Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis using the latest highly effective techniques, using modern equipment and under the guidance of experienced specialists.
Spinal diseases can bring a lot of unpleasant sensations to a person, especially if they affect the cervical region: there is a risk of spinal cord and brain damage. In addition, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine often causes headaches, causes disruption of the work of internal organs and contributes to the deterioration of blood circulation. Fortunately, several therapeutic techniques have been developed today that will allow you to eliminate unpleasant symptoms and restore a healthy condition of the spine.
In this article we will tell you in detail about the features of cervical osteochondrosis and describe the main methods of its treatment. We hope that after reading it you will be able to choose the most effective way to solve this disease and be able to avoid radical surgery.
What is cervical osteochondrosis?
Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease in which a soft pulp develops that serves the function of the spinal pads. At the same time, blood vessels and nerve roots are involved in the mechanism of disease development.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by pain in the shoulders, occiput, neck and head. In addition, patients report dizziness, high blood pressure, oxygen starvation, loss of sensation on one side of the tongue, and other symptoms characteristic of cardiovascular pathologies. This becomes the reason for contacting doctors of other specialties and significantly slows down the process of diagnosing the disease.
Most often, middle-aged and older people are prone to ossification of the tissues of the upper spine. This is due to the incorrect distribution of dynamic and static loads on the human skeleton.
However, if earlier cervical osteochondrosis and itsSymptomsIt was diagnosed in people aged 45-50 years, but now the age of patients with this disease is significantly younger. Today it bothers young people in their 20s and 40s, which is linked to poor diet and physical inactivity.
Currently there is a dual approach to the problem of the cervical spine: it is considered as a combination of physiological and pathological factors. In the first case, we are talking about the aging of the body under the influence of inevitable natural phenomena, in the second, we assume that the destruction of interstitial formations occurs against the background of inflammatory and dystrophic processes caused by the wrong lifestyle.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Problems with the diagnosis of this disease are due to the absence of pain in some situations and the indication of symptoms. In addition, a person may not feel any signs of illness while regularly taking strong painkillers to reduce overall discomfort. All this can lead to serious disorders in the area of the cervical joints.
Among the obvious symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis is the needTreatment,Includes: headache, high blood pressure, frequent dizziness. We will talk about them later.
Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis
Dizziness does not always manifest itself against the background of cervical spine problems. In some cases, this indicates brain disorders, vascular and cardiac dysfunction, inflammatory processes in the ear and nasopharynx, the presence of malignant tumors, or any abnormal condition of the nervous system.
Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis and the need for its treatment may have a non-systemic or systemic etiology.
In the first case, a person can experience a stunning feeling, uncertainty while standing, and semi-weak. At the same time, there is no sense of circular rotation.
As for systemic vertigo, it is most often evidence of vestibular disorders, visual analyzer dysfunction, and other changes that have occurred in the setting of osteochondrosis. In this case the patient can feel the circular rotation of the body or nearby objects.
If dizziness persists and the patient develops symptoms such as severe pain in the head, numbness in the chest, loss of consciousness, or impaired coordination of movement, he or she should be hospitalized immediately.
Headache with cervical spine osteochondrosis
The onset of headaches can lead to a variety of diseases. Most often, this occurs in women against the background of hormonal disorders, stressful situations, increased intracranial pressure, brain spasms, nerve endings, inflammatory processes and other diseases.
Can give rise to a variety of diseases. Most often, this occurs in women against the background of hormonal disorders, stressful situations, increased intracranial pressure, brain spasms, nerve endings, inflammatory processes and other diseases.
Pain andNoise in the backOsteochondrosis of the cervix, which necessitates treatment, often interferes with the symptoms of an acute disruption of the blood supply to the brain, arterial hypertension, or coronary heart disease. Most often, such signs are found in older people who have the above diseases.
To determine the exact cause of the headache, you should consult an experienced specialist. In this case, it is recommended to undergo an ECG and rule out the presence of cardiovascular disorders.
