Neck osteochondrosis - symptoms and treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (CS) is one of the most common pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Every year, doctors diagnose this disease more and more often, and it progresses more and more severely. According to statistics, in women, degenerative-dystrophic changes in the upper part of the spine occur more frequently, especially in postmenopausal patients. The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are pain, limited mobility, insufficiency of cerebral circulation, which is dangerous not only for health, but also for life. To protect yourself from the dangerous consequences of the condition, you need to start treating it in the early stages. It is important to perform complex therapies, change the lifestyle to prevent the destruction of spinal segments and prevent serious complications.

disease development

The cervical spine is the most vulnerable to various injuries and degenerative changes. This is due to the fact that this segment is the most mobile and the muscles are weak here. The small cervical vertebrae bear heavy stress every day, which leads to the gradual destruction of the intervertebral discs. The vertebrae press against each other, which is why the cartilaginous pads between them lose a lot of fluid, begin to degrade and deform.

In addition, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine develops due to insufficient nutrition of cartilage tissue. And the spinal canal in this area is narrow, so it's often pinched, which causes neurological symptoms.

The pathology in women in the early stages is manifested by heaviness in the back of the head, tingling in the hands, and so on. Patients often confuse the first signs of illness with overwork.

A large number of blood vessels and nerve roots are located in the neck region, and when they are compressed, neurological disorders can also occur. It is especially dangerous if a deformed disc or vertebrae compress the vertebral artery, which feeds important parts of the brain. When it is tight, movement coordination is disturbed, a woman can lose her balance, her vision and hearing deteriorate, and the risk of stroke increases.

Reference. According to statistics, most often cervical osteochondrosis is found in patients aged 25 to 40 years. This is due to a massive decrease in physical activity, sedentary work. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than men because they have more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue.

Doctors distinguish 4 stages of the osteochondrosis store:

• Stage 1 - the intervertebral disc loses some moisture, its height decreases, cracks may appear in the fibrous ring (external shell). It is the stage of cervical chondrosis, which is difficult to identify because of its unexpressed symptoms. The neck tires quickly, there is discomfort, heaviness in the injured area, sometimes it is a mild pain that goes away quickly.
• Stage 2 - the cracks on the disc surface increase, the nucleus pulposus (gel-shaped disc content) is displaced and may protrude through the damaged areas. This is how the protrusion of the cartilaginous lining arises, which can compress the spinal cord and its roots. Periodically, severe pain, weakness, limited mobility, numbness of the face, neck, shoulders, arms may occur.
• Stage 3 - the protrusion breaks the outer shell of the disc, forming a hernia. Pain becomes more pronounced, neurological disorders are present.
• Stage 4 - the disc is almost completely destroyed, the vertebrae rub against each other, bone growths (osteophytes) appear on its edges, which are designed to stabilize the damaged segment. Nerve endings, spinal cord and blood vessels are damaged. Adjacent joints begin to be damaged. Clinical signs are pronounced.

It is easier to stop degenerative dystrophic changes in the first two stages of SHOP osteochondrosis. In stage 3, complex treatment will help stop spinal segment destruction. In the last stage, you cannot go without surgery.

The reasons

Osteochondrosis SHOP is a complex and time-consuming process that most often has multiple causes. In most cases, the pathology occurs as a result of a sedentary lifestyle, malnutrition, metabolic disorders. Often the disease occurs due to injury or the body's natural aging and weakening of its defenses.

Doctors identify the main causes of SHOP osteochondrosis in women:

• Disturbance of metabolic processes.
• Passive lifestyle.
• Genetic predisposition.
• Chronic muscle tension around the cervical segment.
• Posture curvature.
• Deficiency of fluid and nutrients in the body.
• Prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position (neck extended forward and back bent).
• Excessive weight.
• Frequent use of high-heeled shoes.
• STORE Injuries.
• Lifting heavy objects.
• Autoimmune pathologies.
• Frequent stress, chronic fatigue.
• Hypothermia.
• Infectious diseases.
• Neck too long or too short, and so on.

