Cervical osteochondrosis is a very common disease that affects both men and women alike. In addition, age does not play a significant role here. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are found not only in the elderly, whose pathology is a consequence of the process of natural aging. The disease is becoming more and more common in young people, and in most cases they are to blame.
The reasons for the development of pathology
This damage to the spine has a degenerative-dystrophic character. That is, in the vertebrae, as well as in all their structural elements, pathological changes occur, which can no longer be reversed in the later stages. This type of osteochondrosis is considered the most dangerous, as its consequence is the violation of the main nerve roots and blood vessels that supply the brain. That is, over time, the spine ceases to function normally along its entire length.
The following reasons for the development of the disease can be distinguished:
- Lifting and moving heavy objects.
- Important sports loads.
- Improper weight transfer.
- Long-term compliance with a static attitude: working on a computer, writing notes, reading books, office work. This is the main reason for young people.
- Genetic factor.
Of course, inflammatory processes that have occurred in the spine or other parts of the body can also cause osteochondrosis of the neck. Other reasons are not excluded: hypothermia, trauma, surgery.
Classification of symptoms
Therefore, treatment of the spine should be done only after an accurate diagnosis has been given to the patient. For this, the doctor must know the clinical picture of the patient, as well as apply all the methods of organoleptic examination. The symptoms that appear in the patient depend on the degree of damage to the body systems:
- Most of the symptoms on the part of the brain are due to reduced blood circulation due to vascular compression.
- The picture of peripheral nerve damage occurs due to compression of the nerve roots coming out of the vertebral foramen
- Serious neurological disorders occur in the later stages of the disease due to spinal cord injury.
You can now look in more detail at the main signs of cervical osteochondrosis.
The most common symptoms of pathology
Despite the fact that it contributed to the appearance of the problem, the clinical picture is almost always the same in all patients. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has the following symptoms:
- Painful sensations. They are located on the neck, the back of the head and the collar area. The pain can also spread to the shoulders, chest, skeletal key. Frequent migraines are characteristic of osteochondrosis. Gradually, the discomfort becomes pain, for years. Worsening of the pathology causes pain in movement. The muscles are very tense at the same time. Sometimes just one injection - an anesthetic block - can eliminate this symptom.
- Tinnitus, clogged sensation. This occurs as a result of the deterioration of the blood supply to the vestibular device.
- Dizziness. It is caused by a lack of oxygen, as the inner ear is poorly supplied with blood. This situation is also accompanied by uncontrolled irregular movements of students.
- Fainting, from which the patient comes out quite quickly, if there is an improvement in blood circulation in the affected area.
- Feeling short of breath. The onset of symptoms is due to irritation of the phrenic nerve. That is, the patient simply can not take a deep breath. Also snoring and may suddenly stop breathing. Over time, the patient develops dyspnea and suffocation attacks. Further oxygen starvation will damage the brain tissue, resulting in reduced attention and memory.
- Motion sickness. Sometimes any movement of the body or head is accompanied by vomiting, which is difficult to control. The patient's appetite is disturbed, the weight is reduced.
- Vision problems. Osteochondrosis of the cervix can cause a symptom such as "flies" before the eyes or fog, reduced severity, violation of the focus of the gaze. In addition, exercise or the use of glasses can not correct the problem.
- Pressure change. This condition occurs due to spasm of the arteries. The patient may even lose consciousness.
- Dry and amorphous feeling in the throat. Sometimes this is the only symptom that says the throat is affected. Therefore, osteochondrosis in this case can easily be confused with other pathologies.
- Temperature rise. This symptom is unusual. In addition, it is not the core temperature that changes, but the local temperature. The skin around the neck becomes warm and red.
- Limited mobility. The neck appears to be wedged. And you can also hear an unpleasant squeak and a lump in the throat when you turn your head.
- Weakness in the hands and a burning sensation between the shoulders.
- Decreased coordination of movements, which affects the patient's gait
Some of the signs of cervical osteochondrosis mentioned above are not specific. This makes it somewhat difficult to diagnose the disease, as a person does not turn to specialists in a timely manner.
