Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a degenerative and dystrophic disease of one of the sections of the spine. As the disease develops, the intervertebral discs in the neck suffer more and the damage also extends to the articular surfaces, ligaments and vertebrae.

Cervical osteochondrosis is a degenerative and dystrophic disease of one of the sections of the spine. As the disease develops, the intervertebral discs in the neck suffer more and the damage also extends to the articular surfaces, ligaments and vertebrae. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine depends on the current stage of the disease. The pathology appears mainly in patients over 30 years old, but cases are also recorded in young people, especially if a person leads an unhealthy lifestyle and is at risk.

The most common symptom is severe pain in the neck area, which can spread to the back, move to the upper limbs, deform into a severe headache. Below we will look at which symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are best to start treatment, find out the causes of the disease and the methods used to combat the problem.

Causes and risk factors

The main reason for the development of osteochondrosis in humans is the ability to walk upright acquired through evolution. During walking, the vertebrae put excessive pressure on each other. Every year this leads to the fact that the amount of intervertebral fluid and connective tissue between the vertebrae decreases, as a result, the bones begin to rub against each other, causing severe pain.

The longer the osteochondrosis of the cervical region develops without the necessary treatment, the less chance there is to stop the degenerative processes. In old age, it is almost impossible to restore connective tissue.

Cervical osteochondrosis in old age is a mostly natural process that is not associated with the influence of external factors. If the problem begins to develop at a young age, if the pain intensifies very quickly, it is necessary to look for the cause of such a violation.

The development of cervical osteochondrosis at a young age is most often due to the following factors:

• Lack of physical activity in daily life. In the modern world, a person leads a mostly sedentary lifestyle - he works in the office all day, spends time in the evening sitting on the couch or at the computer, often drives a car;
• In the process of performing work tasks, the human body often takes an unnatural, tense position (a strong forward deviation when working at the computer);
• Excessive sports. The opposite reason is to play sports with uncontrolled loads. The problem is not only faced by ordinary citizens, but also by professional athletes;
• The reasons that provoke the spine to be in the wrong position are flat feet, wearing uncomfortable shoes with heels, scoliosis, arthritis, etc. ;
• Abuse of junk food, obesity;
• Severe hypothermia of the cervical spine;
• Nervous strain - frequent stress in everyday life and at work, lack of proper sleep at night.

Vertebral syndrome

The complex of symptoms is associated with damage to the bones and cartilage of the spine. It includes:

• impaired mobility in the cervical region;
• pain when turning the head;
• X-ray signs of damage to the vertebrae themselves and the space between them.

vertebral artery syndrome

The symptoms are caused by the narrowing or spasm of the vertebral arteries, which are partly responsible for the blood supply to the brain. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:

• tinnitus;
• dizziness;
• jumps in blood pressure;
• nausea and vomiting;
• headache;
• visual impairment;
• reduction of work capacity;
• drowsiness;
• faint.

Cardiac syndrome

It resembles a condition with heart muscle damage and includes:

• pain or burning sensation behind the chest;
• weakness and fatigue;
• rapid pulse.

radicular syndrome

The condition is associated with damage (compression or pinching) to the nerve roots that exit the spinal column in the cervical region. Depending on the level of damage, a person may experience:

• numbness or pain in the back of the head;
• numbness of the tongue;
• pain in the collarbone, difficulty swallowing, hiccups;
• discomfort in the shoulder area, aggravated by hand movements;
• pain in the shoulders and forearms;
• numbness of the index and middle finger;
• numbness of ring finger and little finger.

Most often, several nerve roots are involved in the pathological process immediately, as a result of which certain characteristic symptoms are observed immediately.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

All these risk factors and lifestyle features lead to the fact that the intervertebral discs in the cervical region are malnourished. If the problem is not identified and eliminated, the discs will gradually begin to collapse, the distance between them will decrease, as a result, this will lead to constant friction of the bones against each other. As the connective tissue is depleted, bony growths begin to form in the spine, which are prone to uncontrolled growth. In advanced cases, the growths begin to exert pressure on the surrounding tissues, blood vessels, nerves located in the cervical spine.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine does not develop immediately, in the absence of proper treatment of the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the problem worsens. The entire course of the disease can be divided into 4 stages. The symptoms experienced by the patient depend directly on the current stage of the problem. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include:

• Discomfort in the neck that extends to the shoulder area;
• The appearance of pain in the cervical region during sports;
• Stiffness when turning the neck;
• Private headaches that are not caused by external factors;
• When you change the position of the head, you can hear a characteristic crackle;
• Numbness and loss of sensitivity of some areas on the skin of the back of the head, shoulders, arms, neck;
• Hypoxia of trophodependent organs;
• Development of pathologies of the circulatory system;
• Severe pain leads to complete immobilization of the upper shoulder girdle.

