Osteoarthritis not only affects the knee and hip joints.Sometimes the degenerative process develops in the cervical spine.In cases of advanced, without treatment, they can cause loss of mobility due to the combination of vertebra and even defects.
How it will grow
The cervical region includes 7 vertebrae, the most portable from the rest of the spinal column.In the event of certain pathological processes in the body, the cervical vertebra, which is protected by the "plate" of elastic cartilage, is covered with osteophytes (bone growth).The cartilage, in turn, becomes thinner and destroyed, and the adjacent soft tissue atrophy.
The intervertebral disc can approve and pressure the nearby tissue or nerves.The vertebra changes its shape, leading to spinal defects.If they are spoken, the patient develops cervical arthrosis.
The cause of cervical vertebral arthrosis
- Genetic pathology The development of the musculoskeletal system as a whole, for example displacement, flat feet, scoliosis (if certain links in the spine are damaged, the entire biomechanical chain suffers).
- Dystrophic changes in joints associated with age -related changes.
- Cervical spinal injury.
- Excessive tension, for example, is caused by excess weight, associated with professional or sports activities.
- A herniated or prominent disc.
- Inflammatory diseases (arthritis, rheumatism).
- Damage to the endocrine system.
- Metabolic disorders, etc.
How to recognize
Cervical vertebral arthrosis is accompanied by tedious, painful pain, usually one side, which is increasing with movement.The patient complains of morning pain.The unpleasant sensation comes from the neck area, and then moves to the shoulder and arm blades, the syndrome is increasing with palpation.
Symptoms of other diseases of this disease are:
- paroxysmal or migraine;
- Reducing various head movements due to pain (for example, one can tilted their heads 45-50 °);
- Removes when moving the neck;
- Special sound in the ear;
- visual disorders;
- pain in the chest area;
- numbness at the bottom of the face.
In later stages, against the background of synovial fluid deficiency in the joints, spinal column defects appear, and systemic hypertension can also develop - an unexplained blood pressure.If the disease is complicated by radicular symptoms, such as the pinching nerves, the form is diagnosed - uncovertebral arthrosis.It is not easy to recognize the disease itself: based on symptoms, it can be easily confused with the pathology of the cardiovascular system or brain.
Difficulty in diagnosis
Before prescribing a complex treatment regimen or prescribing intra-articular injection of synovial fluid prosthesis, rheumatology must ensure that the diagnosis is correct, as the symptoms of the disease duplicate some other pathology.After collecting anamnesis and studying blood tests to determine the absence of other diseases (with arthrosis, blood volume unchanged), one of the following studies was conducted:
- Radiography in some projections;
- CT or MRI;
- Vascular angiography.
As a result of the examination, the doctor determines the change in the cartilage structure of the intervertebral disc, the joint space, the amount of synovial fluid and its deficiency in the joints, the properties of bone growth - osteophytes.
Why cervical vertebral arthrosis should be treated
If the treatment of cervical vertebral osteoarthritis is delayed, the disease may lead to the following complications:
- nerve compression and, consequently, severe pain;
- pinching the spinal cord;
- stroke.
Treatment of cervical spinal arthrosis
As a rule, people turn to a rheumatologist with a form of acute disease, so the main goal of therapy is as follows:
- eliminate pain syndrome;
- stop inflammation;
- Eliminate pinching the spinal cord nerves.
In addition, for the normal functioning of the vertebra, it is necessary to restore the disk -destroyed cartilage fiber, and for this, increase blood circulation in damaged tissue.
Therapeutic method
1. Medicine.
NSAIDs are used to relieve pain and inflammation, and chondroprotectors are used to regenerate cartilage tissue.Blood circulation and nutrition of affected tissue can be normalized with the help of vasodilator drugs.Muscle relaxants are used to relieve muscle cramps.
2. Physiotherapeutic.
Physiotherapy treatment is an additional properties and is intended to accelerate metabolism in the tissue.Often, with this diagnosis, manual therapy, magnetic and acupuncture therapy, phonophyesis, and infrared radiation are prescribed.
If the drug is not helpful and there is a possibility of vertebral arterial syndrome, surgery is prescribed for cervical vertebral arterthrosis.It involves removing and replacing damaged joints with endoprosthesis.
To avoid harming your neck with arthrosis and auxiliary, practice, for example, the next morning training:
What is an orthopedic regimen for neck arthrosis?
Patients with arthrosis of the joints, including those who use synovial fluid prosthetic preparations or other drugs, are shown by a special orthopedic regimen that will help prevent complications:
- It is necessary to control your posture carefully, avoiding curvature.
- During inactive work, short rest for physical activity is required.
- Orthopedic collar from Shants helps relieve stress from the cervical region - according to doctors.
- Orthopedic mattresses and pillows will not be excessive.
Comprehensive treatment of cervical vertebral arthrosis also includes special gymnastics and professional massage.With the help of turn and rotation, bending and removing the head under the supervision of an instructor, it is possible to develop the motor capacity of this spinal cord.
Intra-articular injection of synovial fluid substitutes for this type of arthrosis is not practiced due to certain localization.Instead, patients can be offered a professional massage or hardware method for local development and safe from deep and shallow back muscles.The main thing is to find a good specialist, trust him and not let the disease go.