A modern world is a disease that almost every brand over the age of 25. Cervical osteochondrosis is a common a lot more than the rest of the spine. The significance of this topic cannot be stressed enough.
In this article we will look at that a what causes disease, what it looks like, how to treat a cervical osteochondrosis, which of the drugs effective in the treatment of which the drug-free methods exist, and learn answers to the most frequently asked questions of patients with a similar diagnosis.
Osteochondrosis is a degenerative cervical spine-dystrophic lesions (progressive), the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine. For this reason, changes in head on the intervertebral discs, the vertebrae and neck joints.
The look, osteochondrosis of the cervical
As a result of the following factors occur, increase the load on the cervical spine, the neck muscles try to compensate for the extra load, there is a spasm of blood circulation in this zone, which degenerative changes. Since several factors have changes in the intervertebral discs of the cervix, changes in the structure of the food bothered me, things have changed, a little joints between the vertebrae, it seems, bony outgrowth of the vertebral bodies, the increased load on the intervertebral discs changed.
The factors contributing to the development of degenerative disease disk cervical spine:
- The wrong posture, or the presence of scoliosis
- Overweight
- Lack of exercise, sedentary work
- Earlier a suffering spinal cord injury
- The metabolic
- Great practice
- The stress, constant voltage
- The low level of physical fitness
- Genetic predisposition
- Usual in a bad situation, an organization, for example, holding a phone handset shoulder
- Constant tension, back, neck due to the nature of the job (stress in the seated position), the drivers, the office workers.
- Developmental abnormalities of the cervical spine
A degree of development of cervical degenerative disc disease
A degree of osteochondrosis of the clinical picture and complaints of the patient. Not a concept fully to be confused with a stage of degenerative disc disease. A section of the will be discussed below.
The first degree
clinical symptoms are minimal, patients complain about a pain, a cervical spine low intensity, this may increase, if you turn your head. The physical examination reveals little muscle tension in the neck.
Quadratic
patient concerned, a pain, a cervical spine, the intensity is much greater, the pain radiates to the shoulder, the arm. This is due to the decreased height of an intervertebral disc and a pinched nerve nerves. Pain worse, if a bending and turning the head. Could be a sick note decreased performance, weakness, headache.
Third grade
the symptoms of a degenerative cervical disc disease is confirmed, a radiating pain is constant, or that the arm on the shoulder. Numbness weakness or muscles of the hands, so to herniated disks. Worry, weakness, dizziness. When examination revealed reduced mobility, a cervical spine, a pain, a palpation of the cervix.
A fourth grade
there is a complete destruction of one intervertebral disc and its replacement by connective tissue. The dizziness intensifies, there's a voice in one ear, loss of coordination, during the process of the vertebra supplying artery, a cerebellum, a occipital lobe of the publisher.
The clinical picture disc degenerative disease, a cervical spine — symptoms
The symptoms of a degenerative disease is a disk cervical spine are different from the symptoms of the disease, the rest of the spine. This is because a neck vertebrae are located closer to each other, the intervertebral discs, relatively little ep before, which is a clinic, even the most minor pathological processes. Also a cervical spine often results in a compression of nerve roots and the spinal cord.
The most common symptoms degenerative disc disease neck symptoms:
- Pain: pain localization may be different, it may be a neck in the neck region, a shoulder, or upper limb. Hurt my shoulder, or an arm appears, if a process involves the nerve roots to Innervate a upper limb. Pain in the back of the head caused by spasm of the neck muscles that attach to the occipital bone, the blood circulation in this area.
- Weakness of the hand occurs when the damage to the spine, which includes the motor nerves, to the arm Innervate muscles.
- Decreased sensation of a hand occurs when the damage to the spine, which contains the sensitive nerve, innervating the skin of the upper limb.
- Limitation of motion, a, cervical spine, and crunch, when the movement occurs due to the decreased height of an intervertebral disc, the appearance of a bony process of a vertebra body, as well as a destruction of the small joints between the neck vertebrae.
- Dizziness, loss of coordination, weakness - ezek the symptoms are due to the participation of the vertebral artery, i.e., a channel located on the transverse processes of a cervical vertebrae. The development of degenerative cervical disc disease formation of fibrous tissue, the displacement of the vertebrae, worsening blood flow in ezek in the arteries, which is deterioration of blood supply to the occipital lobe of the cerebrum and cerebellum.
- The numbness of the tongue, loss of hearing and vision
occur in severe cases of severe deterioration of blood supply to the occipital lobe of the cerebrum, cerebellum and stem.
The symptoms depending on a damaged vertebra
Separately, you can select the radiculáriszt syndrome, in which different sensory, motor disorders. Different depending on which vertebra is compressing a spinal nerve root is:
- C1: yet, numbness, and impaired sensation in the back of his neck;
- C2: pain in parietal region and occiput;
- C3: violation of speech, sensitivity to language, pain, decreased sensation on the site where disadvantaged spinal nerve;
- C4: the heart of the pain, the left upper quadrant, shoulder, shoulder blade, shortness of breath, decreased hanging of the muscles of the neck;
- C5: shoulder pain in the outer region;
- C6: pain radiating to the forearm, a thumb, the neck and the shoulder blade;
- C7: pain back of the shoulder, the neck, the shoulder-blade, gives you a forearm of 2-4 fingers of the hand;
- C8: pain in the neck, shoulder, forearm, a little finger.