The more advanced the disease, the more discomfort the patient experiences. In the final stages of the problem, the patient's quality of life deteriorates significantly. Common symptoms for all stages of the problem include headache, noise or ringing in the ears, visual defects, nausea and vomiting with a sharp change in the position of the head.

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

If you have any of the symptoms listed above, it is advisable to seek immediate medical attention. The sooner a problem is diagnosed, the more likely it is to be completely resolved. A neurologist is engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis of the spine.

After the patient's appeal, the neurologist will interview the patient and based on his complaints will conclude that the disease is present. Most often, patients complain of pain, discomfort, problems with movement of the upper limbs. After the interview, the doctor will perform a visual examination of the patient. It will be evaluated:

• proper posture;
• At what angle are the shoulder blades, shoulders and iliac bones;
• The location of the line of spinous processes along the length of the spine.

A visual examination allows you to determine which pathological processes have started in the back, how many have affected the spine and surrounding tissues.

The final diagnosis is not made only on the basis of examination and questioning of the patient. Additional examinations are required. Most often, the patient is sent for x-rays, computed tomography. If for one reason or another it is impossible to make a final diagnosis, the patient is referred for magnetic resonance imaging. Additional examinations include dopplerography, the procedure allows you to find out what state the blood circulation system is in the cervical region.

Degrees of cervical osteochondrosis

The choice of methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis directly depends on the stage of the disease, which is diagnosed in a particular patient. It is customary to distinguish 4 stages of osteochondrosis, the division is conditional, as some symptoms may pass from one stage to another or not appear at all.

1 degree

The initial stage of the problem, at this stage, if pain is felt, then it is often attributed to stress or other disorders (improper sleep, prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position). The patient may experience stiffness and slight limitation of movement, especially sudden movements. If you seek treatment for cervical osteochondrosis at this stage, you can eliminate the symptoms at home. To completely get rid of the problem, it will be possible to limit yourself to special exercises and visits to physiotherapy procedures. For prevention, it will be useful to start an active lifestyle (it is enough to take a 20-minute daily walk in the fresh air), adjust the diet (exclude very fatty, fried, salty foods, prioritizefermented milk products, fruits and vegetables, foods with sufficient calcium and trace elements, necessary for the restoration of connective tissue and cartilage).

2 degrees

The pain intensifies, begins to become permanent. Sharp movements and turns bring discomfort, the patient faces a severe headache, begins to notice that he is very tired from daily activities. Often patients are distracted because they only think about the pain. Some experience numbness in certain areas of the face.

3 degrees

In the area of damaged discs, hernias begin to develop, which cause dizziness and weakness in the arms. It hurts not only the head and neck, the pain gradually spreads to the entire shoulder girdle.

4 degrees

A characteristic process is the destruction of the intervertebral discs, the replacement of "empty places" with connective tissue. This leads to compression of the nerves, the pain becomes unbearable, it does not go away without taking special drugs. The patient experiences dizziness, especially with sudden turns of the head and a change in body position, tinnitus appears, sleep is disturbed, the quality of life deteriorates greatly, disability is possible if not treated.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

The doctor chooses the right method for treating the patient, depending on the stage of the disease. The most commonly used drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in combination with a visit to physiotherapy. In advanced cases, surgery may be required to remove overgrown connective tissue and bony processes.

Conservative treatment

Most often it is based on taking certain medications. Drug treatment helps reduce pain, relieve muscle tension and localize inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used, as well as pain relievers.

Often, the doctor also includes chondroprotectors in the prescription. This group of drugs activates the restoration of destroyed tissues in the region of the intervertebral discs.

