Rarely who now is confronted with the manifestations of this widespread disease: according to statistics, about 60% of the population in developed countries, in varying degrees, suffer from the manifestations of degenerative disc disease. The main reasons for such a wide spread – sedentary work and lack of exercise of modern man.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (Osteohondroz) – a degenerative-degenerative lesion of the intervertebral disc, which may result in damage to the actual discs, vertebrae and joints, a neck, there was a reduction in the height of the intervertebral disc. Disease progresses, if left untreated, can lead to the emergence of headache, disorders of blood circulation, and even hernia. As well as osteoporosis, the disease arises as a result of disturbances of the mineral exchange, thus the bones and joints become less rigid.
Osteochondrosis can cause instability of the cervical spine (the symptoms and treatment are similar with chondrosis, but they have a variety of functions), which are often accompanied by a shift of vertebrae. Again it accelerates the development of degenerative disc disease, destroying the spine of the department.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: the symptoms
In the early stages of the disease is almost not noticeable painful symptoms: you may feel discomfort in the neck after large physical exertion helena prolonged sitting in a tense pose, after a sharp movement of helena tilt of the head.
Main symptoms – headache, dizziness and impaired coordination, light crunching during movement of the head, general weakness; less frequently observed weakness of hands, numbness of the tongue and speech disorders, problems with breathing, vision, hearing, increased sweating, abnormally high blood pressure. The basic zones – the head, neck, collar zone. In most cases, at the same time there has been only a few of the above symptoms of the disease.
In general, the symptoms of degenerative disc disease is not obvious, often their disguises the use of pain medication on the prescription. This is one of its dangers: most of the symptoms is possible even when other pathologies that is difficult to diagnose cervical degenerative disc disease.
Dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis
Such a condition is not always clearly shows the degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.
Dizziness may be the result of:
- inflammation in the middle helena the inner ear;
- a spasm of cerebral vessels;
- violations transmission of nerve impulses;
- problems with the vestibular apparatus;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system.
It is not clear criteria dizziness when osteochondrosis. However, there are systemic and non-systemic dizziness, have distinct differences.
It is recommended to know the differences of the system and non-system vertigo, it will help you to establish the causes of unusual condition:
- systemic dizziness – it is a feeling of circular movement of the surrounding objects helen your body, which is a consequence of the interruption of the work of the vestibular system, visual analyzers and receptors in joints, muscles, and epidermis (osteochondrosis of different etiology);
- non-system dizziness – this is the feeling of nausea, feeling stunned, not sure of the condition in the upright position. When a non-system dizziness a feeling of circular rotation is missing, and that is the fundamental difference of the marks.
Man, the feeling of dizziness one of the listed types, it shall, to be examined by an experienced doctor, in the first place, the neurologist helena (if there is a suspicion on disease of the ear and throat) an otolaryngologist.
The reason for the emergency hospitalization, is not associated with osteos chondrosis of the cervical spine, is to identify the patient (plus vertigo), as a sign, as:
- paralysis of the facial muscles, and numbness of the shoulder girdle;
- severe headache on the background of deterioration of well being;
- disorders of coordination of movements;
- the loss of helena extinction of consciousness.
Headaches with cervical osteochondrosis
This is one of the most common non-specific symptoms of many diseases of man. Headaches, in particular, is widely distributed in the female population. It is very difficult to determine the cause of the headaches, and the more, tie it with a disability of the spine. Revealed about 14 different causes of headaches in people.
The most common causes of headaches in the us described the pathology:
- a spasm of cerebral vessels;
- a pinched nerve roots of the nerves;
- a reflex increase in intracranial pressure.
Headaches with cervical osteochondrosis may remind you of feelings in arterial hypertension, angina pectoris, helena stroke. The more people of middle and older age, are usually available the risk of developing stroke helena heart attack.
I feel like the pain may be paroxysmal, constant, throbbing and dull.
In the pathologies of heart patients complain of uncomfortable feelings in the chest area, accompanied by violation of rhythm of cardiac activity. Determine the cause can only a qualified doctor. In the case of the occurrence of the headache, combined with nausea, vertigo and pain behind the breastbone pain, make sure to performs ECG.
Pain in osteochondrosis of the cervical
Not always pain localized just in the area of the head and neck. Are known cases that the localization of the pain.
Pain in the neck may radiation in the shoulder region and different parts of the hands. A characteristic feature of such feelings – that the suddenness seizures after sleep, sudden movements, inconspicuous to the human stress, for example when the laughter helena sneezing. The pain that is associated with osteos chondrosis, if the process is chronic in nature, usually subside after a short time and combined with the crunch of the cervical vertebrae.
Without prior examination, there is no need to shoot the head using manual therapy (massage). In some cases, inept handling can worsen the pathology, impair the innervation and lead to disability of the patient.
In the intensity of the pain may be mild, helena sharp. The duration – both short and long.
Noticed that osteochondrosis of the cervical most often associated with the defeat of the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae.
There are tests to determine the localization of the hearth pain momentum. Defeat in the area of the sixth vertebrae is accompanied by pain in the large finger on your hand, and the defeat in the area of the seventh vertebra accompanied by pain sensations in the diameter of a finger.
Blood pressure in the cervical osteochondrosis
The connection of cervical degenerative disc disease with jumps in blood pressure a long time ago established. The neck vertebrae have important nerve endings and blood vessels.
They are characteristic races, the pressure in the course of the day. Hypertension for a long time is not typical for this disease. Reflex irritation of the nerve endings and the short-term spasms of the blood vessels causing bouncing of the daily dynamics of arterial hypertension.
