Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is a degenerative process of damage to the intervertebral discs and cartilage tissue, gradually passing to the vertebrae. In an untreated state, osteochondrosis leads to such terrible diseases as radicular syndrome, humeroscapular periarthrosis, etc.
At the moment, cervical osteochondrosis, the causes of which can be very different, affects every third person. But, despite its massive character, it is extremely insidious and does not forgive a careless attitude towards itself. How to treat cervical osteochondrosis, regardless of the stage of development? First you need to understand what kind of disease it is - cervical osteochondrosis and the reasons that caused it.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The main reason for the development of the disease is the same as for other parts of the spine - a sedentary and more sedentary lifestyle. This applies both to the younger generation over 20 years old and to people who have just crossed the 40-year mark: with age, the results of an unbalanced diet, a lack of vitamins and calcium in the body, metabolic disorders and salt deposition. are felt more acutely.
Add infectious, toxic, endocrine diseases and genetic predisposition here, and now your head hurts with osteochondrosis, it is difficult to turn your neck to the side, dull pain does not allow you to think about anything else. This causes an increase in pressure and infringement of the nerve endings. There is a state of numbness, tingling, heaviness, symptoms turning into headaches with osteochondrosis, which begins to be felt. By the way, cervical osteochondrosis and pressure, especially increased pressure, is a natural process, since the arteries become clogged and interfere with the outflow.
Initially, the development of cervical osteochondrosis begins with the intervertebral discs: under the influence of negative factors, the nucleus pulposus begins to lose moisture, elasticity, and microcracks form. As a result, the damping functions of the disc deteriorate and the load on the underlying vertebrae increases. Microcracks also form in them, and osteophytes (bone growths) appear so that the vertebra can cope with the increasing load area. But the additional mass of osteophytes begins to put pressure on the nerve roots or compresses the vertebral artery. And a headache with cervical osteochondrosis is the first symptom that you need to pay attention to.
In the future subluxations occur in the intervertebral joints, the neck muscles have to be in tension all the time in order to keep the vertebrae in their previous state. But the muscles get tired from the tension, and the load falls back on the vertebrae, which aggravates the development of osteochondrosis.
If you have a headache with osteochondrosis, you feel a constant spasm of the neck muscles, you want to have a massage periodically, consult a doctor. The clinics offer qualified medical care in many areas, including medical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, manual therapy and massage.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
If you began to suffer from dizziness, numbness in the muscles of the neck and back, headaches, hurry to the doctor, there are obvious signs of manifestations of osteochondrosis. Cervico-brachial osteochondrosis, manifested by the above symptoms, is an unpleasant disease if left untreated.
The risk group is:
- experienced drivers;
- people who are constantly sitting in front of the computer;
- people with spinal diseases;
- students.
All these people spend most of their time in one position with a fixed position of the muscles, which provokes their spasm.
Cervical osteochondrosis of the first degree is characterized by acute pain, lumbago. Similar backaches occur with lumbago from lumbosacral osteochondrosis. Untrained muscles due to a sedentary lifestyle do not receive enough nutrition and begin to age. This can happen in both your 20s and 50s. Degenerative destruction of the vertebrae then turns into osteochondrosis of the cervical region of the second degree.
Signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at stage 2 are inflammatory processes, capsule ruptures and the appearance of osteophytes. This process can last for several years, then disappear, then flare up again, simultaneously causing "dropping head syndrome", when the patient is forced to squeeze his head with his hands to reduce the headache. Another symptom indicating cervical osteochondrosis is dizziness, the treatment of which cannot be started.
Previously, only an external examination and x-rays were required to make a diagnosis. But in this case, the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis would not be reliable, since x-rays are not able to show a complete picture of the development of the disease. This requires CT and MRI - procedures that indicate foci of inflammation, circulatory disorders, pathologies and neoplasms.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine begins with the diagnosis, first of all, the restoration of the tone of the spasmodic muscles. Pain in cervical osteochondrosis at the initial stage of the disease is not so strong and does not require medical treatment. It will be enough to take a course of special massage or manual therapy, review working conditions and switch to a healthier lifestyle: sit less at the computer, move more and do light physical work.
But, if you feel dizzy, osteochondrosis does not allow you to turn your neck, and the pain does not give you rest, then you need comprehensive medical treatment. In this case, to relieve pain, the doctor prescribes painkillers (in the acute stage - injections), then tablets, ointments and gels with a warming effect. Massage for cervical osteochondrosis, performed professionally, will also bring great relief and relieve pain for a while.
The main stages in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- elimination of pain syndrome;
- removal of edema;
- normalization of blood circulation;
- strengthen muscles and increase tone;
- restoration of tissue regeneration.
Comprehensive treatment of cervical osteochondrosis consists of treatment with medications and acupuncture techniques, acupuncture and reflexology, manual therapy and massage, home remedies and homeopathic preparations.
All medical prescriptions and therapeutic procedures can be obtained in clinics, where you will have at your service offices equipped with modern equipment, hospitals and professional doctors with extensive experience. In order for the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis to be made correctly and the proper treatment to be carried out, a whole team of doctors of a limited specialty will be required: a vertebrologist and a surgeon, a masseur and a neurologist, a physical therapist.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical region.
Cervical osteochondrosis, headache, dizziness, back pain, burning pain in the neck and shoulders are symptoms that prevent a person from leading a normal life. But all this can be avoided if you stick to simple things: a correct and healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, more physical activity and therapeutic exercises.