Symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

Currently, according to medical statistics, almost all over 25–30 years old complain about the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervix.The disease affects this spine more often than others.Pathology is a progressive degenerative process that affects the intervertebral disc and vertebrae located in the neck.The disease is the same between men and women.It is a dangerous and complex form of osteochondrosis, as large blood vessels that supply brain and a large number of nerve endings are located in the neck.Violations of innovation and blood flow lead to a decline of oxygen and nutrients in the brain.

Symptoms of disease

Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are more pronounced than other parts of the spinal column, even with minor damage.This is due to the fact that the vertebrae in the neck is located close to each other, and the intervertebral disc has a small height.Such physical characteristic contributes to the fact that osteochondrosis, nerve endings, spinal cord, are more frequently compressed with blood vessels.

General Symptoms:

• Pain syndrome;
• Weakness and decrease in sensitivity in upper loops;
• Restriction of neck mobility;
• Violation of coordination of movements;
• Frequent dizziness;
• General weakness;
• Deagance of functioning of organs of perception (hearing, vision, touch, taste).

Pains are more often localized in the neck, giving them the back of the head, shoulders, weapons.The upper limbs are hurt if the nerve spine is pinned by the damaged vertebrae, which is responsible for their innovation.The pain of the head is caused by the spastic contraction of the neck muscles attached to the oCCPIL bones and the violation of blood circulation in the region.

Weakness of hands is observed in patients if the nerve spine is involved in the pathological process that ensures infection of the structures of the upper limbs.Restoration of mobility and a characteristic crunch when the neck is rotated or bent, bone growth appears on the cervical vertebrae, the height of the intervertebral disc decreases, the joints located between the vertebrae are affected.

The neck has transverse processes in the vertebrae that form a canal in which the artery that feeds the brain.With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the vertebrae is displaced, the connective tissue is growing on them.It leads to compression of the cervical artery, declining the blood supply behind the cerebellum and brain.As a result, a person has a constant dizziness, coordination of movements, general weakness is disturbed.In advanced cases, if the arterial is involved in the pathological process or is strongly pushed, the cerebellum blood supply, the oCCPital part and the brain stem are quite bad.In this case, the functionality of the organs of hearing and vision decreases the tongue and numbness of the fingers.

The signs of the disease depend on which one of the eight vertebrae is affected by the dystrophic or inflammatory process.Disorders of sensitivity and movement damage cerebrospinal roots, on which some vertebrae are affected.Depending on this, the following manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are seen:

• The first vertebrae - the oCCipital parts of the neck and head are numb, their sensitivity decreases;
• Second - pain is felt in crown and nap;
• Third - pain is felt and sensitivity in the part of the neck decreases where the squeezed spinal cord is located, the intensity of the taste sensations decreases, and speech loss is present;
• Fourth - the pain refers to the shoulder, scapula, the patient is disturbed by heart pain, breathing disorders, and the tone of the neck muscles decreases;
• Fifth - The pain is seen in the neck, given to the outer surface of the shoulder;
• Sixth - neck pain is radiated in the shoulder blade, felt in cells and thumbs;
• Seventh - The pain is given to the shoulder blades, behind the shoulder, the cell and the fingers (from the second to the fourth);
• Eighth - The pain spread from the neck to the shoulders, the forearm and the small finger.

Depending on the proliferation of the wound, the cervical spinal osteochondrosis vary.This is not the phase of the disease, but the severity of symptoms, because how common the pathological process is, what the vertebrae affects.

• At the first degree, clinical symptoms are absent or manifests minimally.Patients complain of minor pain, intense during head movements.Treatment started in this phase of the disease will be effective.However, people often ignore or do not feel disturbing symptoms, so they do not consult a doctor.
• The growth of pathological process increases symptoms.In the second stage, the pain becomes more pronounced, give the upper limbs, shoulder blades.At this stage in the development of degenerative process, the height of the intervertebral disc decreases, resulting in nerve fibers.It causes increasing pain.The second degree of osteochondrosis of the cervical region is characterized by the presence of headaches, well falling, decrease in working ability, a decline.
• The third degree of osteochondrosis of the cervix is distinguished by the formation of a hernia of the affected intervertebral disc.The dynamics of the neck are limited, the patient feels severe pain with papation.With this proliferation of the pathological process, the pain becomes stable, radiation in the upper limbs.The stress of the muscles associated with the OCCPital bones is felt.Patients complain of frequent dizziness, general weakness, numbness of hands.
• The fourth degree of osteochondrosis of the cervix is diagnosed when the intervertebral disc is completely destroyed by a dystrophic process.It is replaced by fibrous tissue, which leads to a significant range of mobility.The spinal cord and blood vessels flying in the neck are affected.Such changes are characterized by a significant decline in blood supply to the cerebellum and brain's OCCPIL.Oxygen starvation leads to coordination of movements, hearing loss, vision, language, coordination of speech disorders.

