Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine - causes, symptoms and treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a complex dystrophic damage to the structures of the spine at the level of the cervical spine, affecting the intervertebral disc, the bone -ocal structures, and the blood supply system.With the course of the disease, pathological changes in the spine occur, and it loses functions.

Osteochondrosis is an insidious disease.In the first stages, there is no symptoms, and only over time when the process acquires a chronic character, the disease makes itself felt.During this period, constant osteochondrosis develops, and irreversible changes begin in the structures of the vertebrae.As in other cases, it is important not to miss the moment and start treatment in time.How to recognize this ailment?

Symptoms of osteochondrosis

The symptomatic complex accompanying the disease is huge.But in general, all complaints that patients present at the doctor’s appointment are similar.

• Dizziness.Dizziness for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a “business card” of this disease.Depending on the severity of the pathological process, dizziness (vertigo) is manifested constantly or episodically.In the first case, we are talking about a complex and long or acute course of the disease.In the vast majority of cases, the symptom accompanies the patient in the morning, especially after sleep.

  The reason for the vertigo is the damage to the cerebellum - the main "coordinator" of the human body in space.

  Patients have the question: why is the head dizzy and how to treat this condition?Inflapping, the intervertebral disc and the surrounding structures squeeze arteries that feed the brain, including the cerebellum.Nervous tissue reacts sensitively to the lack of nutrition and meets disorders.This symptom is impossible to cure in itself, the disease itself is subject to treatment.Fortunately, today therapy methods are eliminated from dizziness.

• Headache.Another frequent satellite of the patient with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.This manifestation is included in the so -calledVertrobaslar syndrome.Pain manifestations differ in intensity and character.Patients describe them as squeezing, bursting, pulsating.Localization is not typical, but in the "classical" cases of vertebobasial insufficiency, pain is felt in the occipital region.The discomfort also passes through the head to the forehead (in medical practice, this is called the "gesture of the legionnaire": the pain spreading from the back of the head to the forehead).

  Important!It is hardly possible to independently determine the source of pain.The same pains are with hypertension, migraines and other pathologies.Therefore, with periodic discomfort, do not postpone a visit to the doctor.

  The most intensity of the pain syndrome reaches in the morning, after sleep.This is easy to explain: at night the mobility of the neck is minimal, stagnation occurs and aggravation of inflammatory phenomena, blood supply to the brain worsens.

• Visual impairment.Headache, dizziness for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine - symptoms that are found in patients everywhere.Less commonly detected visual impairment.Their occurrence indicates in favor of the “neglected” process and is almost guaranteed to determine the presence of vertebrobasicular failure.

  In relatively easy cases, everything is limited to a haze before the eyes and a slight decrease in visual acuity.These symptoms are not constant and pass as the patient's condition improves.Another manifestation from the eye is a photopsy.

  A photopsy is the simplest visual hallucination in the form of a flaring point, zigzag, spots, lines, etc. This alarming manifestation indicates an involvement in the pathological process of the occipital fraction of the brain.It is she who is responsible for the final formation of the “picture” before my eyes.Due to the compression of basic arteries that feed the occipital fraction of the brain, photopsy occurs.

  They themselves do not carry a photopsy in the eyes of the eyes, but do not neglect the examination by an ophthalmologist becauseThe symptom is non -specific.Perhaps we are talking about retinal pathologies.Only when violations by the eyes are excluded, should neurological causes should be sought.

  In the most severe cases, scotomas develop - areas of vision fields.

