Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is a degenerative process of damage to the intervertebral disc and cartilage tissue, gradually moving to the vertebrae. In untreated conditions, osteochondrosis leads to devastating diseases such as radicular syndrome, humeroscapular periarthrosis, etc.
Currently, cervical osteochondrosis, the causes of which can be very different, affects every third person. But, despite his great character, he is very dangerous and does not forgive carelessness towards himself. How to treat cervical osteochondrosis, regardless of the stage of development? First you need to understand the type of disease - cervical osteochondrosis and the reasons that cause it.
Causes of cervical spine osteochondrosis
The main reason for the development of this disease is the same as for other parts of the spine - a sedentary lifestyle, more inactive. This applies to both the younger generation over 20 years old and to people who have just passed 40 years: with age, the results of an unbalanced diet, lack of vitamins and calcium in the body, metabolic disorders and salt deposition are felt more acutely.
Add here infectious, toxic, endocrine diseases and genetic predisposition, and now your head hurts with osteochondrosis, it is difficult to turn your neck to the side, the dull pain does not allow you to think about anything else. This causes increased pressure and violation of nerve endings. There is a state of numbness, tingling, heaviness - symptoms that turn into a headache with osteochondrosis, which begins to feel. By the way, cervical osteochondrosis and pressure, especially increased pressure, is a natural process, because the arteries are blocked and interfere with the outflow.
Initially, the development of cervical osteochondrosis begins with the intervertebral disc: under the influence of negative factors, the nucleus pulposus begins to lose moisture, elasticity, and form microcracks. As a result, the shock-absorbing function of the disc deteriorates and the load on the vertebrae under it increases. Microcracks are also formed in it and osteophytes (bone growths) appear so that the vertebrae can cope with the increasing load area. But the additional mass of osteophytes begins to put pressure on the nerve root or compress the vertebral artery. And headache with cervical osteochondrosis is the first symptom you should pay attention to.
In the future, subluxation occurs in the intervertebral joints, the neck muscles need to be in tension all the time to maintain the vertebrae in their previous state. But the muscles become tired with tension and the load again falls on the vertebrae, thereby aggravating the development of osteochondrosis.
If you have a headache with osteochondrosis, you feel constant neck muscle spasms, you periodically want to get a massage - consult a doctor. The clinic offers qualified medical treatment in many areas, including medical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, manual therapy and massage.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
If you start experiencing dizziness, numbness in the muscles of the neck and back, headache - rush to the doctor, there are clear signs of osteochondrosis. Cervical-brachial osteochondrosis, which is indicated by the above symptoms, is an unpleasant disease if not treated.
The risk groups are:
- experienced driver;
- people who always sit in front of the computer;
- people with spinal disease;
- the students.
All of these people spend most of their time in a position with a fixed muscle position, which leads to their stiffness.
Cervical osteochondrosis of the 1st degree is characterized by sharp pain, lumbago. The same back pain occurs with lumbosacral osteochondrosis lumbago. Untrained muscles due to an inactive lifestyle do not receive adequate nutrition and begin to age. This can happen at the age of 20 and 50. Degenerative destruction of the vertebrae then turns into osteochondrosis of the cervical region of the 2nd degree.
Signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in the 2nd stage are the inflammatory process, capsule rupture and the appearance of osteophytes. This process can last for several years, then die, then flare up again, simultaneously causing "falling head syndrome", when the patient has to squeeze his head with his hands to reduce the headache. Another symptom that indicates cervical osteochondrosis is dizziness, the treatment of which should not be started.
Previously, to make a diagnosis, only external examination and x-rays were required. But in this case, the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis cannot be trusted, because x-rays cannot show a complete picture of the development of this disease. This requires CT and MRI - procedures that show foci of inflammation, circulatory disorders, pathology and neoplasms.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine begins with the diagnosis, first of all, the restoration of spasmodic muscle tone. Pain in cervical osteochondrosis in the early stages of the disease is not very strong and does not require medical treatment. It will be enough to take a course of special massage or manual therapy, study working conditions and switch to a healthier lifestyle: sit less in front of the computer, move more and engage in light physical labor.
But, if you feel dizzy, osteochondrosis does not allow you to turn your neck and the pain does not give you rest - you need comprehensive and medical treatment. In this case, to relieve pain, the doctor prescribes analgesics (in the acute stage - injections), then tablets, ointments and gels with a warming effect. Massage for cervical osteochondrosis, performed professionally, will also bring great relief and relieve pain for a while.
The main stages in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- removal of pain syndrome;
- removal of edema;
- normalization of blood circulation;
- strengthens muscles and improves tone;
- tissue regeneration recovery.
Comprehensive treatment for cervical osteochondrosis consists of treatment with drugs and acupuncture techniques, acupuncture and reflexology, manual therapy and massage, folk remedies and homeopathic preparations.
All doctor's prescriptions and therapeutic procedures are available at the clinic, where you will have in your service office equipped with modern equipment, a hospital and a professional doctor with extensive experience. In order for the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis to be made correctly and the appropriate treatment to be carried out, a whole team of narrowly specialized doctors will be needed: vertebrologists and surgeons, massage therapists and neurologists, physiotherapists.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical region
Cervical osteochondrosis, headaches, dizziness, back pain, burning pain in the neck and shoulders are symptoms that prevent a person from leading a normal life. But all this can be avoided if you stick to simple things: a proper and healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet, more physical activity and therapeutic exercises.