Cervical osteochondrosis

Modern life is related to the continuous overload of the spine. If the early disease of this vital organ is mainly found in the elderly and the elderly, then today, according to medical statistics, representatives of the younger generation are increasingly encountering such problems. The best in this group of diseases isCervical osteochondrosis(laugh). This pathology brings people a lot of inconvenience.

Therefore, its causes and treatment methods are worth learning.

What is cervical osteochondrosis

For a long time, most people try not to pay attention to the unpleasant discomfort in the neck area, which refers to the usual overwork and fatigue. But over time, the discomfort when moving the head increases pain and other unpleasant symptoms appear. Only when the situation becomes critical, a person will seek medical help and learn that he has cervical osteochondrosis.

This disease also often affects both sexes. As mentioned earlier, today it often happens to very young people under 30 years of age. This phenomenon is mainly due to the introduction of computer technology into all areas of life. People just stop moving and stay connected to the monitor most of the time. As a result, the cervical spine began to show disease: the vertebrae shifted, and the cartilage tissue (representing a layer) between the vertebrae became thinner. In other words, when the growth form of the structure appears on the vertebral body, the overgrowth of connective tissue will occur.

The result of this pathological change is that the shock absorption effect between the vertebrae is reduced, and the bone surfaces are in contact with each other, causing friction and squeezing nearby nerves and blood vessels. All these pathological changes can cause the blood supply to the back of the brain to deteriorate, which can lead to deterioration of overall health and pain. If the problem is not resolved in time, the disease will develop, and in severe cases, it may even lead to disability.

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

Not long ago, the main reason for SHOC has been related to age-related changes in the body. But in the reality of modern life, there are factors that increase the risk of pathology at a young age.

Some of these reasons include:

• A sedentary lifestyle;
• Forced to maintain a posture (usually sitting);
• overweight;
• Autoimmune diseases;
• draft;
• Stressful situation;
• Injury to the neck or occiput;
• Congenital abnormalities of the spine;
• Violation of the metabolic process.

In some cases, this disease is caused by hormonal imbalance or unfavorable inheritance.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Compared with the pathological process of other parts of the spine, SHOX is more obvious. This feature is explained by the fact that in the cervical spine, the vertebrae are very close to each other, so the height of the intervertebral disc is small. Compared with other parts of the spine, this anatomical feature exerts greater compression on nerve tissue and blood vessels. Therefore, the main symptoms of the disease are located in the upper back, neck and head.

In this case, the patient made the following complaints:

• Limited neck movement, especially when you want to turn your head;
• Severe pain, usually not allowing a person to perform basic movements (bending, turning the head);
• The characteristic creaking sound when moving;
• Decreased hand sensitivity;
• Violation of movement coordination;
• Dizziness;
• Exhausted;
• Reduced vision and hearing, touch or taste.

Since the cervical spine is composed of eight vertebrae, the disease has its own unique physical signs according to the location of the dystrophic disease. Usually in these departments, sensitivity barriers or limited mobility are caused by compression of the spinal cord roots. Therefore, cervical osteochondrosis is distinguished by root symptoms, that is, considering which vertebra is involved in the pathological process.

The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are as follows:

1. First vertebra-decreased sensitivity, numbness in the occiput and neck;
2. The second-soreness in the back of the head and parietal area;
3. Third-pain in the clamped part of the neck, impaired language and taste;
4. Fourth-the pain radiates to the shoulders, under the shoulder blades, breathing disorders can be observed;
5. Fifth-neck pain, radiating to the shoulder;
6. Sixth-neck pain extends to the thumb on the forearm and hand;
7. Seventh-the pain radiates to the scapula area, back shoulder, forearm and fingers;
8. Eighth-The pain spreads from the neck to the shoulders and further down to the arms to the little finger.

It should be noted here that the diagnosis should pay special attention to the scope of the disease. Because this standard determines the degree of cervical osteochondrosis. There are only four, and they determine the severity of the pathological process.

Disease diagnosis

It should be noted that experienced doctors can easily diagnose cervical osteochondrosis during the initial examination, and only pay attention to the characteristic clinical symptoms. However, in order to determine the degree of injury and the incidence of pathology, it is recommended that patients undergo multiple examinations.Basically, these are hardware research methods. The diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis includes:

• Radiological examination of the cervical spine. In the diagnosis process, determine the degree of damage, location, salt deposition and location characteristics of the vertebrae.
• Computed tomography-allows you to detect possible ruptures and determine the true height of the intervertebral disc, the location of pressure on the nerve tissue and spinal cord (if any).
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)-accurately shows pathological changes. Due to this type of examination, the state of nerve fibers and the intensity of blood flow can be accurately determined.

