Cervical osteochondrosis

Timely treatment of an illness can increase the chances of a quick and successful recovery. But in any case, it is better not to allow the development of a disease, especially one as severe as cervical osteochondrosis.

Definition of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a very common disease that affects more and more younger people. The disease affects the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine. Often, the development of the pathological process of degenerative-dystrophic changes is facilitated by an incorrect body posture, for example, due to the long work on the computer.

Among other things, the problem can be triggered due to genetic predisposition, inadequate posture, uncomfortable sleep and sedentary lifestyle. Although this type of osteochondrosis develops very slowly, it tends to progress.

In elderly patients, this disease is mainly combined with other degenerative processes, for example:

• interspinous arthrosis;
• spondylosis;
• discovered arthrosis and so on.

Symptoms

As for the most characteristic symptoms, in the first place, there is the appearance of acute pain resulting from the pinching of nerve endings. The pain is usually concentrated in the lumbar, cervical and back regions. In addition, you can find other syndromes:

• cardiac syndrome- consists of several symptoms that are similar in manifestation to angina pectoris. This syndrome develops during irritation of the roots of the pectoralis major or phrenic nerve. Because of this, the person experiences painful sensations of a pressing nature in the area of ​​the heart muscle, which may appear periodically and continue for several hours. Sneezing or sudden head movements often make the pain worse. In addition, during painful attacks, no changes in the cardiogram can be detected;
• root syndrome- occurs when the nerve endings of the cervical spine are clamped. At that moment, the pain is felt, and it can be given not only in the forearm, shoulder or shoulder blade, but also in the lumbar region. The patient may feel a slight tingling or more pronounced sensations, depending on how the osteochondrosis is started;
• irritative reflex syndrome- is manifested by a burning sensation in the occiput and neck. These symptoms usually appear after waking from sleep, during sudden head turns, coughing and sneezing. In addition, the pain can manifest itself not only in the shoulder area, but also in the chest area;
The
• vertebral artery syndromeis ​​one of the typical manifestations of the disease, which is characterized by the occurrence of a burning or throbbing headache, more located in the temporal or occipital region. Often, with this syndrome, it is the constant pain that occurs, but it can sometimes come and go.

Pay attention!In the presence of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, experts observe an increase in fatigue in a person, which can cause hearing and visual impairment.

As for the other main symptoms of the disease, they include:

• Compression of blood vessels, which causes increased blood pressure;
• severe headaches that occur due to impaired blood circulation in the brain. This type of pain can cause the patient to use painkillers regularly;
• vision and hearing problems;
• pain, quite severe pain in the neck and shoulders, which can sometimes be aggravated by an acute and very unpleasant "lumbago";
• shredding and shredding by tilting the head or turning sideways;
• decreased muscle strength in the arms due to pain in the chest area;
• dizziness.

Important!As soon as the first symptoms of this disease are observed, it is necessary to seek help from a neurologist as soon as possible.

Reasons

The main causes of osteochondrosis are as follows:

1. Metabolic disorders that negatively affect the normal condition of cartilage in intervertebral discs.
2. Insufficient mobility of the cervical vertebrae, due to which there is loss of fluid, which, in turn, negatively affects the elasticity of cartilage.
3. Microtrauma of the cervical spine, during inclinations of the head, turns and so on.
4. Poor heredity, due to which the safety margin of discs is very small.

Treatment

The therapy process depends directly on the stage of the disease and is based on an integrated approach. On average, treatment lasts from 1 to 3 months, after which it is necessary to support the elimination of symptoms with preventive measures for about another 1 year.

The main treatment is carried out in 2 directions, depending on the patient's state of health and the degree of abandonment of the disease. As for conservative treatment, it includes taking medications and exercising. Treatment with surgery is performed only if the conservator has not given any effect.

It is importantto follow a diet and follow the recommendations regarding therapeutic exercises.

Conservative treatment aims to relieve pain, restore and normalize the functioning of the spine and prevent adverse changes. In such therapy, a whole range of therapeutic measures is used:

• spinal traction (traction). With the use of special medical equipment, the spine is stretched in order to increase the distance between the vertebrae;
• drug therapy. The use of medications during this disease has as its main objective the relief of pain, the relief of inflammation and the general normalization of the metabolic processes of the body;
• physiotherapy. Thanks to these procedures, it is possible not only to reduce the pain, but also to improve the effect of medication intake. These methods are also used during the rehabilitation period. In this case, laser beams, ultrasonic waves, low frequency current, work with magnetic fields and so on are often used;
• kinesitherapyand exercise-based exercise therapy;
• manual therapy. This treatment is selected individually for each patient;
• massage. Thanks to massage, it is possible to accelerate blood circulation in the tissues, remove tweezers and muscle spasms, in general, improve blood supply to tissues throughout the body.

Despite the fact that drugs alone cannot cure osteochondrosis, they can help restore blood supply to tissues. Therapy should be comprehensive, only in this case can we talk about the effectiveness of the treatment. In addition to taking medication, it is essential to do physical therapy, follow a diet and abandon bad habits.

In the absence of pain or pronounced dystrophic changes, taking medication without a prescription is inappropriate. The following types of drugs are used to treat this disease and relieve pain:

• means for regeneration, as well as for preventing the degeneration of cartilage tissue: hyaluronic acid and the like;
• to relieve inflammation;
• preparations to improve blood supply to tissues: B vitamins;
• antispasmodics;
• antioxidants: vitamins N, E and C.

