Cervical osteochondrosis, and dizziness, fears and depression

Spine pathologies often cause completely unexpected symptoms.

At first glance, they have nothing to do with the disease. But - a person has cervical osteochondrosis, and dizziness, fears and depression can also easily become a part of his life.

For successful treatment, it is important to correctly identify the root cause of these problems.

Dizziness in osteochondrosis: causes of occurrence

Cervical osteochondrosis is especially dangerous because it disrupts the blood supply to the brain. Deformation of the discs and vertebrae can cause compression of the vertebral artery, which provides up to a quarter of the blood volume the brain needs.

Dizziness is a direct consequence of oxygen starvation in the brain. In milder stages of the disease, it usually occurs intermittently and for a short time. The head may feel dizzy after sleep or when there is a sudden change in body position. If the disease progresses, this condition can last for hours. Often it is also accompanied by nausea, vomiting, visual impairment.

It is very important to correctly identify the cause of the problem. The head can be dizzy not only from osteochondrosis. The same symptom can be given by disorders of the heart and blood vessels, anemia and other diseases. In this case, the approaches to treatment must be completely different. Often, misdiagnosis led people to be treated for years for hypertension or other similar diseases instead of dealing with the spine.

Blood pressure and cervical osteochondrosis

In this case, cervical osteochondrosis can also cause manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia. The reasons also lie in the pinching of the vertebral artery, as well as in muscle spasms. Intracranial pressure reacts especially painfully to osteochondrosis.

This phenomenon can manifest itself as headaches, a feeling of heaviness, tinnitus, visual impairments. The use of conventional drugs for the treatment of hypertension does not give results (or they are short-lived). Again, the correct diagnosis is the key to the success of treatment.

Increased pressure can also cause pain, so that the manifestations of VSD in osteochondrosis can be very strong.

If, in addition to the neck, the thoracic region is also affected, interruptions in the work of the heart, arrhythmia, and a feeling of tightness in the chest may be observed. Again, heart medications don't work.

Osteochondrosis is very dangerous because it gives symptoms similar to the manifestations of other serious diseases. A lot can be attributed to him, and you can miss the moment when urgent help is needed for the heart and blood vessels.

What to do if you feel dizzy with cervical osteochondrosis

If the diagnosis has not yet been made, dizziness due to osteochondrosis can be suspected if it occurs when changing posture. Also, the neck usually cracks.

Vertigo can be eliminated by maintaining normal blood circulation in the neck. You can try self-massage as a quick-acting remedy. To prevent the attacks from recurring, you will have to undergo a course of treatment. What to do in a specific situation, the doctor will advise.

Different medications and therapies may be required at different stages of the disease:

1. A course of muscle relaxants to relax muscle spasms.
2. B vitamins - they also have a beneficial effect on blood circulation.
3. Several massage sessions with a specialist, then regular self-massage of the neck.
4. Physiotherapy is a must - movements will help to release pinched vessels and stimulate blood flow.

Prolonged exposure to fresh air works well. You should quit smoking and limit your alcohol intake, since these bad habits negatively affect blood circulation. And the main thing is to diagnose cervical osteochondrosis in time, and dizziness, fears and depression will not have time to develop.

Reasonable and unfounded fears in osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis gives manifestations not only in the physical, but also in the psychological sphere. Often, this disease is accompanied by panic attacks and obsessive fears.

Their appearance has objective and subjective reasons. Unreasonable panic may be the result of cerebrovascular accident.

But even more often fears are a consequence of other painful manifestations of osteochondrosis:

1. The patient is constantly waiting for pain attacks and is afraid of them.
2. There is a fear of the possibility of becoming disabled.
3. The duration of treatment is frightening with the prospect of no results.
4. Some symptoms cause the expectation of other illnesses (heart attack, stroke, stomach upset).

Such psychological reactions can be avoided only with the appropriate attitude. The patient needs to constantly remind himself that osteochondrosis is not a sentence. Do not neglect pain relievers so that there is no fear of pain. Relatives and acquaintances of the patient must constantly demonstrate confidence in his speedy recovery and maintain a constructive attitude.

Depression as a possible result of osteochondrosis

If such "psychotherapy" is not carried out, there is a risk of depression.

This condition can have a whole range of unpleasant consequences:

1. Loss of performance, chronic fatigue syndrome.
2. Insomnia.
3. Mental impairment.
4. Serious violations of self-esteem.
5. Menstrual irregularities in women.
6. Digestive disorders.
7. Numbness of certain parts of the body.

Running depression can even lead to suicide attempts, so ignoring its manifestations is dangerous.

Depression occurs as a reaction to prolonged pain and discomfort. Its appearance is also facilitated by social problems that inevitably accompany patients with osteochondrosis.

1. Feeling a lost opportunity to lead a fulfilling life.
2. Prolonged "dropout" from the labor process.
3. Awareness that illness causes inconvenience to loved ones.
4. Feeling of helplessness, in vain efforts - the disease does not go away despite the measures taken.

It is important to take into account that some pain relievers also have a depressing effect on the central nervous system and can lead to a depressive state. Therefore, you can not abuse potent analgesics, using them only for exacerbation. If there is no severe pain, it is better to use ointments, massage and physiotherapy procedures. Relatives of the patient should take into account that depression often prevents the patient from realizing their problem, so they will almost certainly have to "push" him towards treatment.

Treatment of psychological problems in osteochondrosis

In the case of severe depression with many dangerous manifestations, it is often necessary to use strong antidepressants. But you need to know that all such drugs have an addictive effect, and you cannot use them for a long time. As soon as the most severe manifestations are removed, such drugs should be abandoned.

To get rid of fears and depression, first of all, it is necessary to treat osteochondrosis itself. A set of standard measures is suitable for this: elimination of muscle spasms, chondroprotectors to strengthen cartilage tissue, physical education, physiotherapy. But at the same time it is necessary to improve the mental state of the patient.

1. Regular walks and moderate physical activity are needed. Slight physical activity stimulates pleasure.
2. To normalize sleep, you need an orthopedic pillow or just a low hard pillow. The bedroom should always be well ventilated.
3. Others should motivate the patient to recover.
4. It is necessary, as far as possible, to involve the patient in public life, family affairs, and official duties. In most cases, you can find activities that will not hurt your spine. But the person will feel useful and needed.
5. In severe cases, the help of a psychologist and even a psychiatrist may be required. No need to be afraid - going to a psychiatrist does not mean losing your mind.

The main thing is to "call to order" cervical osteochondrosis, and dizziness, fears and depression will cease to be threatening. Against the background of a decrease in painful manifestations, psychological rehabilitation will go much better.

But the best thing to do is to simply avoid these symptoms. It is worth starting to treat cervical osteochondrosis on time, and dizziness, fears and depression will never appear.