Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a degenerative and dystrophic disease of one of the sections of the spine. With the development of the disease, the discs in the neck suffer the most, and the damage also extends to the articular surfaces, ligaments and vertebrae.

Cervical osteochondrosis is a degenerative and dystrophic disease of one of the sections of the spine. With the development of the disease, the discs in the neck suffer the most, and the damage also extends to the articular surfaces, ligaments and vertebrae. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine depends on the current stage of the disease. The pathology occurs mainly in patients over 30 years old, but cases are also recorded in young people, especially if a person leads an unhealthy lifestyle and is at risk.

The most common symptom is severe pain in the neck that can spread down the spine, travel to the upper limbs and deform into a severe headache. Below we will look at what symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are better to start treatment, find out the causes of the disease and methods of combating the problem.

Causes and risk factors

The main reason for the development of osteochondrosis in humans is the evolutionarily acquired ability to walk upright. When walking, the vertebrae put excessive pressure on each other. Each year, this causes the amount of intervertebral fluid and connective tissue between the vertebrae to decrease, causing the bones to rub against each other and causing severe pain.

The longer osteochondrosis of the neck region develops without the necessary treatment, the lower the chance of stopping degenerative processes. In old age it is almost impossible to restore connective tissue.

Cervical osteochondrosis in old age is a mostly natural process, not associated with the influence of external factors. If the problem develops at an early age, if the pain intensifies too quickly, then it is necessary to look for the cause of such an injury.

The development of cervical osteochondrosis at an early age is most often due to the following factors:

• lack of exercise in everyday life. In the modern world, a person leads a mostly sedentary lifestyle - he works in the office all day, in the evening spends time on the couch or at the computer, often drives a car;
• When performing work tasks, the human body often assumes an unnatural, tense position (a sharp forward deviation when working at a computer);
• Exaggerated sport. The opposite reason is sports with uncontrolled loads. Not only ordinary citizens but also professional athletes face the problem;
• The reasons that cause the spine to be in an incorrect position are flat feet, wearing uncomfortable shoes with heels, scoliosis, arthritis, etc. ;
• Junk food abuse, obesity;
• Severe hypothermia of the cervical spine;
• Nervous overwork - frequent loads in everyday life and at work, lack of sleep at night.

vertebral syndrome

The symptom complex is associated with damage to the bones and cartilage of the spine. It contains:

• limited mobility in the neck area;
• pain when turning the head;
• X-ray signs of damage to the vertebrae themselves and the space between them.

vertebral artery syndrome

Symptoms are caused by narrowing or spasms of the vertebral arteries, which are partially responsible for blood supply to the brain. It manifests itself through the following symptoms:

• noise in the ears;
• Dizziness;
• jumps in blood pressure;
• nausea and vomiting;
• Headache;
• visual impairment;
• decrease in working capacity;
• Sleepiness;
• fainting.

cardiac syndrome

It resembles a condition with damage to the heart muscle and includes:

• pain or burning behind the breastbone;
• weakness and fatigue;
• fast pulse.

radicular syndrome

The condition is associated with damage (compression or pinching) to the nerve roots that exit the spine in the neck area. Depending on the level of damage, a person may experience:

• numbness or pain in the back of your head;
• numbness of tongue;
• collarbone pain, difficulty swallowing, hiccups;
• Discomfort in the shoulder area, aggravated by hand movements;
• pain in the shoulder blades and forearms;
• numbness of the index and middle finger;
• Numbness of ring finger and little finger.

Most often, several nerve roots are involved in the pathological process at once, as a result of which several characteristic symptoms are observed at once.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

All of these risk factors and lifestyle traits lead to cervical disc malnutrition. If the problem is not recognized and eliminated, then the intervertebral discs will gradually begin to collapse, the distance between them will decrease, which will lead to constant friction of the bones against each other. When the connective tissue is depleted, bony outgrowths begin to form on the spines, which tend to grow out of control. In advanced cases, the growths begin to put pressure on the surrounding tissue, blood vessels, and nerves that are in the cervical spine.

