Even about 30 years ago, osteochondrosis was associated exclusively with the elderly, whose joints became inactive and injured with each movement. However, times have changed. Today, more and more people are switching from hard physical work to sedentary computer work, less and less monitoring the quality of nutrition and more and more often encounter osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is not for nothing that osteochondrosis is called the "disease of the century" and almost every person who has reached the age of 25 is faced with the symptoms of this disease.
This insidious disease, starting with unpleasant pain in the neck, very quickly leads to serious consequences in the form of damage to hearing and vision, as well as memory damage to its complete loss. Therefore, everyone should know the causes of osteochondrosis and consult a 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
It is paradoxical that all our problems with the cervical spine begin in early childhood, or rather in primary school, where the child's posture deteriorates and scoliosis develops. At this point, the support system of the head of the spine is disrupted, especially by the thinnest and most vulnerable part - the cervical. The second key factor for cervical osteochondrosis, which originates in early childhood, is insufficient physical training, in particular the weakness of the spinal muscles and the so-called muscular corset designed to support the spine.
These are the two most important causes of the disease. All the others are heavy burdens on the weakened spine, provoking the development of the disease in very young and healthy people. First of all, they include a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity, in particular work, which is associated with a long stay in one position. This is most common for drivers and office workers who sit at a shift computer. All this is complemented by excess body weight, which seriously increases the load on the spine.
Other causes of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- past 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 ear and shoulder).
Development of osteochondrosis
These adverse factors ultimately lead to an increase in the load on the cervical spine. In an attempt to compensate for the excessive load on the muscles of the neck, their spasm occurs, which leads to impaired blood circulation in this area and a reduction in metabolic processes. All this turns into the development of degenerative processes in the spine. First, the vertebrae begin to thin and come together, squeezing their contents (fibrous ring) out of the spine. Such a protrusion on the tongue of doctors is called protrusion.
In the case of protrusion, the annular fibrosis still retains its integrity, but the protrusion already squeezes the blood vessels and nerves that run along the spine and feed the brain. Moreover, the converging and deformed vertebrae begin to press on the roots of the peripheral nerves, leading to the development of the so-called "radicular syndrome", which manifests itself as severe pain in the back and neck. If you do not find a problem (for which the unpleasant symptoms will eloquently signal) and do not start treating osteochondrosis, the fibrous ring will rupture and a spinal hernia will appear. In this 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. Here the distances between the vertebrae are minimal and therefore even small degenerative changes cause unpleasant symptoms and lead to various complications.
1. Osteochondrosis I degree
This is the preclinical stage of the disease in which the patient experiences mild pain and discomfort during head rotation, as well as tension and rapid fatigue in the neck and back during prolonged stay in one position (more often insitting position). At this stage, osteochondrosis is treated perfectly through lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments and regular exercise.
2. Osteochondrosis II degree
At this stage, instability occurs between the vertebrae of the neck. In this case, a person faces severe pain that radiates to the shoulder, neck or arm. During tilting or turning the head, the pain increases significantly, as due to the reduction of the distance between the vertebrae, the nerve endings begin to pinch. The patient begins to get tired quickly, his work decreases, distracts, forgets and he suffers from headaches.
3. Osteochondrosis III degree
With the onset of the third stage of the disease, the pain in the back and neck becomes even stronger, the mobility of the neck is significantly reduced and when the neck is turned, the crunching of the vertebrae is heard. At night, the patient's fingers begin to tingle (mostly the little finger and ring finger), causing the person to wake up several times during the night. Throughout the day, such patients have an unpleasant heaviness in their hands. And even a short conversation on the phone, in which a person is forced to hold a mobile phone close to the ear, turns into an unpleasant tingling and numbness of the fingers. All this indicates an increase in the protrusion and possibly the appearance of a hernia in the cervical spine.
4. Osteochondrosis IV degree
In the last stage of the disease, the spinal discs are destroyed, which cease to perform their functions and begin to be replaced by connective tissue. A patient in this condition may have impaired coordination of movement, noise and insane pulsation in the ears, headache increases, visual acuity and hearing decreases. In some cases, numbness of the tongue may occur.
It should be said here that due to the compression of blood vessels, blood flow to the brain is disrupted. Therefore, the patient develops neurotic disorders such as insomnia, nervousness, irritability and resentment, frequent mood swings and inability to concentrate. Outbreaks of anger or fear, melancholy and depression may occur from time to time.
In the later stages of osteochondrosis, severe vascular spasms can lead to the appearance of "flies" in front of the eyes, a feeling of instability on a hard flat surface, severe dizziness, migraine, nausea, vomiting and frequent seizures.
