Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is more common than any other - it does not spare either the elderly or young people over the age of 20. People around him complain about his manifestations every day, writing off their feelings either to magnetic storms, or to energy vampires, or to more prosaic, but still far from the truth, explanations.
Localization 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, their drying and destruction much faster leads to pinching of the nerves 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.
Alas, the non-inflammatory process in the spine remains unnoticed for a long time, until the degeneration of the intervertebral discs passes into the second stage and the pain becomes a constant companion. But even this alarming sign is often ignored by people, attributing it to fatigue, or even getting used to it, as to an everyday “background”. Let's figure out why you can't ignore the headache, was your mother right when she said “don't turn your head, ” and how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in order to bring the chronic disease into permanent remission.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Discomfort from cervical osteochondrosis extends to the head, neck and limbs of the shoulder girdle. At the initial stages, special complaints are not observed - usually, patients simply begin to feel numb in their neck more often, which does not seem at all surprising during office work. Gradually, the gap between the vertebrae decreases, the load on the ligamentous apparatus, muscles of 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 these is a good reason to see a doctor.
Osteochondrosis of the 1st degree of the cervical spine
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis at the initial stage include:
- local muscle tension;
- stiffness of movements and a decrease in their amplitude (when turning the head, rotating 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, crumple the pillow in a comfortable way;
- darkening in the eyes, the appearance of "flies" after a load on the cervical spine or during the morning / sharp rise;
- crunching and other extraneous 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 in the fingertips, tingling sensation in the hands;
- unusual feeling of weakness in the arms, decreased stamina and muscle strength;
- increased blood pressure - arterial hypertension;
- change in voice, hoarseness for no apparent reason, snoring, feeling of heaviness, "swelling" in the head.
Osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree of the cervical spine
- chronic pain syndrome - the head, neck or shoulder may have pain continuously for 2-3 days or longer;
- sleep problems - difficult to fall 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 chin to chest and tilt head back without pain;
- falling head syndrome - clearly perceptible pain when trying to sit without supporting your head;
- numbness of the hands ("hands do not obey"), the appearance of pain in the neck with minimal stress on the upper limbs;
- tinnitus and blackheads before the eyes, dizziness and even fainting;
- clamps appearing;
- cardiac disorders;
- migraines;
- constant nausea;
- overgrowth of connective tissue (“thick skin”) in the neck-collar zone.
Ignoring the signs of cervical osteochondrosis is fraught with nerves and large vessels located next to the spine, which are pinched when the vertebrae are displaced. Complications of the disease include:
- paresis (limitation, weakness of movements) and even paralysis of the arms - one or both sides;
- intervertebral hernia - a common cause of disability and disability, up to 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 coordination of movements, which causes difficulties even when traveling in transport.
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 zone, therapeutic gymnastics, swimming, balneological and mud treatments, electrophoresis, phonophoresis, acupuncture, ultrasonic, shock wave, laser, UFO, magnetic and other types of apparatus therapy. Symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine differ significantly for the stages of remission and exacerbation. So, for example, massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine during the inflammatory process is strictly contraindicated - for a start, topical ointments and creams are used. In an acute period, it is important to restore blood circulation and tissue nutrition, relieve spasm and improve the patient's quality of life. Therapy, aimed at the regeneration of cartilage tissue 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.
Cervical osteochondrosis of the 1st degree responds well to treatment and can even go into permanent remission with minor acute episodes. Typically, treatment involves lifestyle changes, maintaining the muscular and ligamentous apparatus with the help of therapeutic exercises. The 2nd degree of the disease has a less optimistic prognosis: in this case, treatment is aimed at relieving pronounced negative symptoms, preventing further destruction of the spine.
In some cases, therapy is required 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 disruptions, metabolic disorders, insomnia, depression, alcohol and nicotine addiction, overweight, hereditary diseases.
