Cervical osteochondrosis of the spine

Osteochondrosis is a progressive degenerative change that affects the intervertebral discs. The pathology can appear in any part of the spine, but most often affects the cervical spine.

The problem cannot be overlooked, because over time the symptoms increase, and the pathology itself can lead to serious health problems.

What is it

The human spinal column is made up of individual vertebrae, between which there is a specific spacer: the intervertebral disc. It is formed from cartilaginous tissue and serves as a shock absorber, protects the bone tissue of the vertebra from abrasion and destruction, but at the same time it flattens and wears out.

Normally, such processes occur along with the aging of the human body and begin no earlier than 50-55 years. But every year the pathology becomes younger, cases of premature wear of the cartilaginous tissue are recorded even in young people (25-30 years).

The high percentage of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine compared to, for example, the lumbar spine, is associated with loads on this particular part, caused by the need to keep the skull in an upright position.

The weight of the head of an adult can reach 3-5 kg: the weight of the skull bones is about 1400 g, about the same is the weight of the brain, about 500 g is the mass of blood circulating in the skull.

A feature of the cervical spine is the closer location of the vertebrae to each other and the smaller thickness of the intervertebral discs, which leads to complications even with small changes in them.

Reasons for development

Factors contributing to the development of pathological changes in cartilage tissue:

• sedentary lifestyle;
• forced tense postures while working (driving, at the computer);
• overweight;
• state of nervous tension;
• neck injuries;
• muscle weakness.

The neck muscles try to compensate for the load caused by these factors, causing them to spasm. Blood circulation, nutrition of cartilage tissue and metabolic processes are disrupted, which leads to a change in its structure.

The following factors also play a role in the premature aging of intervertebral discs:

• hereditary predisposition;
• autoimmune diseases that cause degeneration of cartilaginous tissue;
• congenital pathologies of spinal development.

Stages and symptoms of the development of the pathology

Degenerative changes go through different stages, accompanied by specific symptoms:

• Phase 1. The symptoms are still practically invisible. At this stage, you can stop or slow down the pathological process without the help of medications (diet, exercise). The patient can feel:

  • discomfort in the muscles of the neck and shoulders, their tension, hardness;
  • mild pain when turning or tilting the head;
  • headaches that occur rarely and are of low intensity (most often appear after static or strenuous work, nervous experiences).

• Phase 2. The height of the intervertebral discs decreases, compression of the nerve endings occurs, then severe pain in the neck appears, especially when performing movements and rotations. Muscle spasm interrupts the blood supply to the skull, thus adding symptoms associated with vascular insufficiency. The person notes:

  • creaking in the neck joints when you turn your head;
  • decreased visual acuity;
  • tinnitus;
  • dizziness;
  • frequent headaches for no apparent reason;
  • numbness of the face and neck, loss of sensitivity of the skin of the hands and neck-cervical area;
  • shooting pains radiating to the shoulder blade;
  • sleep disorders.

• Phase 3. A herniated disk is formed (its nucleus protrudes into the spinal canal), which leads to disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system. Symptoms may include:

  • numbness of the hands, paralysis of the upper limbs is possible;
  • the pain affects the entire cervical-collar area and can radiate to the cardiac area;
  • "floaters" appear in the eyes, nausea and vomiting;
  • sensation of lump in throat or pain, such as sore throat;
  • the skin of the upper body may not be felt at all;
  • dizziness occurs with almost any movement;
  • the headaches are migraine-like in nature.

• Phase 4. Characterized by complete destruction of the disk:

  • tinnitus may be permanent;
  • dizziness may be accompanied by loss of consciousness;
  • Coordination disorders appear, as the blood supply to the cerebellar region of the brain is reduced.

Individual intervertebral discs are very rarely affected. The process usually involves the entire department. Destruction of individual disks can occur in different stages.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis includes instrumental examinations and evaluation of the complex of symptoms.

