Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are one of the most common diseases on earth.Few people manage to completely avoid them, especially after 40 years, although experts admit that problems with the spine, muscles and joints have become “younger”, and very young people are increasingly complaining about pain.
This is due to a lifestyle that has already become familiar to many: inactivity, prolonged stay in one position (most often behind gadgets and monitors), lack of physical activity.As a result, posture is disrupted, salts and other harmful substances accumulate in the body, the functions of the musculoskeletal system are disrupted, and as a result, internal organs can be deformed.
The most common of these diseases is osteochondrosis, which affects both older and fairly young people, and among osteochondrosis - problems with 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 way of life, even to the point of disability.This means that you need to promptly 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 their profession, is in the same position for a long time, then their risk of encountering 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 rotated, the neck bends, and so on.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 blood to the brain.In turn, the brain does not receive enough vital substances, and this can lead to the development of a number of other, more serious diseases that can cause disability and even death of the patient.
There are many reasons for the occurrence and development of cervical osteochondrosis.Among the most common and frequent reasons are the following:
- impaired metabolism in the body, in particular in the cervical region, hormonal imbalance;
- salt deposition;
- low physical activity, sedentary lifestyle;
- staying in one position for a long time (at the computer, driving a car, etc.);
- poor nutrition;
- 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 and more severely the vertebrae are damaged and the nerve roots are pinched, the more noticeable the symptoms.
The first symptom that you need to pay attention to is pain of varying strength in the cervical spine, which radiates to other parts of the body - the back of the head, forehead, ears, forearm, shoulder, chest, and so on.If you experience pain, you should consult a doctor to determine whether it is indeed osteochondrosis, which is often similar in symptoms to other diseases.
Other signs of osteochondrosis
- neck pain increases with exertion or 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 area;
- 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.Pain is felt in the neck, radiating to the shoulder blade, lower back, shoulder, and forearm.
With vertebral artery syndrome, the patient experiences throbbing pain in the back of the head or temples, or a burning pain in the neck, back of the head, which intensifies when turning the head, during sleep, when coughing, and radiates to the chest and shoulder.
With cardiac syndrome, the symptoms initially resemble angina pectoris, but the pain does not go away 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 based on which nerve ending was damaged.There are eight of them in total, each of them is located above the cervical vertebra.You can determine which vertebrae 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, impaired speech, sensitivity of the tongue;occurs very rarely;
- fourth section: pain and numbness in the collarbone and/or shoulder, respiratory system disorders, pain in the heart area;
- fifth section: pain in the shoulder, pain in 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, so it is important not only to start treatment for 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 radiography; if there is insufficient data, computed or magnetic resonance imaging, Doppler ultrasound and duplex scanning.
Based on the 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 complications of osteochondrosis from developing.
Treatment is prescribed by a doctor, usually it is complex.First of all, it should relieve pain 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, painkillers 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 drugs and ointments only relieve pain and other symptoms of neck osteochondrosis, but do not get rid of its cause.After the pain decreases, the patient is prescribed massages, physical therapy, and physical therapy.The patient is prescribed a diet, drugs that improve blood circulation and support body functions, in tablets and injections, as well as chondroprotectors that help protect and restore intervertebral disc tissue.
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 return the patient to a normal lifestyle, but they should be used only in combination with traditional methods and after consultation with 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
Do not forget: treatment for cervical osteochondrosis should be started as soon 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 cause various complications.Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is very dangerous because this section contains many blood vessels and nerve plexuses that supply the brain.
Any disturbance can cause problems with cerebral circulation, 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, spinal stroke or radiculopathy - a disease in which processes form on the affected vertebrae, partially or completely depriving the body of sensitivity and mobility.But this is not the worst thing, since in severe cases of osteochondrosis, the spinal cord is compressed, which can cause the death of the patient.
Therefore, it is very important to listen to the symptoms as early as possible and contact a specialist who will help you return to a full life.And to avoid a disease such as cervical osteochondrosis, you need to move more, not avoid physical activity, monitor your weight, eat a healthy and balanced diet, and regularly visit an orthopedist or vertebrologist.