Neck osteochondrosis: symptoms and treatment

The osteochondrosis of the cervical column (purchases) is one of the most common pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.Every year, doctors diagnose this disease more and more often, and proceed more and heavier.According to statistics, in women, degenerative distribution changes in the spine occur more frequently, especially for patients in the period after fertilizer.The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are pain, the limitation of mobility, cerebrovascular failure, and this is dangerous not only for health, but also for life.To protect yourself from the dangerous consequences of pathology, your treatment must begin in the early stages.It is important to carry out an integral therapy, change the lifestyle to stop the destruction of vertebrates and prevent serious complications.

The development of the disease

The cervical column is more vulnerable to various lesions and degenerative changes.This is due to the fact that this segment is the most mobile, and the muscles here are weak.Small cervical vertebrae resist the strong load daily, which leads to the gradual destruction of intervertebral discs.The vertebrae presses with each other, due to which the cartilaginous joints between them lose many fluids, begin to degrade and deform.

In addition, the osteochondrosis of the cervical column is developed due to insufficient cartilage nutrition.And the spinal channel in this area is narrow, so it is often squeezed, which causes neurological symptoms.

The pathology in women in the early stages is manifested by the weight in the back of the head, anticipating in their hands, etc.Often, patients confuse the first signs of the disease with excess of work.

A large number of blood vessels and nerve roots are found in the neck area, and neurological disorders can also occur with their compression.It is especially dangerous if the disk or the deformed vertebrae compress the vertebral artery that feeds important parts of the brain.During its compression, the coordination of the movements is violated, a woman can lose her balance, her vision, the hearing worsens and the risk of stroke.

Reference.According to statistics, cervical osteochondrosis is found in patients aged 25 to 40.This is due to a decrease in mass in physical activity, sitting work.In women, a disease is more frequently than in men, since they have more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.

Doctors distinguish 4 stages of the osteochondrosis store:

• Stage 1: The intervertebral disc loses part of the humidity, its height decreases, cracks may appear in the fibrous ring (outer shell).This is the stage of cervical condrosis, which is difficult to detect, since it has unpasted symptoms.The neck gets tired quickly, there is a severity in the damaged area, sometimes a slight pain appears, which passes quickly.
• 2 Stages: Increase cracks on the disc surface, the octopoose nucleus (disc -shaped content) moves and can excel through damaged areas.Therefore, cartilage bumps manifest, which can compress the spinal cord and its roots.Periodically, the pronounced pain, weakness, the limitation of mobility appears, the numbness of the face, neck, shoulders, hands can occur.
• Stage 3: The bump is broken the outer shell of the album, so a hernia is formed.The pain becomes more pronounced, there are neurological disorders.
• Stage 4: The disc is almost completely destroyed, the vertebrae rub each other, the bone growths (osteophytes) appear in their parts, which are designed to stabilize the damaged segment.Nervous endings, spinal cord, blood vessels are infringed.Neighboring joints begin to be damaged.The clinical signs are pronounced.

It is easier to stop the changes of degenerative distribution in the first two stages of chop osteochondrosis.In 3 stages, integral treatment will help stop the additional destruction of the spinal segment.In the last stage, it cannot do without surgery.

Reasons

Schop osteochondrosis is a complex and prolonged process that often has several reasons.In most cases, pathology occurs due to a sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition and metabolic disorders.Often, the disease occurs due to injuries or the natural aging of the body and the weakening of its protective forces.

Doctors distinguish the main causes of osteochondrosis in women:

• Violation of metabolic processes.
• Passive lifestyle.
• Genetic predisposition.
• Chronic muscle tension around the cervical segment.
• Curved with posture.
• Liquid and nutrient deficiency in the body.
• Long -term stay in an awkward position (extended neck and a hooded back).
• Excessive weight.
• Frequent heel wear.
• Store injuries.
• Raise heavy objects.
• Autoimmune pathologies.
• Frequent tensions, chronic fatigue.
• Hypothermia.
• Infectious diseases.
• Neck too long or short and so on.

