Cervical osteochondrosis is considered to be the most common spinal disease in people of working age. Current degenerative-dystrophic changes on the intervertebral discs constantly lead to pathological changes in the vertebrae and ligaments.
The disease is rarely detected in the early stages of development, because a sick person may initially confuse their symptoms with ordinary fatigue or mental stress.
However, it is with the first disorders that it is possible to prevent further pathological process in the cervical spine with conservative treatment and lifestyle changes.
Symptoms suggestive of cervical osteochondrosis
The most common signs of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- Pain. Painful feelings of varying severity can be not only in the neck, but also in the arms and head.
- Weakness in the upper limbs. It is caused by damage to the roots of the motor nerves that innervate the arm muscles.
- Decreased sensation occurs when the sensory nerve is compressed and damaged.
- Restriction of movement in the neck.
- Dizziness.
- Loss of coordination in movements.
- With strong compression, the blood flow to the brain is significantly worsened, which can lead to vision damage, neurological disorders and hearing loss.
Long-term cervical osteochondrosis impairs lung and heart function. The most characteristic symptoms of osteochondrosis in the cervical region are pain and dizziness, they have their own developmental characteristics.
Pain in cervical osteochondrosis
Painful manifestations in people with cervical osteochondrosis occur due to damage to peripheral parts of the nervous system. Painful feelings can be constant, in medicine they are referred to as cervical pain, and pain can appear suddenly, sharply, or "neck chamber" develops.
The leading role in the development of pain is attributed to pain impulses that deviate from the receptors present in the area of the pathologically altered part of the spine.
Pain in osteochondrosis has the following characteristics:
- Neck pain occurs mostly in the morning. It gets worse with turning, awkward movements, coughing. From the neck the pain can spread to the shoulders, upper back and chest. Gradually, by evening, the pain becomes less pronounced.
- Occasionally, a sick person may feel sharp pain, described as "shooting", "piercing".
- The pain often radiates to the hand and reaches the hand, where it is manifested by numbness of the fingers.
- Cervical osteochondrosis is a common cause of recurrent pain in the occipital part of the head.
- Chest pain is possible, such discomfort in its manifestations is often reminiscent of cardiac pathology.
Pain in cervical osteochondrosis leads to limited movement, to muscle stiffness. In addition to pain, there is a decrease in sensitivity in the neck, arm and shoulder girdle.
Dizziness
Dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis is caused by a violation of the patency of blood vessels that feed and supply oxygen to various 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 trembling of the floor underfoot;
- loss of balance;
- nausea;
- tinnitus;
- deterioration of vision, flickering flies and flashes before the eyes.
Dizziness may stop after rest and immobility is ensured, but this phenomenon will completely disappear only after the treatment of osteochondrosis.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
The changes that occur in osteochondrosis in the cervical spine occur due to malnutrition and blood circulation. Similar pathology develops under the influence of the following reasons:
- Impaired metabolism.
- Hypodynamia, ie insufficient physical activity.
- Injuries transmitted.
- Constant forced body position. Prolonged neck muscle tension often occurs in drivers, office workers.
- Abnormalities in the development of the spine, this includes scoliosis, improper posture.
In recent years, there has been a tendency to increase the number of patients with cervical osteochondrosis among adolescents. Doctors attribute this to computer games and nervous tension.
Treatment
Treatment of patients diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis should be started as soon as possible. This prevents further changes in the tissues of the spine and quickly improves the overall condition.
The following are the main groups of drugs used to treat osteochondrosis.
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Treatment at home
Against the background of drug therapy and during the recovery period, treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is carried out by other methods. The group of the most common of them includes herbal therapy, 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.
Exercises
After relieving acute pain in patients with osteochondrosis, the doctor recommends physical exercise. 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, exercise leads to complete restoration of joint mobility.
The simplest exercises for cervical osteochondrosis are tilting the head to the side, forward, backward. A doctor who will take into account any 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 alleviating 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 soup is prepared from two tablespoons of the collection and half a liter of water, all cooked for 10 minutes, soaked and cooled. This decoction should be drunk by the glass twice a day for at least two weeks.
- Horseradish compress. Horseradish leaf should be poured over boiling water, fastened to the neck and fastened with a scarf. Such a compress is best done at night, when used, a slight burning sensation will be felt.
Lifestyle
Proper nutrition in osteochondrosis will contribute to the normalization of metabolism. There are no hard diets for this disease, except when you need to lose weight, because obesity often causes changes in the discs.
Be sure to have protein in your daily diet 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 abandoned, because these drinks do not allow the absorption of important trace elements.
In addition to medication, exercise, diet, physiotherapy helps a person with osteochondrosis in treatment. Massage, swimming and yoga give excellent results in relieving pain and strengthening the muscular corset. Most importantly, the chosen methods of treatment should be carried out several courses a year, which will allow you to forget about the worsening of osteochondrosis.
Movement is everything
Osteochondrosis develops during physical inactivity, which means that in order to improve the functioning of the spine in this area, it is necessary to change the way of life. Physical activity, daily exercises, thrifty sports allow you to forget about the unpleasant sensations of osteochondrosis. People who do sedentary work have to take occasional breaks during the working day in order to perform simple physical exercises.