Osteochondrosis is a common pathology of the spine, characterized by a dystrophic change in the structure of the cartilaginous discs of the vertebrae and their bone base. To one degree or another, osteochondrosis manifests itself in most people after 30 years of age. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are varied, which often complicates diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
General symptoms and signs of cervical osteochondrosis
The osteochondrosis process affects any part of the spine or several at once. The lumbar and cervical vertebrae are most susceptible to pathology, as they are the most susceptible to stress due to the anatomy of the human skeleton.
The consequences of spinal osteochondrosis in the cervical region cause the most inconvenience and potential complications, because the neck is an area rich in neurovascular highways, many of which directly feed the brain. For this reason, the clinical symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are largely associated with ischemia of brain areas. In addition, the nerve roots that provide sensitivity and motor activity of the arms and shoulder girdle, when compressed by destroyed spinal discs, can give a varied symptomatic picture.
Signs of neck osteochondrosis depend on which of the body systems is affected by the pathology: Below we will consider the general clinic of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Pain in the back of the head, neck and collar area
This is the most common symptom. The localization of pain can be extended, affecting the shoulders, clavicular region, chest, turning into intense migraine headaches.
The nature of the pain depends on the location of the lesion and the severity of the pathology. At the first stages of the development of the disease, the pain can be quickly transient, gradually becoming chronic and aching.
During exacerbations, the pain becomes shooting, with increased tone of the neck muscles and limited head movement. Often, pain with cervical osteochondrosis can be localized behind the sternum, in which case many patients mistake this symptom for angina pectoris. Differentiation can be made by taking a nitroglycerin tablet - pain caused by osteochondrosis is not relieved by it.
Noise, ringing, feeling of fullness in the ears
These symptoms are often accompanied by hearing loss. These phenomena are associated with a decrease in blood flow from the vertebral arteries to the vestibular apparatus. The complex of these symptoms is called cochlear or cochlear syndrome, and it is not always possible to determine its connection with osteochondrosis in the cervical region. A specific sign for differentiation is that noise, congestion and ringing in the ears are felt when changing position, after a long stay in one position.
Dizziness
Dizziness is also caused by impaired blood flow to the organs of the inner ear, which ensures the balance of the body. Dizziness is often accompanied by nystagmus - voluntary oscillations of the eye pupils to the sides.
Lack of air
This sensation appears due to irritation of the endings of the phrenic nerve. It is a component of the cervical nerve bundle and is involved in regulating breathing, its depth and frequency. Patients complain of the inability to breathe deeply. In some cases, the symptom worsens to severe shortness of breath and suffocation. For the same reason, breathing stops at night and snoring are observed. Lack of oxygen due to breathing problems ultimately causes increased fatigue, decreased concentration and memory problems.
Nausea
Accompanied by belching of air. It is also caused by problems with blood circulation in certain areas of the brain and inner ear. Nausea is sometimes observed with uncontrollable vomiting, provoked by movements of the head and body. Frequent nausea and vomiting result in decreased appetite, weight loss, and nutritional deficiency.
Vision problems
"Floaters" in the eyes, decreased visual acuity, fog before the eyes - these are all symptoms caused by ischemia of the part of the brain responsible for vision. Patients with osteochondrosis complain less frequently about vision, since insufficient blood supply from the vertebral vessels is compensated by blood flow from the carotid artery system. Glasses and therapeutic exercises for the eye muscles do not solve the problem; usually vision improves after treatment for osteochondrosis.
Blood pressure surges
Unstable pressure levels are caused by impaired blood flow in the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for the functions of the vascular-motor center.
Sudden fainting or syncope
Occurs when the cerebral arteries spasm due to a short-term cessation of blood flow through the vertebral arteries. The patient can be quickly brought out of the state of loss of consciousness by laying him down so that his legs are slightly higher than his head - the flow of blood to the brain allows the person to be brought back to consciousness. After a fainting attack, reversible problems with speech and movement may occur for some time due to a brief stop in blood flow.
