Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Every second person on earth has problems with their spine.Osteochondrosis of the neck is one of the most common diseases that require special attention.Lack of timely treatment can have serious consequences.In particularly advanced cases, complications can lead to death.

Steps

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women and men develops gradually and has periods of increased symptoms and remissions.Signs of the disease appear when the process of destruction of the vertebrae reaches a serious stage.

There are four degrees of cervical osteochondrosis:

1. Initial stage.Characterized by disturbances in the structure of the intervertebral discs.The loss of moisture causes them to become thinner.Cracks appear on the fiber rings.At this stage, there are often practically no signs of cervical osteochondrosis.However, if pathology can be identified, complete recovery of damaged intervertebral discs is possible.The first stage of development of cervical osteochondrosis is considered very favorable for starting treatment.
2. Second stageThe disease is accompanied by a deterioration in the condition of the tissues of the intervertebral discs.They are significantly reduced in size.This leads to slackening of the muscle corset and spinal ligaments.Instability of the cervical spine occurs and the mobility of the vertebrae increases.The first symptoms of osteochondrosis often appear at this stage.
3. In the third stageDeformation of the spine becomes apparent.Protrusions and hernias occur.Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis become more pronounced.
4. Fourth stageaccompanied by the formation of osteophytes, ossification (ossification) of ligaments and other deformations.These signs of osteochondrosis are evidence that the body is trying by all means to stabilize the damaged segments of the spine.

The peculiarity of the cervical spine is the small distance between the vertebrae.If there are structural disorders of these segments, the spinal cord, nerve endings and vessels of the circulatory system are pinched.

Manifestations

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis may depend on which part of the spine the affected object is located.The following mechanisms of the negative impact of the pathology, as well as the associated symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, are distinguished:

1. Radicular syndrome.The pain is transmitted from the cervical spine to the fingers.There is a tingling sensation in various parts of the upper limbs and a goosebumps effect.
2. Vertebral artery syndromeprovokes circulatory disorders in the brain.Accompanied by weakness, nausea, impaired hearing and vision, and disorders of the vestibular apparatus.May cause sharp or throbbing headaches in the back of the head, crown, temples, and eyebrow areas.
3. In cardiac syndromeSymptoms of osteochondrosis can be confused with angina pectoris.Attacks of pain can last for several hours and be accompanied by extrasystole or tachycardia.
4. Irritable reflex syndrome.This phenomenon causes acute attacks of pain in the back of the head or neck.Unpleasant sensations are transferred to the shoulder or chest region.They occur when moving after a long period of rest.

It is unacceptable to ignore these signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in men and women.

If such symptoms occur, you should contact a neurologist as soon as possible.

Types of diagnosis

Cervical osteochondrosis has symptoms similar to many other pathologies.Therefore, before making a specific diagnosis, the doctor must find out exactly what symptoms caused the patient's concern and then conduct an examination.

Based on his observations, the specialist can make a preliminary diagnosis.However, in order to more accurately determine the causes of the pathology, additional examinations are required.The main methods for diagnosing cervical osteochondrosis are:

1. Radiography.The most accessible instrumental method.Almost every clinic has a minimal technical base to conduct such a study.An x-ray provides information about the location and severity of the pathological process.Allows you to determine what consequences osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has caused.To get a complete picture of the disease, x-rays are taken in different projections.
2. Computed tomography.Thanks to the possibility of layer-by-layer examination, you can detect any changes in the structure of the spinal tissue.This method allows you to determine the stage of cervical osteochondrosis, the presence of protrusions and hernias.Computed tomography perfectly shows the condition of all components of the spinal region with the exception of the intervertebral discs.
3. MRI.The most accurate and informative method for diagnosing cervical osteochondrosis.The resulting images allow you to assess the condition of the spinal segments, nerves and blood vessels.This becomes possible because there are no images of other organs on the projection.Magnetic resonance imaging helps to identify the location of damaged segments, detect tissue changes, narrowing of the spinal canal, and degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc such as bulges and hernias.

Treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is associated with a degenerative disorder of the structure of the intervertebral discs, as well as the adjacent tissues and ligaments of the spine.Both women and men of all ages can suffer from the disease.This is due to a variety of unfavorable factors, including a sedentary lifestyle, poor posture and poor diet.

