Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Osteochondrosis of the cervix

Osteochondrosis is a lesion of the intervertebral discs of a degenerative-dystrophic nature and the cervical region is the most vulnerable part of the spine, which has an anatomically different vertebral structure very close to each other and a weak muscular cord. Therefore, even with small additional loads on the neck, displacement of the vertebrae can occur, leading to compression of blood vessels and nerves.

And because the vertebral arteries involved in supplying blood to the brain pass through the holes in the transverse processes of the vertebrae in this section, pushing the vertebrae in this section or squeezing the holes from excessive osteophytes is full of very.

What is this?

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a multidimensional progressive disease, manifested by degeneration of the intervertebral discs and dystrophy of the connecting device of the spine.

Reasons for

The main causes and conditions for the appearance of osteochondrosis of the cervix are:

  1. Spine curvature, scoliosis.
  2. Stress, nervous tension negatively affects the general condition of the body, can cause cervical osteochondrosis.
  3. Previous infectious diseases often become the leading cause.
  4. Wrong, uncomfortable body position during sleep (for example, uncomfortable pillow).
  5. Congenital problems or the presence of hereditary diseases of the cervical spine.
  6. Bad attitude in young people and adolescence.
  7. Overweight, obesity of various degrees. The extra pounds increase the load on the vertebrae and discs, which leads to degenerative processes.
  8. Back injuries that may have occurred during childhood or adolescence.
  9. Interruption of metabolic processes.
  10. Work related to physical work, which can cause diseases of the spine in its various parts.
  11. Inactive lifestyle, sedentary work, improper exercise.

For the successful treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, it is first necessary to determine the cause of the appearance, the conditions that caused its development and their elimination. Until recently, the disease occurred only in people over 45 years of age. Now young people are exposed to it, the age range is 18-25 years.

Characteristics of the cervical spine

Let us consider how the cervical spine differs from the rest of the spine and that during the development of osteochondrosis it is a necessary condition for the development of these syndromes.

  • In the cervical region are important ganglia (nodes) of the autonomic nervous system.
  • In the transverse processes of the vertebrae there are holes that form a channel through which the vertebral artery passes, which provides oxygen and nutrients to the brain, cerebellum, auditory organs and also the spinal nerve. These are conditions for frequent tightening of the artery and nerve.
  • The cervical spine is the most portable. It is characterized by all types of movements as a whole. These are prerequisites for frequent violations and overestimations.
  • The intervertebral arms of the lower three vertebrae are not round but triangular. These are prerequisites for the sting of nerve roots from the growth of bones formed in osteochondrosis.
  • The intervertebral discs are not located between the vertebral bodies along their entire length. At the front, instead, there are protruding ends of the vertebrae, which are connected by joints. These are prerequisites for the occurrence of overheating of the joints.

Development stages

The degree of osteochondrosis is determined by the patient's clinical picture and complaints. The concept of degree should not be confused with the stages of osteochondrosis. The steps are discussed below.

  1. First degree. Clinical manifestations are minimal, the patient may complain of low-intensity cervical spinal cord pain, which may worsen when the head is turned. Physical examination may show low muscle tension in the neck.
  2. Second degree. The patient is worried about pain in the cervical spine, its intensity is much greater, there may be radiation to the shoulder, to the arm. This is due to the reduction in the height of the intervertebral disc and the pinching of the nerve roots. Painful sensations increase when you tilt and turn your head. The patient may notice decreased performance, weakness, headache.
  3. Third degree. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis intensify, the pain becomes constant with radiation to the arm or shoulder. Numbness or weakness occurs in the muscles of the arm as an intervertebral disc herniation forms. Worried about weakness, dizziness. Examination reveals limited mobility in the cervical spine, pain on palpation of the cervical spine.
  4. The fourth degree. There is complete destruction of the intervertebral disc and its replacement with connective tissue. Dizziness increases, tinnitus occurs, coordination is impaired, as the process involves the vertebral artery that supplies the cerebellum and the occipital lobe of the brain.

Symptoms

The severity of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depends on the degree of destruction of the vertebral structures. Symptoms are exacerbated by the development of bone tissue with the formation of osteophytes, root syndrome (radical pain when a nerve is bitten), intervertebral hernia (protrusion of the disc in the spinal canal).

The first signs of the disease are recurrent occipital headaches, sore throats, injuries and clicks to the vertebrae when the head is turned, sometimes a slight tingling sensation in the shoulders. Over time, the symptoms increase and the intensity of the pain increases.

