Cervical osteochondrosis is a progressive degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the intervertebral discs located between the first 7 vertebrae. Vertebrae 1 to 7 belong to the cervical spine.
Pathological changes against the background of osteochondrosis lead to deformation of the vertebrae, which ultimately disrupts their blood supply, nerve conduction in the neck and areas of innervation of damaged nerves.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be an independent disease or associated with osteochondrosis of other parts - thoracic and lumbar.
Main symptoms
The main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain, the location and nature of which depends on the location of the lesion. Most often, it is felt in the neck, collar, one or both arms.
This disease is characterized by one-sided pain and any part of the arm can hurt: the shoulder, forearm, hand and even fingers. Many patients complain of headaches and dizziness.
Pain syndrome can also be felt in the chest, in the supraclavicular region or spread throughout the back. For some, the pain is concentrated at the base of the neck or throat.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is characterized by a variety of symptoms and is often accompanied by impaired tactile sensitivity, muscle weakness, decreased visual and hearing acuity, rhythmrapid heartbeat and panic attacks.
Attention! Sometimes osteochondrosis is complicated by vertebral artery syndrome, which may require emergency hospitalization of the patient.
First signs
In the early stages, the manifestations of osteochondrosis are more like ordinary fatigue after a busy day and occur periodically. In the evening, discomfort and pain appear in the neck, heaviness and pain in the head, mainly in the occipital region. Cracking and crunching sounds possible when turning the head.
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women are more pronounced than in men and are often accompanied by an unstable psycho-emotional state. In addition, men suffer from this disease much less frequently.
Exacerbation of chondrosis often occurs during menopause, when hormonal changes occur in the female body and the immune system weakens. Certain difficulties arise during diagnosis due to signs similar to many other diseases.
The severity of symptoms depends on the stage of the disease, the nature and degree of spinal damage.
Men react less to small things like a crack in the neck and often simply do not notice suspicious symptoms. In addition, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men may not appear for a long time, which is explained by the peculiarities of the anatomy.
Men naturally have more developed and stronger muscles, which creates additional support for the spine. The muscular framework serves as a sort of armor which protects the vertebrae and prevents their deformation.
Vertebral artery syndrome (VAS)
The clinical picture of AS is usually represented by several symptoms, but only one of the possible ones can be observed:
- headache with a predominant localization in the back of the head and at the base of the skull - basilar migraine, accompanied by classic symptoms: loss of coordination, nausea leading to vomiting, tinnitus, less often - speech disturbances;
- dizziness that occurs when turning the head. They may be accompanied by vomiting, darkening of the eyes and impaired coordination of movements;
- eye fatigue due to stress, flickering spots and flashes of light in front of the eyes and, in some places, loss of visual field. Patients may complain of pain, redness and a feeling of sand in the eyeballs, inflammation of the conjunctiva;
- constant or episodic tinnitus, the nature of which varies depending on the position of the neck. There may be mild deafness, ear congestion, and insensitivity to a quiet voice. In some cases, paracusia was noted - selective audibility of sounds, in which a person hears better in the presence of extraneous sounds than in complete silence;
- vegetative symptoms always occur when osteochondrosis worsens and are most often combined with other symptoms. These may include hot flashes or chills, increased sweating, cold feet and hands, feeling short of breath, increases in blood pressure, and poor sleep;
- TIA - transient ischemic attacks - accompany mechanical pinching of the vertebral artery and are manifested by double vision, temporary partial blindness with loss of visual field, dizziness with vomiting, speech and swallowing disorders;
- Fainting can be the result of a sudden turn of the head or an uncomfortable position. The loss of consciousness lasts more or less long and causes weakness of the limbs;
- Fall attacks are sudden falls, usually without loss of consciousness, caused by a sudden rush of blood to the brain when the head is thrown back. The immediate cause is paralysis of the legs, but motor function is restored relatively quickly.
Headaches and dizziness
Most patients with cervical chondrosis have this symptom, but it may be absent. The cause of dizziness is associated with compression of major arteries and blood vessels, which disrupts the transport of oxygen to the nervous tissue of the medulla oblongata and spinal cord.
Under the influence of mechanical trauma to spinal structures and chronic ischemia of nerve fibers, sensitivity increases and irritation of nerve endings occurs, which ultimately causes cervical dizziness.
A headache caused by chondrosis is distinguished by its location in the back of the head. However, there are also untypical cases where the whole head or one side hurts.
Dizziness may be accompanied by uncertainty in movements, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, and increased sweating in the face and shoulders.
Headaches are a frequent companion of cervical chondrosis. It is paroxysmal in nature, the duration of the attack varies from several hours to several days. The intensity of the pain varies, but it appears with enviable regularity.
Headaches are caused by compression of the vertebral artery due to changes in the position of the vertebrae and discs. Due to compression of the vessel, the blood supply to the brain is disrupted, which leads to pain.
