Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine using the latest highly effective techniques, using modern equipment and under the guidance of experienced specialists.
Diseases of the spine can provide a person with a lot of unpleasant sensations, especially if they affect the cervical region - there is a danger of damage to the spinal cord and brain. In addition, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine often leads to headaches, causes disturbances in the functioning of internal organs and contributes to the deterioration of blood circulation. Fortunately, several therapeutic techniques have been developed today that allow you to eliminate unpleasant symptoms and restore a healthy state of the spine.
In this article, we will tell you in detail about the features of cervical osteochondrosis and describe the main methods of its treatment. We hope that after reading it you will be able to choose the most effective way to deal with this ailment and be able to avoid radical surgery.
What is cervical osteochondrosis?
Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease in which the soft pulp ossifies, which acts as a cushioning function between the vertebrae. At the same time, blood vessels and nerve roots are involved in the mechanism of development of the disease.
A feature of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is the onset of pain in the shoulders, occiput, neck and head. In addition, patients note the appearance of dizziness, increased blood pressure, oxygen starvation, loss of sensation on one side of the tongue and other symptoms characteristic of cardiovascular pathologies. This becomes the reason for contacting doctors of other specialties and significantly slows down the process of diagnosing the disease.
Most often, people of middle and old age are prone to ossification of the tissues of the upper spine. This is due to the incorrect distribution of dynamic and static loads on the human skeleton.
However, if previously cervical osteochondrosis and hissymptomshave been diagnosed in people over the age of 45-50, but now the age of patients with this disorder is significantly younger. Today it affects young people between the ages of 20 and 40, which is associated with a deterioration in diet and physical inactivity.
Currently there is a dual approach to the problem of the cervical spine: it is considered as a combination of physiological and pathological factors. In the first case, we are talking about the aging of the body under the influence of inevitable natural phenomena, in the second, it is assumed that the destruction of intervertebral formations occurs against the background of inflammatory and dystrophic processes caused by improper lifestyle.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Problems with diagnosing this disorder are due to the absence of pain in some situations and the implicit nature of the symptoms. Additionally, a person may not feel the signs of the disease while taking strong pain relievers regularly to minimize overall discomfort. All this can lead to serious disorders in the area of the cervical joints.
Among the obvious symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, which causes the need fortreatment,include: headache, high blood pressure, frequent dizziness. We will talk about this further.
Vertigo with cervical osteochondrosis
Dizziness may not always occur against the background of cervical spine problems. In some cases, it indicates disorders of the brain, malfunctions of blood vessels and heart, inflammatory processes in the ear and nasopharynx, the presence of malignant neoplasms or any pathological condition of the nervous system.
Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis and the need for its treatment may have a non-systemic or systemic etiology.
In the first case, a person may declare a feeling of stupor, uncertainty on standing and some semi-fainting. At the same time, there is no sense of circular rotation.
As for systemic dizziness, then, most often, it is evidence of any vestibular disorders, malfunction of visual analyzers and other changes that have arisen against the background of osteochondrosis. In this case, the patient can feel the circular rotation of the body or nearby objects.
If dizziness is present and the patient simultaneously develops symptoms such as acute pain in the head, numbness in the upper chest, fainting or impaired movement coordination, he should be hospitalized urgently.
Headache with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The appearance of a headache can signal the presence of a wide variety of ailments. Most often, it occurs in women against the background of hormonal disorders, stressful situations, increased intracranial pressure, spasms in the brain, pinched nerve endings, inflammatory processes and other diseases.
it can signal the presence of a wide variety of ailments. Most often, it occurs in women against the background of hormonal disorders, stressful situations, increased intracranial pressure, spasms in the brain, pinched nerve endings, inflammatory processes and other diseases.
pain andnoise in the headwith cervical osteochondrosis, causing the need for treatment, it is often confused with symptoms of acute disturbance of the blood supply to the brain, arterial hypertension or coronary heart disease. Most often, such signs occur in older people suffering from the above diseases.
To determine the exact cause of the headache, you should consult an experienced specialist. In this case, it is recommended to undergo an ECG and exclude the presence of cardiovascular disorders.
