Cervical back pain is a disease of the spine, where the occurrence of degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. In the first development stage the symptoms are almost imperceptible, but with the spread of the pathological process, the patient's condition deteriorates.
The causes of the disease
Back pain occurs as a result of non-uniform load on the spine. Triggers:
- heavy physical activities;
- wearing the wrong shoes;
- malnutrition;
- the problem is up to date with exchange rates of the process;
- the and emotional exhaustion.
The disease can occur during pregnancy. Great the risk of a multiple pregnancy. The pathological process may be genetically determined.
Stage of development, and photos
The development of the degenerative disc disease occurs slowly. There are 4 main stages of disease:
- In the first phase. The patient feels uncomfortable when long journey and stay in the same position. Begin to form the seals in the vertebrate disks.
- In the second phase. Occur pain. The doctor prescribes a manual therapy and pain relievers.
- In the third phase. We are called degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs.
- The fourth phase. The final stage of the development of the disease, in which amazed almost all the departments of the vertebral column.
In the last phase, the conservative therapy would be ineffective. The doctor prescribes the possession of an intervention that will require a long recovery period.
Common symptoms
Low back pain can relate to one or more departments of the vertebral column. Most often affects the vertebrae of the cervical spine. The clinical symptoms of this rejection are directly related with the functioning of the brain. Consider all the main symptoms of this disease.
Pain in the back of the head, the neck and neck area
Patients often experience pain in the neck, nape and neck area. This occurs because of insufficient blood supply in the departments of the brain. The deformation of the vertebrae leads to compression of vertebral artery. Against the background of such degenerative processes may occur for a hernia.
Along with the pain occurs the risk of serious complications -. For example, crash in blood pressure or persistent breach of the hearing and of sight. Sometimes the patients are experiencing panic attacks and anxiety. They can last for 30 minutes. This condition is called diencephalic syndrome.
Another reason for the pain – muscle spasm, which causes a reduction in blood flow. The patient may temporarily lose the ability to move the neck. Strong surge leads to the fact that the sensation of pain in the neck begins to flow in the nape of the neck and can then spread in the head. As a result of these processes, the patient suffers from strong headaches.
The noise, the sound, the feeling of congestion in the ears
A complex of symptoms is called the cochlear or cochlear implant. The doctors may not always associate these anomalies with the development of cervical osteoarthritis.
The noise and ringing in the ears occurs when you change the position or prolonged exposure in the same position.
Dizziness
The vertebrae cervical are thin enough, then while holding the head are subjected to heavy loads. They are more subject to deformation, of the thoracic vertebra. Due to the deviation occur dizziness, which can be:
- System. There is a feeling of circular movement of the body and surrounding objects. It occurs due to a malfunction of the vestibular apparatus, muscles and receptors in the joints.
- Non-system. The patient is a feeling of nausea, lightheadedness and uncertain status in the vertical position. The feeling of circular rotation is missing.
When this symptom occurs, it is necessary to consult a doctor immediately. Reasons for emergency admissions of the patient:
- numbness of the shoulder;
- the paralysis of the facial muscles;
- loss of consciousness;
- strong headaches.
Derivation of the vertebrae and the muscle spasm leads to pinch nerves, which nourish the brain. Due to the lack of oxygen you experience dizziness. Initially, the oxygen deficiency occurs in the posterior part of the head, as is a center for vestibular rehabilitation.
The lack of air
Lack of air osteochondrosis can be of several types: breathing problems and lack of oxygen. Respiration impeded, in the background of the crushing of the nerves that transmit the signals from the pharynx to the esophagus.
The lack of air occurs due to crushing of the nerve. Therefore, you experience a spasm of the diaphragm, which is a load of variation of depth and rate of breathing. The patient becomes stifling and hard to breathe.
This is a serious symptom, as well as the lack of breath during the osteochondrosis is dangerous to the development of a series of other complications. In this case, the doctor prescribes a drug treatment.
Nausea
Cervical – the most sensitive, as well as in its structure there are a large number of nerve fibres and blood vessels. Through the neck passes the artery, through which it passes oxygen and nutrients to the brain. With osteochondrosis of the cervical form of protrusion and hernia.
To the rear of the structures of the brain, enters an insufficient quantity of arterial blood. This triggers the reaction compensatory. Narrowing of the arteries resulting in increased blood pressure. The patient has the sensation of nausea.
If you do not restore the blood flow to the posterior structures of the brain, then the patient to check vomiting and loss of consciousness. Long cerebrovascular full development of stroke and further disability.
Vision problems
Osteochondrosis of the neck of the patient may experience blurry vision, and a viewfinder flicker. They bear witness to the beginning of the serious diseases that appear on the background of degenerative disc disease. These include the following diseases:
- glaucoma;
- cataract;
- the disease of Claude Bernard-Horner.
It is very important to follow the change of state of the eyes. This is an important symptom, which testifies to health problems.