Diagnosis of diseases
To identify the cause of the pathology, the patient describes the unpleasant symptoms of his condition to the doctor. After listening to the patient, the specialist sends him to one of the following examination methods.
1. Radiography. Currently, this diagnostic method is considered uninformative, especially in the last stages of the disease.
2. Ultrasound duplex scanning. This method is used in cases where a specialist accepts a violation of blood flow in the arteries that provide nutrition to the brain. The test shows the speed of blood flow and determines whether there are obstacles in its path.
3. CT (computed tomography). This method is more informative than radiography because it not only reveals the problem, but also allows you to determine the presence and size of the hernia, albeit difficult.
4. NMR (magnetic resonance imaging). The most informative method of diagnosing osteochondrosis today, which allows you to see the bone structures, the presence of hernias and even the direction of their development.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Let's just say that in order to deal with such a serious problem as osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you need to contact a neurologist. It is true that if the clinic has a vertebrologist, it is better to contact him first.
Osteochondrosis can only be treated in a complex way. The complex of methods used includes drug therapy, massage of the cervical collar, exercise therapy, physiotherapy methods, as well as proper nutrition. Only a combination of all these methods will help to cope with the disease and normalize the patient's well-being.
Help with 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 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
In general, 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. Such drugs perfectly repair damaged cartilage tissue.
- B vitamins. They are needed to improve metabolic processes in nervous tissues.
- Muscle relaxants. These drugs work to reduce muscle spasms.
- Preparations that improve the rheological properties of the blood. Thanks to such 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 have only a temporary effect.
Many specialists tend to treat osteochondrosis with injections to act quickly on the nerve endings and save the patient from possible side effects when taking the pill. However, vitamins are best taken orally because vitamins are well absorbed by the body with each method of administration, but injections with them can be painful.
Physiotherapy procedures
Drug treatment should be combined with physiotherapy 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 electric current.
- Ultrasound. This method of exposure allows you to eliminate the inflammatory process, relieve pain and improve metabolic processes in tissues.
- Magnetotherapy. This type of physiotherapy relieves swelling and pain.
- Laser therapy. This is an excellent method to fight inflammation and improve blood circulation.
Diet for osteochondrosis
Restoration of the affected vertebrae includes a special diet that normalizes metabolic processes in the body, prevents salt deposition, nourishes and restores cartilage tissue, and also strengthens the connections between the spinal discs.
To achieve this, first of all, the following should be excluded from the patient's diet:
- alcoholic beverages;
- fatty and fried foods;
- spicy and overly salty foods;
- strong broths;
- weaknesses 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;
- oil (small amount);
- whole grains and soups;
- jelly meat, fish aspic or meat;
- vegetables, fruits and berries;
- juices, fruit drinks, jellies and compotes.
When localizing osteochondrosis in the cervical spine, it is important to adhere to the drinking regime, drinking at least 1. 5 liters of water a day. If you are overweight, then you need to think about how to get rid of extra pounds that put extra stress on the spine. It is recommended to switch to meals 5 times a day in small portions.
At the same time, as can be seen from the list of permitted foods, the basis of the diet should be low-fat vegetarian soups, cooked lean meat, fish, seafood, unsweetened vegetables and fruits.
An example menu for the day will look like this:
- breakfast: cottage cheese, a few apples, sugar-free tea;
- lunch: roasted pear, some oatmeal;
- lunch: vegetarian borsch, boiled chicken with vegetable salad;
- afternoon breakfast: dry biscuits and fruit juice;
- Dinner: roasted fish with vegetables and tea without sugar.
Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis
Physical education gives great results in the treatment of osteochondrosis, although it is possible to do gymnastics for the cervical spine only during the recovery period. Here it is important in the process of massage or gymnastics that the patient does not feel discomfort and pain.
Here are some of the most effective gymnastic exercises aimed at strengthening the neck muscles and improving blood circulation in this area.
Exercise # 1
Lying on your stomach and resting your hands on the floor, slowly raise your head and torso so that your back remains straight. Hold this position for 1 minute, then return to starting position. The element is repeated 2-3 times.
Exercise # 2
Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms over your body, lift your head slightly and start turning it first to the right, trying to touch the floor with your ear, and 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 as you exhale, return to the starting position and tilt 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 the muscles of your neck, resist your arms, preventing the head from tilting. 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 the clasped hands to the nape.
Exercise # 5
Start slowly turning your head to the right and left, trying to look behind you. Make 10 turns on each side.