The ubiquitous statistics claims that more than 80% of the population is diagnosed with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine of various stages. Meanwhile, doctors warn of the very dangerous consequences of neglected forms, which can become a threat not only to health, but also to the life of the patient.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region - what is it
In itself, the disease of osteochondrosis is an irreversible degenerative-dystrophic destruction of the vertebral discs and vertebrae. It is characterized by a violation of the integrity of the intervertebral component, which causes intervertebral hernia and protrusion, and further destruction of the bones of the vertebrae. These changes lead to complex processes in the body and, in addition to causing severe pain, affect the functioning of the body as a whole.
The process is irreversible, it is impossible to restore damaged cartilage and discs, you can only slow down their destruction.
The danger of such a process in the cervical region is multiplied due to the presence of a large number of nerve fibers and blood vessels connecting the brain and the human body, as well as the proximity of the placement of the vertebrae (there are 7 of them in a small space).
Attention! The slightest compression of the arteries, nerve fibers or blood vessels in the cervical spine will entail a number of symptoms, the severity of which will depend on which roots or vessels are being squeezed.
The reasons
There are many reasons for this dangerous disease, although it is still not known exactly why osteochondrosis occurs in a particular area. Among the factors provoking cervical osteochondrosis will be:
Lifestyle
This is the most voluminous factor both in quantitative and qualitative terms. It should include:
- sedentary way of work;
- prolonged stay in a tense or uncomfortable position for significant periods of time;
- small physical loads on the spine (this contributes to the weakening of the muscular corset);
- too much stress on the spine.
Today, a very large number of people are subject to the listed factors of the occurrence of this disease due to the prevailing model of social life and social behavior.
Injuries
Injuries of the spine in 90% of cases are accompanied by cervical osteochondrosis. Often it does not occur immediately after the injury, but after a certain time. Here, the main component of the occurrence will be the broken integrity of the ridge.
Hormonal disruptions
This factor can arise already in adolescence, during the restructuring of the child's body. This type of osteochondrosis is successfully treatable.
If osteochondrosis occurs against the background of menopause or diseases that change the hormonal background (diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis), the treatment will be symptomatic.
genetic predisposition
This reason occurs almost always as a concomitant to others. Since in itself the genetic predisposition is not the basis for the disease, but it is of great importance in the event of other factors.
Symptoms
The manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are very similar to many diseases, which makes it difficult to diagnose. Their manifestations depend on which nerve roots are compressed, in addition, many symptoms are associated with impaired blood circulation in the brain. Despite the wide range of symptoms, a number of the most common ones can be distinguished. Their appearance and strengthening will depend on the degree of development of the disease. They are listed here by frequency of occurrence.
Headaches in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
One of the first, most persistent and most frequent symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis is a migraine-type headache. It will be well stopped by analgesics, but as the disease develops, its intensity becomes higher, and it becomes more and more difficult to stop.
Pain can be deployed by a pulsation in the temples and the back of the head, can affect the parietal region, give to the parietal bone.
Pain in the neck
Usually weak at first, pain in the neck appears only when touching the affected area, in the future, pain can radiate to the back of the head, shoulder, arm (this depends on which nerve endings are pinched). At the same time, it appears when turning or tilting the head, a sharp movement of the body, it is set constant, has an increasing intensity.
Limitation of range of motion, crunch
Another symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is the restriction of movement of the head and neck, it is difficult for the patient to turn his head, there is no way to do it fully, it is impossible to tilt his head forward or backward. When turning, there is a characteristic crunch.
hand weakness
If the nerve roots responsible for the innervation of the upper limbs are damaged, weakness appears in the arms, and in severe cases, paralysis may occur.
Numbness of the hands or body
When squeezing the roots responsible for sensitivity, there is a loss of sensitivity in the hands, fingers, or numbness of individual areas. With advanced forms of the disease, paralysis (complete or partial) of the hands and the whole body is possible. This again depends on which nerves are affected.
Decreased hearing, vision
This disease is characterized by such signs as hearing loss and vision loss, numbness of the lips and tongue. These organs are in close proximity and are the first to suffer from insufficient oxygen supply to the brain.
Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis
With cervical osteochondrosis, one of the most unpleasant symptoms will be dizziness, sometimes it may be accompanied by a loss of coordination, in some cases there are fainting, nausea. These symptoms are associated with impaired cerebral circulation as a result of squeezing of the arteries and blood vessels.