Pain syndrome is the main manifestation of osteochondrosis. Neck pain is either dull, firm or intense with a lumbar region below the occiput when you turn your head. It can damage the entire area of ​​the cervix or the projection area of ​​the modified vertebra, as well as the key, shoulder, scapula and heart. Radiation of pain in the lower jaw, teeth, arm, ear, eye area is not excluded. The muscles of the neck and shoulders are tense, painful to the touch. Difficulty lifting the arm on the injury side - there is immediate back pain in the shoulder or neck. Restriction of head movements due to pain often occurs in the morning after sleep in an uncomfortable position.

The disease leads to compression of the roots of the peripheral nerves (root syndrome) and causes pain along these nerves. Perhaps numbness of the hands or fingers, decreased sensitivity of certain areas of the skin that are irritated by the nerve sting.

Some typical symptoms indicate which vertebrae are affected:

  • C1 - reduced sensitivity in the occipital region,
  • C2 - pain in the occipital and parietal areas;
  • C3 - decreased sensitivity and pain in the half of the neck where the spinal nerve was violated, possibly impaired sensitivity of the tongue, decreased speech due to loss of control of the tongue;
  • C4 - decreased sensitivity and pain in the shoulder, decreased tone of the muscles of the head and neck, possible respiratory disorders, pain in the liver and heart,
  • C5 - pain and sensory disturbance in the outer surface of the shoulder,
  • C6 - pain extending from the neck to the shoulder, forearm, outer surface of the shoulder, radial surface of the forearm to the thumb,
  • C7 - pain extending from the neck to the shoulder, back of the shoulder, forearm in the fingers II - IV of the hand, decreased sensitivity in this area.
  • C8 - pain and aesthetic disturbances spread from neck to shoulder, forearm to little finger.

Osteochondrosis of the cervix is ​​always accompanied by a headache. Severe, persistent pain is aggravated by rotation of the neck or abrupt movements. Some patients complain of heaviness in the head. Compression of the vertebral artery leads to periods of dizziness, nausea. There is noise, it rings in the ears, black dots flicker in front of the eyes. Deterioration of cerebral circulation causes progressive reduction of hearing and visual acuity, numbness of the tongue and change in taste.

Clicks or injury during neck movements almost always accompany cervical osteochondrosis, which is seen in every patient. The seizure occurs during a sharp turn of the head or reset.

Syndromes due to osteochondrosis of the cervix

The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are grouped into specific groups called syndromes. Their presence and severity may indicate a pathology in the cervical spine with a definite localization.

A group of common syndromes:

  1. Phyto-dystonic syndrome. Replacement of the first cervical vertebra by displacement can lead to the development of vascular-vascular dystonia. VSD is not a definitive diagnosis, as it has no severe symptoms. There may be neurological signs, symptoms of decreased cerebral blood flow, increased intracranial pressure, muscle spasms. As a result, the patient's complaints are reduced to dizziness, decreased visual acuity, loss of consciousness, headaches, nausea.
  2. Irritant - reflex. Burning and severe pain in the back of the head and neck, sometimes returning to the chest and shoulder, occurring at the time of the change in the position of the head and neck, with sneezing and abrupt turning of the head.
  3. Radical. Otherwise, it is called cervical rhizocitis, it combines symptoms associated with violation of the nerve roots of the cervical vertebrae. It is characterized by "chills" in the affected area, tingling in the fingers, forearms, sticky skin, spreads to some fingers.
  4. Cardiac. Almost the same picture with angina often leads to misdiagnosis and treatment. The syndrome occurs due to irritation of the receptors on the phrenic nerve, which are partially involved in the pericardium and pectoralis muscle. Thus, convulsions in the heart area are more reflexive, such as a response to cervical nerve stimulation.
  5. Spinal artery syndrome. It develops directly both by compression of the artery itself and by irritation of the sympathetic nerve plexus that surrounds it. The pain in this pathology burns or strikes in the occipital region with spread to the temples, overlying arches, crown. Appears on both sides. Patients usually associate the deterioration with the condition after sleeping in an abnormal position, traveling in transport, walking. With severe symptoms, hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, high blood pressure are possible.

Diagnostics

Like any medical diagnosis, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis is based on patient complaints, medical history, clinical examination, and ancillary research methods. X-ray of the cervical spine is performed in frontal and lateral protrusions, if necessary in special places (with open mouth). At the same time, experts are interested in the height of the intervertebral discs, the presence of osteophytes.

Among the modern research methods, NMR and CT studies are used, which allow the most accurate verification of the diagnosis. In addition to the mentioned additional research methods, you may need to consult relevant specialists (cardiologist, ophthalmologist, neurosurgeon) and the examination by a neurologist is just vital. A neurologist treats osteochondrosis, so after examining the patient, he will, at his discretion, prescribe the necessary minimum examination.

How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?

The complex treatment of cervical osteochondrosis may include the following traditional and non-traditional methods: drug therapy, massage, acupuncture, manual therapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, homeopathy, folk remedies, etc.

