It is difficult to overestimate the resonance of cervical osteochondrosis in the modern world.Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is more common than in other vertebral regions.Almost all people over the age of twenty-five have this disease to one degree or another.
Cervical osteochondrosis develops mainly due to a sedentary lifestyle, which is especially facilitated by a person's historical transition from physical labor to mental labor, which, although moderately, is accompanied by sedentary work.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a degenerative-dystrophic disease of the cervical spine, which causes damage to the intervertebral discs, which is common to osteochondrosis.This part of the spine is quite mobile by nature, but at the same time it is vulnerable due to the poorly developed muscle corset, so any negative impact on the neck or back affects the cervical spine first.Since degenerative changes develop in the areas of the most mobile vertebrae, the nerve endings at the level of C5...C7 in the cervical region suffer the most.
Since the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are quite contradictory, they are not always considered as symptoms of this disease, which often leads to seeking help from specialists in other fields of medicine.Let's look at them in a little more detail.
Cervical osteochondrosis and its symptoms
Because the cervical spine is quite compact compared to other sections of the cervical spine, slight tension in the neck muscles or displacement of the cervical vertebrae can cause compression or compression of the nerve roots, which can affect the vessels located in this section.Well, osteophytes - bone growths, which are called "salt deposits" in folk medicine and are formed during the development of cervical osteochondrosis, ultimately only lead to a significant worsening of the course of the disease.
Clinical manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis, that is, its symptoms, can be divided into reflex symptoms and radicular symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.
Reflex symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Reflex symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include the so-called "lumbago", which is expressed by the appearance of a sharp sharp pain in the neck, which is noticeably aggravated by any movement.With this in mind, patients often take some forced, most comfortable head position.In addition, a typical "bump" may occur during turning or other head movements.
Patients suffering from cervical osteochondrosis often have headaches that are oppressive in nature and spread to the eyeballs or the temporal part of the head.In addition, sometimes the sharpness of visual perception may decrease, as if "everything floats in front of your eyes."
Vertebral artery syndrome can also develop during irritation of its nerve plexus, which is often mistakenly diagnosed as a cerebral circulation disorder due to dizziness in the patient.This symptom of cervical osteochondrosis can be manifested by sudden movements of the head and is complicated by nausea and possible vomiting.
In addition to the above, the reflex symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include cardiac syndrome, in which feelings similar to an angina attack occur.However, this manifestation of the symptoms of osteochondrosis is usually combined with a complex of other symptoms of this disease, so it is usually not difficult to make a correct diagnosis.
Radicular symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Radicular symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, as a rule, appear due to compression of the end of the spinal nerve - the root.In this case, sensory disorders affecting motor functions depend entirely on which nerve root is damaged, namely:
- C1 - decreased sensitivity in the occipital region;
- C2 - occurrence of pain in the parietal or occipital region of the head;
- C3 - the appearance of pain in the neck area where the spinal cord is damaged, the sensitivity of the tongue and the loss of control over it, the possible disturbance of the speech function;
- C4 - pain and tenderness in the scapulohumeral dorsal region with a simultaneous decrease in muscle tone in the neck and possible breathing disorders of the respiratory function, as well as the appearance of pain in the heart and liver;
- C5 - reduction of sensitivity and pain on the outer surface of the shoulders;
- C6 – pain spreading from the cervical spine to the shoulder blade, the outer surface of the humerus, the forearm and further from the wrist to the thumb;
- C7 - the same pain as C6, but spreads from the scapula to the back surface of the back and further from the forearm to the 2..4 fingers of the hand, with a decrease in sensitivity in the area of pain;
- C8 - reduced sensitivity and pain from the neck to the shoulder and then from the forearm to the little finger.
Cervical osteochondrosis and its treatment
Cervical osteochondrosis is a very complex and unpleasant disease, the treatment of which requires systematicity, duration and stages.Therapeutic treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is primarily aimed at completely stopping the pain symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and eliminating inflammation in the neck area affected by the disease.
Patients treated for cervical osteochondrosis are treated with classical analgesics.Although recently, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which effectively relieve pain and reduce the activity of inflammation, are also widely used in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Among other things, in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, chondroprotectors are used, which slow down the process of destruction of cartilage tissue and, according to many experts, contribute to the process of their regeneration.In addition, patients are prescribed the use of B vitamins, which improve metabolic processes in the patient's body.
However, the use of external gels or ointments for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is not effective, but it is logical, because in the process of applying them to the skin, additional massage of the cervical spine is performed.
Physiotherapy procedures are additionally combined with traditional drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, and the use of magnetic therapy through special therapeutic devices is especially effective.In addition to the above, therapeutic massage, physical therapy and manual therapy are also used.However, in particularly severe cases of the disease, surgical intervention may be required.
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis in itself is not difficult.Recommended:
- lead an active and healthy lifestyle,
- playing sports or at least morning exercises,
- competent organization of the workplace,
- to observe the work and rest regime,
- when working in a sitting position for a long time - warm up several times during working hours and ensure the correct position and posture of the head while performing work.
It is also important to choose a comfortable pillow and mattress for sleeping.However, for those already suffering from this disease, the daily use of special orthopedic products for comfortable sleep is strongly recommended.