Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Osteochondrosis of the neck is a degenerative disease in which literally "premature aging", "wear and tear" of the intervertebral discs, joints, and vertebrae in the cervical spine occurs.

Some facts about this disease:

• Osteochondrosis of the neck occurs in men and women about equally often.
• People aged 30-60 are most often affected.
• As a rule, pathology occurs in people who work must always be in one position and make boring movements.
• The cervical spine has several structural features, for which the disease can have many different manifestations.

What are the characteristics of the cervical spine that cause symptoms of osteochondrosis?

• There is an opening in the lateral process of the vertebrae - the carotid artery, which supplies blood to the brain, passing through it to the right and left.
• The initial part of the spinal cord passes through the cervical region - it contains fibers that carry nerve impulses to all parts of the body, providing movement and sensitivity.If the spinal cord is compressed in the neck, neurological disorders occur throughout the body.
• This part of the spine has great mobility, and this is prone to the occurrence of osteochondrosis (although, in most cases, the disease still develops in the lumbar region - it not only has high mobility, but also experiences the greatest stress).
• In the neck region, nerve roots emerge from the intervertebral foramina, forming the cervical and brachial nerve plexuses.They are responsible for movement in the muscles of the neck, arms, shoulder girdle, skin sensitivity, and regulation of autonomic function.
• The first vertebra does not have a large front part - the body - it is a bony ring that fits the teeth - bone growth on the second vertebra.Thanks to this, it is possible to turn the head to the side.

Neck pain, headache, weakness, numbness in the hands are symptoms that should make you see a neurologist.Examination by specialists and examination using modern equipment will help you understand the cause of the pathology and take the most effective measures.

What happens to the vertebrae with cervical osteochondrosis?

The vague medical term "degenerative process" refers to the following pathological changes that occur in the cervical spine:

• First of all, damage to osteochondrosis affects the intervertebral disc.They become thinner, thereby reducing the distance between adjacent vertebrae.Small tears and small cracks formed on the outside.Over time, this can cause a herniated disc.
• As a result of disc damage, the stability of the vertebral joints is disrupted.
• Intervertebral joints also suffer from osteochondrosis of the cervical region - spondyloarthrosis develops.It also contributes to nerve root compression.
• The pathological process extends to the vertebra itself.Due to the fact that the function of the intervertebral disc is disturbed, the load on it increases.The spine tries to compensate for this violation, and bone growth appears on it - osteophytes.

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

During exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae, traction is used (the patient is placed in bed with the head of the bed raised and the head is attached using a special loop) to relieve the intervertebral disc.For the same purpose, you need to wear a Shants collar.Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain.For severe pain that does not go away, the doctor can perform a blockade: inject an anesthetic solution into the affected nerve root area.Physiotherapy is used: ultrasound treatment, electrophoresis with novocaine.

When the exacerbation subsides, the treatment of cervical spine osteochondrosis involves massage, physical therapy, and physiotherapy.

One of the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis is neck pain.Many people who face these symptoms do not go to the doctor, but prefer to treat "chondrosis" with home methods.There are at least two good reasons to refuse self-medication and consult a specialist doctor.

First, painkillers and traditional methods, although they help temporarily relieve pain, do not solve the main problem.Pathological changes in the spinal column continue to increase.Over time, this can lead to more serious consequences.To the point where surgery may be necessary.

Secondly, neck pain occurs not only with osteochondrosis.There are many other reasons.Only a doctor can understand and prescribe the right treatment.

What symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should make you see a doctor.

The main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain.It can occur in different places, depending on the level at which the pathological process is localized: in the neck, in the shoulder girdle, in the arms, in the heart area.The pain is dull and can be burning or aching.

Other manifestations of the disease:

• Headache, dizziness, spots in front of the eyes, noise, ringing in the ears.
• Weakness in the muscles of the neck, shoulder girdle, and arms.
• Affected skin sensitivity.
• Humeral periarthritis: pain in the neck radiating to the arm, difficulty abducting the arm beyond 90°, weakness and atrophy of the muscles of the shoulder girdle.
• Shoulder-hand syndrome: pain in the shoulders and hands, swelling and stiffness of the fingers, weakness and atrophy of the hand muscles.
• Vertebral artery syndrome.Bone growth appears on the vertebrae, which compresses the nerves, resulting in reflex spasms of the vertebral arteries, which take part in the blood supply to the brain.Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include a constant headache that starts from the back of the head, spreads to the temples, to the top of the head, nausea, noise in the head, ringing in the ears, bright spots that flash before the eyes.
• Anterior scalene syndrome.In the neck there are anterior and middle scalene muscles - they are close together, and between them there is a small space where nerves and blood vessels pass.With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the anterior scalene muscle becomes tense and compresses it, resulting in symptoms such as pain on the inner surface of the forearm, shoulder, and fingers.Sometimes the pain spreads to the back of the head.The skin of the hands may become cold, pale, and numbness occurs.
• Epicondylitis syndrome.At the bottom of the shoulder, on the side of the elbow joint, there are bony protrusions - epicondyles.With epicondylitis syndrome caused by cervical osteochondrosis, pain occurs in it, which increases when pressed.Other symptoms also occur: neck pain, pain when pressing a certain point in the cervical vertebrae.

