Cervical osteochondrosis implies degenerative disorders in the intervertebral discs. The disease is accompanied by a complex of various symptoms. The clinical picture develops as the disease progresses - each stage corresponds to certain signs and the intensity of their manifestation.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis gradually
Osteochondrosis is a progressive disease, so the clinical picture gradually develops. This refers to the number of symptoms of the disease and the intensity of their manifestation. There are 4 stages of the disease in total.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the first stageis initial. Changes occur mainly at the biochemical level. This stage of the disease has mild symptoms or is asymptomatic, so it is called preclinical. It has the following functions:
- Discomfort occurs in the neck, which can spread to the arms and shoulders. Sometimes the sensations become painful.
- headache;
- The motor activity in the cervical spine is slightly restricted.
- There are visual impairments that pass quickly.
- the sensitivity of the skin of the collar zone decreases;
- The symptoms increase with tilting the head.
The initial stage of osteochondrosis is ignored by many patients. The symptoms that occur are often attributed to age, tiredness and stress.
The second stageof cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by the development of protrusions. This stage includes dehydration of the intervertebral disc, a decrease in its elasticity and height, and the appearance of cracks in the annulus fibrosus. In this case, the intervertebral disc bulges into the intervertebral canal.
This stage of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- severe pain in the neck, crunching possible;
- painful sensations shoot up in nature and radiate from under the shoulder blade;
- The pain increases the longer the head is held in one position;
- significant loss of sensitivity in the skin of the shoulders and arms;
- frequent and long-lasting headaches;
- visual disturbances, flies in the eyes;
- tinnitus, ringing;
- muscle weakness in the upper limbs;
- decrease in clarity of tendon reflexes;
- Development of insomnia, less often other sleep disorders;
- There is a lump in my throat, difficulty swallowing.
The second stage of cervical osteochondrosis is quite evident, so that many patients consult a doctor at this stage. In this case, conservative treatment is sufficient.
The third stageof the disease is characterized by the destruction of the annulus fibrosus and the formation of an intervertebral hernia. At this stage, the spine is deformed, the vertebrae are displaced, against the background of their weak fixation, subluxations and dislocations develop.
This stage of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- intense sharp pain that can spread to the heart;
- partial or total violation of the sensitivity of the skin in the back of the head, shoulders and arms;
- paresis, paralysis of the upper limbs;
- almost complete absence of tendon reflexes.
Last,fourth stageOsteochondrosis involves the replacement of disc tissue with scar tissue. At this stage, remission of the disease often occurs, but pathological changes spread to other structures of the spine, so clinical signs of different stages of osteochondrosis can be observed at the same time.
General signs of cervical osteochondrosis
The clinical picture of cervical osteochondrosis is very diverse. This is due to impaired blood circulation, involvement of the peripheral nervous system in the pathological process, possible compression and disruption of the integrity of the spinal cord. Against this background, various symptoms develop, but a distinction is made between several common signs of the disease.
Pain
This symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is the main symptom. The main localization of painful sensations is the throat. Headache and facial pain are also observed. Painful sensations can radiate to different parts of the body.
This function of the pathology depends on the affected area:
- When the C4-C5 disc is affected, the pain is radiated to the outer surface of the shoulder and the medial part of the shoulder blade.
- with a C5-C6 disc lesion, painful sensations that spread to the side surface of the forearm, hand, thumb, and index finger;
- C6-C7 pathology is accompanied by painful sensations along the back of the shoulder and forearm, extending to the index and middle fingers.
- When the C7-Th1 disc is affected, the pain radiates along the inner surface of the forearm and hand to the ring finger and little finger.
Decreased sensitivity and reflexes
These symptoms appear against the background of a violation of the innervation of the nerve roots. Pain sensations may be absent. Features of reduced sensitivity and reflexes depend on the localization of pathological changes:
- If the C4-C5 disc is affected, the sensitivity in the upper part of the outer shoulder is reduced. The reflex of the biceps muscle decreases.
- Osteochondrosis of the C5-C6 intervertebral disc is associated with reduced sensitivity of the side surfaces of the forearm, hand, thumb and index finger. The reflex of the biceps muscle is also reduced.
- The pathology of the C6-C7 intervertebral disc reduces the sensitivity of the index and middle fingers, the back of the hand and the forearm. The reflex of the triceps muscle decreases.
- The defeat of the C7-Th1 disk is accompanied by a decrease in the sensitivity of the ring finger, the little finger, the inner surface of the hand and the forearm. Reflexes are not affected.
dizziness
This symptom often develops in the initial stages of cervical osteochondrosis and is one of the first manifestations of the disease. Dizziness is caused by a decrease in the volume of oxygen delivered to the semicircular canals of the inner ear. They are located in the brain and provide balance. At the same time as dizziness, there may be fluctuations in the pupils in the horizontal or vertical direction.
nausea
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the blood flow through the vessels of the brain is disturbed. This leads to nausea and belching of air. These symptoms are common with turning and tilting the head and sometimes with normal walking. Symptoms can grow and lead to indomitable vomiting.
