It has been written and said many times that osteochondrosis of the cervical, cervical-thoracic and lumbar spine is not an independent disease. This, if you will, is our "species curse. " Man, as a species, has been moving on two legs for only a few million years, or even less. This, from an evolutionary point of view, is still the "middle. "on the road". It is not known what new anatomical variants of the development of the spine we will reach in a million years.
Currently, osteochondrosis is the most common disease of the musculoskeletal system and doctors of various specialties are faced with it. Most often, these are therapists and neurologists, because with the complication of osteochondrosis, various neurological syndromes can occur, which will be discussed below.
Osteochondrosis - what is it?
You should not say the words "osteochondrosis is common" because it is not true. Pure osteochondrosis is a process of normal aging and dehydration of the intervertebral discs, which in the normal course does not cause any complaints. This is possible in energetic adults, who are mobile, have a good posture and are not overweight. They do gymnastics, swim, avoid lifting weights and lead what can be called a "healthy lifestyle".
If we talk about osteochondrosis of any part of the spine, as a disease, then we always mean its complex course, which causes various complaints and symptoms. And the cervical spine is more vulnerable than other underlying departments. Of course, the cervical region has the least load - only the head, but at the same time the vertebrae of the cervical region are more mobile than others and at the same time are less massive.
All this makes the lesions of the cervical region with complications of osteochondrosis more pronounced. The proximity of the head leads to the fact that headaches occur, which, of course, does not occur in lesions of the lumbar region. In addition, it should be remembered that it is in the central canal of the cervical vertebrae that the spinal cord passes, which has absorbed all the underlying pathways. Therefore, in central canal compression syndromes, the patient may experience paralysis of the arms and legs, complete immobility, decreased skin sensitivity throughout the body, and pelvic dysfunction. All this can currently be done by a person with a disability, such as a fracture of the cervical spine (diving head in unfamiliar small places).
Of course, such complex injuries are not associated with osteochondrosis: patients are much more likely to be troubled by other symptoms. How to treat and cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine? It is impossible to cure it. To do this, from childhood simply refuse to move on two legs and crawl on all fours or live in the ocean like dolphins. Only then will the load on the intervertebral discs be minimal or even completely absent.
Only exacerbations of osteochondrosis can be cured, so you need to know not only their signs and symptoms, but also risk factors.
About risk factors
In the case of the cervical spine, obviously, lifting weights on the shoulder will not play as important a role in the onset of the pain syndrome as in the lower back. What conditions and diseases can contribute to the development of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis? Here are the most common situations:
- Flat steps, both longitudinal and transverse. The spine is a flexible, curved rod. In case the arch of the foot does not get wet and during the step there is not a "elastic" downward movement of the spine, but a blow, then this blow with a "wave", like a whip, rises up and goes out right in the cervicalarea at the site of the craniovertebral junction. That's where all the energy goes. Therefore, running with flat feet leads to pronounced changes in the intervertebral discs.
- Chronic trauma. These are, first of all, slipping on the ice in winter, falling on the back of the head, as well as constantly hitting the head in low doors, which is often found in people whose height is above average.
- Wearing heavy winter hats, high hairstyles and plenty of jewelry for women. All this leads to fatigue of the neck muscles, the appearance of their chronic spasm, circulatory disorders, the development of headaches and back pain.
- Sedentary lifestyle, "sedentary" work, the presence of stiffness in the upper chest and cervical spine.
We will not list the specific risk factors that occur in sick patients. The reasons for deterioration of the condition, which are found in ordinary, healthy people, are completely sufficient.
Symptoms and signs of osteochondrosis
The signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are very multifaceted. Few doctors even know that general abdominal prolapse (splanchnoptosis) or liver prolapse, which is often misdiagnosed as an enlargement, may be due to osteochondrosis of the cervical region. In this case, the diaphragmatic nerve is irritated and the dome of the diaphragm, shrinking, falls down.
As a result, the liver is "pushed" out of the hypochondrium. But there are other, more "common" symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis - pain and muscle tension. We will not talk about the symptoms of hernia and protrusion of the cervical spine - this is a separate article. Let's talk about the clinic that happens with "whole "intervertebral discs, especially since such situations are much more common.
Cervical osteochondrosis causes pain in the neck itself. Muscle pain is manifested by constant, excruciating pain of low intensity. Worsens when turning and tilting the head. It is often accompanied by stiffness in the suboccipital region.
Headache in osteochondrosis of the cervical region almost always has the character of a tension headache. The attack lasted for many hours and even days in a row. The pain rises from the neck through the back to the temples and covers the skull like a helmet or helmet. In this pain, the ability to work does not suffer, but if it is joined by radicular symptoms, then they acquire a shooting character and it becomes very painful to move the head.
Vertebral artery syndrome.
Speaking of cervical osteochondrosis, one cannot fail to mention this classic manifestation of cerebrovascular insufficiency caused by cervical osteochondrosis. Its symptoms are vomiting and nausea, dizziness and imbalance. There is noise in the head and ears (tinnitus), in severe cases there is a speech disorder (dysarthria), swallowing disorders. Much more often there are various visual disturbances ("flies"), headaches. Sometimes there are falling attacks, during which a person does not lose consciousness, but falls and then quickly rises.
During sleep, compression of one of the two vertebral arteries can occur. In case a person simultaneously throws his head back and turns it to one side, then the spinal artery is pressed against the first vertebra - the atlas contralaterally, ie on the opposite side.
