Even about 30 years ago, osteochondrosis was associated exclusively with the elderly, whose joints become inactive and are damaged by every movement. However, times have changed. Today, more and more people are switching from hard physical work to sedentary work at the computer, less and less monitoring the quality of food and more and more often experiencing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. It is not uncommon for osteochondrosis to be called the "disease of the century" and almost every person who has reached the age of 25 experiences the symptoms of this disease.
This insidious disease, starting with unpleasant pain in the neck area, leads very quickly to serious consequences in the form of hearing and vision impairment, as well as impaired memory to complete loss. This is why every person should know the causes of osteochondrosis and consult a doctor in time in case of unpleasant symptoms of the disease. We will talk about them in this article.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
Surprisingly, all our problems with the cervical spine start in early childhood, or rather in elementary school, where the child's posture worsens and scoliosis develops. At the moment the support system of the head from the spine is disturbed, especially from its thinnest and most vulnerable part - the cervix. The second major cause of cervical osteochondrosis, which originates in early childhood, is poor physical condition, especially the weakness of the spinal muscles and the so-called muscular corset designed to support the spine.
These are the two most important causes of the disease. All the rest are heavy weights for the weakened spine, causing the disease to develop in quite young and healthy people. First of all, these include a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical exercise, especially work, which is associated with a long stay in one place. This is more common for drivers and office workers sitting at the computer in shifts. All this is supplemented by excess weight, which significantly increases the load on the spine.
Other causes of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- previous spinal injuries?
- metabolic disorders?
- hereditary predisposition?
- excellent physical activity.
- constant nervous tension and stress?
- abnormalities of the cervical spine
- bad habits (holding the earphone with your ear and shoulder).
The development of osteochondrosis
These adverse factors eventually lead to an increase in cervical load. When you try to compensate for the excessive load on the neck muscles, their spasm occurs, which leads to reduced blood circulation in this area and reduced metabolic processes. All this translates into the development of degenerative processes in the spine. First of all, the vertebrae begin to thin and converge, squeezing their contents (annulus fibrosus) out of the spine. This protrusion in the language of doctors is called a protrusion.
In the case of the protrusion, the fibrous ring still maintains its integrity, but the protrusion already compresses the blood vessels and nerves that run along the spine and feed the brain. In addition, the converging and deformed vertebrae begin to compress the roots of the peripheral nerves, which leads to the development of the so-called "radical syndrome", which manifests itself as severe pain in the back and neck. If you do not find a problem (of which unpleasant symptoms will signal eloquently) and do not begin to treat osteochondrosis, the fibrous ring will break and a spinal hernia will appear. In this case, there will be serious problems with the nutrition of the brain.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
During its development, the disease goes through various stages, each of which has characteristic signs and symptoms. It should be noted here that osteochondrosis of the cervical spine differs from degenerative changes in other parts of the spine. The distances between the vertebrae are minimal here and therefore even small degenerative changes cause unpleasant symptoms and lead to various complications.
1. Grade I osteochondrosis
This is the preclinical stage of the disease, in which the patient experiences mild pain and discomfort during head turns, as well as tension and fatigue in the neck and back during prolonged stay in one position (most often insitting position) At this stage, osteochondrosis is perfectly treated with lifestyle changes, dietary adjustments and regular exercise.
2. Grade II osteochondrosis
At this stage, instability occurs between the vertebrae in the neck. A person in this case experiences severe pain that radiates to the shoulder, neck or arm. During tilts or turns of the head, the pain increases significantly, as, due to the reduction of the distance between the vertebrae, the nerve endings begin to weaken. The patient begins to get tired quickly, his performance decreases, distraction, weakness appears and suffers from headaches.
3. Grade III osteochondrosis
With the onset of the third stage of the disease, the pain in the back and neck becomes even stronger, the mobility of the neck decreases significantly and when the neck turns, the crisis of the vertebrae can be heard. At night, the patient's fingers begin to numb (mainly the little finger and ring finger), which is why the person wakes up several times at night. Throughout the day, such patients have unpleasant heaviness in the hands. Even a brief conversation on the phone, in which a person is forced to hold the phone close to the ear, turns into an unpleasant tingling and numbness in the fingers. All this indicates an increase in the protrusion and possibly the appearance of a hernia in the cervical spine.
4. Grade IV osteochondrosis
In the last stage of the disease, the vertebral discs are destroyed, which cease to perform their functions and begin to be replaced by connective tissue. A patient in this condition may experience impaired coordination of movement, noise and irritation in the ears, increased headache, visual acuity and hearing loss. In some cases, numbness of the tongue may occur.
Here we must say that due to the compression of blood vessels, blood flow to the brain is disrupted. Because of this, the patient develops neurotic disorders such as insomnia, nervousness, irritability and dissatisfaction, frequent mood swings and inability to concentrate. Periodically, outbursts of anger or fear, melancholy and depression may occur.
In the later stages of osteochondrosis development, severe vascular spasms can lead to the appearance of a "fly" in front of the eyes, a feeling of instability on a hard flat surface, severe dizziness, migraines, nausea, vomiting and frequent fainting.
Disease Diagnostics
To identify the cause of the pathology, the patient describes to the doctor the unpleasant symptoms of his condition. After listening to the patient, the specialist sends him to one of the following research methods.
