Symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondosis

The osteochondrosis of the cervical column is the result of a sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition.The first signs of the disease can appear at 25 years, if the treatment is not started, serious complications will occur.In the therapy of the disease, an integrated approach is used: pharmacological treatment, dietary therapy, physiotherapy and physiotherapy.

The causes of osteochondosis of the cervical column

Cervical-degenerative-distophyste in intervertebral discs, joints, which lead to a decrease in neck mobility, the appearance of a serious pain syndrome.The main reason for the development of the disease is a violation of mineral metabolism, due to which the bones and joints become less strong. 

Because there is cervical osteochondrosis:

• overweight sedentary lifestyle;
• violation of posture, scoliosis;
• rheumatism;
• flat feet;
• VSD;
• Improper nutrition.

Investments in the deformation of the cervical vertebrae can cause injuries, bruises of the spine, excessive physical activity, stress.In women, osteocondrosis often occurs during pregnancy, menopause - against the background of hormonal changes, the quantity of calcium decreases, the bone tissue becomes fragile.

General symptoms and signs

With a constantly increased load on the cervical vertebrae, muscle spasm occurs, the vessels of the cervical column are compressed, the circulatory process is disturbed, the malfunctions occur in metabolic processes: the structure of the intervertebral discs changes, are deformed, begin to file beyond the spinal column.

How the osteochondrosis of the cervical region is manifested:

• Rook syndrome - Over the background of the compression of the nerve endings, pain occurs, which spreads from the neck to the shoulder blades, forearms, covers the front wall of the chest;
• muscle weakness in the hands, evident edema of the neck;
• When the head moves, you feel a characteristic crunch;
• weakness, chronic fatigue, variations in blood pressure;
• Violation of the coordination, the often dizzy head, the attacks are accompanied by nausea, vomiting;
• vision of vision and hearing, noise, sound in the ears;
• numbness of the limbs, language;
• frequent migraines;
• In women aged 45 and 65, pain appears during sleep, numbness, tingling in the upper limbs, attacks can be repeated several times a night.

With cervical osteochondrosis, diet and flow of blood to the brain are disturbed, neurotic disorders occur: anxiety, irritability, mood changes, sleep disorders.

Classification of cervical osteochondosis

As the osteochondrosis develops, several development phases pass, each of which has characteristics characteristics.As the spine affected in the different phases appears, you can see in the photo.

The degree of development of the disease:

1.  Osteochondrosis of the 1st degree: the initial stage proceeds without particularly pronounced symptoms, a person is worried about rare and minor pains when turning and inclining the head, the back muscles tire quickly.
2.  Osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree: the vertebrae become unstable, pinched the nerve and unpleasant sensations in the neck acquire a pronounced character, they give them to the shoulder, hand.Further symptoms have increased fatigue, frequent headache in the occipital region, distraction.
3.  The osteochondrosis of the 3rd degree: the pain acquires a chronic character, covers the upper part of the back, the arms, the pronounced muscle weakness is observed, the limbs are insensitive, the intervertebral hernia develops and often vesor occurs.
4.  Osteochondrosis of the 4th degree: there is a complete destruction of the intervertebral discs, they are replaced by the connective tissue, the pathological process covers different segments of the spine.There is a violation of coordination, dizziness attacks are rapid to increase and the noise appears in the ears.

Acute osteochondrosis - a consequence of the chronic form of the disease is characterized by a strong attack of acute pain, which suddenly occurs after awakening.

Which doctor to contact?

When signs of cervical osteochondrosis appear, it is necessary to visit a neuropathologist, in some hospitals there is a more vertebrologist: the specialist is precisely dealing with the diseases of the spine.

Diagnostic methods

Osteochondrosis racing forms have a pronounced clinical picture, which allows you to carry out an initial diagnosis already during the initial examination.The instrumental diagnosis methods will help to identify the degree of degenerative changes in the vertebrae.

The main types of exams for osteochondrosis:

• X -Ray - The method is effective only in the early stages of the development of the pathology;
• MRI - On the screen, the structure of the bone structures, the size and direction of the development of intervertebral hernias, the condition of the spinal cord;
• CT - The method is less effective than magnetic resonance imaging, since it does not provide accurate information on the presence and size of the hernias;
• Duplex scan - allows you to see blood flow disorders;
• Electroneurography - shows the presence of pinch, inflammation, other nerve damage;
• Rheoencefalogram - prescribed for violation of the blood flow to the brain.

