Neck osteochondrosis - symptoms and treatment

Osteocondrosis in cervical spine (shopping) is one of the most common pathologies in the musculoskeletal system.Every year, doctors diagnose this disease more and more often and it continues more and heavier.According to statistics, degenerative dystrophic changes occur in the upper spine of women more often, especially for patients during the period after fertilization.The main symptoms of cervical osteocondrosis in women are pain, limitation of mobility, cerebrovascular failure, and this is dangerous not only to health but also for life.To protect yourself from the dangerous consequences of pathology, begin its treatment in the early stages.It is important to perform extensive therapy, change the lifestyle to stop the destruction of vertebrates and prevent serious complications.

The development of the disease

Cervical spine is most vulnerable to various damage and degenerative changes.This is because this segment is the most mobile and the muscles here are weak.Small cervical vertebrae daily withstand strong load, leading to the gradual destruction of the intervertebral disks.The vertebrae press on each other, due to which the cartilage gaskets between them lose a lot of fluids, begin to deteriorate and deform.

In addition, osteochondrosis of cervical spine is developed due to insufficient cartilage nutrition.And the spinal canal in this area is narrow, so it is often squeezed out, causing neurological symptoms.

The pathology of women in the early stages is manifested by the weight of the back of the head, the tingling in their hands and so on.Often, patients confuse the first signs of the disease with overtime.

A large number of blood vessels and nerve roots are located in the neck area, and neurological disorders can also occur with their compression.It is especially dangerous if the deformed disk or vertebrae compresses the spine that nourishes important parts of the brain.During its compression, coordination of movements is violated, a woman may lose equilibrium, her vision, hearing worsening, and the risk of stroke increases.

Reference.According to statistics, cervical osteochondrosis is most often found in patients from 25-40 years.This is due to a mass drop in physical activity, sitting work.In women, a disease is found more often than in men, as they have more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.

Doctors separate 4 stages of osteochondrosis store:

• Step 1 - The intervertebral disk loses part of the moisture, its height decreases, cracks can appear on the fibrous ring (outer shell).This is the scene of cervical chondrosis, which is difficult to detect as it has unpublished symptoms.The throat quickly becomes tired, discomfort, the severity of the damaged area occurs, sometimes a small pain is shown that passes quickly.
• 2 steps - cracks on the surface of the disk are increased, the pulpose core (geldy -like content on the disk) is displaced and can protrude through damaged areas.So the protrusion of cartilage is manifested, which can compress the spinal cord and its roots.On a regular basis, pronounced pain, weakness, limitation of mobility, numbness of the face, neck, shoulders, hands may occur.
• Step 3 - projections break the outer shell on the disk to form a hernia.The pain becomes more pronounced, there are neurological disorders.
• Step 4 - The disk is almost completely destroyed, the vertebrae rub against each other, bone growth (osteophytes) appear on their parts designed to stabilize the damaged segment.Nerve endings, spinal cord, blood vessels are offended.The nearby joints begin to be damaged.Clinical characters are pronounced.

It is easiest to stop degenerative-dystrophic changes in the first two stages of chop osteochondrosis.In 3 steps, extensive treatment will help stop the additional destruction of the spinal cord segment.On the last step you cannot manage without surgery.

Causes

Schop osteochondrosis is a complex and long -lasting process that most often has several reasons.In most cases, pathology occurs due to a sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition and metabolic disorders.Often the disease occurs due to damage or due to the natural aging of the body and the weakening of its protective forces.

Doctors separate the main causes of osteocondrosis in women:

• Violation of metabolic processes.
• Passive lifestyle.
• Genetic disposal.
• Chronic muscle tension around the cervical segment.
• Curvature with posture.
• Lack of fluid and nutrients in the body.
• Long -term stay in an unpleasant position (the neck stretched forward and a hanged back).
• Excessive weight.
• Frequent wear in heels.
• Store injuries.
• Stig heavy objects.
• Autoimmune pathologies.
• Frequent loads, chronic fatigue.
• Hypothermia.
• Infectious diseases.
• Too long or short neck and so on.