Cervical osteochondrosis does not develop immediately, since the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are not adequately treated, the problem will be aggravated. The entire course of the disease can be divided into 4 stages. The symptoms that the patient directly encounters depend on the current stage of the problem. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include:

• Discomfort in the neck extending to the shoulder area;
• The appearance of pain in the neck area during sports;
• stiffness when turning the neck;
• Private headaches not caused by external factors;
• When changing the position of the head, you can hear a characteristic crunch;
• numbness and loss of sensitivity of some areas of the skin on the back of the head, shoulders, arms, neck;
• hypoxia of trophodependent organs;
• development of pathologies of the circulatory system;
• Severe pain leads to complete immobilization of the upper shoulder girdle.

The further the disease has progressed, the more discomfort the patient feels. In the last stages of the problem, the patient's quality of life deteriorates significantly. Common symptoms for all stages of the problem are a headache, ringing or noise in the ears, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting with a sharp change in head position.

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, it is advisable to consult a doctor immediately. The earlier a problem is diagnosed, the more likely it is that it will be fully resolved. A neurologist is engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis of the spine.

After the patient's objection, the neurologist will question the patient and, based on their complaints, conclude that the disease is present. Most often, patients complain of pain, discomfort and problems with movement of the upper limbs. After the conversation, the doctor conducts a visual examination of the patient. Be evaluated:

• correct posture;
• At what angle are the shoulder blades, shoulders and pelvic bones?
• Location of the line of the spinous processes along the spine.

A visual examination allows you to determine what pathological processes began in the spine and how much they affected the spine and surrounding tissues.

The final diagnosis is made not only on the basis of the examination and questioning of the patient. Additional checks are required. Most often, the patient is sent for X-ray or computed tomography. If for some reason it is impossible to make a definitive diagnosis, the patient is referred for magnetic resonance imaging. Additional examinations include dopplerography, which allows you to find out what the state of the circulatory system is in the cervical region.

Degrees of cervical osteochondrosis

The choice of methods of treating osteochondrosis directly depends on the stage of the disease that is diagnosed in a particular patient. It is customary to divide 4 stages of osteochondrosis, the division is conditional, since some symptoms can pass from one stage to another or not appear at all.

1 degree

The initial stage of the problem, at this stage when pain is felt, it is often attributed to stress or other disorders (improper sleep, prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position). The patient may experience slight stiffness and limitation of movement, especially with sudden movements. If you are treated for cervical osteochondrosis at this stage, you can get rid of the symptoms at home. To completely get rid of the problem, you can limit yourself to special exercises and visits to physiotherapy procedures. For prevention, it makes sense to start an active lifestyle (it is enough to walk 20 minutes a day in the fresh air), adjust the diet (exclude too fatty, fried, salty foods, give preference to fermented milk products, fruits). and vegetables, food with sufficient calcium and trace elements necessary for the repair of connective and cartilage tissue).

2 degrees

The pain intensifies, begins to become permanent. Sharp movements and turns bring discomfort, the patient faces severe headaches, begins to notice that he is very tired from everyday activities. Patients are often distracted because all they can think about is pain. Some experience numbness in certain areas of the face.

3 degrees

Hernias begin to develop in the area of disc damage, causing dizziness and weakness in the arms. It hurts not only the head and neck, the pain gradually spreads to the entire shoulder girdle.

4 degrees

A characteristic process is the destruction of intervertebral discs, the replacement of "empty places" with connective tissue. This leads to pinched nerves, the pain becomes unbearable, does not go away without special medication. The patient gets dizziness, especially with sudden turns of the head and a change in posture, ringing in the ears appears, sleep is disturbed, the quality of life sharply deteriorates, if left untreated, disability is possible.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Depending on the stage of the disease, the doctor selects the appropriate method of treatment for the patient. The most common drug treatment for cervical osteochondrosis in combination with a visit to physiotherapy. In advanced cases, surgery may be needed to remove overgrown connective tissue and bony processes.

Conservative treatment

Most often based on taking certain medications. Drug treatment will help relieve pain, eliminate muscle tension and localize inflammation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used, as well as painkillers.

Often the doctor will also include chondroprotectors in the prescription. This group of active ingredients activates the regeneration of destroyed tissue in the area of the intervertebral discs.

These drugs are prescribed in the form of injections or tablets. A good therapeutic result is shown by ointments based on NSAIDs. They are rubbed into the damaged area and relieve pain within 10-20 minutes. The main advantage of ointments is a local effect on the painful area and a minimal effect on other organs.

physical therapy

Physiotherapeutic procedures have several goals at once:

• localization of the inflammatory process;
• removal of muscle spasms;
• relief of pain syndrome;
• initiation of regenerative processes;
• Increased general and local immunity;
• Restoring the normal position of nerve fibers, eliminating compression and pinching.