For a targeted and in -depth study of the condition of some vertebrae, discography is performed: a means of contrast is introduced into the intervertebral disc, which allows you to see the minimum changes in the tissues, to distinguish cicatricial changes from hernia.

Ways for the treatment of osteochondosis of the cervical column

In the initial phase of development, osteochondrosis can be treated without medicines, simply review the diet, the daily regime and regularly perform a complex of special exercises.With advanced forms of the disease, effective treatment is possible only if the use of various medicines that help to suspend degenerative changes in the vertebrae.

The complex of therapeutic measures necessarily includes physiotherapy - electrophoresis with drugs, ultrasounds, magnetotherapy, laser therapy.These methods help to cope with pain, inflammation, swelling of tissues, improve metabolic processes and blood circulation.

Medical physical education

LFK is prescribed during recovery, during an exacerbation of the osteochondrosis, the physical exercises are contraindicated, gymnastics is simple, it can be done home, you have to do regularly.

Bubnovsky's gymnastics for the treatment and prevention of cervical osteocondrosis:

1. In the erect position, lower your hands freely along the body.Take your head forward, try her chest with a chin, fix the position on the account 3. Take the rear head, the chin looks, it counts up to 3. Return to the starting position.
2. In the standing position, turn your head to the right, on the left, at each extreme point to fix the location for a few seconds.Repeat 3 times in each string.
3. In an erect position, tilt the head on the right, left, try to reach the shoulder with your ear, keep the position for 30 seconds.Perform 6 repetitions in each direction.
4. Standing, hands on the belt, the chin is parallel to the floor, stretched forward.Turn the head, the chin to live on the shoulder, turn the body a little, it has been linked for half a minute.Do 6 repetitions in each direction, a slight pain in the spine can occur.
5. In a sitting position, the back is straight, the hands on the knees.Dilute the arms straight on the sides, slightly back, simultaneously inclination the head back, returns to its original position, repeat 5 times.
6. In a position sitting the head to turn right, the palm of the left hand to live on the right shoulder, the elbow parallel to the floor, the right hand is on the knee and returns to its original position.Perform 6 repetitions in each direction.
7. In a sitting position, raise your hands over your head, it's okay to connect, bend your elbows a little, turn your head to the side until light pain appears, fix the position at the extreme point for a few seconds.Repeat 6 laps in every direction.

Among the exercises, take a break of 30 seconds.Before the start of the gymnastics, it is necessary to take a hot shower, make different inclination of the head in different directions to heat the muscles.After the recharge has been completed, a light trait will help to avoid the appearance of unpleasant sensations the next day.

Pharmacological treatment

Drug therapy for osteochondrosis aims to eliminate unpleasant sensations, restoring the mobility of the vertebrae, slowing down the degenerative changes in the tissues.Acute pain attacks are removed with injects of NSAID or corticosteroids, the chronic form of the disease is treated with ointments, pills.

How to treat osteochondrosis:

• NSAIDs, are produced in the form of tablets and means for external use, elimination edema, pain;
• Corticosteroids - Stop acute pain syndrome;
• B vitamins, restore metabolic processes in tissues;
• Condroprotectors - contribute to the restoration of the cartilage tissue;
• drugs to improve blood flow, brain feeding;
• Nootropics: improve brain function, memory;
• Musorelaxants - Eliminate muscle spasm;
• For local treatment, ointments and gels are used with anti -inflammatory and heating effects.

In order for drug therapy to be effective, it is necessary to combine it with the therapy of the exercise, adhere to a diet, otherwise no drugs will help to get rid of the osteocondrosis.

Popular remedies

Popular treatment must be used as added to drug therapy and physical education, non -traditional methods will not completely eliminate the disease.