All these factors cause the malnutrition of the intervertebral discs and lead to their degeneration.

Female cervical osteochondrosis can be caused by vertebral artery pathologies associated with a genetic predisposition, intrauterine disorders, trauma during childbirth. The disease can occur as a result of rheumatism, endocrine disturbances, excessive load on the cervical segment during pregnancy, local overload.

Important. The main cause of cervical osteochondrosis in women is menopause, as well as the changes associated with this period. At this stage, the concentration of progesterone, which is very important for bone tissue, decreases in the body. The likelihood of degenerative changes is associated with age-related weakening of the neck muscles and weakening of the support of the vertebrae in this area.

Symptoms

For osteochondrosis, a wave-shaped course is characteristic, when the acute period is replaced by remission. Exacerbation can lead to infections, injuries, hypothermia, prolonged stress on the neck.

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

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

• Cervical dyscalgia occurs when nerve endings are irritated by fragments of the damaged cartilage lining. This is followed by a specific snap in the neck, the pain, which becomes more pronounced when moving the head and after sleeping.
• Scalene muscle syndrome becomes a consequence of damage to the vessels and nerves of the brachial plexus and subclavian artery. This symptom complex is accompanied by pain from the inner surface of the shoulder to the hand on the injured side. The limb is pale, cold, swollen, numbness occurs. Neck pain extends to the back of the head when the patient turns their head.
• Shoulder-scapular periarthrosis syndrome - dystrophic changes affect the tendon fibers that surround the shoulder. Painful sensations from the neck radiate to the shoulder and shoulder girdle. There is a forced position of the neck - it is bent to the affected side and the shoulder slightly lowered.
• Vertebral artery syndrome - A blood vessel is compressed by fragments of a damaged disc or osteophytes (depending on the stage of the disease). The patient is dizzy and has headache, nausea, sometimes vomiting. The pain is located in the occiput, crown and temples.
• Cardiac - the nerve bundles in the spinal cord are damaged. There is a headache, arrhythmia. If C3 is damaged, pain appears in the middle of the neck, the tongue swells, the patient cannot chew food normally. If C4 is injured, discomfort will appear in the shoulder girdle, collarbone, heart area. With the defeat of C5, the painful neck reaction extends to the shoulder girdle, the inner surface of the shoulder. C6 irritation manifests as pain in the neck and scapula to the shoulder girdle and spreads throughout the arm to the thumb. If the C7 is damaged, the pain syndrome will spread to the back of the shoulder girdle, capturing the entire hand, including the index and middle fingers. When C8 is pressed, pain spreads from the affected area to the elbow and little finger.

Furthermore, the woman's emotional sphere can be disturbed, weakness arises, she becomes anxious, sensitive. Insomnia often occurs, memory and attention are impaired due to regular headaches.

Stroke symptoms appear when a woman suddenly throws her head back, tilts her head, or performs work that strains her arms and cervical spine, for example, when she digs, paints the roof, and carries weights.

Violation of cerebral circulation manifests as dizziness, shaky gait, "flies" in front of the eyes, tinnitus, weakness, nausea. In some patients, the voice becomes hoarse, sometimes disappears, a sore throat appears.

Osteochondrosis during menopause is accompanied by migraines, increased body sweating in the area between the neck and the shoulder girdle. When the vertebral artery is compressed, the functioning of the cardiovascular system is interrupted.

If the disease lasts for a long time, circulatory failure of important centers that carry out neuroendocrine functions occurs. Due to the increased permeability of the vascular walls, atherosclerosis of the cerebral and cardiac arteries develops.

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establishing diagnosis

If you notice symptoms of osteochondrosis, see a therapist. After a visual examination, a specialist will refer you to an orthopedist, vertebrologist or neurologist.

