Symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is the result of a sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition.The first signs of the disease can occur at 25 years, if you do not start treatment, severe complications will occur.In the treatment of the disease, an integrated approach is used - treatment with drugs, diet therapy, physiotherapy and physiotherapy.

The causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Cervical osteochondrosis-degenerative-dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs, joints, which leads to a decrease in the mobility of the neck, the appearance of severe pain syndrome.The main reason for the development of the disease is a disorder of mineral metabolism, which is why the bones and joints become less strong. 

Why there is cervical osteochondrosis:

• overweight, sedentary lifestyles;
• Stand violation, scoliosis;
• rheumatism;
• flat legs;
• VSD;
• Improper meal.

Investments in the deformation of the cervical vertebrae can cause injuries, bruising of the spine, excessive physical activity, stress.In women, osteochondrosis often occurs during pregnancy, menopause - against the background of hormonal changes, the amount of calcium decreases, bone tissue becomes fragile.

Common symptoms and signs

With constant increased loading of the cervical vertebrae, muscle spasm occurs, the vessels of the cervical spine are compressed, the blood process is disturbed, the failures occur in metabolic processes - the structure of the intervertebral discs changes, they deform, they begin to stick out beyond the spine.

How to manifest osteochondrosis of the cervical region:

• Rook syndrome - a pain appears against the background of compression of nerve endings, which spreads from the neck to the shoulder blades, forearms, covers the anterior wall of the chest;
• muscle weakness in the hands, noticeable edema of the neck;
• When the head moves, a characteristic crisis is heard;
• weakness, chronic fatigue, changes in blood pressure;
• Violation of coordination, the head is often dizzy, the attacks are accompanied by nausea, vomiting;
• Vision and hearing, noise, ringing in the ears;
• limb numbness, language;
• frequent migraines;
• In women aged 45-65, pain occurs during sleep, numbness, numbness in the upper limbs, attacks can be repeated several times a night.

With cervical osteochondrosis, nutrition and blood supply to the brain are impaired, neurotic disorders occur - anxiety, irritability, mood swings, sleep disturbance.

Classification of cervical osteochondrosis

With the development of osteochondrosis, several stages of development pass, each of which has characteristic characteristics.You can see what the affected spine looks like in different stages.

The degree of development of the disease:

1.  First -degree osteochondrosis - the initial stage occurs without particularly pronounced symptoms, a person is concerned about rare and small pain in turning and tilting the head, the muscles of the back quickly get tired.
2.  Grade 2 osteochondrosis - the vertebrae becomes unstable, squeeze the nerve, unpleasant sensations in the neck acquire a pronounced character, gives it to the shoulder, the arm.Additional symptoms are increased fatigue, often headache in the dorsal area, scattering.
3.  Grade 3 osteochondrosis - pain becomes chronic, covers the upper back, hands, the expressed muscle weakness is observed, the limbs are numb, the intervertebral hernia develops and often dizziness occurs.
4.  Grade 4 osteochondrosis - there is complete destruction of the intervertebral discs, they are replaced by connective tissue, the pathological process covers several segments of the spine.There is a violation of coordination, dizziness attacks are rapid to increase and noise occurs in the ears.

Acute osteochondrosis - a consequence of the chronic form of the disease, is characterized by a severe attack of acute pain that occurs suddenly after waking up.

Which doctor to contact?

When signs of cervical osteochondrosis occur, it is necessary to visit a neuropathologist, in some hospitals there is a more curse - the specialist treats exactly the diseases of the spine.

Diagnostic methods

The forms of osteochondrosis have a pronounced clinical picture that allows you to make an initial diagnosis already during the initial examination.Instrumental diagnostics methods will help identify the degree of degenerative changes in the vertebrae.

The main types of osteochondrosis examinations:

• X -ray - the method is effective only in the early stages of the development of pathology;
• MRI - on the screen the structure of bone structures, the size and direction of the development of intervertebral hernias, the condition of the spinal cord;
• CT - the method is less effective than MRI as it does not provide accurate information on the presence and size of hernia;
• Duplex Scan - allows you to see blood flow disorders;
• Electteneurography - indicates the presence of clips, inflammation, other nerve damage;
• Reoensephalogram - prescribed for disturbance of the blood supply to the brain.

