Osteochondrosis is a disease that is one of the most common in the world.Most people after 35 years have cervical spine osteochondrosis in one way or another.Recently, there was a tendency to increase the number of suffering in a severe form of the disease and to rejuvenate the disease, a decrease in the threshold of a minor age.This is due to the fact that a growing number of people around the world is involved in sitting work and takes a sedentary lifestyle.Meanwhile, the disease is quite dangerous and anyone should know what it is - osteochondrosis, how it is manifested and how it is treated, to be able to recognize their symptoms and start treatment in a timely manner.
Causes
Osteochondrosis is one of the few diseases that are characteristic only for humans.In other animals, this disease is not found.The reason for this is such a distinct characteristic of a person as director.The vertical arrangement of the spinal column leads to the fact that the vertebrae are pressured and the fabric of the column bone bones is gradually degraded and deformed.
The human spine begins with the cervical region.In total there are seven vertebrae in this department - from the first to seventh.The vertebrae are separated from each other by intervertebral discs.The cervical spine is a particularly vulnerable part of it, which is associated first and foremost with the increased mobility of vertebrae in this area.In the cervical region, the disease is reflected, first and foremost, in the records, which are a weak place in the structure of the spine.
The prevalence of cervical osteochondrosis is also facilitated by factors such as the small size of the vertebrae and the relative weakness of the neck muscles.In addition, the development of cervical osteochondrosis is greatly influenced by the lack of blood supply in the cartilage tissue.
Thus, the development of the disease is a complex and prolonged process and has no single cause.Although a connection between a person's sedentary work has been established and the presence of cervical osteochondrosis in it, however, the disease is often found in trained people, especially athletes doubtful to increased load in the cervical spine when lifting weights.
In the elderly, as a rule, vertebrate degradation is an inevitable process associated with the aging of the body and the weakening of its protective forces.However, the pathological type of cervical osteochondrosis is most often found, in which external or internal negative factors play the lead role.
Factors that contribute to the development of neck osteochondrosis:
- Posture Violation
- Spine curvature
- Back injuries
- Overweight
- Hard work
- Sedentary work
- A sedentary lifestyle
- Violation of metabolic processes
- Frequent hypothermia
- In an uncomfortable pose during sleep
- Stress, overwork
- Hereditary factors
- Infectious diseases
- Individual characteristics of body structure, for example, very long or very short neck
The degree of development of cervical osteochondrosis
The disease has four stages.It is not always easy to determine the stage of the disease by analyzing symptoms, since sometimes the degree of bone cheese tissue may not correspond to the symptoms observed in the patient.
The first degree
Destructive processes begin in the tissue of the bone skin of the vertebrae.As a rule, in this phase of cervical region osteochondrosis, symptoms are weakly expressed.Patients or will not perceive them or not associate with spinal diseases, but attribute stress and overwork.
The second degree
A decrease in the disc height begins, the cracks appear on its surface.The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at this stage are manifested in constant pain, weakness, numbness of individual sections of the face.
The third degree
The disc screens are formed, the cervical vessels and the muscles are damaged.The patient has dizziness, pain in the occipital part of the head.
The fourth degree
Osteophytes appear - the growth of bone tissue that protects the vertebrae from the load, which leads to the violation of the nerves.This leads to the rigidity of movements and damage to neighboring joints.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of cervical spine osteochondrosis:
- Neck and shoulders
- Muscle weakness
- Increased perspiration
- Dormancy
- Coordination violation
- Dizziness
- Vision and hearing deterioration
- Increasing blood pressure
- Headaches
These osteochondrosis of the spine typical of osteochondrosis, symptoms may be present at all stages of the disease.In most cases, only some symptoms are observed on the list, and the rest may be absent from a person who first found these signs of the disease, not always suspected of cervical osteochondrosis.Therefore, he can contact several doctors - therapists, cardiologists, neuropathologists, surgeons.And the correct diagnosis as a result can be made with a significant delay.
Syndromes for cervical osteochondrosis
With cervical osteochondrosis, several syndromes are found, ie typical conditions that have a complex of characteristics.They manifest themselves, depending on what nerves and arteries are affected as a result of the disease:
- Vail Artery Syndrome
- Cardial syndrome
- Hypertensive syndrome
- Rook Syndrome
- Cervical migraine syndrome
Spinal artery syndrome is one of the most unpleasant and dangerous complications with cervical osteochondrosis.It is due to the fact that blood flow is reduced along the artery that passes through the spine and brain supply.The syndrome manifests itself in symptoms such as systemic or periodic dizziness, use and vision.In some cases, faint may occur.Often, there is a variety of syndrome, which consists of the fact that, in the normal state, blood flow in the artery is normal, however, by rotating the head in one direction or another, it may fall sharply.
Cardial syndrome develops by squeezing the roots of the nerves that diaphragm innervation or thoracic muscle.As a result, the patient may have pain similar to cardialf, although the heart does not occur in the heart.However, the syndrome can be characterized by phenomena such as tachycardia, hypotension and arrhythmia.
Hypertension syndrome is also one of the most dangerous complications.Unlike vertebral artery syndrome, it is caused by squeezing not the arteries, but the veins, which complicates the output of blood from the head.The syndrome leads to an increase in intracranial pressure, which can manifest in symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache.
