Currently, according to medical statistics, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis complain almost all people over the age of 25-30 years. The disease affects the spine more than others. Pathology is a progressive degenerative process that affects the intervertebral discs and vertebrae located in the neck. The disease is prevalent among men and women alike. This is a dangerous and complex form of osteochondrosis, as in the neck are two large blood vessels that supply the brain, and a large number of nerve endings. Innervation and blood flow and lead to deterioration in the supply of brain with oxygen and nutrients.
Signs of the disease
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are more pronounced than in other parts of the spine, and even with minor damage. This is due to the fact that the neck vertebrae are located close to each other Yes, and intervertebral discs have a small height. This anatomical feature helps to ensure that osteochondrosis often compressed the nerve endings, spinal cord, blood vessels.
Common symptoms:
- pain syndrome;
- weakness and decreased sensation in the upper extremities;
- the limited mobility of the neck;
- violation of coordination of movements;
- frequent dizziness;
- weakness;
- the deterioration of the functioning of the senses (hearing, sight, touch, taste).
Pain usually localized in the neck, giving neck, shoulders, hands. Upper extremities hurt when the damaged vertebra trapped nerve root that is responsible for their innervation. Pain in the neck due to spasmodic contractions of the muscles of the neck attached and occipital bones, and the violation of blood circulation in this area.
Weakness in hands can occur in patients when the disease process involves the nerve root, which provides the innervation of the muscle structures of the upper extremities. The limitation and characteristic crunch when turning or tilting of the neck arise, if on the cervical vertebrae phenomena appear osteophytes, the height of the intervertebral discs is reduced, the affected joints are located between the vertebrae.
The vertebrae in the neck are transverse processes, which form a channel in which lies the artery that feeds the brain. Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae shift, they are growing connective tissue. Yes, this causes compression of the cervical arteries, deterioration of the blood supply of the cerebellum and posterior brain. As a result, of the person frequent dizziness, disturbed coordination of movements, weakness. In advanced cases, when the artery involved in the pathological process or severely pinched, the provision of blood to the cerebellum, occipital part and brain stem deteriorates significantly. This decreases the functionality of the organs of hearing, vision, experienced numbness of the tongue, fingers.
The symptoms depend on the ad which of the eight affected vertebrae degenerative or inflammatory process. Yes, sensory disturbances and movement cause damage to spinal roots that is influenced by one or the other vertebrae. According to the hell that you experience the following symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease:
- the first vertebra – numb neck and the occipital part of the head, reduced their sensitivity;
- the second one feels pain in the area of crown and nape;
- the third felt the pain and reduced sensitivity in the part of the neck, where is located the pinched spinal nerve root, reduces the intensity of taste sensations, present speech disorders;
- fourth – pain radiating in the shoulder, the scapula, the patient concerned about cardiac pain, respiratory disorders, reduced tone of the muscles of the neck;
- fifth – the pain is observed in neck, give the outer surface of the shoulder;
- sixth – pain in the neck radiating to the shoulder blade, felt in the forearm and thumb;
- seventh – give pain in the shoulder blade, back of shoulder, upper arm and fingers (from second to fourth);
- eighth – pain subject hell the neck and shoulders, arms and fingers.
According to the ad the extent of the lesion there are four degrees of cervical osteochondrosis. This is not the stage of the disease, and the severity of symptoms, due to the fact how widespread pathological process, what it affects the vertebrae.
- When the first clinical symptoms are absent or occur minimally. Patients complain of mild pain, which intensified during the head movements. Effective the treatment will be initiated at this stage of the disease. However, people often ignore troubling symptoms or don't feel them, so do not apply to the doctor.
- The deterioration of the pathological process increases the symptoms. In the second stage of pain become more pronounced, given in the upper limb, the scapula. At this stage of the development of the degenerative process of the intervertebral disc height decreases, resulting in a pinched nerve fibers. This causes increase in pain. Another degree of degenerative disc disease of the cervical phenomenon characterized by the appearance of headaches, deterioration of health, decreased performance.
- The third stage of cervical degenerative disc disease is characterized by a herniation of the affected intervertebral disc. The limited mobility of the neck, palpation the patient feels pronounced pain. With this spread of the pathological process pain become constant, often radiating to the upper extremity. Feel the tension of the muscles are attached and occipital bones. Patients complain of frequent dizziness, weakness, numbness in the hands.
- The fourth degree of cervical degenerative disc disease is diagnosed when the disc is completely destroyed by the degenerative process. It is replaced by fibrous tissue, which leads to a significant limitation. The affected spinal cord and padded in the neck blood vessels. Such changes are characterized by a significant deterioration of blood supply of the cerebellum and the occipital part of the brain. Oxygen deprivation leads to impaired coordination of movements, impairment of hearing, vision, numbness of tongue, speech disorders.
Treatments
Timely treatment and doctors in phenomena Alen the first symptoms of anxiety, unpleasant sensations in the neck, the reactions from the nervous system will provide an opportunity to prevent the progression of degenerative changes. Treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease consists of a complex of therapeutic measures. Among them:
- medications;
- massage;
- physiotherapy;
- physiotherapy.
