Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: symptoms and treatment

In the world there is a bit of camilla, that belong to a man just because he is a man. For example, the defeat of the blood vessels and the deposition on the walls of cholesterol meets and in the animal world. The symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the neck may be confused with symptoms of other diseases. Increased blood pressure is common to all warm-blooded animals. Poor nutrition can lead to malnutrition and lack of proteins and vitamins and chicken, and an elephant, and clam, and the wrestler of freestyle. But osteochondrosis of the vertebral column refers to the diseases, which can only be proud of a person, even his closest relatives, primates, the disease is almost absent. We examine the manifestations of symptoms and methods of treatment of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.

the pain

Cervical back pain, then what is?

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a disease of the bone and the cartilage, which refers to the burnt — degenerative. At the base there is the dystrophy (violation of nutrition of the cartilage), and, therefore, its destruction or degeneration. In reality, osteochondrosis of the primary affected cartilage, intervertebral discs, and then the "snow ball" is completed by a reaction of the bone tissue (osteophytes), the advent protrusion and hernias, and symptoms, the root, the appearance of instability in the cervical region, and also severe headaches, and chronic a muscle spasm of the muscles deep in the neck with a disturbance of regional circulation. The cause of the degenerative disc disease of the intervertebral disc of the cervical or cervico – thoracic is one of the most historically prevalent, the vertical position of the man. Or cats, or cows or hippos is not so constant axial load in the vertical is the back, the spine is located in the state of relaxation, "sagging" of the state, and the intervertebral discs feel at ease. The man himself to the development of arthrosis of the cervical spine predispose to the following factors:

  • Frequent feedback in a vertical position;
  • Injury and sudden movements, head-shots, for example, on the ceilings low;
  • Wears a load on the shoulders, in some countries – in head;
  • The lack of active movement. It leads to weakness in the muscle corset, which is critical in the cervical spine.

Moreover, additional factors may include wearing in winter, heavy collars and fur hats, with the objective of "serve the fashion", a lower consumption of liquid, causing irritability dehydration of the cartilage tissue. This increases the fragility of the discs and causes "the collection" (a contraction of the thickness), by reducing the elastic pad properties. In youth osteochondrosis can cause disorders of posture during the execution of the written assignments and computer work. Defects changes of the spine, e.g., scoliosis deformation in the chest area. It should be remembered that it lies above the spine, the more strong impulse, which can have a deleterious effect, by analogy with the "whiplash" trauma. Therefore, having regard to the failure or the violation of the mechanisms of compensation, preservatives our skull from an excessive emotion, also leads to osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Here are these reasons:

the discomfort
  • Flat foot, as the longitudinal and transverse directions. The arch of the foot, free of depreciation, incapable of protecting the intervertebral discs from the cervical from the commotion and destruction;
  • The underlying osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. If the elasticity of the back is broken, not worth the wait to have a good protection against cervical.

The symptoms of osteoarthritis cervical spine

Signs of cervical arthrosis is very diverse, but all of it is possible to group them local and remote events. The local symptoms of cervical osteoarthritis refer to:

  • Pulling the and muscle aches, pain, low-intensity, growing after a long period of seats, for example, when you work in the office and to the computer;
  • Creaking when driving the neck. The stronger you feel when you do morning exercise, in the case of plugging your ears with your fingers. Then, bone conduction of the sound exceeds the air, and in the curve of the neck cracking feels good. This symptom indicates the appearance of osteophytes, which violates the consistency (precision grip) and cartilage of the vertebrae;
  • Pain in the neck, such as when driving (mainly the net). These pains call Service, by analogy with "hit" in the lower part of the back, which is called low back pain. Similar pain already refer to the radicular manifestations of degenerative disc disease. They occur during the strong shaking of the nerves, that occurs when you laugh, cough, sneeze, straining. The pain reminds me of the neuralgia, and is like a shot of electricity to his strength and speed. Most often occurs in the thoracic cord;

As far as these relate to:

  • Headache with osteochondrosis. Are discreetly remind him of "the helmet" or "helmet", often symmetrical. The intensity of the low, they may be associated with the movement, but not necessarily. They are often "transferred" on the head from the nape of the neck, and accompany a sedentary life-style.
  • Conductive disorders of sensitivity. Often occur at night when I wake up, the person feels, that he had numbed the fingers of the hands. There is more often the little finger and half without the name of the fingers on the side of the little finger. To recovered on the sensitivity, the need to move the hands, the neck and change position.