These drugs are prescribed in the form of injections or tablets. A good therapeutic result is demonstrated by NSAID-based ointments. They are rubbed on the damaged area, relieving the pain within 10-20 minutes. The main advantage of ointments is a local effect on the painful area and a minimal effect on other organs.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy procedures have a number of goals at once:

• Localization of the inflammatory process;
• Removal of muscle spasm;
• Relief of pain syndrome;
• Starting regenerative processes;
• Increase of general and local immunity;
• Restoring the normal position of nerve fibers, eliminating compression and pinching.

Most often, with cervical osteochondrosis, the following procedures are prescribed:

1. Shock wave therapy. With the help of a special device, an acoustic wave is directed directly to the cartilage tissue of the spine, which has been damaged. As a result, metabolic processes start, salt and calcium deposits are destroyed, which interfere with the normal movement of joints and vertebrae. The procedure is characterized by a cumulative effect, often the first results become visible only 2-3 months after the start of treatment.
2. Acupuncture. Acupuncture is often used to treat and prevent cervical osteochondrosis. It is important that the procedure is performed only by a qualified doctor, otherwise you may encounter not only a lack of effect, but also a worsening of the current condition. The essence of the procedure is that special needles are installed in biologically active points, forcing the body to start metabolic processes, stimulate the production of natural sedatives.
3. Massage. The main goal is to reduce pain and improve blood circulation in the damaged area of the cervical segment of the spine. With proper massage, the muscles gain a lost tone, as a result, it is possible to eliminate the risk of recurrence of osteochondrosis in the future. During the visit to the first massage sessions, the patient faces severe pain, it is important not to stop the treatment because of the pain, but to go through all the procedures prescribed by the doctor.

Surgery

It is mainly prescribed in advanced stages of the disease, when the use of medications and visits to physiotherapy procedures do not bring any results. The indication for surgical intervention is a catastrophic narrowing of the spinal canal.

Modern surgical methods allow the patient to be discharged from the hospital after 3-5 days and to undergo outpatient treatment of symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis. During the next three months, the patient undergoes rehabilitation.

Physiotherapy

A correctly selected set of exercises for osteochondrosis can not only improve the general condition of the patient, but also speed up the process of treating the disease. There are some effective exercises:

1. Turns and animations of the head in different directions. The exercise is performed in a sitting position, it is important not to jump, all movements should be smooth with a gradual increase in the number of repetitions and the amplitude of the incline.
2. The head tilts to the side with resistance. Body position - sitting at the table, one elbow is on the table, while the palm presses on the temple. Turn your head toward your hand, creating slight resistance.
3. Lifting the shoulders. Raise your shoulders as high as possible and fix in this position for a while.
4. Blend the back of your head and neck with your fingertips. It is important that the movements are gentle and do not cause pain. You can do self-massage in any comfortable position.

It is important not to treat cervical osteochondrosis at home without consulting a neurologist, a set of exercises must be agreed with your doctor.

Manual therapy for cervical osteochondrosis

Treatment with manual therapy relieves muscle tension and joint blockage, relieves pain and restores the capabilities of the musculo-articular apparatus. The doctor evaluates the condition of the muscles, determines the points of pain and the degree of the spinal joint. Further, through active and passive hand movements, it affects damaged tendons, ligaments and muscles. Manual therapy treatment is contraindicated during acute inflammation and instability of the vertebrae.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture for cervical osteochondrosis is performed using sterile needles, which are inserted into predetermined points at different depths and left for a certain time. The needles are chosen very thin to minimize discomfort. The procedure relieves pain, activates microcirculation, normalizes metabolic processes, improves general health and increases the effectiveness of drug treatment.

Kinesiology Bar

This is the placement of an elastic bandage in the shape of the letter Y in the area of the cervical region while maintaining the mobility of the neck. Tapes for cervical osteochondrosis relieve pain, inhibit inflammation and provide support for paravertebral muscles.

Orthopedic collar

A collar for osteochondrosis of the cervical region is needed in the acute period of the disease. It adjusts the bones and joints, reducing the load on the affected segment. The collar also corrects the position of deformed vertebrae and skeletal bones and relieves pain.