All these factors cause a violation of the nutrition of intervertebral discs and lead to their degeneration.

Female cervical osteochondrosis can be caused by pathologies of the vertebral artery associated with genetic predisposition, intrauterine disorders, injuries during childbirth.The disease can occur due to rheumatism, endocrine disorders, excessive load in the cervical segment during pregnancy, local overloads.

Important.The main causes of cervical osteochondrosis in women are menopause, as well as the changes associated with this period.At this stage, progesterone concentration is reduced in the body, which is very important for bone tissue.The probability of degenerative changes is associated with the weakening of the neck muscles and the weakening of the vertebrae in this area.

Symptoms

Osteochondrosis is characterized by a wave course, when the acute period is replaced by remission.Exacerbation can cause infections, injuries, hypothermia, long neck loads.

The first signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women are headaches, discomfort, gravity in the neck.It is important to distinguish in time to distinguish pain by migraine condrosis or autonomic dysfunction.

The clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis in women are caused by neurological syndromes:

• Cervical discs occur with irritation of nerve endings with damaged cartilage placement fragments.Then a specific crunch appears in the neck, pain, which becomes more pronounced when the head moves and after the dream.
• The staircase muscle syndrome becomes the result of the damage to the glasses and nerves of the shoulder plexus and the subclavian artery.This symptom complex is accompanied by pain from the internal surface of the shoulder to the hand from the damaged side.The limb becomes pale, cold, edematous, numbness occurs.The neck pain extends at the back of the head when the patient turns his head.
• The syndrome of the periarrosis of the shoulder blade: the distributing changes affect the tendon fibers that surround the shoulder.Painful sensations from the neck radiate to the shoulder and shoulder are up.There is a forced neck position: it is inclined on the affected side and the shoulder is slightly lowered.
• The spinal artery syndrome: a blood vessel compress fragments of a damaged disk or osteophyte (depending on the stage of the disease).The patient is rotating and headache, nausea, sometimes vomiting occurs.The pain is located on the back of the head, the crown and the temples.
• Cardial: you make nerve of the spinal cord are damaged.There is heart pain, arrhythmia.In case of damage to C3, the pain appears in the middle of the neck, the tongue swells, the patient cannot chew food normally.If the C4 is injured, then discomfort appears in the area of shoulder vegetables, clavicle, heart.With damage to C5, the neck pain reaction extends to the shoulder, the internal surface of the shoulder.The irritation of C6 is manifested by neck pain and shoulder blades and extends throughout the hand to the thumb.If C7 is damaged, the pain syndrome extends to the back of the shoulder vegetables, grabs the entire hand, including the index and the middle finger.When compressing C8, the pain spread from the affected area to the elbow and the little finger.

In addition, a woman can be disturbed by the emotional sphere, weakness arises, becomes anxious, delicate.There is often insomnia, memory weakens, attention due to regular headaches.

The symptoms of cerebrovascular circulation disorders appear when a woman throws her abruptly, sheems her or performs a job in which her hands and cervical column are loaded, for example, when she falls, she paints the roof, she tolerates gravity.

The violation of brain circulation is manifested by dizziness, trembling marches, "flies" in the eyes, noise in the ears, weakness, nausea.In some patients, the voice becomes hoarse, sometimes disappears, throat pain appears.

Osteochondrosis during the menopause period is accompanied by migraines, improved by the sweating of the body in the area between the neck and shoulders.When compressing the vertebral artery, the work of the cardiovascular system is altered.

If the disease occurs for a long time, then there is a lack of blood circulation of important centers that perform neurodocrine functions.Due to the increase in the permeability of vascular walls, atherosclerosis of cerebral and cardiac arteries develops.

Diagnosis

If you notice the symptoms of osteochondrosis, go to the therapist.After a visual inspection, the specialist will direct him to an orthopedist, vertebrologist or neurologist.