If two parts of the spine are affected at once, with cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms may include pain between the shoulder blades, in the heart area.

With osteochondrosis, the risk of intervertebral hernia and stroke increases.If you experience the symptoms listed above, consult your doctor.

It is better not to self-medicate.Even if you have proven methods that usually help with pain, this does not mean that you are doing everything correctly.

Pain can be caused not only by osteochondrosis, but also by intervertebral hernia, muscle disorders (myofascial pain syndrome), and be a symptom of other diseases.In order to treat the disease correctly, you need to understand its cause and carry out a differential diagnosis.This can only be done in a clinical setting.

To identify the cause of the disease and properly treat the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, you need to visit a neurologist and undergo an examination.

Cervical osteochondrosis is based on damage to the intervertebral disc.Their chemical composition is disturbed, first they swell, then their size decreases, cracks and tears appear on the outside, and they become denser.Then the degenerative process spreads to the vertebrae and intervertebral joints.By reducing the height of the intervertebral discs, the load on the vertebrae increases, and bone growths - osteophytes - appear on them.

What causes cervical spine osteochondrosis?

There is no consensus on the cause of cervical osteochondrosis.It is believed that the disease is caused by different conditions, there are different points of view:

• Age-related changes in the spine.However, almost everyone over 40 has skeletal changes, but not everyone has osteochondrosis.
• Neck injury.Often the cause of the disease includes previous trauma: neck contusion, compression fracture, vertebral subluxation.Chronic injuries may be important, for example, during intense training in athletes, continuous work in awkward positions, bending, and repetitive whiplash injuries in drivers.
• Congenital vertebral anomalies: cervical ribs, fusion of adjacent vertebrae, fusion of the first vertebra with the occipital bone, etc.
• Profession.More often, this disease affects people who work in boring positions and constantly make the same type of movements.
• Poor blood supply to the spine, venous insufficiency, swelling in the nerve root area.
• Autoimmune disorders.A condition where the immune system does not work properly and attacks the body's own connective tissue and ligaments.

Visit a neurologist.An experienced specialist will understand the cause of your health problem and prescribe the right treatment.

Causes of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis occurs in the form of alternating exacerbations and periods of improvement, when the symptoms stop bothering you for a while.Another aggravation can be triggered by the following reasons:

• Clumsy, sudden neck movements.
• Remain in an uncomfortable monotonous position for a long time.For example, your neck may start to hurt after working on the computer for a long time, or after sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow.
• Stress, nervous tension.With chronic stress, spasms occur in the neck muscles, which can cause other aggravations.
• Various diseases, exacerbation of chronic diseases.
• Hypothermia.For this reason, many people experience aggravation in the fall.
• Improper and illiterate self-medication.For example, massage and therapeutic exercises are useful during remission, but are contraindicated during exacerbation.

What diseases can have similar manifestations?

Often, the manifestation of "osteochondrosis" is actually associated with a completely different disease.For example, the cause may be hidden in the muscles - there is a condition called myofascial pain syndrome.Pain occurs due to constant tension in the same muscle.

Sometimes dizziness associated with otolithiasis, a condition in which calcium salt crystals accumulate in the inner ear, is considered a manifestation of "cervical osteochondrosis."

Pain and spasms in the neck, headaches - when these symptoms occur, many people "diagnose" themselves with osteochondrosis.Everything is clear - when it hurts, you need to take painkillers or get an injection, apply heat, and everything will go away.Why go to the doctor if you can handle it yourself?

However, self-medication often does not lead to anything good.Painful attacks may become more frequent, severe and prolonged over time.If you take painkillers uncontrollably almost every day, you can get stomach or kidney problems.After all, any drug has side effects.

And the cause of pain is not always due to osteochondrosis.To find out the real reason and understand how to deal with it effectively, you need to visit a doctor and undergo an examination.

How does a neurologist diagnose cervical osteochondrosis?What happens at the doctor's office during the examination?

During your first appointment, the neurologist will ask you several questions:

• How long have you had a headache or neck pain?
• Where does the pain occur?What are their properties: stabbing, hurting, shooting, pulling?
• When does the pain usually occur?What triggered it?After what do you feel better?
• Have you seen a doctor?Have you been examined and treated?which one?How long ago?
• What other symptoms bother you?
• What other chronic diseases do you have?
• Have you recently had a neck injury?

The doctor will then carry out a neurological examination, checking your reflexes, skin sensitivity, muscle strength and tone.You will be asked to turn, tilt your head to the side, forward, backward.The doctor will press lightly on your head and on certain points in the neck to determine the occurrence of pain.

After the examination, you will be diagnosed and prescribed the necessary diagnostic methods.

What diagnostic methods are used for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?

Examination for cervical osteochondrosis usually includes the following diagnostic methods:

• X-ray of the cervical spine.
• According to the indications, X-ray contrast studies are prescribed: myelography (injection of contrast into the space around the spinal cord), discography (injection of contrast into the intervertebral disc), angiography (injection of contrast into the vessels).
• Computed tomography.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.
• If you have a severe neurological disorder, you may be given electroneuromyography, a study that determines the path of electrical impulses in nerves and muscles.

Often, the manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis resembles angina pectoris.If after the examination the doctor still has doubts about the diagnosis, you will be prescribed an ECG and other diagnostic methods.