1. X-ray. At present, this diagnostic method is considered non-informative, especially in the later stages of disease development.
2. Duplex scanning with ultrasound. This method is used in cases where a specialist assumes a violation of blood flow to the arteries that supply food to the brain. The study shows the speed of blood flow and determines if there are obstacles in its path.
3. CT (computed tomography). This method is more informative than X-rays, as it not only reveals the problem, but also allows you to determine the presence and size of hernias, albeit with difficulty.
4. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). The most up-to-date method for diagnosing osteochondrosis today, which allows you to see the bone structures, the presence of hernia and even the direction of their growth.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
Let's say right away that to deal with such a serious problem as cervical osteochondrosis, you should contact a neurologist. True, if the clinic has a vertebrate, it is best to contact him first.
Help for severe pain
In case of severe pain, doctors recommend taking medications such as Analgin, Baralgin or Tempalgin. When these medications no longer provide relief, you can switch to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Generally, drug therapy includes the following means:
- NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). These treatments eliminate pain, relieve swelling and treat inflammation of the nerve roots.
- Chondroprotectors. Such drugs perfectly repair the damaged cartilage tissue.
- B vitamins. They are necessary for the improvement of metabolic processes in the nervous tissues.
- Muscle relaxants. These drugs work to reduce muscle spasms.
- Preparations that improve the rheological properties of the blood. Thanks to such media, the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain and nerve endings is improved.
It should be noted here that it is possible to achieve a tangible effect in the fight against osteochondrosis with the help of ointments and tablets only if drug treatment is combined with other methods of treatment. Otherwise, the drugs will only have a temporary effect.
Many specialists tend to treat osteochondrosis with injections, so that they act quickly on the nerve endings and save the patient from possible side effects while taking the pills. However, vitamins are best taken orally because the vitamins are well absorbed by the body by any method of intake, but injections with them can be painful.Physiotherapy treatments
Drug therapy should be combined with physical therapy methods. The most effective for this disease are:
- Electrophoresis (in combination with drugs). In this case, the drugs penetrate the damaged vertebrae under the influence of electricity.
- Ultrasound. This method of exposure allows you to remove the inflammatory process, relieve pain and improve metabolic processes in the tissues.
- Magnetotherapy. This type of physiotherapy relieves swelling and pain.
- Laser treatment. It is an excellent method of fighting inflammation and improves blood circulation.
Diet for osteochondrosis
Reconstructing the affected vertebrae also includes a special diet that normalizes metabolic processes in the body, prevents salt deposition, nourishes and restores cartilage tissue and also strengthens the connections between the vertebral discs.
To achieve this, first of all, the following should be excluded from the patient's diet:- alcoholic beverages?
- fatty and fried foods?
- spicy and very salty foods.
- strong broths?
- weaknesses and pastries;
- strong tea and coffee?
- pickles and marinades?
- canned products.
The diet of a patient with osteochondrosis should consist of the following foods:
- lean meat and fish?
- low fat milk, cottage cheese and kefir?
- butter (small amount);
- whole grains and soups
- jelly, fish meat or meat?
- vegetables, fruits and berries?
- juices, fruit drinks, jellies and compotes.
When osteochondrosis is located in the cervical spine, it is important to follow the consumption regime, drinking at least 1. 5 liters of water a day. If you are overweight, then you need to think about how to get rid of these extra pounds, which put extra pressure on the spine. It is recommended to alternate meals 5 times a day in small portions.
At the same time, as shown by the list of allowed foods, the basis of food should be vegetarian soups with low fat, cooked lean meat, fish, seafood, vegetables and fruits without sugar.
A sample menu for the day will look like this:
- Breakfast: cottage cheese, some apples, tea without sugar
- lunch: baked pear, some oatmeal cookies.
- lunch: vegetarian borscht, boiled chicken with vegetable salad.
- afternoon snack: dry biscuits and fruit juice?
- dinner: grilled fish with vegetables and tea without sugar.
Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis
Physical therapy gives tremendous results in the treatment of osteochondrosis, although it is possible to exercise for the cervical spine only during the recovery period. It is important here that during the massage or exercise process the patient does not feel discomfort and pain.
Here are some of the most effective exercises aimed at strengthening the neck muscles and improving blood circulation in this area.
Exercise # 1
Lying on your stomach and resting your hands on the floor, slowly raise your head and torso so that your back is straight. Hold this position for 1 minute and then return to the starting position. The item is repeated 2-3 times.
Exercise # 2
Lying on your stomach and stretching your arms along your body, lift your head slightly and start turning it first to the right, trying to touch the floor with your ear and then to the left. Make 6 turns in each direction.
Exercise # 3
Sitting on the floor while inhaling, bend forward, trying to reach your chest with your chin, and as you exhale, return to the starting position and tilt your head back. Repeat the item 10-15 times.
Exercise # 4
Place your palms on your forehead and try to press hard on your head. At the same time, while stretching your neck muscles, hold on to your arms, preventing you from tilting your head. Hold the pressure for 20-30 seconds, then lower your arms and relax. Repeat the item 2-3 times and then repeat the exercise in the opposite direction, bringing the arms together at the back of the head.
Exercise # 5
Slowly start turning your head to the right and left, trying to look behind your back. Make 10 turns on each side.