Osteochondrosis of the cervical column

A characteristic of sedentary lifestyle of office workers and those who like to relax in front of the television or behind the monitor screen often cause osteochondrosis. The first signs of this disease can appear at the age of 25 and, if it is not treated, complications can have serious consequences.painIn the article, we will consider what is osteochondrosis of the cervical column, the main causes of this disease, its symptoms and stages, treatment methods, as well as to answer other questions that occur in patients with osteochondosis.

The causes of osteochondrosisThe main causes that can cause osteochondrosis:incorrect nutrition and excess weight;violations of posture, scoliosis, rheumatism, flat feet;Sedentary lifestyle: sedentary work (drivers, office employees), lack of physical effort, etc. ;injuries in the neck, spine injuries;Too much physical activity, unusual for the body;nervous tension, frequent stress;hereditary predisposition to the development of the disease;Incorrect development of the cervical column.Most of the above reasons cause a load on the cervical vertebrae, as a result of which muscle spasm occurs. For this reason, the blood circulation process is disrupted, the effectiveness of metabolic processes is reduced, which causes degenerative changes. The structure of the intervertebral discs changes, they are lightened and distorted, speaking beyond the spine.Often, the cause of osteochondrosis is a progressive disc, spread out with adjacent vertebrae or bone tissue. It occurs most often with prolonged physical effort in the lumbar and cervical, almost never touching the chest.

Osteochondrosis development stagesDevelopment osteochondosis goes through several stages characterized by certain signs and symptoms. We will consider these steps below.

Osteochondrosis of the 1st degree of the cervical region (preclinical stadium)Usually, at the initial stage of the development of the disease, only a slight smoothing of the lordosis of the neck is observed, the patients experience pain intensification with turns and the tilt of the head, tension and rapid fatigue of the muscles in the back and lower back. At this stage, osteochondrosis is healed without medication, just change nutrition, perform exercises and other events.Reasons

2 degrees osteochondrosisIn the second step between the vertebrae, the instability is observed, the patient begins to disturb more intense pain, which periodically gives him his hands or his shoulders, the pain is also intensified with turns and the inclination of the head. This occurs following a violation of the nerves, because the height of the intervertebral discs decreases. Patients are starting to notice rapid fatigue, absent absence, reduction in performance level and headache.

3 degrees osteochondrosisAt this stage, the pain begins to intensify, it occurs constantly not only in the neck, but also in the shoulders, gives it to her hands. The muscles of the hand become weaker, numbness is observed, because the hernias of the intervertebral discs begin to form. In this case, the diagnosis reveals the small mobility of the cervical region. Patients are concerned about dizziness and weakness.

4 -degree osteochondrosisAt the final stage, the intervertebral discs are destroyed, which are replaced by the connective tissue. The pathological process affects several crest segments at the same time, which can be at different stages of destruction. In patients, there is a violation of coordination, dizziness and pain are improved, there is noise in the ears and other disorders.

Symptoms of cervical column osteochondrosisEven the initial stage of the disease can be identified according to the following signs:Headache for osteochondrosis in the cervical regionpain in the neck, neck, shoulders or arms;weakness of the hands;Crunch and pain during the movements of the head;General weakness, fatigue, altered coordination, dizziness;Reduce the acuity of vision and hearing, the numbness of the language.One of the most common signs is stunning for osteochondrosis of the cervical column. At the same time, the symptoms of dizziness can be accompanied by noise and ringing in the ears (reduced auditory acuity), sensations of disorientation, migraines, as well as nausea and vomiting. Treatment of dizziness of cervical osteochondosis does not require any special method and medication and occurs in parallel with general therapy. In addition, it is the doctor who determines how to treat these symptoms that should not be tried to get rid of dizziness with popular methods.Another unpleasant consequence is frequent headaches, especially in women. Migraines can occur several times a day, causing unpleasant and painful sensations.The signs of the cervical region disease manifest themselves in a slightly different way from osteochondrosis of the spine in the frame that the vertebrae in the neck are close to each other, the height of the intervertebral discs is low, which leads to complications even with minor degenerative changes.

Cervical column chondrosis diagnosisSymptomsThe following methods are used to diagnose medicine disease:X -ray. This method is ineffective, in particular in the last stages of the development of osteochondrosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A method that allows you to see the bone structures, the hernias of the intervertebral discs, their size and their development management.Computed tomography. A less effective solution than an MRI, because the presence and size of the hernias are difficult.Exploration of ultrasonic duplex. This method is used in cases where a violation of blood flow is suspected in the arteries. Using scanning, you can determine the speed of blood flow and if there are obstacles.

Treatment of cervical column osteochondrosisFor the treatment of a disease such as osteochondrosis, various methods are used: drugs, physiotherapy, massage of the cervical-brotheral area for blood supply to the brain and therapeutic gymnastics, and the maintenance of good nutrition. It is the combination of all methods, how to treat cervical chondrosis that will reach a real result in the fight against disease.Despite the fact that women are more sensitive to headaches and the numbness of the members in this disease, the treatment of cervical osteochondosis in women is not different from their treatment in men: the same drugs and exercises are prescribed.

