In recent years, osteochondrosis in the neck area is found in people of different ages, including young people. Office workers, drivers and people who sit in front of the computer for a long time are especially susceptible to this disease.
People over the age of 20 who do not pay enough attention to their health and physical activity can develop osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, as a result of which the discs between the vertebrae begin to thicken and collapse, which will cause compression of the nerve. endings and arteries.
What is dangerous osteochondrosis of the neck
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region, which disease is represented by almost every adult, but not everyone knows that it is really dangerous. Along this part of the spine pass numerous nerve canals and vessels responsible for supplying the brain with nutrients. In the neck, the vertebrae are especially close together, so even a slight change in their structure can compress nerve roots and blood vessels.
Various health problems can arise against the background of blood circulation disorders of the brain:
- migraine and severe headaches with cervical osteochondrosis;
- hypertension;
- vegetovascular dystonia;
- cardiovascular disorders;
- pathology of the respiratory system;
- impaired vision, hearing and even coordination of movements.
In later forms of development, cervical osteochondrosis causes vertebral artery syndrome, as in the photo. The latter is responsible for supplying blood to the cerebellum and nourishing the medulla oblongata. Against this background, cerebral ischemia, as well as a spinal stroke, can occur.
A bump on the neck with osteochondrosis can be a sign of a malignant tumor: consult a doctor immediately!
General osteochondrosis of the cervical region can damage nerve endings:
- radiculopathy;
- loss of head mobility;
- the appearance of growths on the vertebrae.
In order to prevent serious complications, it is necessary to start treatment in time, which is impossible without a diagnosis.
X-ray for the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
The doctor can determine the osteochondrosis of the cervical spine on X-ray. Each section of the spine can be transparent separately and at different angles for more information content. In such photographs of neck pathology, it is possible to thoroughly examine and determine the degree of damage to the vertebra.
Some doctors direct the patient to the so-called functional X-ray: the patient must take different positions to bend the spine to create the shape of the neck. In rare cases, patients are injected with special substances into the disc, artery or spinal canal. In this case, the X-ray result will be most accurate and detailed.
Classification of cervical osteochondrosis according to ICD
ICD 10 is the International Classification of Diseases and in 2007 became the generally accepted guide for assigning codes to various diseases. Osteochondrosis of the cervical region, in 1998, the ICD code was 10 M42, and several types of pathology were assigned to it. To date, according to the ICD, the disease has been identified in one section with other pre-dorsopathies from M50 to M54. Depending on the pain syndrome, the disease is divided into:
- M50. 0 - osteochondrosis with myelopathy;
- M50. 1 - with radiculopathy;
- M50. 2 - disk offset;
- M50. 3 - other pathology of the neck;
- M50. 9 - unspecified diagnosis.
Types of cervical osteochondrosis
Consider the most common types of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine according to the ICD classification.
Protrusions in disease
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with disc protrusion is one of the most popular complications. Protrusions are the initial stage of the appearance of an intervertebral hernia, so they should not be underestimated. The main factors that cause the appearance of protrusions include:
- lack of amino acids in tissues;
- poor supply of cells with water;
- low concentration of trace elements in tissues.
Intervertebral discs have a gelatinous core surrounded by a special fibrous ring. Against the background of osteochondrosis, the poor supply of cells with useful components causes damage to the fibrous ring, which should hold the nucleus pulposus in the disc. Tissue pathologies occur with the formation of cracks in the ring and the penetration of the gelatinous substance into the microcracks.
Cephalgia syndrome
Sometimes doctors prescribe osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in patients with cephalgia syndrome. It is determined by the complaints of sick people:
- tinnitus;
- heaviness in the head;
- pre-fainting conditions and fainting.
A combination of these symptoms indicates poor cerebral circulation, as the brain receives less oxygen to function fully. Additional symptoms include drowsiness and sometimes fever.
Osteochondrosis of the neck with displacement
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with displacement occurring in some patients is one of the most common forms. The disease develops for various reasons, including:
- congenital anomalies;
- injuries sustained;
- diseases.
The displacement of the vertebrae contributes to the narrowing of the spinal canal, which causes pain and disrupts the work of various internal organs. If you feel pain in the neck and suspect a disc displacement, you should quickly go to the doctor who will prescribe an effective treatment.
Such osteochondrosis of the spine, displacement of cervical discs and vertebrobasilar insufficiency are often interrelated diseases that require serious and urgent therapy.
If I have osteochondrosis of the neck, will they take me to the military?
Many young recruits suffer from unpleasant pathology for various reasons. Some people wonder whether neck osteochondrosis is taken into the army or not?
We immediately note that in the early stages of development, this disease will not even allow you to get a reprieve, as it does not interfere with the service. In more advanced stages of the disease, with pain syndrome and limited mobility, the patient should be registered with a neurologist. An official doctor's report will allow a reprieve, and in the most advanced cases, the young person can be declared unfit.
According to the law, it is impossible to serve in the army with the defeat of three vertebrae and a hernia between the vertebrae of the neck.
Is it possible to get a sick leave certificate if neck osteochondrosis is diagnosed?
Now let's understand, do they give sick leave with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and for how long? It is really possible to remove it, because serious bone pathologies can cause disc displacement, herniation and other dangerous disorders.
You can get sick leave for cervical osteochondrosis if you do the following:
- Contact a neurologist who will make a diagnosis and issue an appropriate certificate.
- The doctor will diagnose and determine the possible health risk, taking into account the patient's case.
- When inpatient treatment is prescribed, the sick leave will have one type, and if the patient is prescribed a few days of rest, the sheet will receive a different designation.
How many days of sick leave will be granted with osteochondrosis depends on various factors:
- if going to work in the initial stages does not aggravate the situation, sick leave can be granted for 3-7 days;
- in an aggravated form, up to two weeks of sick leave may be required;
- with more severe lesions of the vertebra, the patient can be discharged for treatment within three months;
- a complex form with periarthritis and other syndromes is treated for up to 7 months, and it will be possible to work after the state is completely normalized.
When surgical intervention is required for the treatment of osteochondrosis, a sick leave sheet is issued, taking into account the preparation and rehabilitation period.