The main treatment regimen for osteochondrosis is the same for all diagnoses of this disease:

  • You must first relieve the pain.
  • The swelling is then relieved.
  • At this stage it is necessary to normalize blood circulation.
  • Strengthen the muscular corset.
  • Improve nutrition and tissue regeneration.
The list of medicines and drugs for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is very extensive:

  1. Anti-inflammatory (steroid). These are hormonal drugs that relieve inflammation and therefore eliminate pain;
  2. Analgesics (non-steroidal pain relievers). They are usually prescribed as tablets or capsules. We must remember that most of these drugs cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract.
  3. Muscle relaxants are drugs that relax muscle tone. They are used in surgery and orthopedics as aids in relieving pain. These drugs are administered parenterally and are therefore always under medical supervision. There is an extensive list of contraindications,
  4. Osteochondrosis of the neck
  5. Cartilage protectors are drugs that contain substances that replace cartilage tissue components. To achieve a lasting positive effect, such drugs must be taken for a very long time;
  6. Ointments and gels for external use. This is the most affordable group of medicines for home use. They are divided into inflammation relief, heating and pain relief. Such money is often advertised. With cervical osteochondrosis, not all ointments are effective, in addition, due to their availability, they are sometimes used irrationally and without taking into account the specifics of the pathogenesis
  7. Vitamins. With osteochondrosis, vitamins are prescribed, which have a beneficial effect on the peripheral nervous system and improve conductivity. Water-soluble vitamins: B1, B6, B12, fat-soluble vitamins: A, C, D, E. In recent years, combined preparations containing both painkillers and vitamin components have been prescribed.
Only a team of good specialists can choose the most appropriate treatment, which includes a neurologist, physiotherapist, massage therapist, surgeon, vertebral neurologist.

Physiotherapy

Exercise for cervical osteochondrosis should be performed in addition to acute exacerbation. The greatest effectiveness of this technique is during the recovery period. There should be no discomfort or pain during the performance of the band!

  • Exercise # 1. Lying on your stomach, put your hands on the floor, lift your head and torso, your back should be straight. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes. Slowly lower yourself to the floor. Repeat 2-3 times.
  • Exercise # 2. Lying on your stomach, stretch your arms along your body, turn your head to the left, try to touch the floor with your ear, and then turn your head to the right. Repeat 6-7 times in each direction.
  • Exercise # 3. In a sitting position, while inhaling, bend forward, and try to touch your chest with your head, then exhale, bend backwards and tilt your head back. Repeat 10-15 times.
  • Exercise # 4. As you sit, put your palms on your forehead, apply pressure with your palms on your forehead and your forehead on your palms. Continue this exercise for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.
  • Exercise # 5. Slowly rotate your head first in one direction and then in the other. 10 rotations in each direction. Watch out for dizziness. When it occurs, the exercise stops.

Massage therapy

The massage can be done at home, but very carefully, so as not to worsen and harm the patient. The patient should take a prone position, put the forehead on the hands and stretch the chin towards the chest. The neck muscles should be completely relaxed.

  1. Caressing. It is necessary to start the massage with these movements: caressing the collar area in the direction from the lymph to the supracranial and axillary nodes. Then apply flat brush and comb.
  2. Pushups. To do push-ups, the masseur places a hand on the neck (forefinger and thumb should be together) and moves down the spine. Push-ups can also be performed with the tip of the palm up to the shoulder joints.
  3. Therapeutic massage for thickening of the cervix
  4. Friction. The rubbing is done to warm the muscles, relax them and improve blood flow to the area. The massage should start from the base of the skull, performing circular and straight movements with your fingers. You can also perform sawing movements with palms parallel to the side.
  5. Kneading. The neck should be kneaded in a circular motion.
  6. Vibration. The massage ends with strokes and vibrations, which is performed by shaking and tapping.

Massage is essential for boosting muscle tone and relieving pain. Depending on the stage of osteochondrosis, a massage technique is chosen. However, while massaging the neck, the experts use all the techniques of the classic massage: rubbing, stroking, kneading, etc. In cases where the patient has pain on only one side, the massage begins in the healthy part of the neck, gradually moving to that part of the collar where painful sensations appear.

Manual therapy

Manual therapy helps treat acute and chronic pain, also increases range of motion and improves posture. The main methods of manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

  1. Relaxing and partial massage. Used to warm the muscles and relieve tension.
  2. Mobilization. Effects aimed at restoring the function of the joints by traction.
  3. Handling. A sharp push targeting the patient's pathological areas. The procedure is accompanied by a characteristic crisis (return of the joint to its normal position).

The chiropractor must be proficient in these techniques. Otherwise, any mistake could result in injury.

