Cervical osteochondrosis refers to the "disease of the century. " Its manifestations most often affect people aged 25-40 years, which gives them many difficulties in daily life.
The cervical spine is constantly moving, therefore experiencing serious stress during the day.
In addition, here are a large number of nerve endings and concentrated vascular formations, which are responsible for proper brain function and timely saturation with blood.
The problem lies in the articular cartilage dysfunction located in the bone tissue.
Acute osteochondrosis with changes in the intervertebral disc and its displacement leads to a decrease in blood flow, developing a lack of oxygen in the human brain.
The development of dystrophic processes in the intervertebral disc can lead to serious consequences, therefore the disease requires mandatory treatment.
Signs of Disease
It is possible to determine the development of cervical osteochondrosis at an early stage by fractures in the neck that occur during head rotation.
Affected people also report tinnitus and general discomfort in the neck area, which manifests itself as a painful sensation (it may even appear on the fingers of the hand).
It is often not possible to detect pain. It all depends on which part of the cervical spine is damaged. The defeat of the intervertebral disc with displacement is described by the patient in different ways, but they record stitch pain.
Joints that are pinched or injured by friction with the spinal cord are explained differently: the dull pain in the present collar area is almost constant and does not subside even when there is no sudden movement.
How osteochondrosis of the neck manifests itself
If you start to have strange back and neck pain, you should see a doctor right away for treatment. It is possible that these are all psychosomatic, however the disease is often confirmed by a doctor.
That is why we have made some excerpts and highlight the main signs of cervical spine osteochondrosis:
- Headache is accompanied by dizziness. This is the first and most common symptom among all patients. In the spine, additional pressure is placed on the sensitive ducts of the head and neck, which slows down the filling with the required amount of blood. With a general background, decreased efficiency and mental activity, a person quickly gets tired even from simple tasks.
- Dizziness when turning the head to the side. For a short period of time, access of blood through the ducts and capillaries is blocked, causing a “cloudy” in the activity of the human brain system.
- Pain in chest and arms. Often the manifestations of this serious disease are confused with increased angina pectoris or pain in the heart muscle, so you should not be involved in determining the exact diagnosis and subsequent self-treatment.
- Lumbago in the cervical area. Back pain is also a common symptom of cervical spine osteochondrosis. It resembles a point electric shock and can then spread to the elbow and finger joints.
- Numbness of the tongue. Lack of blood in the ducts causes obstruction in the movement of the tongue. If you have a change in your tone of voice or it becomes more difficult to talk, see a doctor immediately so as not to trigger the development of the disease.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
In some patients, the disease can manifest itself with other symptoms, so if you are not sure what can cause back or neck pain, then it is recommended to see your doctor.
Ringing in the ears, deterioration of tooth condition and vision - all of these can cause osteochondrosis to develop. Numbness in the fingers can occur at any time of the day, which is associated with sharp compression of the nerve endings in the vertebrae.
Unfortunately, the disease is increasingly contagious in young people who do not pay enough attention. Over time, the disease can acquire chronic diseases with changes in body posture, the appearance of excess weight and the development of infectious diseases for no apparent reason.
Although an experienced physician, in this case, it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis against the background of different indications in symptomatology.
Exacerbation type
Often, a lack of attention to personal health causes an increase in cervical osteochondrosis. So what makes it worse and what causes it?
On the nerve
Unfortunately, stressful situations that occur in everyone's life cause deterioration of the intervertebral disc diet.
We do not even realize that during excitement or excessive excitement, we begin to move in a chaotic manner, which causes exacerbation of osteochondrosis with all its subsequent consequences (dizziness, tinnitus, headache).
If you suffer from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is recommended to take sedatives tablets "Glycesid" and "Novo-Passit" with a mandatory visit to a neurologist or psychotherapist.
After the massage
Slimming massage in most cases leads to more serious illness.
Before the start of the session, the massage therapist must be informed that you have a confirmed diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis.
Neurologists often advise professional massage therapists who perform a massage taking into account doctor's recommendations.
Seasonal
Climate change and weather conditions cause seasonal illness to increase, and this is a scientifically proven fact. The intervertebral disc is sensitive to temperature and atmospheric changes, so pain and other symptoms may appear.
After drinking
Another typical example of osteochondrosis is drinking alcohol. The body is not only affected by the alcohol found in the drink, but also by someone who has been in a state of discomfort for a long time.
Do not exclude situations when people are hot, because of the "warmth" that strikes them, do not forget to dress warmly, so that the nerve endings are exposed to hypothermia.
Throughout your period
In women, menstruation is accompanied by a severe decrease in estrogen levels, which is responsible for the integrity of bone tissue in the body.
If the pain in the lumbar region, chest and neck does not go away for a long time, then this is the reason for a visit to the doctor, as they may be caused not by the menstrual cycle and its symptoms, but by the manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
During the flu
Changes in body temperature during pain cause inflammation of the nerve endings located in the intervertebral disc. The latter can cause deterioration.
What are the dangers of cervical osteochondrosis?
Cervical osteochondrosis at an advanced stage can lead to the development of vascular dystonia, hypertension, memory and hearing impairment. In extreme cases, the patient experiences impaired hand function, as well as persistent pain in the forearm.
Hypertension is a social phenomenon, not without reason it is called "silent death. " It is unlikely that any patient can imagine that untimely treatment of osteochondrosis can lead to the manifestation of hypertension, which occurs without visible manifestations and symptoms.
Anxiety should also be considered for possible changes in a person's vascular system, as after this he or she may experience a large number of diseases and complications.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
Tactile methods are used to diagnose osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It allows you to assess the painful sensations in the spine, the sensitivity of the nerve endings, as well as other features that are important for a correct and accurate diagnosis.
After being examined by a neurologist, the patient is referred for cervical X-rays, which are performed in various projections to get a clearer picture.
If after that the doctor fails to accurately diagnose the disease or there is another suspicion, a tomography or MRI scan is performed. It, unlike X-rays, indicates a soft tissue condition.
Treatment
Traditional and non-traditional methods of treatment of cervical spine osteochondrosis are their own way, but do not forget about the need to see a doctor, because he is the one who can provide the right treatment.
Conservative treatment includes:
- Analgesic therapy
- Taking non-steroidal drugs
- Taking antispasmodics
A mandatory requirement in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is the use of chondroprotectors, which makes it possible to restore the structure and integrity of the damaged intervertebral disc.
Doctors prescribe general massage and acupressure, as well as prescribe vitamin B. In further cases, it may be necessary to wear Shants collar and exercise therapy.
Therefore, treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is possible, but should be done in the early stages of the manifestation of the disease to exclude its occurrence in the future.