• Pain in the neck.Visual impairment, headaches, dizziness for cervical osteochondrosis - symptoms are frequent, but they are not limited to them.Also often the patient is subject to pain in the neck.This is a common, but non -specific symptom.Angines, myalgia, etc.Also accompanied by cervical pain.The cervical migraine is more indicative.This is a whole symptomatic complex, including intensive pain in the neck, headache in the nape, numbness of the skin of the back of the head and neck, dizziness, nausea, and sometimes vomiting.
• Rajerating (giving) pain.In case of pain in the neck, discomfort irradiating into the shoulders, elbows, and the collarbone.
• Radio syndromes.Associated with squeezing the inflamed disk of nerve roots.There are extremely rarely (no more than 8% in 1000 cases).Manifestations are different: hoarseness of the voice, paresis of the tongue, weakness of the muscles of the hands, etc.
• Violations of the mobility of the neckand related structures.With a far -reaching process, the motor activity of the neck is violated, the patient also experiences difficulties with the movements of the hands.

In the clinical picture of the disease, the most common triad of symptoms is: dizziness for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, periodic headache, and pain in the neck.Similar manifestations are found in most patients.Answering the question “Can the head with cervical osteochondrosis” be spinning, it is logical to say that not only can, but also be.The rest of the pathology varies from the patient to the patient.

The causes of osteochondrosis

Speaking about the reasons contributing to the development of osteochondrosis, it is worth considering them along with risk factors.

The answer to the question "cervical osteochondrosis from what happens?"Includes many aspects.Most often, the development of the disease is subject to persons with a reduced level of physical activity.This group includes office workers, elderly people, lying patients.Accordingly, the following reasons are distinguished:

1. Violation of the regime of physical activity.Hypodynamia is a direct path to problems with the spine.
2. Age.In representatives of the older generation, dystrophic processes in bone structures arise much more often.Paradoxically, children are also at risk: improper posture does not add health to the spine.
3. Long stay in a fixed position.We are talking about a long stay in a lying position (as in the case of bedridden patients) and sitting (at office workers).

Heavy physical labor is dangerous.Despite the fact that exorbitant loads are more risk for the lumbosacral spine, the cervical is also in danger.This includes both directly physical work, and playing sports, especially swimming, parachute jumping, water jumping, etc.

Carefully monitor the health of the musculoskeletal system is necessary for those who take corticosteroid drugs.Hormones negatively affect the bones and joints, “leaching” calcium, reduce the strength of the skeleton, and weaken the muscle corset.

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis

In the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, it is important to choose an understanding specialist.We draw an analogy.In therapeutic practice, the diagnosis of acute respiratory infections is considered “garbage”, since this is the most general definition for all viral infections and doctors “write off” anything on it.The same is the situation with cervical osteochondrosis.It is not so simple to recognize it, this requires a fair amount of attentiveness and the appointment of a number of diagnostic measures.Therefore, if the doctor diagnoses osteochondrosis on the move and without checking, this is the reason to doubt his professionalism.

Differential diagnosis is carried out with hernia, myalgia, etc.

The first doctor who needs to be addressed is therapist.Therapist is a kind of "navigator".He conducts initial diagnosis and gives the necessary directions.Two specialists are engaged in diagnostics and treatment of the most cervical osteochondrosis itself: an orthopedist and a neurologist (not to be confused with a nephrologist who treats the kidneys).

Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis is not of great difficulties.The system of events includes:

• Hang -up collection.In other words, an oral survey of the patient.The doctor interviews the patient for complaints, their character, duration, probable causes of occurrence, etc.The patient’s task is to tell the most fully and honestly about his condition: about dizziness from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, and about visual impairments, if any, and others depends on the further examination tactics.
• Functional tests.They are carried out by neurologists and orthopedists.They consist in the definition of radicular syndromes, the degree of mobility of the spine.
• Physical study.Easier - palpation.The doctor carefully probes the affected areas and monitors the pain reaction.Palpation is important in determining the cervical migraine.
• Instrumental diagnostic methods.They play a paramount role.
  1. In order to visualize bone-cord formations, radiography is used.It gives relatively little information, but allows you to assess the condition of the vertebrae in general terms.The minus of the method is the absence of visualization of soft tissues.With complete confidence, it is simply impossible to delimit osteochondrosis from a hernia in such conditions.
  2. Dopplerography of the vessels of the neck.Makes it possible to determine the quality of blood flow in the vessels of the neck.With cervical osteochondrosis, the numbers are much lower, however, as in the first case, the method allows only to state the fact of the presence of pathology.
  3. MRI Diagnostics.At the moment, the only and most informative study.Allows you to see the spine in details and determine even minor changes.In the case of differential diagnosis, this study is non -alternative.
• Laboratory research.They have a slightly smaller value.Usually everything is limited to a general blood test to identify the inflammatory process.

