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, articular cartilage and bone tissue change. Previously, this term united a large number of diseases, now it means only degenerative conditions of the spine.
Why is the cervical region more often affected? It is he who has increased 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
Osteochondrosis does not always present 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 several 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 a disease, but under unfavorable circumstances, they may well appear:
- the body undergoes inevitable changes with age;
- if there was cervical osteochondrosis in ancestors;
- hormonal disorders often lead to metabolic disorders;
- some chronic diseases, such as lupus erythematosus or rheumatism, can lead to cartilage thinning;
- hypothermia.
Stages of the disease
Cervical osteochondrosis, like many other diseases, includes several stages of development.
- So, in the first stage, the destruction of the intervertebral discs is observed, the danger of this moment is that there will be 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 the 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 not successful or the diagnosis was not made earlier, osteochondrosis becomes chronic. The patient may have "tilted head syndrome", when you have to hold your 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 press the blood vessels, disturbances in the blood flow to the brain. Because of this, headaches, nausea, dizziness and the like appear. In rare cases, numbness may occur in the limbs. With a bad development of events, a stroke is possible. The danger of this stage of the disease is that the pain is not so intense. Many people are sure that the disease is over, everything is healed, and meanwhile, the destruction in the spine continues. It is about the cartilage tissue, as it is what is the cause of 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 several syndromes. Each of them has a different type of pain.
Syndromes of cervical osteochondrosis
For example, cervical osteochondrosis can cause migraines. It happens with hypertension. As a result of its appearance, intracranial pressure increases, which brings pain. Due to high blood pressure, there is a risk of developing a stroke.
Also, headache is often due to compression of the vertebral arteries.
With this syndrome, there is a decrease in visual acuity, dizziness, impaired coordination. All this happens due to the lack of oxygen supply to the brain. Fainting is possible with sudden head movements.
Compression of the spinal roots is much more dangerous, as 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 creak may be noticed when turning the neck. With further tightening of the roots, breathing disorders appear, coma sensation in the throat. Due to the fact that the nerves in the cervical vertebrae are tightly connected to the face, when the roots are tight, numbness of the tongue or impaired mobility can be observed.
If the spine is not treated in time, the symptoms will only grow and become more pronounced. Due to the lack of oxygen in the brain, malfunctions begin and this can lead to a number of mental illnesses (depression, anxiety disorder, hyperventilation, and so on).
It is important to distinguish between cervical osteochondrosis and epilepsy at the right time. They are often confused due to the tension of the whole body and the brief loss of consciousness.
Modern diagnostic methods are used for this. Due to changes in the work of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, there is a violation in the work of the heart, as a result, symptoms of tachycardia and arrhythmia appear. Another non-visible manifestation of the disease is swelling under the eyes. They arise due to the compression of the lateral vessels of the spine.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
Before starting treatment of the spine, you should go to a neurologist to clarify the diagnosis. Thanks to modern methods of studying the body, medicine is armed with a large arsenal of techniques for finding disease. Recently, the most a neurologist could offer was an x-ray and an external examination. As a rule, such methods did not give an effective result, which is why osteochondrosis was often detected in serious stages of development. The disadvantage of X-rays is the inability to see the entire picture of the disease. She is currently scheduled for a CT scan or an MRI. These are fast, high-quality studies, practically without contraindications.
After taking the images, you should consult a doctor.
Medical assistance
The question "how to treat cervical osteochondrosis" will be answered by a verterbrologist. This is a narrow focus of neurology, which studies the spine and related diseases. Before prescribing drugs, the doctor must prescribe a series of measures to restore blood circulation and relieve swelling. There is no clear opinion about non-traditional methods of treatment. As a rule, in addition to consulting a neurologist, the patient will need the help of a surgeon, masseur, physiotherapist. In severe stages of the disease, the recovery period takes more time.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis during exacerbation?
In such a pathological condition as the deterioration of cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms appear in the form of pain, limited mobility, various sensitivity disorders and tissue trophism. The first step is to relieve the pain. For this, there are various medicines. For example, you can use a piece of pepper. 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 create cranberries or blackberries or special herbal preparations.
If medications do not help, you can use a needle applicator. Due to the point 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 important. 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 bonus of these drugs: improving memory and normalizing sleep.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine consists not only of taking medications, but also of massage and physical education. 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 it, you can apply such simple techniques as rubbing and hitting, as well as vibration.
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, allowing you to place the bones and joints. In danger? The fact that a non-specialist can seriously injure a client, since nerves are a delicate matter. Any careless movement can provoke paresis or paralysis. How to treat osteochondrosis in other ways?
Ambiguous thinking develops around acupuncture. Unlike manual therapy, the impact on the diseased areas is carried out point by point, through needles. Its danger is that not knowing 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. Its advantage is that the drugs have side effects and do not need to be taken often. Homeopathic remedies do not have this disadvantage. But their benefits have not been scientifically proven.
In any case, if you have back or neck pain, 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 medicine in moments of irritation.