Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

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

Some facts about the disease:

• Osteochondrosis of the neck occurs in men and women approximately equally often.
• Most often people aged 30-60 get sick.
• As a rule, pathology occurs in people who at work have to constantly be in one position and make monotonous movements.
• The cervical spine has some structural features, due to which the disease can have many different manifestations.

What features of the cervical spine cause the symptoms of osteochondrosis?

• There are openings in the lateral processes of the vertebrae - through them the carotid arteries pass through them to the right and left, which supply the brain.
• 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, provide movement, sensitivity. If there is compression of the spinal cord in the neck, neurological disorders occur throughout the body.
• This part of the spinal column has great mobility, and this predisposes to osteochondrosis (although, in most cases, the disease still develops in the lumbar spine - it not only has high mobility, but also experiences the greatest stress).
• In the neck area, nerve roots emerge from the intervertebral foramen, forming the cervical and brachial plexuses. They are responsible for movements in the muscles of the neck, arms, shoulder girdle, skin sensitivity, and regulation of autonomic functions.
• The first vertebra does not have a massive anterior part - a body - it is a bony ring that is put on a tooth - a bony outgrowth on the second vertebra. Thanks to this, head turns to the sides are possible.

Neck pain, headaches, feeling of weakness, numbness in the hands are symptoms that should force you to see a neurologist. Examination by a specialist and examination using modern equipment will help to understand the causes of the pathology and take the most effective measures.

What happens to the vertebrae in cervical osteochondrosis?

The obscure medical term "degenerative process" refers to the following pathological changes occurring in the cervical spine:

• First of all, the lesion in osteochondrosis covers the intervertebral discs. They become thinner, thus, the distance between adjacent vertebrae decreases. Small tears, microcracks are formed in their outer part. Over time, this can lead to a herniated disc.
• As a result of disc damage, the stability of the vertebral connection is disturbed.
• They suffer from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and intervertebral joints - spondyloarthrosis develops. It also contributes to the compression of the nerve roots.
• The pathological process extends to the vertebrae themselves. Due to the fact that the functions of the intervertebral discs are disrupted, the load on them increases. The spine is trying to compensate for this violation, bone outgrowths - osteophytes - appear on it.

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

During an exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra, traction is used (the patient is placed on a bed with a raised headboard and the head is fixed with a special loop) to relieve the intervertebral discs. For the same purpose, you need to wear a Shants collar. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain. In case of severe pain that does not go away in any way, the doctor may blockade: inject an anesthetic solution into the area of ​​the affected nerve roots. Physiotherapy is used: treatment with ultrasound, electrophoresis with novocaine.

When the exacerbation subsides, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine includes massage, physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy.

One of the main signs of cervical osteochondrosis is neck pain. Many people who are confronted with this symptom 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.

Firstly, pain relievers and folk methods, although they help to relieve pain for a while, do not solve the main problem. Pathological changes in the spinal column continue to grow. Over time, this threatens with more serious consequences. Up to the point that surgery may be required.

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

What symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should force you to 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 hand, in the region of the heart. The pain is dull in nature, it can be burning, aching.

Other manifestations of the disease:

• Headaches, dizziness, flies in front of the eyes, noise, ringing in the ears.
• Weakness in the muscles of the neck, shoulder girdle, arms.
• Skin sensitivity disorder.
• Shoulder-scapular periarthritis: aching neck pain that extends to the arm, difficulty in abducting the arm above 90 °, weakness and atrophy of the shoulder girdle muscles.
• Shoulder-hand syndrome: pain in the shoulder and hand, swelling and stiffness of the fingers, weakness and atrophy of the muscles of the hand.
• Vertebral artery syndrome. Bony growths appear on the vertebrae, which squeeze the nerves, as a result, a reflex spasm of the vertebral artery occurs, which takes part in the blood supply to the brain. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are accompanied by constant headaches that start from the back of the head, spread to the temple, to the crown, nausea, noise in the head, ringing in the ears, flickering of bright spots before the eyes.
• Anterior scalene muscle syndrome. On the neck there is the anterior and middle scalene muscle - they are next to each other, and between them there is a small space in which nerves and blood vessels pass. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the anterior scalene muscle becomes tense and squeezes them, resulting in symptoms such as pain on the inner surface of the forearm, shoulder, and fingers. Sometimes the pain radiates to the back of the head. The skin of the hand may become cold, pale, and numbness occurs.
• Epicondylitis Syndrome. In the lower part of the shoulder, on the sides of the elbow joint, there are bony protrusions - epicondyle. With the syndrome of epicondylitis caused by cervical osteochondrosis, they experience painful sensations that increase when pressed. Other symptoms also occur: neck pain, soreness when pressing certain points 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 region of the heart.

