Musculoskeletal disorders are among the most common diseases on earth.Few people manage to avoid them completely, especially after 40 years, although experts admit that problems with the spine, muscles and joints have become “younger” and very young people are increasingly complaining of pain.
This is due to a lifestyle that is already familiar to many: inactivity, staying in one position for a long time (most often behind devices and monitors), lack of physical activity.This disrupts posture, salts and other pollutants accumulate in the body, the functions of the musculoskeletal system are disrupted and, as a result, internal organs can become deformed.
The most common of these diseases is osteochondrosis, which affects both the elderly and relatively young people, and in osteochondrosis problems with the lumbosacral and cervical spine.The second most common form of osteochondrosis, cervical, is an unpleasant disease that progresses and, without treatment, significantly worsens the quality of life and even becomes disabled.This means that you need to recognize the symptoms of this disease in a timely manner and immediately contact an orthopedist or vertebral doctor for treatment.
How does cervical osteochondrosis develop?
If a person leads a sedentary lifestyle or is in the same position for a long time due to work, the risk of developing osteochondrosis is very high.As the disease progresses, changes occur in the intervertebral discs, they deform and change their structure.
Between the vertebrae there are intervertebral discs whose job is to support the spine, making it flexible and strong.There are seven vertebrae in the neck, with the help of which the head is supported and rotated, the neck is flexed, and so on.The cervical vertebrae are very close to each other, so even minor physical exertion can cause them to become injured and displaced.The danger of the disease lies in the fact that it affects the nerve endings of the spinal nerves, thereby damaging the vessels that supply blood to the brain.The brain, in turn, does not receive enough vital substances, which can lead to the development of a number of other, more serious diseases that can lead to disability and even death of the patient.
There are many reasons for the appearance and development of cervical osteochondrosis.Among the most common and common reasons are the following:
- disturbed metabolism in the body, especially in the neck area, hormonal imbalance;
- salt deposition;
- low physical activity, sedentary lifestyle;
- staying in one position for a long time (at the computer, driving, etc.);
- poor diet;
- obesity;
- neck injuries and bruises;
- hypothermia of the body.
Osteochondrosis also occurs against the background of chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, such as scoliosis or rheumatism.
In addition, a genetic predisposition of the body often leads to osteochondrosis.
But whatever the reasons, osteochondrosis must be treated as soon as the first symptoms appear.
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis in this part of the spine does not always occur suddenly and unexpectedly.Most often it develops slowly and the symptoms intensify over time and their number increases.The more the vertebrae are damaged and the nerve roots are pinched, the more noticeable the symptoms become.
The first symptom you need to pay attention to is pain in the cervical spine of varying degrees of intensity, radiating to other parts of the body - the back of the head, forehead, ears, forearm, shoulder, chest, etc. If you feel pain, you should consult a doctor to determine whether it is actually osteochondrosis, which is often similar in symptoms to other diseases.
Other signs of osteochondrosis
- Neck pain increases with exertion or turning of the head;
- the patient feels numbness, burning or tingling in the limbs;
- Headaches and dizziness, loss of strength are common, the patient may complain of darkening and spots in the eyes, tinnitus;
- If you suddenly turn your head, fainting is likely.
Cervical osteochondrosis is also characterized by:
- lack of coordination;
- pain in the heart area;
- Deterioration of vision and hearing.
Types of osteochondrosis
Depending on the type of pinched nerve and the nature of the disease, doctors distinguish different syndromes:
- radicular syndrome;
- vertebral artery syndrome;
- Cardiac syndrome.
In radicular syndrome, the first pair of cervical nerve endings are pinched.The pain is felt in the neck and radiates to the shoulder blade, lower back, shoulder and forearm.
With vertebral artery syndrome, the patient feels throbbing pain in the back of the head or temples or a burning pain in the neck, back of the head, which increases when turning the head, during sleep, when coughing and radiates to the chest and shoulder.