Cervical migraine syndrome has little in common in its etiology with classic migraine.He manifests himself in the stronger pain in the occipital part of the head.The pains are paroxysmal in nature, last up to ten hours and are accompanied by vomiting.
Resting syndrome is the most common syndrome for cervical spine osteochondrosis.It is caused by the compression of individual roots of nerves in cervical vertebrae.Pode ser expresso de dor no pescoço, Nape, omoplatas, ombros, dormência e enfraquecimento do tom de seções individuais das mãos (até a impossibilidade de realizar algum tipo de manipulação) e pescoço.
Often, several characteristic syndromes or individual symptoms of different syndromes can be observed at once.
As you can see, with cervical spine osteochondrosis, the disease manifestation is multifaceted and, far from always, the patient is able to correctly recognize the cause of its occurrence.If you come across similar symptoms, this is an occasion to consult a doctor.
Diagnosis
To install the diagnosis, it is recommended to contact the therapist.He will give experts an appointment - an orthopedist, a vertebrologist, a neurologist.
The following types of research are used for diagnosis:
- Radiography
- Computed tomography
- Magnetic tomography
- Ultrasound examination of neck vessels
X -ray allows you to determine the displacement of the vertebrae, the presence of growth - osteophytes and saline deposits, seals of discs.Computed tomography consists of creating a series of x -ray images that give a bulky idea of the body in this case over the cervical spine.It allows to detail the degree of pathological process - the nature of nerve compression, the structure of the osteophytes, the height of the discs, etc.Magnetic resonance imaging, based on the physical effect of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, provides an even more detailed structural image of the spine.Neck neck ultrasound helps identify changes in blood flow in the main vessels of the neck caused by the disease.
Treatment
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis and is treated?To combat the disease, medicine has developed many methods.Some treatment methods can be used at home.But this process is a long and complete cure is unlikely, especially in old age.However, it is possible to slow down and prevent destructive processes in the spine at any stage of the disease.
In the early stages of the disease, the methods are usually conservative.Several ways are used to treat cervical osteochondrosis:
- Medication
- Medical Physical Education
- Physiotherapy
- Massage
- Special tools to fix the column
If the disease moved to the last stage, and there is a serious destruction of the structure full of spine bones, surgery can also be used to treat cervical spine osteochondrosis.
Drug
The following types of medicines are used:
- Chondoprotectors
- Vitamins
- Analgesics
- Anti -inflammatory drugs
- Antispasmodic
In acute pain syndrome associated with osteochondrosis, the priority task is to eliminate it.As a rule, oral preparations are used, however, with their inefficiency, novocaine blockage is used in severe cases.
With muscle cramps, antispasmodic are used.They demonstrate the greatest effectiveness of osteochondrosis.Such as anti -inflammatory and painkillers, ointments containing non -esteroid medications can be used.
In the presence of syndromes associated with circulatory disorders and blood supply to the brain - hypertension and vertebral artery syndrome, drugs that relieve the undesirable effects of these syndromes are taken - medicines that decrease pressure and nootropic agents.
Medical Physical Education
Medical Physical Education is the simplest and most accessible type of treatment for cervical osteochondrosis and at the same time, quite effective.Physical education can also be performed at home.With osteochondrosis, the intensity of the classes does not play a decisive role, only their regularity is necessary.First of all, Physical Education is designed to strengthen the neck muscles, which make up insufficient spine functionality and help keep weakened vertebrae.
To strengthen the neck muscles, daily classes are recommended.They can be completely simple, consisting of head curves and inclinations in different and more complex directions, including the help of the neck muscles of the hands.They can be done at home and at work.For example, if the work is sedentary, it is helpful to do these exercises after sitting at a table or monitor.However, they can only be performed outside the period of exacerbation of the disease and in the absence of pain.Otherwise, they can only make the condition worse.
No less effective is the strengthening of the shoulder waist muscles, for example, using regular classes with light dumbbells.However, lifting weights (weights, rods) is against it.Regular swimming by discharging the spine is also useful.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a treatment method that uses some physical fields and radiation to perform the body.A positive property of physiotherapy is that it has a minimum number of against -indications.
The following physiotherapy methods are used to treat osteochondrosis:
- Ultrasound Exposure
- Laser therapy
- Exposure to the magnetic field
- Effect of electric current (electrophoresis)
The magnetic field positively affects damaged body tissues and has an anti -inflammatory and analgesic effect.Ultrasound improves metabolic processes in tissues, relieves swelling.The same can be said about laser therapy.Electrophoresis is most often used in various medications as the use of electric current accelerates its absorption by the body.
Massage
Massage reduces increased muscle tone that causes spasm and reduces flow of swelling lymphony.The procedure helps improve blood circulation in the affected area, which interrupts the process of destroying intervertebral discs.
Other treatment methods
To reduce the load in the cervical compartment, a special device is used - a Chantzz necklace that fixes the neck in a constant normal position.It is recommended to use it during exacerbations with pain syndrome or prolonged session.
To avoid exacerbations, you must also organize a place to sleep.The pillow should not cause neck curvature, and the mattress should be rigid and uniform.In some cases, special sleeping devices can help - orthopedic mattress and pillow.