More and more people are choosing jobs that do not require much physical activity. This inevitably affects human health. 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 area most 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 anything similar. Therefore, the disease often goes unnoticed.
Cervical osteochondrosis often develops for several reasons:
- sedentary life?
- lack of physical activity, salt deposits develop in the liver, kidneys, vertebrae.
- metabolic disease.
In addition, risk factors should be considered. They may not necessarily lead to disease, but under adverse conditions, they may well 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 lead to thinning of the cartilage.
- hypothermia.
Stages of the disease
Cervical osteochondrosis, like many other diseases, includes several stages of development.
- Thus, at the first stage, there is destruction of the intervertebral discs, 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 early 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 "head tilt syndrome", where you have to hold your head in a certain position to relieve the pain. A typical symptom is severe pain.
- The third stage is the development of hernias and protrusions, as well as the effect on the internal organs. Since with such a progression of the disease, the cervical vertebrae compress 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 in the extremities may occur. With a bad turn of events, a stroke is possible. The danger of this stage of the disease is that the pain is not so intense. Many are sure that the disease is over, everything is cured, and meanwhile the destruction in the spine continues. It is all about the cartilaginous tissue, as it is this that 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 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 brings pain. Due to high blood pressure, you are at 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, impaired coordination. All this happens due to lack of oxygen supply to the brain. Fainting is possible with sudden head movements.
Compression of the spinal roots is much more dangerous, since this syndrome has a complex of symptoms. First of all, the pain is located in the neck and radiates to the forearm, sometimes it can also radiate to the hands. In the initial stages of the disease, a trauma when turning the neck can be warned. With further stinging of the roots, respiratory disorders, coma sensations appear in the throat. Due to the fact that the nerves in the cervical vertebrae are closely connected to the face, when the roots are pinched, numbness of the tongue or reduced mobility may be observed.
If the spine is not treated in time, the symptoms will increase and become more severe. 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, etc. ).
It is important to distinguish early between cervical osteochondrosis and epilepsy. They are often confused due to the tension of the whole body and the 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 occurs in the work of the heart, 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 treatment of the spine, you need to 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. More 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. He is currently scheduled for a CT scan or MRI. These are fast, high-quality studies with virtually no contraindications.
After taking the images, you should consult a doctor.
Medical Assistance
The question "how to treat cervical osteochondrosis" will be answered by a spondylologist. This is a narrow focus of neurology, which studies the spine and related diseases. Before prescribing drugs, the doctor must prescribe a set of measures to restore blood circulation and relieve swelling. There is no clear opinion on 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 requires more time.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis during exacerbation?
In such a pathological condition as the exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms are manifested in the form of pain, limited mobility, various sensitivity disorders and tissue trophism. The first step is pain relief. For this purpose, there are various drugs. For example, you can use a pepper patch. Due to the thermal action, it perfectly copes with the task. Any pain reliever would be helpful. To get rid of swelling - take any diuretic. As home remedies, you can prepare cranberry or lingonberry or special herbal preparations.
If medicines do not help, you can use a needle applicator. Due to the point of action, 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 drugs that can thin the blood and restore blood flow to the brain. An additional advantage of these drugs: improving memory and normalizing sleep.
The treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine consists not only of taking drugs, but also of massage and physical therapy. In order to 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 simple techniques such as rubbing and stroking, 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 parts of the body, allowing you to adjust 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 cause paresis or paralysis. How to treat osteochondrosis in other ways?
Ambiguity develops around acupuncture. In contrast to manual therapy, the effect on the diseased areas is carried out point by point, through needles. The danger is that ignorance of injection zones 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 should not be taken frequently. Homeopathic medicines do not have this drawback. But their 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 treatment is quite real forever. Do not refuse to take the drug in moments of exacerbation.