For the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, the following methods are used:

• X -Ray allows you to discover that the patient has the vertebrae in the patient, the osteophytes are present at their edges, the distance between the vertebrae has decreased.For this, the study is carried out in different planes.To detail the characteristic changes, the doctor takes photos of aim.
• The CBA of the Cervical Department provides detailed information on the pathological changes in the vertebrae.This method allows you to obtain volumetric images for a more detailed study, it is used in severe diagnosis cases.
• Magnetic resonance is used to accurately evaluate the status of soft tissues (nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, muscles) in the affected area.
• Electromyography allows you to verify the conductivity of nerve fiber.

Doctors can also prescribe UZDG (ultrasound dopplerography of the main brain arteries) to determine the condition of blood flow in this area.

Conservative treatment

In the early stages, treatment with chop osteochondrosis in women can be carried out at home.However, a doctor must be compiled by a doctor.It is important to understand that this is a long process and it is unlikely to heal completely (especially older women).

The complex treatment composition includes:

• Take medications.
• Use of orthopedic devices.
• Therapeutic gymnastics.
• Physiotherapeutic procedures.
• Massage, manual exposure.
• Alternative treatment methods.

Conservative techniques will help stop pain, inflammation, normalize muscle tone, improve metabolic processes, nutrition of damaged column segments.With timely therapy, it is possible to stop pathological changes.

Medications for cervical osteochondrosis will help get rid of inflammation and pain.

The treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is carried out using medications that will help improve the metabolism of cartilage joints between vertebrae, stop inflammation, pain.The following drugs are used for this purpose:

• NSAID.Inflammation and pain of mild or medium power will help relieve.
• AnalgesicsStop pain syndrome.
• Preparations to improve brain circulation.
• Musodios help eliminate muscle spasm.
• Condroprotectors.They help stop the destruction of discs, improve metabolic processes, accelerate recovery.
• Majesty -based medications.
• Nootropics.They stimulate the functioning of the brain due to the normalization of its circulation, they have a mild sedative effect.

Reference.With intense pain, which does not stop by oral medications, a therapeutic blockade is used, for example, with a novocaine or NSAID solution.

It can complement the treatment with anti -inflammatories and analgesics in the form of gels, creams and ointments.They will be effective in the remission stage or in combination with oral agents.

The doctor makes the decision to choose medicinal combinations.The specialist will prepare a diagram of taking drugs and will also determine its dose.It is important to follow their recommendations, since many of the previous medications threaten with dangerous complications.

During the acute stage of osteochondrosis, women must abandon a great physical activity.To download the cervical segment, you must use a special corset (Shantsa necklace), which will set the vertebrae in the correct position.It is recommended that this device be used for a prolonged session or hard physical work.

Physiotherapeutic procedures will help weaken pain and improve blood circulation in the damaged area:

• Diadinamotherapy.
• Magnetotherapy
• Electrophoresis
• Electroanalgesia.
• Ultraviolet irradiation, etc.

The therapeutic effect is manifested after the third session, then headache, auditory disorders, vision, dizziness, sleep and the general condition improves or disappears.

Using the underwater traction of the cervical segment, it can expand the distance between the vertebrae, release the nerve or blood vessel of compression and restore the normal position of the vertebrae.

The massage will normalize the muscle tone, will reduce the flow of lymphatic fluid, which causes swelling.After some sessions, blood circulation in the damaged area improves.

Therapeutic gymnastics is one of the most effective methods to treat chop osteochondrosis.LFK allows you to strengthen the weak muscles of the neck, which will then take part in the load of the spine and help to stop or slow down the degenerative distribution changes.During classes, blood circulation improves, metabolic processes are accelerated, disc nutrition, which positively affects their condition.

Women must training every day.They consist of simple but effective exercises.The complex consists of turns, head inclinations in different directions, as well as neck movements, during which hands are used.These elements can be made at home, but only after the doctor's permission.Medical physical education is carried out only in the remission stage.

Complex treatment can be complemented with reflexology (acupuncture), hirudotherapy (leaflet treatment), swimming, etc.