All of these factors provoke a violation of the nutrition of the intervertebral disks and lead to their degeneration.

Female cervical osteocondrosis may be caused by pathologies of the spine associated with genetic disposal, intrauterine disorders, injuries during childbirth.The disease can occur due to arthritis, endocrine disorders, excessive strain on the cervix segment during pregnancy, local overloads.

Important.The main causes of cervical osteocondrosis in women are menopause as well as changes in this period.At this step, the concentration of progesterone in the body is reduced, which is very important for bone tissue.The likelihood of degenerative changes is associated with age -related weakening of the neck muscles and weakening of the support from the vertebrae in this area.

Symptoms

Osteocondrosis is characterized by a wave -like course when the acute period is replaced by remission.Aggravation can provoke infections, injuries, hypothermia, long stresses on the neck.

The first signs of cervical osteocondrosis in women are headaches, discomfort, severity in the neck.It is important to distinguish in time to distinguish pain for chondrosis from migraine or autonomous dysfunction.

The clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis in women are caused by neurological syndromes:

• Cervical discs occur with irritation of nerve endings with fragments of damaged cartilage inserting.Then a specific crunch appears in the neck, pain that becomes more pronounced as the head moves and after sleep.
• The stair muscle syndrome is the result of damage to the vessels and nerves of the shoulder plexus and the subclavian artery.This symptom complex is accompanied by pain from the inner surface of the shoulder to the hand from the damaged side.The limb becomes pale, cool, edematous, numbness occurs.The pain in the neck spreads on the back of the head when the patient turns the head.
• The syndrome of the shoulder -Brave periarrose - dystrophic changes affect the tendon fibers that surround the shoulder.Painful sensations from the neck radiate to the shoulder and shoulder be up.There is a forced position of the neck - it is prone in the affected side and the shoulder is lowered slightly.
• Spinal arteries syndrome - a blood vessel compresses fragments of a damaged disk or osteophyt (depending on the stage of the disease).The patient spins and headaches, nausea, sometimes vomiting occurs.The pain is located at the back of the head, crown and temples.
• Cardial - The nerve beams on the spinal cord are damaged.There is heart pain, arrhythmia.In case of damage to C3, pain appears in half of the neck, the tongue swells, the patient cannot chew food normally.If the C4 is injured, discomfort appears in the area with shoulder green, neck bone, heart.With damage to the C5, the paintering reaction from the neck spreads to the shoulder, the inner surface of the shoulder.Irritation of C6 is manifested by pain from the neck and shoulder blades to the shoulder of the shoulder and spread throughout the hand to the thumb.If the C7 is damaged, the pain syndrome extends in the back of the shoulder green, grabs the whole hand, including the index and the middle finger.When you compress C8, the pain spreads from the affected area to the elbow and the little finger.

A woman can also be disturbed by the emotional sphere, weakness occurs, it becomes anxious, touchy.Often there is insomnia, memory weakens, attention due to regular headaches.

Symptoms of cerebrovascular circulation disorders appear when a woman suddenly throws her back, tilt it or perform a work where her hands and cervical spine are filled, for example when she digs, paints the ceiling, tolerates the difficulty.

Violation of cerebral circulation is manifested by dizziness, shaking gait, "flies" in front of the eyes, noise in the ears, weakness, nausea.In some patients, the voice becomes hoarse, sometimes disappears, the throat pain appears.

Osteochondrosis in menopause is accompanied by migraines, improved by the sweat of the body in the area between the neck and the shoulders.When compressing the spine, the work of the cardiovascular system is disturbed.

If the disease occurs for a long time, there is a lack of blood circulation of important centers performing neuro-endocrine functions.Due to the increased permeability of the vascular walls, atherosclerosis develops in the brain and the arteries of the heart.

Diagnosis

If you notice the symptoms of osteocondrosis, go to the therapist.After a visual inspection, the specialist will refer you to an orthopedic, vertebraologist or neurologist.