This happens because of violations of the roots of the cervical plexus in the places of output of nerves. It is important that the roots are subject to the most spasserovannye the muscles of the neck, which prilezhat to the vertebrae. Cervical back pain, the symptoms of which we have disassembled, can be complicated by instability of the cervical spine. The height of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine will be reduced in a uniform way, and the neck becomes "pathological mobility", or the tendency to the appearance of pain and various deformations during driving. When this condition occurs often the appearance of a violation of the nerve root and increases the risk of protrusion and hernia.

pain in the neck

The role of muscle spasm

There is secondary muscle spasm, which is called myofascial — tonic syndrome. This condition can occur in different departments of vertebral column, everywhere there are striated muscle. As a result of a reduction in height of the intervertebral disc, and the proliferation of edge osteophytes, the muscles are "pulled", and the flow of blood to their deterioration. Accordingly decreases and the venous outflow. This situation leads to a swelling of the muscles and their chronic spasm, which manifests with pain and stiffness in the neck and back.

The diagnosis of back pain cervical

In typical cases of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will proceed with the symptoms described above. Therefore, the diagnostic phase has been, and remains, the identification of disorders of the patient, the concurrent presence of muscle spasm with the help of a simple palpation of the muscles along the spine. To confirm the diagnosis of degenerative disc disease is possible with the help of an x-ray examination:

  • "X-ray" of the cervical spine, but still functional tests in flexion – extension does not show the cartilage, as well as their fabric skips the x-rays.

In spite of this, according to the position of the vertebrae can make general conclusions about the height of the intervertebral disc, the general flattening of the natural curvature of the neck – lordosis, and the presence of border growths on the vertebrae if the irritation of their surfaces fragile and dehydrated intervertebral disk. Functional tests can confirm the diagnosis of instability in the cervical region of the spinal column;

  • Magnetic resonance imaging and x-ray computed tomography is indicated for the refinement of the internal structure of the cartilage and of the education of protrusion and hernia.

In this way, exactly, will be issued a diagnosis of complications of the disease, and the result of tomography is the indication to the surgical treatment of hernia in the department of neurosurgery.

Treatment cervical osteoarthritis, drugs

The treatment of degenerative disc disease of the cervical has always been a complex one: first, to remove the acute pain with the aid of drugs, then, when cervical low back pain (poorly reduced) regresses, we combine physiotherapy and massage techniques, and after the termination of this aggravation, begins the phase of secondary prevention, that her job puts avoid relapse. Sometimes the patient is assigned to a spa treatment. The main groups of drugs for the relief of acute pain are:

  1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Cut the inflammatory component;
  2. Muscle relaxants central action . Reduce the tone of muscle spasm, reduce pain, muscle stiffness;
  3. B group vitamins help to improve trophic of tissue of the nervous system;
  4. Drugs to improve the microcirculation of capillary blood — to improve the flow and normalize muscle function.

These funds are awarded or in, or by intramuscular injection for greater efficiency. The objective is the removal of the acute pain. Then, after 2-3 days we are moving to the intake of tablets, actively apply ointments, or gel, that spreads to the neck and back. In the second phase, stick-on physiotherapy techniques electrophoresis with vitamins and hydrocortisone, massage, scuba diving traction and Power shower, iglorefleksoterapevta techniques. Sometimes prescribe medicines – chondroprotectors, but during the assumption of their in the their effectiveness is not yet proven. Intra only replacement of the synovial liquid allows to reduce the crunch, facilitating movement and eliminating the pain. But osteochondrosis this technique, developed on the large joints, almost does not apply. The surgical treatment is carried out in severe compression protrusion or hernia of the sensory or motor back. Garrison operations will be refractory expressed pain for a month, resistant to treatment, or progression of weakness in the muscles of the arms, the extension of the area of reduction of sensitivity, but also the confirmation of the diagnosis of protrusion and hernia with the help of an mri or CT scan.

Gymnastics with osteochondrosis of the cervical

Gymnastics with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is no more than, as a rational conformity of physical activity and maintaining a healthy life style: why low back pain is common to all, without exception of persons, from children, and even where it is an "option mandatory rules". Because it is not a man, that especially in adulthood would not have had signs of degenerative disc disease, the task of gymnastics is to leave only objective, signs or radiologic disease, and eliminate all the complaints. Well-known that even an elderly man and the old man can't file a complaint to the neck and back, but only in that case, if given enough time prevention.

Prevention of cervical arthrosis

Perhaps, for example, degenerative disc disease, it is possible to infer the principles of prevention, which are shown all and of each individual, and consequently we will have the rules of a healthy life style. Here they are:

gymnastics
  • The free movement, no excessive charges, exercises without load, only with the weight of his body;
  • Drink plenty of clean water, because with age occurs the dehydration of the cartilage tissue;
  • The saving, or the normalization of body weight;
  • The employment of these types of load, where it reduces the load on the back (swimming);
  • Abandon the bad habits;
  • The alternating mental with the physical. Every hour and a half of mental work, it is recommended that you change the type of physical activity work;
  • To prevent hypothermia neck, back and lumbar, especially in the spring – autumn period of the year.

Only by respecting these simple recommendations osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, symptoms and treatment we have details removed, will not be a nuisance for many years.