Hondrostrong Official site
Share this

BACK Effective methods for treating osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

In the modern world, almost all people over 25 years old suffer from this disease.Cervical osteochondrosis occurs much more often than in other parts of the spine.The relevance of this topic is difficult to overestimate.In this article we will see why this disease occurs, how it manifests itself, how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, what medications are effective in treating it, what non-pharmacological methods exist, and we will also find out the answers to the most common questions of patients with a similar diagnosis.Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a degenerative-dystrophic (progressive) lesion of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine.

pain

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

As a result of the action of the factors listed below, there is an increase in the load on the cervical spine, the neck muscles try to compensate for the excess load, their spasm occurs and blood circulation in this area is disturbed, which causes degenerative changes.Due to a number of factors, changes occur in the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine, their structure changes, their nutrition is altered, changes occur in the small joints between the vertebrae, bone growths of the vertebral bodies appear due to the increased load on the altered intervertebral discs.Click to enlarge: exercise therapy for osteochondrosis of any part of the spine.Factors contributing to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

  • Bad posture and scoliosis.
  • overweight
  • Physical inactivity, sedentary work.
  • Previous spinal injuries
  • Metabolic disorder
  • Great physical activity
  • Stress and constant nervous tension.
  • Low level of physical condition.
  • hereditary predisposition
  • Common incorrect body positions, such as holding the phone receiver with your shoulder.
  • Constant tension in the back and neck due to the nature of work (tense state while sitting) among drivers and office workers.
  • Developmental anomalies in the cervical spine.

Degree of development of cervical osteochondrosis.

The degree of osteochondrosis is determined by the clinical picture and the patient's complaints.The concept of degree should not be confused with the stages of osteochondrosis.The stages will be discussed below.

first grade

The clinical manifestations are minimal, the patient may complain of low-intensity pain in the cervical spine, which may intensify when turning the head.Physical examination may reveal slight tightness in the neck muscles.

second grade

The patient is worried about pain in the cervical spine, its intensity is much greater, the pain can radiate to the shoulder or arm.This occurs due to a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc and pinching of the nerve roots.The pain intensifies when tilting and turning the head.The patient may notice decreased performance, weakness and headache.

third grade

The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis intensify, the pain becomes constant and radiates to the arm or shoulder.Numbness or weakness appears in the muscles of the arm, as intervertebral disc herniations form (see symptoms of lumbar hernia).I am worried about weakness and dizziness.During the examination, limited mobility in the cervical spine and pain on palpation of the cervical spine are revealed.

fourth grade

The intervertebral disc is completely destroyed and replaced with connective tissue.Dizziness increases, tinnitus appears and coordination is altered, since the vertebral artery that supplies the cerebellum and the occipital lobe of the brain intervenes in the process.

Symptoms depending on the damaged vertebra.

Separately, we can distinguish radicular syndromes that lead to certain sensory and motor disorders.They differ depending on which vertebra compresses the spinal root:

  • C1: causes numbness and loss of sensation in the back of the head;
  • C2: pain in the parietal region and neck;
  • C3: speech disturbance, tongue sensitivity, pain and decreased sensation on the side where the spinal nerve is pinched;
  • C4 - pain in the heart, left hypochondrium, shoulder, scapula, respiratory disorders, decreased tone of the neck muscles;
  • C5: shoulder pain in the outer area;
  • C6: pain radiating from the forearm to the thumb, as well as from the neck to the shoulder blade;
  • C7 - pain in the back of the shoulder, from the neck to the shoulder blade, radiating to the forearm up to 2-4 fingers;
  • C8: pain from the neck to the shoulder, from the forearm to the little finger.

Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis.

Basic diagnostic methods:

  • X-ray of the cervical spine.It is an uninformative method, especially in the later stages of the disease.
  • Computed tomography.It better shows changes in the vertebrae, but it is difficult to determine the size and presence of intervertebral hernias, as well as the presence of disc-spinal conflict (compression by a spinal cord herniation).
  • Magnetic resonance imaging.The most informative method.Not only the bone structures are clearly seen, but also the intervertebral discs, hernias, their size and the direction of their growth.
  • If a violation of blood flow in the vertebral arteries is suspected, duplex ultrasound is used.This method allows you to accurately determine whether there is a decrease in the speed of blood flow or whether there are obstacles to normal blood flow.

Radiological stages of cervical osteochondrosis.

  • Stage 1: minimal changes in the configuration of the vertebrae, softening of cervical lordosis (curvature).
  • Stage 2: instability between the vertebrae, possible displacement of one vertebra with respect to another, torsion (rotation around the axis of the spine), slight decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc.
  • Stage 3: reduction in the height of the intervertebral disc to ¼ of the disc above it, changes in the intervertebral joints, posterior osteophytes (bone growths), narrowing of the intervertebral foramina and narrowing of the spinal canal in which the spinal cord with its membranes is located.
  • Stage 4: significant reduction in the height of the intervertebral disc, significant changes in the intervertebral joints, huge posterior osteophytes, significant narrowing of the intervertebral foramina and significant narrowing of the spinal canal with the formation of myelopathy.

