Osteochondrosis of the neck - symptoms and treatment

Cervical spinal osteochondrosis (buy -side) is one of the most common pathologies in the musculoskeletal system.Every year, doctors diagnose the disease more and more often, and it is more and more heavy.According to statistics, in women, degenerative-dystrophic changes in the upper spine occur more frequently, especially for patients in the post-enlargement period.The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are pain, mobility limitations, cerebrovascular failure, and this is dangerous not only for health, but also for life.To protect yourself from the harmful consequences of pathology, you need to start treatment early.It is important to perform comprehensive therapy, change lifestyle to stop the destruction of vertebrates and prevent serious complications.

Development

The cervical spine is most exposed to various injuries 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 daily withstand strong loads, leading to the gradual destruction of intervertebral discs.The pressure of the vertebrae with each other, because where the cartilagin gasket between them loses a lot of fluid, starts to lower and deform.

In addition, cervical spinal osteochondrosis develops due to inadequate cartilage nutrition.And the spinal cord in this area is narrow, so it is often squeezed, which causes neurological symptoms.

Pathology in women in the early stages is indicated by weight behind the head, tingling in their hands and so on.Often, the patient confuses the first signs of the disease with hard work.

Most blood vessels and nerve roots are located in the neck area, and neurological disorders can also occur with their compression.It is very dangerous if the disc defective or vertebra compresses the vertebral artery that nourishes the important part of the brain.During her compression, the coordination of the movement is violated, a woman may lose balance, her vision, the hearing worse, and the risk of increasing the stroke.

Reference.According to statistics, cervical osteochondrosis is most commonly found in patients from 25-40 years.This is due to a great decline in physical activity, sitting work.In women, diseases are more often found than men, as they have more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.

Doctors distinguish 4 stages of osteochondrosis shop:

• Level 1 - the intervertebral disc loses part of the moisture, its height decreases, the fracture may appear on the fibrous ring (outer shell).This is the level of cervical chondrosis, which is difficult to detect, as it has unpredictable symptoms.The neck quickly becomes tired, discomfort, severity in damaged areas occurs, sometimes a little pain occurs, which quickly passes.
• 2 stages - fractures on the surface of the disk increase, the pulpoose core (content such as the disk gel) shifts, and can stand out through the damaged area.Therefore, cartilage protrusions are indicated, which can compress the spinal cord and its roots.Periodically, pain, weakness, mobility limitations appear, numbness, neck, shoulders, hands may occur.
• Stage 3 - protrusion breaks the outer shell of the disc, so the hernia is formed.The pain becomes clearer, there is a neurological disorder.
• Level 4 - the disc is almost completely destroyed, the vertebra rubbing each other, bone growth (osteophytes) appears in their part, which is designed to stabilize the damaged segment.The ending of the nerves, spinal cord, blood vessels are violated.The neighboring joints began to break down.Clinical signs are spoken.

It is the easiest to stop degenerative-dystrophic changes in the first two stages of chop osteochondrosis.In 3 stages, comprehensive treatment will help stop the destruction of the spinal segment.In the last stage, you cannot do without surgery.

Cause

Schop osteochondrosis is a complex and prolonged process that most often has several reasons.In most cases, pathology occurs due to inactive lifestyle, malnutrition, and metabolic disorders.Often the disease is caused by an injury or due to its natural aging and its protective weakness.

Doctors distinguish the main causes of osteochondrosis in women:

• Violation of metabolic processes.
• A passive lifestyle.
• Genetic predisposition.
• Chronic muscle tension around the cervical segment.
• Curved with posture.
• Lack of fluid and nutrients in the body.
• Stay long in an uncomfortable position (the neck is extended forward and the back of the bend).
• Excessive weight.
• Often wearing heels.
• Shop injury.
• Increase heavy objects.
• Autoimmune pathology.
• Frequent stress, chronic fatigue.
• Hypothermia.
• Infectious diseases.
• Too long or short neck and so on.

All of these factors cause a violation of intervertebral disc nutrition and lead to their deterioration.

Female cervical osteochondrosis can be caused by pathology of vertebral arteries associated with genetic tendency, intrauterine disorders, injury during childbirth.The disease can occur due to rheumatism, endocrine disorders, excessive burden on the cervical segment during pregnancy, local load.

Important.The main cause of cervical osteochondrosis in women is menopause, as well as changes related to this period.At this stage, the concentration of progesterone is reduced in the body, which is very important for bone tissue.The probability of degenerative changes is associated with weakness related to the age of the neck muscle and weakening the vertebral support in this area.

Symptom

Osteochondrosis is characterized by courses such as waves, when the acute period is replaced by forgiveness.Exacerbation can cause infections, injuries, hypothermia, long load in the neck.

The first signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women are headaches, discomfort, severity in the neck.It is important to distinguish the time to distinguish pain from migraines or autonomic dysfunction.

Clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis in women are caused by neurological syndrome:

• The cervical disc occurs with irritation of the nerve endings with damaged cartilage fragments.Then a particular problem appears in the neck, pain, which becomes more clear when the head moves and after sleep.
• Staircase muscle syndrome causes damage to the vessels and nerves of the shoulder plexus and subclavian artery.The complex of this symptom is accompanied by pain from the inner surface of the shoulder to the hand from the damaged side.The body becomes pale, cold, edematous, numbness.The pain in the neck spreads to the back of the head when the patient turns his head.
• Shoulder syndrome - periarthrosis - dystrophic changes affect the tendon fibers surrounding the shoulder.The painful sensation of the neck radiates to the shoulders and shoulders.There is a forced position of the neck - it tends to be on the affected area, and the shoulders are slightly lowered.
• Spinal artery syndrome - blood vessels compress the damaged disc fragments or osteophytes (depending on the level of the disease).Patients rotate and headache, nausea, sometimes vomiting occurs.The pain is localized to the back of the head, crown and temple.
• Cardial - The spinal cord nerve beam is damaged.There is heart disease, arrhythmia.If damage to C3, pain in the neck appears, the tongue is swollen, the patient cannot chew the food normally.If C4 is injured, then discomfort appears in the vegetable area of the shoulder, the collarbone, the heart.With damage to C5, pain from the neck spread to the shoulder, the inner surface of the shoulder.C6 irritation is characterized by pain from the neck and shoulder blades to the shoulder and spreads to the entire hand to the thumb.If the C7 is damaged, the pain syndrome extends to the back of the shoulder, grabs the entire hand, including the index and the middle finger.When compressing C8, the pain spreads from the affected area to the elbows and fingers.

Also, a woman may be disturbed by emotional areas, weaknesses arise, they become anxious, sensitive.Often there is insomnia, memory weakening, attention due to normal headache.

Symptoms of cerebrovascular circulation disorders appear when a woman suddenly throws her back, tilts it or works where her hands and cervical spine are loaded, for example, when she is digging, ceiling paint, tolerant severity.

Cerebral circulation violations are indicated by dizziness, Gait shaky, "flies" in front of the eyes, sound in the ear, weakness, nausea.In some patients, the voice becomes hoarse, sometimes it disappears, the pain in the throat appears.

Osteochondrosis during menopause is accompanied by migraine, enhanced by sweat in the area between the neck and shoulders.When compressing the vertebral artery, the work of the cardiovascular system is disrupted.

If the disease occurs for a long time, there is a lack of blood circulation of important centers that perform neuro-endocrine function.Due to the increase in vascular wall permeability, the atherosclerosis of the brain and heart artery develops.

Diagnosis

If you see the symptoms of osteochondrosis, then go to the therapist.After visual examination, the specialist will direct you to an orthopedic, vertebrologist or neurologist.

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

• X -Ray lets you know that patients have vertebrae in patients, osteophytes are present on their side, the distance between the vertebrae has decreased.For this, this study was conducted on different aircraft.To detail the feature changes, the doctor takes the target.
• CT Department CT provides detailed information on pathological changes in vertebrae.This method allows you to get a volumetric picture for a more detailed study, it is used in cases of severe diagnostic cases.
• MRI is used to accurately evaluate the state of the soft tissue (nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, muscles) in the affected area.
• Electromyography allows you to examine the conductivity of nerve fibers.

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

Conservative treatment

In the early stages, treatment with chop osteochondrosis in women can be performed at home.However, the doctor should be arranged by the doctor.It is important to understand that this is a long process and cannot be fully cured (especially older women).

Complex treatment composition includes:

• Take medicine.
• Using an orthopedic device.
• Therapeutic gymnastics.
• Physiotherapy procedure.
• Massage, manual disclosure.
• Alternative treatment methods.

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

Medicines for cervical osteochondrosis will help relieve inflammation and pain.

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

• NSAID.Inflammation and pain of mild or moderate power will help relieve.
• Analgesic.Stop the pain syndrome.
• Preparation to improve cerebral circulation.
• Musodi helps eliminate muscle cramps.
• Chondroprotectors.They help stop the destruction of the disc, improve the metabolic process, accelerate recovery.
• Majesty -based medicine.
• Nootropics.They stimulate brain function due to the normalization of its circulation, having a mild sedative effect.

Reference.With intense pain, which is not stopped by oral medicine, therapeutic restrictions, for example, with novocaine or NSAIDs solutions, are used.

You can add treatment with anti -inflammation and painkillers in the form of gels, creams and ointments.They will be effective at the remission level or combined with oral agents.

The decision to choose a combination of drugs was made by a doctor.The specialist will make the diagram taking the drug, and also determine their dose.It is important to follow its suggestions, as many of the above medications threaten harmful complications.

During the level of osteochondrosis, the woman should leave heavy physical activity.To unload the cervical segment, you need to wear a special corset (Shantsa Collar), which will fix the vertebra in the right position.This device is recommended for use for prolonged work or hard work.

