It has already been written and said many times that osteochondrosis of the cervical, cervicothoracic and lumbar spine is not a disease in itself. This, if you will, is "our curse on the species. "Man, as a biological species, has moved on two legs for only about a couple of million years, and even less. This, from the point of view of evolution, is still "the middle of the road". It is not known in which new anatomical variants of spinal development we will reach a million years.
Currently, osteochondrosis is the most common disease of the musculoskeletal system and doctors of various specialties deal with it. Most often, these are therapists and neurologists, as with the complication of osteochondrosis, a range of neurological syndromes can occur, which will be discussed below.
Osteochondrosis - what is it?
You should not say the words "osteochondrosis is common" because it is not true. Osteochondrosis in its purest form is a process of normal aging and dehydration of the intervertebral discs, which, in its normal course, causes no complaints. This is possible in strong elderly people who are mobile, have good posture and are not overweight. They do gymnastics, swim, avoid lifting weights and lead what can be called a "healthy lifestyle".
If we talk about osteochondrosis of any part of the spine, as a disease, then we always mean its complex course, which causes various complaints and symptoms. And in this, the cervical spine is more vulnerable than other, basic departments. Of course, the cervical region has the least load - only the head, but at the same time, the vertebrae of the cervical region are more mobile than others, and at the same time they are less massive.
All this makes the lesions of the cervical region more pronounced with complications of osteochondrosis. The proximity of the head leads to the fact that headaches appear, which, of course, does not happen with lesions of the lumbar region. Furthermore, it must be remembered that it is in the central canal of the cervical vertebrae that the spinal cord passes, which has absorbed all the underlying pathways. Therefore, with central canal compression syndromes, the patient may get paralysis of the arms and legs, up to complete immobility, decreased skin sensitivity throughout the body, and pelvic organ dysfunction. All of this can currently be done by a person with a disability, for example, with a fracture of the cervical vertebrae (diving into the head in small unfamiliar places).
Of course, such complex injuries are not related to osteochondrosis: patients are much more likely to be bothered by other symptoms. How to treat and cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine? It is impossible to cure it. To do this, from childhood, simply refuse to move on two legs, and crawl on all fours, or live in the ocean, like dolphins. Only then will the load on the intervertebral discs be minimal, even absent at all.
Only exacerbations of osteochondrosis can be cured, and for this you need to know not only their signs and symptoms, but also risk factors.
About risk factors
In the case of the cervical spine, obviously, lifting weights on the shoulder will not play such an important role in the onset of pain syndrome as in the lower back. What conditions and diseases may contribute to the development of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis? Here are the most common situations:
- Legs flat, longitudinal and transverse. The back is a flexible, curved rod. If the arch of the foot does not get wet, and during the step there is not a "elastic" movement of the spine down, but a blow, then this blow with a "wave", like a whip, goes up. , and is extinguished precisely in the cervical region, at the site of the craniovertebral transition. This is where all the energy goes. Therefore, running with flat feet leads to marked changes in the intervertebral discs.
- Chronic injury. These are, first of all, ice skating in winter, falling on the back of the head, as well as constant banging of the head on the lower door gates, which is often found in people whose height is above average.
- Wearing heavy winter hats, high haircuts and an abundance of jewelry for women. All this leads to fatigue of the neck muscles, the appearance of their chronic spasms, circulatory disorders and the development of headaches and back pain.
- A sedentary lifestyle, "sedentary" work, the presence of stiffness in the upper chest and cervical spine.
We will not list the specific risk factors that occur in sick patients. The reasons for the deterioration of the condition found in ordinary and healthy people are quite sufficient.
Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis
The signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are very multifaceted. Even few doctors know that general prolapse of the abdominal cavity (splanchnoptosis) or liver prolapse, which is often misdiagnosed as its enlargement, may be due to osteochondrosis of the cervical region. In this case the phrenic nerve is irritated and the diaphragm dome, shrinking, falls down.
As a result, the liver is "pushed" by the hypochondrium. But there are other, more "common" symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis - muscle pain and tension. We will not talk about the symptoms of hernia and cervical spine extensions - a separate article is devoted to this. Let’s talk about the clinic that happens with "whole" intervertebral discs, especially since such situations are much more common.
Osteochondrosis of the cervix causes pain in the neck itself. Muscle aches manifest with persistent, painful pain of low intensity. Aggravated by turning and tilting the head. It is often associated with stiffness in the suboccipital region.
Headaches in osteochondrosis of the cervical region are almost always in the nature of a tension headache. The attack lasts for many hours and even days in a row. The pain rises from the neck through the neck to the temples and covers the skull like a helmet or helmet. With this pain, the ability to work does not suffer, but if it is joined by radicular symptoms, then they acquire firing character and the movement of the head becomes very painful.
Vertebral Artery Syndrome.
Speaking of cervical osteochondrosis, one cannot fail to mention this classic manifestation of cerebrovascular insufficiency caused by cervical osteochondrosis. Its symptoms are vomiting and nausea, dizziness and balance disorders. There is noise in the head and ears (tinnitus), in severe cases there is speech disorder (dysarthria), swallowing disorders. Much more often there are various visual disorders ("flies"), headaches. Sometimes there are attacks of falling, during which a person does not lose consciousness but falls, and then rises quickly.
Compression of one of the two vertebral arteries can occur during sleep. If a person simultaneously throws his head back and turns it to one side, then the vertebral artery is pressed against the first vertebra - the atlas on the opposite side, that is, on the opposite side.