Orthopedic pillow

Orthopedic pillows

Orthopedic sleeping pillows are an effective prevention tool. In many cases, osteochondrosis is aggravated by additional compression of the cervical artery and nerve roots while sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow. The orthopedic product ensures a uniform horizontal position of a person during sleep and therefore guarantees a normal adequate blood supply to the brain.

When choosing a pillow, you need to consider the individual anatomical features of a person and correlate them with the volume and features of the filler. A well-chosen pillow brings tangible benefits to a patient with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy procedures for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

  1. Electrophoresis. It should be used with analgesics (anesthetics), which are injected under the skin via electronic pulses.
  2. Ultrasound. It has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes in the tissues of the cervical spine, due to which the swelling is removed, the pain disappears.
  3. Magnetotherapy. A safe method of treatment, which consists in exposing damaged cells to a low-frequency magnetic field. It has an analgesic effect, acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
  4. Laser treatment. Improves blood circulation to the affected area, relieves tissue swelling, pain.

Physiotherapy procedures have a beneficial effect on discs and vertebrae in cervical osteochondrosis. Combined with medication, combination therapy helps to get rid of the symptoms of the disease. The procedures are performed in a hospital or specialized rooms of polyclinics. Before starting the course, you should consult a doctor, determine the duration of physical therapy, the types. It is strictly forbidden to pass it during the outburst.

Collar collar

Trench collar

Shants collar is a soft and comfortable device, fastened with Velcro on the back and is used for osteochondrosis of the cervix. But not for treatment, but for temporary relaxation and relief from fatigue. It can not be worn without removing it, otherwise the neck muscles will stop working and will soon atrophy. If the Shants collar is chosen correctly, the patient feels comfortable and protected.

The collar is chosen strictly according to the size of the pharmacy or orthopedic store. Better in a store, because the people who work there, as a rule, know their business and product features quite well, which means that they can help in any particular case.

Folk remedies

If the pain from osteochondrosis of the spine becomes unbearable and normal, then you will agree to anything to stop it and here the traditional complex treatment will be successfully supplemented with alternative methods.

  • insist celery root (5 grams per 1 liter of boiling water) for 4 hours, drink a tablespoon before each meal.
  • honey squeeze, for which we take 2 tbsp. honey and 1 tablet mummy. Heat the ingredients in a water bath, spread on a cloth and apply to the neck area, ie the neck, at night;
  • In case of acute pain, horseradish growing in the country helps me. I just wash the leaf, throw it in boiling water, cool it a bit, apply it to the neck and wrap it in a thin handkerchief for the night - in the morning you can already live and work.
  • insist chamomile flowers in vegetable oil for two days, preheat until they boil (for 500 ml of oil you need 30 grams of plant), rub on the wound areas.
  • Honey-potato squeeze also helps, so the root vegetable should be ground and mixed with the same amount of honey, applied to a sore throat at night, used regularly, at least once a week.

Prevention

As usual, proper precautions will help prevent cervical osteochondrosis, but of course all physical exercises should be used regularly, otherwise there will be little benefit from "periodic" exercises.

It remains to remember simple rules:

  • Eat plenty of calcium and magnesium. These are fish, peas, legumes, nuts, cheese, herbs, but it is better to stay away from sugar, flour, smoked, spicy.
  • Regular exercise, especially swimming, water aerobics, stretching and flexibility exercises, is also good for preventing osteochondrosis, which can be practiced at home.
  • When sitting, do a special set of exercises at least a few times a day.
  • Choose a good orthopedic mattress and pillow that is ideal for the neck, resting the head in the correct anatomical position during sleep (yes, your favorite huge pillows will not disappear with problems in the spine! )

If you already have such a diagnosis, then the patient should leave his spine, ie:

  1. Be very careful when lifting and carrying weights, it is better to go to the store twice than to pull heavy bags in both hands, stretching the neck and shoulder girdle incredibly.
  2. Do not overcool, avoid currents and cold air flow from the air conditioner (some people like to cool down on a hot day, standing with their back to the fan).
  3. When bending the torso forward - remember about osteochondrosis?
  4. Avoid local muscle overheating, which can occur in overheating baths.
  5. Do not forget to periodically move away from the screen, change body position, do not sit for hours or even days.
  6. Relax your neck by buying a Shants collar?
  7. If possible, if the cardiovascular system allows it, take a steam bath.

In conclusion, I would like to say that a child at risk of osteochondrosis (father and mother already have it) and an adult who has acquired the disease during their lifetime are simply obliged to take precautionary measures in order tonot to be disabled and not to end up on the operating table, After all, this operation is rather complicated and requires long-term rehabilitation. In addition, it is not always possible, because there are cases that do not work, so it is better to protect your health from a young age, as long as the discs are intact and unnecessary growths do not compress the blood vessels.