Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Osteochondrosis is a complex of dystrophic and degenerative diseases of the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs.The disease can develop in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine.Osteochondrosis is accompanied by pain and disorders of the vascular and nervous systems.

This type of disease is the most common and also occurs in young people.The most dangerous is cervical osteochondrosis, as it is accompanied by pinching of the nerve root originating from the spinal cord and impaired intracranial blood circulation due to the pressure of deformed intervertebral discs on the blood vessels.

The vertebral artery, the largest blood vessel supplying the brain, runs through the openings in the cervical vertebrae.Pressure on this artery can lead to dangerous complications such as coronary heart disease and even stroke.

The tight fit of the cervical vertebrae means that even the slightest shift leads to compression of the nerves and blood vessels.This leads to reduced skin sensitivity, partial loss of hearing and vision, and other nervous disorders.

Reasons

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is caused by internal (endogenous) causes and external (exogenous) causes.

Internal reasons include:

• Genetic (hereditary) factors;
• Disturbances in the intrauterine development of the cartilage and bone tissue of the spine;
• Age-related factors affecting changes in cartilage tissue;
• Metabolic disorders.

External reasons are more diverse:

• Excessive pressure on the vertebrae due to incorrect loading;
• Various injuries and damage to the spine and back (bruises, falls, sprains, fractures);
• infectious diseases;
• dystrophy of the spinal muscles;
• Poor posture in the form of forward bending and S-shaped curvature of the spine;
• Working in an uncomfortable position;
• pulling heavy objects;
• flat feet;
• obesity;
• intoxication;
• hypothermia;
• Uncomfortable pillows to sleep on;
• Unfavorable environmental conditions;
• Lack of vitamins or microelements (calcium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, vitamin D);
• Physical inactivity (lack of physical activity).

Cervical osteochondrosis occurs more often in people who lead a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle and engage in mental activity.However, it sometimes occurs in athletes, athletes, or people whose work requires frequent bending and sudden movements.

Symptoms

The manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are very different.This includes:

• Pain in the neck spreading to the back of the head, eye and ear areas, and shoulder girdle;
• Pain in the upper extremities that worsens with the slightest exertion;
• Muscle tension and limited mobility of the neck, especially in the morning;
• pain when bending and turning the head;
• Numbness in the cervical spine after sleeping;
• Difficulty moving arms, limited range of motion;
• burning, numbness and tingling in the upper extremities;
• Headache, which is mainly localized in the back of the head but can also spread to the temples and vertex area;
• tinnitus;
• Deterioration of vision and hearing (periodic and constant);
• numbness of the tongue;
• pain in the chest area or between the shoulder blades, which is not eliminated by nitroglycerin and depends on posture;
• Overgrowth of connective tissue in the neck area;
• Constant tiredness and exhaustion;
• Sleepiness;
• nausea;
• diplopia (double vision);
• Crunch in the vertebrae.

Course of the disease and possible complications

Even a slight load on the upper part can lead to the development of cervical osteochondrosis - this area of the spine is very at risk.Degenerative changes that lead to the formation of osteophytes (growths in bone tissue) contribute to irritation and tension in surrounding muscles, which place even more pressure on cartilage and joints in response to the impact.This leads to disease progression – compression of the arteries and nerves.

If the disease is not treated, bulges and hernias in the intervertebral discs occur, leading to significant limitation of spinal mobility and possibly requiring surgical intervention.

With serious degenerative changes in the cartilage tissue and lack of treatment, the so-called “radicular syndrome” can develop - damage to the cervical nerves.This leads to an increase and progression of all of the above symptoms, and can also lead to speech, breathing and even such a rare phenomenon as constant hiccups.

The inflamed root can gradually occupy the entire area of the spinal canal, causing increased pain syndromes and serious disorders in the nervous regulation of the limbs and facial muscles.Impaired cerebral blood flow can lead to a weakening of intellectual abilities, memory and attention and can lead to a stroke.

Osteochondrosis occurs with periods of exacerbation, during which all symptoms are particularly severe, and with periods of remission.The duration of remission depends on the patient's lifestyle and the preventive measures taken by him.

diagnosis

Diagnosis is made based on characteristic symptoms and based on:

• X-rays.The method is ineffective, especially in the final stages of the development of osteochondrosis.
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the cervical spine.A method that allows you to see bone structures, herniated discs, their size and direction of development.
• Computed tomography.A less effective solution than MRI because the presence and size of hernias are difficult to determine.
• Doppler ultrasound (to identify pathologies of the neck vessels).This method is used if there is suspicion of a circulatory disorder in the arteries.Using a scan, you can determine the speed of blood flow and whether there are any obstacles to it.

Treatment

It is more advisable to treat osteochondrosis at the initial stage of the pathology.However, in practice, doctors are consulted when the disease progresses to more dangerous stages.Self-medication for osteochondrosis is unacceptable and can lead to a deterioration in the general condition.

The therapeutic effect in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis brings positive results with an integrated approach - a combination of medical methods and physiotherapy.

Drug treatment

Drugs effectively relieve (eliminate) the pain symptoms, but do not affect the cause of the pathology, so it is unwise to treat only with drugs.

Drugs from the NSAID group relieve pain and inflammation well - the most suitable remedy is prescribed by the attending physician.

Medications to improve cerebral circulation and medications that influence the relaxation of the neck muscles are also used.Vitamins in therapeutic dosages (especially group B and nicotinic acid) and microelements (calcium, phosphorus and magnesium preparations) help.

Treatment with chondroprotectors (dietary supplements) is practiced, which restore the intervertebral tissue.However, some doctors consider these drugs ineffective or even useless for the treatment of osteochondrosis.

Ointments and gels for external use have a certain therapeutic effect.

Physiotherapeutic and alternative treatment

In specialized clinics that deal with orthopedics and the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, physiotherapy methods are preferred over drug methods.Based on a detailed anamnesis (anamnesis) and advanced diagnostics, doctors create individual therapy programs that include:

• electrophoresis (administration of drugs through the skin using electrodes);
• Magnetotherapy (exposure to magnetic fields);
• Amplipulse therapy (treatment with modulated currents);
• reflexology;
• orthopedic gymnastics;
• Courses on special simulators;
• Massage;
• methods of manual influence;
• ultrasound therapy;
• Laser therapy.

Treatment of osteochondrosis with non-traditional methods is popular – acupuncture, hirudotherapy (leech treatment), osteopathy.

In advanced cases and in the presence of complications, doctors resort to surgery.

Prevention

Since lack of exercise and poor posture are the most common cause of cervical osteochondrosis, therapeutic exercises that can be performed at work - sitting or standing - are the best preventive measure.

In addition, in order to prevent the disease, it is necessary to visit an orthopedist at a very young age and correct postural disorders in a timely manner.

Prevents osteochondrosis and proper nutrition, which provides the body with essential microelements.At the same time, overeating should not be allowed, since excess weight is one of the reasons for excessive stress on the intervertebral discs.

Be careful when carrying heavy objects and distribute the load correctly.

The sleeping place, the mattress and the pillow play a big role - they should be comfortable and not cause tension in the back and neck muscles.

And most importantly, avoid stress, nervous tension and negative emotions.

forecast

With timely and qualified treatment, the prognosis is favorable, but much depends on the stage of the disease, the severity of the manifestations, the patient's age and his compliance with medical recommendations regarding lifestyle, proper nutrition and elimination of bad habits.