Cervical osteochondrosis

Timely treatment of a disease can increase the chances of a quick and successful recovery. But in any case, it is better not to allow the development of a disorder, especially one as severe as cervical osteochondrosis.

Definition of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a fairly common disease that has recently hit younger people more and more often. The disease affects the intervertebral discs of the cervix. Often, the development of the pathological process facilitates degenerative-dystrophic changes of an incorrect body position, for example, due to long work on the computer.

Among other things, the problem can be triggered due to genetic predisposition, poor posture, uncomfortable bedroom and a sedentary lifestyle. Despite the fact that this type of osteochondrosis develops quite slowly, it tends to develop.

In elderly patients, this disease is mainly combined with other degenerative processes, for example:

• interspinous osteoarthritis;
• spondylosis;
• uncovertebral osteoarthritis and so on.

Symptoms

Regarding the most characteristic symptoms, one can first of all notice the occurrence of acute pain that occurs when squeezing nerve endings. Pain is often focused in the lumbar spine, cervix and back area. In addition, you can find other syndromes:

• heart syndrome- consists of several symptoms similar to angina pectoris in manifestation. This syndrome develops during irritation of the roots of the pectoralis major muscle or phrenic nerve. Because of this, a person experiences painful sensations of an urgent nature in the area of ​​the heart muscle, which can periodically occur and continue for several hours. Sneezing or sudden head movements often aggravate the pain. Furthermore, during painful attacks, no changes in the cardiogram can be detected;
• radicular syndrome- occurs in case of squeezing of nerve endings in the cervix. At this moment, pain is felt, which can be given not only to the forearm, shoulder or shoulder blade, but also to the lumbar region. The patient may feel slight tingling or more pronounced sensation, depending on how much osteochondrosis has started;
• irritative reflex syndrome- manifested by a burning pain sensation in the neck. Such symptoms often occur after waking up from sleep during sharp headaches, coughing and sneezing. In addition, pain can manifest not only in the shoulder area but also in the chest area;
• vertebral artery syndromeis ​​one of the typical manifestations of the disease, which is characterized by the occurrence of a burning or throbbing headache, which is more localized in the temporal or occipital region. Often with this syndrome, it is the constant pain that occurs, but sometimes it can occur and subside.

Pay attention!In the presence of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, experts note the person's increased fatigue, which can cause hearing and visual impairment.

As for the other main symptoms of the disease, these include:

• Compression of blood vessels which causes an increase in blood pressure;
• Severe headache caused by decreased blood circulation in the brain. This type of pain can cause the patient to regularly use painkillers;
• vision and hearing problems
• pain, rather severe pain in the neck and shoulders, which can sometimes be aggravated by sharp and very unpleasant "lumbago";
• grinding and crunching when the head is tilted or turned to the side
• decreased muscle strength in the arms due to chest pain
• dizziness.

Important!As soon as the first symptoms of this disease have been noticed, it is necessary to seek the help of a neurologist as soon as possible.

Causes

The main causes of osteochondrosis are the following:

1. Metabolic disorders that adversely affect the normal condition of the cartilage in the intervertebral discs.
2. Insufficient mobility of the uterine vertebrae due to which fluid loss occurs, which in turn adversely affects the elasticity of the cartilage.
3. Microtrauma of the cervix, during head tilts, twists and so on.
4. Poor heredity due to which the disk security margin is very small.

Healing

The therapy process depends directly on the stage of the disease and is based on an integrated approach. On average, treatment lasts from 1 to 3 months, after which it is necessary to support the elimination of symptoms with preventive measures for approx. 1 more year.

The main treatment is performed in two directions depending on the patient's state of health and the level of neglect of the disease. In terms of conservative treatment, this includes taking medication and exercising a bit. Treatment by surgery is performed only if the conservative gave no effect.

It is importantto follow a diet and make sure to adhere to the recommendations regarding therapeutic exercises.

Conservative treatment aims to relieve pain, restore and normalize spinal function, and prevent adverse changes. In such therapy a whole range of therapeutic measures are used:

• spinal traction (traction). Using special medical equipment, stretch the spine to increase the distance between the vertebrae;
• drug therapy. The use of medication during this disease is primarily aimed at relieving pain, relieving inflammation and general normalization of metabolic processes in the body;
• physiotherapy. Thanks to such procedures, it is possible not only to reduce pain, but also to improve the effect of taking medication. Such methods are also used during the rehabilitation period. In this case, laser beams, ultrasonic waves, low-frequency current, work with magnetic fields, etc. are often used;
• kinesitherapyand exercise-based exercise therapy;
• manual therapy. Such treatment is selected individually for each patient;
• massage. Thanks to massage, you can speed up blood circulation in tissues, remove cramps and muscle spasms, generally improve the blood supply to tissues throughout the body.

Although drugs alone cannot cure osteochondrosis, they can help restore tissue blood supply. Therapy must be comprehensive, only in this case we can talk about the effectiveness of treatment. In addition to taking medication, it is imperative to engage in physical therapy, follow a diet, and give up bad habits.

In the absence of pain or pronounced dystrophic changes, it is inappropriate to take medication without a doctor's prescription. The following types of medication are used to treat this disease and relieve pain:

• means for regeneration as well as for the prevention of cartilage degeneration: hyaluronic acid and analogues;
• to relieve inflammation
• preparations for the improvement of tissue blood supply: B vitamins;
• antispasmodics;
• antioxidants: vitamins N, E and C.

