Recommend
Official site Depanten

Cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis often affects people who work while sitting

Cervical osteochondrosisis a progressive degenerative-dystrophic disease of the most mobile part of the spine, consisting of seven intervertebral discs and a relatively weak muscular corset associated with increased mobility and instability of the cervical vertebrae.The cervical vertebrae have relatively low disc height and thickness and fit together quite closely.Since the neck muscles are rather poorly developed, regular strain can cause the intervertebral discs to shift.

The high susceptibility of the cervical spine to degenerative changes, which are essentially osteochondrosis and various injuries, is explained by the constant physical activity with the need to support the head, control twists and bends.

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

Until recently, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis was considered to be the diagnosis of “osteochondrosis” in the elderly;Nowadays it's getting younger and younger.

Cervical osteochondrosis and its manifestations can be caused by a disorder of three body systems:

  • Pathological influence of the focus of degenerative changes on the peripheral nervous system.
  • When the blood supply to the vertebral arteries of brain cells is disrupted.
  • In difficult cases – compression and disruption of the integrity of the spinal cord.

There are many reasons for the development of cervical osteochondrosis:

  • Curvature of the spine - scoliosis, kyphosis;
  • other postural disorders;
  • various back and spine injuries;
  • physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle;
  • metabolism is impaired;
  • obesity;
  • excessive physical activity;
  • Errors in the training process among athletes;
  • stressful conditions;
  • poor physical fitness;
  • hypothermia;
  • infectious diseases;
  • hereditary factor;
  • incorrect habits, for example, the habit of holding the telephone receiver on the shoulder;
  • tense back due to sitting work in office workers, long driving etc.;
  • abnormal development of the spine in the neck area;
  • age-related changes.

All of the above factors influence the increase in load on the cervical spine.The excessive load is compensated for by the neck muscles, but due to excessive tension, the muscles spasm, which leads to poor blood circulation and, as a result, degenerative changes - cervical osteochondrosis.

Pathological changes occur in the structure of the intervertebral discs, their nutrition is disrupted and changes occur in small intervertebral joints.Increased load on the altered intervertebral discs leads to bone growth in the vertebral bodies.

Degree of development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

When determining the degree of cervical osteochondrosis, they rely on the clinical picture and the patient's complaints.

  • I'm graduating– with minimal clinical manifestations.As a rule, there is no pain, or the patient complains of mild pain and discomfort, which increases when turning the head, as well as rapid fatigue of the neck muscles after prolonged exercise.An examination may reveal slight tension in the neck muscles.All of this happens due to a partial loss of moisture and elasticity in the core of the intervertebral disc, which leads to its compaction.
  • II degree– an increase in changes in which pain in the cervical spine bothers the patient, increases and increases with prolonged sitting, especially with the head lowered.The pain radiates to the shoulder and arm.
  • III.degree– increased manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis.It is characterized by constant, aching pain in the cervical spine that radiates to the shoulder and arm.Symptoms of numbness or weakness of the arm muscles, dizziness.This stage is often the beginning of the development of an intervertebral hernia.
  • IV degree– acute pain in the neck, partial loss of control of the limbs, loss of balance, headache, dizziness, loss of consciousness, since the process involves the vertebral artery that supplies the occipital lobe of the brain and the cerebellum.The intervertebral disc is completely destroyed and replaced by connective tissue.This leads to the growth of bone osteophytes, fusion of the vertebrae may occur, as a result of which the neck loses mobility.

Classification of cervical osteochondrosis according to the degree of change in the intervertebral disc – radiological stages:

  • Stage I– no changes in the intervertebral disc, slight changes in the vertebral configuration, straightening of the physiological lordosis;
  • Stage II– minor changes associated with instability of the spinal segment, possible development of subluxation in it, torsion of the vertebrae, the height of the intervertebral segment is slightly reduced.
  • Stage III– pronounced changes in the intervertebral disc – the height of the intervertebral disc is reduced by ¼ compared to the one above it, while the external surface is preserved, the intervertebral foramina and the spinal canal are narrowed, the presence of anterior, posterior and posterolateral compact osteophytes;
  • IV stage– the height of the intervertebral disc is significantly reduced – by two times, significant pathological changes in the intervertebral joints, the presence of massive posterior osteophytes, significant narrowing of the intervertebral foramina and the spinal canal.

