Osteochondrosis of the cervix is considered the most common spinal disease in people of working age. Persistent degenerative-dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs consistently lead to pathological changes in the vertebrae and ligament apparatus.
The disease is rarely detected in the early stages of its development, as a sick person at first may confuse his symptoms with ordinary fatigue or mental stress.
But it is with the first violations that it is possible through conservative treatment and lifestyle change to prevent a further pathological process in the cervical spine.
Symptoms indicating cervical osteochondrosis
The most common signs of cervical osteochondrosis include:
- Pain. Painful sensations of varying severity can be not only in the neck but also in the hands and head.
- Weakness in the upper limbs. Occurs due to damage to the root of the motor nerves that innervate the muscles of the hands.
- Decreased sensitivity occurs when a sensory nerve is compressed and damaged.
- Restriction of movements in the neck.
- Dizziness.
- Loss of coordination in motion.
- With severe compression, the blood supply to the brain deteriorates significantly and this can lead to vision impairment, neurological disorders, and hearing loss.
Osteochondrosis of the cervix with a long course impairs the functioning of the lungs and heart. The most characteristic symptoms of osteochondrosis in the cervical region are pain and dizziness, they have their own developmental characteristics.
Pain in osteochondrosis of the cervix
Painful manifestations in people with cervical osteochondrosis occur due to damage to the peripheral parts of the nervous system. Painful sensations can be constant, they are defined in medicine by the term cervical pain, and the pain can also appear suddenly, sharply, i. e. a "neck chamber" develops.
The main role in the development of pain is assigned to painful impulses leaving the receptors present in the region of the pathologically altered part of the spine.
Pain in osteochondrosis has the following characteristics:
- Neck pain occurs mainly in the morning. Aggravated by turning, uncomfortable movements, coughing. From the neck, the pain can spread to the shoulders, upper back and chest. Gradually, by evening, the pain becomes less pronounced.
- Periodically, a sick person may experience sharp pains, they are described as "shots", "pierced".
- The pain often radiates to the arm and reaches the hand, where it manifests itself with numbness of the fingers.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervix is a common cause of recurrent pain in the occipital region of the head.
- Pain in the chest area is possible, such a disturbance in its manifestations often resembles cardiac pathology.
Pain in osteochondrosis of the cervix leads to restriction of movement, to muscle stiffness. In addition to pain, there is also decreased sensitivity in the neck, arm and shoulder girdle.
Dizziness
Dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis occurs due to violation of the permeability of blood vessels that supply and supply oxygen to different parts of the brain.
The degree of vascular compression affects the intensity and duration of vertigo. The onset of these symptoms of osteochondrosis is often accompanied by:
- sensation of rocking the floor under your feet;
- loss of balance;
- nausea;
- tinnitus;
- deterioration of vision, flies fluttering and flashing before the eyes.
Dizziness can be stopped after rest and immobility ensured, but this phenomenon will completely disappear only after a course of treatment for osteochondrosis.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
The changes that occur in osteochondrosis in the cervical spine are due to malnutrition and blood circulation. A similar pathology develops under the influence of the following reasons:
- Disturbed metabolism.
- Hypodynamics, i. e. insufficient physical activity.
- Transfer injuries.
- Constant forced body position. Prolonged neck muscle tension often occurs in drivers, office workers.
- Abnormalities in the development of the spine, these include scoliosis, wrong posture.
In recent years, there has been a tendency to increase the number of patients with cervical osteochondrosis in adolescents. Doctors attribute this to computer games and nervous strain.
Treatment
Medication treatment of patients diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis should be started as soon as possible. This prevents further changes in the spinal tissues and quickly improves overall well-being.
Below we will review the main groups of drugs used in the treatment of osteochondrosis.
| Name of the bar / group | Application |
|---|---|
| NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) | These medications reduce inflammation and swelling, under the influence of which the pain disappears. |
| Vasodilators (agents against platelets) | Drugs that improve blood circulation and nourish damaged nerves. |
| Muscle relaxants | Medications that relieve muscle spasm. |
| vitamin B | Set to improve the flow of metabolic processes in the body. |
| Chondroprotectors | Medications that restore pathologically altered cartilage tissue. |
| Analgesics | Recipes for severe pain. |
Since NVPS has a number of side effects, the dose of drugs and the overall course of their use should be chosen by a physician individually for each patient. Be sure to consider all contraindications.
Home treatment
Against the background of drug therapy and during the recovery period, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is carried out with other methods. The most common group of them includes herbal medicine, exercise therapy, physiotherapy, adherence to a special diet. All these methods help to improve metabolic processes, normalize blood circulation, strengthen the muscular corset and reduce inflammatory reactions. Compliance with the whole complex of therapeutic measures allows you to get rid not only of unpleasant sensations, but also to prevent further pathological changes in the discs and vertebrae.
exercise
After relieving acute pain in patients with osteochondrosis, the doctor recommends performing physical exercises. Specially selected exercise therapy strengthens the muscles of the neck and the entire spine, improves disc nutrition and blood circulation.
In the early stages of osteochondrosis development, it is the exercises that lead to the full restoration of joint mobility.
The simplest exercises for cervical osteochondrosis are tilting the head to the sides, forward, backward. A doctor who will take into account all the changes in the spine identified during the examination of the patient will help you choose the right set of exercises.
Plants
The use of herbs for osteochondrosis aims to relieve inflammation, swelling and improve metabolic processes in the body. The following recipes are popular:
- 10 grams of bread, 40 grams of birch leaves and 50 grams of willow bark should be chopped and mixed well. The liquid is prepared from two tablespoons of the collection and half a liter of water, all this is boiled for 10 minutes, injected and cooled. You should drink this decoction in a glass twice a day for at least two weeks.
- Horseradish compresses. A horseradish leaf should be soaked in boiling water, glued to the neck and fastened with a scarf. Such a compress is best done at night, when you use it, you will feel a slight burning sensation.
Lifestyle
Proper nutrition in osteochondrosis will contribute to the normalization of metabolism. Difficult diets for this disease do not exist, except when you need to lose weight, because changes in the discs often occur with obesity.
Make sure you have protein in the daily menu for people with osteochondrosis, they are found in meat, dairy products, fish, poultry, legumes, whole grains. Protein is well absorbed if these products are combined with plant foods.
Strong coffee, tea, alcohol should be abandoned, as these drinks do not allow the absorption of important trace elements.
In addition to medication, exercise, diet, physiotherapy helps treat a person with osteochondrosis. Massage, swimming and yoga give excellent results in relieving pain and strengthening the muscle corset. Most importantly, the chosen treatment methods should be performed several courses a year, this will allow you to forget about the exacerbations of osteochondrosis.
Movement is everything
Osteochondrosis develops with physical inactivity, which means that to improve the functioning of the spine in this area, it is necessary to change the lifestyle. Physical activity, daily exercise, sparing sports allow you to forget the unpleasant sensations in osteochondrosis. People engaged in sedentary work should take periodic breaks during the working day to perform simple physical exercises.