More and more people are opting for jobs that require little physical activity. This inevitably affects human health. So, one of the most common diseases is cervical osteochondrosis.
As a result of this disease, articular cartilage and bone tissue change. In the past, this term combined a large number of diseases, today it exclusively means degenerative diseases of the spine.
Why is the cervical region most commonly affected? He has increased mobility and a large number of neurons and blood vessels. Before you learn how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, eliminate the cause of the disease.
causes of the disease
Osteochondrosis does not always appear with acute symptoms. Due to anatomical peculiarities, disc changes do not always cause pain or the like. Therefore, the disease often goes unnoticed.
Cervical osteochondrosis often develops for several reasons:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- Sedentary lifestyle, salt deposits in the liver, kidneys, vertebrae;
- metabolic disease.
In addition, risk factors should be considered. They do not necessarily have to lead to an illness, but they can manifest themselves under adverse circumstances:
- the body undergoes inevitable changes with age;
- whether there was cervical osteochondrosis in ancestors;
- often hormonal disorders lead to metabolic disorders;
- Some chronic diseases such as lupus erythematosus or rheumatism can lead to cartilage thinning.
- hypothermia.
stages of the disease
Cervical osteochondrosis, like many other diseases, includes several stages of development.
- So, in the first stage, the destruction of the intervertebral discs is determined. The danger of this moment is that there is no severe pain and maximum discomfort in the neck. Due to changes in the structure of the intervertebral disc, there is a compression of the nerve roots - this is the cause of the disease. As a rule, with timely diagnosis, a complete cure of the disease is possible. It is important to prescribe the treatment correctly and follow all the doctor's recommendations.
- In the second stage, in addition to the destruction of the intervertebral discs, displacements of the cervical vertebrae begin. If the treatment was unsuccessful or the diagnosis was not made earlier, then osteochondrosis becomes chronic. The patient may have "head tilt syndrome" when you need to hold your head in a certain position to relieve pain. A typical symptom is severe pain.
- The third stage is the development of hernias and protrusions, as well as the effect on internal organs. Since with such a development of the disease, the cervical vertebrae compress blood vessels, there are disruptions in blood flow to the brain. Because of this, headaches, nausea, dizziness, and the like appear. In rare cases, there may be numbness in the limbs. With a poor development of events, a stroke is possible. The danger at this stage of the disease is that the pain is not as intense. Many people are sure that the disease is over, everything is cured, and in the meantime the destruction in the spine continues. It's all about the cartilage tissue as it is the cause of the pain, but in the third stage it is completely destroyed. Sometimes hearing and coordination disorders develop.
There are also peculiarities in the course of cervical osteochondrosis. There are several syndromes depending on which parts of the spine are damaged. Each of them has a different type of pain.
Syndromes of cervical osteochondrosis
For example, cervical osteochondrosis can cause migraines. It happens with high blood pressure. Due to its appearance, intracranial pressure increases, which causes pain. Due to high blood pressure, there is a risk of developing a stroke.
Headaches are also often due to compression of the vertebral arteries.
With this syndrome, there is a decrease in visual acuity, dizziness, impaired coordination. All of this happens due to a lack of oxygen supply to the brain. Fainting is possible with sudden head movements.
Compression of the roots of the spine is much more dangerous, since this syndrome has a complex of symptoms. First of all, the pain is localized in the neck and radiates to the forearm, sometimes it can also radiate to the hands. In the early stages of the disease, a crunch when turning the neck can be reported. With further pinching of the roots, there are disturbances in breathing, feelings of coma in the throat. Due to the fact that the nerves in the cervical vertebrae are closely connected to the face, numbness of the tongue or limited mobility can be observed when pinching the roots.
If the spine is not treated in a timely manner, the symptoms will only increase and become more pronounced. Due to the lack of oxygen in the brain, malfunctions begin that can lead to a number of mental illnesses (depression, anxiety, hyperventilation, etc. ).
It is important to distinguish between cervical osteochondrosis and epilepsy in a timely manner. They are often confused by the tenseness of their whole body and brief periods of unconsciousness.
For this, modern diagnostic methods are used. Due to changes in the work of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, there is a violation of the work of the heart, as a result of which symptoms of tachycardia and arrhythmia appear. Another non-obvious manifestation of the disease is swelling under the eyes. They are caused by compression of the lateral vessels of the spine.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
Before you start treating the spine, you need to go to a neurologist to clarify the diagnosis. Thanks to modern methods of examining the body, medicine has a large arsenal of techniques for finding the disease. More recently, the maximum that a neurologist could offer was an X-ray and an external examination. Such methods, as a rule, did not give an effective result, which is why osteochondrosis was often detected at severe stages of development. The disadvantage of X-rays is the inability to see the full picture of the disease. She is currently scheduled for a CT scan or an MRI. These are rapid, high-quality studies with virtually no contraindications.
After receiving the pictures, you need to see a doctor.
medical assistance
The question "how to treat cervical osteochondrosis" will be answered by a doctor-vertbrologist. This is a narrow focus of neurology, which studies the spine and related diseases. Before prescribing medication, the doctor must prescribe a number of measures to restore blood circulation and relieve swelling. There is no unequivocal opinion on non-traditional methods of treatment. As a rule, in addition to consulting a neurologist, the patient needs the help of a surgeon, masseur and physiotherapist. In severe stages of the disease, the recovery period requires more time.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis during an exacerbation?
In such a pathological condition as an exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms are manifested in the form of pain, reduced mobility, various disorders of sensitivity and tissue trophism. The first step is pain relief. There are various medications for this. For example, you can use a pepper patch. Due to the warming effect, it masters the task perfectly. Any analgesics would be helpful. To get rid of edema - take a diuretic. As a home remedy, you can brew lingonberries or cranberries or special herbal preparations.
If medication does not help, you can use a needle applicator. Due to the point effect, it helps to relieve pain, reduce swelling and improve blood circulation. The most important thing to remember is that after first aid, you must always consult a doctor.
Treatment of dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis is not so priority. It is important to eliminate the primary cause of the disease. To maintain the condition, the doctor prescribes drugs that can thin the blood and restore blood flow to the brain. An additional bonus of these drugs: improving memory and normalizing sleep.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine consists not only in taking medication, but also in massage and physical education. In order to further prevent the occurrence of diseases of the cervical spine, it is necessary to form the correct muscular corset of the back. In some cases, self-massage can also be effective. For him, you can use such simple techniques as rubbing and stroking, as well as vibration.
alternative medicine
One of the types of non-traditional treatment for osteochondrosis is manual therapy. Its essence lies in the effect on certain points of the body, which allows you to fix the bones and joints. In danger? The fact that a layman can seriously hurt a client, since nerves are a delicate matter. Any careless movement can cause paresis or paralysis. How to treat osteochondrosis in other ways?
Ambiguous opinions are developing around acupuncture. In contrast to manual therapy, the diseased areas are acted on selectively using needles. The danger is that ignorance of the injection zones can seriously worsen the patient's condition. The applicator works on the same principle.
Even more controversial is the appointment to homeopathy. Their advantage is that drugs have side effects and should not be taken frequently. Homeopathic remedies do not have this disadvantage. However, their benefits have not been scientifically proven.
In any case, if you experience pain in your spine or neck, contact your doctor as soon as possible. It is better to treat any disease in the first stages, then the success of its cure will be quite real forever. Do not refuse to take the medicine in moments of exacerbation.