More and more people are choosing jobs that do not require much physical activity. This inevitably affects human health. So, one of the most common diseases is cervical osteochondrosis.
As a result of this disease, the articular cartilage and bone tissue change. Previously, this term united a large number of diseases, now it means exclusively degenerative conditions of the spine.
Why is the cervical region the most commonly affected? It is he who has the greatest mobility and a large number of neurons and blood vessels. Before learning how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, eliminate the cause of the disease.
Causes of the disease
Not always osteochondrosis occurs with acute symptoms. Due to anatomical features, changes in the intervertebral discs do not always cause pain or the like. Therefore, the disease often goes unnoticed.
Cervical osteochondrosis often develops for various reasons:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- lack of physical activity, salt deposits develop in the liver, kidneys, vertebrae;
- metabolic disease.
In addition, risk factors must be considered. They may not necessarily lead to disease, but under adverse circumstances they may manifest:
- the body undergoes inevitable changes with age;
- if there was cervical osteochondrosis in the ancestors;
- often hormonal disorders lead to metabolic disorders;
- some chronic diseases, such as lupus erythematosus or rheumatism, can cause cartilage thinning;
- hypothermia.
disease stages
Cervical osteochondrosis, like many other diseases, includes several stages of development.
- So, at the first stage, the destruction of the intervertebral discs is noted, the danger of this moment is that there is no severe pain, maximum discomfort in the neck. Due to changes in the structure of the disc, compression of the nerve roots occurs; this is the source of the disease. As a rule, with timely diagnosis, it is possible to completely cure the disease. It is important to correctly prescribe treatment and follow all the doctor's recommendations.
- In the second stage, in addition to the destruction of the discs, displacements of the cervical vertebrae begin. If the treatment was unsuccessful or the diagnosis was not made earlier, osteochondrosis becomes chronic. The patient may have "tilt head syndrome", when he needs to keep his head in a certain position to relieve pain. A typical symptom is severe pain.
- The third stage is the development of hernias and protrusions, as well as the effect on internal organs. Since with such a development of the disease, the cervical vertebrae compress the blood vessels, disturbances in the flow of blood to the brain. Because of this, headaches, nausea, dizziness and the like appear. In rare cases, numbness may appear in the extremities. With a poor development of events, a stroke is possible. The danger of this stage of the disease is that the pain is not as intense. Many people are sure that the disease is over, everything is cured, and meanwhile the destruction in the spine continues. It is about the cartilaginous tissue, since it is she that causes the pain, but in the third stage, it is completely destroyed. Sometimes hearing and coordination disorders develop.
There are also specific features of the course of cervical osteochondrosis. Depending on which parts of the spine are damaged, there are various syndromes. Each of them has a different kind of pain.
Cervical osteochondrosis syndromes
For example, cervical osteochondrosis can cause migraines. It happens with hypertension. As a result of its appearance, intracranial pressure increases, which provokes pain. Due to high blood pressure, there is a risk of developing a stroke.
Also, the headache is often due to compression of the vertebral arteries.
With this syndrome, there is a decrease in visual acuity, dizziness, coordination problems. All this happens due to lack of oxygen supply to the brain. With sudden movements of the head, it is possible to faint.
Compression of the spinal roots is much more dangerous, since this syndrome has a complex of symptoms. First of all, the pain is localized in the neck and radiates to the forearm, sometimes it can radiate to the hands. In the early stages of the disease, a cracking sound can be alerted when turning the neck. With further pinching of the roots, respiratory disorders appear, sensations of a coma in the throat. Due to the fact that the nerves of the cervical vertebrae are closely connected with the face, when the roots are pinched, numbness of the tongue or mobility problems can be observed.
If the spine is not treated in a timely manner, the symptoms will only increase and become more pronounced. Due to the lack of oxygen in the brain, dysfunctions begin and this can lead to a series of mental illnesses (depression, anxiety disorder, hyperventilation, etc. ).
It is important to timely distinguish between cervical osteochondrosis and epilepsy. They are often confused due to whole-body tension and brief loss of consciousness.
For this, modern diagnostic methods are used. Due to changes in the work of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, a violation in the work of the heart occurs, as a result, symptoms of tachycardia and arrhythmia appear. Another non-obvious manifestation of the disease is swelling under the eyes. They arise due to compression of the lateral vessels of the spine.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
Before starting spinal treatment, you need to go to a neurologist to clarify the diagnosis. Thanks to modern methods of studying the body, medicine is armed with a huge arsenal of techniques for finding the disease. More recently, the most a neurologist could offer was an x-ray and external examination. As a rule, such methods did not give an effective result, which is why osteochondrosis was often detected at severe stages of development. The disadvantage of radiographs is the inability to see the full picture of the disease. She is currently scheduled for a CT scan or MRI. These are fast, high-quality studies with virtually no contraindications.
After receiving the images, you should consult a doctor.
Medical assistance
The question "how to treat cervical osteochondrosis" will be answered by a verterbrologist doctor. This is a narrow focus of neurology, which studies the spine and related diseases. Before prescribing medications, the doctor must prescribe a set of measures to restore blood circulation and relieve swelling. There is no unequivocal opinion on non-traditional treatment methods. As a rule, in addition to consulting a neurologist, the patient will need the help of a surgeon, masseur, physical therapist. In severe stages of the disease, the recovery period requires more time.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis during exacerbation?
In such a pathological condition as exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms are manifested in the form of pain, limited mobility, various sensitivity disorders and tissue trophism. The first step is to relieve the pain. For this purpose, there are different drugs. For example, you can use a pepper patch. Due to the heating action, it copes with the task perfectly. Any pain reliever would be helpful. To get rid of edema, take any diuretic. As home remedies, you can prepare cranberries or cranberries or special herbal preparations.
If medicines don't help, you can use a needle applicator. Due to the punctual effect, it helps relieve pain, reduce swelling and improve blood flow. The main thing to remember is that after providing first aid, you should always consult a doctor.
Treatment of dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis is not so primary. It is important to eliminate the main cause of the disease. To maintain the condition, the doctor prescribes medications that can thin the blood and restore blood flow to the brain. An additional advantage of these drugs - improve memory and normalize sleep.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine consists not only in taking medication, but also in massage and physical education. In order to further prevent the occurrence of diseases of the cervical spine, it is necessary to form the correct muscular corset of the back. In some cases, self-massage can also be effective. For him, you can apply techniques as simple as rubbing and stroking, as well as vibrating.
Alternative medicine
One of the types of non-traditional treatment of osteochondrosis is manual therapy. Its essence is in the impact on certain points of the body, which allows you to fix the bones and joints. Endangered? The fact that a non-specialist can seriously injure a client, as nerves are a delicate matter. Any careless movement can lead to paresis or paralysis. How to treat osteochondrosis in other ways?
An ambiguous opinion develops around acupuncture. Unlike manual therapy, the impact on the diseased areas is done in a timely manner, through needles. Its danger is that ignorance of the injection sites can seriously worsen the patient's condition. The applicator works on the same principle.
Even more controversial is the appointment of homeopathy. Their advantage is that the drugs have side effects and do not have to be taken often. Homeopathic remedies do not have this disadvantage. But its benefits have not been scientifically proven.
In any case, if you experience pain in your spine or neck, contact your doctor as soon as possible. It is better to treat any disease in the early stages, then the success of its cure is quite real forever. Do not refuse to take the drug at times of exacerbation.