does not involve ingestionDrugs. . . To recover, the patient just needs to rungymnasticsfor cervical osteochondrosis and changes in daily diet.
The second stage of the disease: characteristics
The second stage of the pathology is characterized by more intense painful sensations that radiate to the upper extremities and increase with bending and turning of the head. Reasons for increased complaints are: a reduction in the height of the intervertebral discs and, as a result, pinching of the nerve endings. In this case, the patient notes a deterioration in the ability to work, the appearance of absent-mindedness, increased fatigue and the appearance of headaches.
Third degree osteochondrosis
It is associated with an increase in pain on radiation in the area of the upper extremities, shoulders and neck. In this case, numbness in the muscles of the hand, which is associated with the appearance of an intervertebral hernia, can be observed. In addition, patients may complain of severe weakness and dizziness.
The final stage of the disease
In the final stage, deep degenerative processes in the area of the intervertebral discs and their replacement by pathological tissue become noticeable. The need to treat cervical osteochondrosisat the stage of exacerbationcan be due to the defeat of several segments of the spine. In this case, patients report tinnitus, an exacerbated pain syndrome, the appearance of severe dizziness and impaired coordination of movements.
Causes of Cervical Osteochondrosis
Most often the development of this pathology is due to daily sedentary work, during which a person does not control the correct position of the body in the chair, and his head is constantly tilted forward. The same applies if the head is left in a thrown-back state that is typical for building professionals during repair work.
As a rule, excessive strain on the cervical spine inevitably leads to degenerative diseases in the area of the intervertebral discs. In addition, cervico-vertebral osteochondrosis, the symptoms of this condition and the need for its treatment may be due to the following factors:
- Violation of calcium metabolism;
- Causes of a genetic nature;
- Thermal irritants;
- When practicing extreme sports (treatment of sports injuries);
- Hypodynamia;
- Long stay of a person in a position due to professional affiliation;
- Obesity;
- Prolonged stressful situations;
- Injury to the neck and back of the head;
- Autoimmune processes that can provoke the destruction of cartilage tissue.
Moving to a healthy diet and moderate physical activity can minimize the chance of osteochondrosis.
Syndromes in cervical osteochondrosis
Syndromes are represented by the simultaneous manifestation of several symptoms of the disease at the same time. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by the following syndromes: vertebrae, vertebral arteries, cardiac and radicular. They are discussed below.
What is vertebral syndrome?
In the presence of the above syndrome, degenerative processes have a direct effect on the cartilage and bone tissue. In this case, the simultaneous manifestation of the following three signs is observed:
- Painful sensations when it is necessary to twist your neck;
- Inability to turn the neck;
- The presence of a disorder in the intervertebral region or in the vertebral body that is morphological in nature (X-rays are taken to determine this symptom).
If the patient is missing at least one of the above signs, then there is no point in talking about vertebral syndrome.
Features of the vertebral artery syndrome
The essence of the above syndrome is damage to the vertebral arteries that supply blood to the brain. It is characterized by the simultaneous appearance of the following symptoms:
- Against the background of the compression of the artery, the patient may feel dizziness, an increase in blood pressure, the appearance of tinnitus, nausea, etc.
- As a result of irritation of the nerve roots, loss of sensitivity, the appearance of "flies" in the eyes, acute pain in the head and numbness can be observed;
- Lack of oxygen can cause severe head pain, excessive sleepiness, decreased activity, and poor concentration.
Signs of heart syndrome
In addition to the symptom of the vertebral artery in cervical osteochondrosis, there is also a need for patient treatment in the presence of cardiac syndrome. Many patients report a condition characteristic of coronary artery disease or similar to symptoms of myocardial infarction. In this case, the following signs appear:
- A burning sensation and acute pain syndrome in the sternum area;
- Tachycardia;
- The appearance of severe weakness, excessive tiredness and shortness of breath.
Radicular syndrome: characteristics
It is characterized by a deterioration in neuromuscular conduction. In the presence of a radicular syndrome, the patient may experience a loss of sensitivity or, conversely, a severe pain syndrome. Its functions also include:
- Pain in the back of the head or, conversely, numbness in this area;
- Difficulty chewing food, numbness in the area behind the ear, feeling of fullness in the tongue;
- The appearance of symptoms of sore throat, hiccups, pain in the collarbone;
- Difficulty moving the upper limbs, discomfort in the shoulder area;
- Violations in the area of the forearm and shoulder blades;
- Loss of sensitivity in the area of the fingers.
diagnosis
The most important and informative methods of diagnosing osteochondrosis are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Highly detailed MRI scans not only reflect the condition of the bone tissue of the spine, but also of the soft tissue - muscles, cartilage, blood vessels, nerves and intervertebral discs. In the event of contraindications to MRI (the presence of metal prostheses, pacemakers), computed tomography is prescribed, but the informational content of the method is much less in relation to the diagnosis of osteochondrosis.
Can osteochondrosis of the cervical spine be treated?