Diagnosis of cervical degenerative disc disease
Main diagnostic methods:
- An X-ray of cervical spine. And A did not contain any information method, especially at a later stage of the disease.
- CT. Better show the changes in a vertebrae, be determined, but it is difficult that the size of the presence of inter-vertebral hernia, but the presence of disco-medullary conflict (compression of the spinal hernia).
- Magnetic resonance imaging. Information on The method. It is perfectly visible that it's not just a bone structure, but also the intervertebral discs, hernia, their size, the direction of a in growth.
- Suspect If you a violation of the blood flow in the vertebral arteries using duplex ultrasound examination. This method allows you to determine exactly how speed is reduced, the blood flow, whether there is obstacle to a normal blood flow.
Radiological stages of degenerative cervical disc disease.
- 1. phase – minimum changes in a configuration of a vertebrae, trowel, flattening the cervical lordosis (flexion).
- 2. phase – instability between the vertebrae, possible displacement of vertebrae one relative to another, torsion (rotation axis of a spine), a slight decrease in the height of an intervertebral disc.
- 3. section – reducing the height of an intervertebral disc ¼ relatively located above the disk, changes in inter-vertebral joints, posterior joint (outgrowths of bone), narrowing of the inter vertebral holes, as well as the narrowing of a spinal canal, that houses a spinal cord, a membrane.
- 4. section – a significant reduction in the height of an intervertebral disc, a significant changes in inter-vertebral joints, huge rear joint, a significant narrowing of inter-vertebral holes significantly narrowing of the spinal canal, the formation of a spinal condition.
Basic principles for the treatment of a cervical degenerative disc disease
The main method of treatment of a degenerative disease of a disk, cervical spinal medication, physical therapy, massage, head-neck area, in particular, effective therapeutic exercises cervical osteochondrosis. A main group of medicines for the disease:
| The name of the group | Action | |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nsaids) | to reduce the pain, reduce the inflammation, swelling, the spine, the nerve that was damaged. | |
| The B vitamins | it improves the metabolic processes in the nervous tissue. | |
| Drugs that improve blood rheology and blood flow | improve the nutrition of a damaged nerve roots and improves blood flow to brain. | |
| Chondroprotectors | drugs to restore the cartilage tissue, including damaged intervertebral disc. | |
| Muscle relaxants | drugs that relieve muscle spasm. |
Attention! Ezek drugs is not intended to present only information.
Physiotherapy the treatment of a cervical degenerative disc disease
| Electrophoresis of drugs. | Under the measure, The The the the the the electric current ions of a preparation are in place. Béla pain relief is a Ready or a burden, to improve blood flow. |
| Ultrasound | anti-inflammatory, analgesic effect, improves metabolic processes in the impact zone. |
| The magnetic therapy | is the pain due to an effect of the removal of tissue edema. |
| Laser treatment | due to illumination can be achieved, anti-inflammatory effect improves blood circulation. |
Physiotherapy
Physical therapy for a cervical osteochondrosis should be performed outside of the acute exacerbation of. The greatest efficiency of this technique is a healing period. While a complex Performance, not discomfort, pain!
| Exercise # 1 | Lying on the belly, the rest of the hands on the ground, lift your head, and a torso, a back should be straight. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes. Slowly sinking down to the floor. Repeat 2-3 times. |
| Exercise # 2 | Lying on your stomach, stretch your arms go through a test, head to the left, try to touch ear to the ground, then turn your head to the right. Repeat 6-7 times in both directions. |
| Exercise # 3 | In the sitting position, a inhalation lean, a head try to touch your chest, then exhaling, bend left, then bend a head. Repeat 10-15 and times. |
| Exercise # 4 | Ül attached to the back of his hand to his forehead, the pressure of the palms on the forehead, then the forehead the palm of your hand. Continue this exercise for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times. |
| Exercise # 5 | Slowly turn your head, first in one direction and then other direction. 10 spins in each direction. Be careful not to get vertigo. When it seems that the practice will cease. |
The most common questions patients with cervical osteochondrosis, answers
You may need surgery for degenerative cervical disc disease?
Signs to the surgery, the inefficiency of conservative treatment of 6 work is accompanied by persistent pain, signs of nerve root damage, and myelopathia. In all other cases, the operation is not performed.
How long can you use NSAIDS?
Since most of the nsaids have a side effect of the mucous membrane of the stomach, a prolonged and frequent reception of the medicines ezek is not recommended. Into account If this group of medicines should strictly follow the recommendations of the treating physician, length of treatment may be individual, depends on the stage of osteoarthritis, the patient and the attendant.
How effective the chondroprotectors?
Evidence is not Currently to a effectiveness and ezek ineffectiveness of the drugs. In such cases, the doctors have the same opinion, that drug use is wrong.
It is better to a vitamins, injections or tablets?
There is no difference in the level of assimilation of the drug in the two routes of administration have not. Since a painful injection, as well as the complications incidence, it is recommended to take vitamins in tablet form.
What are the steps you need to take away the aggravation?
The best at home physical therapy 2 times a year to visit your neck massage area to limit the excessive stress on the cervical spine.