Existing methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis are aimed at reducing symptoms, preventing complications, stopping further destruction of the cartilage and bone tissue of the spinal column, and preventing disability of the patient.
Osteochondrosis is a pathological degenerative-destructive process that first fixes the intervertebral disc and then the vertebra itself.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region should be treated immediately after the first signs of the disease appear.
Mechanisms of development of osteochondrosis
The spinal column consists of the vertebrae and the intervertebral discs located between them. In the center of the intervertebral disc is a gel-like nucleus pulposus, which is surrounded by a dense fibrous ring on the periphery. The nucleus pulposus is hydrophilic - saturated with moisture and characterized by high elasticity. Thanks to the elastic properties of the intervertebral discs, the cushioning and mobility of the spine is ensured.
In people over the age of 20, the discs begin to gradually lose their elasticity. This is due to the disappearance of the blood vessels feeding the discs, and the additional blood supply due to diffusion from the bodies of the adjacent vertebrae. Regeneration processes slow down due to nutrient deficiency in the cartilage tissue - the disc begins to "age". Initially, the nucleus pulposus dries out, loses its elasticity, becomes flat, which increases the load on the fibrous ring. Microcracks, stress zones, tears, and delamination appear in the structure of the ring.
The degenerated disc protrudes into the spinal canal and irritates the nerve endings of the pain receptors on the posterior longitudinal ligament.
The characteristics of the pathological process of cervical osteochondrosis are related to the anatomical structure of this spine: the different structure and size of the cervical vertebrae, tighter articulation in the intervertebral joints and underdeveloped muscular skeleton. With prolonged static loading of the neck region (work at a computer), weak muscles do not hold the head well, and the main load falls on the spine.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is carried out in a special clinic using a unique technology based on a combination of manual therapy, electrophoresis and photodynamic laser therapy under the supervision of doctors.
The main causes leading to the development of osteochondrosis:
- Congenital or acquired disorders of the spine.
- The body's natural aging processes.
- genetic predisposition.
- Long-term static and dynamic overload of the spine: forced position, hypodynamia.
- Passion for sports dangerous to the spine: professional wrestling.
- Smoking.
- Autoimmune diseases with damage to connective tissue - collagenoses.
- Improper nutrition with a predominance of carbohydrate and fatty foods, lack of proteins, vitamins, micro and macro elements.
- Overweight, obesity.
- Injuries and diseases of the spine.
Osteochondrosis of the spine - is there such a diagnosis?
In English medicine, this term refers to a completely different group of diseases that have nothing to do with our "native" osteochondrosis. In the International Classification of Diseases - a book that every neurologist should follow when making a diagnosis - there are terms such as "spine osteochondrosis in adults", "juvenile osteochondrosis of the spine", "ostechondrosis of the spine, unspecified".
However, sometimes this diagnosis is not fully justified, when the doctor actually cannot fully figure out what is happening to the patient. Under this term, diseases such as:
- Myofascial pain syndrome- a condition in which spasms occur constantly in the same muscles.
- Muscle injury.After an injury, the pain starts to bother you, and after a while they go away by themselves.
- OtitisA condition in which calcium salt crystals build up in the inner ear. They lead to dizziness - sometimes they are confused with the manifestation of spinal diseases.
- Headache.They are also often associated with degenerative changes of the cervical spine. In fact, there are often other reasons.
Take care of yourself, sign up for a consultation now, without delaying the treatment.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine
The standard set of therapeutic measures for the exacerbation of the disease looks like this:
- Anti-inflammatory and pain relievers.The doctor can prescribe Voltaren, Movalis, ibuprofen and other medicines.
- If the pain is very strong and does not go away- apply novocaine blockade. Armed with a needle and syringe, the doctor injects anesthetic into special places where it blocks the transmission of pain nerve impulses.
- Physiotherapy helps:drug electrophoresis with novocaine, ultrasound, ultraviolet irradiation, diadynamic currents.
- If pain causes constant nervous tension,Prescribe meds to help calm you down.
- To the area of painapply dry heat.
- To relieve the burden on the spine,different types of traction are used. The patient can be placed on a special bed with a raised headrest and secured with rings under the armpit. Underwater traction is also used in the pool.
- Your doctor may recommend ityou visit a chiropractor, acupuncture sessions.
- During an exacerbationwear special orthopedic devices that help relieve the muscles and support the spine - corsets, Shants collar.
When the exacerbation passes, you need to take measures that will help prevent a new one. Therapeutic exercises and massage strengthen the muscles supporting the spine. Appointment of physiotherapy courses. Good for swimming. All treatment methods for osteochondrosis have contraindications, they must be used wisely, so self-medication is not the best choice. See a doctor.