Pain of other localization, characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis
Pain in the head and scalp is not always a sign of cervical osteochondrosis. In some cases, discomfort can spread from the neck to the arms and shoulders. Such symptoms are sudden in nature and may occur after sudden movements, sharp snoring, or being in one position during nighttime sleep.
If the cause of the pain syndrome is cervical spine chondrosis, then it usually disappears after some time or disappears after manual therapy of the cervix.
It should be noted that massage in this area is carried out only after a thorough examination of the patient. With an unprofessional approach, there is a high risk of worsening the patient’s condition, including disability.
If we talk about cervical osteochondrosis and the need for its treatment, then patients report the following sensations of pain:
- The appearance of a convulsion during its rotation;
- The presence of pain syndrome inside the neck;
- Deterioration of sensitivity and the appearance of muscle weakness in various areas of the body.
Increased blood pressure with cervical spine problems
Since the cervical vertebrae are directly connected to the blood vessels and nerve endings, any disturbance in this area can lead to an increase in pressure. However, such a jump is temporary in nature, manifested as short-term spasms and is not a symptom of hypertension.
Also, in the presence of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, in addition to the increase in pressure, the patient may have other symptoms, and treatment in this case involves the use of special anesthetics. ენიYour include:
- The appearance of headaches in the head;
- Loss of sensation in the collar;
- Pain in the chest, arms and legs;
- A sharp rise in blood pressure after stressful situations, prolonged stay in one position, excessive muscle tension and other similar situations.
A sharp deterioration in the patient's condition and a sharp rise in blood pressure indicate an urgent need for a physician.
Stages of development of cervical osteochondrosis
During its development, the above disease goes through several stages, which are accompanied by specific symptoms. We will talk about them in more detail below.
The initial stage of osteochondrosis
Typically, in the case of grade 1 disease, patients may experience only minor discomfort. They can express pain only by sudden movements, tilting and turning. Many patients report an increase in lumbar and spinal fatigue and a constant feeling of tension. Treatment of cervical spine osteochondrosis at an early stage does not involve admissiondrugs. . . In order to recover, the patient only needs actionIn gymnasticsWith cervical osteochondrosis and changing daily diet.
The second stage of the disease: characteristics
The second stage of the pathology is characterized by more intense pain sensations that radiate to the upper extremities and increase with its bending and twisting. Causes of increased discomfort include: reduction in the height of the intervertebral discs and, consequently, the cortex of the nerve endings. In this case, the patient reports deterioration of work ability, absence certificate, increased fatigue, and headache.
Third degree osteochondrosis
It is accompanied by an increase in pain by irradiation of the upper extremities, as well as the shoulders and neck. In this case, numbness of the hand muscles may be observed, which is associated with the appearance of a herniated disc. In addition, patients may complain of severe weakness and dizziness.
The last stage of the disease
In the final stage, deep degenerative processes appear in the area of the intervertebral discs and their replacement by abnormal tissue. The need for treatment of cervical osteochondrosisIn the aggravation stageMay be due to the defeat of several segments of the spine. In this case, patients report the presence of tinnitus, increased pain syndrome, severe dizziness, and impaired coordination of movements.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
Most often, the development of this pathology is due to daily sedentary work, during which the person does not control the correct position of the body in a chair and constantly tilts his head forward. The same can be said about the long stay of the supervisor, which is typical for employees of construction specialties while carrying out repair work.
Typically, excessive stress on the cervical spine inevitably leads to degenerative disorders in the area of the spinal discs. In addition to cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms of this disease and the need for its treatment may be due to the following factors:
- Disturbance of calcium metabolism;
- Causes of a genetic nature;
- Thermal irritants;
- During extreme sports training (treatment of sports injuries);
- Hypodynamics;
- Long stay in the human position due to professional affiliation;
- Obesity;
- Prolonged stressful situations;
- Damage to the neck and back of the head;
- Autoimmune processes that can provoke the destruction of cartilage tissue.
Switching to a healthy diet and moderate physical activity can reduce the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis.
Syndromes in cervical osteochondrosis
The syndromes are represented by the simultaneous manifestation of several symptoms of the disease. As for cervical osteochondrosis, it is characterized by the following syndromes: vertebral, vertebral arteries, cardiac and radicular. These about them will be discussed below.
