Even about 30 years ago, osteochondrosis was associated exclusively with elderly people, whose joints become inactive and hurt with every movement. However, times have changed. Today, more and more people are shifting from heavy physical work to sedentary work on the computer, less and less monitor the quality of nutrition, and increasingly face osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is no coincidence that osteochondrosis is called "the disease of the century", and almost all people who have reached the age of 25 encounter the symptoms of this disease.
This treacherous disease, beginning with unpleasant pain in the neck region, leads very quickly to serious consequences in the form of hearing and visual impairment, as well as memory impairment until its total loss. That is why everyone should know the causes of osteochondrosis and consult the doctor in a timely manner in case of unpleasant symptoms of the disease. We will talk about them in this article.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
Paradoxically, all of our problems with the cervical spine begin in early childhood, or rather, in primary school, where the child's posture deteriorates and scoliosis develops. It is at this moment that the system of support of the head by the spine is interrupted, in particular, by its thinner and more vulnerable part - the cervical. The second key factor in cervical osteochondrosis, which originates in early childhood, is insufficient physical fitness, in particular, the weakness of the spine muscles and the so-called muscle corset designed to support the spine.
These are the two most important causes of the disease. All the rest are heavy burdens for the weakened spine, causing the disease to develop in quite young and healthy people. Firstly, sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity are included, in particular, work, which is associated with a long stay in the same position. This is most common for drivers and office workers who sit at the computer during their shift. All of this is complemented by being overweight, which seriously increases the load on the spine.
Other causes of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- previous spinal injuries;
- metabolic disorders;
- hereditary predisposition;
- great physical activity;
- constant nervous tension and stress;
- abnormalities of the cervical spine;
- bad habits (holding the phone with your ear and shoulder).
The development of osteochondrosis
These unfavorable factors eventually lead to an increase in the load on the cervical spine. When trying to compensate for the excessive load on the neck muscles, it spasms, which leads to impaired blood circulation in this area and a decrease in metabolic processes. All of this turns into the development of degenerative processes in the spine. First, the vertebrae begin to thin and converge, compressing their contents (fibrous ring) out of the spine. This boss in the language of doctors is called a boss.
In the case of protrusion, the fibrous ring still maintains its integrity, but the protrusion already compresses the blood vessels and nerves that run along the spine and feed the brain. In addition, the converging and deforming vertebrae begin to tighten the roots of the peripheral nerves, which leads to the development of the so-called "root syndrome", which manifests itself as severe back and neck pain. If you do not identify a problem (which will eloquently signal unpleasant symptoms) and do not start treating osteochondrosis, the fibrous ring will rupture and a spinal hernia will appear. In that case, there will be serious problems with brain nutrition.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
In its development, the disease goes through several stages, each of which has characteristic signs and symptoms. It should be noted here that osteochondrosis of the cervical spine differs from degenerative changes in other parts of the spine. The distances between the vertebrae are minimal here and, therefore, even small degenerative changes cause unpleasant symptoms and lead to various complications.
1. Osteochondrosis grade I
This is the preclinical stage of disease development, in which the patient experiences mild pain and discomfort when turning his head, as well as tension and fatigue in the neck and back during prolonged stay in one position (most often insitting position). At this stage, osteochondrosis is perfectly treated with changes in lifestyle, nutritional adjustments and regular exercise.
2. Osteochondrosis grade II
At this stage, instability arises between the neck vertebrae. The person in this case is faced with intense pain that radiates to the shoulder, neck or arm. When tilting or turning the head, the pain increases significantly, because, due to the decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, the nerve endings begin to be impaired. The patient begins to tire quickly, his performance decreases, distraction, forgetfulness and he suffers from headaches.
3. Osteochondrosis grade III
With the beginning of the third stage of the disease, the pain in the back and neck becomes even stronger, the mobility of the neck is visibly reduced and, when the neck rotates, the cracking of the vertebrae is heard. At night, the patient's fingers start to go numb (mainly the little finger and the ring finger), which is why the person wakes up several times a night. Throughout the day, these patients have an unpleasant weight on their hands. And even a short conversation on the phone, in which a person is forced to hold the phone close to the ear, turns into an unpleasant tingling and numbness in the fingers. All of this indicates an increase in protrusion and possibly the appearance of a hernia in the cervical spine.
4. Osteochondrosis grade IV
In the last stage of the disease, the vertebral discs are destroyed, ceasing to perform their functions and being replaced by connective tissue. A patient in this condition may experience a violation of the coordination of movement, noise and maddening pulse in the ears, intensifying headaches, visual acuity and decreased hearing. In some cases, tongue numbness may occur.
Here, it must be said that, due to the compression of blood vessels, blood flow to the brain is interrupted. Because of this, the patient develops neurotic disorders, such as insomnia, nervousness, irritability and resentment, frequent changes in mood and inability to concentrate. Periodically, outbursts of anger or fear may occur, melancholy and depression can attack.
In the more advanced stages of osteochondrosis development, severe vascular spasms can lead to the appearance of "flies" before the eyes, a feeling of instability on a flat and hard surface, severe dizziness, migraines, nausea, vomiting and frequent fainting.
Diagnosis of diseases
To identify the cause of the pathology, the patient describes to the doctor the unpleasant symptoms of his condition. After listening to the patient, the specialist directs him to one of the following research methods.
1. Radiography. Currently, this diagnostic method is considered to be uninformative, especially in the last stages of disease development.
