Osteochondrosis is one of the few diseases unique to humans. The reason for this is such a characteristic feature of a person as a straight foot. Due to the vertical position of the spine, the vertebrae press against each other and the bone and cartilage tissue of the spine is gradually destroyed and deformed. It is recommended to treat osteochondrosis as early as possible.
The human spine begins in the neck area. In total there are seven vertebrae in this department, from the first to the seventh. The vertebrae are separated from each other by intervertebral discs. The cervical spine is a part of it that is particularly at risk, mainly due to the increased mobility of the vertebrae in this area. In the neck area, the disease is mainly reflected in the intervertebral discs, which represent a weak point in the structure of the spine.
Factors such as the small size of the vertebrae and the relative weakness of the neck muscles also contribute to the spread of cervical osteochondrosis. The development of cervical osteochondrosis is also strongly influenced by an insufficient blood supply to the cartilage tissue.
So, the development of the disease is a complex and lengthy process and has no single cause. Although there is a connection between a person's sedentary work and the presence of cervical osteochondrosis, the disease nevertheless often occurs in trained people, especially athletes, due to the increased load on the cervical spine when lifting weights.
In the elderly, the breakdown of vertebral structures is usually an inevitable process associated with the aging of the body and the weakening of its defenses. The most common pathological type of cervical osteochondrosis, in which the main role is played by external or internal negative factors.
Factors contributing to the development of cervical osteochondrosis:
- bad attitude
- rachiocampsis
- back injury
- overweight
- Hard physical work
- sedentary work
- Violation of metabolic processes
- Frequent hypothermia
- Uncomfortable sleeping position
- stress, fatigue
- hereditary factors
- infectious diseases
- Body features such as a neck that is too long or too short
Degrees of development of cervical osteochondrosis
The disease has four stages. It is not always easy to determine the stage of the disease by analyzing the symptoms, since sometimes the degree of breakdown of bone and cartilage tissue can not coincide with the symptoms observed in the patient.
First Degree
Destructive processes begin in the bone and cartilage tissue of the vertebrae. As a rule, the symptoms at this stage of cervical osteochondrosis are mild. Patients either do not notice them or do not associate them with spinal disorders, but attribute them to stress and overwork.
second degree
The height of the disk begins to decrease, cracks appear on its surface. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at this stage are manifested by constant pain, weakness and numbness of certain parts of the face.
third degree
Herniated discs form, blood vessels and neck muscles are damaged. The patient has dizziness, pain in the back of the head.
fourth degree
Osteophytes appear - bone growths that protect the vertebrae from stress, which leads to pinching of the nerve, which leads to stiffness and damage to adjacent joints.
symptoms
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Pain in neck and shoulders
- muscle weakness
- Increased sweating
- numbness of the hand
- Impaired coordination
- dizziness
- visual and hearing impairment
- increase in blood pressure
- headache
These symptoms, characteristic of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, can be present at all stages of the disease. In most cases, there are only a few symptoms from the list, and the rest may be absent. A person who first encountered such signs of the disease does not always suspect that he has cervical osteochondrosis. Therefore, he can turn to various doctors - therapists, cardiologists, neuropathologists, surgeons. And the correct diagnosis can only be made very late.
Syndromes of cervical osteochondrosis
With cervical osteochondrosis, there are several syndromes, that is, typical conditions that have a complex of characteristic features. They occur depending on which nerves and arteries are affected by the disease:
- vertebral artery syndrome
- cardiac syndrome
- hypertensive syndrome
- radicular syndrome
- cervical migraine syndrome
Vertebral artery syndrome is one of the most unpleasant and dangerous complications of cervical osteochondrosis. This is because blood flow is reduced in the artery that runs along the spine and supplies the brain. The syndrome manifests itself in symptoms such as systemic or periodic dizziness, hearing and vision disorders. In some cases, fainting can occur. Often there is some kind of syndrome, which means that in the normal state, the blood flow in the artery is normal, but when the head is turned in one direction or another, it can drop sharply.
Hypertension is also one of the most dangerous complications. Unlike vertebral artery syndrome, it is caused by the compression of the arteries rather than the arteries, making it difficult for blood to drain from the head. The syndrome leads to an increase in intracranial pressure, which can manifest itself through symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and headaches.