About diagnostic methods
If one or a number of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis occur, it is better to consult a doctor for a diagnosis. There are several methods for diagnosing osteochondrosis, the most informative among them will be:
- CT scan;
- Magnetic resonance imaging;
- dopplerography of blood vessels;
- The most commonly used is radiography.
For the diagnosis of osteochondrosis in the early stages, radiography will be of little information. Dopplerography of vessels is carried out in difficult cases, when severe symptoms occur: loss of sensitivity in large areas, paralysis, fainting.
Successful treatment is possible just in the early stages of the disease and it depends on the correct diagnosis.
Stages of the disease
The disease is characterized by an increase in symptoms and their severity, there are 4 stages.
- I-I - this is pain in the neck when touching the affected nerve endings. Pain occurs when turning the head or neck. At the level of the spine, no damage is detected, only violations of the intervertebral space.
- II-I - this is the appearance of shooting pain, which can radiate to the arm, shoulder, and which intensifies when turning the head. Headaches of the migraine type. The pain is caused by minor destructive changes in the vertebral discs.
- III-I - increased pain, which becomes constant, numbness occurs, stiffness of head movements appears, weakness in the hands, attention and memory are disturbed. At this stage, there are violations of the integrity of the discs (cracks, protrusion of the articular bag), intervertebral hernia.
- IV-I - characterized by destruction of discs and vertebrae, violation of the integrity of the bones. At this stage, surgery is often required, since hernias can cause paralysis and immobilization of the upper limbs or the entire body.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck at home is possible and necessary at stages 1–2, the 3rd stage requires medical treatment under the supervision of a doctor.
Treatment at home
Before starting treatment at any stage, it is necessary to consult a vertebrologist who will make the correct diagnosis and conduct the necessary examinations. Osteochondrosis can have symptoms similar to heart failure (hypertension, difficulty breathing, problems with attention and memory).
Attention! With incorrect or untimely treatment, cerebral ischemia, spinal stroke, spinal cord compression, radiculopathy are possible, and these complications of the disease often threaten the patient's life.
With a correct and timely diagnosis, home treatment should include the following components:
- drug treatment;
- massage;
- special physical exercises.
All three components are very important, they must necessarily go in complex treatment, which will ensure a good result for a long time.
Massage
A very good effect after relieving acute pain will be given by traditional massages. Their courses are recommended to be carried out at least once every 6 months. Today there is a large selection of techniques aimed at the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, which will allow you to choose the most suitable option.
- There are high-quality manual techniques that allow you to get a good result.
- A new direction is osteopathy, aimed at treating with hands, but considering the human body as a unity of the musculoskeletal, nervous and mental systems.
- A good solution would be a course of professional acupuncture conducted by an experienced specialist.
- With success, massage is replaced by hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches), not without reason it is equated with acupuncture.
Exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
One of the factors for the occurrence of this disease are small loads on the muscle corset. We lead a sedentary way of life, we spend a lot of time in the same position, often uncomfortable. Therefore, 10 simple exercises to strengthen the muscular corset of the neck should be included in your daily exercises for everyone. It is especially important to deal with them for those who have the first signs of this disease.
Exercises should be carried out only when acute pain is relieved. When exacerbated, it is undesirable to do them.
- Perform standing 5-7 times: put your feet shoulder-width apart, your stomach is pulled in, your shoulders are straightened. Raise your arms to the sides and up, then connect them at the top and bring them back, trying to connect the shoulder blades. Then stand straight again.
- It is good to perform standing, but you can also sit 7-10 times. Wrap your arms around yourself (as if hugging), try to make it as strong as possible (elbows forward), then bring your hands back and connect them, touching your elbows with your palms. Try to pull in your stomach.
- It is better to do it while standing, but if you feel very dizzy, you can sit, each movement 3-5 times. The neck is straight, the shoulders are straight. Turn your head to the left and try to touch your shoulder with your chin, do not lift your shoulder. Repeat this, turning your head to the right, perform turns alternately.
- Do the same exercise, tilting your head as far back and forward as possible. Try to reach the chest with your chin. Do the slopes slowly.
- Then make, very slowly and carefully, a semicircle from the left shoulder to the right, tilting the head forward. Do not make circular movements - only a semicircle. Repeat the movement in the opposite direction.
Do this exercise with your head thrown back as far as possible. Remember that you need to do it slowly and only in semicircles.
- It is also better to perform while standing, but you can also sit for 5 seconds. 3-4 times. Clench your fists and rest your chin on them. Press the fists with force with the chin for 5 seconds, then place them on the back of the occipital bone and press again. This exercise trains the muscles of the neck well.