Pharyngeal symptoms
Often they can be the only sign indicating cervical osteochondrosis. Expressed as soreness, dryness and a feeling of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing. Symptoms are associated with compression of the nerve plexuses responsible for the innervation of the pharynx. It is necessary to differentiate such manifestations from a similar clinic with inflammation or neoplasms.
Increase in body temperature
A rise in body temperature for cervical osteochondrosis is not the most typical symptom; it is observed rarely and locally: in the cervical and collar area, with slight redness of the skin. The clinic of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine can be, firstly, of varying degrees of severity, it depends on the stage of developmentpathologies, also during periods of exacerbations they are brighter, and secondly, they develop into certain syndromes.
Symptoms depending on the stage of cervical osteochondrosis
Stage I: Beginning of degenerative processes in the cartilage of the vertebral discs. Symptoms are mild and sometimes may not be observed at all. Important: these symptoms become more pronounced when the head is tilted.
As a rule, at the first stage of cervical osteochondrosis, patients do not go to the doctor, believing that all symptoms are associated with fatigue, stress, age, lack of sleep. Stage II At this stage, protrusion of the vertebral discs has begun, the intervertebral spaces narrow, and the collagen fiber of the fibrous ring of the disc is destroyed. Noticeable pain symptoms of a point nature appear due to compression of the nerve trunks, which intensify with neck movements and turns of the head. Here you can already suspect cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which at the second stage are as follows: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th.
Holding the head in one position for a long time leads to severe pain. At this stage of the disease, patients already come to the doctor for help. Stage III The fibrous ring in the disc is destroyed, hernias form. At the third stage, spinal deformation, displacement and dislocation of the vertebrae are observed due to their weak fixation.
This is a severe stage of the disease, in which the patient is no longer able to support his head on his own. Ischemia of the spinal cord and compression of the spinal arteries lead to paralysis and paresis in other parts of the body and spinal stroke.
Syndromes caused by osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The nonspecificity and large number of varied symptoms accompanying cervical osteochondrosis make diagnosis and further treatment difficult, since some of them may be a sign of completely different diseases. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis fall into certain groups called syndromes. Their presence and severity may indicate pathology in the cervical spine with specified localization.
A group of common syndromes:
Koreshkovy. Otherwise called cervical radiculitis. It combines symptoms associated with pinched nerve roots of the cervical vertebrae. Characterized by "goosebumps" in the affected area, tingling in the fingers and forearms, and pasty skin spreading to certain fingers.
Irritative-reflexive. Burning and acute pain in the back of the head and neck, sometimes radiating to the chest and shoulder, occurring when the position of the head and neck changes, when sneezing, coughing or turning the head sharply.
Vertebral artery syndrome includes:
Cardiac. An almost identical picture with angina pectoris often leads to incorrect diagnosis and treatment. The syndrome appears due to irritation of the phrenic nerve receptors, partially involving the pericardium and pectoralis major muscle. Thus, spasms in the cardiac region are more of a reflex, as a response to irritation of the cervical nerves. Symptoms:
Vegetative-dystonic syndrome. Subluxation of the first cervical vertebra with displacement can lead to the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia. VSD is not a definite diagnosis, since it does not have pronounced symptoms.
There may be neurological signs, symptoms of impaired cerebral blood flow, surges in intracranial pressure, and muscle spasms. As a result, the patient's complaints boil down to dizziness, decreased visual acuity, loss of consciousness, headaches, and nausea.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis
The described condition of the spine is a very serious pathology, which, if neglected, leads to disability, and as a result of profound disorders of cerebral circulation, to death. For this reason, you should not self-medicate if such symptoms appear.
In the initial stages, treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is conservative, including medication: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anesthetics, hormonal agents, vitamin complexes, chondroprotectors - all this relieves inflammation, pain, improves the trophism of soft tissues and cartilage of the vertebrae.