Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is a serious pathology, which is characterized by degenerative distance changes in the structure of the intervertebral discs. This violation often leads to dangerous complications. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to ignore it. To cope with the disease, you need to consult a specialist in a timely manner.
The essence of the pathology
The osteochondrosis of the cervical column is a pathology in which the soft intervertebral pulp is transformed into bone tissue. This causes a pinch of blood vessels and nerve fibers.
The characteristics of the disease include pain syndrome. It is located in the neck, behind, at the top of the back, in the head. Many patients face dizziness, pressure fluctuations, nausea, deficiency.
The despotic changes in the area of the cervical region are usually located in the average and advanced age. This is due to the vertical position of the skeleton and the characteristics of the distribution of loads.
Doctors note that the disease occurs previously in men. This happens at 45-50 years. Women face the manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis later at 50-55 years old.
Reasons
A variety of factors lead to the development of this form of disease. The main causes of cervical osteochondrosis include the following:
- Insufficient physical activity. People who guide an inactive lifestyle have the exhaustion of the back muscles in support of the spine. The deposition of salts that appear due to lactic acid can aggravate this state of affairs. The weakened vertebral column is easily deformed and becomes less mobile.
- Obesity. The appearance of excess weight is a great danger for the musculoskeletal system. In addition to the increase in loads on the spine, the fat tissues take on the beneficial substances necessary to maintain the tone and cartilage of the muscle tone.
- Stay for a long time in a motionless position. This disease is often found in drivers and people engaged in intellectual work. After a prolonged stay in a suffocated state, the cartilage tissues gradually lose elasticity. Over time, intervertebral records acquire an unnatural configuration.
- Nutrition disorders. In order for the body to work correctly, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins should be present in the diet. Irrational nutrition causes a violation of the structure of the tissues and leads to their rapid destruction.
- Damage to the back. This can cause the pressure of the pressure to the cartilage, which causes a change in their structure and shape.
- Pathology of the musculoskeletal system. This category includes scoliosis, rheumatism, bone tuberculosis.
Often, cervical osteochondosis is the result of a hereditary trend. In this case, the pathology develops without the influence of significant factors.
To prevent the appearance of the disease, it is necessary to start therapy in a timely manner.
Disease phase
There are several phases of pathology, each of which is characterized by some characteristics:
- THE FIRST - The key characteristic of the state is the instability of the spine. It manifests itself in the initial injuries of the intervertebral records;
- The second: the main event is the protrusion. This condition is characterized by a decrease in cracks between the vertebrae, a gradual violation of the integrity of the fibrous ring. Often there are pain caused by the compression of the nerves;
- The third - At this stage, the fibrous ring is completely destroyed. This involves the occurrence of intervertebral hernia. This condition is characterized by serious damage to the spine;
- The fourth is the most difficult. At this stage, with any movement, acute pain occurs. Sometimes the condition improves, but this indicates the appearance of the bone structures that connect the vertebrae. This involves a decrease in motor activity and causes disabilities.
Symptoms
This form of osteochondrosis is characterized by special events. This is due to the narrow position of the cervical vertebrae and the low height of the discs. Therefore, even small changes cause serious manifestations. In addition, this form of osteochondrosis is often accompanied by the compression of the cerebrospinal roots.
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis includes the following:
- Pain. They are located in various areas: the back of the head, the neck, the shoulder belt, the hands. The discomfort in the hands or in the shoulders is due to a pinch of nerves. Pain syndrome in the occipital area is associated with neck tissue spasms and circulatory disorders.
- Weakness in the hands. This sign is due to damage to the motor nerves responsible for the entertainment of the muscles of the hands.
- Weakening of sensitivity in the hands. This function is due to damage to the roots, which include sensitive fibers responsible for the entertainment of the skin of the hands.
- By reducing the motor activity of the neck, the appearance of the creaking. These symptoms of osteochondosis of the cervical column become the result of a decrease in the height of the discs. They are also defeated by the intervertebral joints and by the formation of bone growths on the vertebrae.
- Weakness, loss of coordination of movements and dizziness. These events are due to damage to the vertebral artery. The formation of fibrous tissue and vertebral shift causes problems with blood flow in the arteries. Consequently, there is a deterioration of the blood flow in the occipital area of the brain and the cerebellum.
- Deterioration of hearing, numbness of language, weakening of visual acuity. These symptoms of osteochondosis of the cervical column are due to the aggravation of the situation and the progression of cerebral circulation disorders.
Diagnostic methods
To identify osteochondosis of the neck, it is necessary to perform a series of diagnostic procedures.The most instructive studies include the following:
- Magnetic resonance imaging is the most instructive study that allows you to evaluate the conditions of the vertebrae and discs with each other. In addition, with the help of this procedure, it is possible to detect hernias, evaluate their size and location.
- X -Ray - This procedure is one of the most convenient research methods. However, it often becomes non -informative, especially in the last stages of the disease.
- Complacency tomography: allows you to identify the presence of changes in the structure of the vertebrae. However, the presence of hernias or compression of the spinal cord to diagnose this way is quite difficult.
- Duplex ultrasound scan - helps to detect blood flow disorders in the vertebral artery. The procedure allows to detect obstacles and a slowdown in the blood flow in the vessels.
Treatment methods
The treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is selected taking into account various factors. This is done according to the stage of the disease, the form of the disease, the severity of the symptoms.
