Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are one of the most common diseases on earth.Few people manage to avoid them completely, especially after the age of 40, although experts admit that problems with the spine, muscles and joints have become "younger" and very young people complain more and more of pain.
This is due to a lifestyle already familiar to many: inactivity, prolonged stay in one position (most often behind gadgets and monitors), lack of physical activity.As a result, posture is disturbed, salts and other harmful substances accumulate in the body, the functions of the musculoskeletal system are disrupted, and as a result, internal organs may be deformed.
The most common of these diseases is osteochondrosis, which affects both elderly and quite young people, and among osteochondrosis, problems of the lumbosacral and cervical spine.The second most common type of osteochondrosis, cervical, is an unpleasant disease, and in addition, it is progressive, without treatment it significantly worsens the lifestyle, up to disability.This means that you need to quickly recognize the symptoms of this disease and promptly contact an orthopedist or vertebrologist for treatment.
How does cervical osteochondrosis develop?
If a person leads a sedentary lifestyle or, due to his profession, stays in one position for a long time, then the risk of suffering from osteochondrosis is very high.As the disease develops, changes occur in the intervertebral discs, they become deformed and change their structure.
Intervertebral discs are located between the vertebrae, their task is to support the spine, make it flexible and strong.There are seven vertebrae in the neck, with the help of which the head is supported and turned, the neck bends, etc.The cervical vertebrae are located very close to each other, so they are injured and displaced even from minor physical exertion.The danger of the disease lies in the fact that it affects the nerve endings of the spinal nerves, which damages the vessels supplying the brain.In turn, the brain does not receive enough vital substances, which can lead to the development of a number of other, more serious diseases that can lead to disability and even death of the patient.
The reasons for the appearance and development of cervical osteochondrosis are many.Some of the most common and frequent reasons include:
- impaired metabolism in the body, especially in the cervical region, hormonal imbalance;
- salt deposit;
- low physical activity, sedentary lifestyle;
- stay in one position for a long time (in front of the computer, driving a car, etc.);
- poor diet;
- excess weight;
- neck injuries and bruises;
- hypothermia of the body.
Osteochondrosis also occurs against the background of chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system, such as scoliosis or rheumatism.
In addition, a genetic predisposition of the body often leads to osteochondrosis.
But whatever the reasons, osteochondrosis must be treated as soon as its first symptoms appear.
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis in this part of the spine does not always occur suddenly and unexpectedly.Most often, it develops slowly and the symptoms intensify over time and their number increases.The more severely damaged the vertebrae and pinched nerve roots, the more noticeable the symptoms.
The first symptom that you should pay attention to is pain of varying intensity in the cervical spine, which radiates to other parts of the body - the back of the head, forehead, ears, forearm, shoulder, chest, etc.If you experience pain, you should see a doctor to determine whether it is osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which are often similar to other diseases.
Other signs of osteochondrosis
- neck pain increases with exertion or when turning the head;
- the patient feels numbness, burning or tingling in the limbs;
- headaches and dizziness, loss of strength are common, the patient may complain of darkening and spots in the eyes, tinnitus;
- Fainting is likely if you turn your head suddenly.
Cervical osteochondrosis is also characterized by:
- lack of coordination;
- pain in the heart region;
- deterioration of vision and hearing.
Types of osteochondrosis
Depending on the type of pinched nerve and the nature of the disease, doctors distinguish several syndromes:
- radicular syndrome;
- vertebral artery syndrome;
- cardiac syndrome.
Radicular syndrome is the pinching of the first pairs of cervical nerve endings.The pain is felt in the neck and radiates to the shoulder blade, lower back, shoulder and forearm.
With vertebral artery syndrome, the patient feels shooting pain in the back of the head or temples, or burning pain in the neck, back of the head, which intensifies when turning the head, during sleep, coughing and radiates to the chest and shoulder.
