Are you experiencing back pain and numbness in your limbs?These are the first signs of osteochondrosis.Insufficient lifestyle mobility, sedentary work, stress on the neck and spine lead to cartilage wear and loss of moisture, resulting in damage.
In cervical osteochondrosis, degenerative changes occur in the intervertebral discs.Not only are the discs damaged, but also the vertebrae and joints in the cervical region.If the disease is not treated for a long time, the patient's general well-being worsens: constant headaches, the appearance of a spinal hernia, deterioration of cerebral circulation, resulting in a decrease in cognitive functions.
Reasons for the development of osteochondrosis
Incorrect sitting position, in which the neck is pulled forward, leads to the development of cervical diseases.In this case, excessive pressure occurs on the intervertebral discs, which leads to changes in the nucleus pulposus and compression of blood vessels.This is the position a person takes in the workplace in front of a computer.Therefore, office workers are most often exposed to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Also, the reasons for the development of pathology may be:
- inadequate load distribution when transporting suitcases;
- excessively soft sleeping place (the spine curves unnaturally);
- genetic predisposition;
- lack of vitamins and microelements in the diet;
- endocrine system disorders;
- curvature of the spine and poor posture during active growth of the body;
- injuries to the cervical vertebrae;
- presence of bad habits.
Stages of the disease
Only an experienced doctor, after examination and palpation, can determine whether your pain symptoms are signs of the development of cervical osteochondrosis and at what stage of development of the disease.In total, cervical osteochondrosis goes through four stages of development:
- Nucleus pulposus - the central part of the intervertebral disc during the first stage undergoes moderate dehydration.As a result, the supporting and shock-absorbing functions of the intervertebral discs are gradually lost.During the first stage, you will experience pain with sudden movements, hypothermia, and prolonged stay in the same position.
- The second phase of development is characterized by the appearance of congestion and spasms, which compress capillaries and blood vessels, preventing normal blood circulation.As a result, the structure of the intervertebral disc becomes thinner, forming protrusions (protruding forward or backward).Under the influence of excessive load, osteophytes form on the cervical vertebrae.Pain sensations are localized in one place;with sudden turns and tilts of the head, dislocations of the cervical vertebrae may occur.
- Extrusions are formed as a result of thinning of the intervertebral discs.The edge of the nucleus pulposus breaks through the fibrous ring and extends beyond the edges of the vertebral body.Muscles and nerve endings are compressed.Pain is felt in the neck, back and limbs.
- In the fourth stage of the disease, the intervertebral discs are displaced and central and lateral hernias form.Furthermore, scars form on the discs, which leads to immobility of the affected joint.The patient feels constant pain in the back, which radiates to other parts of the body, a constant feeling of fatigue and asymmetry of parts of the body occurs.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifest themselves differently depending on the stage of development of the pathology.In the early stages, it can occur with virtually no symptoms.Neck and back pain may only appear if you remain in the same position for a long time, or bend or turn sharply.
In later stages of development, a squeaky sound is heard in the spine, back pain radiates to other limbs, and numbness occurs in parts of the body.During osteophyte formation and extrusion, the following occurs:
- headaches in the back of the neck and in the parietal part;
- speech disorders and tongue numbness;
- decreased sensitivity of the neck skin;
- respiratory disorders;
- changes in blood pressure;
- heartbeat disorders;
- noise and congestion in the ears;
- faint.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women are much more pronounced than in men.This is due to the fact that women are predisposed to vascular diseases and a more fragile structure of the bone segments of the spine.Signs of the disease begin to appear when the intervertebral discs change.This leads to disruption of normal blood circulation and causes severe headaches, dizziness and neuroses.An exacerbation of the disease in women often occurs during menopause, when the body is subject to hormonal changes.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men are similar to those in women;erectile dysfunction can be observed separately.
Headache in cervical osteochondrosis is caused by poor circulation in the brain and spinal cord.When the vertebrae become misaligned, they compress the arteries and the oxygen content in the blood decreases.Unfortunately, this pain may not go away even after taking strong painkillers.Therefore, it is important to approach the solution of the problem comprehensively.Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis can be accompanied by darkening in the eyes and the appearance of tinnitus.This is because spasmodic muscles cause a reduction in oxygen supply to the brain.
A lump in the throat with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, as well as burning, difficulty breathing and muscle spasms are common occurrences.The disease causes compression of nerve fibers from the cervical spine to the head and neck.Disturbances in nerve impulses cause sore throat.
Due to spasms of blood vessels and irritation of nerve endings, jumps in blood pressure occur.The increase in lower pressure in osteochondrosis indicates that the blood supply to certain areas of the brain is impaired, since the vertebral artery is compressed by the intervertebral discs.As a result, oxygen starvation occurs and blood pressure rises.
How is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine diagnosed?
Diagnosis of pathology begins with consultation with a specialist.At the first manifestations of osteochondrosis, consult a rheumatologist, neurologist, surgeon or traumatologist-orthopedist.The doctor will ask about the symptoms and the frequency of their occurrence;you need to provide the specialist with a complete medical history and the results of previous studies (if any).The specialist will perform a visual examination and palpation and refer you for tests.During the examination, the doctor pays special attention to neck mobility, muscle tone, skin sensitivity and identifies the most painful areas.
To identify the condition of muscles, ligaments, blood vessels and detect inflammatory processes or tumors, an informative and safe diagnostic method is prescribed - MRI of the cervical spine.During an MRI for osteochondrosis, the patient lies on his back on a special sliding table.Rollers are placed on the patient's head to relieve muscle tension and the limbs are secured with belts.Any slight movement during the procedure can affect the quality of the result.Then, the table moves to the tomography area.The procedure does not cause pain.The CT scanner makes a lot of noise during scanning, so you can use headphones to avoid discomfort.
If MRI is contraindicated, there are other diagnostic methods such as computed tomography and radiography.Radiography is only suitable for primary diagnosis and does not provide a layer-by-layer image of the affected tissue.However, this study is the simplest and most economical, allowing you to examine the patient's body in different projections.Due to strong radiation exposure to the body, radiography cannot be performed frequently.
During a CT scan, a scan is performed using one or more beams of ionizing rays.They pass through the human body and are recorded by detectors.The detectors move along the patient's body in opposite directions and record up to 6 million signals.The image displays tissues of different densities with precise definition of the limits of the organs and affected areas in the form of a section.The procedure allows you to obtain an image layer by layer.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The treatment of cervical osteochondrosis will be determined only by the doctor after examination, studying the medical history and obtaining the results of hardware diagnostics.If the disease was diagnosed early, treatment will be carried out using conservative methods.When treating osteochondrosis, it is important to adhere to an integrated approach - taking medications, undergoing physiotherapy, undergoing therapeutic massages and avoiding intense physical activity.
First of all, you need to alleviate the pain.For this purpose, local analgesics and painkillers are prescribed.For severe muscle spasms, an orthopedic collar is prescribed.After eliminating the pain syndrome, it is necessary to stop the inflammatory process and restore normal blood circulation.For this purpose, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out.As additional measures, therapeutic exercises and swimming are prescribed.You can do physical exercises both at home and with a trainer.
If osteochondrosis worsens, your doctor may prescribe surgery.Surgery is used in rare cases, when pathology develops against the background of other diseases - scoliosis, herniated intervertebral disc, curvature or displacement of the spine, injuries.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is not particularly different from treatment in men.However, doctors often recommend that women apply external compresses to warm and strengthen the neck muscles.
Experts recommend preventing various back diseases from early childhood.To do this, you need to form correct posture when walking and sitting at the table.Eating right and properly strengthening your back muscles will help you avoid negative consequences in the future.