Jump in blood pressure
Initially it may seem that the jump in blood pressure and back pain have nothing to do with it. However, it is not so. When degenerative changes in the spine suffers from the autonomic nervous system man.
The jump observed during the day. For this disease is not characterized by a long hypertension.
Hopping the daily dynamic uretralnoe hypertension occurs when the reflex irritation of the nerve endings and transient spasms krovenosnyh blood.
The symptoms of increased blood pressure with osteochondrosis of the cervical:
- severe headache;
- pressure peaks after muscle stress or power surges;
- the sensation of pain to the extremities: hands, feet, etc.;
- low sensitivity in the neck area.
A sudden fainting or syncope
A sudden fainting may occur after interruption of the current of blood to the spinal arteries. If the patient has lost consciousness, it is necessary to walk with the foot above the head. It activates the flow of blood to the brain. After fainting, you may experience problems with his speech and movements.
Pharyngeal problems
Sometimes there are degenerative processes in the cervical vertebra, it may indicate only pharyngeal symptoms. They manifest themselves through:
- swallowing disorders;
- a tickle in the throat;
- sense of foreign body in the throat;
- the itching.
These signs are associated with a trauma to the neuro-vascular trunks that go along with the spinal cord. However, these symptoms not only occur in osteochondrosis, but when the inflammation and tumors.
The increase of the temperature of the body
With osteochondrosis of the cervical increases the temperature of the body. This symptom occurs if the following lesions:
- the vertebral artery syndrome;
- protrusion of the disc;
- stenosis of the spinal canal.
Increased body temperature can be triggered by a neurosis, neurological disorders disease and fibromyalgics syndrome. Sometimes we observe a number of pathological conditions, that could slow down the symptoms of degenerative disc disease.
The event, which depend on the stage of the disease
- In the first phase of the development of the disease, the symptoms may not be observed. The first signs of a beginning of degenerative processes: headaches, mild limitation of physical activity of the neck, headaches, pain in the neck and hands. These signs become expressed in a curve or slopes of the head.
- During the second phase of development begins protrusion of the vertebral disks, the cracks begin to shrink. The pain becomes more severe, it appears tinnitus and sleep disorders.
- The third phase is different to the destruction of the fibrous ring widths of the disk. Occur distortion and displacement of the vertebrae, cervical hernia.
- In the fourth stage, the majority of degenerative changes irreversible.
That occur in the brain?
The symptoms in the brain may be pronounced or minimal. Cerebral deviation only occur in case of strong clamping vertebral artery as bony prominences. As a result, you are experiencing problems with the access of blood in the head, the brain, and this causes spasms in the small blood vessels and a violation of the functioning of the hypothalamus.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical can cause the following syndromes:
- L'. It may be neurological and physical.
- Syncope and drop-syndrome. Appear in the fact that the patient feels weakness in the legs and losing consciousness for a few minutes.
- Vestibular-stem. Were observed dizziness in the curve of the head.
As a result of these degenerative processes, the patient tries to avoid public places. In this case, are unfounded fears and depression.
The differences between women and men
The symptoms of cervical chondrosis of men and women, almost indistinguishable. Degenerative changes in the vertebrae of the neck are more common in women, this is due to the anatomical structure of the cervix. Men neck muscles developed better.
Chondrosis of the vertebral column in children and adolescents
Chondrosis of the vertebral column in children and adolescents occurs due to the overall latency of the development of the connective tissue. This may be due to a genetic abnormality or disorders of the mineral metabolism. Immature intervertebral discs are vulnerable to different pathological processes.
The disease occurs because of stagnation in the life, long sitting in front of the computer and the presence of excess weight. The symptoms of this disease are similar to manifestations of arthrosis in adults. With the defeat of the cervical of the patient will experience pain in the neck, dizziness and headache.
Diagnostics
Before the formulation of the diagnosis and to appoint treatment, the doctor performs a series of diagnostic tests. Is carried out an external audit, it is estimated to posture and studied the state of the muscles.
Computed tomography
Computed tomography gives the possibility to see the bone in 3D. According to the principle of carrying out such a procedure is similar to an x-ray. However, such a diagnosis allows you to see layer-by-layer image.
This procedure is not performed, step by step, children and pregnant women, as well as there is a high dose of x-ray radiation. Among the contraindications can be attributed also, the patient has the capacity to remain in a fixed position in a few minutes.
X-ray
X – rays- the classic procedure, that is assigned to the diagnosis of degenerative disc disease. And ' practically harmless and allows to evaluate the degree of degenerative changes. By means of this technique it is possible to identify the disease in its early stages.
The x-ray does not give the possibility to obtain a layering of images of the tissues. There are a number more modern and informative methods of investigation. The x-ray is only suitable for the primary diagnosis.
Low back pain – a dangerous disease, that without timely treatment can lead to severe-to degenerative changes and disability. In the initial phase may be only a slight annoyance. For the development of a pathological process symptoms becomes more intense. When the first signs of spinal injury you should immediately contact a doctor.