If you lie like this for a while, then in the morning, when you try to get out of bed, you experience severe dizziness, nausea, vomiting, gait disturbances and balance. In some cases, "higher-order" disorders develop, such as global transient amnesia, in which the patient simply does not remember anything.
There are also many neurological syndromes and symptoms, which we will list only briefly, indicating their reference diagnostic points, so that the reader of the article can imagine and "try" these symptoms for himself, if he can not get to a neurologist:
- Lower oblique muscle syndrome of the head (common in patients over 50 years of age, especially in postmenopausal women). There is pain, sensitivity disorders in the back of the head, along the auricle. The pain is painful, breaking, both in the neck and in the back of the head, constant, and its intensification is associated with prolonged immobility. It is increased by turning the head of the side that is healthy;
- Scalenus anterior syndrome - occurs in patients with additional "cervical ribs".
There are disturbances in sensitivity and "creeping" in the hand, its pallor and cold, sometimes swelling of the hand, weakness, hypotrophy of the muscles of the hand, as well as a weakening of the pulse of the wrist. In severe cases, progressive paralysis may occur orParesis of the muscles of the arm Patients cannot drive a car, sleep on the sick side, cannot lift weights, and also work with raised arms (hanging curtains, plaster). forced head position in the morning.
- Middle rock muscle syndrome. First there is pain in the shoulder, in the area of the shoulder blade, and then there begins muscle malnutrition. The mechanism is associated with damage to the long nerve of the trunk and the transverse artery of the neck;
- Shoulder-bone syndrome (syndrome of the lifting levator of the muscle that raises the shoulder blade). First there are painful pains in the area of the shoulder blade, which "buzz". They give on the shoulder, there is also pain in the neck, which often hurts "in time".
Thus, it is clear that many processes that began in the area of the neck or in close proximity to its structures occur "on the periphery", for example in the area of the arm. This requires a careful and competent approach by the doctor. At present, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis complications is much easier, especially with the introduction of MRI in clinical practice.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Modern therapy of cervical pain of vertebrogenic origin and related compression and muscle syndromes provides short courses of treatment. The treatment of exacerbations of osteochondrosis of the cervical region quickly passes into a phase of attenuating exacerbation, against which the main methods of treatment are kinesiotherapy and physiotherapy.
Ointments and exacerbations
As you know, "injections", ointments and even blockades are not lifted. But the neck is the focus of a large number of nerves, blood vessels, vegetative fibers, fascia. That is why blockades are performed here less often than in acute back or lower back pain. In addition, the thin skin of the neck allows gels, creams and ointments to be absorbed faster than in the lumbar spine.
Injectable forms of NSAIDs are used, preferably selective, centrally acting muscle relaxants, B vitamins.
It should be remembered that if NSAIDs are used, then it is imperative to protect the lining of the gastrointestinal tract by using antisecretory drugs during treatment.
As for topical treatment, there are currently many ointments, gels and creams containing NSAIDs, bee and snake venom, as well as agents that cool and relieve pain. The main thing is not to use too hot ointments. They can cause high blood pressure, flushing and even a hypertensive crisis in old age. Treatment with ointments is desirable to carry out prophylactically, without waiting for the next exacerbation.
About the Shants collar
In the early stages, in the acute stage, it is necessary to protect the neck from unnecessary movements. The Shants collar is great for this. Many people make two mistakes when buying this collar. They do not choose it according to its size, which is why it simply does not perform its function and causes a feeling of discomfort.
The second common mistake is long wearing for prophylactic purposes. This leads to weakness of the neck muscles and only causes more problems. There are only two indications for the collar, in the presence of which it can be worn:
- The appearance of acute neck pain, stiffness and spread of pain to the head;
- If you are going to do physical work in good health, where there is a risk of "pulling" your neck and getting worse. This is, for example, repairing a car when you lie down under it, or washing windows when you have to reach out and take uncomfortablepositions.
It is necessary to wear a collar for no more than 2-3 days, as prolonged wearing can cause venous stasis in the neck muscles, at a time when it is time to activate the patient.
Patient activation
Kinesiotherapy (treatment by movement) includes therapeutic exercises, swimming. Gymnastics for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is not aimed at the discs at all, but at the surrounding muscles. Its task is to relieve tonic spasm, improve blood flow, and also normalize venous outflow. This leads to a decrease in muscle tone, a reduction in the severity of pain and stiffness in the back.
Along with massage, swimming, acupuncture sessions, the purchase of an orthopedic mattress and a special pillow is shown. A pillow for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine must be made of a special material with "shape memory". Its task is to relax the muscles of the neck and suboccipital area, as well as to prevent disruption of blood flow at night in the vertebrobasilar pool.
Autumn is an important stage in the prevention and treatment of home physiotherapy products and devices - from infrared and magnetic devices, to the most common needle applicators and ebonite discs, which are a source of weak electric currents during massage, which have a beneficial effect on the patient.
What next?
Statistics show that the situation with diseases of the musculoskeletal system is many times better among the peoples of the Mediterranean, who often swim in the sea at any age.
However, the basis for preventing osteochondrosis, in addition to eliminating risk factors, it is necessary to put a healthy diet based on yogurt, plant foods, seafood, fiber and plenty of fluids. This will slow down the process of age-related dehydration of the intervertebral discs and will keep the neck and back healthy until the most advanced years.