Do you experience back pain and numbness in your limbs?These are the first signs of osteochondrosis.Insufficient mobility in lifestyle, sedentary work, stress on the neck and spine lead to wear of the cartilage and loss of moisture, resulting in damage.
With cervical osteochondrosis, degenerative changes occur in the intervertebral discs.Not only the discs are damaged, but also the vertebrae and joints of the cervical region.If the disease is not treated for a long time, the patient's general well-being worsens: constant headaches, the appearance of a spinal hernia, deterioration of cerebral circulation, resulting in a decrease in cognitive functions.
Reasons for the development of osteochondrosis
An incorrect sitting position, in which the neck is pulled forward, leads to the development of cervical diseases.In this case, excessive pressure occurs on the intervertebral discs, which leads to changes in the nucleus pulposus and compression of blood vessels.This is the position that a person takes in the workplace in front of a computer.Therefore, office workers are often exposed to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Also, the reasons for the development of pathology can be:
- improper load distribution when carrying bags;
- excessively soft sleeping place (the spine bends into an unnatural shape);
- genetic predisposition;
- lack of vitamins and microelements in the diet;
- endocrine system disorders;
- curvature of the spine and poor posture during active growth of the body;
- injuries to the cervical vertebrae;
- presence of bad habits.
Stages of the disease
Only an experienced doctor after examination and palpation can determine whether pain symptoms are signs of the development of cervical osteochondrosis and what stage of development of the disease.In total, cervical osteochondrosis goes through four stages of development:
- Nucleus pulposus - the central part of the intervertebral disc during the first phase undergoes moderate dehydration.As a result, the supporting and cushioning functions of the intervertebral discs are gradually lost.During the first phase you will experience pain with sudden movements, hypothermia and staying in the same position for a long time.
- The second phase of development is characterized by the appearance of congestion and spasms, which compress the capillaries and blood vessels, preventing normal blood circulation.As a result, the structure of the intervertebral disc becomes thinner, forming a protuberance (bulging forward or backward).Under the influence of excessive load, osteophytes are formed on the cervical vertebrae.Pain sensations are localized in a single point;with sudden rotations and inclinations of the head, dislocations of the cervical vertebrae can occur.
- Extrusions form due to thinning of the intervertebral discs.The edge of the nucleus pulposus breaks the fibrous ring and extends beyond the edges of the vertebral body.Muscles and nerve endings are compressed.Pain is felt in the neck, back and limbs.
- In the fourth stage of the disease, the intervertebral discs are displaced and central and lateral hernias are formed.Additionally, scars form on the discs leading to immobility of the affected joint.The patient feels constant back pain, which radiates to other parts of the body, a constant feeling of fatigue, and asymmetry of body parts occurs.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifest themselves differently depending on the stage of development of the pathology.In the initial stages it can occur practically without symptoms.Neck and back pain can only appear if you remain in the same position for a long time or if you bend or turn sharply.
In the later stages of development, a crunch is heard in the spine, back pain radiates to other limbs, and numbness occurs in some parts of the body.During osteophyte formation and extrusion the following occur:
- headache in the back of the head and in the parietal part;
- speech disorders and numbness of the tongue;
- decreased sensitivity of the skin of the neck;
- respiratory disorders;
- changes in blood pressure;
- heartbeat disorders;
- noise and congestion in the ears;
- fainting.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women are much more pronounced than in men.This is due to the fact that women have a predisposition to vascular diseases and a more fragile structure of the bone segments of the spine.Signs of the disease begin to appear when the intervertebral discs change.This leads to disruption of normal blood circulation and causes severe headaches, dizziness and neurosis.Exacerbation of the disease in women often occurs during menopause, when the body is subject to hormonal changes.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men are similar to those in women;erectile dysfunction can be observed separately.
Headaches with cervical osteochondrosis are caused by poor circulation in the brain and spinal cord.When the vertebrae become misaligned, they compress the arteries and the oxygen content in the blood decreases.Unfortunately, such pain may not go away even after taking strong painkillers.Therefore, it is important to approach the solution of the problem comprehensively.Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis can be accompanied by darkening of the eyes and the appearance of tinnitus.This occurs because spasming muscles cause a reduction in oxygen supply to the brain.
A lump in the throat with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, as well as burning pain, difficulty breathing and muscle spasms are common occurrences.The disease causes compression of the nerve fibers of the cervical spine to the head and neck.Nerve impulse disorders cause sore throat.
Due to spasms of blood vessels and irritation of nerve endings, jumps in blood pressure occur.The increase in lower pressure in osteochondrosis indicates that the blood supply to some areas of the brain is impaired, since the vertebral artery is compressed by the intervertebral discs.As a result, oxygen starvation occurs and blood pressure rises.
How is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine diagnosed?
Diagnosis of the pathology begins with consultation with a specialist.At the first manifestations of osteochondrosis, consult a rheumatologist, neurologist, surgeon or traumatologist-orthopedist.Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and how often they occur;it is necessary to provide the specialist with a complete medical history and the results of previous studies (if any).The specialist will carry out a visual examination and palpation and refer you for tests.During the examination the doctor pays particular attention to the mobility of the neck, muscle tone, skin sensitivity and identifies the most painful areas.
To identify the condition of muscles, ligaments, blood vessels and detect inflammatory processes or tumors, an informative and safe diagnostic method is prescribed - MRI of the cervical spine.During an MRI for osteochondrosis, the patient lies on a special sliding table with his back.Rollers are placed on the patient's head to relieve muscle tension and the limbs are secured with belts.Any slight movement during the procedure can affect the quality of the result.Next, the table moves to the tomograph area.The procedure does not cause pain.The tomograph makes a lot of noise during scanning, so you can use headphones to avoid discomfort.
If MRI is contraindicated, there are other diagnostic methods such as computed tomography and radiography.X-ray is only suitable for primary diagnosis and does not provide a layer-by-layer image of the affected tissue.However, this study is the simplest and cheapest and allows you to examine the patient's body in different projections.Due to the body's high radiation exposure, x-ray cannot be performed frequently.
During a computed tomography scan, a scan is performed using one or more beams of ionizing rays.They pass through the human body and are recorded by detectors.The detectors move along the patient's body in opposite directions and record up to 6 million signals.The image shows tissues of different densities with precise definition of organ boundaries and affected areas in the form of a section.The procedure allows you to obtain an image layer by layer.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis will be determined only by a doctor after examination, studying medical history and obtaining the results of hardware diagnostics.If the disease was diagnosed at an early stage, treatment will be carried out using conservative methods.In the treatment of osteochondrosis, it is important to adhere to an integrated approach: take medications, engage in physical therapy, undergo therapeutic massage and avoid strenuous physical activity.
First of all, you need to relieve the pain.For this purpose, local analgesics and painkillers are prescribed.For severe muscle spasms, an orthopedic collar is prescribed.After the pain syndrome is eliminated, it is necessary to stop the inflammatory process and restore normal blood circulation.For this purpose, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out.Therapeutic exercises and swimming are prescribed as additional measures.You can exercise both at home and with a trainer.
If osteochondrosis has become severe, your doctor may prescribe surgery.Surgery is resorted to in rare cases, when the pathology develops against the background of other diseases: scoliosis, herniation of intervertebral discs, curvature or displacement of the spine, injuries.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is not particularly different from the treatment of men.However, doctors often recommend women to do external compresses to warm and strengthen the neck muscles.
Experts recommend preventing various back diseases from early childhood.To do this, you need to assume correct posture while walking and sitting at your desk.Eating well and properly strengthening your back muscles will help you avoid negative consequences in the future.