For a targeted and thorough examination of the condition of certain vertebrae, a discography is performed - a contrasting environment is introduced into the intervertebral disc, allowing you to see the smallest changes in the tissues to distinguish cicatric changes from hernia.

Ways to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

In the initial stage of development, osteochondrosis can be cured without medication, it is sufficient to review the diet, the daily regimen and to regularly perform a complex of special exercises.With advanced forms of the disease, effective treatment is only possible if the use of various medicines that help stop degenerative changes in the vertebrae.

The complex of therapeutic measures necessarily includes physiotherapy - electrophoresis with drugs, ultrasound, magnetotherapy, laser therapy.These methods help to deal with pain, inflammation, tissue swelling, improvement of metabolic processes and blood circulation.

Medical physical education

LFK is prescribed during recovery, during exacerbation of osteochondrosis, exercise is contraindicated, gymnastics is simple, you can be done at home, you should do regularly.

Bubovski Gymnastics for the treatment and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis:

1. In the upright position, lower your hands freely on the body.Tilt your head forward, try your chest with your chin, fix the position to the account 3. Tilt your head back, your chin looks up, count to 3. Go back to the starting position.
2. In the constant position, turn your head to the right, to the left, to each extreme point, to secure the position for a few seconds.Repeat 3 times in each string.
3. In the upright position, tilt your head to the right, left, try to reach the shoulder with your ear, hold the position for 30 seconds.Perform 6 reps in each direction.
4. Standing, hands on the belt, the chin is parallel to the floor, stretched forward.Turn your head, your chin live on the shoulder, turn your body a little, leave for half a minute.Do 6 reps in each direction, slight pain in the spine may occur.
5. In a sitting position, the back is straight, hands on the knees.Dilute straight shoulders on the side, slightly back, tilt your head back, return to your original position, repeat 5 times.
6. In a position sitting on your head to turn right, the palm of your left hand to live on the right shoulder, the elbow parallel to the floor, the right hand lies on the knee and return to its original position.Perform 6 reps in each direction.
7. In a sitting position, lift your hands over your head, connect well, bend your elbows for a while, turn your head on the side until you look slight pain, fix the position at the end point for a few seconds.Repeat 6 turns in each direction.

Make a 30 -second break between your exercises.Before the start of gymnastics, it is necessary to take a warm shower, to make a few smooth slopes of the head in different directions to warm the muscles.After the load is completed, a light area will help to avoid unpleasant sensations the next day.

Medication

Drug therapy for osteochondrosis is aimed at eliminating unpleasant sensations, restoring the mobility of the vertebrae, slowing degenerative changes in tissues.Acute pain attacks are removed with injections of NSAIDs or corticosteroids, the chronic form of the disease is treated with ointments, pills.

How to treat osteochondrosis:

• NSAIDs, they are produced in the form of tablets and agents for external use, eliminated edema, pain;
• Corticosteroids - stop syndrome of acute pain;
• In vitamins, they restore metabolic processes in tissues;
• Chondroprotectors - contribute to the repair of cartilage tissue;
• medicines to improve blood flow, brain nutrition;
• Nootropes - improving brain function, memory;
• Missorelaxants - eliminate muscle spasm;
• For topical treatment, ointments and gels with anti -inflammatory, warming effects are used.

In order to be effective with the medicine, it is necessary to combine with exercise, to stick to a diet, otherwise no medication will help you get rid of osteochondrosis.

Folk remedies

Popular treatment should be used in addition to drug therapy and physical education, non -traditional methods will not completely get rid of the disease.

