Osteochondrosis of the cervix, in contrast to diseases of other parts of the spine, occurs almost as often in young and old. It is difficult to imagine a person who has never experienced neck pain: it is a "payment" for a sedentary life, constantly sitting at a computer or a study desk on an incline.
Other risk factors include bad habits and eating disorders, being overweight, poor posture and flat feet, and poor physical activity. Even the habit of carrying a bag on one shoulder can eventually lead to osteochondrosis, which is associated with improper load distribution and forced change in the normal position of the spine.
The prevalence of the disease may be the reason for the superficial attitude towards it. But it is important to remember that treating cervical osteochondrosis is a must if you want to prevent unpleasant and dangerous complications.
Why is cervical osteochondrosis dangerous?
Osteochondrosis SHOP is a degenerative disease of the cartilage of the cervical spine, which is also characterized by a violation of the structure and function of the intervertebral discs. This disease is prone to slow progression, however, as the condition of the tissues worsens, other pathologies may occur:
- hernia and protrusion.
- inflammatory processes.
- cervical spine instability and related risks.
- muscle diseases;
- paralysis etc.
One of the common complications is vertebral artery syndrome. It is an attack of pain, accompanied by other signs: loss of balance, blurred vision and hearing, ringing in the ears, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, loss of consciousness, and even temporary speech disorders. Although these are reversible consequences, such symptoms are dangerous and worsen the quality of life, which means that it is necessary to avoid the onset of the syndrome. This is possible with early treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The localization of the pathological process in the cervical spine leads to the appearance of characteristic symptoms:
- crunching when you turn your head.
- headaches;
- dizziness;
- difficulty concentrating;
- fainting, semi-fainting
- pain in the hands, numbness, tingling in the fingers.
- sore throat;
- restriction of neck movement.
- neck muscle spasms
- deterioration of cognitive processes.
If there is a combination of osteochondrosis of many parts (for example, cervical and thoracic), the disease can manifest itself in other places: spasms of the back muscles, chest pain, etc.
In order to choose the right treatment for osteochondrosis of the cervix, it is necessary to assess the degree of development of the pathology, the stage, to clarify the presence or absence of concomitant disorders. First, you should consult a neurologist. Based on complaints, recollection, a survey, and a visual examination of various torso positions, movement, and rest, the physician will send for a comprehensive examination to confirm / clarify the preliminary diagnosis.
The diagnosis of the disease is made by various methods:
- X-ray SHOP?
- CT;
- myelography?
- Magnetic resonance
- ultrasound examination of the vessels of the neck, Doppler ultrasound of the arteries of the brain.
- laboratory tests (for inflammatory processes, etc. ).
In some cases, an accurate detailed diagnosis allows you to see the diseases that accompany osteochondrosis. This allows you to make the right decision in choosing treatment regimens.
The effectiveness of further measures depends on how timely and accurate the diagnosis was made. Despite the presence of specific symptoms, the picture of cervical osteochondrosis is similar to the course of other diseases. Therefore, it is important to differentiate the pathology and make the right choice.
How is the treatment performed?
Osteochondrosis of the cervix is treated surgically or with conservative methods. Surgery is resorted to only in the most extreme cases, the strict indications for intervention are the complete ineffectiveness of conservative methods (for a long time), their inability to use and the rapid progression of the disease.
The treatment regimen is chosen by a neurologist, taking into account the severity, general health, indications and contraindications for specific procedures. Both conservative treatment and the postoperative period require a careful and comprehensive approach. Combine the following methods:
- drug treatment - restores cartilage tissue, relieves pain and inflammation, improves metabolic processes, saturates tissues with oxygen, etc.
- Exercise therapy - regular performance of prescribed exercises corrects posture, strengthens the muscular corset, contributes to the normal tone of the neck muscles and reduces the compression of nerve tissue.
- massage - neck massage allows you to remove sphincters and muscle spasms, restore the normal position of the intervertebral discs and vertebrae and normalize blood flow.
- water aerobics, swimming - a visit to the pool helps to strengthen the muscles, relieve spasms, naturally unload the store and stretch the spine.
- traction therapy - spinal traction allows you to increase the space between the discs, correct the structure of the spine, it is widely used when combining pathologies of different localization.
- Physiotherapy methods for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis - enhance the effect of medication, are designed to stop pain and inflammation of tissues, contribute to their normal recovery, accelerate metabolic processes.
- Dietary diet - the optimal water regime allows you to prevent the loss of water from the cartilage tissues, as well as to ensure the supply of the required amount of vitamins and trace elements.
Active treatment of cervical osteochondrosis lasts up to 3 months, depending on the severity of the condition. However, even after that, it is impossible to forget the health of the spine: the remedial, supportive measures last up to 1 year. Observing optimal physical activity, diet, as well as the abandonment of bad habits are necessary for the whole period of life, this is the basis for effective prevention of the disease.