Now there are practically no people over the age of 25 who have no problems with their spine. One of the most common pathologies is damage to the cervical vertebrae, which, if left untreated, inevitably progresses and causes more and more discomfort to the patient.
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joints and intervertebral discs.
As cervical osteochondrosis progresses, the following symptoms appear:
decreased visual acuity and hearing;
Numbness of the tongue;
with a sharp turn of the neck it darkens in the eyes, dizzy;
a throbbing pain can be felt in the back of the head, which can radiate to the temples and crown;
Pain in the cervical spine and shoulders, which disturbs the patient even during sleep and is aggravated by movement or exertion;
Neck stiffness, especially in the morning;
Pressure in the sternum;
Shortness of breath, feeling short of air.
Because the spinal cord does not receive enough nutrients, the range of motion and the sensitivity of the upper and lower extremities decrease significantly.
Causes of Cervical Osteochondrosis
The predisposition to osteochondrosis of the neck is inherited. In addition, common causes of the development of pathology are:
unbalanced diet;
Scoliosis;
Flat feet;
VSD;
emphasize;
Spinal injuries and bruises;
excessive physical activity;
Rheumatism;
sedentary lifestyle;
Obesity.
Reference! The main reason for the development of osteochondrosis is a violation of mineral metabolism, which may be associated with a lack of calcium or a hormonal disorder. Women are often faced with this pathology during pregnancy and menopause.
diagnosis
To determine the degree of degenerative changes in the spine, the following diagnostic methods are used:
Doppler ultrasound of the carotid and vertebral arteries. Allows you to identify spasmodic vessels, as well as a violation of the blood supply to the brain and spinal cord.
Audiography to test the function of the hearing organs.
Ultrasonic.
CT and MRI of the head and cervical spine. It is done with the aim of assessing the area of the lesion, checking the position of the intervertebral discs, and detecting compression of the spinal cord and blood vessels.
Blood analysis.
X-ray at an early stage of the pathology.
Electronuromyography shows the presence of inflammation, entrapment, and nerve damage.
Duplex scanning of the vessels of the head.
Reference! All these procedures are most conveniently carried out in one place, for example, in a treatment and rehabilitation center, where diagnostics are carried out using modern equipment.
Which doctor treats
If you experience symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, you cannot start treatment right away. First of all, you should make an appointment with a neurologist. The specialist will conduct an examination and then refer the patient to the necessary studies.
Important! Performing manual therapies and other types of treatment without prior diagnosis threatens injury and exacerbation of existing problems.
Treatment methods
Once the diagnosis is made, the patient can proceed with treatment. Leading specialists work in treatment and rehabilitation centers, so the likelihood of complications is minimal.
The main method of treating osteochondrosis of the neck is manual therapy. The specialist does a massage that relaxes the neck and shoulders, returns the vertebrae and joints to their natural position, and normalizes lymph flow and blood circulation.
Manual therapy is often combined with therapeutic exercises to tone the neck muscles. In addition, drug treatment and physiotherapy are used to get rid of the pathology.
Results
The therapy frees the nerve endings from pinching, stabilizes the spine and the pain disappears or subsides. A chiropractor is able to straighten the vertebrae and increase the space between damaged discs, thereby avoiding friction.
Important! 2 and 3 degree osteochondrosis cannot be completely cured. But therapy and rehabilitation will allow the patient to restore the impaired functions of the spine as much as possible.
Rehabilitation and lifestyle recovery
In addition to the diagnosis and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, rehabilitation measures are also carried out in the treatment and rehabilitation centers. The patient leaves the center healthy and is ready to return to his usual way of life as soon as possible.
Rehabilitation is aimed not only at restoring the function of the spine, but also at preventing damage to healthy tissues. The program is drawn up taking into account the severity of the pathology and the presence of complications. Physiotherapeutic methods, massages, movement therapies and mud applications have proven themselves. If the patient still has pathological symptoms, he is prescribed a drug blockade.
Lifestyle with cervical osteochondrosis
To avoid relapse of the disease, it is necessary to follow the following recommendations:
change the position of the body at least every half an hour;
Do not lift loads weighing more than 5 kg;
more running, doing physiotherapy, swimming, pilates;
it is preferable not to use a bag, but a backpack;
If you are seated, take a ten minute break every hour.
Important! The position of the human body during sleep is of great importance. You must sleep on your back, on a medium firm orthopedic mattress and an orthopedic pillow. In this case, your head and neck should be on the pillow and your shoulders on the mattress.
Treatment for cervical osteochondrosis is most effective at its early stages, so you shouldn't postpone a visit to a neurologist. However, regardless of the degree of damage to the joints and intervertebral discs, it is possible to stop the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life. For this it is important not to waste time and follow the recommendations of a specialist.