What is Spinal Syndrome?
In the presence of the above syndrome, degenerative processes directly affect the cartilage and bone tissue. In this case, the simultaneous manifestation of the following three signs is observed:
- Painful sensations when it is necessary to turn the neck;
- Inability to rotate the neck;
- The presence of disorders in the intervertebral region or in the body of the spine, which are of a morphological nature (X-rays are taken to detect this symptom).
If the patient does not have at least one of the signs listed, then it makes no sense to talk about spinal syndrome.
Characteristics of vertebral artery syndrome
The essence of the above syndrome is damage to the vertebral arteries that supply blood to the brain. It is characterized by the simultaneous manifestation of the following symptoms:
- Against the background of compression of the artery, the patient may feel dizzy, increase in blood pressure, the appearance of tinnitus, nausea, etc. Sh.
- Due to irritation of nerve roots, loss of sensitivity, appearance of "flies" in the eyes, severe headache and numbness;
- Lack of oxygen can cause severe pain in the head, excessive drowsiness, decreased activity, and decreased concentration.
Signs of heart syndrome
In addition to the symptom of vertebral artery in cervical osteochondrosis, the need for treatment of the patient also arises in the presence of heart syndrome. Many patients report a condition that is characteristic of the coronary heart, or resembles the symptoms of a myocardial infarction. In this case the following signs occur:
- Burning sensation and severe pain syndrome in the area of the bump;
- Tachycardia;
- Acute weakness, excessive fatigue and shortness of breath.
Radical Syndrome: Characteristics
It is characterized by deterioration of neuromuscular conduction. In the presence of radicular syndrome, the patient may experience loss of sensation or, conversely, severe pain syndrome. Also, its features include:
- Pain in the head or, conversely, numbness in this area;
- Difficulty chewing food, numbness in the back of the ear, feeling of weakness in the tongue;
- Symptoms of sore throat, sore throat, sore throat;
- Difficulty moving the upper limbs, discomfort in the shoulder area;
- Disorders of the forearm and shoulder blades;
- Loss of sensitivity in the area around the fingers.
Diagnosis
The main and informative methods of diagnosing osteochondrosis are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI scans with a high degree of detail show not only the condition of the spinal bone tissue, but also the condition of the soft tissues - muscles, cartilage, blood vessels, nerves and intervertebral discs. If MRI is contraindicated (presence of metal prostheses, pacemakers), computed tomography is prescribed, but the content of the method information is much lower in terms of diagnosing osteochondrosis.
Is it possible to treat cervical spine osteochondrosis?
When it comes to cervical osteochondrosis, effective treatment of this disease is possible only with a comprehensive lifestyle review, permanent prevention and sanatorium recovery. In practice, only a few achieve this, especially in the climatic conditions of our country, when it is almost impossible to completely avoid hypothermia and new inflammatory processes. Nevertheless, you can significantly alleviate your condition, including in the most advanced cases, and prolong remission periods.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
In the first stage of osteochondrosis the patient will be helped by conservative medical treatment. You need to adjust your posture, pay attention to the workplace equipment, stop working every day for a few minutes to do uncomplicated work.Fitness in gymnasticsWith cervical osteochondrosis, which can be done at the office desk. Swimming, increasing physical activity and taking complexes of vitamins and minerals have a positive effect on the musculoskeletal system.
Benefits of Shock Wave Therapy
If a patient has osteochondrosis of the cervix and its symptoms, a new method of treatment is considered the most effective - with the help of shock waves. This procedure is distinguished by its affordable cost. In addition, if the medical facility has special equipment, you can take the UHT course completely free of charge.
The advantages of UHT are:
- Maximum efficiency;
- Lack of discomfort during the procedure;
- Minimal likelihood of side effects;
- Reduce the need for invasive treatment
- Reduce the need for medication.
Medications for cervical osteochondrosis
If you have cervical osteochondrosis and are interested in treatmentHealingAndEffectiveYou can find information about suitable medicines on the Internet. However, despite the variety of medications and the lack of need for prescriptions, self-medication is not recommended. Most medications have side effects and contraindications, and it is also important not to overdose.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).They are used to relieve swelling and pain.