If you lie like this for a while, then in the morning, when you try to get out of bed, you experience severe dizziness, nausea, vomiting, gait and balance disorders. In some cases, "higher order" disorders also develop - for example, transient global amnesia, in which the patient simply remembers nothing.
There are also a number of neurological syndromes and symptoms, which we will list briefly, pointing to their reference diagnostic points, so that the reader of the article can imagine and "experience" these symptoms themselves if they can not go toa neurologist:
- Inferior oblique muscle syndrome of the head (often occurs in patients over 50 years of age, especially in postmenopausal women). There is pain, tenderness discomfort in the back of the head, along the ear. The pain is painful, of a broken nature, both in the neck and in the back of the head, constant and its intensification is accompanied by prolonged immobility. It grows by turning the head to the side that is healthy;
- Scalenus anterior syndrome - manifested in patients with additional "cervical ribs".
There are concerns of tenderness and "crawling" in the hand, its whitening and coldness, sometimes swelling of the hand, the appearance of weakness, hypotrophy of the hand muscles, as well as weakening of the pulse in the wrist. In severe cases, progressive paralysis or paralysis of the hand muscles may occur. Patients can not drive a car, sleep on an injured side, can not lift weights and also work with their hands up (hanging curtains, plastering). There are also complaints of stiffness and pain in the neck, forced head position in the morning.
- Middle scale muscle syndrome. Initially there is pain in the shoulder, in the scapular region and then there begins the muscle hypotrophy. The mechanism is associated with damage to the long nerve of the trunk and the transverse artery of the neck;
- Sup-costal syndrome (scapular muscle levator syndrome). Initially painful pains appear, in the area of the scapula, which "buzz". They give it to the shoulder, there is also pain in the neck, which often hurts "in the weather". A crackle is usually heard when moving the scapula.
Thus, it is clear that many processes that began in the neck or in the vicinity of its structures appear "in the periphery", for example, in the hand area. This requires a careful and competent approach from the doctor. Currently, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis complications has become much simpler, especially with the introduction of MRI in clinical practice.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Modern therapy of cervical pain of vertebrogenic origin and the accompanying compression and muscle syndromes provides for short courses of treatment. Treatment of osteochondrosis exacerbations of the cervical region quickly translates into a stage of exacerbation of pallor, against which the main methods of treatment are kinesiotherapy and physiotherapy.
Ointments and irritants
As you know, "injections", ointments and even blockages have not been canceled. But the neck is the focus of a large number of nerves, blood vessels, autonomic fibers, fascia. Therefore, blockades are performed here less frequently than with acute pain in the back or lower back. In addition, the thin skin on the neck allows gels, creams and ointments to be absorbed faster than on the lumbar spine.
Of the drugs, injectable forms of NSAIDs are used, preferably selective, centrally acting muscle relaxants, "B" group vitamins.
It should be remembered that if NSAIDs are used, then it is necessary to protect the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract by using antisecretory drugs during treatment.
In terms of topical treatment, there are currently many ointments, gels and creams containing NSAIDs, bee venom and snake, as well as agents that refresh and relieve pain. The main thing is not to use too hot ointments. They can cause high blood pressure, redness of the face, and even a hypertensive crisis in old age. Ointment treatment is desirable to be carried out prophylactically, without waiting for the next deterioration.
Around the collar of Shants
In the early stages, in the acute stage, it is necessary to protect the neck from unnecessary movements. The Shants collar is great for that. Many people make two mistakes when buying this collar. They do not choose it according to its size, so it just does not fulfill its function and causes a feeling of discomfort.
The second common mistake is to keep it for prophylactic purposes for a long time. This leads to weakness in the neck muscles, and only causes more problems. There are only two indications for the collar, in the presence of which it can be worn:
- Occurrence of acute neck pain, stiffness and spread of headache;
- If you are going to do physical work with full health, in which there is a risk of "pulling" the neck and aggravating. This is, for example, repairing a car when you lie down under it, or washing windows when you need to lie down and take uncomfortable positions.
It is necessary to wear a collar no more than 2-3 days, as longer wear can cause venous stasis in the neck muscles, at a time when it is time to activate the patient.
Patient activation
Kinesiotherapy (movement therapy) includes therapeutic exercises, swimming. Gymnastics for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is not directed at all to the discs, but to the surrounding muscles. Its task is to relieve tonic spasm, improve blood flow and also normalize venous flow. This is what leads to a decrease in muscle tone, a decrease in the severity of pain and stiffness in the back.
Along with massage, swimming, acupuncture sessions, the purchase of an orthopedic mattress and a special pillow is indicated. A cushion for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should be made of a special material with "shape memory". Its task is to relax the muscles of the neck and suboccipital region, as well as to prevent disturbance of blood flow at night in the vertebrobasilar basin.
Autumn is an important stage in the prevention and treatment of home physiotherapy products and equipment - from infrared and magnetic devices, to the most common needle applicators and ebonite discs, which are the source of weak electrical currents during massage thathave a beneficial effect on the patient.
What's next?
Statistics show that the peoples of the Mediterranean, who often and at any age swim in the sea, the situation with diseases of the musculoskeletal system is much better.
However, the basis for the prevention of osteochondrosis, in addition to eliminating risk factors, it is necessary to establish a healthy diet, which is based on sour milk, plant foods, seafood, fiber and plenty of fluids. This will slow down the age-related intervertebral disc dehydration process and keep a healthy neck and spine until more advanced years.