The symptoms of the disease, depending on the degree of its development
Depending on the symptoms observed in the patient, what is their prevalence and intensity, we can talk about the stage of development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Each grade has its own characteristics:
- First stage. Accompanied by periodic headaches, discomfort in the neck, shoulders, arms. There is a slight limitation of mobility. In the area of the collar, there may be a slight reduction in skin sensitivity. At this stage, treatment is practically not performed, as patients do not seek medical help. Some patients try to treat osteochondrosis at home using folk remedies.
- Second level. In the cervical spine, the pain intensifies, an unpleasant crisis is heard. In the area of the shoulders, as well as in the hands, a serious violation of sensitivity occurs. The headaches at this stage practically do not disappear, the patient's vision worsens, noise appears in the head and ears and the clarity of the reflex tendons decreases. During an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, shooting pains appear, radiating below the scapula. Here it is no longer possible not to notice the symptoms of the disease and the patient tries to see a doctor. However, it is no longer possible to get rid of defeat completely. It will only be possible to slow down its further development.
- Third stage. Here the collagen fibers of the disc have already been damaged, the appearance of a itchy protrusion. The attachment of the vertebrae is interrupted and they begin to fall. Outbreaks may even occur. The patient shows very severe pain in the neck and heart, there is paralysis and paralysis of the upper extremities, the spine is bent. Reflex tendons at this stage of osteochondrosis development are almost absent. A complication of this degree of cervical osteochondrosis is a spinal stroke.
If a person "saves" from illness at home without consulting a doctor, then this behavior can lead to disability.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can not be completely cured, but timely and proper treatment can slow its progression.
What syndromes cause osteochondrosis?
Thus, there are certain sets of symptoms that indicate that a person has a specific syndrome. If there is not at least one sign, then you do not need to talk about such a pathological condition.
There are many syndromes caused by osteochondrosis of the cervix:
- Radical. Alternatively, it can be called "cervical rhizocitis". It occurs as a result of stinging nerves. It is characterized by the following symptoms: the presence of pain that radiates to the shoulders, runs along the shoulder and extends to the forearms and fingers. the appearance of a "fly" in front of the eyes. tingling in fingers, forearms, hands. The location of the symptoms may vary depending on the pair of roots that have been damaged.
- Irritant reflex. It is characterized by acute pain in the neck and occiput, which occurs due to movement after sleep, during sneezing. Unpleasant sensations can be given to the chest.
- Spinal artery syndrome. Here are the following symptoms: loss of consciousness, nausea, severe headache in nature, extending to the parietal, temporal and occipital parts of the skull. The patient is characterized by weakness, hearing problems, eye pain and blurred vision.
- Cardiac. It has a peculiarity - it is easy to confuse it with angina attack, so the prescribed treatment may turn out to be wrong. If the patient is diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms of heart syndrome are as follows: suddenly there is pain, which increases with the slightest movement. tachycardia; the inability to stop the attack with special heart pills that promote coronary artery dilation. At the same time, there are no signs of circulatory disorders on the cardiogram.
As osteochondrosis is chronic, its exacerbations occur periodically. The intensity of the symptoms increases. Emotions can remain for a long time and only an anesthetic injection can remove them. The tablets may not be effective.
How is the pathology diagnosed?
In order to accurately determine the severity of osteochondrosis, to determine the extent of vertebral destruction, the patient must undergo a thorough examination. Includes the following procedures:
- External examination of the patient.
- Neurological examinations.
- Double scan or Doppler ultrasound of blood vessels.
- Magnetic resonance.
- CT.
- X-ray of the cervical spine in two views.
- Electrocardiogram.
Laboratory tests in this case are not informative. Although sometimes prescribed to determine the cause of the development of osteochondrosis.
Characteristics of the treatment of pathology
Thus, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be carried out in the early stages. In addition, a patient can take the necessary medication, do therapeutic exercises at home, but only after a thorough examination and consultation with specialists.
The treatment must be complete. It is not enough just to remove the symptoms of the pathology. It is necessary to try to restore the functionality of the cervical spine. For this, a person needs medications (analgesics, hormones, vitamin complexes, chondroprotective drugs), as well as therapeutic exercises.
To eliminate the intense pain that the pills can not stop, a special injection is used, which is made in the cross-joint area. However, this exclusion method can only be used a few times a year.
In addition to drug therapy, the patient is offered physiotherapy procedures: massage, ultrasound and ultraviolet therapy. If conservative treatment does not work, then the patient is prescribed surgery. But it is rather an extreme measure and it is better not to leave the disease in such a state.