Cervical osteochondrosis is a progressive degenerative-dystrophic damage of the intervertebral discs located between the first 7 vertebrae. Vertebrae 1-7 belong to the cervical spine.
Pathological changes against the background of osteochondrosis lead to deformation of the vertebrae, which ultimately disrupts their blood supply, nerve conduction in the neck area, and innervation areas of damaged nerves.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be an independent disease or can be combined with osteochondrosis of other parts - thoracic and lumbar.
Main symptoms
The leading symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain, the localization and nature of which depends on the location of the lesion. It is often felt in the neck area, one or both arms.
This disease is characterized by unilateral pain, and any part of the arm can hurt - shoulder, forearm, hand and even fingers. Many patients complain of headaches and dizziness.
The pain syndrome can also be felt in the chest, supraclavicular region or spread along the back. For some, the pain is concentrated at the base of the neck or throat.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by various symptoms and is often accompanied by impaired touch sensitivity, muscle weakness, reduced vision and hearing, rapid heartbeat and panic attacks.
Attention! Sometimes osteochondrosis is complicated by vertebral artery syndrome, which may require urgent hospitalization of the patient.
First signs
In the early stages, the manifestations of osteochondrosis are more reminiscent of ordinary fatigue after a busy day and occur periodically. Discomfort and pain in the neck in the evening, heaviness and pain in the head, mainly in the occipital region. Possible crunching and creaking when turning the head.
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are more obvious than in men and are often accompanied by an unstable psycho-emotional state. In addition, men suffer less from this disease.
Exacerbation of chondrosis often occurs during menopause, when hormonal changes occur in the female body and the immune system weakens. Certain difficulties arise with diagnosis due to symptoms similar to those of many other diseases.
The severity of symptoms depends on the stage of the disease, the nature and degree of spinal damage
Men are less likely to react to small things, such as a crack in the neck, and often simply do not notice suspicious symptoms. Moreover, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men may not appear for a long time, which is explained by the peculiarities of anatomy.
Men naturally have more developed and stronger muscles, which provide additional support to the spine. The muscular framework serves as a kind of armor that protects the vertebrae and prevents their deformation.
Vertebral artery syndrome (VAS)
The clinical picture of SPA is usually represented by several symptoms, but only one of the possible ones can be observed:
- headache with predominant localization at the back of the head and at the base of the skull - basilar migraine accompanied by classic symptoms: loss of coordination, nausea causing vomiting, tinnitus, less often - speech disorder;
- dizziness when turning the head. They may be accompanied by vomiting, darkening of the eyes and impaired coordination of movements;
- eye fatigue from stress, flickering of the spots and bright flashes in front of the eyes, loss of visual fields in some places. Patients may complain of pain, redness and feeling of sand in the eyeballs, inflammation of the conjunctiva;
- constant or episodic tinnitus, the nature of which varies depending on the position of the neck. There may be mild deafness, tinnitus, and unresponsiveness to quiet sounds. In some cases, paracusia was noted - selective hearing of sounds, which a person hears better in the presence of extraneous noise than in complete silence;
- autonomic symptoms always occur when osteochondrosis worsens and are most often combined with other symptoms. These may include hot flashes or chills, increased sweating, cold feet and hands, feeling short of breath, increased blood pressure, and poor sleep;
- TIA - transient ischemic attacks - is accompanied by mechanical compression of the vertebral artery and is manifested by double vision, temporary partial blindness with loss of visual fields, dizziness with vomiting, impaired speech and swallowing functions;
- Fainting can be the result of sudden turns of the head or its uncomfortable position. The loss of consciousness lasts for different periods and leaves weakness in the limbs;
- drop attacks are sudden falls, usually without loss of consciousness, caused by a sudden rush of blood to the brain when the head is thrown back. The immediate cause is paralysis of the legs, but motor function is restored quite quickly.
Headache and dizziness
Most patients with cervical chondrosis have this symptom, but they may not. The cause of dizziness is associated with compression of the main arteries and blood vessels, which disrupts the transport of oxygen to the nerve tissue of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord.
Under the influence of mechanical damage to spinal structures and chronic ischemia of nerve fibers, sensitivity increases and irritation of nerve endings occurs, which ultimately causes cervical vertigo.
A headache caused by chondrosis can be distinguished by its location at the back of the head. However, there are not quite typical cases where the whole head or one side hurts
Dizziness can be accompanied by uncertainty of movements, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased sweating in the face and shoulder area.
Headache is a frequent companion of cervical chondrosis. It is paroxysmal in nature, the duration of the attack varies from several hours to several days. The intensity of the pain varies, but it manifests itself with an enviable regularity.
Headache is caused by compression of the vertebral artery due to changes in the position of the vertebrae and discs. Due to compression of the vein, the blood supply to the brain is disturbed, which causes pain.
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The cause of pain can also be muscle spasm, which is characteristic of osteochondrosis.