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The cause of pain can also be muscle spasm, typical of osteochondrosis.
Panic attacks
Panic attacks are also associated with decreased brain nutrition and cause the following symptoms:
- bouts of fever or chills, increased body temperature;
- numbness, tingling in the limbs, muscle cramps, impaired motor skills;
- dizziness, loss of coordination, darkening of the eyes;
- pain behind the sternum or in the chest on the left, rapid pulse, increased blood pressure;
- insomnia, fear of death or mental confusion, confusion;
- shortness of breath, difficulty breathing to the point of suffocation, lump in the throat;
- discomfort and pain in the abdomen, indigestion, frequent urination.
Sore throat
The throat with osteochondrosis usually hurts when the 4th cervical vertebra is damaged or displaced. The location is usually unilateral, as the vertebrae and discs move to one side.
Sore throat is caused by impaired innervation of the pharyngeal muscles due to nerve compression.
Due to pinching of the roots, spasms and tension in the pharyngeal muscles occur, accompanied by pain. The throat feels heavy and full and it becomes difficult to breathe. However, there is no mechanical obstacle to free breathing and swallowing; there are no foreign bodies or tumors in the esophagus and larynx.
It is common for medications for tonsillitis or sore throat, rinsing and inhalation to have no effect.
The source of the pain is in the area between the thyroid cartilage and the jugular cavity. The nature of the pain varies from mild to debilitating.
Treatment
The complex treatment of cervical osteochondrosis includes several methods: taking medications, doing therapeutic exercises, attending physiotherapy and massage sessions. If desired, you can use folk remedies and make various compresses, prepare infusions and decoctions.
In case of exacerbation of the disease, it is recommended to stay in bed. In addition, you need to lie on a flat and fairly hard and elastic surface - a sagging sofa or feather bed will not work.
Attention! Severe pain requires immediate medical attention.
To repair the cervical spine, the doctor may prescribe wearing a Shants collar. It supports the neck in an anatomically correct position, eliminating movement and therefore pain.
Medicines are selected taking into account the existing symptoms and diagnostic results. If hernias and protrusions are detected, treatment can be surgical.
| Drugs | Action |
| Active ingredient: Pentoxifylline | Improves cerebral circulation, dilates blood vessels, relaxes smooth muscles, reduces the frequency of nerve signals |
| Chondroitin and glucosamine preparations | Restoration of cartilaginous tissue of the discs, slowing down degenerative processes |
| Muscle relaxers | Relieve muscle spasms |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories | Relief of the inflammatory process, tissue swelling |
| Painkillers | Elimination of pain |
| Opioids | For severe pain that cannot be relieved by conventional means |
| Vitamin complexes containing vitamins B, A, C, calcium | Strengthening of nervous, muscular and bone tissues, overall healing effect |
| Antidepressants and sedatives | Dealing with stress caused by constant pain |
Home treatment
It is not recommended to stay at home for too long and follow bed rest, and after the acute symptoms subside, you should move on to active actions. You should start with simple exercises and gradually move to more intense exercises.
Performing neck exercises helps strengthen the neck muscles, thereby preventing relapses of exacerbations.
Exercise 1 – self-extension. Standing with your arms down alongside your body, tilt your head to the right and at the same time lower your left hand. Stay in this position and repeat the exercise on the other side.
Exercise 2 – self-massage. Place the towel on your shoulders and, holding its edges, pull them in one direction or the other.
Exercise 3 – turn your head left and right, tilt to the right then to the left shoulder.
Exercise 4 – same with the counterattack with the hand: while rotating or tilting, press on your temple, creating additional resistance.
Tips for preventing osteochondrosis
Tip #1
Physical education is the main way to combat aging of the body and the development of intervertebral disc dystrophy. Usually, daily physical activity and a visit to the pool at least once a week are enough. All this helps strengthen the muscular corset of the spine.
Tip #2
Even a healthy person needs massage sessions, it is recommended to do them every year.
Tip #3
It is very important to monitor your weight and avoid gaining extra pounds.
Tip #4
When working in a forced position for a long time, you need to take breaks, change your body position and do a warm-up.
Tip #5
Eating well means consuming enough vitamins and microelements with food.
Tip #6
Try not to lift or carry heavy objects, and if you must, wear a support corset.
FAQs
When should you consult a doctor urgently?
The reasons to consult immediately and even call an ambulance are:
- persistent numbness in the arms or legs;
- severe pain that is not relieved by conventional painkillers;
- movement disorder;
- severe headache, dizziness, loss of coordination and other signs of stroke;
- "pinching" the back in a certain position, severely limiting movement.
Is it possible to permanently cure chondrosis?
No, this is a chronic disease with periodic exacerbations. Even after treatment and following all doctor's recommendations, the cartilage in the affected area of the disc is replaced by scar tissue. In other words, the structure of the segment has already been damaged and this process is irreversible. However, with some effort on the part of the patient, a high quality of life can be achieved.