The key methods of therapy include the following:
- Conservative therapy: it can be a drug and not a drug;
- Surgery;
- A combination of conservative methods and surgical treatment.
Physiotherapy methods
The treatment of the osteochondrosis of the cervical column necessarily requires the use of the main physiotherapy methods.
The most effective procedures include the following:
- Electrophoresis using drugs. Under the influence of the electric current, the particles of drugs penetrate the desired area. Eufillin and Novocaine are used for the procedure. Thanks to this, it is possible to stimulate blood circulation and obtain a analgesic effect.
- Exposure to ultrasound. Thanks to this procedure, it is possible to cope with pain and stop inflammation. This technique also activates metabolic processes in the body.
- Magnetotherapy. With its help, it is possible to cope with Edema and obtain a analgesic effect.
- Laser exposure. This method helps to normalize blood circulation and helps to cope with inflammation.
The most effective exercises should include the following:
- Lie on the stomach, place your hands on the floor, raise your head and torso. It is worth making sure that the rear remains straight. In this position, it is necessary to stay 1-2 minutes. Then sink carefully on the floor. Make 2-3 repetitions.
- Lie on the stomach, stretch your hands, turn your head on the left side and touch your ear on the floor. Similar movement to perform on the right. Do 6-7 times in each direction.
- Sit and, taking breath, bent. Touch the chest with a chin. After that, he exhales, deflect back, throwing his head back. Perform 10-15 repetitions.
- Sit, put the palms of the hands on the forehead. Press your head in the arms for 30 seconds. In total, you have to make 2-3 repetitions.
- It slowly revolves the head in different directions. In each direction, 10 rotations must be made. When dizziness appears, the exercise must be stopped.
Massage
To eliminate the signs of the cervical osteochondrosis, you should definitely make a massage. The procedure must be performed as carefully as possible, without making efforts. The movements must be extended to the neck, to the collar website and the rear area.
It is better to make massage in a position lying on the stomach.In extreme cases, the procedure is allowed.
The technique is based on the use of these techniques:
- Sitting: implies influence on the surface areas of the skin. To do this, the palms of the hands or the tip of the fingers must caress the back, moving from the head to the upper third of the back. You can also make zigzag movements.
- Streezing - consists of the effects on deep areas of the skin in the third upper part of the back. To do this, with the thumb and index, the skin is captured. This should be done very carefully, without affecting the tissues in the vertebral area.
- TRUFINING: The procedure is performed to heat the skin and increase blood circulation in the collar region. It should be done very carefully, without affecting the spiny sections of the vertebrae.
- Setting - it is quite rare, since it implies the effect on deep fabrics. This can only aggravate an anomaly.
With osteochondrosis, you can perform the car -massage.To do this, it is convenient to sit and use the methods to caress and rub the neck and shoulders. It is recommended to integrate the procedure with rubbing ointments that contribute to increasing blood flow and relieving pain in the affected area.
Surgical treatment
Conduct surgery is shown in the following cases:
- The presence of neurological deviations is a violation of motor activity, weakness or loss of sensitivity to the hands, loss of control over defecation. When these symptoms appear, persistent damage to the nerves can be suspected. Therefore, it is so important to perform the operation to eliminate compression.
- The presence of constant pain, which violates the quality of a person's life and cannot be eliminated with conservative methods.
With the development of cervical osteochdrosis, the following can be carried out:
- Frontal cervical and spondilodeza discochetomy. The operation is performed through the front surface of the neck. The procedure aims to remove the disc concerned, the decompression of the nerve fibers and the system of a special device to maintain the desired distance between the vertebrae.
- Replacement of the intervertebral disc. In this case, the disc concerned is removed and instead is inserted artificial. Thanks to this procedure, it is possible to maintain motor activity.
Conduct surgical interventions to eliminate neurological symptoms has high efficiency. According to separate estimates, it is 80-90 %. However, these methods are not effective quite effective when eliminating the pain associated with osteocondrosis.
Possible dangers
Cervical osteochondosis is a serious type of pathology. In this area of the spine, there are many nerves and vases responsible for brain nutrition. In addition, the cervical vertebrae adapt firmly. Therefore, small changes in this area also cause squeezing or movement of blood vessels and nerves.
Cerebral blood flow disorders cause the appearance of migraines, vegetable dystonia, hypertension. There is also the risk of problems in the functioning of the respiratory system, heart rate and blood. Many people are disturbed by hearing, decreases in visual acuity, coordination of movements.
In difficult situations, cervical osteochondosis causes vertebral artery syndrome. This ship is responsible for the flow of blood to the cerebellum and the oblong brain. With the compression of the artery, there is the risk of cerebral ischemia and the development of a spinal stroke.
In addition, the pathology can cause damage to the nerve roots. This manifests itself in the form of a formation of growths, appearance of radicolopathy, loss of motor activity. The most difficult consequence of the disease is the compression of the spinal cord, which can lead to a fatal result.
Prevention
To avoid the development of the pathology, it is worth observing simple rules:
- Systematically practice sport;
- Eat correctly;
- Prepare vitamin preparations and chondroprotectors prescribed by a doctor;
- Avoid a long stay in an uncomfortable position;
- Use orthopedic furniture;
- Choose clothes and shoes for the season, especially in winter.
Cervical osteochondrosis is a rather dangerous disease that can lead to negative health consequences.
To avoid serious complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner and clearly follow his recommendations.