Drug therapy
Doctors prescribe anti-inflammatories to reduce pain, reduce inflammation and swelling of the nerve spine. Chondroprotectors to restore damaged tissue in the intervertebral disc. Muscle relaxants relax the neck muscles, relieve spasm. Medicines to improve blood flow and help to restore the disturbed blood supply of the brain. B vitamins stimulate the metabolism in nerve tissue. Under intense pain the doctor may prescribe analgesic drugs. If the patient has severe pain, the analgesics are injected parenterally, once the pain fades, go on the pill.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a very effective app struggle with degenerative disc disease of the cervical. To treat this disease using such techniques, the results of which are achieved the following results:
- reduces the intensity of pain;
- aktiviziruyutsya recovery of the affected bone, cartilage and muscle tissue;
- relieves spasms and muscle tension;
- stopped by the inflammatory process;
- improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients Yes the affected area and the brain.
The most effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis are the following types of procedures:
- iontophoresis (on the affected area is exposed to an electric current, which in addition to activation blood flow and tissue repair improves the delivery of active substance preparation Yes the affected degenerative process of the tissues);
- ultrasound therapy (aktiviziruyutsya metabolic processes in the diseased area, reduced pain, relieved inflammation);
- magnetic therapy (reduces swelling on the affected area, which helps to reduce pain levels);
- laser therapy (improves blood circulation in the pathological process, has anti-inflammatory effect).
Physiotherapy
Exercises assigned during the period when cropped the acute manifestations of the disease. During gymnastics should not feel discomfort and pain. To perform the complex is set on achieving stable remission to prevent recurrence.
- To take position, lying on stomach, raise your head and body resting on her arms. Back straight, breathing deep and even. To stay in the position for a minute or two, then slowly take its original position. The number of repetitions – 3.
- Position – lying on his stomach, arms along the body. Slowly turn your head trying to touch the ear sex Yes. Repeat 6 times on the skin side.
- Sitting or standing, inhale tilt your head, trying to reach his chin and chest. On the exhale, slowly take your head back, looking up at such. The number of repetitions is 10-15.
- A good exercise for strengthening the neck muscles is to push my forehead pressed Yes on his hands. To achieve the effect you need to click and place the palms on the forehead and brow on the palm of your hand for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.
- To rotate the head by Cruz. To do the exercise slowly, smoothly. Each way – for 10 revs. It is unacceptable to cause dizziness when performing movements. If this happens, you should immediately stop.
Massage
The course is prescribed by a doctor in the absence of acute pain, to carry it can only be a specialist with medical education. In this disease it is not recommended to apply Yes the layperson.
The therapeutic effect of neck massage:
- improves the flow of blood and lymph in the affected area;
- relaxes muscles, relieves spasm;
- decrease the intensity of the pain.
Surgery
Surgery is indicated if conservative treatment does not bring results within six months, the patient suffers from a severe pain, there are signs of damage to the nerve fibers and myelopathy. If the cervical osteochondrosis is complicated, there is a danger of stroke, severe spinal nerve compression, then surgery is needed.
According to the testimony of resort Yes the following types of surgery:
- endoscopic discectomy – removal of part or the whole of the intervertebral disc;
- a laminotomy – excision of bone ligaments and accrued particles of bone tissue (often combined with laminoplasty – establishment of individual plates for expansion of the spinal canal);
- laser vaporization of disc nucleus splitting the nucleus of an intervertebral disk with a laser beam simultaneously with the destruction of its fragments destroyed;
- cold plasma nucleoplasty instead of an endoscope uses a long and thin hollow needle is inserted into the intervertebral disc through it and Downing deliver the electrode, which has a cold plasma exposure.
The neck is a complex organ in which lie large blood vessels, spinal cord. They are easy to damage, so surgical intervention is resorted to not more than 5% of cases. Surgical treatment is often accompanied by complications. Among them:
- the inflammatory process in the tissues or membranes of the spinal cord;
- osteomyelitis;
- scarring, which leads narrowing of blood and cerebrospinal channels.
Operations on the cervical spine are complex and will require a long rehabilitation period. The patient's recovery after surgery takes six months or more.
Prevention
To prevent the development of cervical osteochondrosis it is necessary:
- to monitor the position of the spine and neck;
- lead an active lifestyle, move more;
- doing physical exercise, you must be careful to observe the correct execution, as even minor injuries can affect the musculoskeletal system;
- to take care of a correct position during sleep, buy orthopedic or anatomic mattress;
- to properly equip the workplace, where one spends many hours;
- regularly engage in physical culture;
- to follow the diet, ensure all the beneficial minerals needed for strong bones, especially magnesium and calcium;
- constantly undergo medical examination for early detection of osteoarthritis.
Prevention will help to prevent degenerative changes in the cervical spine, protect hell pain, dizziness, numbness of extremities, and other unpleasant symptoms.