A distinctive feature of the high pressure in the cervical osteochondrosis is a combination with the following symptoms:
- headaches;
- pain in the limbs and on the chest;
- decrease of sensitivity in the collar area;
- occurrence of surge pressure after stress, muscle tension, prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, and other similar situations.
Sharp racing HELL and the rapid deterioration of wellbeing are the basis for the submission of requests for urgent medical help.
The stage of development of degenerative disc disease
In the development of cervical degenerative disc disease decided to allocate 4 phases. But it is quite conditional distribution, as most of the symptoms of the disease may occur in other pathologies.
The first phase (pre-clinical)
In the initial stage the symptoms are poorly expressed and their often attribute stress helena other diseases. Is to feel the uncomfortable stiffness in the neck, pain during sudden movements of the helena slopes. At this stage it is quite possible to get rid of nascent degenerative disc disease using therapeutic gymnastics, helena just more movement, edit food.
The second phase of the
Pain worsen, become constant, at steep turns helena the slopes of the already strong. Appear severe headache, the pain starts to tire quickly becomes distracted, regularly numb the area of the face.
The third stage of the
Education herniated disk often causes dizziness, weakness of the hands, the pain gives to the back of the head and hands, constantly feel in the shoulders.
The fourth phase
At the end of the intervertebral discs are destroyed, they're replaced by connective tissue. Nerves zaselyalsya, which sees the difficulties in the movement of acute pain, strengthening of dizziness, appears of tinnitus.
Causes and risk factors
Oddly enough, the possibility of developing degenerative disc disease in humans is caused by one of its evolutionary advantages – the upright posture of your body: the vertebrae are putting pressure on yourself, and with age, the connective tissues reduces. As a result, in older is an inevitable process. But there are a lot of factors, contributes to early and intensive development of cervical degenerative disc disease:
- In the first place – it is a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle, often observed in modern life (office workers, drivers and other "sedentary" specialty, tv, long hours at the computer), lack of physical exertion
- The strained, unnatural posture of your body at work: for example, a computer is a person often leans forward, taking a hard pose
- The second reason – too high, unusually for that person burden, but in the risk zone – even trained athletes, such as bodybuilders;
- Any cause, which violate the natural posture of your body makeover: uncomfortable shoes, especially high heels, unsuccessful possession of your body during sleep, flat feet, rheumatism, scoliosis;
- Overweight is often caused by improper nutrition
- Frequent stress, strong nervous tension, constant overwork
- Local hypothermia
How dangerous is cervical osteochondrosis
In the area of the neck is concentrated many vital blood vessels, arteries, capillaries, therefore, any violations can have unpleasant consequences, including a lack of oxygen, hypertension, vascular dystonia.
Cervical osteochondrosis affects segments of the spine, checking the work of the shoulder and elbow joints, thyroid, traces of the hands and other organs. When osteochondrosis, if left untreated, is likely to pinch the points of the nerves, squeezing the blood vessels, which will inevitably impact on the work of other bodies.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis
Real, steady progress in the treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease it is possible to achieve only in the comprehensive approach, which includes herbal preparations, massage of the collar area, therapeutic gymnastics, physiotherapy. In very advanced cases may require surgery.
We strongly do not recommend to resort to the self, in the first place due to the fact that the symptoms of degenerative disc disease may mean something quite different diseases: not only that the selected medications may not you in the treatment, they can still and damage.
Removal of acute pain
Osteochondrosis, especially in the later stages, is accompanied by severe pain, therefore, the first task of the attending physician – ease do not exceed your suffering. He will assign you an anesthetic, anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins, chondroprotectors for reconstruction of cartilage tissue, medicines to improve blood circulation and reduce spasm of the muscles.
Physiotherapy in cervical osteochondrosis
The easiest and affordable, including the home, is the way – physiotherapy. When it is, it is still sufficiently effective, because it strengthens the muscles of the neck, restores the blood circulation in the damaged areas, compensate for the lack of movement in everyday life. Therapeutic physical training it is possible to supplement swimming, Aqua.
Therapeutic physical training – the simplest and affordable method of treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease and, at the same time sufficiently effective. Treatment exercises it is possible to perform well in home conditions. In osteochondrosis of the intensity does not play a decisive role, what is required is only their regularity. In the first place, the exercise is designed to strengthen the muscles of the neck, which fill the insufficient functionality of the spine and help him to maintain the weakened vertebrae.
For strengthening the muscles of the neck the recommended daily activities. They can be both quite simple, it consists of speed and předklonů head in different directions, so even more complex, including tracking help the neck muscles from the side of the hand. It is possible to perform well at home, and at work. For example, if you work in a seated position, it is useful to do such exercises after an hour of sitting at the table helen the monitor.
Physiotherapy
Correct and consistent use of physiotherapy techniques helps to improve the blood circulation in damaged areas, reducing the inflammation and painful feelings, slows down the process of ossification.
In osteochondrosis of the cervical uses electrophoresis, magnetic, laser therapy, shock wave therapy, therapeutic baths and showers, mud therapy and other methods.
Massage of the neck in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
In osteochondrosis of the massage can be very effective: it improves blood circulation, reduces the likelihood of cramps, reduction of muscle tone, relieves symptoms of pain and improves the overall health of the patient.
But massage and manual therapy should be used very carefully, because the inept and gross impact on the diseased part of your body can only hurt.
Surgical treatment
In very advanced cases is not excluded even surgery: narrowing of the lumen of the spinal pillar, education, herniation of the intervertebral disc in spondylolisthesis.
The decision about the necessity and the method of surgery takes surgeon, he determines a preparatory operation, duration of postoperative period and rehabilitation.