Symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

13 September 2020

Currently, according to medical statistics, almost all people over the age of 25-30 complain of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. The disease affects this part of the spine more often than others. The pathology is a progressive degenerative process that affects the intervertebral discs and the vertebrae located in the neck. The disease is equally common in men and women.

This is a complex and dangerous form of osteochondrosis, as there are large blood vessels in the neck supplying the brain and a large number of nerve endings. Innervation and blood flow disorders cause a deterioration in the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain.

Signs of illness

The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are more pronounced than in other parts of the spine, even with minor injuries. This is due to the fact that the vertebrae in the neck are located close to each other, and the intervertebral discs have a low height. This anatomical feature contributes to the fact that with osteochondrosis, nerve endings, the spinal cord and blood vessels are more often compressed.

General symptoms:

pain syndrome;
weakness and decreased sensation in the upper extremities;
restriction of neck mobility;

impaired movement coordination;
frequent dizziness;
general weakness;
impaired functioning of the organs of perception (hearing, vision, touch, taste).

The pain is often localized to the neck and radiates to the back of the head, shoulders, and arms. The upper extremities hurt if the nerve root responsible for its innervation is pinched by the damaged vertebra. Occipital pain is caused by spastic contractions of the neck muscles attached to the occipital bones and impaired blood circulation in this area.

Arm weakness is seen in patients if a nerve root is involved in the disease process, providing innervation to the muscular structures of the upper extremities.

Limited mobility and a characteristic crunching noise occurs when turning or tilting the neck if bony growths appear on the cervical vertebrae, the height of the intervertebral discs decreases, and the joints between the vertebrae are affected.

The vertebrae in the neck have transverse processes that form a channel in which an artery that feeds the brain runs. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the vertebrae are displaced, and connective tissue grows in them. This leads to compression of the cervical artery, impaired blood supply to the cerebellum and the posterior parts of the brain. As a result, a person has frequent dizziness, impaired coordination of movements, and general weakness. In advanced cases, if the artery is involved in a pathological process or strongly pinched, then the blood supply to the cerebellum, occipital region, and brainstem deteriorates significantly. In this case, the functionality of the organs of hearing, vision decreases, numbness of the tongue and fingers is observed.

The symptoms of the disease also depend on which of the eight vertebrae is affected by a degenerative or inflammatory process. Sensitivity and movement disorders are caused by damage to the spinal roots, which are affected by certain vertebrae. Depending on this, the following manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are observed:

first vertebra: the neck and occipital part of the head go numb, their sensitivity decreases;
second: there is pain in the region of the crown and occiput;
third: pain is felt and sensitivity decreases in the part of the neck where the compressed spinal root is located, the intensity of taste sensations decreases, there are speech disorders;
fourth: painful sensations radiate to the shoulder, scapula, the patient is concerned about heart pains, respiratory disorders, the tone of the neck muscles decreases;
fifth - pain in the neck, which occurs on the outer surface of the shoulder;
sixth: pain in the neck radiating to the scapula, felt in the forearm and thumbs;
seventh - pain occurs in the scapula, the back of the shoulder, the forearm and the fingers (from the second to the fourth);
eighth: pain spreads from neck to shoulders, forearms, and little fingers.

There are four degrees of cervical osteochondrosis, depending on the extent of the lesion. These are not the stages of the disease, but the severity of the symptoms, due to how common the pathological process is, which vertebrae it affects.

In first degree, clinical symptoms are absent or minimal. Patients complain of mild pain, aggravated by movements of the head. Treatment started at this stage of the disease will be effective. However, people often ignore the alarming symptoms or do not feel them, so they do not go to the doctor.
The aggravation of the pathological process intensifies the symptoms. In the second stage, the pain becomes more pronounced, it is administered to the upper extremities and shoulder blades. At this stage of the development of the degenerative process, the height of the intervertebral disc decreases, as a result of which the nerve fiber is pinched. This becomes the cause of increased pain. For the second degree of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, headaches, deterioration of health and decreased performance are characteristic.
The third degree of cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by the formation of a herniation of the affected intervertebral disc. Neck mobility is limited, on palpation, the patient feels severe pain. With such a spread of the pathological process, the pain becomes constant and radiates to the upper extremities. There is a feeling of tension in the muscles attached to the occipital bones. Patients complain of frequent dizziness, general weakness, numbness of the hands.
The fourth degree of cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed when the degenerative process completely destroys the intervertebral disc. It is replaced by fibrous tissue, which leads to a significant restriction of mobility. The spinal cord and blood vessels in the neck are affected. Such changes are characterized by a significant deterioration in the blood supply to the cerebellum and the occipital part of the brain. Lack of oxygen leads to disturbances in coordination of movements, impaired hearing, vision, numbness of the tongue, and speech disorders.

Treatment methods

A timely visit to a doctor when the first alarming symptoms appear, neck discomfort, nervous system reactions will prevent the progression of degenerative changes. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis consists of a set of therapeutic measures. Among them:

taking medication;
massage;
physical therapy exercises;
physiotherapy procedures.

Treatment is carried out at home and on an outpatient basis, under the supervision of a physician. In some cases, more radical methods may be required, then the patient is hospitalized.