The following methods are used for diagnosis of cervical osteocondrosis:

• X -Ray allows you to find out that the patient has the vertebrae of the patient, osteophytes are present at their edges, the distance between the vertebrae has fallen.For this, the study is performed in different plans.To detail the distinctive changes, the doctor aims to aim images.
• CT for the cervical department provides detailed information on pathological changes in the vertebrae.This method allows you to get volumetric images for a more detailed study, it is used in severe diagnostic cases.
• MRI is used to accurately assess the condition of soft tissue (nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, muscles) in the affected area.
• Electromyography allows you to control the conductivity of the nerve fiber.

Doctors can also prescribe UZDG (ultrasound dopplerography of the brain's most important arteries) to determine the condition of the blood flow in this area.

Conservative treatment

In the early stages, treatment with chop osteochondrosis in women can be performed at home.However, a doctor should be prepared by a doctor.It is important to understand that this is a long process and is likely to be completely healed (especially older women).

The composition of complex treatment includes:

• Take medicine.
• Using orthopedic devices.
• Therapeutic gymnastics.
• Physiotherapeutic procedures.
• Massage, manual exposure.
• Alternative treatment methods.

Conservative techniques will help stop pain, inflammation, normalize muscle tone, improve metabolic processes, nutrition of damaged backing.With timely therapy, it is possible to stop pathological changes.

Medicine for cervical osteocondrosis will help get rid of inflammation and pain.

Treatment of cervical osteocondrosis in women is performed using medications that will help improve metabolism in cartilage packs between the vertebrae, stops inflammation, pain.The following medicines are used for this purpose:

• NSAID.Inflammation and pain by mild or medium force will help relieve.
• Analgesics.Stop the pain syndrome.
• Preparations for improving cerebral circulation.
• Musodies help eliminate muscle spasm.
• Chondroprotectors.They help stop the destruction of disks, improve metabolic processes, speed up improvement.
• Majesty -based medicine.
• Nootropics.They stimulate the function of the brain due to the normalization of its circuit, has a mild sedative effect.

Reference.With intense pain that is not stopped by oral drugs, therapeutic blockade is used, for example with a solution of Novocaine or NSAIDs.

You can supplement the treatment with anti -inflammatory and painkillers in the form of gels, creams and ointments.They will be effective at the remission stage or in combination with oral agents.

The decision to choose medical combinations is made by the doctor.The specialist prepares a diagram of taking medicine and also determines their dosage.It is important to follow his recommendations as many of the above medication threatens dangerous complications.

In the acute phase of osteochondrosis, the woman had to give up heavy physical activity.To unload the cervix segment, you must carry a special cross (Shantsa collar) which will fix the vertebrae in the correct position.This device is recommended to be used for prolonged sitting or hard physical work.

Physiotherapeutic procedures will help weaken the pain and improve blood circulation in the damaged area:

• Diadinamotherapy.
• Magnetotherapy.
• Electrophoresis.
• Electro analgesia.
• Ultraviolet irradiation and so on.

The therapeutic effect manifests itself after the third session, then headaches, hearing disorders, vision, dizziness, sleep and the general condition improves or disappears.

Using the underwater traction of the cervical segment, you can extend the distance between the vertebrae, release the nerve or blood vessel from compression and restore the normal placement of the vertebrae.

Massage normalizes the muscle tone, reduces the flow of lymphatic fluid, causing swelling.After a few sessions, blood circulation is improved in the damaged area.

Therapeutic gymnastics is one of the most effective methods of treating chop osteochondrosis.LFK allows you to strengthen the weak muscles of the neck, which then takes part of the load from the spine and helps stop or slow down degenerative-dystrophic changes.During classes, blood circulation, metabolic processes, disks nutrition are improved accelerated, which positively affects their condition.

Women need to complete training every day.They consist of simple but effective exercises.The complex consists of turns, lashes of the head in different directions as well as movements in the neck where the hands use.These elements can be performed at home, but only after the doctor's permission.Medical physical exercise is performed only at the remission stage.

