Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a change in the nearby cartilage and muscle-ligamentous structures, causing the loss of their regenerative abilities. In the first stages of this process, a gradual decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc is observed. Due to this, there is a violation of metabolic processes in its core and the appearance of cracks in the fibrous ring.
In the absence of timely treatment, osteophytes appear in cartilage tissue and bones. Due to this, the mobility of the cervical spine is significantly reduced, leading to the appearance of a pronounced pain syndrome. According to studies conducted in many countries of the world, almost every person at the age of 30-35 has various signs of osteochondrosis.
Symptoms of different stages of osteochondrosis
Depending on the stage and severity of the disease, the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can be:
- headache;
- noise or ringing in the ears;
- severe nausea;
- lack of coordination;
- pain and tingling when turning the head;
- deterioration of vision and hearing.
Remember that cervical osteochondrosis refers to chronic diseases in which the symptoms change depending on a certain stage of the development of the disease. Because of this, the patient may experience some signs that indicate a specific stage of changes in the cervical spine:
- Tolerable pains in the neck that appear during physical activity, as well as discomfort during normal head rotations, appear in the initial stage of the disease, when there is a slight decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc of the cervical spine.
- Sharp pains and a feeling of stiffness when turning the neck, as well as creaking and headaches appear during the period of abnormal growth of cartilage tissue, with a decrease in the height of the spinal disc and the appearance of cracks in the annulus fibrosus.
- Acute pain in the neck that does not go away for a long time, numbness and partial loss of sensitivity of the skin areas in the cervical region are recorded when the fibrous ring is torn and intervertebral hernias are formed, as well as when the spine is deformed. .
Loss of mobility of the neck and upper shoulder girdle with severe pain that lasts for a long time is one of the prominent signs of cervical osteochondrosis of the 4th degree, when numerous osteophytes and disc structures developintervertebral are gradually replaced by scar tissue.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The main cause of problems with the cervical spine is an unbalanced and excessive load. As a rule, osteochondrosis occurs due to age-related changes in the spine, cervical spine injuries or metabolic disorders. In addition, the following factors contribute to the occurrence of this disease:
- genetic predisposition. If a person has a congenital weakness of the connective tissue, they may experience impaired functioning of the cervicothoracic spine.
- Vertebral instability. Increased mobility of the upper part of the spine very often leads to a deterioration of the damping properties of the intervertebral discs.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The mobility of the cervical spine is very often reduced due to abnormalities in the development of the skeletal system, scoliosis, flat feet and rheumatic diseases.
- Low physical activity. A sedentary and sedentary lifestyle contributes to the deformation of the vertebrae and the degradation of the connective tissue.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
In order to identify the causes of the disease, it is mandatory to conduct a study and examination of the patient, determine the areas of pain and the degree of mobility of the spine and evaluate the quality of reflexes.
Various methods are used to diagnose this disease, including:
- Radiography and multislice computed tomography. These instrumental diagnostic methods have proven to be the best for determining changes in the cervical spine in the later stages of the development of the disease, when lesions of the bones and cartilage of the spine become clearly visible.
- magnetic resonance. Currently, to determine the changes that occur in the cervical spine, this diagnostic method is used more often, since with its help the doctor can detect the disease at the earliest stage of its appearance.
- Duplex scan of the arteries of the head and neck. This type of instrumental examination is performed to assess the quality of blood flow and identify vasoconstriction. It is this method that is most often used by doctors to determine the causes of headache and dizziness in patients.
In addition, ultrasound examination of nearby organs, ECG of the heart, blood and urine tests may be prescribed.
Expert opinion
Despite the fact that this disease cannot be completely cured, you should not be too afraid of it. If adequate measures are taken at the right time, then almost any manifestation of the disease can be minimized. For example, you need to learn how to constantly monitor the correct position of the body, as this can increase the load on the back. In addition, we must not forget that some sports are dangerous for the cervical spine.
I strongly advise many of my patients to avoid competitive sports where there is a high risk of injury of all kinds. It is better to make a choice in favor of walking, skiing and swimming. Such physical activity will positively affect all parts of the spine.
Conservative methods of treatment of osteochondrosis
If the disease of the cervical spine is detected at an early stage, then conservative methods are used to treat it. They allow you to prevent the further development of the disease, relieve unpleasant symptoms and restore the mobility of the upper spine.
The conservative method of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis includes:
- Medical treatment.In this case, doctors prescribe a number of drugs that make it possible to effectively relieve pain and stop the inflammatory process. In addition, modern tools contribute to the restoration of blood circulation. Most often, hormonal drugs, analgesics, chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants and other drugs in the form of tablets and injections are used for these purposes.
- Physiotherapy treatment.As a rule, physiotherapy is prescribed as an addition to drug therapy. This can be therapeutic massage, acupuncture, laser exposure, magnetotherapy, UHF therapy and other procedures that help relax neck muscles, eliminate spasm and normalize blood circulation.
- Physiotherapy.This is a very important part of cervical spine treatment. The fact is that special physical exercises help not only to strengthen the muscular frame and to direct your posture, but also to improve the blood supply to the upper part of the spine. First, the doctor selects a group of 6-8 exercises, and then adds new ones, gradually increasing physical activity.
Surgical methods of treatment of osteochondrosis
In the absence of the effect of conservative treatment methods or in advanced cases of the disease, it is necessary to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine using surgical methods. The main task of surgeons is to eliminate pressure on nerve roots, arteries, spinal cord and other structures in the relevant area.
To solve this problem, the following types of cervical spine surgery are used:
- microsurgical discectomyduring which the doctor, under the control of a microscope, performs the excision of the intervertebral hernia with incomplete or total removal of the intervertebral disc;
- laminectomy, which provides partial or complete resection of the vertebral arch, spinous processes, facet joints and ligaments to reduce the load on the root of the spinal cord;
- endoscopic surgerywith the removal of hernia, tumors and degenerative-dystrophic changes through a miniature access using an endoscope;
- laser nucleoplastywith a puncture through which a laser light guide is inserted, which is necessary to remove a small fragment of the core of the intervertebral disc.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Many patients mistakenly think that cervical osteochondrosis disappears immediately after conservative therapy or surgery. But any treatment method can stop or slow down the progression of the disease. That is why, after a course of treatment, a person will have to observe the following measures for the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis:
- lead a healthy and active lifestyle;
- avoid heavy lifting;
- sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
- visit the pool regularly;
- perform a set of sports exercises;
- be careful when you turn your head;
- keep a balanced diet.
reHabiLitatiON
The rehabilitation plan is drawn up in accordance with the stage of the pathology, the patient's state of health, as well as his age, weight and general well-being. The program may include medical massage, exercise therapy and physiotherapy. This will help improve health, avoid complications and relapse.
Question and answer
Which doctor should I contact for cervical spine problems?
The diagnosis and treatment of these problems is carried out by a neurologist and a traumatologist-orthopedic.
What medicines can be used to relieve pain in the cervical spine?
The appointment of sedatives should be carried out by an experienced doctor after a thorough examination and diagnosis.
What are the chances of back problems if I don't do sports at all?
Unfortunately, spine problems eventually occur in almost all people. To avoid serious complications, it is necessary to exercise regularly, as well as take prophylactic chondroprotectors and multivitamins.