In cardiac syndrome, the symptoms initially resemble angina pectoris, but the pain does not disappear after taking nitroglycerin, lasts for several hours and can worsen with movement and deep breathing.
Symptoms of damage to certain vertebrae
Treatment of osteochondrosis is prescribed depending on which nerve ending was damaged.There are eight of them in total, each of them is located above the cervical vertebra.You can determine which vertebrae are affected by the symptoms corresponding to a specific nerve root.
Damage to the nerve ending and its characteristic pain
- first and second sections: limited sensitivity of the back of the head, pain in the vertex and back of the head area;
- third section: numbness in the neck in the pinched area, speech disorders, sensitivity of the tongue;occurs very rarely;
- Fourth section: Pain and numbness in the collarbone and/or shoulder, respiratory diseases, pain in the heart area;
- fifth section: pain in the shoulder, pain in the outer surface of the shoulder, limited sensitivity of the limbs;
- sixth and seventh sections: pain in the neck, shoulder blade, forearm, back, lower back, reduced sensitivity of the hands and fingers;most common lesion;
- Eighth section: pain in the neck, back, elbows, numbness of the little fingers of all extremities, cyanosis of the legs and hands due to poor blood circulation, lack of skin sensitivity, radiation to the legs.
Diagnosis and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
In order to reliably make the diagnosis of “cervical osteochondrosis”, you must consult a doctor.Many symptoms of osteochondrosis are similar to signs of other diseases.Therefore, it is important not only to start treating osteochondrosis in a timely manner, but also not to miss other pathologies.
If osteochondrosis is suspected and signs of pinched nerve endings, the doctor prescribes an X-ray;in case of insufficient data, computer or magnetic resonance imaging, Doppler ultrasound and duplex scan.
Based on the research data, the type of pain syndrome and the combination of other symptoms, it is possible to determine which intervertebral discs are damaged and to initiate the necessary treatment that will restore the affected vertebrae and nerve roots and prevent the development of complications of osteochondrosis.
Treatment is prescribed by a doctor and is usually complex.Firstly, it is intended to relieve the pain symptoms, which are sometimes almost unbearable in cervical osteochondrosis and spread not only to the neck, but also to other parts of the body.
For this purpose, painkillers in tablet form are used, but if the pain is too severe, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as warming and pain-relieving ointments are also indicated.
Because medications and ointments only relieve pain and other symptoms of neck osteochondrosis, but do not eliminate its cause.After the pain subsides, the patient is prescribed massages, physiotherapy and physical therapy.The patient is prescribed a diet, medications to improve blood circulation and support body functions in tablet form and injections, as well as chondroprotectors that help protect and restore intervertebral disc tissue.
In some cases, the patient is prescribed baths, paraffin baths, reflexology and hirudotherapy as additional treatment.Traditional methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis also often quickly help the patient return to a normal lifestyle, but they should only be used in combination with traditional methods and after consulting a doctor, since traditional medicine may have contraindications and the use of its recipes can harm an organism already weakened by the disease.
Complications and prevention of the disease
Do not forget: treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be started as soon as possible.The longer you wait to see a doctor, the more difficult it will be to cure the disease, and in the meantime various complications may arise.Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is very dangerous because in this section there are many blood vessels and nerve plexuses that supply the brain.
Any disorder can lead to problems with cerebral circulation and neurological disorders, including migraines and high blood pressure, and can affect the heart, respiratory system, hearing and vision.
If you start osteochondrosis, more serious consequences are possible in the form of cerebral ischemia, stroke of the spine or radiculopathy - a disease in which processes form on the affected vertebrae that partially or completely deprive the body of sensitivity and mobility.However, this is not the worst thing, since in severe cases of osteochondrosis the spinal cord is compressed, which can lead to the death of the patient.
Therefore, it is very important to listen to the symptoms as early as possible and contact a specialist who will help you return to a full life.And to avoid a disease such as cervical osteochondrosis, you need to move more, not avoid physical activity, monitor your weight, eat a healthy and balanced diet, and regularly visit an orthopedist or vertebral doctor.