Cervical osteochondrosis: causes, treatment, prevention

The disease affecting the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine is called cervical osteochondrosis. The first symptomatology appears at the age of 25 to 40 years - it is in this interval that the majority of patients are noted. By the way, in 30% of cases of headache the cause of its appearance is precisely this ailment. So, what kind of disease is this, where does it come from and how to treat it and provide prevention - we will talk about all this today.

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

There are several reasons why cervical osteochondrosis can develop, however, it is very difficult to determine what exactly triggered the development in a particular case. However, it is precisely established that this ailment cannot be independent, as a rule, such a condition is accompanied by pathology or another disease, or a factor, among which they are called:

• hereditary predisposition;
• regular violations in posture, especially for schoolchildren and office workers;
• unbalanced nutrition, where there is a deficiency of vitamins;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• regular and monotonous mechanical impact on the spine - for example, thrusts and microshocks to which drivers are exposed;
• kidney disease, liver, organs of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system;
• weak immunity.

Signs of cervical osteochondrosis

According to experts, osteochondrosis is a painless process, changes in the intervertebral discs are in no way felt by the patient. What the patient feels is already the consequences of cervical osteochondrosis, i.e. displacement of the disc in the posterolateral direction, which irritates the nearby nerve fibers and prevents the movement of blood along the vertebral artery passing in that place. It is at this moment that various symptoms begin to appear, both sensory and motor, and neuralgic.

The most common symptoms in cervical osteochondrosis are:

• soreness in the neck;
• constant tension in the neck;
• problems with motor activity in the neck;
• low sensitivity and problems in movements in the shoulder girdle and arms;
• headaches and dizziness;
• problems in coordination and gait;
• feeling of nausea and urge to vomit;
• flashing flies and darkening in the eyes, as well as other vision problems;
• the appearance of a feeling of a lump in the throat, a toothache or a sore throat may appear;
• sleep problems up to insomnia, constant drowsiness;
• increased irritability, tearfulness and other emotional lability.

Of course, the main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain. It is the latter that is the only reason that pushes the patient to visit the doctor. The quality of the pain itself depends on which segment is the victim of osteochondrosis. If the ailment affects the upper part of the neck, then the pain falls on the occipital, superciliary and parietal regions of the head. If the pathology is located in the middle or lower part of the neck, then the pain attacks the interscapular region, arms and shoulders.

Osteochondrosis can worsen, which is fraught with muscle disorders, cervical radiculitis and disorders in motor functions. The main reason for exacerbation is hypothermia. In advanced and severe cases, there may be such severe headaches and dizziness that the patient may lose consciousness.

Stages of cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a chronic pathology that progresses rapidly without efforts to cure. Experts distinguish four main degrees, which are expressed in symptoms and disorders in the cervical spine.

• First. Compaction of the intervertebral disc occurs. The displacement is minimal, but already at this stage, the fibrous outer membrane of the disc is disfigured. An increase in the uncinate processes is noted in the vertebrae. There is a feeling of a lumbago in the neck, pain, light dizziness, etc.
• Second. Vertebral artery syndrome sets in. There is a narrowing of the lumen between the vertebrae and in the spinal canal. There are subluxations in individual vertebrae, the work of the cervical spine is no longer stable. Locomotor activity is impaired.
• Third. The narrowing of the lumen continues. At this stage, disc hernias form, which leads to an increase in symptoms.
• Fourth. Irreversible disturbances in the structure occur when the vertebrae are strongly displaced in relation to each other, and there is also a significant proliferation of bone vertebral tissue. Regular and persistent brain disorders are noted and motor activity is inhibited.

Cervical osteochondrosis is one of most common diseases in modern times, which is primarily due to a sedentary lifestyle. But this prevalence does not indicate a normal state. On the contrary, this ailment is considered one of the most dangerous. The cervical region is small in size, but it is in it that there are a lot of nerve canals and blood vessels that feed the brain. The vertebrae in the neck fit very tightly to each other, so even the slightest displacement of them leads to squeezing of the canals.

The consequences of neglected and untreated cervical osteochondrosis are simply terrifying. Severe headaches (migraines), hypertension, heart disease, problems with the respiratory system, hearing, coordination and vision are just the beginning. The advanced stage is fraught with vertebral artery syndrome (this artery feeds the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata with blood). If it is compressed, then spinal and cerebral ischemia develops, and the risk of spinal stroke increases significantly. The most dangerous consequence of cervical osteochondrosis is death. This happens if the spinal cord is compressed. However, all this can be avoided if you start treating the disease in a timely manner.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis includes a set of procedures, which includes medication and physiotherapy. Therapeutic massage, moderate physical activity, acupuncture and manual therapy show good results. Medicines used in the treatment of osteochondrosis belong to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. At the same time, it is much preferable to use local preparations, the same gels and ointments. Some of the most effective are Fastum gel, Ibuprofen, Nurofen, Nurofen. They significantly relieve pain by causing blood flow to the problem area. Well enhances the growth of chondrocytes (cartilage cells) Chondroxide ointment. Often, doctors prescribe immunostimulants as auxiliary elements.

