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, changes occur in the articular cartilage and bone tissue. Previously, this term united a large number of diseases, now it means exclusively degenerative conditions of the spine.
Why is the cervical region 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 the like. Therefore, the disease often goes unnoticed.
Cervical osteochondrosis often develops for several reasons:
- sedentary way of life;
- lack of physical activity, salt deposits develop in the liver, kidneys, vertebrae;
- metabolic disease.
In addition, risk factors must be considered. They do not necessarily lead to illness, but under unfavorable circumstances they can manifest themselves:
- the body undergoes inevitable changes with age;
- whether there was cervical osteochondrosis in the ancestors;
- hormonal disorders often 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.
- So, at the first stage, destruction of the intervertebral discs is noted, the danger from 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 a 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" 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 internal organs. Since with such a development of the disease, the cervical vertebrae press the blood vessels, the blood flow to the brain is disturbed. Due to this, headaches, nausea, dizziness and the like appear. In rare cases, numbness of the extremities may occur. In 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 has passed, everything is cured, and meanwhile the destruction of the spine continues. Everything is related to the cartilage tissue, as it is the cause of the pain, but in the third stage - it is completely destroyed. Hearing and coordination disorders sometimes 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.
Syndromes of cervical osteochondrosis
For example, cervical osteochondrosis can cause migraine. It happens with hypertension. As a result of its appearance, the intracranial pressure increases, which causes pain. Due to high blood pressure, there is a risk of developing a stroke.
Also, headaches are often due to compression of the spinal arteries.
In this syndrome, a decrease in visual acuity, dizziness, impaired coordination is observed. All this is due to lack of oxygen to the brain. With sudden movements of the head, fainting is possible.
Compression of spinal roots is much more dangerous because 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, when the neck is rotated, a crunch can be prevented. With further pinching of the roots, respiratory disorders appear, a feeling of coma in the throat. Due to the fact that the nerves of the cervical vertebrae are tightly connected to the face, when the roots are pinched, numbness of the tongue or impaired mobility can be observed.
If the spine is not treated in time, the symptoms will only increase 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, etc. ).
It is important to distinguish between cervical osteochondrosis and epilepsy in a timely manner. They are often confused due to the tension of the whole body and a 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 disturbance in the work of the heart, as a result of which symptoms of tachycardia and arrhythmia appear. Another non-obvious manifestation of the disease is swelling under the eyes. They occur due to 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 examining the body, medicine is armed with a large arsenal of techniques for detecting the disease. Until recently, the most a neurologist could offer was an X-ray and an external examination. As a rule, such methods do not give an effective result, which is why osteochondrosis is often detected at serious stages of development. The disadvantage of X-rays is the inability to see the entire picture of the disease. Computed tomography or MRI is currently assigned. These are fast, high-quality studies, practically without contraindications.
After receiving the images, you should consult a doctor.
Medical assistance
The question "how to treat cervical osteochondrosis" will be answered by a vertebrologist. It is a narrow focus of neurology that 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 unequivocal opinion about non-traditional methods of treatment. As a rule, in addition to consultation with a neurologist, the patient will need the help of a surgeon, massage therapist, physiotherapist. In severe stages of the disease, the recovery period requires more time.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis during an exacerbation?
In such a pathological condition as an 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 to relieve the pain. There are various drugs for this purpose. For example, you can use a pepper patch. Thanks to the warming action, it copes with the task perfectly. Any analgesics would be helpful. To get rid of swelling - take any diuretic. As home remedies, you can brew blueberries or cranberries or special herbal preparations.
If medicines do not help, you can use a needle applicator. Thanks 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 vertigo 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 bonus of these drugs: improving memory and normalizing sleep.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine consists not only of taking drugs, but also of 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 such simple techniques as rubbing and stroking, as well as vibrations.
Alternative medicine
One of the types of unconventional treatment of osteochondrosis is manual therapy. Its essence lies in the impact on certain points of the body, which allows you to adjust the bones and joints. In danger? The fact that a non-specialist can seriously injure a client because nerves is a delicate matter. Any careless movement can provoke paresis or paralysis. How to treat osteochondrosis in other ways?
An ambiguous opinion is created around acupuncture. In contrast to manual therapy, the impact on the painful areas is carried out pointwise, by means of needles. Its danger is that not knowing the injection areas 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 have to 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 first stages, then the success of its cure is completely real forever. Do not refuse to take the drug at times of exacerbation.