Cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by degenerative-dystrophic disorders of the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine.Metabolic disorders in the intervertebral discs, which are actually special "seals" between the vertebrae in the cervical region, cause the development of disturbance of the roots of the nerves and blood vessels.This is one of the characteristic symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.This is due to the special anatomical structure of this spine.
One of the severe complications of cervical osteochondrosis may be a disorder of the spinal artery, which is anatomically carried out in the holes of the cervical vertebrae.The growth of bone and fibrous tissues occurring due to dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs can lead to disruption of the work of this artery.
Especially the anatomical device of the cervical spine, in the form of a closer arrangement of the vertebrae to each other, leads to the fact that even a slight violation of one of the vertebrae causes a violation throughout the department.
Nerves and blood vessels are pressed and displaced, much more and more than in other places of osteochondrosis processes.The result of such compression is the development of some characteristic symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, which we will talk about below.
At what age do people develop cervical osteochondrosis?
Cervical osteochondrosis is a very common regenerative spinal disease, which in recent years has been "young" in recent years.Increasingly, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical region is made by people between the ages of 25 to 40 years.
Doctors explain one of the reasons for such an early appearance of a destructive spine by the fact that many young people spend the greater part of the day in uncomfortable postures when they work on the computer.
Also, the predisposing factors for the development of this disease work with vibration mechanisms, hypothermia, accompanying diseases of the metabolic system, work with construction equipment, improper posture, inactive lifestyles, uncomfortable bed and pillow, hereditary factors.
Recently, doctors have been reduced in a number of predisposing factors, the training process in athletes, a sharp reduction in the volumes of training or termination of the training process, infectious diseases, stress and nervous overvoltage and traumatic rear lesions.
Stages of cervical osteochondrosis
Among the stages of development of cervical osteochondrosis, they distinguish:
1st stage
It is characterized by the primary lesions of the intervertebral discs and is expressed in the form of an inconspicuous unstable system from the "vertical" system.
Stage 2
A characteristic characteristic at this stage is the protrusion of the disks (the convexity of the nucleus of the pulp disc to the spine in the cerebrospinal canal with the phenomena of the fibrous ring).Between the vertebrae the cracks are reduced, the fibrous ring begins to collapse.The pinching of nerve roots provokes the development of the symptoms of pain.
Stage 3
At this stage, the fibrous rings are finally destroyed.The result of such destruction is intervertebral hernias.There is a serious deformity of the spine.
Stage 4
It is characterized by difficulty of movement.Any, even a little neck movement, carries severe pain, which makes it difficult to move the patient on its own.His quality of life falls significantly.The condition can be periodically improved, the symptoms are smoothed against the background of intervertebral bone growths that limit the possibility of movement.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Of the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, the following should be listed:
- Symptoms of pain in the neck, nape, shoulder and in the hands.The pain is generally ill;
- Difficulty in the neck, accompanied by a crunch of joints.The crunch is particularly clear at the time of rotation or tilt of the neck.After crunching, relief is often felt in the form of a decrease in the symptom of pain, patients say that "the neck has risen in place";
- Weakness in the hands;
- Pulling pain in the left side of the chest, which often gives to the left hand;
- Burning sensation between shoulder blades;
- Periodic headache;
- Increased fatigue;
- Characteristic irradiation of pain (its distribution).It can often reach the shoulder area to the hands;
- Complaints of "removing and passage of the electrical current" of the hands and (or) legs during the bending of the neck;
- Feeling of general weakness;
- Respower, vision, ringing in the ears, deterioration of the condition of the tooth, night snoring, disorders of the heart and lungs, impaired gait of dizziness, nausea, numbness of the face and tongue, double and circles in front of the eyes.
These symptoms are due to impaired nervous innervation.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
In the primary stages, cervical osteochondrosis does not require special measures for its treatment as it does not cause special discomfort to the patient.It is easy to adjust it with the help of monitoring special prevention measures.
It is necessary to improve working conditions.Review your lifestyle and rest for the better, change the water regime (the small stream of water in the body provokes the "dryness" of the intervertebral discs, which leads to their rapid erasure), change the attitude to the harmful dependencies that can become provocateurs of degenerative dystrophic changes in the spine (alcohol.
In the severe stages that usually develop over time, osteochondrosis will require treatment.Conservative therapy methods are used for this:
- Massage,
- Lfk,
- Wearing social collars,
- Physiotherapy effects.
Drug therapy should be associated in severe cases, exacerbation of the disease:
- Analgesics;
- Anti -inflammatory non -hormonal drugs;
- Antispasmodics;
- Electrophoresis, paraffin applications.
The chronic stage of osteochondrosis will require long -term chondoprotectors that continue during the years of administration.
Also, in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, injections with vitamin (vitamins B), various ointments, creams, gels that are stimulants of regenerative processes or containing topical reception products have proven themselves.
Important!Any information on the methods and methods for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis you have collected in this article is not a guide to action.The protocol for therapy for osteochondrosis should be developed by an experienced physician based on the clinical picture of the disease, its symptoms and the general condition of the patient.Do not self -assess.