Various physiotherapeutic procedures effectively eliminate pain. Moreover, they help relieve muscle spasm, increase blood flow and improve metabolism in the neck. The collar massage can boast of a similar action. But it should be borne in mind that the neck is a very weak place and easily injured. One wrong movement is fraught with damage, which will lead to disastrous consequences. Therefore, the massage should be carried out in very smooth movements. The massage itself, for the same reason, should be carried out exclusively by professionals, whose qualifications are beyond doubt.

If we talk about remedial gymnastics, then the main emphasis should be on static loads. For example, a simple resting of the head in the palm, when the first presses on the last, and the hand, meanwhile, resists - an excellent option for self-medication. Maximum bending of the head to the sides and forward also helps.

Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis

The main cause of dizziness, which is noted in cervical osteochondrosis, is oxygen starvation, which occurs when the blood vessels that carry the same oxygen to different parts of the brain are squeezed. Thus, nutrition is provided for the cerebellum, trunk and posterior regions.

When hypoxia occurs, you need to take an anesthetic drug or an anti-dizziness pill. But it is worth remembering that dizziness can act as a symptom of other diseases, therefore, if the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis is not established and you only assume its presence, then it is better to seek help from a specialist who will make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home

Home treatment, ideally, should be a complement to the treatment prescribed by a specialist. Below we present the most common home healing techniques:

• Self-massage. Massage in general can be much more beneficial than the use of medications, only if it is done correctly. It allows you to relax tense muscles, and often even to improve blood pressure. Ideally, such things should be dealt with by a specialist who knows where to press and where to weaken, but not everyone will risk substituting almost the most vulnerable place on the body under the arms of an unknown type. In principle, everyone can learn the basics of self-massage. It is important that the massage is performed only with fingers, the movements are directed exclusively from the spine column to the periphery, any mechanical movement must be necessarily light - no force, everything is done slowly.

• You can purchase a needle massager called Kuznetsov's applicator and self-massage with it.
• A very simple way to treat cervical osteochondrosis at home is remedial gymnastics. Exercises do not take much time, but the result is very quick. We will tell you about what exercises you need to do to eliminate the ailment a little later.

Traditional medicine can also be used. Here are some helpful recipes.

• Ordinary horseradish leaves can be used to relieve pain. Place the sheet with the inside of the neck against the painful part of the neck and secure it securely with a piece of cloth or bandage. You can do it all night and shoot in the morning.
• Combine finely grated raw potatoes with honey in equal parts. Use the resulting composition as a compress, with a frequency of no more than once a week.
• Another recipe for an effective compress: in one liter of vodka, you need to dilute a gram of propolis and 50 g of fresh aloe juice and the same amount of mustard powder. In the resulting composition, you need to moisten the gauze and apply it to the neck, wrapping it in a warm scarf and leaving it overnight.

Ointment for cervical osteochondrosis

Ointments in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are used rather as auxiliary drugs in the whole complex. Even such things should be prescribed by a specialist, so here we will give a generalized list of drugs.

Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory:

• Finalgel.
• Fast gel.
• Fastum gel.
• Voltaren.
• Nurofen.
• Diclofenac.
• Nayz gel.

Warming:

• Capsicam.
• Nukoflux.
• Finalgon.

Warming, which include bee and snake venoms:

• Atracin.
• Viprosal.
• Viprotox.
• Atrevin.

These ointments can cause severe allergic reactions, so an appropriate test should be carried out before use by applying a little of the drug to the inside of the bend of the elbow.

You can make a composition for osteochondrosis with your own hands. To do this, in a water bath, you need to warm up about 150 g of internal fat and a couple of tablespoons of bees wax. Mix everything thoroughly. After about twenty minutes (keep in a water bath all this time) add a tablespoon of ammonia and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat, pour into a jar, close tightly with a lid. Store the finished product only in the refrigerator. Rub this ointment into the problem area in the neck, then wrap it well with a warm scarf.

Drugs for cervical osteochondrosis

An integrated approach to drug treatment includes:

• Anesthesia. Reduce nerve sensitivity with standard analgesics; hormonal / non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling of nerves and soft tissues; relieve spasm by muscle contractions, using muscle relaxants.
• Improving blood supply. Medicines are used that inhibit the destructive process in the spine. As a rule, they dilate blood vessels, normalize blood clotting and optimize blood flow. These drugs include: Actovegin, Trental, Curantil.
• Chondroprotectors containing chonroitin sulfate in the composition slow down the process of tissue destruction. However, their minus is that they act very slowly, the first results come only after six months.
• Vitamins are prescribed additionally. To improve the functioning of the nerves, B6 and B1 are indispensable. They can also have an analgesic effect, as well as relieve stress from the spinal cord. It will be rational to take antioxidants such as vitamins A and C.