Timely treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine improves motor functions, prevents macrotraumatization of the vertebrae, adjacent tissues, nerves, large vessels and organic systems. If medical recommendations are followed and daily maintenance therapy is followed, the development of osteochondrosis can be slowed down 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 shown to take chondroprotectors, rehydration and nutrient saturation of the cartilage tissue. Vitamin-mineral and antioxidant complexes are actively used, incl. natural origin. Preparations for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are used mainly externally or orally - in the form of warming, local irritating, anti-inflammatory ointments, tablets, capsules. In case of osteochondrosis of the 2nd stage, in addition to the above, analgesics, antispasmodics (muscle relaxants), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used. Treatment is carried out for life, however, some drugs (pain relievers, glucocorticosteroids, etc. ) are prescribed in courses because of their harmlessness.
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectors in medicine are drugs that contain glycosaminoglycans and chondroitin sulfates. In household use, the names "glucosamine" and "chondroitin" are more common. As the structural backbone of cartilage, they act as “building blocks” that the body uses to repair intervertebral discs. Reception of chondroprotectors is complex - they have a beneficial effect on all articular surfaces in the body and inhibit the development of not only cervical, but also other types of osteochondrosis, as well as arthrosis and other degenerative diseases of cartilage. These drugs need to be taken for life and on an ongoing basis - since 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 observed only after 3-6 months of taking chondroitin-containing drugs.
Ointments for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
For the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, ointments with vasodilating, anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effect are used. To improve blood circulation, bee or snake venom is often introduced into their composition, and propolis and natural essential oils are used to strengthen the walls of blood vessels. With a mild pain syndrome, local analgesic creams or irritating ointments may be prescribed to distract the patient from discomfort. Warming ointments activate trophic and metabolic processes in tissues, preventing their destruction and restraining the degenerative process.
Tablets for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
In the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, tablets play an auxiliary role. In tablet form, analgesics of complex action are usually prescribed, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. Antispasmodics may be prescribed to relieve acute pain.
With 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 carried out locally to remove a local inflammatory process that is insensitive to other methods of exposure. With severe pain syndrome, lidocaine and novocaine blockades are also shown. They represent the introduction of an anesthetic cocktail (it can contain over a dozen components - NSAIDs, glucocorticosteroids, decongestants, hyaluronic acid and other ingredients for nourishing and rehydrating cartilage). Spinal blockades should be placed only by specialists because of the high risk of damage to the spinal cord and nerve endings during the injection, as well as the possible presence of contraindications.
A diet high in protein and moderate in carbohydrates helps prolong the effect of medication. The inclusion of sea fish, shellfish and other foods rich in gelling agents, calcium and vitamin D3 in the menu has a positive effect on the remission resistance.
Exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The first physical therapy sessions (exercise therapy) are carried out under the supervision of a doctor. He also selects a mini-set of daily exercises.
For the prevention and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, perform a simple warm-up:
- Sitting on a chair, turn your head left and right, trying to describe it in a 180-degree semicircle. If the disease has not yet made itself felt or is in the first stage, you can throw your head back and slowly rotate it clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Raise your shoulders as high as possible and lock them in this position for a few seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat.
- Put your palm on your forehead and, putting up light resistance to yourself, try to slowly lower your head. After 10 reps, place your palm on your temple and repeat with side bends.
- With your shoulders raised, try to make a circle around your lower neck.
- Complete the set of exercises with a strong self-massage, feeling well the vertebrae and muscles and warming up the skin. Avoid pain when doing this.
You can freely supplement this list with exercises for general tone.
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 when performing household duties and during sleep. For patients with osteochondrosis already of the 1st degree, special orthopedic pillows and mattresses, automobile and other headrests, and travel pillows are highly desirable. The workplace also needs to be refurbished in accordance with physiological needs - for example, purchase a chair with a high back and armrests that follows the anatomical curves of the back, adjust the height of the table and seat, ensure a comfortable position of the monitor, etc.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, sit with a straight back, leaning on the back of the furniture. Leg position is just as important - your shins should be straight perpendicular to the floor and your feet should be completely flat on the floor. Bent (about 75 degrees) arms should lie relaxed, without constant tension, on the tabletop. It is unacceptable to spend leisure time lying with a laptop. When using the computer in bed, use a stand.