The following consequences are possible against the background of such characters:
- decreased appetite;
- weight loss;
- Malnutrition, digestive dystrophy.
Lack of air
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, irritation of the phrenic nerve is possible, which regulates the depth and frequency of breathing. With the defeat of this nerve, a person has difficulty inhaling, cannot breathe fully. Against this background, there is a lack of oxygen, which is fraught with the development of shortness of breath and even suffocation.
During night sleep, especially when the head is uncomfortable, there is a risk of respiratory failure. Usually these attacks are accompanied by snoring. In the absence of fresh air, hypoxia develops, for which the following symptoms appear:
- Fatigue even after the duration of sleep;
- malaise;
- weakness;
- Weakness of attention and memory.
Hearing impairment, noise and ringing in the ears
Against the background of circulatory disorders in cervical osteochondrosis, the vestibular apparatus suffers. This leads to the dysfunction of the inner ear and leads to cochlear syndrome, also known as the cochlea. It has the following symptoms:
- tinnitus;
- rings;
- general hearing loss.
A characteristic feature that indicates cervical osteochondrosis is the appearance of tinnitus against the background of prolonged stay in a forced position.
Syncope
This symptom occurs against the background of blood flow disorders caused by cervical osteochondrosis. Normally, blood moves constantly through the arteries of the brain. With osteochondrosis, the bone processes of the vertebrae are deformed and irritate the nerve endings. This leads to a pronounced spasm of the arteries, against the background of which the flow of blood temporarily stops, and the person suddenly loses consciousness. Fainting usually lasts no more than 2-3 minutes.
Throat discomfort
Such a manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis implies a whole complex of pathological signs:
- sweat;
- feeling foreign body;
- Difficulty swallowing
- dry throat;
- itching.
Pharyngeal symptoms develop against the background of disorders of the neurovascular trunks, the source of which is the spinal cord. If they occur, differential diagnosis is necessary, since a similar clinical picture is characteristic of the inflammatory process and tumors.
Visual impairment
Such a disorder in cervical osteochondrosis often occurs against the background of low blood pressure or atherosclerosis of the arteries of the brain. A visual impairment can manifest itself as follows:
- a veil in front of the eyes, objects are visible as in fog;
- visual acuity decreases;
- dots flash in front of the eyes;
- loses focus on certain topics.
A characteristic feature of visual disorders against the background of cervical osteochondrosis is the lack of effectiveness of special gymnastics for the eyes or the use of glasses.
Temperature change
With cervical osteochondrosis, such a deviation occurs at the local level. This means hyperemia in the pathological area, that is, a local increase in the temperature of the skin.
Cervical Osteochondrosis Syndromes
Symptoms associated with cervical osteochondrosis are quite common and are associated with many other diseases of various organs and body systems. To make diagnosis easier, clinical symptoms are divided into groups called syndromes:
- Cervicalgia. This syndrome is reflexive and involves neck pain. This could indicate damage to the spine or muscles in that area.
- cervicocranialgia. This syndrome is also a reflex. It means painful sensations in the cervico-occipital area and occurs against the background of trauma, inflammation or degenerative changes.
- cervical brachialgia. This reflex syndrome involves neck pain radiating to the arm. It occurs against the background of compression of the nerve roots of the cervical spine. In osteochondrosis, this syndrome is accompanied by muscle-strengthening, vegetative-vascular or neurodystrophic manifestations.
- Radicular syndrome. It is also called another way - cervical radiculitis. This implies a creepy feeling in the affected area, tingling in the fingers and forearms, slight swelling with spread to some fingers (depending on the location of the lesion).
- Stimulus reflex syndrome. This implies cervicocranialgia. Painful sensations are sharp and burning and can radiate to the shoulder, chest. Symptoms increase with a change in head position, a sharp turn, and sneezing.
- vertebral artery syndrome. This symptom complex includes headache, discomfort with certain movements, imbalance, hearing and vision loss, weakness, nausea and loss of consciousness. The headache is throbbing, it can be constant or paroxysmal.
- heart syndrome. The clinical picture is similar to angina pectoris. Long-term pain suddenly arises, which intensifies against the background of a sharp movement of the neck, coughing, sneezing. It won't go away with heart medications, and an electrocardiogram won't show abnormal blood flow to the heart muscle. The clinical picture can be supplemented by tachycardia and extrasystole.
- Vegetative-dystonic syndrome. Occurs with subluxation with displacement of the C1 vertebra. This syndrome usually includes neurological symptoms of impaired cerebral blood flow - muscle cramps, intracranial pressure drops, dizziness, decreased visual acuity, fainting, headache, nausea.
Cervical osteochondrosis is associated with various symptoms. The features of clinical manifestations and their intensity largely depend on the stage of the disease, which implies certain pathological changes. Some signs of the disease are grouped into syndromes - such groups of symptoms make it easier to diagnose.