Medications can be prescribed not only as tablets and capsules for oral administration, but also as injections or topical ointments / creams. If there are acute complications, drugs are used to block the nerve endings.

Along with drug therapy, it is very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition. Drink at least 1, 5 liters of water a day.

One and a half liters of water a day is the recommended norm for joint and whole body health.

Of course, you can also use herbal teas, fruit drinks, dried fruit compotes or mineral water. Coffee, strong black tea, alcohol and carbonated beverages should be removed from the daily diet.

Prevention

The main causes of osteochondrosis are ignoring the body's demands, heavy loads and malnutrition. Therefore, prevention should be based on complete elimination of adverse effects on the spine and prevention of the occurrence of pathological changes. For these purposes, it is enough to adhere to the usual rules of a healthy lifestyle (healthy lifestyle):

• only moderate physical activity during sports: training in the morning, gymnastics, athletics, whose kind of wrestling, so contactless, swimming is an excellent option;
• in case of prolonged stay in a position, eg when sitting still, it is very important to take breaks at least once every 45-60 minutes. During this period, give your body 5-15 minutes to warm up a bit, which will restore normal blood circulation. It is also very important to pay attention to the right choice of office chairs or armchairs, preferring those who support the spine, controlling the correct placement of the hands at the table and the feet on the floor. Try to independently monitor your posture (your shoulders should be in a relaxed position and your back should be straight);
• It is important to try to control your emotionality in case a convulsive reaction occurs under stress. For these purposes, you need to learn relaxation techniques and systematically participate in massages for general strengthening of the body;
• For sleeping, it is best to choose an orthopedic mattress with a flat surface. Of course, it will not be as soft as a feather bed, but its elasticity will ensure the correct position of the body;
• Drinking plenty of fluids and proper nutrition not only helps maintain metabolism but also strengthens the overall body:

The mental state also has a negative impact on the condition of the joint.

• if it is necessary to move or lift heavy things, it is very important to do it as evenly as possible without sudden lungs and jerks from the half-squat position. It will not be superfluous to use a special support belt;
• an important point is the choice of high-quality orthopedic shoes without high heels with sufficient foot width. It is also possible to reduce the strain on the spine through timely replacement of worn shoes, which is especially important for women. In the summer at the dacha, the sea, if possible, walk barefoot on various surfaces, thereby strengthening the muscles of the foot.

It is important to rememberthat prevention is much better and easier than subsequent treatment of the disease.

Exercises

Under no circumstances should you start exercising and exercising without a doctor's prescription or until the pain syndrome is relieved. The specialist must first relieve any acute symptoms. In the presence of pain symptoms, gymnastics will be painful.

There are some really effective and simple exercises. They can be performed not only at home but also anywhere, including work or even on the road.

Begins to perform the exercises, in any case the original posture sits on a chair, hands folded on the knees:

It's worth starting with a warm up:

1. In the starting position, slowly turn your head to one side until it stops and then to the other. In this moment, you need to feel how the muscles in your neck stretch. As soon as the neck is turned to one side until it stops, turn it a few degrees as gently as possible, avoiding sudden movements and straightening it in this position for 5 seconds. Experts recommend starting any exercise with a warm-up to strengthen the neck muscles. It is enough to perform 5 turns in each direction to develop strength and flexibility in the neck.
2. Then tilt your head so that your ear is approaching your shoulder. It is worth noting that at this point the shoulder must remain immobile. For maximum approach, correct the position. Be careful to ensure that the actions do not cause discomfort or pain. It is enough to perform such inclinations 5 times for each side.

Then move on to the main exercises:

1. Now after the end of the warm-up, you can move on to specific exercises that can give a good result. In the starting position, rest your hand on the right temple. Now try to tilt your head to the right and the hand at this moment should prevent this. The effort should be such that it was heavy, but the head still tilted gradually in this direction. For each side, 10 slopes will be enough. Of course, the hand also needs to be changed.
2. Then understand the occipital region of the head and create resistance, try tilting the head back 5 times.
3. Exactly the same exercise should be performed if you rest your palms on your forehead. Through resistance, pull the chin to the chest. That will be enough for 5 forward bends.
4. The conclusion of the workout may be the warm-up of the traps, which is performed by lowering and raising the shoulders. At the highest point, lock for a few seconds, then lower them and relax completely. Enough for 10 repetitions.
5. Finish the exercise by stretching your neck in different directions. This set of exercises should be performed every day. This is a good option for warming the neck with osteochondrosis.

In addition to strength training, neck flexibility exercises can be included. They not only help strengthen the muscles in the neck but also the tendons. Heating makes your neck more mobile.

The exercises are recommended by specialists not only for osteochondrosis of the cervix, but also for all people over 30 years. The problem is that at this age, muscle fibers lose their flexibility, so it is important to maintain them along with the overall health of the body.

1. The chin should be pulled to the chest and currently helping the head with your hands.
2. Very carefully, with your hands you have to tilt your head to the side to touch the shoulder with your ear.

Only the correct treatment for the first symptoms of osteochondrosis will allow you to cope with this problem as quickly as possible and return to normal life without pain and discomfort.

Then perform several circular movements of the head in one direction and then in the other. That will be enough for 8 revolutions for each side. The exercise must be performed very carefully. For safety reasons, you can hold your head with your hands.