Depending on the degree of fixation, orthopedic collars are of several types:

• soft splint (Schanz collar). This product is made of dense, resilient polyurethane foam in a fabric cover with Velcro, buttons or plastic fasteners. With its help, you can adjust the volume of the collar. A soft tire wears from 2 weeks to 4 months, after every two hours of use, you should take a break;
• puffy collar. It consists of a dense, flexible material. The course of treatment depends on the stage of osteochondrosis. In the first days, it is recommended to wear the collar for five minutes twice a day, gradually increasing the time to 30 minutes. An inflated collar is worn to prevent cervical osteochondrosis;
• semi-rigid collar. A semi-rigid neck brace is made of polyurethane with a clasp at the back. Compared to a soft splint, it fixes the neck more tightly. Comes in different sizes;
• rigid collar. Made of thermoplastic material with front and rear calipers. It is made according to individual sizes and is recommended to be used during the entire course of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

Complications of osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis causes disruption of the most important structures: blood vessels and nerves. Without treatment, the disease can lead to the following complications:

• ischemic stroke;
• loss of sensation or motor function of the hand;
• difficulty in swallowing;
• violation of the thyroid gland;
• loss or significant decrease in visual acuity.

In addition, damage to the discs and intervertebral joints leads to a significant limitation of neck mobility.

What is dangerous cervical osteochondrosis

Many patients complain that their neck and head hurt at the same time. Patients should choose a certain position in which the pain decreases or seems less acute. This is not always comfortable, so performance decreases.

As the disease progresses, disc protrusion develops, intervertebral tissues are destroyed, and the spaces shrink. In the last stage of the disease, the disc is completely destroyed and connective tissue is formed in its place. Because of this, the patient has a limitation of mobility: for example, he cannot turn or tilt his head.

If time does not heal osteochondrosis in the cervical region, it can lead to compression of the spinal cord, disability and paralysis.

prevention

The main rule of preventive measures is that they must be comprehensive and consistently observed. Only in this way they will bring the expected result. Prevention is shown to people who are at risk.

1. Watch your attitude. Ideal body position - head and back are in the same line. Always make sure your shoulders are straight, your stomach is pulled in and your chest is lifted. Walking also plays a role - it should be elastic and even. Never indulge yourself, at the initial stage it is important to discipline yourself, in the future, the right attitude will become a habit.
2. Well organized workplace. When working, the shoulders should be relaxed, the constant tension of the lumbar belt has a direct effect on the cervical spine. Basic requirements - a chair with a comfortable back and backrest, a monitor at eye level, a keyboard under the elbows (the angle between the shoulder and the forearm is about 120 degrees). While working, make it a habit to take a break every 40-50 minutes with basic stretching exercises.
3. Correctly adjust the car seat. Many drivers face osteochondrosis of the cervical spine due to the fact that they put the driver's seat not according to the rules, but in a way that suits them. The correct position of the body in the chair - the entire spine affects the back, and not just the shoulders. It is advisable to buy special waist pillows that will help support the body in the desired position. With a long trip, it is important to hit the road after 1. 5-2 hours and warm up.
4. Take care of your food. Problems with the cervical spine are often associated with the fact that the patient does not eat properly. Dangerous foods that increase the risk of osteochondrosis include: white bread, rich products, sweets, dishes rich in salt and sugar, fried and fatty foods. The main danger is refined sugar - the substance contributes to the flow of calcium from the body. Include legumes and nuts, high protein foods, seasonal vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. Low-fat fermented milk products - kefir, baked fermented milk, cottage cheese, natural yogurt - will also have a positive effect. If you have problems with being overweight, see a nutritionist.
5. Daily physical activity. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home with the help of physical education is an excellent prophylactic against diseases of the spine. It is important to do exercises at an easy pace, without exceeding the allowed load. If there is no time for a full set of exercises, make it a rule to take daily walks.
6. Massage. The right techniques restore muscle tone, relieve tension, start metabolic and regenerative processes in the body. It is not necessary to visit specialists, the correct massage of the cervical spine can be performed independently.
7. Proper sleep. During the day, the intervertebral discs experience increased stress, complete relaxation and rest can only be achieved during night sleep. For the prevention of osteochondrosis, it is important to organize the right place to sleep and keep track of time (at least 8 hours).

Sanatorium treatment and its benefits

The sanatorium specializes in identifying the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including osteochondrosis of various localization. The procedures are selected individually for each individual patient, taking into account the degree of spinal tissue damage, the presence of concomitant diseases, the patient's age and possible contraindications.

An integrated approach is practiced - a combination of drug treatment with physiotherapy and physiotherapy exercises. This approach helps to forget the problem forever.

A positive effect in the treatment of symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine also shows mud therapy, manual massage and equipment, various physiotherapy.