Signs and symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

The first symptom of cervical osteochondrosis, observed in almost all patients, is neck pain.This pain occurs when lying down after waking up and increases when you try to turn over.Increased pain is caused by unsuccessful head turning, coughing, sneezing, or laughing.The pain is dull, boring in nature, sometimes shooting and localized deep in the neck.The nature of pain in the cervical spine can be either periodic or constant.The intensity of the pain decreases over the course of the day and may even disappear completely.

Signs of cervical osteochondrosis without complications:

  • Stiffness, limited mobility in the neck;
  • pain and discomfort in the neck area;
  • adopting a forced head position;
  • when moving the head there is a “crunching” feeling in the neck;
  • Tension in the muscles of the cervical spine.

Subsequently, symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis develop as a result of compression of blood vessels and nerve roots.Specific signs appear that are characteristic only of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

Vertebral artery syndrome

The development of this syndrome of cervical osteochondrosis occurs as a result of injury to the vertebral artery caused by tense muscles and a deterioration in the blood supply to the occipital lobe of the brain and cerebellum, organs of hearing and vision.

Artery spasm can also occur in response to irritation of the nerve fibers that run from the spinal cord to the artery.Cerebral ischemia can occur as a result of compression.

Signs of Vertebral Artery Syndrome:

  • paroxysmal, migraine-like pain in the head, beginning with pulsations in the back of the head and then spreading to the temples, forehead and ears;
  • Pain that increases when turning or tilting the head while sitting;
  • neck muscle tension;
  • Dizziness;
  • lack of coordination;
  • feeling of heaviness in the head;
  • tinnitus;
  • fainting;
  • decreased vision;
  • hearing loss;
  • Numbness of the tongue with severe deterioration in blood supply to the brain;
  • memory impairment;
  • Sleep disorders.

Humeroscapular periarthrosis is a disease that affects the periarticular soft tissues - the muscles and tendons of the shoulder joint and scapula - and most often develops with cervical osteochondrosis of the intervertebral discs between the IV and V cervical vertebrae.The innervation in the shoulder-shoulder zone is disturbed and, as a result, dystrophic changes develop, which gradually increase.Tissue nutrition disorder, which occurs at the very beginning of the pathological process, remains unnoticed for a long time.With the development of glenohumeral periarthrosis, other symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis fade into the background.Deep pain is localized at the attachment points of ligaments and tendons.The gradual destruction of the intervertebral disc leads to irritation of the autonomic nerve fibers, which enter the shoulder joint in the form of impulses.The nutrition of the periarticular tissue is disrupted, which impairs the functions of the joint.

Characteristic symptoms of glenohumeral periarthrosis:

  • Pain in the shoulder joint that radiates to the neck and arm;
  • when moving the arm to the side, restrictions and pain are observed;
  • increased pain when lying on the affected side;
  • Development of atrophy of the shoulder and scapula muscles over time.

Radicular syndrome

Radicular syndrome occurs as a result of degenerative changes in the spine, diminished intervertebral discs and loss of elasticity of the fibrous ring.The appearance of certain symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depends on the location of the changes.

If a nerve root is damaged:

  • At C 1 (first cervical vertebra) there is a loss of sensitivity in the back of the head.
  • radicular syndrome C 2 in the segment C I-C II - localization of pain in the parietal and occipital areas.
  • With 3 in segment C II-C III it is quite rare.Painful sensations are accompanied by a decrease in the sensitivity of the half of the neck, where there is compression of the spinal nerve, impaired speech and reduced sensitivity of the tongue.
  • With damage to the C 4 nerve root in the C III-C IV segment, the localization of pain and reduced sensitivity in the area of the shoulder girdle and clavicle may be accompanied by hypotonia of the neck and head muscles.Damage to the C4 root can cause difficulty breathing, pain in the heart area, and hiccups due to the presence of the phrenic nerve within it.A fairly rare pathology.
  • C 5 in segment C IV-C V – causes pain in the shoulder girdle and on the outer surface of the shoulder.Weakening of the deltoid muscle, impaired sensitivity of the shoulder on the outer surface.
  • C 6 and C 7 in the C V-C VI and C VI-C VII segments are the most common diseases.In case C 6 – radiating pain from the neck to the shoulder blade, forearm, outer surface of the shoulder, radial surface of the forearm and further to the thumb.Loss of sensitivity also in the skin.In case C 7 - radiating pain from the neck to the scapula, to the forearm, to the back of the shoulder, to the surface of the forearm and to the back of the second and fourth fingers, with loss of sensitivity of the skin in these areas.
  • From 8 in segment C VII-T I – the localization of pain and loss of sensitivity from the neck spreads to the back of the shoulder, the ulnar edge of the forearm and the little finger.There may be no sensation of pain in the little finger, but there will be noticeable weakening of the finger muscles.