To diagnose cervical osteochondrosis, the following methods are used:

• The X-ray allows you to discover that the patient has dislocated vertebrae, osteophytes are present at their edges, the distance between the vertebrae has decreased. For this, the study is carried out on different planes. To detail the characteristic changes, the doctor takes pictures of sightings.
• CT of the cervical spine provides detailed information about pathological changes in the vertebrae. This method allows obtaining volumetric images for a more detailed study, it is used in severe diagnostic cases.
• Magnetic resonance imaging is used to accurately assess the condition of soft tissue (nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, muscles) in the affected area.
• Electromyography allows checking the conduction of a nerve fiber.

In addition, doctors may prescribe Doppler ultrasound (Doppler ultrasound of the great arteries of the brain) to determine the state of blood flow in that area.

Conservative treatment

In the early stages, treatment of SHOP osteochondrosis in women can be done at home. However, the physician must devise a regimen of therapy. It is important to understand that this is a long process and is unlikely to be completely cured (especially for older women).

Complex treatment includes:

• Taking medications.
• Use of orthopedic appliances.
• Physiotherapy.
• Physiotherapy procedures.
• Massage, manual impact.
• Alternative treatments.

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

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Cervical osteochondrosis medications help to eliminate inflammation and pain.

The treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is done with the use of drugs that will help improve the metabolism of the cartilaginous lining between the vertebrae, stop inflammation, stop pain. For this, the following medications are used:

• Ines. It can help relieve mild to moderate inflammation and pain.
• Analgesics. Pain is relieved.
• Preparations to improve cerebral circulation.
• Muscle relaxants help to relieve muscle spasm.
• Chondroprotectors. They help stop disk destruction, improve metabolic processes and speed recovery.
• Magnesium-based medicines.
• Nootropics. They stimulate the brain's work by normalizing your blood circulation, they have a mild sedative effect.

Reference. In severe pain that is not relieved with oral medications, therapeutic blocks are used, for example, with a solution of Novocaine or NSAIDs.

Treatment can be complemented with anti-inflammatories and analgesics in the form of gels, creams and ointments. They will be effective in the remission phase or in combination with oral agents.

The decision on the choice of drug combinations is made by the physician. The specialist will outline a regimen for taking the medications and will also determine their dosage. It's important to follow their recommendations, as many of the above medications can cause dangerous complications.

During the acute phase of SHOP osteochondrosis, the woman must give up heavy physical activity. To unload the cervical segment, it is necessary to wear a special corset (Shants collar), which will secure the vertebrae in the correct position. This device is recommended for use during prolonged physical inactivity or heavy physical work.

Physical therapy procedures will help relieve pain and improve blood circulation in the damaged area:

• Diadynamic therapy.
• Magnetotherapy.
• Electrophoresis.
• Electroanalgesia.
• Ultraviolet irradiation and so on.

The therapeutic effect manifests itself around the third session, then headache, hearing disorders, vision disorders, dizziness, sleep normalizes or disappears and the general condition improves.

With the help of underwater traction of the cervical segment, it is possible to expand the distance between the vertebrae, release a nerve or blood vessel from compression, and restore the vertebrae to its normal position.

Massage normalizes muscle tone, reduces lymph fluid flow, which causes swelling. After several sessions, blood circulation in the damaged area improves.

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Therapeutic gymnastics is one of the most effective methods of treating osteochondrosis in the STORE. Exercise therapy allows you to strengthen weak neck muscles, which then takes some of the load off your spine and helps stop or slow down degenerative dystrophic changes. During classes, blood circulation improves, metabolic processes, disc nutrition are accelerated, which has a positive effect on your condition.

Women must train every day. They consist of simple yet effective exercises. The complex consists of turns, tilts of the head in different directions, as well as neck movements, during which the hands are used. These elements can be performed at home, but only with the doctor's permission. Physical therapy exercises are performed only in the remission phase.

Complex treatment can be complemented with reflexology (acupuncture), hirudotherapy (leech therapy), swimming, and so on.

