Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a change in the cartilaginous and nearby muscle-ligament structures, which leads to the loss of their regenerative capabilities. In the first stages of this process, a gradual decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc is observed. For this reason, there is a violation of metabolic processes in its core and the appearance of cracks in the fibrous ring.
In the absence of timely treatment, osteophytes appear in cartilage tissue and bones. Therefore, the mobility of the cervical spine is significantly reduced, which leads to the appearance of an obvious pain syndrome. According to research conducted in many countries of the world, almost every person between the ages of 30 and 35 has various symptoms of osteochondrosis.
Symptoms of different stages of osteochondrosis
Depending on the stage and severity of the disease, the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis may be:
- Headache;
- noise or ringing in the ears;
- severe nausea;
- lack of coordination;
- pain and wheezing when turning the head;
- deterioration of vision and hearing.
Do not forget that cervical osteochondrosis refers to chronic diseases, the symptoms of which are different depending on a certain stage of the development of the disease. Therefore, the patient may experience some symptoms that indicate a certain stage of changes in the cervical spine:
- Endurable pain in the neck during physical activity, as well as discomfort during normal turns of the head, appears in the initial stage of the disease, when there is a slight decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc of the cervical spine.
- Sharp pain and a feeling of stiffness when turning the neck, as well as during the period of abnormal growth of the cartilage tissue, a decrease in the height of the vertebral disc and the appearance of cracks in the fibrous annulus, crackling and headaches appear.
- Sharp pains in the neck that do not pass for a long time, numbness and partial loss of sensitivity of the skin areas in the neck region are recorded during the rupture of the fibrous ring and the formation of intervertebral tears, as well as deformation of the spine. .
Loss of mobility of the neck and upper shoulder girdle with long-lasting severe pain is one of the clear signs of grade 4 cervical osteochondrosis, in which numerous osteophytes develop and the structures of the intervertebral disc are gradually replaced by scar tissue.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The main cause of problems with the cervical spine is imbalance and overload. As a rule, osteochondrosis occurs due to age-related changes in the spine, damage to the cervical spine or metabolic disorders. In addition, the following factors contribute to the appearance of this disease:
- genetic predisposition. If a person has a congenital weakness of the connective tissue, he may experience dysfunction of the cervicothoracic spine.
- Vertebral instability. Increased mobility of the upper part of the spine often leads to deterioration of the cushioning properties of the intervertebral discs.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The mobility of the cervical spine is very often reduced due to abnormalities in the development of the skeletal system, scoliosis, flat feet and rheumatic diseases.
- Low physical activity. A sedentary and sedentary lifestyle contributes to the deformation of the vertebrae and the degradation of connective tissue.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
In order to determine the causes of the disease, it is mandatory to conduct a survey and examination of the patient, determine the pain zones and the degree of mobility of the spine, and evaluate the quality of reflexes.
Various methods are used to diagnose this disease, including:
- Radiography and multi-slice computed tomography. These instrumental diagnostic methods proved the best for determining changes in the cervical spine in the later stages of the disease, when the lesions of the bones and cartilages of the spinal column are clearly visible.
- magnetic resonance imaging. Currently, this diagnostic method is most often used to identify changes in the cervical spine, because with its help, the doctor can detect the disease at the earliest stage of its occurrence.
- Duplex scanning of the head and neck arteries. This type of instrumental examination is performed to assess the quality of blood flow and to determine vasoconstriction. This method is most often used by doctors to determine the causes of headache and dizziness in patients.
In addition, ultrasound examination of nearby organs, ECG of the heart, blood and urine tests can be prescribed.
Expert opinion
Although this disease cannot be completely cured, you should not be too afraid of it. If adequate measures are taken in time, almost any manifestation of the disease can be minimized. For example, you should learn to constantly monitor the correct position of the body, because this can increase the load on the spine. In addition, we must not forget that some sports are dangerous for the cervical spine.
I strongly advise many of my patients to avoid competitive sports where there is a high risk of injury of any kind. It is better to choose in favor of walking, skiing and swimming. Such physical activity will have a positive effect on all parts of the spine.
Methods of conservative treatment of osteochondrosis
If the disease of the cervical spine is detected at an early stage, conservative methods are used for its treatment. They allow preventing the further development of the disease, eliminating unpleasant symptoms and restoring the mobility of the upper spine.
Conservative treatment of cervical osteochondrosis includes:
- Treatment.In this case, doctors prescribe a number of drugs that allow to effectively relieve pain and stop the inflammatory process. In addition, modern means help restore blood circulation. Hormonal drugs, analgesics, chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants and other drugs in the form of tablets and injections are often used for these purposes.
- Physiotherapy treatment.As a rule, physiotherapy is prescribed in addition to drug therapy. It can be therapeutic massage, acupuncture, laser exposure, magnetotherapy, UHF therapy and other procedures that help to relax neck muscles, relieve spasm and normalize blood circulation.
- Physiotherapy.This is a very important part of cervical spine treatment. The fact is that special physical exercises help not only to strengthen the muscle frame and correct your posture, but also to improve the blood supply to the upper part of the spine. First, the doctor selects 6-8 sets of exercises, and then adds new ones, gradually increasing physical activity.
Methods of surgical treatment of osteochondrosis
In the absence of the effect of conservative methods of treatment or in advanced cases of the disease, it is necessary to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine using surgical methods. The main task of surgeons is to relieve pressure on nerve roots, vessels, spinal cord and other structures in the relevant area.
To solve this problem, the following types of operations are used in the cervical spine:
- microsurgical discectomythe doctor, under the supervision of a microscope, performs the cutting of the intervertebral hernia with incomplete or complete removal of the intervertebral disc;
- laminectomy, which provides partial or complete resection of the vertebral arch, spinous processes, facet joints and ligaments to reduce the load on the spinal cord root;
- endoscopic surgerywith the removal of hernias, tumors and degenerative-dystrophic changes through a miniature entrance using an endoscope;
- laser nucleoplastywith a puncture puncture in which a laser light guide is inserted, which is necessary to remove a small part of the core of the intervertebral disc.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Many patients mistakenly think that cervical osteochondrosis disappears immediately after conservative therapy or surgery. However, any treatment method can only stop or slow down the progress of the disease. Therefore, after a course of treatment, a person will have to observe the following measures to prevent cervical osteochondrosis:
- leading a healthy and active lifestyle;
- avoid heavy loads;
- sleeping on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
- visit the pool regularly;
- perform a number of sports activities;
- be careful when turning your head;
- maintain a balanced diet.
Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation plan is drawn up according to the stage of the pathology, the patient's state of health, as well as age, weight and general well-being. The program may include medical massage, exercise therapy, and physical therapy. This will help to improve health, prevent complications and relapses.
Questions and answers
Which doctor should I consult with cervical spine problems?
Diagnosis and treatment of these problems is carried out by a neurologist and a traumatologist-orthopedic.
What drugs can be used to relieve pain in the cervical spine?
Painkillers should be prescribed by an experienced doctor after examination and comprehensive diagnosis.
If I don't exercise at all, what are the chances of having back problems?
Unfortunately, spine problems eventually appear in almost all people. To prevent serious complications, it is necessary to exercise regularly, as well as take preventive chondroprotectors and multivitamins.