In the modern world, the resonance of the disease with osteochondrosis of the cervix can hardly be overestimated. Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is much more common than in other vertebral regions. Almost all people over the age of twenty-five have this disease, to one degree or another.
Osteochondrosis of the cervix develops mainly due to a sedentary lifestyle, which is particularly facilitated by a person's historical transition from physical work to mental work, which, although to a moderate degree, is accompanied by work in a sitting position. .
Osteochondrosis of the cervix is a degenerative-dystrophic disease of the cervical spine, leading to damage to the intervertebral discs, which is generally common for osteochondrosis disease. Since this part of the spine is, by its very nature, quite mobile, but at the same time vulnerable due to a poorly developed muscular corset, therefore, any negative impact on the neck or spine affects first and foremost the regionof the cervix. For the fact that degenerative changes occur most often in the most mobile vertebral sections, it is precisely the nerve endings at the C5 level. . . C7 those most commonly affected in the cervical region.
Since the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are highly controversial, they are not always considered as the only symptoms of this disease, which often leads to seeking help from specialists in other fields of medicine. Let's examine them in a little more detail.
Symptoms
Due to the fact that the cervical spine is quite compact, compared to its other departments, even a slight tension in the cervical muscles or the displacement of the vertebrae of the cervical spine can cause compression or tightening of the roots. nerve, which can also affect the vessels located in this department. Well, osteophytes - bone growths, in the popular treatment called "salt deposition" and formed in the conditions of the development of the disease with osteochondrosis of the cervix, lead, as a result, only to a significant deterioration of the course of the disease.
The clinical manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis disease, i. e. its symptoms, can be divided into reflex symptoms and radicular symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.
Reflex symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Reflex symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include the so-called "lumbago", which is expressed in the appearance of sharp sharp pains in the neck and is significantly intensified with each movement. With this in mind, patients often assume a kind of forced, more comfortable, head position. Moreover, it is quite possible for a typical "chew" to occur during turning or other head movements.
With osteochondrosis of the cervix, patients often experience headaches of a compressive nature that radiate to the eyeballs or to the temporal part of the head. In addition, sometimes at the same time, the sharpness of visual perception can decrease, as if "everything floats before your eyes".
Vertebral artery syndrome can also develop when its nerve plexus is irritated, which very often due to dizziness in the patient is misdiagnosed as a violation of blood circulation to the brain. Such a symptom of cervical osteochondrosis can manifest with sudden head movements and be complicated by possible nausea and vomiting.
In addition to the above, reflex symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis also include a cardiac syndrome, in which there are sensations similar to an angina attack. But such a manifestation of osteochondrosis symptoms is usually combined with a complex of other signs of this disease, so it usually does not cause difficulty in establishing an accurate diagnosis.
Radicular symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Radicular symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, as a rule, appear due to compression of the spinal nerve ending - the root. In this case, the sensory disturbances that affect motor functions depend entirely on which particular nerve root is damaged, namely:
- C1 - decreased sensitivity in the back of the head;
- C2 - the appearance of pain in the parietal or occipital region of the head;
- C3 - violation of sensitivity and the appearance of pain in the neck, where the spinal root is damaged, with a very possible violation of the function of speech, due to loss of sensitivity of the tongue and control over it;
- C4 - the appearance of pain and a decrease in tenderness in the dorsal humeroscapular region, as well as pain in the region of the heart and liver, with a simultaneous decrease in neck muscle tone and possible respiratory disorders of respiratory function;
- C5 - decreased sensitivity and pain on the outer surface of the shoulders;
- C6 - pain radiating from the region of the cervix to the scapula, the outer surface of the shoulder, forearm and further from the wrist to the thumb;
- C7 - same pain as in C6, but radiating from the scapula to the posterior surface of the shoulder, and further from the forearm to the second to 4 fingers, with a decrease in tenderness in the area of pain;
- C8 - decrease in tenderness and pain from the neck to the shoulder, and then from the forearm to the little finger.
Treatment
Osteochondrosis of the cervix is a rather complex and extremely unpleasant disease, the treatment of which requires consistency, duration and phase. Therapeutic treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, first of all, aims at complete cessation of the pain symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and elimination of inflammation in the neck area affected by the disease.
Patients, in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervix, are treated with classical analgesics, such as analgin, ketorol or baralgin. Although recently non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have also been widely known in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, effectively relieving pain and reducing inflammatory activity.
Among other things, in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are used chondroprotectors, which slow down the process of destruction of cartilage tissue and, according to many experts, also contribute to the process of their regeneration. In addition, patients are prescribed the use of B vitamins, which improve metabolic processes in the patient's body.
But the use of external gels or ointments for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervix is not effective, but it makes sense, because in the process of rubbing them into the skin, an additional massage of the cervical region of the spine is performed.
Physiotherapy procedures are also combined with traditional drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, and in particular, the use of magnetotherapy through special medical devices that have gained well-deserved fame among specialists and patients is particularly effective. In addition to the above, therapeutic massage, physiotherapy exercises and manual therapy are also used. But, in particularly severe cases of the disease, surgical intervention may also be required.
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis disease
By itself, preventing cervical osteochondrosis is not difficult. Recommended:
- maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle,
- sports, or at least morning exercises,
- competent organization of the workplace,
- observance of work and rest regime,
- during extended work in a sitting position - during working hours, warm up several times and ensure the correct position of the head and posture during work.
It is also important to choose a comfortable sleeping pillow and mattress. But for those who already suffer from this disease, it is strongly recommended daily use of specialized orthopedic products for a comfortable sleep.