Cervical osteochondrosis is considered the most common disease of the spine among people of working age. The ongoing degenerative-dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs regularly lead to pathological changes in the vertebrae and ligament apparatus.
The disease is rarely detected in the early stages of its development, since a sick person can initially confuse his symptoms with ordinary fatigue or mental stress.
But it is precisely with the first violations that it is possible, through conservative treatment and changing the way of life, to prevent a new 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 of the upper limbs. It occurs due to damage to the root of the motor nerves that innervate the muscles of the hands.
- Diminished sensation occurs when a sensory nerve is compressed and damaged.
- Restriction of movement in the neck.
- Dizziness.
- Loss of coordination in movements.
- With severe compression, the blood supply to the brain is significantly worsened, which can lead to visual impairment, neurological disorders and hearing loss.
Long-lasting cervical osteochondrosis disrupts 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 features.
Pain in cervical osteochondrosis
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 referred to in medicine as cervicalgia, and pain can also appear suddenly, sharply, that is, a "neck chamber" develops.
The main role in the development of pain is attributed to pain impulses that depart from the receptors present in the region of the pathologically altered part of the spine.
Pain in osteochondrosis has the following characteristics:
- Neck pain occurs mostly in the morning. Aggravated by bends, awkward movements, coughing. From the neck, the pain can spread to the shoulders, upper back, and chest. Gradually, in the evening, the pain subsides.
- Periodically, a sick person may experience sharp pains, they are described as "pulling", "piercing".
- The pain often radiates to the arm and reaches the hand, where it manifests as numbness in the fingers.
- Cervical osteochondrosis is a common cause of recurring pain in the occipital region of the head.
- Pain in the chest area is possible, such discomfort in its manifestations often resembles heart pathology.
Pain in cervical osteochondrosis leads to restriction of movement, muscle stiffness. In addition to pain, there is also a decrease in sensitivity in the neck, arms and shoulder girdle.
Dizziness
Dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis occurs due to a violation of the patency 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 manifestation of this symptom of osteochondrosis is often accompanied by:
- feeling of the ground shaking under your feet;
- loss of equilibrium;
- nausea;
- tinnitus;
- deterioration of vision, flickering of flies and lightning before the eyes.
Dizziness may stop after rest and immobility is ensured, but this phenomenon will completely disappear only after treatment for osteochondrosis.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
Changes occurring in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are due to malnutrition and blood circulation. A similar pathology develops under the influence of the following reasons:
- Disturbed metabolism.
- Hypodynamia, that is, insufficient physical activity.
- Transferred injuries.
- Constant forced position of the body. Prolonged tension of the neck muscles often occurs in drivers, office workers.
- Abnormalities in the development of the spine, including scoliosis, incorrect 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 tension.
Processing
Drug treatment of patients diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis should begin as early as possible. This prevents further changes in the tissues of the spine and quickly improves general well-being.
Below we consider the main groups of drugs used in the treatment of osteochondrosis.
| Drug name / group | Application |
|---|---|
| NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) | These drugs reduce inflammation and swelling, under the influence of which the pain disappears. |
| Vasodilators (antiplatelet agents) | Drugs that improve blood circulation and nutrition of damaged nerves. |
| Muscle relaxants | Drugs that relieve muscle spasms. |
| B vitamins | Attribute to improve the flow of metabolic processes in the body. |
| Chondroprotectors | Drugs that restore pathologically impaired cartilage tissue. |
| Painkillers | Prescribed for severe pain. |
Since NVPS have a number of side effects, the dosage of drugs and the general course of their use should be selected with a doctor 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 also carried out by 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 muscle corset and reduce inflammatory reactions. Compliance with the set of therapeutic measures allows you not only to get rid of uncomfortable sensations, but also to prevent further pathological changes in the discs and vertebrae.
Exercises
After the relief of acute pain in patients with osteochondrosis, the doctor recommends doing 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 the development of osteochondrosis, these are exercises that lead to the complete restoration of joint mobility.
The simplest exercises for cervical osteochondrosis are tilting the head to the sides, forward, back. A doctor who will take into account all the changes in the spine identified during the patient's examination will help you choose the right set of exercises.
Herbs
The use of herbs for osteochondrosis is aimed at relieving inflammation, swelling and improving metabolic processes in the body. The following recipes are popular:
- 10 grams of buckthorn, 40 grams of birch leaves and 50 grams of willow bark should be chopped and mixed well. The broth is prepared from two spoons of the collection and half a liter of water, all this is boiled for 10 minutes, infused and cooled. You need to drink this decoction in a glass twice a day for at least two weeks.
- Horseradish compress. A leaf of horseradish should be doused with boiling water, tied around the neck and fixed with a scarf. Such a compress is best done at night, when using it, a slight burning sensation will be felt.
Way of life
Proper nutrition in osteochondrosis will contribute to the normalization of metabolism. Hard diets for this disease do not exist, except when you need to lose weight, since disc changes often occur with obesity.
Be sure to have protein in the daily menu for people with osteochondrosis, it is found in meat, dairy products, fish, poultry, legumes, cereals. Proteins are well absorbed if these products are combined with plant foods.
Strong coffee, tea, alcohol should be avoided, because these drinks do not allow the absorption of important trace elements.
In addition to medications, exercises, diet, physiotherapy helps a person with osteochondrosis undergoing treatment. Massage, swimming and yoga give excellent results in relieving pain and strengthening the muscle corset. Most importantly, the selected methods of treatment should be carried out several courses a year, this will allow you to forget about 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 your lifestyle. Physical activity, daily exercises, sparing sports make it possible to forget about the uncomfortable feelings of osteochondrosis. People engaged in sedentary work should periodically take breaks during the working day to perform simple physical exercises.