More and more people are choosing jobs that don't require a lot of physical activity. This inevitably affects human health. Therefore, one of the most common diseases is cervical osteochondrosis.
As a result of this disease, joint cartilage and bone tissue change. Previously, this term united a large number of diseases, now it exclusively means degenerative conditions of the spine.
Why is the cervical region most commonly affected? It is he who increased mobility and a large number of neurons and blood vessels. Before learning how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, eliminate the cause of the disease.
Causes of disease
Osteochondrosis does not always occur with acute symptoms. Due to anatomical features, changes in intervertebral discs do not always cause pain or the like. Therefore, the disease often goes unnoticed.
Cervical osteochondrosis often develops for several reasons:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- lack of physical activity, salt deposits develop in the liver, kidneys, vertebrae;
- metabolic disease.
In addition, risk factors must be considered. They may not necessarily lead to illness, but in adverse circumstances they can manifest:
- the body undergoes inevitable changes with age;
- whether there was cervical osteochondrosis in ancestors;
- often hormonal disorders lead to metabolic disorders;
- some chronic diseases, such as lupus erythematosus or rheumatism, can lead to thinning of the cartilage;
- hypothermia.
stages of the disease
Cervical osteochondrosis, like many other diseases, includes several stages of development.
- Therefore, in the first stage, the destruction of the intervertebral discs is observed, the danger of this moment is that there is no intense pain, maximum discomfort in the neck. Due to changes in the structure of the disc, compression of the nerve roots occurs - this is the source of the disease. As a rule, with timely diagnosis, it is possible to completely cure the disease. It is important to correctly prescribe the treatment and follow all the doctor's recommendations.
- In the second stage, in addition to the destruction of the discs, displacements of the cervical vertebrae begin. If treatment has not been successful or the diagnosis has not been made earlier, osteochondrosis becomes chronic. The patient may have "tilted head syndrome", when it is necessary to keep the head in a certain position to relieve pain. A typical symptom is intense pain.
- The third stage is the development of hernias and protrusions, as well as the effect on internal organs. Since with such a development of the disease, the cervical vertebrae compress the blood vessels, disturbances in the flow of blood to the brain. Because of this, headaches, nausea, dizziness and the like appear. In rare cases, numbness may occur in the limbs. With a bad development of events, a stroke is possible. The danger of this stage of the disease is that the pain is not as intense. Many people are sure that the disease is over, everything is healed, and in the meantime, the destruction in the spine continues. It's all about the cartilaginous tissue, since it is she who is the cause of pain, but in the third stage - it is completely destroyed. Hearing and coordination disorders sometimes develop.
There are also specific features of the course of cervical osteochondrosis. Depending on which parts of the spine are damaged, there are several syndromes. Each of them has a different type of pain.
Cervical osteochondrosis syndromes
For example, cervical osteochondrosis can cause migraines. This happens with hypertension. As a result of its appearance, intracranial pressure rises, which brings pain. Due to high blood pressure, there is a risk of developing a stroke.
Also, the headache is often due to compression of the vertebral arteries.
With this syndrome, there is decreased visual acuity, dizziness, impaired coordination. All this happens due to the lack of oxygen supply to the brain. With sudden head movements, it is possible to faint.
Compression of the spinal roots is much more dangerous as this syndrome has a complex of symptoms. Firstly, the pain is located in the neck and radiates to the forearm, sometimes it can radiate to the hands. In the early stages of the disease, a flare-up can be alerted by turning the neck. With more nipping of the roots, respiratory disorders appear, sensations of coma in the throat. Due to the fact that the nerves in the cervical vertebrae are tightly connected to the face, when the roots are compressed, numbness of the tongue or impaired mobility can be observed.
If the spine is not treated in a timely manner, the symptoms will only increase and become more pronounced. Due to the lack of oxygen in the brain, malfunction begins and this can lead to a number of mental illnesses (depression, anxiety disorder, hyperventilation and so on).
It is important to distinguish between cervical osteochondrosis and epilepsy in a timely manner. They are often confused by the tension of the whole body and the brief loss of consciousness.
For this, modern diagnostic methods are used. Due to changes in the work of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, a violation in the work of the heart occurs, as a result, symptoms of tachycardia and arrhythmia appear. Another non-obvious manifestation of the disease is swelling under the eyes. They arise due to compression of the lateral vessels of the spine.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
Before starting spinal treatment, it is necessary to go to a neurologist to clarify the diagnosis. Thanks to modern methods of studying the body, medicine is armed with a vast arsenal of techniques for finding disease. More recently, the most a neurologist could offer was an x-ray and an external exam. As a rule, these methods did not give an effective result, which is why osteochondrosis was often detected at severe stages of development. The downside of x-rays is the inability to see the full picture of the disease. She is currently scheduled for a CT scan or an MRI. These are fast, high-quality studies with virtually no contraindications.
After receiving the images, you need to see a doctor.
Health care
The question "how to treat cervical osteochondrosis" will be answered by a doctor-verterbrologist. This is a narrow focus of neurology, which studies the spine and related diseases. Before prescribing medication, the doctor must prescribe a set of measures to restore blood circulation and relieve swelling. There is no unequivocal opinion about non-traditional methods of treatment. As a rule, in addition to consulting a neurologist, the patient will need the help of a surgeon, masseur, physical therapist. In severe stages of the disease, the recovery period requires more time.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis during exacerbation?
In a pathological condition such as an exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms manifest in the form of pain, limited mobility, various sensitivity disorders, and tissue trophism. The first step is to relieve the pain. There are several medications for this. For example, you can use a pepper patch. Due to the heating action, it perfectly copes with the task. Any pain reliever would be helpful. To get rid of edema - take any diuretic. As home remedies, you can prepare cranberries or blueberries or special herbal preparations.
If medications don't help, you can use a needle applicator. Due to the punctual effect, it helps to relieve pain, reduce swelling and improve blood flow. The main thing to remember is that after providing first aid, you should always consult a doctor.
The treatment of dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis is not so essential. It is important to eliminate the primary cause of the disease. To maintain the condition, the doctor prescribes drugs that can thin the blood and restore blood flow to the brain. An added bonus of these drugs: improving memory and normalizing sleep.
The treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine consists not only of taking medication, but also of massage and physical education. To further prevent the occurrence of cervical spine diseases, it is necessary to form the correct muscular corset of the back. In some cases, self-massage can also be effective. For him, you can apply simple techniques like rubbing and stroking, in addition to vibration.
alternative medicine
One of the non-traditional types of osteochondrosis treatment is manual therapy. Its essence lies in the impact on certain points of the body, allowing the bones and joints to be defined. In danger? The fact that a non-specialist can seriously injure a client, as nerves are a sensitive subject. Any careless movement can cause paresis or paralysis. How to treat osteochondrosis in other ways?
Ambiguous opinion develops around acupuncture. Unlike manual therapy, the impact on diseased areas is carried out punctually, through needles. Its danger is that ignorance of injection zones can seriously worsen the patient's condition. The applicator works on the same principle.
Even more controversial is the naming of homeopathy. Its advantage is that the drugs have side effects and should not be taken frequently. Homeopathic remedies do not have this disadvantage. But its benefits have not been scientifically proven.
In any case, if you experience pain in your spine or neck, contact your doctor as soon as possible. It is better to treat any disease in the early stages, then the success of its cure is real forever. Do not refuse to take the drug in times of exacerbation.