Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is a degenerative process of damage to the intervertebral discs and cartilage tissue, gradually passing to the vertebrae. In an untreated state, osteochondrosis leads to such terrible diseases as radicular syndrome, humeroscapular periarthrosis, etc.
Currently, every third person is affected by cervical osteochondrosis, the causes of which can be very different. But, despite his mass character, he is extremely insidious and does not forgive a careless attitude towards himself. How to treat cervical osteochondrosis, regardless of the stage of development? First you need to understand what kind of disease it is - cervical osteochondrosis and the reasons that caused it.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The main reason for the development of the disease is the same as for other parts of the spine - a sedentary, sedentary lifestyle. This applies both to the younger generation over 20 and to people who have just crossed the 40-year mark: with increasing age, the consequences of an unbalanced diet, lack of vitamins and calcium in the body, metabolic disorders and salt deposits are felt more strongly.
Add here infectious, toxic, endocrine diseases and genetic predisposition, and now your head hurts with osteochondrosis, it is difficult to turn your neck to the side, dull pain does not allow you to think about anything else. This leads to an increase in pressure and injury to nerve endings. There is a state of numbness, tingling, heaviness - symptoms that turn into a headache with osteochondrosis, which makes itself felt. By the way, cervical osteochondrosis and pressure, especially increased pressure, is a natural process, as the arteries become clogged and disrupt the outflow.
The development of cervical osteochondrosis first begins with the intervertebral discs: under the influence of negative factors, the nucleus pulposus begins to lose moisture and elasticity, and microcracks are formed. As a result, the shock-absorbing functions of the intervertebral disc deteriorate and the load on the vertebrae underneath increases. Microcracks and osteophytes (bone outgrowths) also form in them so that the vertebra can cope with the increasing load area. But the extra mass of osteophytes begins to put pressure on the nerve roots or compress the vertebral artery. And a headache with cervical osteochondrosis is the very first symptom that you need to pay attention to.
If subluxations occur in the intervertebral joints in the future, the neck muscles must be constantly tensed to keep the vertebrae in their previous state. But the muscles get tired of the tension, and the load falls on the vertebrae again, aggravating the development of osteochondrosis.
If you have a headache with osteochondrosis, you feel a constant spasm of the neck muscles, you want to get a massage regularly - consult a doctor. The clinics provide qualified medical care in many areas, including medical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, manual therapy and massage.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
If you suffered from dizziness, numbness in the muscles of the neck and back, headache - hurry to the doctor, there are obvious signs of osteochondrosis. Cervical-brachial osteochondrosis, manifested by the above symptoms, is an unpleasant disease if left untreated.
The risk group is:
- experienced drivers;
- people who sit at the computer all the time;
- people with diseases of the spine;
- Pupils.
All of these people spend most of their time in one position with a fixed position of the muscles, which leads to their spasms.
Cervical osteochondrosis of the 1st degree is characterized by shooting pains, lumbago. Similar back pain occurs with lumbago of lumbosacral osteochondrosis. Untrained muscles from a sedentary lifestyle are under-nourished and begin to age. This can happen both in the 20th and in the 50th year of life. The degenerative destruction of the vertebrae then leads to a second-degree osteochondrosis of the neck region.
Signs of stage 2 osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are inflammatory processes, rupture of the capsule and the appearance of osteophytes. This process can take several years, then die off, then reignite, simultaneously causing "falling head syndrome" when the patient is forced to press their head with their hands to relieve the headache. Another symptom thatwhich indicates cervical osteochondrosis is dizziness, the treatment of which cannot be started.
In the past, only a physical examination and x-rays were required for diagnosis. But in this case, the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis would not be reliable, since x-rays cannot show a full picture of the development of the disease. This requires CT and MRI procedures that show foci of inflammation, circulatory disorders, pathologies and neoplasms.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine begins with diagnosis, first of all, restoring muscle tone. Pain in cervical osteochondrosis in the initial stages of the disease is not so severe and does not require medical treatment. It is enough to undergo a special massage or manual therapy, review working conditions and switch to a healthier lifestyle: sit less at the computer, move more and do light physical work.
But if you feel dizzy, osteochondrosis does not allow you to turn your neck, and the pain does not give you rest - you need comprehensive and medical treatment. In this case, to relieve pain, the doctor prescribes analgesics (in the acute stage - injections), then tablets, ointments and gels with a warming effect. A professionally performed massage for cervical osteochondrosis also brings great relief and relieves pain for a while.
The main stages in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- removal of pain syndrome;
- removal of edema;
- normalization of blood circulation;
- strengthening muscles and increasing tone;
- restoration of tissue regeneration.
Comprehensive treatment of cervical osteochondrosis consists of treatment with drugs and acupuncture techniques, acupuncture and reflexology, manual therapy and massage, folk remedies and homeopathic preparations.
All medical prescriptions and therapeutic procedures can be obtained in clinics where you are at your service offices with modern equipment, hospitals and professional doctors with many years of experience. In order for the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis to be correctly established and adequate treatment to be carried out, a whole team of doctors with a narrow specialty is required: a vertebrologist and a surgeon, a masseur and a neurologist, a physiotherapist.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the neck region
Cervical osteochondrosis, headache, dizziness, back pain, burning pain in the neck and shoulders are symptoms that prevent a person from leading a normal life. But all this can be avoided if you stick to simple things: a right and healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, more exercise and therapeutic exercises.