Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine accounts for about a quarter of all cases of osteochondrosis. It is the "youngest" and often affects people under the age of 30. The disease progresses gradually, progressing slowly but steadily. In the early stages of cervical osteochondrosis, it can usually be asymptomatic, becoming an accidental finding. time of X-ray examination.
Causes of osteochondrosis
The disease manifests itself as dull pain in the chest, under the shoulder blades, in the shoulder area, tingling and the appearance of "goose bumps" in the chest, stiffness of movements. Often the pain is lumbar, accompanied by angina pectoris, unpleasant painfulstomach upset and shortness of breath, sometimes with short-term sharp pain.
The reasons for the destruction of the spinal discs and the compression of the nerve endings of the spinal cord can be scoliosis acquired in adolescence, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, the same type of load on the spine and regular long-term sitting.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: symptoms
The most important, first and most common symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is pain. It is intensified by bending or turning the head.
Depending on the location of the pathological focus, the pain may be attributed to the nape of the neck, under the shoulder blade or in the arm.
It can be constant, painful. It can occur from time to time, but as the disease progresses, it increasingly worries a person. The pain is also sharp, shooting. This is a symptom of an exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, which can occur after hypothermia of the body.
Head movements are usually difficult. This is due to the constant tension of the muscles in the area of the collar and neck. Crunching is often heard when leaning forward or turning the head.
In the later stages of cervical osteochondrosis, a person cannot hold his head for a long time. Sometimes he is unable to turn or tilt it without feeling severe pain. The patient tries to support his head with his hands or tries to take a comfortable position for him to alleviate his suffering.
Vertebral artery syndrome
This group of symptoms occurs due to compression of the spinal artery by a displaced intervertebral disc, overgrown cartilage or tense muscles. The syndrome is a complex of symptoms, including cervical migraine, impaired consciousness and high blood pressure.
Cervical migraine is a headache that results from reduced blood flow and lack of oxygen to the tissues. The pain is often unilateral. It hurts, first of all, the nape. Possible radiation in the ear, eye or forehead.
Sometimes hearing loss occurs and the ears start ringing. Possible damage to vision. In the eyes twice, before the eyes "flies flash". The scalp can become so painful that it cannot be touched. Headache with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
A common symptom of cervical osteochondrosis and compression of the vertebral artery is an increase in blood pressure. But osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and hypertension are not always related. It should be borne in mind that in old age there is an increase in pressure in many people.
Only after studying the history of cervical osteochondrosis, the doctor can determine whether hypertension is a complication of the disease. If there is a history of recurrent bouts of hypertension, which are accompanied by palpitations and fear of death, this is most likely really one of the symptoms of spinal artery compression. If the increase in pressure occurs gradually and frequent hypertensive crises are not observed, it is most likely that the patient has hypertension that is not associated with osteochondrosis.
Disorder of consciousness occurs when there is not enough blood supply to the brain. There is drowsiness, dizziness, decreased reaction rate to external stimuli. There is a short-term loss of consciousness.
Rehabilitation after spinal stroke
What are the most dangerous symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis? Undoubtedly, this is a spinal stroke - the death of part of the spinal cord due to the complete absence of blood flow in the drained vessels. It always leads to damage, causing paresis and paralysis. Fortunately, spinal strokes are rare.
Heart syndrome
Symptoms of exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine include heart pain. This occurs due to pinching of the posterior roots of the fourth spinal nerve. In fact, heart pain can be attributed to radicular syndrome. But this symptom is specific and therefore isolated as a separate syndrome.
Heart pain with osteochondrosis can mimic angina pectoris or myocardial infarction. But when the patient seeks medical help, the competent doctor can immediately, based only on the patient's symptoms and complaints, rule out heart disease.
- First, the presence of other symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the patient will now lead the specialist to the idea that the cause of heart pain may be problems with the spine;
- Secondly, the pain is not as strong and sharp as in myocardial infarction, and is not accompanied by fear of death. It is not associated with physical activity, unlike an attack of angina pectoris;
- Thirdly, such pain is quite long-lasting and after taking nitroglycerin it does not disappear and does not even subside;
- Fourth, the pain increases with turning or tilting of the head, which is not observed in "true" heart disease.
Radicular syndrome
Radicular syndrome combines those signs of cervical osteochondrosis that develop as a result of compression of the roots of the spinal nerves. Depending on the level at which the pinching has occurred, different symptoms of intervertebral osteochondrosis of the cervical spine may develop.
Compression of the roots at the level of the first or second segment leads to numbness of the occipital skin or pain in the occipital region.
Pinching the roots of the third spinal nerve causes numbness of the tongue and skin behind the ear. If the motor fibers are pinched, it becomes difficult for a person to chew food and there is a feeling of an enlarged tongue.
Compression of the roots at the level of the fourth segment of the spinal cord causes pain in the heart and clavicle, hiccups and pharyngeal migraine. There is a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, it is difficult to swallow food. There may be a sore throat that mimics a sore throat. But the differential diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis and tonsillitis is not difficult at all. Inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil is always accompanied by hyperthermia, while in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine body temperature does not rise.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The most common symptom of pinching of the roots of the fifth spinal nerve is impaired mobility of the shoulder muscles. It is difficult for the patient to raise his hand and take it to the side.
Pinching the roots of the sixth segment most often causes pain in the shoulder blade and forearm. It becomes difficult for the patient to bend and rotate the forearm.
The seventh pair of spinal nerves innervates mainly the hand, index finger and middle finger. When pinched, the mobility of these parts of the body is impaired, tingling or pain occurs.
Pinching at the level of the eighth segment makes it difficult to bend and expand the ring finger and little finger. Pain and sensory impairment may also occur. However, these manifestations can now be attributed to the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine, as the roots of the eighth spinal nerve are located between the seventh cervical and first thoracic vertebrae.
What is the risk of cervical osteochondrosis? First of all, from its complications. The appearance of intervertebral hernias can lead to compression of the spinal cord and as a result to the development of paresis and paralysis. When the first symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis appear, treatment should begin. Properly selected therapy will slow the progression of the disease, improve the quality of life of the patient and avoid the development of complications of cervical osteochondrosis.