All drugs that are aimed at treating cervical osteochondrosis are very strong, so only a doctor should prescribe them. The course of admission must be set by a specialist. Do not self-prescribe in any way, otherwise you can get serious problems with the stomach and intestines.

Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis

Here are nine simple exercises to help you manage your condition effectively.

• Sit upright on a chair, straighten your shoulders. Begin to smoothly turn your head to the right and then to the left, constantly stopping in the starting position. The chin should reach shoulder level. Repeat about 10 times on each side.
• Also, while sitting straight on a chair, begin to lower your head down, touching your chin to your chest and returning to its original position. Repeat twelve times.
• In the same starting position, begin to stir back the neck, while simultaneously pulling in your chin without unbending the neck itself. Repeat twelve times.
• Sit down at table. Lean on the table with the elbow of one hand. Press on the hand with the temporal part of the head, and with the last resist for 12 seconds, with a break of 10 seconds. Repeat on both sides 12 times.
• Place your palm on your forehead and start giving your head on your hand and your hand on your head. Hold the pressure for 10 seconds, then rest for the same amount.
• Sit or stand up straight with your arms extended along your body. Raise your shoulders as much as possible and stay in this position for 12 seconds. Relax. Do 10-12 repetitions.
• Sit or lie on a flat surface and actively and gently knead the neck muscles in the occipital region for four minutes.
• Sit upright and with something hard, such as a towel rolled into a tourniquet, begin rubbing vigorously on the shoulder blades for six minutes.
• Use your fingertips to knead the temporal part of the head. By the way, this exercise is good for dizziness.

Massage for cervical osteochondrosis

At the time of the massage session for cervical osteochondrosis, the patient lies on his stomach with his hands under his forehead, or sits. It is important that the muscles are completely relaxed. The massage itself takes place in several stages:

• It all starts with stroking the collar, which ensures blood flow. Strokes alternate and are performed in the direction from the seventh cervical vertebra in both directions to the shoulders.
• After that, the so-called squeezing begins. The masseur puts his hand across the neck and begins to move it along the vertebrae in the direction of the trapezius muscle. This can be done with the edge of the palm, moving in the direction of the shoulder joints.
• This is followed by rubbing. The task of this stage is to prepare the muscles, warm them up and relax them. Circular movements are made with the pads of the fingers. The movements are active and can be uncomfortable.
• This is followed by kneading, where they affect the deepest layers. They grab the muscle, fix it and knead it.
• The climax is vibration. Provide techniques of continuous and discontinuous vibration.

Orthopedic pillow for cervical osteochondrosis

Choosing a pillow for cervical osteochondrosis is a crucial step. Firstly, it should be small in size, rectangular in shape, relatively low and allow not only the head, but also the shoulders to fit comfortably. The head should not roll over or roll off it.

By the way, if you do not have the opportunity to purchase a special pillow, just fold the usual one in half, but just make sure that it does not turn out to be too high, otherwise it will aggravate your current health.

Now manufacturers offer a huge selection of orthopedic pillows to the choice of buyers, which confuses many. Let us immediately agree that with cervical osteochondrosis, the shape of a roller, a rectangle with convex edges or a crescent is needed. The latter involves sleeping exclusively on the back. The rectangular shape is the most practical, since you can sleep on it in any position, both on your back and on your side. The ideal variant of an orthopedic pillow - with memory, which takes the exact shape of its owner's head.

It is important to pay special attention to the filler. Modern pillows are filled with:

• Latex. Ideal for those who like to sleep on their backs. These pillows are very resilient.
• Small latex springs. Supports the spine well in its natural shape. A big plus of such options is hypoallergenicity and the ability of the product to "breathe".
• Independent springs. Such a pillow responds perfectly to changes in pressure and adjusts to the movements of its owner. Like the previous version, it perfectly holds the spine, providing quality rest.
• Cooling gel. It is becoming more and more popular. Firstly, the liquid filler creates a micromassage effect, and secondly, it distributes the load correctly. The only negative is that some will have to get used to it for a long time, after the usual pillow.

Summing up, we will give several rules for choosing an orthopedic pillow for cervical osteochondrosis.

1. The pillow should support the head and neck area with good quality. You should feel that lying on it the muscles come to relaxation. In addition, at this moment, the head should be on the same level with the body, without creating any unnatural bends.
2. The height of the pillow should correspond to the width of the shoulders.
3. Pay attention to the material and filler material of the pillow.
4. Choose the shape of the pillow depending on what position you sleep in.

Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis

Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is very simple - to lead an active lifestyle and regularly do exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the neck. Then the muscle corset will independently keep the vertebrae in place. Even if you have to spend most of your time at the table every day, take short breaks, at least five minutes to do exercises. That's all - the secret is simple!