Immediately to all the described diagnostic methods, they resort not so often (although this is not always justified).If necessary, if there is reason to assume complications of osteochondrosis, additional consultations of a rheumatologist, cardiologist, etc. are prescribed.

Important!If there are pronounced neurological symptoms, including numbness of the hands, other radicular syndromes, violation of the mobility of the neck, visual impairment, etc.MRI diagnostics can not do.

There is a high probability of developing hernias of the cervical spine, and this is a much more dangerous pathology.Most of the clinic is absent, but doctors have the opportunity to send the patient for this examination for free to another clinic.But experts often neglect their duties.Do not refuse the examination due to laziness and carelessness of the doctor, the patient is the first who is interested in his health, so it is necessary to demand the direction.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

At the first manifestations of health troubles, the patient is usually sent for help not to the hospital, but to the Internet with requests: “How to treat dizziness for cervical osteochondrosis, photopsy, headaches, etc.”.This is a destructive practice and a dead end.It is impossible to cure cervical osteochondrosis independently, the patient risks only lubricating the symptoms and complicate the work of specialists.

In addition, therapy is not a symptom.Therefore, it is not necessary to treat dizziness for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, treatment is required to eliminate the source of the problem.

Therapy is carried out comprehensively, using drugs, physiotherapy, physiotherapy exercises.

The basis of drug therapy is non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs in view of tablets and ointments.These drugs for cervical osteochondrosis and dizziness help along with the relief of pain, since the main cause of vertigo is the compression of the arteries that feed the cerebellum.Only a doctor selects specific names.

Treatment of dizziness for cervical osteochondrosis involves taking drugs that improve blood supply to the brain.They need to be taken with caution and only for the intended prescription of the doctor, since such drugs have a lot of contraindications and side effects.Taking drugs of these two groups can be answered to the question of how to get rid of dizziness for cervical osteochondrosis.They will help restore normal blood flow.

With a pronounced pain syndrome, local blockade is prescribed by a complex of drugs.In some cases, surgical treatment is indicated, but this is rather an exception.

In most cases, to stop dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis and symptoms of a different kind of conservative methods.

If a photopsy is observed, dizziness for cervical osteochondrosis is observed treatment of the neck with the help of a corset (Shants tire).

Often the cause of the neurological (and especially visual) symptoms lies not in the structures of the spine itself, but in spasmodic muscles that squeeze the vessels.Hence the photopsy, dizziness for cervical osteochondrosis: the treatment of such conditions involves the use of muscle relaxants.Massage is prescribed with caution.

During the period of remission, classes and visits to physiotherapy sessions are shown.Depending on the nature and degree of development of the pathological process, this can be electrophoresis, ultrasound, magnetotherapy, etc. Purpose are carried out at the discretion of the attending specialist.

Osteochondrosis is by no means harmless.Over time, it destroys the structure of the spine, causing a lot of states that are dangerous to health, and significantly worsens the quality of life.It is important to consult a doctor in time.It is important for the patient to understand that therapy is not subject to dizziness and nausea for cervical osteochondrosis, treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause.Therefore, do not look for health recipes on the Internet.It is impossible to cure osteochondrosis yourself, you can only temporarily relieve symptoms.

Also, when contacting a doctor, it is necessary to maintain a sound share of attention to his own health.Not only with osteochondrosis of the cervical region is dizzy, we can talk about other pathologies.Even an experienced doctor is not able to make a diagnosis “by eye”.There is no thorough diagnosis.This is important to consider when choosing a doctor.