Cervical osteochondrosis is a progressive degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the intervertebral discs located between the first 7 vertebrae. Vertebrae 1-7 belong to the cervical spine.
Pathological changes against the background of osteochondrosis lead to deformation of the vertebrae, which ultimately disrupts blood supply, nerve conduction in the neck and areas of innervation of the damaged nerves.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be an independent disease or combined with osteochondrosis of other parts: thoracic and lumbar.
Main symptoms
The main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain, the location and nature of which depends on the location of the lesion. Most often it is felt in the neck area, neck, one or both arms.
This disease is characterized by one-sided pain, and any part of the arm can hurt: the shoulder, forearm, hand and even fingers. Many patients complain of headaches and dizziness.
The pain syndrome can also be felt in the chest, in the supraclavicular region or spread to the entire back. For some, the pain is concentrated at the base of the neck or throat.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by a variety of symptoms and is often accompanied by disorders of tactile sensitivity, muscle weakness, decreased visual acuity and hearing, rapid heartbeat and panic attacks.
Attention! Sometimes osteochondrosis is complicated by vertebral artery syndrome, which may require emergency hospitalization of the patient.
First signs
In the initial stages, the manifestations of osteochondrosis are more reminiscent of normal fatigue after a busy day and occur periodically. In the evening, discomfort and pain in the neck, heaviness and pain in the head appear, especially in the occipital region. Possible creaks and creaks when turning the head.
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women are more pronounced than in men and are often accompanied by an unstable psycho-emotional state. Furthermore, men suffer from this disease much less frequently.
Exacerbation of chondrosis often occurs during menopause, when hormonal changes occur in the female body and the immune system weakens. Some difficulties in diagnosis arise due to signs similar to those of many other diseases.
The severity of symptoms depends on the stage of the disease, the nature and degree of damage to the spine
Males react less to small things like a crunch in the neck and often simply do not notice suspicious symptoms. In addition, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men may not appear for a long time, which is explained by the peculiarities of the anatomy.
Men have naturally more developed and stronger muscles, which create additional support for the spine. The muscular structure acts as a sort of armor that protects the vertebrae and prevents their deformation.
Vertebral Artery Syndrome (VAS)
The clinical picture of SPA is usually represented by several symptoms, but only one of the possible can be observed:
- headache with predominant localization in the back of the head and at the base of the skull - basilar migraine, accompanied by classic symptoms: loss of coordination, nausea leading to vomiting, tinnitus, less often - speech disorders;
- dizziness that occurs when you turn your head. They may be accompanied by vomiting, darkening of the eyes and impaired coordination of movements;
- eye strain due to stress, flickering of spots and bright flashes in front of the eyes and in some places loss of visual field. Patients may complain of pain, redness and sensation of sand in the eyes, inflammation of the conjunctiva;
- constant or episodic tinnitus, the nature of which varies depending on the position of the neck. You may experience mild deafness, ear congestion, and lack of response to a quiet voice. In some cases, paracusis has been noted: selective audibility of sounds, in which a person hears better in the presence of extraneous noise than in complete silence;
- vegetative symptoms always occur when osteochondrosis worsens and are often combined with other symptoms. These may be hot flashes or chills, increased sweating, cold feet and hands, feeling short of breath, changes in blood pressure and poor sleep;
- TIA - transient ischemic attacks - accompany mechanical pinching of the vertebral artery and manifest themselves with double vision, temporary partial blindness with loss of visual fields, dizziness with vomiting, speech and swallowing disorders;
- Fainting can be a consequence of sudden turns of the head or its uncomfortable position. Loss of consciousness lasts for variable periods of time and leaves weakness in the limbs;
- Drop attacks are sudden falls, usually without loss of consciousness, caused by a sudden rush of blood to the brain when the head is thrown back. The immediate cause is paralysis of the legs, but motor function is restored quite quickly.
Headache and dizziness
Most patients with cervical chondrosis have this symptom, but it may be absent. The cause of dizziness is associated with compression of the main arteries and blood vessels, which interrupts the transport of oxygen to the nervous tissue of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord.
Under the influence of mechanical trauma to the vertebral structures and chronic ischemia of the nerve fibers, increased sensitivity and irritation of the nerve endings occurs, which ultimately causes cervical dizziness.
A headache caused by chondrosis can be distinguished by its localization at the back of the head. However, there are also not entirely typical cases when the entire head or one side hurts
Dizziness may be accompanied by uncertainty in movement, increased heart rate, increases in blood pressure, and increased sweating in the face and shoulder area.
Headaches are a frequent companion of cervical chondrosis. It is paroxysmal in nature, the duration of the attack varies from a few hours to several days. The intensity of the pain varies, but appears with enviable regularity.
Headaches are caused by compression of the vertebral artery due to changes in the position of the vertebrae and discs. Due to compression of the vessel, the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, causing pain.
Reference:
The cause of pain can also be muscle spasm, typical of osteochondrosis.
