Symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is the result of a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition. The first signs of illness can appear as early as the age of 25; If treatment is not started, serious complications will occur. In the treatment of the disease, an integrated approach is used – drug treatment, diet therapy, physiotherapy and physiotherapy.

Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Cervical osteochondrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic change in the intervertebral discs and joints that leads to reduced mobility of the neck and the occurrence of severe pain. The main reason for the development of the disease is a disruption in mineral metabolism, which causes bones and joints to become less strong. ICD-10 code – M42, M50-54.

Why does cervical osteochondrosis occur?

• overweight, sedentary lifestyle;
• poor posture, scoliosis;
• Rheumatism;
• Flat feet;
• VSD;
• poor diet.

Injuries, bruises of the spine, excessive physical activity and stress can lead to the development of deformation of the cervical vertebrae. In women, osteochondrosis often occurs during pregnancy and menopause - against the background of hormonal changes, the amount of calcium decreases, bone tissue becomes brittle.

Important! The predisposition to osteochondrosis is inherited.

General symptoms and signs

With constantly increased load on the cervical vertebrae, muscle spasms occur, the vessels of the cervical spine are compressed, blood circulation is disrupted, metabolic disorders occur - the structure of the intervertebral discs changes, they deform and begin to protrude beyond the spine.

How does osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifest itself:

• radicular syndrome – against the background of compression of nerve endings, pain occurs that spreads from the neck to the shoulder blades and forearms, covering the anterior chest wall;
• Muscle weakness in the arms, noticeable swelling of the neck;
• when you move your head, you hear a characteristic crunching sound;
• weakness, chronic fatigue, blood pressure changes;
• lack of coordination, often dizziness, attacks with nausea, vomiting;
• Deterioration in vision and hearing, noise, ringing in the ears;
• numbness of limbs, tongue;
• frequent migraines;
• Women aged 45-65 years experience pain, numbness and tingling in the upper extremities during sleep; the attacks can repeat several times during the night.

With cervical osteochondrosis, nutrition and blood supply to the brain are disrupted, neurotic disorders occur - anxiety, irritability, mood swings, sleep disorders.

Classification of cervical osteochondrosis

As osteochondrosis develops, it goes through several stages of development, each of which has characteristic signs. In the photo you can see what the affected part of the spine looks like at different stages.

Degree of disease development:

1. Osteochondrosis of the 1st degree – the initial stage proceeds without particularly pronounced symptoms, the person suffers from rare and mild pain when turning and tilting the head, the back muscles tire quickly.
2. Osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree - the vertebrae become unstable, a nerve is pinched, unpleasant sensations in the neck become pronounced and radiate to the shoulder and arm. Other symptoms include increased fatigue, frequent headaches in the back of the head, and absentmindedness.
3. Osteochondrosis of the 3rd degree - the pain becomes chronic, covers the upper back, arms, severe muscle weakness occurs, the limbs become numb, an intervertebral hernia occurs and frequent attacks of dizziness occur.
4. Osteochondrosis of the 4th degree - there is a complete destruction of the intervertebral discs, they are replaced by connective tissue, the pathological process involves several segments of the spine. Coordination disorders occur, dizziness attacks become more frequent, and tinnitus occurs.

Acute osteochondrosis is a consequence of the chronic form of the disease, which is characterized by a severe attack of sharp pain that occurs suddenly after waking up.

Which doctor should I contact?

If signs of cervical osteochondrosis appear, you need to consult a neurologist; in some hospitals there is a vertebrologist - a specialist who treats diseases of the spine.

Diagnostic methods

Advanced forms of osteochondrosis have a pronounced clinical picture, which makes it possible to make an initial diagnosis during the initial examination. Instrumental diagnostic methods help to identify the degree of degenerative changes in the vertebrae.

Main types of examination for osteochondrosis:

• roentgen– The method is effective only in the early stages of pathology development.
• MRI– The structure of bone structures, the size and direction of development of intervertebral hernias, as well as the condition of the spinal cord are clearly visible on the screen;
• CT– The method is less effective than MRI because it does not provide accurate information about the presence and size of hernias.
• Duplex scanning– allows you to detect circulatory disorders;
• Electroneurography– indicates the presence of entrapment, inflammation and other nerve damage;
• Rheoencephalogram– prescribed for problems with the blood supply to the brain.

For a targeted and thorough examination of the condition of certain vertebrae, discography is carried out - a contrast agent is injected into the intervertebral disc, which allows you to detect the smallest changes in the tissue and distinguish scar changes from a hernia.

Methods for treating cervical osteochondrosis

At the initial stage of development, osteochondrosis can be cured without medication; it is enough to review the diet, daily routine and regularly perform a set of special exercises. In advanced forms of the disease, effective treatment is possible only through the use of various drugs that help stop degenerative changes in the vertebrae.