- Perform sitting 7-10 turns in each direction. Put your hands on your hips, tilt your head as far forward as possible, it’s good if you can rest your chin on your chest. Now turn your head to the left and right alternately, keeping your chin on your chest.
- Perform sitting in a low back chair, try to do this at least 3-4 times. With your shoulders back, try looking at the wall behind you.
- Perform sitting on a chair, putting your hands between your knees 5-7 times. As you inhale, lean to the side; as you exhale, sit up straight. Do it alternately left and right.
- Lie on your stomach, bend up. Try to do this 5-6 times. Get as high as you can and stay as long as you can.
Advice! Do the exercise at a convenient time, perhaps during a break or when your neck gets tired from a tense pose. There can't be too many here. The main thing is not to do a large number of times at once.
Treatment with folk remedies
Treatment of spinal problems with folk remedies mainly involves heating the affected area. When using recipes for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, you should be careful, since close proximity to the brain can make too intense warming more harmful than beneficial.
You need to use recipes that have a mild effect, not producing strong irritation.
Grandma's ointment
For its preparation you will need:
- 10 ml of iodine;
- 10 ml camphor oil;
- 10 tablets of analgin (500 mg);
- 300 ml of alcohol.
Tablets need to be crushed into powder and mix all the ingredients. The resulting composition is applied in a thin layer on the neck.
Compresses
- Potato. It is good to apply a compress of grated potatoes with honey at night.
- Horseradish. Fresh leaves of horseradish should be held over water vapor, cooled and applied for 10-15 minutes. to the neck.
- Hop. Crush unsalted lard (1 tablespoon) and add ground fresh or dried hop cones (1 teaspoon), apply the resulting mixture to the back of the head as a compress all night.
- Aloe. Take 1 part of ground aloe leaves, 2 parts of honey and 3 parts of vodka. Mix everything and let it brew for 12 hours. Apply the compress for no more than 15 minutes.
Medical treatment
Traditional treatment should consist of anti-inflammatory drugs that are needed periodically to relieve severe pain and medications designed to mobilize the body to fight the disease: vitamins, neuroprotectors, chondroprotectors.
In addition, depending on the problems that have arisen, medications are prescribed that relieve the symptoms that have arisen when a certain part of the nerve roots is damaged, these can be drugs:
- reducing pressure;
- to improve vision;
- to relieve numbness.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
In the initial stages, severe pain can be stopped with the help of painkillers.
Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs are prescribed during an exacerbation to relieve inflammation. These drugs are available in tablets, capsules or injectable solutions. Some have the form of ointments for external use. The course of treatment should be determined by the doctor.
Long-term use of drugs from a number of anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs can even lead to irritation of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) even in a healthy person. In the presence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - treatment with analgesics causes an exacerbation.
vitamins
Be sure to take B vitaminsone,AT6,AT12). They help to improve the functioning of the brain, have a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system, improve the transmission of nerve impulses, which affects the improvement of the general condition.
These vitamins can be taken as injections intramuscularly, according to the scheme or in combination, which will significantly improve the effect of them. In the first stages of the disease, they are shown as tablets (vitamin complexes) or dietary supplements (not recognized by official medicine).
Drugs that improve cerebral circulation
Neuroprotectors are drugs that affect the functioning of the brain. These include a large group of drugs that affect various processes, among nootropics that improve memory and concentration.
Medicines are prescribed in cases of impaired blood supply to the brain as a result of squeezing of blood vessels.
Attention! Neuroprotectors must be prescribed by a neurologist.
Chondroprotectors
A special place is occupied by chondroprotectors - drugs that improve the nutrition of the cartilage tissue of the spine (glucosamine and chondroitin), which should slow down their destruction. Clinically, their positive effect has not yet been proven, but they are used as dietary supplements and are allowed by sanitary and medical examinations.
These drugs may be useful in stages I and II. In the future, they are unlikely to have the desired effect.
About diets and nutrition
With cervical osteochondrosis, it is important to eat food and herbs containing B vitamins, this can be:
- poultry meat;
- porridge, chamomile;
- mint, coltsfoot;
- celery.
Showing fresh vegetables and fruits. It is undesirable to use salt, its amount should be reduced to a minimum. This is due to impaired cerebral circulation. There is no need to increase the intake of calcium and potassium.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an insidious disease that can lead to complex pathologies that lead to disability. At the same time, correct behavior, moderate physical activity and systemic treatment can slow down its development, and even stop it for a long time. Live happily and be healthy!