Among the instrumental methods the main information will be provided by:

• x-ray: will show changes in the structure of the spine, but in advanced stages of the pathology;
• computed tomography: shows changes in the vertebrae, but intervertebral hernias and spinal cord compression are difficult to distinguish;
• MRI: allows you to see intervertebral hernias and the direction of their growth;
• Duplex ultrasound scan: shows the speed of blood flow in the area of suspected osteochondrosis.

When making a diagnosis, the doctor relies on the syndrome manifested in the patient. A syndrome is a combination of symptoms of a disorder.

With cervical osteochondrosis the following syndromes can develop:

1. Vertebral- indicates that the pathological process involves bone and cartilaginous tissue. Manifests:

   • limited neck mobility;
   • pain when turning the neck;
   • structural changes in the vertebra or intervertebral disc (shown by X-ray).

2. Vertebral artery syndrome– means that the vertebral artery, which supplies blood to the brain, is involved in the pathological process. Main symptoms:

   • due to lack of blood flow:

     • noise in the ears;
     • dizziness;
     • nausea and vomit;
     • pressure peaks;

   • due to irritation of the nerve endings of the artery:

     • severe headache (migraine);
     • numbness of the skin of the scalp;
     • "floaters" in the eyes or temporary blindness;

   • due to oxygen deficiency;

     • fainting;
     • lethargy;
     • loss of ability to concentrate on anything;
     • depression;
     • panic attacks.

3. Cardiac.Signs similar to problems with the cardiovascular system:

   • pain in the sternum (sometimes similar to a burning sensation);
   • shortness of breath and fatigue;
   • acceleration of heart rate.

4. Koreshkovy.Associated with reduced conduction of nerve impulses depending on damage to a specific pair of roots innervating the cervical region:

   • 1st-2nd pair of roots – pain or numbness in the back of the head;
   • 3rd pair – numbness of the tongue, difficulty chewing food;
   • 4th pair – pain in the collarbone, lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing food;
   • 5th pair – difficulty moving the arms with problem concentrated in the shoulder area;
   • 6th pair – discomfort in the area of the shoulder blades and forearms;
   • 7th pair – numbness of the hands, more often of the middle and index fingers;
   • 8th pair – numbness in the ring and little fingers.

Treatment options

Only an integrated approach is applicable to the treatment of osteochondrosis. The fight against the pathology can last many years.

Pharmacological therapy

The use of drugs for cervical osteochondrosis is aimed at:

• relieve pain;
• relieve inflammation and swelling;
• reduce muscle tension in the neck area;
• improve blood circulation;
• protect cartilaginous tissue from destruction and promote its restoration.

To diagnose and treat cervical osteochondrosis, you need to contact a neurologist. If the clinic has a vertebrologist who deals directly with diseases of the spine, you can contact him immediately.

Your doctor may prescribe the following medications:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: relieve inflammation and swelling, reduce pain.
• B vitamins – help improve the functioning of nervous tissue.
• Chondroprotectors – protect cartilaginous tissue from destruction and restore its structure.
• Drugs that improve blood flow.
• Muscle relaxants are drugs that relieve muscle spasms.

Physiotherapeutic methods

Physiotherapy methods can quickly alleviate the patient's condition and are combined with medications:

• Electrophoresis– exposure of the affected area to low intensity electric current. Delivers medicinal substances directly to the problem area. It is usually prescribed with an anesthetic to relieve pain or with a drug to improve blood flow in the cervical region.
• Ultrasound– has anti-inflammatory properties, improves blood flow and metabolic processes.
• Magnetotherapy– helps to quickly relieve tissue swelling and improve metabolic processes.
• Laser therapy– helps improve blood circulation at the site of exposure and also has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Massage

During the course of pharmacological and physiotherapeutic treatment it is preferable to undergo a massage of the cervico-collar area by a specialist.

Self-massage can be used in the future, only very carefully, without trying to repeat the depth of impact shown by a professional masseur.