Surgery

The operation is prescribed in the last stages of SHOP osteochondrosis, which are accompanied by severe destruction of the osteochondral structures. Furthermore, surgical intervention is indispensable if conservative techniques are ineffective or if the spinal canal is significantly narrowed.

In the cases described above, an anterior cervical discectomy is performed. During the procedure, the doctor immobilizes the damaged segment of the spine and removes the hernia that was compressing the spinal nerve. Then the vertebrae, between which the disc was removed, are fused. If necessary, the space between the vertebrae is filled with a synthetic insert (cage).

After 3-5 days, the patient is discharged home. The rehabilitation period is about 12 weeks. To speed up recovery, you need to take medication, wear a corset, lead a healthy lifestyle, undergo physical therapy procedures, and eventually get exercise therapy.

lifestyle recommendations

To quickly get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of osteochondrosis and stop the degenerative dystrophic changes in the cervical segment, you need to adjust your lifestyle. To do this, the patient must follow these recommendations:

• Take daily walks, avoid running, jumping and other explosive activities.
• Heavy objects must not be carried.
• You can't sit for long, in extreme cases wear a corset and periodically stay flat.
• Perform specific physical exercises for your back muscles at home.
• Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and special pillow.
• Follow a diet, replenish the diet with foods rich in magnesium, calcium (nuts, dairy products, seafood, vegetables) as well as vegetable fiber, chondroitin (chilled meat, jelly). Refuse fatty, fried, salty foods, alcohol. Your doctor will advise you on nutritional rules in more detail. But, in any case, it must be correct.

Hypothermia should not be allowed, heating will be beneficial in the absence of an inflammatory process.

complications

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

• The probability of protrusion, which after a while turns into a hernia. The bulge compresses the spinal cord and also its nerves, causing neurological damage.
• Osteophytes appear when the disc is severely damaged; they irritate spinal nerves and blood vessels.
• In advanced cases, severe weakness of the neck muscles or incomplete paralysis is possible, so the head involuntarily tilts to the side or forward.
• Vertebral artery compression, impaired blood circulation in the affected area. This condition can cause neuralgia (pain along the path of a nerve), hearing and visual impairment.
• Paralysis (incomplete or complete) of the hands.
• Stroke.

If a woman deals with the problem in the early stages of the osteochondrosis SHOP, she will be able to prevent the above conditions.

Preventive measures

Ideally, it is necessary to engage in the prevention of SHOP osteochondrosis even during the period of intrauterine development. The pregnant woman must exclude factors that negatively affect the development of the fetus: infections, lack of oxygen, intoxication. If a birth injury has occurred, the newborn must be treated.

To reduce the likelihood of developing SHOP osteochondrosis, a woman should follow these recommendations:

• Load the column evenly, for example, carry the load with both hands or take turns right and then left.
• Don't lift too much weight.
• Try to avoid neck injuries, hypothermia.
• When working in gardens, take a break every 1, 5 hours, rest for 20 minutes.
• Choose shoes with padded soles that cushion impacts while running or jumping.
• When sitting for a long time, use a high-back chair with a headrest or wear a corset.

It is also important to eat well, control your weight, avoid stress, take vitamin preparations for medical reasons, and treat pathologies that can cause osteochondrosis over time. In the remission phase, it is recommended to visit sanatoriums to take a course of treatment.

The most important

As you can see, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine occurs more often in women than in men, as the former have more fragile vertebrae and thin bone tissue. The patient's pathology is especially susceptible in the postmenopausal period. The disease manifests itself in pain, neurological disorders, and dangerous stroke symptoms. It is recommended to start treatment in the early stages to avoid dangerous complications of osteochondrosis. For this, the woman must take medication, adjust her lifestyle, attend physiotherapy procedures, massages and undergo physiotherapy. Surgical treatment is indicated only in advanced cases. To prevent the pathology, it is necessary to observe moderate physical activity, treat injuries and diseases in time that can cause osteochondrosis.