Treatment methods

Searching for a doctor on time when the first dangerous symptoms appear, unpleasant sensations in the neck, reaction from the nervous system will prevent the progression of degenerative changes.Cervical osteochondrosis is a complex of therapeutic measures in the treatment of osteochondrosis.Of them:

• Taking medicines;
• Massage;
• Physiotherapy physical education;
• Physiotheraputic procedures.

drug therapy

Doctors prescribe anti -inflammatory drugs to reduce the intensity of pain, reduce the inflammatory process and reduce nervous spine inflammation.Chondroprotactors restore the damaged cartilage tissue in the intervertebral disc.Musorelaxants relax neck muscles, relieving cramps.Medications to improve blood flow help the brain re -start the impaired blood supply.B vitamins activate metabolism in nerve tissues.With acute pain, doctors can prescribe analgesic drugs.If the patient has a clear pain syndrome, the analgesic is poured parently, after the pain is reduced, they switch to the tablet.

Physics

Physiotherapy is an effective way to combat osteochondrosis of the cervical region.It is mandatory to treat this disease using such techniques, after which the following results are obtained:

• The intensity of pain decreases;
• Restoration of affected bone, cartilage and muscle tissues is active;
• Muscle cramps and stress are removed;
• An inflammatory process is stopped;
• Delivery of oxygen and nutrients in the affected area and brain improves.

The most effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis is the following types of procedures:

• Drug electrophoresis (the affected area works with electric shock, which in addition to activating blood flow and restoration of tissues, improves the distribution of acting of the drug to the tissues affected by the degenerative process);
• Ultrasound therapy (metabolic processes are activated in the diseased area, pain decreases, swelling stops);
• Magnetotherapy (relieves inflammation from the affected area, which helps reduce the intensity of pain);
• Laser therapy (pathological process improves blood circulation, has an anti -anti -deficit effect).

Medical institution education

Exercises are determined during the period when acute manifestations of the disease are stopped.Discomfort and agony should not be felt during gymnastics.The complex should be performed when a frequent exemption to prevent relaxes.

• Take a position lying on the stomach, lift your head and body, bend on your hands.The back is straight, the breath is deep and even.In a position for one or two minutes, then take a slow starting position.The number of recurrence is 3.
• The situation is lying on the stomach, hands with the body.Slowly rotate your head, trying to touch your ear on the floor.Repeat 6 times on each side.
• Sitting or standing, bending your head on a breath, trying to reach the chest to your chin.When exhaling, take your head back easily, lift your eyes on the ceiling.The number of recurrence is 10–15.
• A good exercise to strengthen the cervical muscles is to press the forehead against the hands pressed over it.To achieve the effect, you need to press the forehead on the palm of your hand and palms on the forehead for 30 seconds.Repeat three times.
• Turn your head into a circle.Do exercise slowly, smoothly.In each direction - each of the 10 revolutions.Dizziness is unacceptable during movements.If this happens, you should stop immediately.

Massage

This course is prescribed by a doctor during the absence of acute pain, only a specialist with a medical education can operate it.With such a disease, it is not recommended to contact non -profitable.

Caller area's medical effects:

• Blood flow and lymph improves in the affected area;
• The muscles relax, cramps are removed;
• The intensity of pain decreases.

Surgical intervention

The operation is shown if conservative therapy does not bring results within six months, the patient suffers from severe pain, nerve fiber damage signs and myelopathy.If the osteochondrosis of the cervical region proceeds with complications, there is a risk of stroke, a strong squeeze of the spinal cord, then the operation requires the operation.

According to the indications, they resort to the following types of surgical interventions:

• Endoscopic discontomy - removal of part or a whole intervertebral disc;
• Laminotomy - hypergood particles of bone ligaments and bone tissue (often combined with laminoplasty - installation of artificial plates to expand the spinal canal);
• Disc nuclei laser evaporation - breakdown of the nuclei of the intervertebral disc with the laser beam together with the destruction of its destroyed pieces;
• Instead of cold -pelletasma nucleoplasty -an endoscope, a long and thin hollow needle is used, introduced into the intervertebral disk, an electrode that has a cool effect, transported to the destruction site through it.

The neck is a complex organ with large blood vessels, spinal cord pass.They are easy for damage, so they resort to surgery in more than 5% cases.Surgical treatment is often accompanied by the development of complications.Of them:

• Inflammatory process in spinal tissue or membrane;
• Osteoomyelitis;
• The formation of a leading scar for a narrowness of artery and spinal canals.

Operations on the cervical spine are complex and require a long rehabilitation period.The restoration of the patient takes a period of six months or more after surgery.

Prevention

To prevent the development of osteochondrosis of the cervix, it is necessary:

• Monitor the condition of the spine and neck;
• Lead an active lifestyle, move more;
• When doing physical exercise, it is necessary to be careful, observing the purity of execution, as minor injuries can affect the condition of the musculoskeletal system;
• Take care of the correct state of the body during sleep, purchase an orthopedic or physical mattress;
• Correctly equip a workplace where a person spends a lot of time;
• Regularly engaged in physical culture;
• Monitor diet, ensure bone forts, especially all useful minerals required for magnesium and calcium;
• Periodic dispensary examinations to detect at the time of osteochondrosis.

Prevention will help prevent degenerative changes in the cervical spine, prevents pain, dizziness, numbness of organs and other unpleasant symptoms.