Panic attacks
Panic attacks are also associated with reduced brain nutrition and cause the following symptoms:
- attacks of fever or chills, increased body temperature;
- numbness, tingling in the limbs, muscle cramps, motor impairment;
- dizziness, loss of coordination, darkening of the eyes;
- pain in the chest behind the sternum or to the left, rapid pulse, increased blood pressure;
- insomnia, fear of death or mental confusion, confusion;
- shortness of breath, difficulty breathing to the point of suffocation, swelling in the throat;
- discomfort and pain in the abdomen, indigestion, frequent urination.
Sore throat
Osteochondrosis throat usually hurts when the 4th cervical vertebra is damaged or displaced. Localization is usually unilateral, as the vertebrae and discs move to one side.
Sore throat occurs as a result of nerve compression of the pharyngeal muscles.
Due to compression of the roots, spasm and tension of the pharyngeal muscles, accompanied by pain, occur. Heaviness and fullness are felt in the throat, it becomes difficult to breathe. However, there are no mechanical obstacles to free breathing and swallowing, and there are no foreign bodies or tumors in the esophagus and larynx.
For tonsillitis or sore throat, it is typical that drugs for rinsing and inhalation do not work.
The source of pain is in the area between the thyroid cartilage and the neck cavity. The nature of the pain varies from mild to debilitating.
Treatment
Complex treatment of cervical osteochondrosis consists of several methods - taking medication, doing therapeutic exercises, participating in physiotherapy and massage sessions. If you want, you can use folk remedies and make various compresses, make infusions and decoctions.
In case of exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to observe bed rest. Moreover, you need to sleep on a flat and fairly hard, flexible surface - a rocking sofa or a feather bed will not work.
Attention! Severe pain requires immediate medical attention.
To straighten the cervical spine, the doctor may prescribe a Schantz collar. It supports the neck in an anatomically correct position, eliminating movement and therefore pain.
Medicines are selected taking into account the existing symptoms and diagnostic results. If hernias and protrusions are detected, treatment can be done surgically.
| Narcotics | Activity |
| Active ingredient: Pentoxifylline | It improves brain circulation, dilates blood vessels, relaxes smooth muscles, and reduces the frequency of nerve signals. |
| Preparations with chondroitin and glucosamine | Restoration of cartilage tissue of discs, slowing down of degenerative processes |
| Muscle relaxants | Elimination of muscle spasms |
| Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | Relief of the inflammatory process, tissue swelling |
| Analgesics | Pain relief |
| Opioids | For severe pain that cannot be relieved by conventional means |
| B, A, C vitamins, vitamin complexes with calcium | Strengthens nerve, muscle and bone tissue, has a general healing effect |
| Antidepressants and sedatives | Coping with stress caused by constant pain |
Treatment at home
It is not recommended to stay at home for a long time and observe bed rest, and it is necessary to move to active activities after acute symptoms subside. You should start with simple exercises and gradually move to more intense ones.
Performing neck exercises helps to strengthen the neck muscles, thereby preventing relapses of flare-ups.
Exercise 1 - stretch yourself. Stand low with your arms along your body, tilt your head to the right and at the same time reach down with your left hand. Stay in this position and repeat the exercise on the other side.
Exercise 2 - self-massage. Put the towel on your shoulders and pull them in one direction or another, holding the edges.
Exercise 3 – turning the head to the left and right, bending to the right and then to the left shoulder.
Exercise 4 - the same as the opposite movement with your hand: when turning or bending, press your temple, creating additional resistance.
Tips for preventing osteochondrosis
Tip #1
Physical education is the main way to fight the aging of the body and the development of intervertebral disc dystrophy. It is usually enough to exercise daily and visit the pool at least once a week. All this allows you to strengthen the muscular corset of the spine.
Tip #2
Even a healthy person needs massage sessions, it is recommended to do them every year.
Tip #3
It is very important to monitor your weight and not gain extra pounds.
Tip #4
When working in a forced position for a long time, it is necessary to take breaks, change the body position and warm up.
Tip #5
Proper nutrition means taking enough vitamins and microelements with food.
Tip #6
Try not to lift or carry heavy objects, and wear a supportive corset if you must.
Frequently asked questions
When should you see a doctor urgently?
Reasons for immediate consultation and even calling an ambulance:
- persistent numbness of arms or legs;
- severe pain that is not relieved by conventional analgesics;
- movement disorder;
- severe headache, dizziness, loss of coordination and other symptoms of cerebrovascular accident;
- The "blockage" of the spine in a certain position sharply limits the movements.
Is it possible to cure chondrosis forever?
No, it is a chronic disease with periodic exacerbations. After treatment and following all the doctor's recommendations, the cartilage in the affected area of the disc is replaced by scar tissue. That is, the structure of the segment has already been damaged and this process is irreversible. However, with some patient effort, a high quality of life can be achieved.