Medicines can be prescribed not only in the form of tablets and capsules for oral administration, but also as injections or topical ointments / creams. If there are acute complications, medications are used to block nerve endings.

Along with drug therapy, it is very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and adequate nutrition. Drink at least 1. 5 liters of water a day.

One and a half liters of water per day is the recommended norm for the health of the joints and the whole body.

Of course, you can also use herbal teas, fruit juices, dried fruit jams or mineral water. Coffee, strong black tea, alcohol and soft drinks should be eliminated from the daily diet.

Prevention

The main causes of osteochondrosis are ignoring the body's needs, heavy loads and inadequate nutrition. That is why prevention should be based on the complete elimination of negative effects on the spine and on preventing the appearance of pathological changes. To do this, just follow the usual rules of a healthy lifestyle (healthy lifestyle):

• only moderate physical activity during sports: morning exercises, gymnastics, athletics, if the types of wrestling, then contactless, swimming is an excellent option;
• in the case of a long stay in a position, for example, in sedentary work, it is very important to take breaks, at least once every 45-60 minutes. During this time, you need to give your body 5 to 15 minutes for a little warm-up, which will restore normal blood circulation. In addition, it is very important to pay attention to the correct choice of office chairs or armchairs, giving preference to those that will support the spine, control the correct positioning of the hands on the table and the feet on the floor. Try to monitor your posture independently (your shoulders should be relaxed and your back straight);
• It is important to try to control your emotionality in the event of a spasmodic reaction during stress. For this, you need to learn relaxation techniques and systematically attend massages for general strengthening of the body;
• For sleeping, it is best to choose an orthopedic mattress with a flat surface. Of course, it will not be as soft as a feather bed, but its elasticity will guarantee the correct positioning of the body;
• drinking lots of fluids and adequate nutrition helps not only to maintain metabolism, but also to strengthen the body in general:

Mental status also has a negative effect on the condition of the joints.

• If it is necessary to move or lift heavy things, it is very important to do it as smoothly as possible, without sudden bumps and bumps from the half squat position. It will not be superfluous to wear a special support belt;
• An important point is the selection of high quality orthopedic shoes, without high heels, with sufficient foot width. It is also possible to reduce the load on the spine through the timely replacement of worn shoes, which is especially important for women. In summer, at the dacha, in the sea, if possible, it is necessary to walk barefoot on different surfaces, thus strengthening the musculature of the foot.

It is important to rememberthat prevention is much better and easier than the subsequent treatment of the disease.

Exercises

In no case should you start doing physical activities and exercise without a prescription or before pain syndrome relief. The specialist must first relieve any acute symptoms. In the presence of pain symptoms, gymnastics will be painful.

There are some really effective and simple exercises. They can be performed not only at home, but also anywhere, including at work or even on the road.

Starting the execution of the exercises, in all cases the initial posture is sitting on a chair, hands crossed on the knees:

It is worth starting with a warm-up:

1. In the starting position, you need to slowly turn your head to one side until it stops and then to the other. At that point, you need to feel how the neck muscles stretch. Once the neck is fully turned to the side, it is necessary to rotate it a few more degrees with the utmost care, avoiding sudden movements and fixing it in this state for 5 seconds. Experts recommend starting any exercise with a warm-up to strengthen your neck muscles. In each direction, 5 turns are enough to develop the strength and flexibility of the neck.
2. Next, you need to tilt your head so that the ear approaches the shoulder. It is important to note that, at this point, the shoulder must remain immobile. At the maximum approach, you need to correct the position. Be careful not to cause discomfort or pain in your actions. Just perform such inclinations 5 times on each side.

Next, move on to the main exercises:

1. Now, after the warm-up is over, you can move on to specific exercises that can give a good result. In the starting position, you need to rest your hand on your right temple. Now you need to try to tilt your head to the right side, and your hand at this point should avoid that. The effort should be such that it is heavy, but the head is still gradually tilted in that direction. For each side, 10 tracks will be enough. Of course, the hand also needs to be changed.
2. Next, you need to hold the occipital region of the head and, creating resistance, try to tilt your head back 5 times.
3. Exactly the same exercise should be done in the case of resting your palms on your forehead. Through resistance, you need to pull your chin up to your chest. It will be enough for 5 curves forward.
4. The conclusion of the training can be the warming up of the traps, which is performed by lowering and raising the shoulders. At the highest point, you need to brake for a few seconds, lower them and relax completely. Enough for 10 repetitions.
5. Finish the exercise by stretching your neck in different directions. This set of exercises should be performed every day. Great option for warming the neck in osteochondrosis.

In addition to strength training, neck flexibility exercises can be included. They will help not only strengthen the neck muscles, but also the tendons. Warming will make your neck more mobile.

The exercises are recommended by specialists not only for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, but also for all people over 30 years old. The problem is that, at this age, muscle fibers lose their flexibility, so it is important to maintain them, along with the general health of the body.

1. The chin should be pulled up to the chest and at this point help the head with your hands.
2. Very carefully, with your hands you need to tilt your head to the side to touch the shoulder with your ear.

Only the correct treatment for the first symptoms of osteochondrosis will allow you to face this problem as soon as possible and return to normal life, without pain and discomfort.

Next, you need to perform several circular movements with your head in one direction and then in the other. Enough will be 8 laps for each side. Exercise should be done very carefully. For security reasons, you can hold your head with your hands.