Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a change in the cartilaginous and nearby muscle-ligamentous structures, leading to a loss of their regenerative abilities. In the first stages of this process, a gradual decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc is observed. Therefore, 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 on cartilage tissue and bones. Because of this, the mobility of the cervical vertebrae is significantly reduced, which leads to the appearance of a pronounced pain syndrome. According to studies conducted in many countries around the world, almost every person aged 30-35 years has various signs of osteochondrosis.
Symptoms of different stages of osteochondrosis
Depending on the stage and severity of the disease, the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can be:
- headache;
- noise or ringing in the ears;
- severe nausea;
- lack of coordination;
- pain and crunching when turning the head;
- deterioration of vision and hearing.
Remember that cervical osteochondrosis refers to chronic diseases in which the symptoms vary depending on a certain stage of the development of the disease. Therefore, the patient may experience some signs that indicate a specific stage of changes in the cervical spine:
- Tolerable pain in the neck that occurs during physical activity, as well as discomfort with normal head rotation, occurs 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 crunching and headaches appear during the period of abnormal growth of cartilage tissue, with a decrease in the height of the spinal disc and the appearance of cracks in the fibrous ring.
- Sharp pain in the neck that does not disappear for a long time, numbness and partial loss of sensitivity of skin areas in the cervical region are registered with rupture of the fibrous ring and formation of intervertebral hernias, as well as with deformation of the spine.
Loss of mobility of the neck and upper part of the shoulder girdle with severe persistent pain is one of the pronounced signs of cervical osteochondrosis of the 4th degree, when multiple osteophytes develop and the structures of the intervertebral disc are gradually replaced by scars.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae
The main cause of problems with the cervical spine is uneven and excessive loading. As a rule, osteochondrosis occurs due to age-related changes in the spine, injuries to the cervical vertebrae or metabolic disorders. In addition, the following factors contribute to the occurrence of this disease:
- genetic predisposition. If a person has congenital connective tissue weakness, they may experience dysfunction of the cervicothoracic spine.
- Vertebral instability. Increased mobility of the upper spine very 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 bone system, scoliosis, flat feet and rheumatic diseases.
- Low physical activity. A sedentary and sedentary lifestyle contributes to the deformation of the vertebrae and the breakdown of connective tissue.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
In order to identify the causes of the disease, it is mandatory to conduct a study and examination of the patient, to determine the areas of pain and the degree of mobility of the spine, and to assess the quality of reflexes.
Various methods are used to diagnose this disease, including:
- Radiography and multislice computed tomography. These methods of instrumental diagnostics have proven to be the best for determining the changes in the cervical vertebrae in the later stages of the development of the disease, when the lesions of the bones and cartilages of the spine become clearly visible.
- magnetic resonance. Currently, in order to determine the changes occurring in the cervical spine, this diagnostic method is most often used, since with its help the doctor can detect the disease at the earliest stage of its occurrence.
- Duplex scanning of the arteries of the head and neck. This type of instrumental examination is performed to assess the quality of blood flow and identify vasoconstriction. It is this method that is most often used by doctors to determine the causes of headaches and dizziness in patients.
In addition, an ultrasound examination of the nearby organs, ECG of the heart, blood and urine may be prescribed.
Expert opinion
Despite the fact that this disease cannot be completely cured, you should not be afraid of it. If adequate measures are taken in time, then almost any manifestation of the disease can be minimized. For example, you need to learn how to constantly monitor the correct position of the body, as this can increase the load on the spine. In addition, we must not forget that some sports are dangerous for the cervical vertebrae.
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 make a choice in favor of hiking, skiing and swimming. Such physical activity will positively affect all parts of the spine.
Conservative methods of treatment of osteochondrosis
If the disease of the cervical spine is detected at an early stage, then conservative treatment methods are used. They allow you to prevent the further development of the disease, relieve unpleasant symptoms and restore the mobility of the upper part of the spine.
The conservative method of treating cervical osteochondrosis includes:
- Medical treatment.In this case, doctors prescribe a number of drugs that allow effective pain relief and stop the inflammatory process. In addition, modern means contribute to the restoration of blood circulation. Most often, hormonal drugs, analgesics, chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants and other drugs in the form of tablets and injections are used for these purposes.
- Physiotherapy treatment.As a rule, physiotherapy is prescribed as a supplement to drug therapy. It can be therapeutic massage, acupuncture, laser exposure, magnetotherapy, UHF therapy and other procedures that help to relax neck muscles, eliminate spasm and normalize blood circulation.
- Physiotherapy.This is a very important part of treating the cervical spine. The fact is that special physical exercises help not only to strengthen the muscle frame and straighten the posture, but also to improve the blood supply to the upper part of the spine. First, the doctor selects a set of 6-8 exercises and then adds new ones, gradually increasing physical activity.
Surgical methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis
In the absence of effect from conservative treatment methods 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 remove pressure on the nerve roots, arteries, spinal cord and other structures in the relevant area.
To solve this problem, the following types of operations on the cervical vertebrae are used:
- microsurgical discectomyduring which the doctor, under the control of a microscope, performs excision of the intervertebral hernia with partial or complete removal of the intervertebral disc;
- laminectomy, which provides partial or complete resection of the spinal arch, spinous processes, facet joints and ligaments to reduce the load on the root of the spinal cord;
- endoscopic surgerywith removal of hernia, tumors and degenerative-dystrophic changes through miniature access using an endoscope;
- laser nucleoplastywith a puncture puncture, through which a laser light guide is inserted, which is necessary to remove a small fragment of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae
Many patients mistakenly believe that cervical osteochondrosis disappears immediately after conservative therapy or surgery. But all treatment methods can only stop or slow down the progression of the disease. Therefore, after a course of treatment, a person should observe the following measures to prevent cervical osteochondrosis:
- lead a healthy and active lifestyle;
- avoid heavy lifting;
- you sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
- visit the pool regularly;
- performs a set of sports exercises;
- be careful when turning your head;
- maintain a balanced diet.
Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation plan is drawn up in accordance with the stage of the pathology, the patient's state of health, as well as his age, weight and general well-being. The program may include medical massage, therapeutic gymnastics and physical therapy. This will help improve health, avoid complications and relapses.
Questions and Answers
Which doctor should I see for cervical spine problems?
The diagnosis and treatment of these problems are carried out by a neurologist and a traumatologist-orthopedic.
What drugs can be used to relieve pain in the cervical vertebrae?
The appointment of painkillers should be carried out by an experienced doctor after an examination and a thorough diagnosis.
What is the likelihood of spinal problems if I do not exercise at all?
Unfortunately, spine problems eventually occur in almost all people. In order to avoid serious complications, it is necessary to do regular exercises, as well as to take prophylactic chondroprotectors and multivitamins.