Most often, with cervical osteochondrosis, the following procedures are prescribed:

1. shock wave therapy. With the help of a special device, a sound wave is aimed directly at the damaged cartilage tissue of the spine. As a result, metabolic processes are set in motion, salt and calcium deposits are destroyed, which impair the normal movement of joints and vertebrae. The procedure is characterized by a cumulative effect, often the first results are noticeable only 2-3 months after the start of treatment.
2. Acupuncture. Acupuncture is widely used to treat and prevent cervical osteochondrosis. It is important that the procedure is performed only by a qualified doctor, otherwise there may be not only a lack of effect, but also a deterioration in the current condition. The essence of the procedure is that special needles are attached to biologically active points, which force the body to start metabolic processes and stimulate the production of natural painkillers.
3. Massage. The main goal is to relieve pain and improve blood circulation in the damaged area of \u200b\u200bthe cervical spine segment. With proper massage, muscles lose tone, which allows to eliminate the risk of recurrence of osteochondrosis in the future. When attending the first massage sessions, the patient faces severe pain. It is important not to stop treatment because of pain, but to carry out all the procedures prescribed by the doctor.

surgery

It is prescribed mainly in advanced stages of the disease, when taking medication and visiting physiotherapeutic procedures do not bring results. The indication for surgical intervention is catastrophic narrowing of the spinal canal.

Modern surgical methods make it possible to discharge the patient from the hospital after 3-5 days and switch to outpatient treatment of the symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis. In the next three months the patient will be rehabilitated.

physical therapy

A properly selected set of exercises for osteochondrosis can not only improve the general condition of the patient, but also speed up the process of treating the disease. There are several effective exercises:

1. Turns and tilts the head in different directions. The exercise is performed in a sitting position, it is important not to jerk, all movements should be smooth, with a gradual increase in the number of repetitions and the amplitude of the incline.
2. Head tilts sideways with resistance. Body position - sitting at the table, one elbow rests on the table, while the palm presses on the temple. Tilt your head towards your hand while creating a slight resistance.
3. Shrug. Raise your shoulders as high as you can and hold this position for a while.
4. Knead the back of the head and neck with your fingertips. It is important that the movements are gentle and do not cause pain. You can do the self-massage in any comfortable position.

It is important not to treat cervical osteochondrosis at home without consulting a neurologist. A set of exercises must be agreed with your doctor.

Manual therapy of cervical osteochondrosis

The manual therapy treatment relieves muscle tension and joint blockages, alleviates pain and restores the performance of the musculoskeletal system. The doctor assesses the condition of the muscles, determines the pain points and the degree of springiness of the spinal joint. In addition, it affects the damaged tendons, ligaments and muscles through active and passive movements of the hands. Treatment of manual therapy is contraindicated in acute inflammation and instability of the vertebrae.

acupuncture

Acupuncture for cervical osteochondrosis is performed with sterile needles, which are inserted into preselected points at different depths and left for a certain time. The needles are very thin to minimize discomfort. The procedure relieves pain, activates microcirculation, normalizes metabolic processes, improves overall health and increases the effectiveness of drug treatment.

Kinesiology taping

This is the imposition of an elastic bandage in the shape of the letter Y in the area of \u200b\u200bthe cervical collar zone while maintaining mobility of the neck. Tapes for cervical osteochondrosis relieve pain, inhibit inflammation and support the paravertebral muscles.

orthopedic collars

In the acute period of the disease, a collar is needed for osteochondrosis of the cervical region. It fixes the bones and joints and reduces the stress on the affected segment. The collar also corrects the position of deformed vertebrae and bones of the skeleton and relieves pain.