The complex of therapeutic measures necessarily includes physical procedures - electrophoresis with drugs, ultrasound, magnetotherapy, laser therapy. These methods help to cope with pain, inflammation and tissue swelling, improve metabolic processes and blood circulation.

First aid

Painkillers relieve pain due to osteochondrosis. You can warm the affected area with mustard plasters or pepper plasters.

To reduce the swelling of inflamed tissue, drink rosehip decoction and other diuretics. Massaging the inflamed area with an ice cube helps relieve severe pain in the neck; continue the procedure until the skin becomes slightly red.

physical therapy

Exercise therapy is prescribed during the recovery period; during an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, physical exercise is contraindicated; Gymnastics is simple, can be done at home and must be done regularly.

Bubnovsky's gymnastics for the treatment and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis:

1. While standing, lower your arms freely along your body. Tilt your head forward, try to reach your chest with your chin, fix the position and count to 3. Tilt your head back, chin pointing up, count to 3. Return to theReturn to starting position.
2. While standing, turn your head to the right, left and fix the position at each extreme point for a few seconds. Repeat three times on each side.
3. While standing, tilt your head to the right and left, try to reach your shoulder with your ear, and hold the position for 30 seconds. Perform 6 reps in each direction.
4. Standing, hands on the belt, chin parallel to the floor, stretched forward. Turn your head, put your chin on your shoulder, turn your torso a little and hold for half a minute. Do 6 reps in each direction; Mild pain in the spine may occur.
5. In a sitting position, back straight, hands on knees. Extend your straight arms to the sides, move them slightly backwards, at the same time tilt your head back, return to the starting position, repeat 5 times.
6. While sitting, turn your head to the right, place the palm of your left hand on your right shoulder, elbow parallel to the floor, right hand resting on your knee, and return to the starting position. Perform 6 reps in each direction.
7. While sitting, raise your arms above your head, connect them well, slightly bend your elbows, turn your head to the sides until a slight pain appears and fix the position at the extreme point for a few seconds. Repeat 6 rotations in each direction.

Take a 30 second break between exercises. Before starting gymnastics, you need to take a warm shower and gently tilt your head in different directions several times to warm up your muscles. After completing the exercise, gentle stretching will help prevent discomfort the next day.

Medication

Drug therapy for osteochondrosis is aimed at eliminating unpleasant sensations, restoring mobility of the vertebrae and slowing down degenerative changes in tissues. Acute pain attacks are relieved by injections of NSAIDs or corticosteroids, while the chronic form of the disease is treated with ointments and tablets.

How to treat osteochondrosis:

• NSAIDs– produced in the form of tablets and products for external use, eliminate swelling and pain;
• Corticosteroids– relieve acute pain syndrome;
• B vitamins– restore metabolic processes in tissues;
• Chondroprotectors– promote the restoration of cartilage tissue;
• Drugs to improve blood circulation and brain nutrition;
• Nootropics– Improve brain function and memory;
• Muscle relaxants– eliminate muscle spasms;
• For local treatment, ointments and gels with anti-inflammatory, warming effects are used.

In order for drug therapy to be effective, it is necessary to combine it with exercise therapy and follow a diet, otherwise no drugs will help get rid of osteochondrosis.

Important! If conservative treatment has no effect, surgery is prescribed.

home remedies

Traditional treatment should be used as a complement to drug therapy and exercise; unconventional methods do not help to completely eliminate the disease.

What to do with cervical osteochondrosis at home:

1. Pour boiling water over a fresh horseradish leaf, let it cool slightly, place it inside out on the neck and secure it with a thin natural material. Carry out the procedure before bedtime and leave the compress on all night.
2. Grate raw potatoes on a fine grater and mix in equal parts with warm, liquid honey. Use the mixture for compresses and carry out the procedure 1-2 times a week.
3. Mix a raw egg with 100 ml of sunflower oil, 20 ml of vinegar and 20 g of flour, keep the mixture in a dark place for 48 hours and remove the film from the surface. Apply the product to the inflamed area before bed and store it in the refrigerator.
4. In May, collect pine buds up to 2 cm long, cut them into thin slices and place them in a dark glass container. For 1 part of raw materials, take 2 parts of sugar and place the medicine in a dark place for 2 weeks. Drink 5 ml of the mixture three times a day, do not swallow immediately, but keep it in your mouth for 2-3 minutes. The course lasts 15-20 days and is repeated 2-3 times a year.
5. Grind 150 g of peeled garlic and 400 g of cranberries, put the mixture in a glass container, after 24 hours add 800 ml of honey and stir. Take 5 ml of the drug three times a day before meals.