In case of cardiac syndrome, the symptoms initially resemble angina, but the pain does not disappear after taking nitroglycerin, lasts for several hours and can intensify with movement and deep breathing.
Symptoms of damage to specific vertebrae
Treatment of osteochondrosis is prescribed depending on the damaged nerve ending.There are eight of them in total, each of them is located above the cervical vertebra.You can determine which vertebra is affected by the symptoms corresponding to a specific nerve root.
Damage to the nerve ending and its characteristic pain
- first and second sections: impaired sensitivity of the back of the head, pain in the parietal and occipital region;
- third section: numbness of the neck in the pinched area, slurred speech, sensitivity of the tongue;occurs very rarely;
- fourth section: pain and numbness of the clavicle and/or shoulder, respiratory system disorders, pain in the heart region;
- fifth section: shoulder pain, pain on the outer surface of the shoulder, impaired sensitivity of the limbs;
- sixth and seventh sections: pain in the neck, shoulder blade, forearm, back, lower back, impaired sensitivity of the hands and fingers;most common lesion;
- eighth section: pain in the neck, back, elbow, numbness of the little fingers of all extremities, cyanosis of the legs and hands due to poor circulation, lack of skin sensitivity, radiating to the legs.
Diagnosis and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
To reliably establish a diagnosis of "cervical osteochondrosis", you must consult a doctor.Many symptoms of osteochondrosis are similar to signs of other diseases.Therefore, it is important not only to start treatment of osteochondrosis on time, but also not to miss other pathologies.
If osteochondrosis is suspected and there are signs of pinched nerve endings, the doctor prescribes an x-ray;in case of insufficient data, magnetic or computer resonance imaging, Doppler ultrasound and duplex scanning.
Based on research data, the nature of the pain syndrome and the combination of other symptoms, it is possible to determine which discs are damaged and begin the necessary treatment that will restore the affected vertebrae and nerve roots and prevent the development of complications of osteochondrosis.
Treatment is prescribed by a doctor and is generally complex.First of all, it should relieve painful symptoms, which in case of cervical osteochondrosis are sometimes almost unbearable and spread not only to the neck, but also to other parts of the body.
For this purpose, analgesics in tablets are used, but in case of too severe pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as warming and analgesic ointments, are indicated.
Since medications and ointments only relieve pain and other symptoms of osteochondrosis of the neck, but do not eliminate its cause.After the pain subsides, the patient is prescribed massage, physiotherapy and physiotherapy.The patient is prescribed a diet, drugs that improve blood circulation and support body functions, in the form of tablets and injections, as well as chondroprotectors that help protect and restore the tissue of the intervertebral disc.
In some cases, as additional treatment, the patient is prescribed baths, paraffin baths, reflexology and hirudotherapy.Traditional methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis often also quickly help the patient return to a normal lifestyle, but they should be used only in combination with traditional methods and after consulting a doctor, since traditional medicine may have contraindications and the use of its recipes can harm an organism already weakened by the disease.
Complications and prevention of the disease
Remember: treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be started as early as possible.The longer you wait to see a doctor, the more difficult it will be to cure the disease, and in the meantime it can lead to various complications.Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is very dangerous because this section contains many blood vessels and nerve plexuses that supply blood to the brain.
Any disturbance can lead to cerebral circulation problems, neurological disorders including migraines and hypertension, and affect the heart, respiratory system, hearing and vision.
If you start osteochondrosis, more serious consequences are possible in the form of cerebral ischemia, stroke or radiculopathy - a disease in which processes are formed on the affected vertebrae, partially or completely depriving the body of sensitivity and mobility.But this is not the worst, since in severe cases of osteochondrosis, the spinal cord is compressed, which can lead to the death of the patient.
It is therefore very important to listen to the symptoms as early as possible and contact a specialist who will help you get back to a full life.And to avoid a disease like cervical osteochondrosis, you need to move more, not avoid physical activity, monitor your weight, eat a healthy and balanced diet and regularly consult an orthopedist or vertebrologist.