Panic attacks
Panic attacks are also associated with a reduction in brain nutrition and cause the following symptoms:
- attacks of fever or chills, increased body temperature;
- numbness, tingling in the limbs, muscle cramps, reduced motor ability;
- dizziness, loss of coordination, darkening of the eyes;
- pain behind the breastbone or in the chest on the left, rapid pulse, increased blood pressure;
- insomnia, fear of death or mental confusion, confusion;
- shortness of breath, difficulty breathing up to suffocation, lump in the throat;
- discomfort and pain in the abdomen, indigestion, frequent urination.
Sore throat
The throat with osteochondrosis hurts, as a rule, when the 4th cervical vertebra is damaged or displaced. Localization is usually one-sided, as the vertebrae and discs move to one side.
Sore throat is caused by impaired innervation of the pharyngeal muscles due to nerve compression
Due to pinching of the roots, spasms and tension of the pharyngeal muscles occur, accompanied by pain. The throat feels heavy and full and it becomes difficult to breathe. However, there are no mechanical obstacles to free breathing and swallowing; there are no foreign bodies or tumors in the esophagus and larynx.
It is typical that drugs for tonsillitis or sore throat, rinsing and inhaling have no effect.
The source of pain is in the area between the thyroid cartilage and the jugular cavity. The nature of the pain varies from mild to debilitating.
Treatment
Complex treatment of cervical osteochondrosis includes several methods: taking medications, performing therapeutic exercises, participating in physiotherapy sessions and massages. If you wish, you can use folk remedies and prepare various compresses, prepare infusions and decoctions.
In case of exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to adhere to bed rest. In addition, you should lie on a flat, fairly hard and elastic surface - a sagging sofa or feather bed will not work.
Attention! Severe pain requires immediate medical attention.
To repair the cervical spine, your doctor may prescribe wearing a Shants collar. It supports the neck in an anatomically correct position, eliminating movement and therefore pain.
Drugs are selected taking into account existing symptoms and diagnostic results. If hernias and protrusions are detected, treatment may be surgical.
| Drugs | Action |
| Active ingredient: pentoxifylline | Improves cerebral circulation, dilates blood vessels, relaxes smooth muscles, reduces the frequency of nerve signals |
| Prepared with chondroitin and glucosamine | Restoration of the cartilaginous tissue of the discs, slowing down degenerative processes |
| Muscle relaxants | Relieve muscle spasms |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | Relief of the inflammatory process, tissue swelling |
| Analgesics | Elimination of pain |
| Opioids | For severe pain that cannot be relieved by conventional means |
| Vitamin complexes containing vitamins B, A, C, calcium | Strengthening of nervous, muscle and bone tissue, general healing effect |
| Antidepressants and sedatives | Deal with the stress caused by constant pain |
Treatment at home
It is not recommended to stay at home for too long and follow bed rest, and after the acute symptoms have subsided, it is necessary to move on to active actions. You should start with simple exercises and gradually move on to more intense ones.
Performing neck exercises helps strengthen the neck muscles, thus preventing the recurrence of flare-ups
Exercise 1 – self-extension. Standing with your arms along your body, tilt your head to the right and at the same time extend your left hand. Stay in this position and repeat the exercise on the other side.
Exercise 2 – self-massage. Place the towel over your shoulders and, holding it by the edges, pull it in one direction or the other.
Exercise 3 – turn your head left and right, tilting it to the right and then to the left shoulder.
Exercise 4 – the same with the hand squeeze: when you twist or lean, press on the temple, creating additional resistance.
Tips for preventing osteochondrosis
Tip number 1
Physical education is the main way to combat the aging of the body and the development of intervertebral disc dystrophy. Daily exercise and using the pool at least once a week are usually sufficient. All this allows you to strengthen the muscular corset of the spine.
Tip no. 2
Even a healthy person needs massage sessions, it is recommended to do them every year.
Tip no. 3
It is very important to monitor your weight and avoid gaining weight.
Tip no. 4
When working in a forced position for a long time, you need to take breaks, change your body position and do a warm-up.
Tip no. 5
Eating well means consuming enough vitamins and trace elements with food.
Tip no. 6
Try not to lift or carry heavy objects, and if you must, wear a supportive corset.
FAQ
When do you need to urgently consult a doctor?
The reasons for immediate consultation and even calling an ambulance are:
- persistent numbness in the arms or legs;
- severe pain that is not relieved by conventional analgesics;
- movement disorder;
- severe headache, dizziness, loss of coordination and other signs of cerebrovascular accident;
- "jamming" of the back in a certain position, sharply limiting movements.
Is it possible to cure chondrosis forever?
No, this is a chronic disease with periodic exacerbations. Even after treatment and following all the doctor's recommendations, the cartilage in the affected area of the disc is replaced by scar tissue. That is, the structure of the segment has already been damaged, and this process is irreversible. However, with some effort on the part of the patient, it is possible to achieve a high quality of life.