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

It's better not to self-medicate. Even if you have tried-and-true methods that usually help you manage pain, that doesn't mean you're doing it right.

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 properly treat the disease, you need to understand its causes, carry out differential diagnostics. This is only possible in a clinic.

In order 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.

At the heart of cervical osteochondrosis is the defeat of the intervertebral discs. Their chemical composition is violated, at first they swell, then decrease in size, cracks and tears appear in their outer part, they become denser. Then the degenerative process spreads to the vertebrae, intervertebral joints. Due to a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc, the load on the vertebrae increases, bone growths appear on them - osteophytes.

What are the causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?

There is no consensus on the causes of cervical osteochondrosis. Different conditions are thought to cause disease, there are different points of view:

• Age-related changes in the spine. However, almost all people over 40 have changes in the skeleton, but not everyone has osteochondrosis.
• Neck Injuries. Often, among the causes of the disease, the trauma is indicated: neck contusion, compression fracture, vertebral subluxation. Chronic injuries, such as during intense training for athletes, persistent uncomfortable bent postures, and repetitive whiplash injuries in motorists, may be of importance.
• Congenital anomalies of the vertebrae: cervical ribs, fusion of adjacent vertebrae, fusion of the first vertebra with the occipital bone, etc.
• Profession. Most often, the disease affects people who work in a monotonous position, constantly make the same type of movement.
• Disruption of blood supply to the spine, venous insufficiency, edema in the area of ​​the nerve roots.
• Autoimmune disorders.Conditions in which the immune system does not work properly, attacks its own connective tissue, ligaments of the body.

Visit a neurologist. An experienced healthcare professional will understand the source of your health problems 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 cease to bother for a while. Another exacerbation can be triggered by the following reasons:

• Awkward, jerky neck movement.
• Long stay in a monotonous uncomfortable position. For example, the neck may start to ache after working on the computer for a long time, after sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow.
• Stress, nervous strain. With chronic stress, spasms occur in the neck muscles, this can cause the onset of another exacerbation.
• Various diseases, exacerbations of chronic diseases.
• Hypothermia. For this reason, exacerbations in many people occur in the fall.
• Incorrect, illiterate self-medication. For example, massage and therapeutic exercises are useful during remission, but contraindicated during an exacerbation.

What diseases can have similar manifestations?

Very often the manifestations of "osteochondrosis" are actually associated with a completely different disease. For example, the reason may be hidden in the muscles - there is such a condition as myofascial pain syndrome. The pain arises from the constant tension of the same muscles.

Sometimes the manifestation of "cervical osteochondrosis" is considered to be dizziness associated with otolithiasis - a condition in which crystals of calcium salts accumulate in the inner ear.

Pain and crunching in the neck, headaches - when these symptoms occur, many people "diagnose" osteochondrosis. Everything is clear - when it hurts, you need to take painkillers or make an ukolchik, apply heat, and everything will pass. Why go to the doctor when you can handle it yourself?

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

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

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

During your first visit, the neurologist will ask you some questions:

• How long have you had headaches, neck pains?
• Where does the pain occur? What kind of character are they: stabbing, aching, shooting, pulling?
• When does pain usually occur? What provokes it? After what do you feel better?
• Have you visited a doctor yet? Have you been examined and treated? Which one? How long ago?
• What other symptoms are bothering you?
• What other chronic diseases do you have?
• Have you had a recent neck injury?

The doctor will then perform a neurological examination, checking your reflexes, skin sensitivity, muscle strength and tone. You will be asked to turn, tilt your head to the sides, forward, backward. The doctor will lightly press on your head, 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:

• Radiography of the cervical spine.
• According to indications, X-ray contrast studies are prescribed: myelography (introduction of contrast into the space surrounding the spinal cord), discography (introduction of contrast into the intervertebral disc), angiography (introduction of contrast into the vessels).
• Computed tomography.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.
• For severe neurological disorders, you may be prescribed electroneuromyography - a study that determines the passage of electrical impulses in the nerves and muscles.

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