Drug therapy

The following groups of drugs are used to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
chondroprotectors;
muscle relaxants;
drugs that improve the rheological parameters of the blood;
Vitamins B

Doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain intensity, reduce inflammation, and nerve root swelling. Chondroprotectors restore damaged cartilage tissue in the intervertebral disc. Muscle relaxants relax the muscles in the neck and relieve spasms. Medications to improve blood flow help restore impaired blood supply to the brain. B vitamins activate metabolism in nervous tissues. With severe pain, the doctor may prescribe pain relievers. If the patient has a severe pain syndrome, painkillers are administered parenterally, after the pain disappears, they switch to pills.

In addition to pharmacy drugs, the patient can use traditional methods to treat cervical osteochondrosis. Before using them, you should consult a doctor so that there is no conflict between drugs and non-traditional means. Decoctions and infusions of dill seeds, hop cones, lilac flowers help to stop the inflammatory process and relieve pain.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is an effective way to combat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is imperative to treat this disease using such techniques, as a result of which the following results are achieved:

decreases the intensity of pain;
the restoration of affected bone, cartilage and muscle tissue is activated;
relieves spasms and tension in muscles;
the inflammatory process is stopped;
improves the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the affected area and the brain.

The following types of procedures are considered the most effective in treating osteochondrosis:

drug electrophoresis (an electrical current is applied to the affected area that, in addition to activating blood flow and tissue restoration, improves the delivery of the drug's active ingredient to tissues affected by the degenerative process);
ultrasound therapy (metabolic processes in the diseased area are activated, pain subsides, inflammation stops);
magnetotherapy (relieves swelling of the affected area, helping to reduce the intensity of pain);
laser therapy (improves blood circulation in the area of the pathological process, has an anti-inflammatory effect).

Also the doctor can recommend acupuncture, balneological procedures.

Physiotherapy exercises

Exercises are prescribed during the period when the acute manifestations of the disease stop. During gymnastics, there should be no discomfort and pain.

Complex should be performed upon reaching stable remission to avoid relapse.

Lie on your stomach, lift your head and body supporting yourself with your hands. The back is straight, the breathing is deep and even. Hold the position for a minute or two, then slowly return to the starting position. The number of repetitions is 3.
Position: lying face down, arms along the body. Slowly turn your head, trying to touch the ground with your ear. Repeat 6 times on each side.
Sitting or standing, tilt your head as you inhale, trying to reach for your chest with your chin. As you exhale, gently pull your head back, raising your eyes to the ceiling. The number of repetitions is from 10 to 15.
A good exercise to strengthen your neck muscles is to press your forehead against your hands. To achieve the effect, you need to press with the palms of your hands on your forehead and your forehead on the palms of your hands for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.
Turn your head in a circle. Exercise should be done slowly and gently. In each direction - 10 turns. The appearance of dizziness when performing movements is unacceptable. If this happens, you must stop immediately.

All exercises should be performed smoothly, without sudden movements, in case of deterioration of health, nausea, dizziness, stop immediately.

Massage

The course is prescribed by the doctor in the absence of acute pain, it can only be done by a specialist with medical education. With such a disease, it is not recommended to contact non-professional people.

Healing effects of neck massage:

improves blood and lymphatic flow in the affected area;
muscles relax, spasm relieves;
the intensity of the painful sensations decreases.

The specialists use the entire arsenal of massage movements: stroking, rubbing, kneading, squeezing and vibrating.

Surgery

The operation is indicated if conservative therapy does not give results within six months, the patient suffers from severe pain, signs of nerve fiber damage and myelopathy are observed. If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine continues with complications, there is a threat of stroke, there is strong compression of the spinal cord, then an operation is necessary.

As directed, the following types of surgical procedures are used:

endoscopic discectomy: removal of part or all of an intervertebral disc;
laminotomy - excision of bony ligaments and overgrown bone tissue particles (often combined with laminoplasty - the installation of artificial plates to expand the spinal canal);
laser vaporization of the disc nucleus: division of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc with a laser beam simultaneously with the destruction of its destroyed fragments;

cold plasma nucleoplasty: instead of an endoscope, a long, thin hollow needle is used, which is inserted into the intervertebral disc, through which an electrode is placed at the injury site, which has a cold plasma effect.

The neck is a complex organ that contains large blood vessels, the spinal cord. They are easy to damage, so surgical interventions are used in no more than 5% of cases. Surgical treatment is usually accompanied by the development of complications. Among them:

inflammatory process in the tissues or membranes of the spinal cord;
osteomyelitis;
scarring resulting in narrowing of the arterial and spinal canals.

Cervical spine surgery is difficult and requires a long period of rehabilitation. Recovery for a patient after surgery takes six months or more.

Prevention

To prevent the development of cervical osteochondrosis it is necessary:

monitor the position of the spine and neck;
lead an active lifestyle, move more;
while doing physical exercises, you need to be careful, observe correct execution, since even minor injuries can affect the condition of the musculoskeletal system;
take care of the correct position of the body during sleep, buy an orthopedic or anatomical mattress;
properly equip a workplace where a person spends a lot of time;
participate regularly in physical education;
control your diet, ensure the supply of all the beneficial minerals necessary for strong bones, especially magnesium and calcium;
is constantly undergoing outpatient examinations for the early detection of osteochondrosis.

Prevention will help prevent degenerative changes in the cervical spine, protect against painful sensations, dizziness, numbness of the limbs and other unpleasant symptoms.