Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is more common than any other - it spares neither the elderly nor the young over 20. The people around you complain about your manifestations every day, attributing your feelings to magnetic storms, or to energy vampires, or to more prosaic explanations, but still far from the truth.
The location of the disease in the cervical spine, which includes 7 vertebrae, is explained by the fact that the intervertebral discs in this area are the thinnest. Therefore, its much faster drying and destruction leads to nerve clamping and abrasion of the vertebral bones - after all, the distance between the bones is already small. It is also affected by the weak development of the cervical muscles, which a modern person uses minimally.
Unfortunately, the noninflammatory process in the spine remains unnoticed for a long time until the degeneration of the intervertebral discs passes to the second stage and the pain becomes a constant companion. But even this alarming signal is often ignored by people, attributing it to tiredness, or even to habituation, as to a daily “fund”. Let's find out why you can't ignore the headache, your mother was right when she said "don't move your head" and how to treat cervical spine osteochondrosis to bring chronic disease into permanent remission.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The discomfort of cervical osteochondrosis extends to the head, neck and scapular waist members. In the early stages, special complaints are not observed - patients usually simply start to feel numb in their necks more often, which does not seem at all surprising during office work. Gradually, the gap between the vertebrae narrows, the load on the ligament apparatus, muscles in the neck, shoulders and back increases, and the blood supply to the brain and spinal cord deteriorates. This leads to a whole chain of non-specific symptoms; a combination of several of them is a good reason to see a doctor.
1st degree osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Signs of early cervical osteochondrosis include:
- local muscle tension;
- rigidity of movement and decrease in amplitude (when turning the head, turning the shoulders) after a long stay in one position;
- the need to constantly support the head with one hand while sitting to avoid fatigue and discomfort;
- fatigue and frequent headaches;
- increased irritability and chronic fatigue;
- inability to fall asleep quickly due to attempts to get comfortable, knead the pillow comfortably;
- darkening of the eyes, appearance of "flies" after a load on the cervical spine or during the morning / marked elevation;
- crushing and other strange sounds when tilting the head;
- the appearance of the so-called "Lumbago" in the area from the back of the head to the shoulder blades;
- decreased sensitivity at the fingertips, tingling sensation in the hands;
- unusual feeling of weakness in the arms, decreased resistance and muscle strength;
- increased blood pressure - arterial hypertension;
- change in voice, hoarseness for no apparent reason, snoring, feeling of heaviness, "swelling" in the head.
2nd degree osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
- chronic pain syndrome - the head, neck or shoulder may experience pain continuously for 2-3 days or more;
- sleep problems - difficulty falling asleep or waking up, often waking up in the middle of the night due to nightmares caused by oxygen deprivation;
- high meteosensitivity;
- the appearance of pain and spasms in the muscles and internal organs, especially if it is necessary to maintain the same position for a long time or change it;
- inability to press the chin against the chest and tilt the head back without pain;
- head fall syndrome - clearly noticeable pain when trying to sit without supporting the head;
- numbness of the hands ("the hands do not obey"), the appearance of neck pain with minimal stress on the upper limbs;
- tinnitus and blackheads before the eyes, dizziness and even fainting;
- clamps appearing;
- cardiac disorders;
- migraines;
- constant nausea;
- excessive growth of connective tissue (“thick skin”) in the collar area.
Ignoring the signs of cervical osteochondrosis is full of nerves and large vessels located near the spine, which are clamped when the vertebrae are displaced. Complications of the disease include:
- paresis (limitation, weakness of movement) and even paralysis of the arms - unilateral or bilateral;
- intervertebral hernia - a common cause of disability and disability, even the need for a wheelchair;
- vertebral artery syndrome that causes dizziness and noise in the head, 25% leads to ischemic stroke;
- rapid impairment of memory, cognition, vision and hearing;
- impaired movement coordination, which causes difficulties even when traveling in vehicles.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
To combat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, pharmacotherapy and physiotherapy are used, as well as massage and hydromassage of the cervical collar, therapeutic gymnastics, swimming, balneological treatments and with mud, electrophoresis, phonophoresis, acupuncture, ultrasound, shock waves, laser, UFO, magnetic and other types of therapy devices. The symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine differ significantly for the stages of remission and exacerbation. Thus, for example, massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine during the inflammatory process is strictly contraindicated - to begin with, topical ointments and creams are used. In an acute period, it is important to restore blood circulation and tissue nutrition, relieve spasms and improve the patient's quality of life. The therapy, which aims at regenerating cartilage and osteophytes, is carried out exclusively in remission.
Surgical intervention is used extremely rarely - mainly to eliminate concomitant pathologies, such as hernia, displacement of the vertebra.
1st degree cervical osteochondrosis responds well to treatment and may even go into permanent remission with minor acute episodes. Usually, treatment involves changes in lifestyle, maintaining the muscle and ligament with the aid of therapeutic exercises. The 2nd degree of the disease has a less optimistic prognosis: in this case, the treatment aims to relieve pronounced negative symptoms, avoiding the destruction of the spine.