Pain of other localization, characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis
Pain in the back of the head and head is not always a sign of cervical osteochondrosis. In some cases, the discomfort can spread from the neck to the arms and shoulders. Such symptoms are sudden in nature and can occur against the background of sudden movements, after a sharp sneeze or staying in one position during night sleep.
If the cause of the pain syndrome is chondrosis of the cervical spine, it usually disappears after some time or disappears after manual therapy in the cervical spine.
It should be noted that the massage in this area is carried out only after a thorough examination of the patient. With an unprofessional approach, there is a high risk of deterioration of the patient's condition, up to and including his disability.
If we are talking about osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and the need for its treatment, then patients note the following pain sensations:
- The appearance of a creak when turning the head;
- The presence of pain syndrome inside the neck;
- Deterioration of sensitivity and the appearance of muscle weakness in various areas of the body.
Increased blood pressure with cervical spine problems
Since the cervical vertebrae are directly connected to blood vessels and nerve endings, any disruption in this area can trigger an increase in blood pressure. However, such jumps are temporary in nature, manifest as short-term spasms, and are not symptoms of hypertension.
Also, if there is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, in addition to an increase in pressure, the patient may experience other symptoms, and the treatment in this case includes the use of special anesthetic drugs. These include:
- The appearance of pain in the head area;
- Loss of sensation in the collar
- Pain in the chest, arms and legs
- A sharp increase in blood pressure after stressful situations, prolonged stay in one position, excessive muscle tension and other similar situations.
A sharp deterioration in the patient's condition and a sharp increase in pressure indicate the urgent need to consult a doctor.
Stages of development of cervical osteochondrosis
As it develops, the aforementioned ailment goes through several stages, accompanied by specific symptoms. We will talk about this in more detail below.
Early stage osteochondrosis
As a rule, if the 1st degree of the disease occurs, patients may experience only mild discomfort. They can show pain only with sudden movements, tilting and turning the head. Many patients report increased lumbar spine and back fatigue and a constant feeling of tension. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the initial stage does not involve takingdrugs. . . To recover, the patient just needs to performgymwith cervical osteochondrosis and change the daily diet.
The second stage of the disease: features
The second stage of the pathology is characterized by more intense pain sensations that radiate to the upper limbs and increase with flexion and rotation of the head. The reasons for the increased discomfort include: a reduction in the size of the height of the intervertebral discs and, as a result, pinching of the nerve endings. In this case, the patient notes a deterioration in working capacity, the appearance of distraction, increased fatigue and the onset of pain in the head.
Third degree osteochondrosis
It is accompanied by increased pain with irradiation in the area of the upper limbs, as well as the shoulders and neck. In this case, numbness of the muscles of the hands can be observed, which is associated with the appearance of an intervertebral hernia. Additionally, patients may complain of severe weakness and dizziness.
The last stage of the disease
At the final stage, deep degenerative processes in the area of the intervertebral discs and their replacement with pathological tissue make themselves felt. The need for treatment of cervical osteochondrosisin the stage of exacerbationit may be due to the defeat of several segments of the spine. In this case, patients claim the presence of tinnitus, increased pain syndrome, the appearance of severe dizziness and impaired coordination of movements.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
Most often, the development of this pathology is due to daily sedentary work, in which a person does not control the correct position of the body in the chair, and his head is constantly tilted forward. The same can be said about a prolonged stay of the head in an inverted state, typical of employees of construction specialties, when performing repair activities.
As a rule, excessive stress on the cervical spine inevitably leads to degenerative disorders in the area of the vertebral discs. In addition, cervicovertebral osteochondrosis, the symptoms of this ailment and the need for its treatment may be due to the following factors:
- Violation of calcium metabolism;
- Causes of a genetic nature;
- thermal irritants;
- When engaging in extreme sports (sports injury treatment);
- hypodynamia;
- Long stay of a person in a position by professional affiliation;
- Obesity;
- Prolonged stressful situations;
- Injuries to the neck and back of the head;
- Autoimmune processes that can cause the destruction of cartilage tissue.
Switching to a healthy diet and moderate physical activity can minimize the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis.