First aid for intense painWith intense pain, pain relievers can be used. If the above drugs do not bring relief, NSAIDs can be taken.Often, "distracting" means are used, for example, a patch of pepper that does not heal, but hears only a inflamed and distracted area of pain. In the case of edema in the inflammation zone, the patient can drink a infusion of herbs or a diuretic for 3-4 days. Is it possible to cure osteochondrosis with such methods? These measures are only temporary; For the treatment of causes, you should consult a doctor. treatmentIt should be noted which doctor treats osteochondrosis. If suspicions arise that the causes of pain in the cervical column are the occurrence of osteochondrosis, you should turn to a neuropathologist. It is this specialist who is engaged in diseases of this kind. In certain medical institutions, there are narrow specialists involved in diseases precisely column diseases. If your clinic has a vertebrologist, you should approach the question of how to cure this disease, immediately.

Treatment of osteochondrosis with drugsThe name of the drug groupDrug actionNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugsReduce pain, relieve swelling and inflammation of the damaged roof of the nerve.B vitaminsContribute to the improvement of metabolic processes in nervous tissues.ChondroprotectorRestore the cartilage fabric.Drugs aimed at improving the rheological properties of blood and blood flowImprove the blood flow process to the brain and the nutrition of damaged nerve endings.MusoryDrugs whose action aims to reduce muscle spasms. When accepting osteochondrosis tablets, it should be remembered that the significant effect of drug treatment with tablets will only be combined with other methods, including exercises. It should also be noted that the attending physician must prescribe that to treat the disease on the basis of his stage and other signs. Many doctors consider the treatment of effective cervical osteochondosis injections, as this allows you to quickly affect the end of the nerves and causes a minimum of adverse reactions. At the same time, it is preferable to take vitamins in the form of tablets, because there is no difference for assimilation, but the introduction of injections can be painful.Injections used for treatment:Intramuscular injections cause a general strengthening and an anti-inflammatory effect;Blocks are introduced directly into the placed place, which leads to a rapid effect.

Exercise therapy for osteochondrosisTherapeutic gymnastics brings the maximum effect and is the safest during recovery. When exercising physiotherapy exercise exercises, the patient should not feel pain or feel discomfort.The exercises for the cervical column aim to strengthen the muscles of the neck, which will not only overcome the disease, but will also serve as prevention for its occurrence.For more clarity and a more precise execution, we give a video of exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical column:

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical column at homeHome processing methods are just an addition to a complex prescribed by a doctor, and they will not help completely get rid of the disease. Before treating osteochondrosis at home, be sure to consult a doctor to diagnose and prescribe the necessary drugs. It is the doctor who should determine how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical column at homeFor treatment, the house is used: recipes for traditional medicine (designed to relieve muscle pain and tensions, improve blood circulation), physiotherapy exercises, as well as compulsory massage of the cervical area at home.Folk recipes to eliminate pain in the neck area:Attach the horseradish sheet inside to the neck, fix it with a bandage or any respiratory fabric. Before use, it is necessary to escape it with boiling water and cool to room temperature. It is advisable to perform before bedtime and leave the bandage overnight.Finely cut the potatoes and mix it with honey in the same proportion. The mixture will look like an ointment consistency. Use as a compress at least 1 time a week.Remove the heating pain well. To this end, you can use mustard plaster, a bag with heated sand, peppers or alcohol.Often, patients are starting to look for ways to treat or relieve pain on various forums and similar sources. It should be noted that not a single forum and its visitors will be able to correctly diagnose the stage of the disease and the methods of its treatment. The question is whether osteochondrosis is treated in your case and how it is necessary to do, a qualified doctor should decide on the basis of diagnostics.massage

Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical columnMassage is necessary to strengthen muscle tone and relieve pain. Depending on the osteochondrosis stage, the massage technique is selected. However, when making neck massage, experts use all classic massage techniques: rub, petrir, etc. In cases where the patient does not hurt on one side, the massage begins in the healthy part of the neck, gradually moving towards this part of the necklace area where pain occurs. The massage can be done at home, but very carefully so as not to cause exacerbation and not to harm the patient. The patient must take the position to go to bed, put his forehead on his hands and stretch his chin to the chest. At the same time, neck muscles should be completely relaxed. Prophylaxis of the occurrence of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebraTo avoid the occurrence and the development of the disease, doctors recommend that you adhere to simple rules:play sports (in particular effective swimming);Include in food products containing a large quantity of magnesium and calcium (fish and other seafood, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, dairy products and cheeses, spinach, etc. , do not use spicy, salty, grapes, sugar, smoked products);During the work seated several times during the day, a warm-up;Choose a comfortable pillow and mattress.The implementation of these simple recommendations can protect you from the occurrence of osteochondrosis at any age.The article examined the causes, symptoms and treatment of cervical column osteochondrosis, ranging from medical intervention to home techniques. This disease can be cured, including without surgery, but for that, all methods must be used: take medication, exercise and make massage.