With cervical osteochondrosis, effective treatment of this disease is possible only with a comprehensive lifestyle revision, constant prevention and sanatorium rest. In practice, only a few manage to do this, especially in our country's climate, where hypothermia and new inflammatory processes can hardly be completely avoided. Nevertheless, even in the most advanced cases, you can significantly alleviate your condition and extend the remission times.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
In the first stage of osteochondrosis, the patient is helped by conservative drug-free treatment. You should correct your posture, pay attention to the equipment of the workplace, interrupt your work for a few minutes every day to make it uncomplicatedRemedial gymnasticsfor cervical osteochondrosis, which can be carried out directly at the desk in the office. Swimming, increased physical activity and the intake of vitamin and mineral complexes have a positive effect on the entire musculoskeletal system.
Benefits of shock wave therapy
If the patient has osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and its symptoms, then a new method of treatment is considered to be the most effective - with the help of shock waves. This procedure is distinguished by its affordable cost. In addition, if a medical facility has specialized equipment, you can take the UHT course completely free of charge.
UHT benefits include:
- Maximum efficiency;
- Absence of complaints during the procedure;
- The minimal likelihood of side effects;
- Reducing the need for invasive treatments
- Reducing the need to take medication.
Medicines for cervical osteochondrosis
If you have cervical osteochondrosis and are interested in treatmentmedicalandEffective,Information on suitable medication can be found on the Internet. Despite the multitude of drugs and the lack of a prescription requirement, self-medication is not recommended. Most drugs have side effects and contraindications, and it is also important not to overdose.
Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs).They are used to relieve swelling and pain.
Muscle relaxants, sedatives
They are additionally prescribed to relieve the general condition of the patient and reduce the dose of NSAIDs. By relieving muscle spasms and nervous tension at the same time, you can achieve the best therapeutic effect.
At the end of treatment, doctors usually recommend buying nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to buy in the medicine cabinet, as neck pain can return when the weather changes, overexertion, and stress.
Physiotherapeutic approaches
In cases when drug therapy is contraindicated or does not have the desired effect, and sometimes for a complex effect, physiotherapeutic methods are used, which are available in both classical and alternative medicine. All are aimed at relieving muscle spasms, inflammation, and pain.
Acupuncture. The essence of the method is to "awaken" biologically active points by inserting special thin needles into them to a depth of several centimeters. The procedure is painful in itself, but it helps relieve pain in the spine. Multiple sessions are required.
Manual therapy. This method is effective when the patientPinchNerves of the cervical spine, the corresponding symptoms were diagnosed and the need for treatment recognized. Nerves and blood vessels that are pinched by deformed vertebrae can be loosened by manually stretching the spine.
Hirudotherapy (leeches). Relieves inflammation and swelling due to biologically active substances secreted by leeches. Strengthens blood circulation.
Shock wave therapy. Restores blood circulation and destroys osteophytes, helps cartilage tissue return to its normal structure. The patient already feels a decrease in pain and swelling after 1-2 sessions. The course of shock wave therapy includes up to ten procedures; it can be prescribed as part of complex non-invasive therapy and during the rehabilitation phase after the operation. It has a number of contraindications and is only used after a thorough examination by several specialists, including neurologists, cardiologists, and vertebrologists.
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
When a person has cervical osteochondrosis, every dayExercises,Developed to treat this disease, will help strengthen the muscular corset, that is, - reduce the load on the cervical spine. Exercise therapy is indicated at all stages of the disease, as well as a preventive measure. During exacerbations, a number of exercises should be performed with caution.
Typical exercises for treating osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Head turns to the sides;
- Head leans forward and backward;
- with relaxed or firm hands, lift your shoulders and hold them in this position for 15-20 seconds;
- alternating tension of the flexors and extensors of the neck with a stationary head position.
The exercises need to be repeated 5-7 times. The duration of the lesson is 15-20 minutes.
Surgical intervention
If there is no positive effect after 6 months of conservative treatment, spinal stiffening may be indicated. The aim of the procedure is to immobilize the affected vertebral segment. It includes the removal of the intervertebral disc, the decompression of the nerve root and the placement of an implant or the creation of a physiological height of the intervertebral disc space. The operation has many contraindications and side effects. For example, spinal stiffening can lead to spinal obstruction. Surgical intervention is therefore only indicated in extreme cases.
Diet and lifestyle
After surgical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, it is necessary to wear a fixation collar in the early rehabilitation phase. During conservative treatment and in the late period of rehabilitation, diet rich in calcium and vitamins, correction of usual postures and general posture, a daily series of therapeutic exercises for the neck, orthopedic pillows are recommended.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home
If you are diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis and its symptoms and would like to undergoHome treatment, It should be noted that such an independent procedure can only be carried out in combination with the procedures prescribed by a specialist.
Some experts recommend usingorthopedic pillowwith cervical osteochondrosis and use warming agents such as pepper plasters, mustard plasters, and alcohol compresses. According to others, only specialExercisesfor treatment andprevention. . .
You can also resort to traditional medicinal recipes based on the use of honey and potato compresses and dressings made with natural ingredients. You can find more information about such tools on the Internet. However, only an experienced and highly qualified doctor can diagnose cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, identify its symptoms and prescribe the most effective treatment.
Preventive measures for cervical osteochondrosis
An examination by the attending physician is required once a year. Shock wave therapy can be prescribed. Hypothermia and infectious diseases, prolonged work on the computer in one position should be avoided. When traveling on a long plane or bus, use a neck support pillow to relieve muscle tension and avoid congestion. Use special orthopedic pillows that ensure correct head posture for everyday sleep.