In some cases, therapy is necessary for diseases that have become a kind of catalyst for degenerative changes in cartilage. These include curvature of the spine, problems with the endocrine system, incl. hormonal disorders, metabolic disorders, insomnia, depression, alcohol and nicotine addiction, overweight, inherited diseases.
The timely treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine improves motor functions, prevents macrotraumatization of vertebrae, adjacent tissues, nerves, large vessels and organ systems. If medical recommendations are followed and daily maintenance therapy is followed, the development of osteochondrosis may be delayed and the mobility of the spine is maintained until old age.
Medication for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
At the beginning of the disease, patients are presented with chondroprotectants, rehydration and saturation of nutrients in the cartilaginous tissue. Vitamin-mineral complexes and antioxidants are actively used, incl. natural origin. Medicines for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are mainly used externally or orally - in the form of ointments, tablets, local irritating anti-inflammatory capsules for heating. In the case of 2nd stage osteochondrosis, in addition to the previous ones, analgesics, antispasmodics (muscle relaxants), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used. Treatment is carried out for the rest of your life, but some medications (painkillers, glucocorticosteroids, etc. ) are prescribed in courses due to their safety.
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectors in medicine are drugs that contain glycosaminoglycans and chondroitin sulfates. In household use, the names "glucosamine" and "chondroitin" are more common. Like the structural backbone of cartilage, they act as "building blocks" that the body uses to repair intervertebral discs. The reception of chondroprotectors is complex - they have a beneficial effect on all joint surfaces of the body and inhibit the development of not only cervical osteochondrosis, but also other types of osteochondrosis, as well as osteoarthritis and other degenerative cartilage diseases. These drugs need to be taken for life and continuously - as cartilage is devoid of blood vessels, they are nourished by a diffuse method. This means that the growth of new cells is very slow - the first results are seen only after 3-6 months of using medicines containing chondroitin.
Ointments for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
For the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, ointments with a vasodilating, anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effect are used. To improve blood circulation, bee or snake venom is often introduced into its composition, and propolis and natural essential oils are used to strengthen blood vessel walls. With a mild pain syndrome, local analgesic creams or irritating ointments may be prescribed to distract the patient from discomfort. The heating ointments activate the trophic and metabolic processes in the tissues, preventing their destruction and restricting the degenerative process.
Tablets for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
In the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, pills play an auxiliary role. In pill form, complex analgesics are usually prescribed, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. Antispasmodics can be prescribed to relieve acute pain.
In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is especially important to take medications that strengthen blood vessels and improve blood microcirculation. This helps to contain the negative effect that this disease has on the brain, leading to its hypoxia and malnutrition.
Injections
Injections for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are applied locally to remove a local inflammatory process insensitive to other exposure methods. In severe pain syndrome, lidocaine and novocaine blocks are also shown. They represent the introduction of an anesthetic cocktail (it may contain more than a dozen components - NSAIDs, glucocorticosteroids, decongestants, hyaluronic acid and other ingredients to nourish and rehydrate cartilage). Spinal anesthesia should only be performed by specialists due to the high risk of spinal cord injuries and nerve endings during the injection, as well as the possible presence of contraindications.
A diet rich in protein and moderate in carbohydrates helps to prolong the effect of the medication. The inclusion in the menu of sea fish, seafood and other dishes rich in gelling agents, calcium and vitamin D3, has a positive effect on the stability of remission.
Exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The first physical therapy sessions (exercise therapy) are carried out under the supervision of a doctor. It also selects a mini set of daily exercises.
For the prevention and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, do a simple warm-up:
- Sitting in a chair, turn your head to the left and right, trying to describe it in a 180-degree semicircle. If the disease has not yet been felt or is in the first stage, you can throw your head back and slowly rotate it clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Lift your shoulders as high as possible and lock them in this position for a few seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat.
- Place your palm on your forehead and, resisting the light, try to slowly lower your head. After 10 repetitions, place your palm on your temple and repeat with the side curves.
- With your shoulders raised, try to make a circle around the bottom of your neck.
- Complete the set of exercises with a strong self-massage, feeling the vertebrae and muscles well and warming the skin. Avoid pain when doing this.
You can freely complement this list with general tone exercises.
In addition to exercise therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is important to observe the orthopedic regime. It is designed to relieve the spine while performing household chores and while sleeping. For patients with osteochondrosis already 1st degree, pillows and special orthopedic mattresses, headrests for cars and others, and travel pillows are highly desirable. The workplace also needs to be remodeled according to physiological needs - for example, buy a chair with a high back and armrests that follow the anatomical curves of the back, adjust the height of the table and seat, ensure a comfortable position of themonitor, etc.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, sit with your back straight, leaning against the back of the furniture. The position of your legs is also important - your shins should be straight perpendicular to the floor and your feet should be flat on the floor. The folded arms (about 75 degrees) should be relaxed, without constant tension, on the table. It is unacceptable to spend leisure time lying with a laptop. When using the computer in bed, use a pedestal.