What to do with the cervical osteochondrosis at home:

1. Pour the fresh combination of horseradish with boiling water, cool a little, attach around the neck inside, fix it with a thin natural cloth.Make the procedure before bedtime, leave the picture all night.
2. Skit the raw potatoes on a fine grater, mix in equal proportions with hot liquid honey.Use the mixture for compressions, the procedure is performed 1-2 times a week.
3. Mix a raw egg with 100 ml of sunflower oil, 20 ml of vinegar and 20 g of flour, remove the mixture in a dark place for 48 hours, remove the film from the surface.A means to spread the inflamed area before bedtime, refrigerate.
4. In May, collect pine buds of up to 2 cm long, cut into thin circles, fold in a dark glass container.For 1 part of the raw material, take 2 parts of sugar, remove medicine in a dark place for 2 weeks.Drink 5 ml of mixture three times a day, do not swallow immediately, keep 2-3 minutes in the mouth.The duration of the course is 15-20 days, repeat 2-3 times a year.
5. Macina 150 g of peeled garlic and 400 g of red blueberries, fold the mixture in a glass container, add 800 ml of honey after 24 hours, mix.Take 5 ml of medicine three times a day before meals.

To cope with severe pain, to lengthen the excess salts it will help a sheet of cabbage fattened with honey, a compress to be repaired on the neck with a hot scarf, to leave all night.

Massage with cervical osteochondosis

The massage helps to strengthen muscle tone, to improve blood circulation in tissues and a specialist leads sessions in serious forms of osteochondrosis.With the luminous forms of the disease, the car -massage will help for prevention, the treatment is carried out at home.

Massage technique:

1. Heating the muscles - with both hands, spent intensely along the rear surface, side of the neck from above to the bottom.Heating time - 2 minutes.
2. Press the edge of the palm on the bottom of the neck, movements by moving in the area of hair growth, then to the shoulders joints.
3. The fingers of the fingers of both hands produce circular rubbing movements in the occipital region from the hair growth line to the forearm - from the spine to the ears and back.
4. The cervical muscles from the bottom to the top is pinned, then in the opposite direction.
5. Stroking from the back of the head to the shoulder blades: perform after each type of exercise.

Possible consequences and complications

In the cervical region, the vertebrae are close to each other, the height of the intervertebral discs is small, therefore various complications of the osteochondrosis occur also with insignificant degenerative changes in the bone tissue.

What is dangerous osteochondosis of the cervical region:

• frequent attacks of migraine;
• cardiac rhythm, atherosclerosis;
• Protrusion, intervertebral hernia, Bone Riverbirth;
• Serious pathologies of the brain;
• narrowing of the lumen of the vertebral artery, which leads to the development of VSD, hypertension of the brain, disability;
• Spinal race.

Contraindications for cervical osteochondosis

In order to conduct a full lifestyle with osteochondrosis, it is necessary to avoid actions that can cause the appearance of pain, exacerbating the disease.

What cannot be done with cervical osteochondrosis:

• Sleep on a very hard or soft mattress, on a high pillow;
• Raise weights if you need to lift something heavy, you have to do it with a straight back with my knees bent;
• Wear a bag on one shoulder;
• With exacerbation of the pathology, make active movements of the head, neck;
• Smoke, drink alcohol;
• Walk without a scarf in cold conditions, sit in a draft, near the air conditioner;
• For a long time to be in an uncomfortable position, a sitting position;
• wear high wheeled shoes;
• Crying the neck.

Heat procedures - The heating of the compositions, the visit of a bathroom, the heating with a blue lamp, can only be performed in the remission phase of the disease.With the exacerbation, the heat relieves pain only for a short period, but soon the unpleasant sensations will return, the degree of their manifestation will increase.

Disease prevention

To maintain the health of the spine, simply observe simple prevention rules.

How to avoid cervical osteochondosis:

• get rid of excess weight;
• Every morning do gymnastics, swim, yoga, dance;
• More time to spend in fresh air, morning walks are particularly useful;
• Eat correctly, check the intake of salt, observe the drinking regime;
• When sitting to work every hour, you have a heat for the neck, monitor the posture;
• Keep the neck hot;
• Farm, avoid physical, mental and emotional overload.

Cervical osteochondrosis is a slowly progressive disease, the signs of the disease do not occur immediately.A competent combination of traditional and popular methods of treatment, gymnastics and diet will help to cope with unpleasant symptoms and simple preventive measures can avoid the impact of the pathology.