Cervical osteochondrosis (neck osteochondrosis) is a chronic degenerative disease of the spine, in which the structure of the vertebrae is distorted, the integrity of the intervertebral structures is damaged, and the roots of the spinal cord are damaged.
It's important to know!Osteochondrosis is not a death sentence.There is always an opportunity to alleviate the aggravation of the process, as well as to monitor the progress of changes in the spine.In the most advanced cases, neurosurgical operations are possible.However, this does not exclude the fact that the disease can be "triggered".It is very important to consult a doctor when the first symptoms of osteochondrosis appear in order to diagnose the disease and prescribe early preventive measures!
Reasons for development
The anatomical structure of the spine indicates the greatest mobility in the cervical spine, and the vertebrae in the cervical spine are the smallest.These two factors make the neck one of the "weak points" of the spine.
The main causes of the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are a combination of the following unfavorable factors:
- Incorrect posture and neck position (including when working with a computer).
- High physical load on the cervical spine and shoulder girdle.
- Spinal injuries...
- Age-related changes in the tissue of intervertebral structures.
- Improper diet, lack of essential vitamins and minerals.
It must be said that almost all people develop osteochondrosis with age;according to some researchers, this is "a kind of payback for walking straight."However, in the modern world, with its fast life, sedentary lifestyle and prolonged computer work, cervical osteochondrosis ranks first among spine problems.
Symptoms
Symptoms can vary greatly depending on the degree of damage to the spine, the severity of degenerative changes, the unique characteristics of the human body and many other factors.Rather, neurologists distinguish three main sets of symptoms that occur in cervical osteochondrosis, as well as their combination:
- Vertebrogenic cervicalgia.
- Vertebrogenic cervicocranalgia.
- Vertebrogenic cervicobrachialgia.
Based on the names, we can identify the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.So, in the case of cervicalgia, the main complaint will be pain directly in the neck;in the case of vertebrogenic cervicocranialgia, the neck pain spreads to the head;with cervicobrachialgia, the neck pain spreads to one or both arms, spasms also develop in the arm, numbness and a crawling sensation may occur in the arms.In all cases of osteochondrosis, the following symptoms may occur: neck muscle tension, neck cracking, restriction of neck movement.
Radiculopathy
In the presence of severe osteochondrosis, which is complicated by protrusions or disc herniations, a so-called radiculopathy may develop: a disruption of the function of a certain spinal root with weakness of the innervated muscles, weight loss and sensitivity disorders.
Diagnostics and X-ray signs
X-ray diagnosis of osteochondrosis, since the detailed clinical picture is available only at the moment of exacerbation, while changes in the spine can occur with the complete subjective well-being of a person.Without an X-ray examination, we can only talk about the suspicion of osteochondrosis, because similar symptoms can also be caused by other diseases (myositis, vertebral tumor, etc.).
The following research methods are used to diagnose osteochondrosis: radiography (preferably with functional tests), MSCT and MRI.The latter examination is the most advantageous, as it allows a very clear visualization of the state of the intervertebral structures.
X-ray signs of osteochondrosis include the following changes in the spine:
- Reduced intervertebral disc height.
- presence of marginal bone growths.
- Violation of the relative location of the vertebrae.
- Deformations of the vertebral bodies and arches, etc.
The presence of the changes described above, as well as changes in the structure of the intervertebral disc detected by MSCT and MRI, serve as a reliable sign that confirms the presence of osteochondrosis.
Treatment
Treatment should be comprehensive and should address all aspects of the pathogenesis of clinical manifestations.Chronic dystrophic changes occurring during exacerbations lead to inflammation of the roots of the spinal cord, which reflexively causes pain.Pain is a sign of a protective reaction for the muscles - a muscle spasm.Muscle spasm brings the vertebrae closer together and increases compression (compression) and inflammation of the roots.The circle is closed.Therefore, it is necessary to remove inflammation, pain, muscle spasm, and protect the roots from inflammatory effects.
There are medicinal and non-pharmacological methods of treatment.They partially change in the case of a predominance of certain symptoms, but there is a general pattern.
Medicine
Anti-inflammatory drugs (aceclofenac, ketoprofen, meloxicam, diclofenac, etc.), muscle relaxants (tolperisone hydrochloride, baclofen, tizanidine), neuroprotective drugs (complex preparations of B vitamins and thioctic acid) are used.
It's not a drug
It includes massage, physiotherapy and movement therapy.Massage for cervical osteochondrosis very effectively relieves muscle spasm, improves blood flow in the tissues of the spine, which reduces the severity of the inflammatory process.Physiotherapy can be aimed at alleviating pain (electrophoresis with painkillers) and relieving muscle tension (diadynamic currents).Physiotherapy is a unique and highly effective disease prevention method.Here you can see the exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis.
Folk remedies
Among the traditional treatment methods, we should highlight the use of various water and alcohol-based warming compresses, which can reduce the intensity of neck pain and reduce inflammation.The "dry heat" method is also well proven, the essence of which is that salt or sand placed in a rag bag is heated and then applied to the place of pain.
Traditional methods of treating osteochondrosis of the cervical spine include the use of applicators - special devices or simply tissue surfaces coated with needles.Moderate pressure on the neck area, as well as simple lying on such a surface for 10-15 minutes, causes a reflex relaxation of the neck muscles and disturbing pain relief.