Muscle relaxants, sedatives
They are additionally prescribed to alleviate the general condition of the patient and to reduce the dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. By simultaneously relieving muscle spasms and nervous tension, you can achieve the best therapeutic effect.
At the end of the course of treatment, doctors usually recommend buying nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for home first aid kit, as neck pain may return during weather changes, overloads and stress.
Physiotherapy approaches
In cases where drug therapy is contraindicated or does not have the desired effect, sometimes physiotherapy methods that are available in both classical and alternative medicine are used for a complex effect. All of them are aimed at relieving muscle spasms, inflammation and pain.
Acupuncture. The essence of the method is to "wake up" the biologically active points, inserting special thin needles into them to a depth of several centimeters. The procedure itself is painful, but it does help with back pain. Several sessions are required.
Manual therapy. This method is effective if the patient haspinchingCervical spine nerves, diagnosed with relevant symptoms and identified need for treatment. The deformed spine of nerves and blood vessels can be released into the trap by stretching the spine by hand.
Hirudotherapy (Leks). Relieves inflammation and swelling due to biologically active substances secreted by the lining. Enhances blood circulation.
Shock wave therapy. Restores blood circulation and destroys osteophytes, helps to return cartilage tissue to normal structure. The patient already feels a reduction in pain and swelling after 1-2 sessions. Shock wave therapy involves up to ten procedures, it can be prescribed as part of a complex non-invasive therapy and during the postoperative rehabilitation period. It has a number of contraindications and is used only after a thorough examination by a few specialists, including a neurologist, cardiologist and vertebrologist.
Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
If a person has cervical osteochondrosis, dailyexercises,Developed to treat this disease, will help strengthen the muscle corset, which means - reduce the load on the cervical spine. Exercise therapy is indicated for all stages of the disease as well as prophylactic measures. During exacerbations, a set of exercises should be performed with caution.
Typical exercises for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis:
- The head turns to the sides;
- Tilting head forward and backward;
- Raise the shoulders with relaxed or fixed hands, holding them in this position for 15-20 seconds;
- Alternate tension of the neck flexor and vent with its stationary position.
Exercises should be repeated 5-7 times. The duration of the lesson is 15-20 minutes.
surgery
Spinal fusion may be indicated in the absence of a positive effect after 6 months of conservative treatment. The procedure is aimed at immobilizing the affected spinal segment. It involves removing the intervertebral disc, decompressing the nerve root and placing the implant, or creating a physiological height of the disc space. The operation has many contraindications and side effects. For example, spinal fusion can lead to spinal failure. Therefore surgical intervention is indicated only in extreme cases.
Meals and lifestyle
After surgical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, it is necessary to wear a fastening collar during the early rehabilitation period. During conservative treatment and during the period of late rehabilitation, a diet rich in calcium and vitamins is recommended, correction of usual postures and postures in general, a set of daily therapeutic exercises for the neck, orthopedic pillows.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home
If you have been diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis and its symptoms and want to get over itHome treatment,We must remember that such independent intervention can only take place in conjunction with procedures prescribed by a specialist.
Some experts recommend using itOrthopedic pillowWith cervical osteochondrosis and use warming agents such as pepper plaster, mustard plasters and alcohol compresses. Others think only specialexercisesFor treatment andPrevention. . .
You can also seek the help of traditional medicine recipes based on the use of honey-potato compresses and wraps with natural ingredients. More information about such tools can be found on the Internet. However, only an experienced and highly qualified doctor can diagnose cervical osteochondrosis, detect its symptoms and prescribe the most effective treatment.
Preventive measures of cervical osteochondrosis
Examination by the attending physician is required once a year. Shock wave therapy may be prescribed. Hypothermia and infectious diseases should be avoided, prolonged work with the computer in one position. If you are traveling by long plane or bus, use a neck support pillow to help relieve muscle tension and prevent swelling. For daily sleep, use special orthopedic pillows that ensure its correct position.