Syndromes in cervical osteochondrosis
Syndromes are represented by the simultaneous manifestation of several symptoms of the disease at the same time. As for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is characterized by the following syndromes: vertebral, vertebral, cardiac and radicular arteries. It is about them that will be discussed below.
What is vertebral syndrome?
In the presence of the aforementioned syndrome, the degenerative processes directly affect the cartilage and bone tissue. In this case, the simultaneous manifestation of the following three signs is observed:
- Painful sensations when it is necessary to turn the neck;
- Inability to rotate the neck
- The presence of a disorder in the intervertebral region or in the vertebral body, which are of a morphological nature (to determine this symptom, x-rays are taken).
If the patient is missing at least one of the above signs, it makes no sense to talk about vertebral syndrome.
Characteristics of vertebral artery syndrome
The essence of the aforementioned syndrome is damage to the vertebral arteries that supply the blood supply to the brain. It is characterized by the simultaneous manifestation of the following symptoms:
- Against the background of squeezing of the artery, the patient may experience dizziness, increased blood pressure, the appearance of tinnitus, nausea, etc. ;
- Due to irritation of the nerve roots, loss of sensation, the appearance of "flies" in the eyes, sharp pain in the head and numbness can be observed;
- Lack of oxygen can cause severe pain in the head area, excessive sleepiness, decreased activity and decreased concentration.
Signs of heart syndrome
In addition to the symptom of the vertebral artery in cervical osteochondrosis, the need for treatment of the patient in the presence of heart syndrome also arises. Many patients report a condition that is characteristic of coronary artery disease or that resembles the symptoms of myocardial infarction. In this case, the following signs occur:
- A burning sensation and acute pain syndrome in the sternum area;
- Tachycardia;
- The appearance of severe weakness, excessive fatigue and shortness of breath.
Radicular syndrome: characteristics
It is characterized by a deterioration of neuromuscular conduction. In the presence of radicular syndrome, the patient may experience a loss of sensation or, conversely, severe pain syndrome. Furthermore, its features include:
- Pain in the back of the head or, conversely, numbness in this area;
- Difficulty chewing food, numbness behind the ear, feeling of fullness in the tongue
- The appearance of symptoms of sore throat, hiccups, pain in the collarbone;
- Difficulty moving the upper limbs, discomfort in the shoulder area;
- Violations in the area of the forearm and shoulder blades;
- Loss of sensation in the finger area.
Diagnostics
The main and most informative methods for diagnosing osteochondrosis include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI scans with a high degree of detail reflect the state not only of the bone tissue of the spine, but also of the soft tissues: muscles, cartilage, blood vessels, nerves and intervertebral discs. If there are contraindications to MRI (the presence of metal prostheses, pacemakers), computed tomography is prescribed, but the information content of the method is much lower in terms of diagnosing osteochondrosis.
Is it possible to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?
When it comes to cervical osteochondrosis, effective treatment of this ailment is possible only with a complete lifestyle review, constant prevention and recovery from the sanatorium. In practice, only a few manage to do this, especially in the climate of our country, when it is almost impossible to completely avoid hypothermia and new inflammatory processes. However, you can significantly alleviate your condition, even in the most advanced cases, and lengthen your remission periods.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
In the first stage of osteochondrosis, the patient will be helped by conservative treatment without drugs. You should correct your posture, pay attention to the workplace equipment, stop work for a few minutes every day to perform a simpleremedial gymnasticswith cervical osteochondrosis, which can be performed directly at the desk in the office. Swimming, increased physical activity and the intake of vitamin and mineral complexes will have a positive effect on the entire musculoskeletal system.
Benefits of Shock Wave Therapy
If the patient has osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and its symptoms, a new method of treatment is considered the most effective, with the help of shock waves. This procedure is notable for its affordable cost. Also, if a medical institution has special equipment, you can take the UHT course completely free of charge.
The benefits of UHT include:
- Maximum efficiency;
- Lack of discomfort during the procedure;
- The least chance of side effects;
- Reduce the need for invasive treatments
- Reduce the need for medication.
Cervical osteochondrosis drugs
If you have cervical osteochondrosis and are interested in treatmentmedicinaliseffective,you can find information on suitable drugs on the Internet. However, despite the variety of medicines and the lack of prescriptions, self-medication is not recommended. Most drugs have side effects and contraindications, it is also important not to overdose.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).They are used to relieve swelling and pain.
