To date, the disease is "rejuvenating" more and more and more people aged 25 and over are exposed to the disease, although the age group 30-35 is recently considered at risk. Diseases of the cervix are more common, so you need to quickly recognize the symptoms of the disease in order to initiate treatment.
And so, what is called cervical vertebral necrosis? This term describes the degenerative-dystrophy in the disc, which acts as a kind of shock between segments of the spine. This condition leads to changes in its structure and anatomy, segments and joint elements of the cervical spine. Neck bone tumor manifested by acute pain, requiring prompt treatment.
Causes of necrosis of the cervical spine
Where do cervical fibroids come from? Below we list a bit of factors, the chronic or sharp action that leads to increased tension in the neck. As a result, the body compensates for the increased load with the work of the muscles; however, due to constant stress, spasms that occur in them impair blood circulation. Together, these factors lead to degenerative changes in the spine, changes in its structure, problems with blood nutrition and metabolism. This is followed by the alteration of the disc joints, an overgrowth of the skeletal tissues of various segments of the spine.
Let's list factors that contribute to the development of the disease:
- Scoliosis and incorrect posture.
- Excess weight.
- Stay in the wrong and unnatural long positions.
- For example, too often exercising excessively on the back and cervical spine due to the nature of the job.
- Low mobility, sedentary.
- Spinal cord injuries in the past.
- Metabolic problems.
- Excessive physical activity.
- Excessive and prolonged stress are susceptible to depression.
- Genetic factors.
- Abnormal growth of vertebrae.
The degree of cervical bone necrosis
It is necessary to be able to distinguish between the concepts ‘stage’ and ‘degree’, which characterize the process of bone necrosis of the cervical spine. We will look at the following stages a bit, now we will talk about the degrees depending on the general clinical condition and the patient's complaint, having different symptoms and requirements, accordingly, different treatment.
- First level - 1. . . Degenerative cervical degenerative disease is characterized by small manifestations of the disease, the main symptom of neck pain, which does not appear often, is more intense if you turn your head. They may be accompanied by slightly tense muscles.
- Second level - 2. . . The severity of the pain and symptoms are much stronger and they can cause shoulder pain. The reason is that the lower disc height leads to pinched nerve. Pain syndrome tends to increase with exercise, weakness and headache lead to decreased productivity at work.
- The third level - 3. . . This degenerative development of the cervical spine is characterized by the formation of hernias in the intervertebral space. The difference from the previous levels is that the symptoms are even more pronounced and painful - the more it causes the shoulders and arms, they can have a feeling of numbness and weakness. The disease is accompanied by headache, weakness, restriction of neck movement, pronounced pain syndrome when palpation.
- Fourth level - 4. . . This degree is characterized by complete destruction of the disc's tissues. Problems with the brain's blood supply are likely to occur, especially through the vertebral artery, which supplies blood to the cerebellum and the back of the head. In this context, there are difficulties in coordination, dizziness, tinnitus.
Symptoms of necrosis of the cervical spine
Osteoporosis of the cervix has some differences compared with bone necrosis in other areas. They arise due to the closer alignment of the segments relative to each other, the more complex structure of the first two segments - atlas and axis. Additionally, there are fewer shock absorbers between the elements of the spine, and as a result, they wear and fail more quickly. In addition, cervical bone necrosis often leads to compression of the nerves of the spinal cord.
Cervical fibroids - the most common symptoms:
- Painful feeling. . . They are characterized by different localization - in the back of the head, shoulder and cervical regions. The appearance of pain in the shoulder joint indicates the pressure on the nerve responsible for conduction of pain impulses in this location. Occipital pain reflects muscle spasm in the neck due to difficulty in blood circulation in this area. Perhaps pain in the spine, there is a scratching sound.
- Weak hands. . . It manifests itself due to nerve damage that is responsible for motor activity of the upper extremities.
- Poor hand sensitivity. . . Nerves in the skin on the arm are damaged.
- Restricted movement, crackling. . . It is a consequence of the low height of the disc, the growth of bones in the segments of the spine, the presence of small structures affected.
- Problems with coordination, feeling weak and dizzy. . . Due to the progression of the pathology, fibrous tissues are formed. It partly leads to constriction of the vertebral artery, which has its own ducts in the elements of the spine. This reduces the lumen, creating anemia in the occipital and cerebellum regions.
- Hearing, vision, and speech problems. . . They are the further development of constriction of the vessels that feed the cerebellum and occipital region.
