One of the most common degenerative diseases of the spine is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.This pathology is characterized by constantly progressive course, during which the patient has serious dystrophic lesions of the intervertebral discs.
According to statistics, more than 45% of adults regularly suffers from constant pain in the neck of the cervical osteochondrosis, which indicates the need to treat it with medication and other effective methods at home or in a hospital under the supervision of experienced specialists.
You can learn more about the characteristic manifestations and features of osteochondrosis of the cervical osteochondrosis on numerous forums of patients.
Reasons
It should be noted right away that it is the cervical region in the spine that is the most mobile.It is seven vertebrae, between which are elastic intervertebral discs.
It is thanks to them that the spine is so flexible.
With the progression of the disease in human vertebrae, the metabolism is disturbed, which leads to the loss of disk elasticity, their protrusion and cracking.
In the absence of timely treatment, this disease can lead to dangerous complications, among which it is especially worth highlighting the risk of protrusion.Photos and videos of manifestations of this type of osteochondrosis can be viewed on medical sites and reports of doctors.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region in a person is able to develop for various reasons.Most often, the following factors provoke it:
- Actual way of human life is not enough.
- A meager diet, in which cartilage does not receive enough beneficial substances and become more susceptible to degenerative diseases.
- Long stay in an uncomfortable position.
- Salt in the cervical region.
- The development of serious diseases in the body (gout, rheumatism and the like).
- The presence of a history of the spine.
Moreover, the risk of developing such a disease increases the individual tendency of a person to osteochondrosis, severe hypothermia, as well as hormonal malfunctions in the body.
Also quite often symptoms of osteochondrosis occur in women during pregnancy.This is justified by increased load on the spine due to weight gain and softening bone tissue due to the production of the hormone relaxin.
Curing osteochondrosis is quite difficult.It will be most effective to carry out comprehensive therapy with tablets, gymnastics, exercise therapy and other treatment methods.
Cervical osteochondrosis: degree of neglect, classification of the disease and its manifestation
To date, such the main degrees of cervical osteochondrosis are distinguished:
- The first degree.In this state, a person develops the first disorders in the spine.The patient gradually begins to bother the periodic pain and a feeling of fatigue in the neck.In x -rays, degenerative changes are practically not expressed.
- The second degreecervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by a decrease in the space between the vertebrae, as a result of which they begin to rub against each other and provoke pain.Also, for the same reason, the patient has a high risk of pinching of nerve structures.
- The third stagecervical osteochondrosis leads to the formation of intervertebral hernia, as well as the complete destruction of the structures of the spine.Moreover, in this state, the patient in the pictures clearly see the spinal deformation.
- The fourth stageIt is rightfully considered the most difficult.In this state, the patient is extremely difficult to perform even simple movements, because at the same time he feels pain.In most cases, osteochondrosis with such neglect leads to disability.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: characteristic symptoms of pathology, methods of its diagnosis and principles of therapy
In many ways, how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine proceeds depends on the cause of the disease, its degree of neglect, the nature of inflammation and bone lesions.
This is important
Dizziness, fainting and a tingling sensation in the shoulder blades are frequent secondary symptoms of progressive osteochondrosis, after which a person should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Sometimes this disease can provoke a person’s impaired hearing and vision, constant weakness, heart pain, snoring and gait disturbance.
The characteristic signs of developing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are frequent pain in the neck area, which can have acute, aching, pulling or stitching in nature.Also, these pain can easily be given to the hands, shoulders and head.Coughing or sneezing can provoke another attack of pain.
Another frequent sign of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a strong crunch in the neck during head movements.This happens from bone friction due to deterioration in the state of cartilage.
Diagnostics
It is very important to correctly establish the diagnosis and differentiate osteochondrosis from other possible diseases of the spine.
That is why a person, in addition to examining the doctor and a story by a specialist about his symptoms, must definitely undergo the following examinations:
- Ct.
- Radiography.
- Ultrasound of the cervical region.
- General clinical blood tests.
Based on the results, the attending physician will be able to correctly establish a diagnosis and choose a course of treatment for each person individually (based on the cause of the disease, its neglect, age of the patient and the presence of severe concomitant pathologies in him).
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis: drug therapy, surgery, massage efficiency
Before treating cervical osteochondrosis, it is important for the patient to understand the cause of the development of this disease.It is possible that for this he will need additional studies.
Traditional therapy with this diagnosis provides for the mandatory prescription of the course of medicines, with which it will be possible to stop pain, relieve swelling, inflammation and restore the normal functions of the intervertebral discs.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis also depends on the observed symptoms in the patient.
In this case, traditional therapy provides for the mandatory administration of anti -inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as well as steroid drugs.With their help, you can not only get rid of inflammation, but also reduce pain.
Analgesics in the form of tablets are prescribed to eliminate pain.These non -steroidal agents can be both in the form of tablets and have the form of ointment.
To restore cartilage fabric, chondroprotectors are used.It will take such funds to take such funds for a rather long time to achieve noticeable improvements.
To facilitate well -being, the patient is prescribed local painkillers.
To relax muscle tone, muscle relaxants are appointed to a person.Due to its therapeutic effect, taking such drugs improves blood circulation.
As auxiliary therapy, the patient is prescribed vitamins of group B, A, C, D and E. Drink them courses.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis correctly should be decided by the attending physician.It is strictly forbidden to engage in self -medication in this state, because this can even more impair a person’s well -being.