In most cases, at the time of diagnosis, one of the listed examination types is sufficient. In most cases, doctors use a technique that has been proven for decades, namely X-rays.

Why is cervical osteochondrosis dangerous?

Any pathology of the spine is full of serious problems. After all, the spine is a foundation on which the entire structure of the human body depends. Important blood lines pass through the neck area to provide oxygen and nutrients to the brain. There are many nerve endings here. Therefore, infringement of the innervation or blood supply of vital organs may have serious consequences. This is not an exaggeration of the danger, because cervical osteochondrosis has serious consequences.

In addition to the perceived discomfort, the resulting vertebral defects can also cause hearing loss and visual impairment. The brain with SCH is hypoxic. Therefore, cervical osteochondrosis is considered the most dangerous form of this disease.

To be sure of this, it is sufficient to list only the most common complications of SHOX:

• Persistent hypertension;
• Chronic migraine;
• Vegetative vascular dystonia (VVD);
• Breathing problems
• Various perceptual obstacles (taste, touch), eventually showing an irreversible form;
• Cardiovascular diseases, of which stroke is the most dangerous.

In advanced cases of the disease, patients will develop vertebral artery syndrome, and long-term compression of the nerve roots can lead to radiculopathy. Changes in the structure of the vertebrae can subsequently lead to complete loss of mobility in the neck. But the most serious complication of cervical osteochondrosis is death, which causes compression of the spinal cord.

In view of the seriousness of the situation and the high possibility of complications, you should contact the hospital immediately if there are worrying symptoms. These unpleasant signs may include: systemic headaches, dizziness, neck or back of head discomfort. After the diagnostic measures, the doctor will choose the appropriate treatment.

The treatment of SHS patients is often complicated. Treatment must include massage, therapeutic gymnastics, and physical therapy procedures. Of course, it is impossible to improve the patient's condition without using drugs.Therefore, the combination of medications for osteochondrosis includes:

• Analgesic
• Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs;
• Chondroprotective agent;
• Muscle relaxants are a means to relieve muscle tension;
• The vitamin complex must be prescribed.

All therapies are selected by experts and take into account the individual characteristics of the patient. Any self-medication to treat cervical osteochondrosis is unacceptable. All these drugs are designed to locate the symptoms of the acute phase of the disease. During the mitigation period, other technologies are relevant. Usually, treatment is done at home, that is, in an outpatient clinic. But in particularly severe cases, patients need to be hospitalized.

Traditional treatment

Doctors are always willing to supplement the therapeutic drug complexes with natural preparations prepared according to folk recipes. Various decoctions and infusions help to stop inflammation and relieve pain.

Here are some alternative recipes for treating osteochondrosis:

• Dill seeds (200 grams) should be poured into vodka (250 ml) or half of the alcohol diluted with water. After two weeks of infusion, it is recommended to take one tablespoon of infusion 3 times a day.
• The preparation sequence of the topical agent is as follows: lilac leaves (fresh) are mashed into fine balls, 300 ml of radish juice (black) is added, and then 200 g of good honey is added. Be sure to stick to the composition all day long in the dark. Then it can be used to wipe the problem area. This product is recommended to be used after consulting a doctor. The composition is forbidden for people who are allergic to its ingredients.
• From the lilac, you can prepare an infusion for internal use. To do this, take a spoon (tbsp) of fragrant inflorescence, pour it into a cup of boiling water, filter it within an hour, and take 1 liter three times. Art.

important! When taking all herbal preparations, the prescribed dosage should be strictly observed.

Do gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis at home

Only after the acute phase is stopped, can SHH be used to talk about the complexity of remedial gymnastics. As the disease worsens, this activity will only worsen the situation.

All exercises of physical therapy exercises are designed to maintain the normal mobility of the cervical spine. The class is calm and there should be no sudden movements. If there are signs of fatigue or pain, stop the class immediately. The complex includes the following exercises that you can do regularly at home:

• When standing, you need to tilt your head when you inhale so that your chin touches your chest. As you exhale, pull your head back slightly. Sitting in a chair can freely perform the same exercises.
• At any starting position, the head can be easily rotated. It is best to change the direction of movement regularly to avoid head rotation. It is recommended to exercise at a slow pace.
• Doing this exercise regularly will help to perfectly strengthen the cervical spine muscles: you need to "lock" your hands and press your forehead on them as much as possible. In order to achieve a lasting effect, repeat this exercise 3 times for 30 seconds each time. You can alternately press the forehead with the palm, and then press the palm with the forehead.

There are many other effective methods, but any choice must be approved by a doctor before it can be used.

To prevent the diagnosis of medical history"Cervical osteochondrosis», You need to live an active life, exercise regularly in the morning, pay attention to your neck, and properly equip your workplace.