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The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, rapid aging of the intervertebral discs and cervical vertebral bodies occurs. Dizziness and headache are the main symptoms. Most often, changes occur in the more mobile parts of the spine.

Healthy and damaged spinal disc with cervical osteochondrosis

Causes

The fact that osteochondrosis only develops in old age is a hoax. In recent years, signs of cervical osteochondrosis have been found in young people aged 16-20 years. The onset of the disease is for the following reasons:

  1. Violation of metabolic processes.
  2. Tobacco and alcohol abuse.
  3. Low physical activity (hypodynamics).
  4. Injuries.
  5. Sitting position for a long time.
  6. Excess weight.
  7. Sleep disorders.
  8. genetic predisposition.

The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are often confused with a cold or banal fatigue. If signs of illness appear, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Symptoms

There is a connection of symptoms in which there is a violation of the spinal roots, narrowing of the veins and arteries that pass into the body of the vertebrae. Cervical sciatica (radicular syndrome) is manifested by numbness in the area of the shoulders, shoulders, arms, as well as pain and tingling sensation. Discomfort can be felt in the neck and chest (front).

The first signs of cervical vertebral osteochondrosis are:

  • mild neck pain;
  • crackling while turning the head, when turning;
  • Periodic pain in the head and neck, aggravation in the back of the head, numbness in the arms and shoulders.

Dizziness is a symptom of cervical osteochondrosis that appears at night or in the morning after waking up. It is enough for the patient to make a few rotations of the head to show dizziness.

Along with the manifestation of dizziness, occurs:

  • loss of spatial orientation;
  • the feeling of "shaking the floor" underfoot;
  • loss of balance;
  • tinnitus and tinnitus;
  • nausea and vomiting;
  • redness or pallor of the face;
  • headache and increased sweating.

The onset of dizziness provokes blurred vision, increased heart rate, numbness of the hands, the appearance of "flies" in front of the eyes.

Preventive measures for dizziness are proper nutrition (with sufficient content of vitamins B and C) and proper sleep regulation (low pillow, firm mattress). Drug therapy for dizziness aims to normalize blood circulation to the brain.

Worsening of the disease

Symptoms of worsening osteochondrosis of the cervical spine may be as follows:

  1. Pain in the occipital region and neck, passing to the arms, shoulder blades and shoulders.
  2. Increased pain during head movement, sneezing, coughing.
  3. Forced head position (for pain relief).
  4. The pain can be localized in different places, which hinders the diagnosis.
  5. Prolonged headache and dizziness.
  6. Violation of sight, hearing, coordination of movements.
  7. Increased muscle tone in the limbs and neck, against the background of general weakness.
  8. Decreased skin sensitivity (numbness, dryness, tingling sensation, coldness).
  9. Sleep disorders, memory disorders, increased anxiety.

To check the condition of the neck vessels, diagnostic methods are used - duplex scanning or dopplerography with ultrasound.

Complications

Symptoms that are not detected and treated in time can lead to the following complications:

  • Protrusion between the vertebrae of the cervical spine.
  • Hernia (intervertebral) of the cervical region.
  • Radiculopathy (damage to one or more nerve roots).
  • Formation of large osteophytes of the cervical spine.
  • Paresis (incomplete paralysis).
  • Squeezing the arteries that supply the brain.
  • Dupuytren contracture. With pathology, the palm is deformed, the fingers are compressed and the hand ceases to function normally.

Osteochondrosis and VVD

The symptoms of VVD (vegetative vascular dystonia) in cervical osteochondrosis are interrelated. These pathologies are links in the same chain that require increased attention, diagnosis and treatment. Often, vegetative-vascular dystonia results from osteochondrosis of the cervix.

Dystonia is accompanied by the following symptoms:

  1. Vertigo.
  2. Heartbeat and pain in the heart region.
  3. Respiratory disorders (increased respiration, shortness of breath).
  4. Drop in blood pressure.
  5. Disorders of internal organs (stomach, intestines, urinary organs).
  6. Changes in body temperature during the day (from 35 to 38 degrees).
  7. Nervousness, tears, anxiety.

The cause of the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia can be hormonal failure, endocrine disorders, overweight, genetic predisposition. The main symptoms of VVD in cervical chondrosis: muscle fatigue, impaired body control.

The presence of these signs requires an accurate diagnosis and this is only possible after a thorough examination. Self-medication of the disease is unacceptable!

Diagnosing

Examination begins with the examination and analysis of all patient complaints. Diagnosis allows you to rule out diseases of the heart and blood vessels, stomach and intestines. Diagnostic measures include:

  1. Radiography.
  2. CT (computed tomography).
  3. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
  4. Myelography.

To determine the extent of sensory and motor disorders, a neurological examination is performed.

Treatment of the disease

Therapeutic measures are aimed at eliminating inflammation in the affected area and relieving pain. The drug treatment regimen is represented by the following groups of drugs:

  1. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
  2. Chondroprotectors - medicines that allow you to stop the destruction of cartilage and contribute to the restoration of cartilage tissue.

Ointment treatment is very common, but ineffective. Patients for self-treatment use ointments containing irritating substances, or ointments of the NSAID group. The medicinal substance in the oil will not be able to penetrate through the dense layer of skin and muscle at the site of the lesion.

An important benefit of ointments in neck massage, while rubbing the drug.

The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are treated with vitamin B. A combined preparation for intramuscular administration has been well proven. The composition of the solution includes B vitamins: cyanocobalamin (B12), pyridoxine (B6), thiamine (B1).

Complex treatment includes: physiotherapy, acupuncture, hirudotherapy (treatment with caterpillars), massage, exercise therapy (physiotherapy), manual therapy.

The complex of exercise therapy for the neck is presented in this video. Performing these exercises daily will help relieve the unpleasant symptoms.

Disease prevention

To prevent the development of osteochondrosis of the cervix, it is recommended to warm up periodically during labor, to avoid stress on the neck, not to make sudden head movements, to monitor posture, to avoid hypothermia, to exercise and eat properly.