Physiotherapy procedures will help to undermine pain and improve blood circulation in damaged areas:

• Saninamotherapy.
• Magnetotherapy.
• Electrophoresis.
• Electroanalgesia.
• Ultraviolet irradiation and so on.

Therapeutic effects show themselves after the third session, then headache, hearing loss, vision, dizziness, sleep, and general conditions improve or disappear.

Using the underwater cervical segment, you can develop the distance between the vertebra, release the nerves or blood vessels from compression, and restore the normal position of the vertebra.

Massage will normalize muscle tone, reducing the flow of lymph fluid, which causes swelling.After several sessions, blood circulation in damaged areas improved.

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

Women should conduct training daily.They are made up of simple, but effective exercises.The complex consists of turns, head tilt in different directions, as well as neck movements, where hands are used.These elements can be done at home, but only after the doctor's permission.Medical Physical Education is conducted only at the level of forgiveness.

Complex treatment can be supplemented by reflexology (acupuncture), hirudotherapy (leech treatment), swimming, and so on.

Surgical

The operation is prescribed at the last stage of chop osteochondrosis, which is accompanied by serious destruction of bone structure.Also, surgical intervention is not possible if the conservative method is ineffective or the spinal canal significantly.

In the above cases, anterior cervical diskoctomy is performed.During the procedure, the doctor launched a damaged segment from the spinal column and removed the hernia, which squeezed the spinal cord.Then the vertebra, where the disc is removed, is spent.If necessary, the space between the vertebrae is filled with synthetic inserts (cages).

After 3-5 days, the patient is released home.The recovery period is about 12 weeks.To speed up recovery, you need to take medications, use corsets, lead the right lifestyle, go to physiotherapy procedures, and perform exercise therapy over time.

The suggestions of living

To quickly eliminate unpleasant osteochondrosis symptoms and stop degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cervical segment, you need to adjust your lifestyle.For this, the patient must follow the following suggestions:

• Go to hiking every day, avoid running, jumping and other explosion pressure.
• You can't wear heavy objects.
• You cannot sit for a long time, in cases of extreme corsets and periodically take a horizontal position.
• Do special physical exercises for the back muscles at home.
• Sleep on orthopedic mattresses and special pillows.
• Follow the diet, add a diet with magnesium -rich products, calcium (nuts, dairy products, seafood, legumes), as well as plant fiber, chondroitin (jelly, jelly).Reject oily, fried, salt food, alcohol.Read more about the power rules will be advised by the doctor.But in any case, it should be right.

Numbering is not allowed, heating will benefit if there is no inflammation process.

Complication

In the absence of timely treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a woman can experience the following pathological consequences:

• The probability of protrusion occurs, which after a few seconds turns into hernia.Protrusion compresses the spinal cord, as well as its nerves, causing neurological disorders.
• Osteophytes appear with severe damage to the disc, they irritate the spinal cord and blood vessels.
• In advanced cases, the strong weakness of the neck muscle or paralysis is possible, so the head voluntarily depends to the side or forward.
• Compression of the vertebral artery, a violation of blood circulation in the affected area.This condition can cause neuralgia (pain along the nerves), hearing loss and vision.
• Paralyzed (incomplete or full) hands.
• Brain stroke.

If a woman is involved in solving problems in the early stages of osteochondrosis of the shop, then she will be able to warn the above situation.

Precaution

As good, the prophylaxis osteochondrosis of the chop is required during the intrauterine development period.Future mothers should exclude factors that negatively affect fetal development: infection, oxygen starvation, intoxication.In the event of a birth injury, the newborn must undergo treatment.

To reduce the likelihood of developing chop osteochondrosis, a woman must follow the following suggestions:

• Stop the spine evenly, for example, wear a load on both hands or turn on the right and then left.
• Don't raise too much weight.
• Try to avoid your neck injury, hypothermia.
• While working in the garden area, relax every 1.5 hours, rest for 20 minutes.
• Choose shoes with one elastic that will soften the shot while running or jumping.
• With long chairs, use a chair with high back and headrest or place on the corset.

It is also important to eat, control weight, avoid stress, take vitamin preparations for medical causes, treat pathology over time, which can cause osteochondrosis.At the remission stage, it is recommended to visit the sanatorium for treatment.

The most important thing

As you can see, in women, cervical spinal osteochondrosis occurs more frequently than in men, as the container has more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.Patients are very vulnerable to patients during the post -Shimacteric period.The disease is characterized by pain, neurological disorders, and harmful symptoms of cerebrovascular accidents.Treatment is recommended to start in the early stages to prevent harmful complications of osteochondrosis.To do this, a woman must take medication, adjust lifestyle, visit physiotherapy procedures, massage, perform physiotherapy exercises.Surgical treatment is only indicated in advanced cases.To prevent pathology, you need to observe moderate physical activity, treat injuries and diseases that can trigger osteochondrosis in time.