Diagnose
Diagnosis is made when there are typical symptoms and complaints of a person. Cervical spinal tumors are diagnosed by many different methods, mainly to visualize the condition of the damaged part. Most commonly used:
- X-ray. It is not very informative, only indicates the presence of deviation, it is mainly suitable for early diagnosis.
- Computerized tomography. Compared with radiography, the pathological display of the cervical spine segments improves, but it does not accurately determine the presence of a herniated mass, its size. Also, this procedure cannot determine the 'tightening' of the canal to the spinal cord.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. Such a diagnosis is the most modern, it is characterized by an increased information content, it allows you to make a detailed assessment of defects of the skeletal structure, the state of the disc, the existence of a hernia, their size and direction.
- If there is suspicion of current decline in the vertebral arteries, additional diagnostics are made using an ultrasonic double-sided scan. Such a study accurately determined the presence of obstacles that slow down the blood flow.
Based on the data obtained during the diagnosis, we can talk about the different stages:
- State 1, is characterized by minor anatomical violations of the vertebra.
- Phase 2. . . There may be non-compliance with the position of the vertebrae, displacement, rotation with respect to the spinal axis, the disc may have a slight decrease in height.
- Stage 3. . . The disc is reduced by a quarter of its height, changes joints, develops outward bone tissue, compresses the disc and spinal canal.
- Stage 4. . . It is still more severe than last time. The disc is greatly reduced in height, the appearance of deep joint diseases and the development of many bones in the back, the spinal canal and the segments below the spinal cord are strongly compressed.
Treatment of necrosis of the cervical spine
The main methods of treatment are: drug treatment, physical therapy, massage of the affected area, physical therapy. Let's take a closer look at some of the methods.
Medicine treatment
Prescribing of any medicine should only be handled by an authorized specialist.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Their action is to effectively eliminate pain syndrome, inflammatory processes and edema of clamped nerve ends.
- Vitamin B is used to improve metabolism in the vertebrae and nerves.
- The drug increases blood flow. Used to nourish altered nerve ends and improve blood flow to the brain.
- Chondroprotectors are used to restore cartilage tissue and disc.
- Muscle relaxants, antispasmodic.
Physical therapy
- Electrophoresis. . . Distribute the drug ions to the desired portion of the pathology using the action of an electric field. Prior to the procedure, novocaine and aminophylline anesthesia is also used to improve blood flow.
- By ultrasound. . . Reduce inflammation, relieve pain, promote metabolism at the site of the drug.
- Magnetic therapy. . . Has analgesic effect, reduces swelling.
- Laser therapy. . . Treatment is carried out by exposure to special frequency light waves. It relieves inflammation well and promotes blood circulation.
Physical therapy
Physiotherapy is allowed only in the absence of an exacerbation of the disease. These techniques are effective without causing pain and discomfort during the implementation, and they are also very effective as a means of prevention. Here are some basic exercises:
- Lie on your stomach and rest your arms bent on the floor. Perform head and body lifts for 60-90 seconds, keep your back straight, then gently return to the starting position. Do 2-3 repetitions.
- Lie on your stomach, hands stretched down along your body. Turn your head to the left and right, trying to reach the floor with your ear. Do it 5-7 times on each side.
- In a sitting position, inhale, lean forward, try to touch your head to your chest. Then, on the exhale, on the contrary, tilt back, tilt your head back. Perform 12 repetitions.
- In a sitting position, place palms on forehead. Apply mutual pressure of forehead to palms and vice versa. Continue for up to half a minute, repeat 3 times.
- Turn the ends neatly to the sides, 5-7 times in turn. If you feel dizzy, reduce the number of repetitions or slow down.
Cervical spine tumors: question and answer
Does cervical spinal cord tumors need surgery?
It does happen, but in rare cases when conservative therapy is not effective half a year after starting. In such situations, chronic pain and tightening of nerve ends often appear.
How long can you take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs?
Most of these drugs affect the condition of the stomach lining, so regular and frequent use of them is not recommended. The exact timing of medication administration is determined by the attending physician, who has information on the stage of bone necrosis in the patient, as well as whether there are associated conditions.
Are chondroprotective drugs effective in repairing damaged disc tissues?
The validation of these medications has not been proven, so doctors rarely recommend them.
What to do at home when there is no exacerbation to avoid future exacerbations?
For preventive purposes, it is best to use physical therapy exercises, massage the cervical area, the refusal of significant physical activity.