2. Ultrasonic duplex scanning. This method is used in cases where a specialist assumes a violation of blood flow in the arteries that provide nutrition to the brain. The study shows the speed of blood flow and determines if there are any obstacles in its path.
3. CT (computed tomography). This method is more informative than radiography, because in addition to revealing the problem, it allows determining the presence and size of hernias, albeit with difficulty.
4. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). The most informative method for diagnosing osteochondrosis today, which allows you to see bone structures, the presence of hernias and even the direction of their development.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Let's say immediately that to deal with a problem as serious as cervical osteochondrosis, you must contact a neurologist. It is true that if the clinic has a vertebrologist, it is best to contact him first.
Osteochondrosis can only be treated in a complex way. The complex of methods used includes drug therapy, cervical collar massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapy methods, as well as adequate nutrition. Only a combination of all of these methods will help to cope with the disease and normalize the patient's well-being.
Help for severe pain
In case of severe pain, doctors recommend taking medications such as Analgin, Baralgin or Tempalgin. When these drugs no longer provide relief, you can switch to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
In a general sense, drug therapy includes the following means:
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). These drugs relieve pain, relieve swelling and deal with inflammation of the nerve roots.
- Chondroprotectors. These drugs perfectly restore damaged cartilage tissue.
- Group B vitamins. They are needed to improve metabolic processes in nerve tissues.
- Muscle relaxants. These drugs work to reduce muscle spasms.
- Preparations that improve the rheological properties of blood. Thanks to these means, the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain and nerve endings is improved.
It should be noted here that it is possible to achieve a tangible effect in the fight against osteochondrosis with the help of ointments and tablets only if drug treatment is combined with other methods of therapy. Otherwise, the drugs will only have a temporary effect.
Many specialists tend to treat osteochondrosis with injections to act quickly on nerve endings and protect the patient from possible side effects when taking pills. However, vitamins are best taken orally because vitamins are well absorbed by the body with any method of ingestion, but injections with them can be painful.
Physiotherapy treatments
Drug treatment should be combined with physical therapy methods. The most effective for this disease are:
- Electrophoresis (in combination with drugs). In this case, the drugs penetrate the damaged vertebrae under the influence of an electric current.
- Ultrasound. This method of exposure allows you to remove the inflammatory process, relieve pain and improve metabolic processes in tissues.
- Magnetotherapy. This type of physical therapy relieves swelling and pain.
- Laser therapy. It is an excellent method of combating inflammation and improves blood circulation.
Diet for osteochondrosis
Reconstruction of the affected vertebrae also includes a special diet that normalizes the body's metabolic processes, prevents salt deposition, nourishes and restores cartilage tissue and also strengthens the ligaments between the vertebral discs.
To achieve this, the following must first be excluded from the patient's diet:
- alcoholic beverages;
- fatty and fried foods;
- spicy and very salty foods;
- strong broths;
- weak points and baked goods;
- strong tea and coffee;
- pickles and marinades;
- canned products.
The diet of a patient with osteochondrosis should consist of the following foods:
- lean meat and fish;
- low-fat milk, cottage cheese and kefir; butter
- (small amount);
- whole grains and soups;
- meat with gelatin, fish pea or meat;
- vegetables, fruits and berries;
- juices, fruit juices, jams and jams.
When osteochondrosis is located in the cervical spine, it is important to follow the drinking regime, drinking at least 1. 5 liters of water per day. If you are overweight, you should think about how to get rid of the extra pounds, which overload the spine. It is advisable to change meals 5 times a day in small portions.
At the same time, as can be seen in the list of allowed foods, the base of the diet should be low-fat vegetarian soups, lean cooked meats, fish, seafood, sugar-free vegetables and fruits.
An example menu for the day will look like this:
- breakfast: cottage cheese, some apples, unsweetened tea;
- lunch: roasted pear, some oatmeal cookies;
- lunch: vegetarian borscht, boiled chicken with vegetable salad;
- afternoon snack: dry biscuits and fruit juice;
- dinner: baked fish with vegetables and unsweetened tea.
Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis
Physical education gives tremendous results in the treatment of osteochondrosis, although it is possible to do gymnastics for the cervical spine only during the recovery period. It is important here that during the massage or gymnastics process the patient does not experience discomfort and pain.
Here are some of the most effective gymnastic exercises to strengthen your cervical muscles and improve blood circulation in this area.
Exercise # 1
Lying on your stomach with your hands on the floor, slowly lift your head and torso so that your back remains straight. Hold this position for 1 minute and then return to the starting position. The element is repeated 2-3 times.
Exercise # 2
Lying on your stomach and stretching your arms along your body, lift your head slightly and start turning it first to the right, trying to touch the floor with your ear, then to the left. Make 6 turns in each direction.
Exercise # 3
Sitting on the floor, as you inhale, lean forward, trying to reach your chest with your chin and, when exhaling, return to the starting position and lean your head back. Repeat the element 10-15 times.
Exercise 4
Place your palms on your forehead and try to press hard on your head. At the same time, while tensing your neck muscles, resist your hands, preventing you from tilting your head. Hold the pressure for 20-30 seconds, then lower your arms and relax. Repeat the element 2-3 times and then repeat the exercise in the opposite direction, bringing your hands clasped to the back of the neck.
Exercise # 5
Start slowly turning your head to the right and left, trying to look back. Do 10 turns for each side.