Surgical treatment

The operation is prescribed in the last stages of the Osteochondrosis of the Court, which is accompanied by the serious destruction of bone structures.In addition, surgical intervention cannot be done if conservative methods were ineffective or the spinal channel were significantly reduced.

In the previous cases, the previous cervical discoctomy is carried out.During the procedure, the doctor immobilizes the damaged segment of the spinal column and eliminates the hernia, which pressed the spinal nerve.Then the vertebrae are spent, among which the album was removed.If necessary, the space between the vertebrae is filled with a synthetic insert (cage).

After 3-5 days, the patient is discharged at home.The rehabilitation period is approximately 12 weeks.To accelerate recovery, you must take medications, use a corset, lead the proper lifestyle, go to physiotherapeutic procedures and carry out exercise therapy over time.

Life recommendations

To quickly get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of osteochondrosis and stop the degenerative-distribution changes in the cervical segment, you must adjust the lifestyle.For this, the patient must follow the following recommendations:

• Go walking daily, avoid running, jumping and other explosive tensions.
• You cannot use heavy objects.
• You cannot sit for a long time, in extreme cases to use a corset and periodically take a horizontal position.
• Perform special physical exercises for rear muscles at home.
• Sleep in an orthopedic mattress and a special pillow.
• Follow the diet, replace the diet with products rich in magnesium, calcium (nuts, dairy products, seafood, legumes), as well as plants fiber, chondroitin (gelatin, gelatin).Reject oily, fried, too salty, alcohol.Reading more about the rules of power will be advised by the doctor.But in any case, it should be correct.

Numbering cannot be allowed, warming will benefit in the absence of an inflammatory process.

Complications

In the absence of timely treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a woman can feel the following consequences of the pathology:

• The probability of protuberance occurs, which after a while becomes a hernia.The protuberance compresses the spinal cord, as well as its nerves, causing neurological disorders.
• Osteophytes appear with severe damage to the disc, irritate spinal nerves and blood vessels.
• In advanced cases, a strong weakening of the neck muscles or incomplete paralysis is possible, then the head hangs involuntarily to the side or forward.
• Compression of vertebral arteries, circulatory rape in the affected area.This condition can cause neuralgia (pain throughout the nerve), hearing disability and vision.
• Paralysis (incomplete or full) hands.
• Brain line

If a woman is dedicated to solving the problem in the early stages of the store's osteochondrosis, then you can notice the above conditions.

Preventive measures

Ideally, the prophylaxis of the osteochondrosis of the court is necessary during the period of intrauterine development.The future mother should exclude factors that negatively affect the development of the fetus: infections, oxygen starvation, poisoning.If there is a birth injury, then the newborn must undergo treatment.

To reduce the probability of developing chop osteochondrosis, a woman must follow the following recommendations:

• Start the spine uniformly, for example, use a load in both hands or in turn on the right and then to the left.
• Do not lift too much weights yourself.
• Try to avoid lesions of your neck, hypothermia.
• While working in garden areas, take a break every 1.5 hours, rest for 20 minutes.
• Choose shoes with an elastic sole that will soften the blows during the race or the jump.
• With a long seat, use a chair with a high back and a headrest or put on a corset.

It is also important to eat, control weight, avoid stress, take vitamins preparations for medical reasons, treat pathologies in time, which can cause osteochondrosis.In the remission stage, it is recommended to visit sanatoriums to undergo a treatment course.

The most important thing

As you can see, in women, the osteochondrosis of the cervical column occurs more frequently than in men, since the former have more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.Patients are especially susceptible to patients in the post -cycling period.The disease is manifested by pain, neurological disorders, as well as dangerous symptoms of stroke.It is recommended that the treatment begin in the early stages to avoid dangerous complications of osteochondrosis.To do this, a woman must take medications, adjust the lifestyle, visit physiotherapeutic procedures, massages, do physiotherapy exercises.Surgical treatment is shown only in advanced cases.To prevent pathology, you must observe moderate physical activity, treat injuries and diseases that can cause osteochondrosis over time.