The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are so contradictory that in the early stages of the disease, it is often misdiagnosed and a completely different disease is treated. But over time, clearer symptoms appear and it becomes clear that the cause of the diseases is damage to the spine. Cervical spondylosis is insidious due to its gradual development, so many patients do not suspect that they are at risk for a long time.
The disease can be triggered by congenital or acquired injuries, heredity, physical strain, bad posture and excess weight. Each case has its own individual reason for the occurrence of this disease.
Developmental stages of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depend on the stage of the patient. At each stage of spondylosis, they manifest themselves differently. There are four stages in total.
- The first stage. There is initial destruction and loss of elasticity of the intervertebral discs. It can be accompanied by aching pain in the neck, but sometimes there is only temporary discomfort, which few people pay attention to.
- The second stage. The intervertebral spaces are reduced and the annulus fibrosus is destroyed. Due to compression of the nerve root, severe pain is constant. The manifestations of the disease become clear, and the treatment of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis usually begins at this stage. It is necessary to start exercises for cervical osteochondrosis.
- The third stage. Complete destruction of the fibrous ring is observed. Intervertebral tears and significant deformation of the spine are visible. Migraine, nausea, dizziness, numbness of limbs are often observed.
- The fourth stage. Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine progress and manifest themselves as sharp pain attacks with any movement. Bone growths are formed, limiting movement.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and their treatment will mainly depend on the stage and severity of spondylosis and the patient's health; in all stages they are completely different..
The most typical manifestations of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine are:
- severe headaches in the back of the head, in the temples, on the crown of the head;
- dizziness, fainting;
- severe pain radiating to the arms and shoulders;
- impaired coordination and vision;
- throbbing pain in brow ridges, temples;
- voice timbre change, choking, snoring;
- painful attacks spreading to the chest;
- heart pain similar to angina pectoris;
- painful toothache;
- numbness of the face, fingers;
- breathing problems, nausea, pain in the eyes and heart;
- memory impairment and reduced intelligence;
- neck, forearm, arm pain;
- noise in the ears;
- tingling of the limbs, weakness, tremors.
The main syndromes of cervical spondylosis
Cervical osteochondrosis can occur in different forms in different patients. Doctors combined such symptoms into clinical syndromes.
Heart syndrome
It has symptomatic features similar to angina pectoris. Because of this similarity, there is a serious risk of not treating cardiac ischemia instead of cervical spondylosis. It is characterized by irritation of the nerve roots of the thoracic region or the phrenic nerve. This syndrome is accompanied by long-lasting paroxysmal pain. Tachycardia and extrasystole are observed. But there is no abnormality in the cardiogram.
Irritation-reflex syndrome
It is always accompanied by burning, unbearable pain in the cervical-occipital region, especially sharp when moving. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, manifested by this syndrome, consist of severe pain in the shoulder and chest region.
Radicular syndrome
Better known as cervical sciatica. It appears when the nerve endings of the cervical spine are compressed. When compression of the nerve roots occurs, the pain threshold descends from the neck down to the shoulder blades, moves to the shoulder, forearm and fingers. Possible feeling of pastiness, tingling, goosebumps.
Vertebral artery syndrome
The patient begins to suffer from a burning, throbbing headache in the brow ridges, crown of the head, back of the head and temples, which may be constant or paroxysmal. If the immune system is weakened, dizziness, nausea and possible fainting occur. Hearing acuity decreases, noise is heard in the ears, and the activity of the vestibular apparatus is disturbed. Sometimes there is a significant decrease in vision.
Cervicothoracic spondylosis
Cervicothoracic osteochondrosis symptoms are very similar to cervical spondylosis. But the peculiarity of this complication is that it is often misdiagnosed. It is usually confused with angina pectoris or vegetative-vascular dystonia. Unfortunately, many patients have to take useless drugs until it turns out that the cause of serious diseases is thoracic osteochondrosis.
It is characterized by painful attacks such as intercostal neuralgia, cardiac ischemia or cholecystitis or gastritis. Body movements are very difficult, the patient is afraid to take a deep breath.
Symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis
Symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis also have their own characteristics, their treatment differs little from the general principles of therapy for this disease. The main manifestations of this pathology:
- asthenic syndrome;
- migraine attacks;
- jump in blood pressure;
- lack of coordination;
- double vision or stars in the eyes;
- dizziness;
- neck, chest, heart pain;
- numbness and coldness in the fingers;
- pain in the arms, shoulders, along the ribs;
- constant noise in the ears.
Many patients think that the manifestation of the disease consists only of constant pain, but this is not so. Dangerous complications leading to disability can occur. Advanced osteochondrosis leads to dislocation of the cervical spine, hernias, intercostal neuralgia, radiculitis, and complete deformation of the fingers.
Therefore, if you periodically experience various types of pain or if the symptoms listed above are familiar to you, seek professional help immediately.