To date, osteochondrosis is a fairly common disease, since people leading a passive lifestyle are susceptible to it. As a rule, deformation of bone tissue and cartilage (code M42. 12) occurs in people whose age does not exceed 45 years.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a process of deformation of the articular cartilage itself and its bone tissue. It has an ICD-10 code - M42. 12, which was accepted by the International Forum of Physicians. This part of the spine is most susceptible to disease, because it is the most mobile and is surrounded by a weak muscular corset, especially in children. It is also distinguished by a large number of vascular and nervous formations. Symptoms of manifestation directly depend on the stage of the disease and on the nature of the deformation of the intervertebral discs.
Causes of osteochondrosis
As mentioned above, the main cause of the onset of the disease is a lack of physical activity.
A passive lifestyle leads to:
- to a failure in the work of metabolic processes;
- salts appear in the lymphatic fluid and bloodstream;
- salts are deposited in the liver, kidneys and cervical region.
Inflammation appears in OSHOP (osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, code M42. 12) also due to the fact that there are not enough nutrients in the intervertebral discs. It happens when a person consumes unbalanced and wrong food.
Among the symptoms, one can distinguish such as a temperature that lasts 20 minutes, a lump in the throat, pain in the spine and cervicothoracic region, severe attacks of pain when a person cannot sleep normally and he needs first aid in the form of painkillers against such pain. A strong cough, but it is worth noting that coughing with osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is also a common occurrence. Sports in this case is contraindicated, as sports can exacerbate the problem. It is better to sleep on an orthopedic mattress.
Why is osteochondrosis dangerous?
Many people are interested in why cervical osteochondrosis is dangerous? This section contains the nerve roots and spinal cord, as well as an artery that supplies blood to the back of the brain and cerebellum. When a person develops OSOP, the artery is compressed, blood circulation in the brain fails. Then there is inflammation, fever, lasts 30 minutes, a feeling of a lump in the throat, pain in the back and under the shoulder blade, which are sometimes difficult to remove.
In case of pain attacks, you need to urgently consult a doctor, he will be able to prescribe the necessary painkillers. Folk remedies or a forum where you can find a lot of advice will not help in this case. In acute attacks, sports or massage is strictly contraindicated.
At an advanced stage, squeezing the artery can cause:
- problems with coordination;
- deterioration of vision and hearing;
- temperature may appear;
- sore throat;
- stroke.
If the disease was not detected at the first stage and timely treatment was not started, the consequences occur in the form of intervertebral hernia and protrusion.
Degrees of osteochondrosis
A disease such as OSHOP develops gradually. And before starting the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, it is important to know its degree. Doctors call 3 degrees of the disease.
1 degree
From this stage, the process of deformation of the intervertebral discs begins. The fibrous ring is covered with small cracks, the process of reducing the elasticity and strength of the disc occurs, its height decreases. All this contributes to the compression of the nerve roots. It is important to understand that only light sports are allowed in such a situation.
The first sign of this stage is the appearance of aching pain, a rise in temperature and a sore throat when a person goes to bed. But it often happens that osteochondrosis in the cervical region does not have clear clinical manifestations and a person practically does not feel pain and discomfort in the cervicothoracic region.
2 degree
This stage of the disease is chronic. It occurs when assistance was not provided in a timely manner at the first stage. A person feels constant pain, a lump in the throat, a high temperature can rise when he goes to bed, a sore throat appears. In some patients, there is a lack of air with cervical osteochondrosis. The process of compaction and destruction of the disc continues and causes small dislocations of the cervical vertebrae.
At this stage, the cider of the "falling" head develops. At the same time, a person feels sharp pains in his head and he has to hold his head with his hand for about 20 minutes in order to relieve pain a little. You need to sleep on an orthopedic pillow, sports are contraindicated.
3 degree
ICD-10 code - M42. 12 - osteochondrosis of the 3rd degree is the most difficult stage of the disease. Has the following features:
- severe headache that keeps you awake
- frequent nausea;
- high temperature rises;
- dizziness and loss of coordination;
- loss of sensation in the upper extremities.
At stage 3, the fibrous ring is practically deformed, which causes serious complications, such as intervertebral protrusion or hernia.
Due to the fact that the cartilage tissue is already completely destroyed, the person ceases to feel acute attacks of pain, the pain still remains, because the nerve roots are pinched. The temperature may often rise. Any, even light sport at this stage is strictly prohibited.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at a young age
In children, osteochondrosis of the cervical region (it has an ICD-10 code - M42. 02, established by its forum of doctors) is an extremely rare disease and at the same time dangerous. The spine in children still has a fragile structure and therefore it is so easily influenced by negative factors, especially since at this age the intervertebral discs and the spine continue to grow.
Osteochondrosis in children can develop for several reasons:
- lack of useful minerals and vitamins in the child's diet;
- problems with the cardiovascular system;
- spinal injury;
- allergy;
- sport;
- somatic diseases;
- genetic predisposition;
- various pathologies in the development of bones;
- when the child's body regularly carries infectious diseases.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in children
Many parents are interested in how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis in children. First of all, in the treatment of this disease, which is accompanied by symptoms such as a lump in the throat, severe pain, because of which the child cannot sleep, inflammation and swelling, conservative methods of treatment are used.
- Drugs that have an analgesic effect. As a rule, with the help of such medicines, the pain disappears after 20 minutes.
- Medicines that are used against edema and relieve inflammation.
- The course of therapeutic massage, manual therapy and acupuncture, exercise therapy.
- Operational intervention. It is prescribed in the rarest cases and is directed against radicular syndrome.
What is cervical osteochondrosis, and especially in children, few parents know, and that is why when the child first complains of frequent aching pain in the neck, you should immediately contact a vertebrologist.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
Nowadays, in order to diagnose osteochondrosis, it is necessary to visit a doctor who must conduct an initial examination. Then, if necessary, he sends for additional examination. For this, the cervicothoracic region is examined on magnetic resonance and computed tomography. Thanks to this examination, it is possible to establish the diagnosis and degree of the disease.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
When asked by the patient how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis (code M42. 12), the doctor will be able to answer by determining the degree of the disease and studying the main clinical manifestations. To date, there are many different methods of treatment.
It is best to use complex treatment, which includes traditional and non-traditional methods: manual therapy, medication, exercise therapy, acupuncture, massage, physiotherapy and folk remedies. But it is important to understand that in the case of the latter method, it is better to visit a doctor and consult with him, you should not go to the forum and take information there.
In order for the treatment of the disease (code M42. 12) to be effective, you need to visit several specialists: a massage therapist, a vertebral neurologist, a neurologist, a surgeon and a physiotherapist, they will prescribe in combination those methods that will be most effective.
Osteochondrosis, like all diseases, is best treated at the first stage of the disease, when you can competently provide assistance. But grades 2 and 3 are practically not amenable to treatment, so in this case a long recovery process is needed.