Complex treatment can be supplemented with reflexology (acupuncture), hirudotherapy (leech treatment), swimming and so on.

Surgical treatment

The action is prescribed in the last stages of osteochondrosis of the chop, which is accompanied by the serious destruction of bones -ocal structures.Nor can surgical intervention be performed if conservative methods were ineffective or spinal cord duct significantly narrowed.

In the above case, the front cervical discoCtomy is performed.During the procedure, the doctor immobilizes the damaged segment of the spine and removes hernia that pressed the spinal nerve.Then the vertebrae used by the disk was used.If necessary, the space between the vertebrae is filled with a synthetic effort (cage).

After 3-5 days, the patient is excreted home.The rehabilitation period is approx.12 weeks.To speed up improvement, take medicine, carry a cross, lead the right lifestyle, go to physiotherapeutic procedures and perform training therapy over time.

Life recommendations

To quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms of osteocondrosis and stop degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cervical segment, adjust the lifestyle.For this, the patient must follow the following recommendations:

• Go for hiking daily, avoid running, jumping and other explosive stress.
• You cannot carry heavy objects.
• You cannot sit for a long time, in extreme cases to carry a corset and periodically take a horizontal position.
• Perform special physical exercises for the back muscles at home.
• Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and a special pillow.
• Follow the diet, refill the diet with products rich in magnesium, calcium (nuts, dairy products, seafood, legumes) and plant fiber, chondroitin (jelly, jelly).Need oily, fried, for salt food, alcohol.Read more about the current rules will be advised by the doctor.But in any case, it must be correct.

Numbering cannot be allowed, heating will benefit from the absence of an inflammatory process.

Complications

In the absence of timely treatment of cervical osteocondrosis, a woman may feel the following consequences of the pathology:

• The probability of projections occurs, which after a while transforms into a hernia.The protrusion compresses the spinal cord as well as its nerves and causes neurological disorders.
• Ostepping cabins occur with severe damage to the disk, they irritate the spinal cord nerves and blood vessels.
• In advanced cases, a strong weakening of the neck muscles or incomplete paralysis is possible, then the head hangs involuntarily to the side or forward.
• Compression of vertebral arteries, circulatory violation in the affected area.This condition can cause neuralgia (pain along the nerve), flax reduction and vision.
• Paralysis (incomplete or full) hands.
• Brainstroke.

If a woman engages in solving the problem in the early stages of osteocondrosis in the store, she will be able to warn the above conditions.

Preventive measures

Ideally, the prophylaxis of osteochondrosis of chop is needed during the period of intrauterine development.The future mother must exclude factors that adversely affect the development of the fetus: infections, oxygen -tult, poisoning.If there is a birth injury, the newborn must undergo treatment.

To reduce the likelihood of developing chop osteochondrosis, a woman must follow the following recommendations:

• Stop the spine evenly, for example, carry a load in both hands or in return in the right and then to the left.
• Do not lift too much weight yourself.
• Try to avoid damage to your throat, hypothermia.
• While working in garden areas, take a break every 1.5 hours go to rest for 20 minutes.
• Choose shoes with an elastic sole that will soften punches while running or jumping.
• Use a chair with a high back and a headrest or on a corset.

It is also important to eat, control weight, avoid stress, take vitamin preparations for medical reasons, treat pathologies in time, which can cause osteocondrosis.At the remission stage, it is recommended to visit sanatoriums to undergo a course of treatment.

The most important thing

As you can see, osteocondrosis of the cervix occurs more often than in men, as the former has more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.Patients are especially susceptible to patients in the post -climacteric period.The disease is manifested by pain, neurological disorders as well as dangerous symptoms of cerebrovascular accident.Treatment is recommended to start in the early stages to avoid dangerous complications of osteochondrosis.To do this, a woman must take medicine, adjust the lifestyle, visit physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, perform physiotherapy exercises.Surgical treatment appears only in advanced cases.To prevent pathology, observe moderate physical activity, treat damage and diseases that can provoke osteocondrosis in time.