Anterior scalene syndrome

The anterior scalene muscle is located in the area of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae and is attached to the first rib, the medial scalene muscle is also attached to it, and the subclavian artery and the brachial plexus pass through the gap formed between these muscles.The destruction of the intervertebral disc stimulates autonomic nerve fibers and sends impulses to the anterior scalene muscle.

Muscle spasm occurs and, as a result, compression of the brachial plexus and vertebral artery occurs.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, characteristic of anterior scalene syndrome:

  • The pain ranges from stabbing to aching and spreads to the forearm and hand.
  • Pain that increases when the arm is moved to the side and the head is tilted.
  • A pinched artery is characterized by a cold hand, numbness, and swelling.

Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis

The main methods for diagnosing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are:

  1. X-ray examination of the spine- in direct and lateral projection and in the patient's functional positions - (with the mouth open) to determine the decrease in height of the intervertebral discs and degenerative bone growths.
  2. MRI – magnetic resonance imaging– is the most informative diagnostic method that allows with high accuracy to localize pathological changes in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Detects protrusions and intervertebral hernias as well as their size and direction of growth.
  3. CT – Computed Tomography– determines the presence of changes in the vertebrae in cervical osteochondrosis, but this diagnostic technique is less informative.
  4. Ultrasound duplex scanning– a method that allows you to determine a decrease in the speed of blood flow and the presence of obstacles to normal blood flow.

In order to exclude pathological processes of the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the organs of vision and hearing, as well as the digestive organs, types of examinations such as ultrasound, ECG, electroencephalography are used for differential diagnosis, and laboratory tests are prescribed.

Principles of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

The main methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis are:

  • drug therapy,
  • physiotherapeutic treatment,
  • Massage of the neck and collar area,
  • therapeutic exercises.

For drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, the following main groups of drugs are used:

  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that relieve pain, swelling of the damaged nerve root and inflammation;
  • B vitamins that improve metabolic processes;
  • Medicines to improve the rheological properties of blood and blood flow and to improve the nutrition of damaged roots;
  • Chondroprotectors – to restore cartilage tissue;
  • Muscle relaxants – used to relieve muscle spasms.

Physiotherapy in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

  • Electrophoresis to relieve pain or improve blood circulation.
  • Ultrasound – to improve metabolic processes, as a pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory method.
  • Magnetic field therapy – to relieve swelling and relieve pain.
  • Laser therapy – to improve blood circulation and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Therapeutic exercise

With cervical osteochondrosis, physiotherapy is prescribed during the recovery period after pain relief, since pain and discomfort should not occur when performing a set of exercises.It is best for a patient with such a diagnosis to receive regular physical therapy to limit excessive stress on the cervical spine.Restoring muscle tone is the main task in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis

Physical activity, sleeping in a comfortable bed with an anatomical mattress, a combination of prolonged sitting with warm-up periods, maintaining correct posture and proper nutrition are the key to cervical spine health.You should try to avoid neck injuries and lifting excessive weights.

As the Japanese say: a crooked neck is a sign of a short life.

This is an assessment of the health of the most mobile part of the spine.

The complications of this disease are diverse and dangerous in their manifestations.The minimal diameters of the spinal canal of the cervical spine make the spinal cord very vulnerable, compression of which can lead to consequences such as paresis and paralysis.

Another danger of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a violation of the blood supply to the brain.Decreased blood flow as a result of vertebral artery compression can lead to conditions such as brain and spinal cord ischemia and, in the worst cases, spinal stroke.

To avoid irreversible damage, it is strongly recommended that you seek medical attention as soon as possible.