A cabbage leaf smeared with honey will help you cope with severe pain and drain excess salts; attach the compress to the neck with a warm scarf and leave it on overnight.

Massage for cervical osteochondrosis

Massage helps strengthen muscle tone and improve blood circulation in tissues. In severe forms of osteochondrosis, the sessions are conducted by a specialist. In the case of mild forms of the disease, self-massage helps prevent it - treatment is carried out at home.

Massage technique:

1. Warm up your muscles– Stroke intensively with both hands over the back and the sides of the neck from top to bottom. Warm-up time: 2 minutes.
2. Press the edge of your palm to the bottom of your neck,Move to the hair growth area and then to the shoulder joints with sliding movements.
3. Make rubbing, circular movements with the fingertips of both handsin the back of the head from the hairline to the forearms - from the spine to the ears and back.
4. Tense your neck muscles from bottom to top, then in the opposite direction.
5. Stroke from the back of the head to the shoulder blades– perform after any type of exercise.

Important! Do not massage protruding vertebrae, lymph nodes, or carotid arteries.

diet

The purpose of nutrition for osteochondrosis is to provide the body with collagen and proteins; these substances are involved in the synthesis of cartilage tissue; most of them are found in aspic, jellied fish and jelly.

Prohibited products	Authorized Products
all alcoholic beverages; fatty meats, refractory fats, smoked meats; soups with rich broths; hot, spicy dishes, preserves, marinades; mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup; radish, radish, horseradish, onion, garlic; fast food, semi-finished products; fast carbohydrates – sweets, baked goods, pasta made from high-quality flour; Potato; Limit salt intake to 5g per day.	diet meat; fish, seafood; fermented milk products; Grain; light soups; whole wheat bread; honey, jam, marmalade, lozenges, nuts, dried fruits, oatmeal cookies; fresh and baked vegetables and fruits; eggs; vegetable oils; natural juices, green tea, fruit drinks.

Important! To avoid dehydration of the intervertebral disc tissue, you must drink at least 2. 5 liters of pure still water every day.

Possible consequences and complications

In the neck area, the vertebrae are close to each other, the height of the intervertebral discs is small, so various complications of osteochondrosis occur even with minor degenerative changes in the bone tissue.

Why is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine dangerous?

• frequent migraine attacks;
• cardiac arrhythmias, arteriosclerosis;
• Protrusion, intervertebral hernia, bone growth of the vertebrae;
• severe brain diseases;
• Narrowing of the lumen of the vertebral artery, leading to the development of VSD, cerebral hypertension and disability;
• Spinal stroke.

Important! In advanced osteochondrosis, compression of the spinal cord occurs, which can be fatal.

Contraindications for cervical osteochondrosis

To live a full life with osteochondrosis, it is necessary to avoid actions that can provoke pain and exacerbation of the disease.

What not to do with cervical osteochondrosis:

• sleep on a very hard or soft mattress, on a high pillow;
• Lift weights. If you need to lift something heavy, you must do so with your back straight and your knees bent.
• carry a bag on one shoulder;
• If the pathology worsens, make active movements of the head and neck.
• smoking, drinking alcohol;
• walking in cold weather without a scarf, sitting in a draft, near an air conditioner;
• staying and sitting in an uncomfortable position for a long time;
• Wear high heels;
• crack your neck.

Thermal procedures - warming compresses, visiting a bathhouse, warming up with a blue lamp - can only be carried out at the stage of remission of the disease. During an exacerbation, heat relieves pain only for a short time, but soon the unpleasant sensations return and the degree of their manifestation increases.

Disease prevention

To maintain the health of the spine, it is enough to follow simple preventive rules.

How to avoid cervical osteochondrosis:

• get rid of excess weight;
• do gymnastics every morning, go swimming, yoga, dancing;
• spend more time outdoors. Morning walks are particularly useful.
• eat properly, control salt intake, adhere to a drinking regime;
• If you work while sitting, do a neck warm-up every hour and pay attention to your posture.
• Keep your neck warm;
• Get enough sleep and avoid physical, mental and emotional fatigue.

Sleep properly. Only the head, neck and shoulders should rest on the mattress cushion; a small pillow should be placed under the feet. It is better to sleep on your back or in the fetal position, with an exacerbation of the disease only on your side. The mattress is orthopedic, medium hard, the pillow is rectangular, orthopedic, 15-20 cm high. With correct posture while sleeping, the spine is straight, there are no bends in different places, and the muscles are relaxed.

Cervical osteochondrosis is a chronic, slowly progressive disease; Symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately. A competent combination of traditional and folk treatment methods, gymnastics and nutrition helps to cope with unpleasant symptoms, and simple preventive measures help to avoid relapses of pathology.