Surgical treatment
Treatment with the use of surgical intervention is practiced if drug therapy has not reached the expected results and the disease in a person continues to progress and cause complications.
It is only a leading neurosurgeon who will make his conclusion after examining the patient and conduct a series of examinations that the patient needs to be decided or not.
In most cases, such patients are removing the affected intervertebral disc.
Massage and manual therapy
Among the many methods of treating spinal osteochondrosis, one of the most effective methods is rightfully considered professional quality massage.
With its help, you can improve blood circulation, stop pain and fatigue from the neck, improve the mobility of the spine as a whole, and also normalize the metabolism.
With a course of massage, most patients observe noticeable improvements and much easier to tolerate this chronic disease.
Together with the massage, which provides for stroking, kneading and rubbing the diseased area, the patient is recommended to carry out manual therapy.The main thing is a professional approach to treatment, otherwise ineptly performed therapeutic procedures can do more harm than good.
Moreover, before performing manual therapy and massage, you must definitely consult your doctor for contraindications.
Osteochondrosis of the neck: therapeutic gymnastics, dietary nutrition, physiotherapeutic methods and the prevention of the disease
Conducting exercise therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will help strengthen muscles and improve blood circulation.Performing this gymnastics is best during the period of remission of the disease, when a person does not feel acute pain.
Practicing exercise therapy several times a day.At the same time, all movements should be smooth so as not to damage the spine discs and not cause pain in a person.
The best exercises for the neck are:
- Perform slow turns of the head on the sides.Repeat 10 times.
- Carry out circular rotation with your head.
- Perform tilting the head down and backing back.
- Rotating his shoulders, raise his hands alternately up.
You can perform exercise therapy or sitting.The muscles of the back and neck should be in good shape.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapeutic treatment will be especially effective in the early stages of osteochondrosis, when the disease did not much affect the intervertebral discs.In this state, doctors recommend applying such physiotherapy methods as electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, laser therapy, phonophoresis and mud.
With the help of physiotherapy, you can reduce pain, relieve swelling and inflammation.Moreover, these procedures will contribute to the slowdown of the progression of pathology.
Due to the fact that such treatment methods have many contraindications, only a doctor can prescribe them.
Treatment with folk remedies
You can practice treatment using folk techniques only after the doctor’s resolution, and then, as auxiliary therapy.With caution, using such recipes is necessary during pregnancy and lactation, the elderly of a person or the presence of a number of chronic pathologies in him.
The following folk recipes can be used to reduce pain and inflammation:
- Apply a fresh cabbage leaf to the neck at night in the form of a compress.You can also apply honey on it.
- Mix clay with water to the state of porridge and apply to the neck.Cover with a film and wrap yourself with a warm scarf.
- Rubbing the neck using honey.
- Pour 2 l.Lilac colors 0.5 l of vodka.Insist for a week and use a means for rubbing the neck.
- Mix boiled potatoes with honey and use for warm compresses.
- Mix 2 lemon and the same amount of garlic.Pour the mixture with boiling water and drink the product on a spoon before bedtime.
- Bred field horsetail and lingonberry leaves (1 spoon of the mixture for 500 ml of water).Drink half a glass.
- Mix aloe, mustard powder and propolis in equal quantities.Spoon of the mixture pour 1 liter of vodka.Insist and use for compresses.
Diet
Dietary nutrition is mandatory when detecting osteochondrosis.
With its help, a person will be able to saturate his body with useful substances necessary for a faster restoration of cartilage.
Recommended products in such a diet are seafood, vegetables and fruits, low -fat meat and fish.Nuts, dried fruits, dairy products, eggs, cereals and mushrooms will also be very useful.
A person with osteochondrosis needs to regularly consume fish and meat broths, a flower and jelly to saturate cartilage with useful substances.
In turn, alcohol should be completely excluded from the diet in any of its types, spicy, salty, smoked and fat.You can also not eat pickled vegetables, fast food and semi-finished products.Under a strict ban, sweet carbonated drinks and chocolate.
Stying for this power mode should be at least three months.A person needs to eat 5-6 times a day in average portions.It is also important to drink a lot of liquids, namely, at least 2.5 liters of water per day.
Complications
Osteochondrosis of the neck is rightfully considered the most dangerous type of this disease, since it is in the cervical region that very important vessels are located with which the brain feeds.
Moreover, in the cervical region, all the vertebrae are very tightly adjacent to one another, so even a small degenerative change in them can easily provoke pinching of the nerve or blood vessels, which threatens with pain, migraine, heart disease, visual impairment and hearing.
This is important
In advanced conditions, osteochondrosis is able to provoke a spinal stroke, as well as a partial loss of mobility.That is why the sooner treatment is started, the lower the risk of dangerous complications.
Prevention
To reduce the risk of developing neck osteochondrosis, doctors advise regularly to engage in preventive sports.For this, swimming, exercise therapy, yoga and walking in the fresh air are great.It is also worth being careful and avoid sharp turns with your head.
In order for the load on the cervical vertebrae is uniform, a person needs to sleep on a high -quality pillow and avoid a long stay at the computer.
Additional preventive measures to protect yourself from osteochondrosis of the neck are:
- A convenient work chair with an orthopedic back should be selected.
- Take a contrast shower.
- Avoid hypothermia and overwork.
- Refuse strong loads in the gym.
- Have a full healthy diet.
- Abandon bad habits.
- In time to treat those diseases that are able to influence the development of osteochondrosis in humans.