When carrying out the procedure, the specialist uses classic massage techniques:

• caressing – activates the superficial layers of the skin;
• squeezing – connects the deep layers of the skin;
• rubbing – warms the muscles and relaxes them, improves blood circulation;
• knead: affects very deep tissues, so they are used carefully;
• vibration: tapping and shaking ends the procedure.

Manual therapy

Sometimes, with cervical osteochondrosis, it is recommended to consult a chiropractor. But this technique causes conflicting opinions: in some cases it certainly helps, in others it almost makes the situation worse. The point is this:

• There is no doubt that a chiropractor must be a highly qualified doctor with medical training and qualifications as a neurologist or orthopedic traumatologist.
• Manual therapy for cervical osteochondrosis has many contraindications. Two people with similar symptoms may receive different answers about the need for manual therapy: one can and should, the other absolutely not.

To contact a chiropractor there must be strict indications and the absence of contraindications. They are determined by the attending physician and a direction for this type of therapy is given.

A highly trained chiropractor will not work with a patient without studying the x-ray results.

Treatment at home

Traditional therapeutic recipes or the use of any home remedies should be discussed with the doctor in advance, because in each specific case they can help or worsen the condition.

This applies, for example, to the needle applicator used. It consists of plastic tips attached to a wide tape, which a person applies to the painful area (you can lie on it). The thorns cause irritation of skin receptors and increase local blood circulation. But it cannot be used for infectious and vascular diseases.

It is also popular to warm the diseased area with mustard plaster or a bag of salt or sand. But in the case of vascular diseases this can also be dangerous.

Therapeutic exercise (physical therapy)

Therapeutic exercises are the safest method of treating cervical osteochondrosis. It is recommended to do this both during the period of exacerbation and in the future, to prevent the disease.

The patient should not feel pain while performing the exercises. Doing it "through pain" will not only bring no benefit, but can even harm your health.

The simplest but most effective movements are turns, bends and rotations of the head. It is strictly forbidden to do this at high speed and amplitude. The movements should be barely noticeable. Despite such limited mobility, exercise ensures blood flow and improves circulation in the neck area.

Shants collar

The Shants collar is a rigid head support that relieves tension in the neck muscles and prevents movements that can cause pain. It is recommended to wear it both during treatment and for prevention of cervical osteochondrosis.

The collar is worn constantly. The vertebrae are fixed in the correct position and do not put pressure on each other, as well as on blood vessels and nerve endings. As a result, the pain disappears, blood circulation is normalized and many symptoms of the pathology disappear.

If 5-7 cervical vertebrae are unstable it is not possible to use a bandage as it will not be possible to fix it in the correct position. It is also not recommended to wear a collar if your thyroid gland is enlarged.

Application of an orthopedic pillow

Most often, osteochondrosis is aggravated by compression of the cervical artery and nerve roots when sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow. An orthopedic pillow ensures a uniform horizontal position of the spine during the night.

By itself, it will not cure osteochondrosis, but it will alleviate the condition and will also be a good measure to prevent the development of degenerative processes in the spine.

Prevention

There are simple rules that, if followed, help prevent premature aging of the intervertebral discs:

• monitor your weight; exceeding the norm of 10 kg creates a critical load on the entire spine;
• try not to lift or carry heavy things;
• if you have to carry a heavy bag, hold it alternately in your right and left hand (or it is better to use a backpack that distributes the load evenly across your entire back);
• every half hour of static work should alternate with light exercises to relieve muscle tension and improve blood circulation;
• It is useful to engage in physical education and sports exercises, for example, swimming, but running, jumping and lifting weights are harmful to the spine;
• to sleep, use an orthopedic mattress and pillow.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can significantly worsen a person's quality of life. The disease can be cured in the initial stages, but even as it develops, daily performance of a set of exercises, compliance with prevention rules, massage and other measures prescribed by the doctor allow you to lead a comfortable life.