Do you suffer from back pain and numbness in your limbs?These are the first signs of osteochondrosis.Insufficient mobility in lifestyle, sedentary work, stress on the neck and spine cause the cartilage to wear and lose moisture, leading to damage.
Cervical osteochondrosis involves degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs.Not only are the intervertebral discs damaged, but also the vertebrae and joints in the neck area.If the disease is not treated for a long time, the patient's general well-being worsens: constant headaches, the appearance of a vertebral fracture, deterioration of cerebral circulation, as a result of which cognitive functions decrease.
Reasons for the development of osteochondrosis
An incorrect sitting position in which the neck is pulled forward leads to the development of cervical cancer.This creates excessive pressure on the intervertebral discs, which leads to changes in the nucleus pulposus and compression of the blood vessels.This is the position that a person takes in front of a computer at work.Therefore, office workers are most often exposed to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
In addition, the reasons for the development of pathology may be:
- incorrect load distribution when carrying bags;
- sleeping place that is too soft (the spine bends in an unnatural shape);
- genetic predisposition;
- Lack of vitamins and microelements in the diet;
- Endocrine system disorders;
- Curvature of the spine and poor posture during active growth of the body;
- injuries to the cervical vertebrae;
- Presence of bad habits.
Stages of the disease
Only an experienced doctor, after examination and palpation, can determine whether your pain symptoms are signs of the development of cervical osteochondrosis and at what stage of development the disease is.In total, cervical osteochondrosis goes through four stages of development:
- Nucleus pulposus – the central part of the intervertebral disc experiences moderate dehydration in the first stage.As a result, the supportive and shock-absorbing functions of the intervertebral discs are gradually lost.In the first stage, pain occurs with sudden movements, hypothermia and prolonged stay in one position.
- The second stage of development is characterized by the appearance of congestion and spasms that compress capillaries and blood vessels, preventing normal blood circulation.This causes the frame of the intervertebral disc to become thinner and a bulge occurs (bulging forward or backward).Under the influence of excessive load, osteophytes form on the cervical vertebrae.Pain sensations are localized in one place;Sudden rotations and tilts of the head can cause dislocation of the cervical vertebrae.
- The thinning of the intervertebral discs causes extrusions.The edge of the nucleus pulposus breaks through the fibrous ring and extends beyond the edges of the vertebral body.Muscles and nerve endings are compressed.Pain occurs in the neck, back and limbs.
- In the fourth stage of the disease, the intervertebral discs shift and central and lateral hernias form.In addition, scars form on the intervertebral discs, leading to immobility of the affected joint.The patient experiences constant back pain that radiates to other parts of the body, a constant feeling of fatigue, and asymmetry of body parts occurs.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifest themselves differently depending on the stage of development of the pathology.In the early stages it can have virtually no symptoms.Pain in the neck and back can only occur when you stay in one position for a long time or bend or twist sharply.
In later stages of development, a grinding sound is heard in the spine, back pain radiates to other limbs, and numbness occurs in parts of the body.Osteophyte formation and extrusion result in:
- Headache in the back of the head and in the vertex area;
- Speech disorders and numbness of the tongue;
- decreased sensitivity of the neck skin;
- breathing disorders;
- changes in blood pressure;
- heartbeat disorders;
- noise and stuffy ears;
- fainting.
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are significantly more pronounced in women than in men.This is because women have a predisposition to vascular diseases and a more fragile structure of the bone segments of the spine.Signs of the disease appear when the intervertebral discs change.This leads to disruption of normal blood circulation and causes severe headaches, dizziness and neuroses.The disease often worsens in women during menopause, when the body undergoes hormonal changes.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men are similar to those in women;Erectile dysfunction can be observed separately.
Headaches in cervical osteochondrosis are caused by poor blood circulation in the brain and spinal cord.If the vertebrae are misaligned, the arteries are compressed and the oxygen content in the blood decreases.Unfortunately, this pain may not go away even after taking strong painkillers.Therefore, it is important to approach the solution to the problem comprehensively.Dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis may be accompanied by darkening of the eyes and the appearance of tinnitus.This happens because cramped muscles lead to reduced oxygen supply to the brain.
A lump in the throat with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine as well as burning, difficulty breathing and muscle cramps are common.The disease leads to compression of the nerve fibers of the cervical spine in the head and neck area.Disturbances in nerve impulses cause sore throats.
Due to spasms of blood vessels and irritation of nerve endings, jumps in blood pressure occur.Increased negative pressure in osteochondrosis indicates that the blood supply to certain areas of the brain is impaired due to compression of the vertebral artery by the intervertebral discs.As a result, there is a lack of oxygen and blood pressure rises.
How is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine diagnosed?
Diagnosis of a pathology begins with consultation with a specialist.At the first manifestations of osteochondrosis, consult a rheumatologist, neurologist, surgeon or traumatologist-orthopedist.The doctor will ask you about the symptoms and how often they occur;You must provide the specialist with a complete medical history and the results of previous studies (if any).The specialist will conduct a visual examination and palpation and refer you for tests.During the examination, the doctor pays special attention to the mobility of the neck, muscle tone and skin sensitivity, identifying the most painful areas.
To identify the condition of muscles, ligaments and blood vessels and detect inflammatory processes or tumors, a meaningful and safe diagnostic method is prescribed - MRI of the cervical spine.During an MRI of osteochondrosis, the patient lies on his back on a special sliding table.To relieve muscle tension, rollers are placed on the patient's head and the limbs are secured with straps.Any slight movement during the procedure can affect the quality of the result.The table then moves into the tomography area.The procedure does not cause any pain.The tomograph makes a lot of noise when scanning, so you can use headphones to avoid inconvenience.
If MRI is contraindicated, there are other diagnostic methods such as computed tomography and radiography.X-rays are only suitable for primary diagnosis and do not provide a layer-by-layer image of the affected tissue.However, this study is the simplest and most economical and allows examining the patient's body in several projections.Due to the body's high levels of radiation, x-rays cannot be performed frequently.
A computed tomography scan involves performing a scan using one or more beams of ionizing radiation.They pass through the human body and are detected by detectors.The detectors move in opposite directions along the patient's body and record up to 6 million signals.The image shows tissue of different densities with precise definition of the organ boundaries and the affected areas in the form of a section.This procedure allows you to obtain a layer-by-layer image.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis is determined only by a doctor after examination, study of the medical history and obtaining the results of hardware diagnostics.If the disease was diagnosed at an early stage, treatment is carried out using conservative methods.When treating osteochondrosis, it is important to take an integrated approach - take medications, do physiotherapy, do therapeutic massages and avoid heavy physical activity.
First, you need to relieve the pain.For this purpose, analgesics and local painkillers are prescribed.An orthopedic collar is prescribed for severe muscle spasms.After eliminating the pain syndrome, it is necessary to stop the inflammatory process and restore normal blood circulation.For this purpose, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapy is carried out.Therapeutic exercises and swimming are prescribed as additional measures.You can do physical exercises both at home and with a trainer.
If osteochondrosis has become severe, the doctor may prescribe surgery.In rare cases, surgery is resorted to when the pathology develops against the background of other diseases - scoliosis, herniated disc, curvature or displacement of the spine, injuries.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women does not differ much from treatment in men.However, doctors often recommend external compresses to women to warm up and strengthen the neck muscles.
Experts recommend preventing various back diseases in early childhood.To do this, you need to maintain the correct posture when walking and sitting at your desk.Good nutrition and proper strengthening of the back muscles will help you avoid negative consequences in the future.