Cervical osteochondrosis (cervical 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 disturbed, and the roots of the spinal cord are damaged.
Important to know!Osteochondrosis is not a death sentence.There is always an opportunity to alleviate the exacerbation of the process, as well as to control the progression of changes in the spine.In more advanced cases, it is possible to perform neurosurgical operations.However, this does not negate 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 suggests the greatest mobility in the cervical spine, and it is in the cervical spine that the vertebrae are the smallest.These two factors make the neck one of the “weak points” of the spine.
The main reasons for the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are a combination of the following unfavorable factors:
- Incorrect posture and neck position (even when working in front of the computer).
- High physical loads on the cervical spine and shoulder girdle.
- Spinal injuries...
- Age-related changes in the tissue of intervertebral structures.
- Incorrect diet, low in essential vitamins and minerals.
It should be said that almost all people develop osteochondrosis with age;According to some researchers, it is “a kind of revenge for walking upright.”However, in the modern world, with a fast-paced life, a sedentary lifestyle and long work at the computer, it is cervical osteochondrosis that stands out among spinal problems.
Symptoms
Symptoms can vary widely depending on the level of damage to the spine, the severity of degenerative changes, individual characteristics of the human body and many other factors.Neurologists prefer to distinguish three main symptom complexes that occur with cervical osteochondrosis, as well as their combination:
- Vertebrogenic cervicalgia.
- Vertebrogenic cervicocranialgia.
- Vertebrogenic cervicobrachialgia.
According to the names, we can identify the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.So, with cervicalgia, the main complaint will be pain directly in the neck;with vertebrogenic cervicocranialgia, pain in the neck also spreads to the head;With cervicobrachialgia, pain in the neck spreads to one or both arms, cramps also develop in the arm, numbness and a tingling sensation in the arms may appear.In all cases of osteochondrosis, the following symptoms may appear: tension in the neck muscles, cracking in the neck, limitation of movements in the neck.
radiculopathy
In the presence of severe osteochondrosis, complicated by the presence of disc protrusions or herniations, the so-called radiculopathy can form: a disturbance in the functioning of a certain spinal root with the development of weakness of the innervated muscles, their weight loss and sensitivity disorders.
Diagnosis and radiological signs.
Osteochondrosis is an X-ray diagnosis, since a detailed clinical picture is available only at the time of exacerbation, while changes in the spine can occur with complete subjective well-being of a person.Without an X-ray examination, we can only talk about suspected osteochondrosis, because similar symptoms can be caused by other diseases (myositis, vertebral neoplasms and others).
To diagnose osteochondrosis, the following research methods are used: radiography (preferably with functional tests), MSCT and MRI.This last study is preferable because it allows us to very clearly visualize the state of the intervertebral structures.
Radiological signs of osteochondrosis include the following changes in the spine:
- Reduced height of the intervertebral discs.
- Presence of marginal bone growths.
- Violation of the location of the vertebrae relative to each other.
- Deformations of vertebral bodies and arches, etc.
The presence of the changes described above, as well as changes in the structure of the intervertebral disc, detected using MSCT and MRI, serve as reliable signs confirming the presence of osteochondrosis.
Treatment
Treatment must be comprehensive and directed at all aspects of the pathogenesis of the clinical manifestations.Chronic dystrophic changes during exacerbations cause inflammation of the roots of the spinal cord, which in turn reflexively causes pain.Pain is a signal for the muscles to develop a protective reaction: muscle spasm.Muscle spasm brings the vertebrae closer together and increases compression (compression) and inflammation of the roots.The circle is closed.That is why it is necessary to eliminate inflammation, pain and muscle spasms, and protect the roots from inflammatory effects.
There are medicinal and non-medicinal treatment methods.They change in part in the presence of predominance of certain symptoms, but they have a general pattern.
medication
Anti-inflammatory drugs (aceclofenac, ketoprofen, meloxicam, diclofenac, etc.), muscle relaxants (tolperisone hydrochloride, baclofen, tizanidine), neuroprotective drugs (complex preparations of vitamin B and thioctic acid) are used.
Not drugs
Includes massage, physical therapy and exercise therapy.Massage for cervical osteochondrosis very effectively relieves muscle spasms, improves blood flow to the tissues of the spine, which reduces the severity of the inflammatory process.Physiotherapy can be aimed at both relieving pain (electrophoresis with analgesics) and relieving muscle tension (diadynamic currents).Therapeutic exercise is a unique and extremely effective method of disease prevention.You can see a set of physiotherapy exercises for cervical osteochondrosis here.
Folk remedies
Among traditional treatment methods, it is worth highlighting the use of various hot compresses based on water and alcohol, which can reduce the intensity of neck pain and reduce inflammation.The "dry heat" method has also proven effective, the essence of which is to heat salt or sand placed in a rag bag and then apply it to the pain site.
Some of the traditional methods of treating osteochondrosis of the cervical spine include the use of applicators, special devices, or simply tissue surfaces coated with needles.Applying moderate pressure to the neck area, as well as simply lying on such a surface for 10 to 15 minutes, causes reflex relaxation of the cervical muscles and relief from distracting pain.