Osteochondrosis is an outdated term and is often used in some countries to refer to degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, facet joints, and vertebral bodies. These changes in the cervical spine are common due to their mobility and cause neck pain in both men and women. Sometimes the degenerative disease is complicated by an intervertebral hernia that compresses the spinal cord, which can cause muscle weakness and numbness of the skin of the upper extremities. In the article, we will talk about the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
Cause of pain
The cervical spine is very mobile. It consists of seven vertebrae, intervertebral discs located between them, as well as ligaments. With osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs become thin and deformed, their elasticity and shock absorption decrease. Gradually, the inner part of the disc, the nucleus pulposus, microdamages in the outer part, exit through the annulus fibrosus. This is how intervertebral protrusions and tears are formed, which irritate the pain receptors of the ligament along the back surface of the spine, causing pain. When the spinal roots are compressed, the pain may spread to the upper limbs and neurological symptoms may appear: decreased sensitivity of the skin of the arm, muscle weakness, etc. As a protective reaction to any injury and damage, bone growths - osteophytes - can be seen along the edges of the bodies and in the arches of the vertebrae.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine usually develops as a result of the aging process, but some risk factors aggravate and accelerate the course of the degenerative disease of the spine. Among them:
- Genetic predisposition.The presence of osteochondrosis in close relatives, especially at a young age, increases the risk of its early occurrence and complications.
- Physical inactivity.With a sedentary lifestyle, the nutrition of the intervertebral discs is disturbed. They have no blood vessels and receive nutrients by diffusion from the vertebral bodies. These processes take place actively during physical activity.
- injury.Injury to the spine accelerates the development of degenerative changes in the spine.
- Uneven load on the spine.Possible situations: improper training, poor posture, load on one side of the body or one limb, prolonged posture with head bent, for example, while reading on the phone.
- Metabolic disorders.The condition of the spine is affected by the presence of endocrine diseases, especially diabetes, which complicates tissue nutrition.
Symptoms
The dominant symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is pain. Its localization depends on the nature of the lesion. When irritated by a swollen disc or osteophytes of a sensitive ligament, pain is felt in the neck and associated with reflex muscle spasm. If the hernia compresses the spinal nerve, the pain may radiate to the arm.
Most often, the pain is noted in the neck and back of the head, and occurs or intensifies with sudden movements of the head, prolonged static tension or an uncomfortable position, for example, after sleep.
Other symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Restriction of neck mobility, pain when turning.
- Spasm of neck muscles.
- A decrease in the tone and strength of the muscles of the upper limbs, which is characteristic of compression of the hernia of the spinal cord.
- Violation of skin sensitivity of the upper extremities.
- Symptoms of acutely developing vertebrobasilar insufficiency appear when the rupture of the vertebral artery is compressed, dizzy or bent: dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, fainting, short-term memory impairment, instability when walking, vision, hearing and speech, severe muscle weakness in the extremities.
Diagnostics
With pain and discomfort in the neck region, the patient is recommended to consult a neurologist or vertebrologist. Sometimes it is necessary to refer to other specialists: if there is a history of injury, an orthopedic traumatologist.
A neurologist conducts an examination and clarifies complaints and medical history. Cervical osteochondrosis can manifest itself as a dozen diseases, therefore, additional examination is often necessary to determine the cause of pain and make a clinical diagnosis.
The diagnostic plan for neck pain may include the following examination methods:
- Laboratory tests (total blood count, biochemical blood test, urine test and others - as indicated).
- X-ray of the cervical spine to detect fractures and other injuries.
- CT scan of the cervical spine to identify injuries, cancer and other changes in the vertebrae.
- MRI of the cervical spine to assess the condition of the spinal cord, nerve roots, to visualize protrusions and tears.
- Electroneuromyography to determine the conduction of impulses along the spinal roots.
During differential diagnosis, other examinations are prescribed by the decision of specialists.
When is non-surgical treatment possible?
For osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, conservative treatment is carried out in the absence of progressive neurological manifestations: muscle weakness and numbness in the limbs. It occurs when the spinal roots, arteries and spinal cord are compressed.
The neurologist determines how to treat osteochondrosis of the neck after receiving the examination and examination results. Most patients receive effective conservative therapy with stable long-term remission. Modern methods are also effectively used to prevent the development of osteochondrosis and its manifestations.
Conservative treatment methods
Therapy for cervical osteochondrosis begins with conservative methods. Its goals: relieve pain, relieve muscle spasms, improve metabolic processes and microcirculation in nervous tissue.
Medicines are used to relieve pain and muscle spasms. For this, the neurologist prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants. If the pain persists for more than 12 weeks, that is, if it becomes chronic, anticonvulsants and antidepressants with a persistent analgesic effect may be recommended.
In addition to drug therapy, modern effective methods are used:
- Acupuncture.The neurologist uses special sterile needles to stimulate biologically active points. It relieves the condition: reduces pain, relaxes the muscles.
- Plasma therapy.The regeneration of damaged tissue is stimulated by the local administration of the patient's blood plasma enriched with platelets. After operations, diseases and injuries, the recovery time is reduced.
- High intensity magnet.The electromagnetic field stimulates and accelerates the regeneration of damaged tissues. It relieves pain and reduces swelling.
- Physiotherapy laser.The method has anti-inflammatory, anti-edema and analgesic effects. This allows you to reduce the size of the hernial protrusion. Using the resorption method, it is used as the main method as part of the course of treatment of intervertebral hernias.
- Physiotherapy.The classes are aimed at strengthening the muscles, increasing the flexibility of the spine, restoring the range of motion in the joints of the spine and creating the correct posture. After acute pain is eliminated, exercises are selected individually for the patient by a specialist.
- Kinesio taping.Along with physiotherapy. Before the classes, the doctor makes tapes in a certain direction on the neck-collar region to relax the muscles and affect the pain receptors. As a result, the pain decreases. With regular use, mobility of the spine is restored and muscle tone is normalized.
- Medical massage.The specialist relieves muscle spasm by affecting the receptors in the skin, muscles and fascia. Quickly and permanently relieves pain and improves vertebral mobility.
Therapy is selected individually depending on the cause of neck and back pain and accompanying symptoms.
Forecast
With timely diagnosis and treatment, the outcome is favorable. If the complications of osteochondrosis appear in the form of intervertebral hernia with various neurological symptoms, surgical treatment may be required. After that, rehabilitation can last for years. Without treatment, the risk of permanent disability is high. Comorbidities and advanced age worsen the prognosis.
Patients are often worried about the question of how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis forever. Unfortunately, it cannot be completely cured. Degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine are natural aging processes of the body that cannot be prevented. However, it is possible to slow down their development and prevent complications.
Prevention
There are no special preventive measures for osteochondrosis.
Tips to improve overall health:
- Maintaining optimal body weight.
- Maintaining an active lifestyle.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- Regular moderate physical activity - walking for half an hour every day is enough to warm your neck and back.
- Ergonomics of the workplace. The desk and chair should fit your height, and the computer monitor should be at eye level or slightly higher.
These measures will protect the health of the musculoskeletal system by reducing the rate of wear of the intervertebral discs.
Abstracts:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the vertebrae accompanied by rupture of the intervertebral discs.
- Cervical osteochondrosis is manifested by neck pain, limitation of mobility and muscle spasms. When the spinal cord is compressed by a hernia, muscle weakness and numbness of the skin of the upper extremities may occur.
- The diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis consists of an examination by a neurologist and the necessary additional examination: CT, MRI of the spine and other methods.
- Treatment of osteochondrosis is mostly conservative and aimed at relieving pain, inflammation and muscle spasm.
- Prevention of osteochondrosis consists of maintaining an active lifestyle, regular physical activity and workplace ergonomics.