What to do with cervical osteochondrosis at home:

1. Pour the fresh horseradish leaf with boiling water, cool a little, attach to the neck inside, secure it with a thin natural cloth.Do the procedure before going to bed, leave the compress overnight.
2. Grind the raw potatoes on a fine grater, mix in equal proportions with warm liquid honey.Use the compress mixture, the procedure is performed 1-2 times a week.
3. Mix a raw egg with 100 ml of sunflower oil, 20 ml of vinegar and 20 g flour, remove the mixture in a dark place for 48 hours, remove the film from the surface.The remedy for the inflamed area before going to bed, store in the refrigerator.
4. In May, collect pine buds up to 2 cm long, cut into thin circles, fold in a dark glass container.For 1 part of the raw material, take 2 parts sugar, remove the medicine in a dark place for 2 weeks.Drink a 5 ml mixture three times a day, do not swallow immediately, hold for 2-3 minutes in the mouth.The duration of the course is 15-20 days, repeated 2-3 times a year.
5. Grind 150 g of peeled garlic and 400 g of cranberries, fold the mixture into a glass container, add 800 ml of honey after 24 hours, mix.Take 5 ml of medicines three times a day before meals.

To deal with the severe pain, stretch the excess salts, help a cabbage leaf, smeared with honey, a compress to fix on your neck with a warm scarf to leave it all night.

Cervical osteochondrosis massage

Massage helps to strengthen muscle tone, improve blood circulation in the tissues, and a specialist conducts sessions in severe osteochondrosis.With mild forms of the disease, self -massage will help prevention - treatment is performed at home.

Massage technique:

1. Heat the muscles - with two hands, consumed intensely along the posterior, lateral surface of the neck from top to bottom.Heating time - 2 minutes.
2. Press the edge of the palm to the bottom of the neck, moving the movements to the hair growth area, then to the shoulder joints.
3. The fingers of both hands make circular friction movements in the back area from the hair growth line to the forearm - from the spine to the ears and back.
4. Press the cervical muscles from the bottom up, then in the opposite direction.
5. Suppress from the back of the head to the shoulder blades - take out after each type of exercise.

Possible consequences and complications

In the cervix, the vertebrae are located close to each other, the height of the intervertebral discs is small, so that various complications of osteochondrosis occur even with minor degenerative changes in bone tissue.

What is a dangerous osteochondrosis of the cervical region:

• frequent migraine attacks;
• heart rate, atherosclerosis;
• convexity, intervertebral hernia, bone river;
• serious brain pathologies;
• narrowing of the spinal artery lumen, leading to the development of VSD, brain hypertension, damage;
• Spinal stroke.

Contraindications for cervical osteochondrosis

In order to lead a full lifestyle with osteochondrosis, it is necessary to avoid actions that can cause pain, exacerbation of the disease.

What cannot be done with cervical osteochondrosis:

• Sleep on a very hard or soft mattress, on a high pillow;
• Lift weights, if you need to lift something heavy, you should do this with a straight back with bent knees;
• Wear a bag on one shoulder;
• By exacerbation of pathology, make active movements of the head, neck;
• smoke, drink alcohol;
• Take a walk without a scarf in cold weather, sit up to the air conditioner;
• For a long time to be uncomfortable, sitting;
• Wear high collection shoes;
• Weeping his neck.

Thermal procedures - the warming of compresses, the visit to the bathroom, the warming with the blue lamp, can only be done at the stage of remission of the disease.With exacerbation, the heat will relieve the pain only for a short time, but soon the unpleasant sensations will return, the degree of their manifestation will increase.

Prevention

In order to maintain the health of the spine, it is sufficient to observe simple rules of prevention.

How to avoid cervical osteochondrosis:

• Get rid of excess weight;
• Do gymnastics every morning, swim, yoga, dancing;
• More time to spend the fresh air, morning walks are especially useful;
• Eat properly, control salt intake, observe the drinking mode;
• When sitting every hour, make a warm -up for the neck, observe the stand;
• Keep your neck warm;
• Farm, avoid physically, mentally and emotional fatigue.

Cervical osteochondrosis is a chronic, slowly progressive disease, signs of the disease do not manifest immediately.The competent combination of traditional and folk treatments, gymnastics and diet will help to cope with unpleasant symptoms, and simple preventive measures can avoid recurrence of pathology.