Depending on the degree of fixation, there are several types of orthopedic collars:

• soft splint (Schanz collar). This product is made of dense elastic polyurethane foam in a fabric cover with fastening in the form of velcro, buttons or plastic fasteners. With its help, you can adjust the volume of the collar. A soft tire is worn from 2 weeks to 4 months. You must take a break after every two hours of operation.
• inflatable collar. Consists of dense, flexible material. The course of treatment depends on the stage of osteochondrosis. In the initial period, it is recommended to wear the collar for five minutes twice a day, gradually increasing the time to 30 minutes. An inflatable collar is worn to prevent cervical osteochondrosis;
• semi-rigid collar. A semi-rigid corset for the neck is made of polyurethane with a closure at the back. Compared to a soft splint, it fixes the neck more firmly. It is available in different sizes;
• rigid collar. Made of thermoplastic material with front and rear calipers. It is made according to individual sizes and is recommended to be used throughout the course of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

Complications of osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis causes disruption of the most important structures: blood vessels and nerves. Without treatment, the disease can lead to the following complications:

• ischemic stroke;
• loss of feeling or movement of the hand;
• Difficulties swallowing;
• violation of the thyroid gland;
• Loss or significant reduction in visual acuity.

In addition, damage to intervertebral discs and joints leads to a significant restriction in neck mobility.

What is dangerous osteochondrosis of the cervix?

Many patients complain that their neck and head hurt at the same time. Patients must choose a specific position in which the pain subsides or appears less acute. This is not always comfortable, so performance is reduced.

As the disease progresses, a bulging disc develops, the intervertebral tissue is destroyed and the gaps narrow. In the last stage of the disease, the intervertebral disc is completely destroyed and connective tissue forms in its place. For this reason, the patient's mobility is restricted: For example, he cannot turn or tilt his head.

If osteochondrosis in the neck does not heal, it can lead to spinal cord compression, disability and paralysis.

prevention

The main rule of preventive measures is that they must be comprehensive and continuously observed. This is the only way to get the expected result. People at risk are shown prevention.

1. Watch your posture. The ideal position of the body - head and back are in one line. Always make sure your shoulders are straight, your stomach pulled in, and your chest lifted. The gait also plays a role – it should be springy and even. Never indulge yourself, at the initial stage it is important to discipline yourself, in the future the correct attitude will become a habit.
2. Well organized workplace. When working, the shoulders should be relaxed, the constant tension of the lumbar belt directly affects the cervical spine. Basic requirements - a chair with a comfortable backrest and armrests, a monitor at eye level, a keyboard under the elbows (the angle between the shoulder and forearm is about 120 degrees). While at work, make it a habit to take breaks every 40-50 minutes to do basic stretching.
3. Adjust the car seat correctly. Many motorists are confronted with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine because they do not adjust the driver's seat according to the regulations, but in the way that suits them. The correct position of the body in the chair - the entire spine touches the back, and not just the shoulders. It is advisable to purchase special lumbar pillows that will support the body in the desired position. With a long drive, it is important to go out on the road after 1. 5-2 hours and warm up.
4. Watch your diet. Problems with the cervical spine are often related to the patient not eating properly. Dangerous foods that increase the risk of osteochondrosis include: white bread, rich products, sweets, dishes high in salt and sugar, fried and fatty foods. The main danger is refined sugar - the substance contributes to the leaching of calcium from the body. Include legumes and nuts, protein-rich foods, seasonal vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. Low-fat fermented milk products - kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, plain yogurt - also have a beneficial effect. If you have a problem with being overweight, visit a nutritionist.
5. Daily physical activity. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home with the help of physical education classes is an excellent prophylactic against diseases of the spine. It is important to perform the exercises at an easy pace, without exceeding the permissible load. When there isn't time for a full exercise program, make daily walks a rule.
6. Massage. Correct techniques restore muscle tone, relieve tension, and start metabolic and regeneration processes in the body. There is no need to visit specialists, the correct massage of the cervical spine can be done independently.
7. real sleep. During the day, the intervertebral discs are subject to increased stress, complete relaxation and recovery can only be achieved during a night's rest. For the prevention of osteochondrosis, it is important to organize the right place to sleep and keep track of the time (at least 8 hours).

Sanatorium treatment and its benefits

The sanatorium specializes in identifying symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including osteochondrosis of various localization. Procedures are selected individually for each patient, taking into account the degree of damage to the spinal tissues, the presence of concomitant diseases, the patient's age and possible contraindications.

An integrated approach is practiced - a combination of drug treatment with physical therapy and physical therapy exercises. This approach helps to forget about the problem forever.

A positive effect in the treatment of symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine is also shown by mud therapy, manual and hardware massage, various physiotherapy.