Osteochondrosis of the cervix is a degenerative-dystrophic disease caused by the growth of bone tissue on both sides of the vertebrae, which involves trauma to neighboring muscles, ligaments, nerves and nerves. These disorders often lead to pain in the neck or other parts of the body, and can also cause protrusions of the spine.
The onset of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be caused by prolonged stay in static positions, as well as by constantly repeated head movements of the same type.The most severe manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are often headaches and dizziness, blurred vision, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, weakening of the voice, hoarseness, snoring, decreased coordination, tooth decay, cold sores, tooth decay, coldscalp, sore throat, neck.
Causes of occurrence
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine occurs due to destructive changes in the cartilage tissue. This process can be due to several reasons:
- genetic predisposition to this disease?
- overweight?
- spinal injuries (fractures, bruises);
- poisoning, infection, metabolic disorders in the body.
- deficiency of vitamins, trace elements and body fluids.
- sedentary lifestyle
- curvature of the spine, poor posture
- flat feet?
- instability of parts of the spine?
- hypothermia?
- work associated with frequent changes in body position, heavy lifting, excessive physical exercise.
- stress, nervous strain.
Symptoms
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are directly dependent on the target. In this respect, there is a group of syndromes that accompany this disease.
Radial
Radical syndrome occurs when nerve roots are compressed in the cervical spine. Also called cervical rhizolitis. The pain that occurs in the neck is transmitted downwards and can go down to the shoulder and even to the outside of the forearm to the fingers. Among the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, in some cases, there is tingling in the forearm, hand or fingers, oiliness, the effect of blows.
Irriate-reflex
In the case of reflex reflex syndrome, symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis may include acute neck pain or occlusion, which occurs when moving after a static position (with sharp turns of the head, when sneezing). ). The pain may radiate to the shoulder and chest.
Cardiac
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in this syndrome largely coincide with the symptoms of angina. In this case, it is very important not to make a mistake in the diagnosis. With heart syndrome, the nature of the pain is paroxysmal and prolonged (up to several hours). Increased pain occurs with sudden movements caused by coughing, sneezing and abrupt turning of the head. There is often the appearance of tachycardia and extrasystoles in the complete absence of signs of circulatory disorders.
Spinal Artery Syndrome
In this case, osteochondrosis of the cervix is accompanied by such a symptom as a headache that hits or burns, which most often captures the overlying area, the occiput, the temple, the darkness. The pain, as a rule, practically does not stop, and only in some cases it has a paroxysmal character. Increased pain occurs when you move or after prolonged stay in an awkward position.
There is a possibility of hearing and vision (reduced hearing and visual acuity, tinnitus, hallucinations, eye pain). In the context of the general weakness of the body, nausea or loss of consciousness is possible.
Summarizing the above, we can distinguish a number of symptoms that are most characteristic of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- constant pain in the neck that extends to the shoulder girdle, ears and eyes, the back of the head and does not stop even at night.
- pain in the arms, forearm, shoulder, worsening even with a light load.
- weakening of muscular strength and reduced sensitivity of the hands, arms, fingers, as well as difficulty in their movements.
- sore throat when turning and tilting the head.
- tension of the neck muscles, feeling lying down in the morning.
- burning, numbness, tingling in the legs or arms
- extended headache with primary localization in the institute.
- darkens the eyes, tinnitus, numbness of the tongue, dizziness, with a sharp turn of the head - fainting,
- reduced visual acuity and hearing.
- proliferation of connective tissue in the cervical spine
- pain in the heart area.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home
The effectiveness of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis depends on the timeliness of treatment principles aimed at relieving pain and neutralizing inflammatory processes. Therapeutic activities are carried out in three stages:
- pain relief?
- activation of blood supply and metabolic processes in the affected areas of the spine.
- physiotherapy and manual techniques.
During the exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, which is accompanied by severe pain, in order to stop the pain syndrome and relieve muscle tension in the area of the spinal part, the patient is prescribed:
- paraspinal blockade from topical medication?
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and anticonvulsants.
- ointments and gels.
To improve blood circulation to the spine, a patient with cervical osteochondrosis is prescribed medicines to improve blood microcirculation, vitamin complexes, and nicotinic acid.
Pain medications can only relieve symptoms, but they do not fight the degeneration of the intervertebral discs. Regular activity and well-chosen exercise therapy complexes are the only right decision at any stage of the disease.
Therapeutic gymnastics
Exercise for cervical osteochondrosis is performed only in periods of remission, avoiding significant effort and pain.
A set of exercises to improve the mobility of the cervical vertebrae, as well as the flexibility of the neck muscles.
Repeat each exercise 5 to 10 times.
- Exercise 1. In a sitting or standing position with the arms lowered along the body and a flat back, alternate smooth heads are made on the extreme left and right sides, keeping the chin firmly above the shoulder.
- Exercise 2. The starting position is the same. The head is tilted until the chin touches the notch in the chest. The back muscles of the neck should be relaxed as much as possible. The head can be lowered even further with elastic movements.
- Exercise 3. The starting position is the same. The neck is pulled back, while the chin is pulled and the head is kept straight.
When the worsening of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine subsides and after the recommendation of the treating physician, a course of manual treatment is carried out, including the massage of the areas damaged by the disease.
Massage for osteochondrosis of the cervix
Before starting the massage procedure, it is necessary to prepare the patient's back with intense stroke by stroking for 2-3 minutes. The direction of the caress is from the lower limit of the shoulders to the neck and then from the neck to the shoulder girdle. The last minute of the warm-up is kneaded and shaken alternately on the right and left sides.
Start the massage, as a rule, from the back, alternating caressing, pressing and kneading. First, the shoulder area is rubbed, gradually moving to the shoulder girdle. The neck massage starts from the scalp, going down to the back. In the absence of pain in the spine, the compression with the fingers is done very carefully in several lines.
The massage of the basic chest muscles is done in a supine position. In this case, it is used by stroking, pressing, kneading.
The massage chair is held in a special massage chair. At the same time, the head is tilted forward, and the neck muscles are relaxed as much as possible. The massage starts from the occipital bone, directs all the movements backwards.