Symptoms

Damage to the upper spine can manifest itself in a variety of symptoms, depending on the location and severity of the dystrophic process, as well as the severity of the involvement of the root structures of the cervical spine.Often, patients' complaints are reduced to seemingly unrelated symptoms, which can complicate the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of the disease.In general, the clinical picture of cervical osteochondrosis consists of the following series of syndromes:

  • Vertebral, characterized by various types of pain in the back of the head and neck.
  • Spinal, in which symptoms of altered motor and sensory innervation are observed, in addition, altered trophism of the cervical area causes gradual atrophy of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms.
  • Radicular, expressed in pain symptoms in the area of the peritoneal and thoracic organs, requiring additional comprehensive diagnosis to differentiate osteochondrosis and diseases of the internal organs.
  • Vertebral artery syndrome with cervical osteochondrosis is a vestibular disorder that is manifested by headaches, hearing impairment, dizziness and even loss of consciousness.These phenomena occur due to cerebral ischemia due to infringement of the vertebral artery and weakening of the blood supply.

How to treat cervical osteochondrosis?

Osteochondrosis of the cervical segment develops gradually, and patients usually seek treatment already at the stage of clinical manifestations that interfere with the quality of life, during periods of exacerbation.How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is decided only by a doctor after a proper diagnosis;Self-medication in this case is unacceptable.Treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck is aimed at eliminating pain, inflammation, partial or complete restoration of the affected tissue structures and preventing complications.Treatment should be predominantly outpatient;any home procedure can only be performed in conjunction with medical prescriptions, after instrumental and laboratory diagnostics.In advanced cases, in severe stages of development of neurological lesions and concomitant pathologies, hospital treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with the possibility of surgical intervention may be indicated.

Pharmacological treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

It consists of prescribing cycles of medications that relieve symptoms of pain and inflammation.In the acute period, medications in injectable form are indicated;After some pain disappears, the patient takes tablets, locally acting agents in the form of ointments and continues to receive injections.

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They are considered the drugs of choice in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis to relieve pain and inflammation.Available in different dosage forms.They reduce soft tissue swelling, thereby reducing pain;Local agents have a warming effect, which improves blood flow in the affected cervical area.These medications are used for 5 to 10 days, sometimes up to 2 weeks.In the acute period, NSAIDs are prescribed in the form of injections;After a few days, the patient switches to the tablet form of administration.It is worth remembering that long-term treatment with NSAIDs negatively affects the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, for this reason the course of treatment usually does not exceed 10 days.
  • Hormones.If NSAIDs are ineffective, the patient may be prescribed paravertebral anesthetic blocks in the cervical spine with glucocorticosteroids as a pain treatment, most often an injection of dexamethasone or hydrocortisone into the affected area or tablets.Medicines from this group are prescribed to patients with cervical root syndrome to relieve inflammation of the nerve fiber.
  • Anesthetics.They are prescribed in the form of local neuromuscular blocks, which eliminates symptoms of severe pain.The blockage can be intradermal, subcutaneous, muscular, perineural or radicular, depending on where the injection is given.To prolong the analgesic effect, anesthetics are administered together with hormones.Treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck is carried out every other day;In total, 5 to 7 such procedures are prescribed.Anesthetics can also be administered by injection into special biologically active sites;This treatment technique is a type of acupuncture and is called pharmacopuncture.
  • Antispasmodics and medications that improve microcirculation in the cervical and neck area.To treat muscle tension in the affected area, nicotinic acid and others may be prescribed.By relieving spasms of the neck muscles and improving blood flow, blood flow to the diseased area is stimulated and the symptoms of osteochondrosis and cervical inflammation are relieved.During the exacerbation period, diuretics are also taken to reduce vascular spasm and thus improve microcirculation in the affected area.
  • Sedatives such as tincture of valerian, peony and herbal infusions are recommended for prolonged pain and to reduce the risk of neuroticism in the patient, which contributes to the effectiveness of the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
  • Local irritants.These are ointments, gels and rubs with local action that have a warming, irritating and distracting effect.They are not used in the treatment of the acute stage.They contain biologically active substances of plant and animal origin, for example, bee or snake venom.If you have hypersensitivity to the components of the drug and if their irritating effect is high, it is better not to use them so as not to provoke even greater swelling.
  • Vitamins.During the period of treatment and further rehabilitation, the use of multivitamin complexes is recommended.Usually this is a group of B vitamins, representatives of which are involved in ensuring normal nerve conduction, as well as vitamins A and C - to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and improve blood flow.Taking vitamins reduces vestibular disorders: motion sickness syndrome, dizziness and hearing loss.
  • Chondroprotectors.These are substances that promote the restoration of the cartilaginous tissue of the vertebral discs of the cervical segment.Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with chondroprotectors is carried out over a long period of time, from 6 to 12 months.

Orthopedic treatment methods.

Unpleasant symptoms in the cervical spine are often provoked and aggravated by incorrect position of the body during sleep, prolonged exposure to a forced position or injury.Therefore, in the treatment of the disease, a method such as a cervical collar or Shants collar is often used.It is prescribed individually for each patient, after medical consultation, as it exists in several varieties.The collar is a dense framed roller that fastens around the neck and fixes the vertebrae in the required position.Thus, the neck does not bend and the head does not turn to the side, which ensures immobilization of the diseased area, which is important during acute periods.Shants' neck can also be made in the form of two rollers with an inflatable layer, into which air is pumped with a rubber bulb.Inflating the layer between the rollers stretches the spine, allowing for increased joint spaces in the cervical spine.The degree of stretching is determined by the doctor;It is not recommended to solve this problem yourself to avoid damage to the neurovascular bundles of the neck.During the recovery period, a fully inflatable collar is used, which preserves some mobility of the neck and head.

The collar can be worn at home, no more than 3 hours a day, the total wearing cycle is about a month.The final rules of use are determined by the doctor, depending on the severity of the condition and the existing symptoms.