Muscle relaxants, sedatives
They are also prescribed to relieve the general condition of the patient and reduce the dose of NSAIDs. By simultaneously relieving muscle spasms and nervous tension, you can achieve the best therapeutic effect.
At the end of the course of treatment, doctors usually recommend purchasing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the home first aid kit, as neck pain can return when the weather changes, overexertion and stress.
Physiotherapeutic approaches
In cases where drug therapy is contraindicated or does not have the desired effect, and sometimes for a complex effect, physiotherapy methods are used, available in both classical and alternative medicine. All of them aim to relieve muscle spasms, inflammation and pain.
Acupuncture. The essence of the method is to "awaken" the biologically active points by introducing special thin needles into them to a depth of several centimeters. The procedure itself is painful, but it helps relieve pain in the spine. Several sessions are required.
Manual therapy. This method is effective if the patient haspinchnerves of the cervical spine, corresponding symptoms were diagnosed and the need for treatment was identified. The nerves and blood vessels trapped by the deformed vertebrae can be released by manually stretching the spine.
Hirudotherapy (leeches). Relieves inflammation and swelling due to biologically active substances secreted by leeches. Strengthens blood circulation.
Shock wave therapy. Restores blood circulation and destroys osteophytes, helps cartilage tissue to return to its normal structure. The patient already after 1-2 sessions feels a decrease in pain and swelling. The course of shock wave therapy includes up to ten procedures, it can be prescribed as part of a complex non-invasive therapy and during the rehabilitation period after surgery. It has a number of contraindications and is used only after a comprehensive examination by several specialists, including a neurologist, a cardiologist and a vertebrologist.
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
If a person has cervical osteochondrosis, every dayexercises,developed for the treatment of this ailment, it will help strengthen the muscular corset, which means - reduce the load on the cervical spine. Physical therapy is indicated at all stages of the disease, as well as as a preventive measure. During exacerbations, a series of exercises should be performed with caution.
Typical exercises for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- the head turns to the sides;
- the head tilts back and forth;
- lifting the shoulders with relaxed or fixed hands, holding them in this position for 15-20 seconds;
- alternating tension of the flexors and extensors of the neck with a stationary position of the head.
Exercises need to be repeated 5-7 times. The duration of the lesson is 15-20 minutes.
Surgical intervention
In the absence of a positive effect after 6 months of conservative treatment, spinal fusion may be indicated. The procedure aims to immobilize the affected vertebral segment. It involves removing the intervertebral disc, decompressing the nerve root and placing an implant or creating a physiological height of the disc space. The operation has many contraindications and side effects. For example, spinal fusion can lead to spinal disability. That is why surgery is only indicated in extreme cases.
Nutrition and lifestyle
After surgical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, in the first rehabilitation period, it is necessary to wear a fixing collar. During conservative treatment and in the period of late rehabilitation, a diet rich in calcium and vitamins, correction of habitual postures and posture in general, a daily series of therapeutic exercises for the neck, orthopedic pillows are recommended.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home
If you are diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis and its symptoms, and want to undergo ithome treatment, it should be remembered that such an independent intervention can be practiced only in conjunction with the procedures prescribed by a specialist.
Some experts recommend usingorthopedic pillowwith cervical osteochondrosis and use warming agents such as pepper patches, mustard plasters and alcohol compresses. According to others, only specialexercisesfor the treatment eprevention. . .
You can also resort to the help of traditional medicine recipes, which are based on the use of potato and honey compresses and seasonings with natural ingredients. More information on these tools is available on the Internet. However, only an experienced and highly qualified doctor can diagnose cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, identify its symptoms and prescribe the most effective treatment.
Preventive measures for cervical osteochondrosis
An examination by the attending physician is required once a year. A course of shock wave therapy may be prescribed. Hypothermia and infectious diseases, prolonged computer work in one position should be avoided. If you're traveling on a long plane or bus, use a neck support pillow to relieve muscle tension and prevent congestion. For daily sleep, use special orthopedic pillows that ensure the correct position of the head.