The question of proper treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is very relevant.Therapy can be either conservative (in non-advanced cases) or surgical (sequestered hernias).

If a patient has signs of osteochondrosis, the treatment regimen must be selected individually for each patient.The therapy program may depend on the following factors:

• stages of the disease;
• period of exacerbation or remission;
• individual characteristics of the patient.

Treatment of osteochondrosis should be prescribed by a doctor after a complete examination of the patient and an accurate diagnosis.

Conservative methods

The primary goal of therapy for degenerative changes in the spine is to prevent the development of pathologies and complications.To achieve a favorable result in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, it is not enough to use a single method;It is important to use an integrated approach.

At the first stages of therapy, doctors' recommendations are aimed at eliminating pain and restoring circulatory function.In the next step, you can move on to physiotherapeutic procedures, manual therapy and exercise therapy.

Conservative forms of therapy include:

1. Treatment with medication.This method is characterized by the use of drugs with different effects: analgesics, antispasmodics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, vasodilators, chondoprotectors, sedatives, vitamins, minerals.If the disease worsens with significant pain and increased muscle tone, drug treatment may be prescribed.Cervical osteochondrosis can only be treated with ointments or gels for mild inflammation.In other cases, these measures are not effective.
2. Physiotherapy.Treatment with physical factors (magnetic fields, ultrasound, low-frequency currents) can be used at any stage of pathology development.Physiotherapeutic procedures help to relieve pain, stimulate blood circulation and metabolism, and also allow you to reduce the dosage of medications.To cure cervical osteochondrosis, electrophoresis with drug administration, Darsonval, ultrasound, laser therapy and magnetotherapy can be prescribed.Each of these types of physiotherapeutic procedures has its own contraindications.For this reason, the treatment method should be selected by a doctor.
3. Manual therapy.The goals of this method include normalizing muscle tone, improving blood circulation and eliminating deformation of the cervical spine.The therapeutic effect is achieved through physical action in the form of pressure, vibration and friction.To achieve a noticeable long-term effect, manual therapy must be combined with medication, physiotherapy and exercise therapy.
4. Physiotherapy.The course of cervical osteochondrosis can be alleviated with special exercises.This allows you to build muscle and significantly reduce the load on damaged spinal segments.A set of gymnastic exercises can only be selected by the attending physician, taking into account the characteristics of the patient.It is recommended to start classes under the supervision of a specialist.Physiotherapy is not recommended if you are in pain.

Surgical method

If cervical osteochondrosis does not respond to conservative treatment, surgical intervention may be necessary.This most commonly occurs with spinal cord compression or a herniated disc.

The purpose of the surgical procedure is to eliminate compression of nerve roots and blood vessels and to stabilize the cervical spine.In this case, the following methods are used:

• Discectomy– complete or partial removal of the intervertebral disc.The procedure is carried out using microsurgical instruments.This reduces damage to surrounding tissue.
• Reconstruction of the laser disk.During the operation, a needle is inserted into the affected area and a special cable is passed through it.The intervertebral disc heats up under the influence of the laser energy.This stimulates cell growth and within 3-6 months they fill all the cavities created by the disease.The operation is performed under local anesthesia.
• Arthrodesis.All procedures are performed through a small incision in the front or back of the neck.The operation removes compression of the spinal cord and nerve endings and inserts artificial implants or special metal structures.They correct the bending line of the physiological lordosis.

Cervical osteochondrosis can only be treated surgically in the most difficult cases of the disease.This is associated with a high risk of complications.The possible consequences of an operation include damage to nerve endings or the spinal cord, narrowing of the spinal canal due to scarring, the development of infections and many other unpleasant consequences.

Prevention methods

Osteochondrosis of the neck can develop in both women and men at any age.Many factors contribute to this.The occurrence of the disease can be prevented by taking simple preventive measures.To do this, just follow a few basic rules:

1. Do not subject your spine to severe stress.Avoid sudden movements and injuries, regularly change your posture, distribute the load evenly when moving heavy objects, and choose comfortable shoes.
2. Do regular gymnastics exercises to strengthen your neck muscles.
3. Harden.
4. Make sure you eat a balanced diet.
5. Give up bad habits.

It is important to remember that it is much easier to prevent the development of pathology than to deal with its lengthy and expensive treatment later.If you follow simple measures to prevent the disease, you will never know what cervical osteochondrosis is.