Sometimes the symptoms of the disease continue to grow despite the treatment, and the patient's condition worsens. In this case, the neurologist may raise the issue of surgical treatment.
Why should you see a doctor as soon as possible? Firstly, "real" osteochondrosis is not such a harmless disease. Over time, it can make a person disabled if it is not treated. Secondly, the symptoms can be caused by the same myofascial pain syndrome - the neurologist quickly recognizes the cause of the pain and eliminates it.
Back pain is a symptom that, according to statistics, more than 90% of people have experienced at least once in their life. It is most often attributed to osteochondrosis. Not everyone goes to the doctor with back pain. Many are treated independently with over-the-counter medicines and folk remedies in pharmacies. Sometimes such a "treatment" brings temporary relief - and in the meantime, the disease may progress further, and perhaps the next time the back or lower back will be much more "twisted".
An experienced neurologist will be able to correctly assess the symptoms of osteochondrosis, understand their causes and prescribe the appropriate treatment for osteochondrosis.
Pain - the main manifestation of osteochondrosis - can be more or less successfully fought for a long time with the help of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as some folk remedies. But this does not solve the main problem, the pathological changes in the spine continue to grow.
Over time, this leads to the compression of the spinal cord and the arteries feeding it, and the development of serious neurological complications: severe weakening of movements and sensitivity, or even complete loss, disturbance of the bladder and rectum.
Developmental stages of cervical osteochondrosis
During its development, cervical osteochondrosis as a disease goes through several stages:
I put it on stage. The initial period is characterized by local pain in the neck, which is aggravated by turning and tilting the head. Cervical lordosis is smooth and muscle tension is experienced. Morphological changes begin in the structure of the intervertebral discs: drying out of the nucleus pulposus, cracks in the fibrous ring.
Section II. The neck pain increases with irradiation of the arm and shoulder. Severe headache, weakness, reduced efficiency join. The destruction of the fibrous ring continues, signs of pathological mobility and instability of the vertebrae appear.
section III. The neck pain is strong, constant, and radiates to the arms and shoulders. The muscles of the hands weaken, numbness of the upper limbs is observed. Patients experience headaches, dizziness, disorientation in space. At this stage, the fibrous ring is completely destroyed. The gelatinous nucleus pulposus does not attach, goes beyond the vertebrae and enters the spinal canal, forming a hernia. Hernial protrusion compresses nerves and blood vessels, which leads to impaired blood circulation in the cervical spine.
Section IV. This is the final stage of the disease. The cartilage of the intervertebral discs is replaced by connective tissue, the adjacent segments of the spine are involved in the pathological process. The joints grow together and become immobile (ankylosis). The patient's condition is serious: severe pain not only in the neck, but also in the arms, chest, between the shoulder blades, signs of a cerebrovascular accident, sensitivity disorders. This is a life-threatening condition that can lead to a stroke.
The success of the treatment depends 90% on the experience and training of the doctor.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is based on the following: the patient's complaints, characteristic clinical picture, the anamnesis of the disease, the data of the patient's neurological and orthopedic examination using modern diagnostic methods: radiography, magnetic and computer tomography. , as well as the results of the functional tests.
After making an accurate diagnosis, the doctor decides how to treat osteochondrosis of the neck in this patient and which technique should be used in a given case.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Cervical osteochondrosis is treated symptomatically, mainly with conservative methods, which include:
- Medicinal therapy, which includes pain relievers, anti-inflammatory agents, muscle relaxants, and B vitamins.
- Physiotherapy methods: electrophoresis, laser therapy.
- Manual therapy.
- Acupuncture.
- Physiotherapy.
Surgery is extremely rarely used when there is a real risk of stroke, paralysis or damage to internal organs.
At this stage of the development of medicine, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine cannot be completely cured, but the further progress of the pathological process can be prevented and the condition of the affected spine can be stabilized.
The integrated approach and the gentle nature of the applied therapeutic methods enable the effective treatment of even advanced forms of cervical osteochondrosis.
The main methods of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in a modern clinic
Manual therapy and osteopathy. This is a manual effect on the problem areas of the spine, the purpose of which is to restore the normal physiological position of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. During the procedure, pinching of the nerve roots of the spine ceases, and the neck muscles relax in the area of pathological changes.
Electrophoresis is a method by which drugs are delivered directly to the area of the affected spine. Prescribe drugs that improve blood circulation, relieve inflammation and muscle spasm.
Photodynamic phototherapy. The basis of the method is the ability of a light-sensitive preparation to be activated by laser radiation. In the area of the affected segment, a layer of medicinal substance is applied to the skin, which penetrates 10-13 cm deep into the tissues and has an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect.
The author's three-component technique, including manual therapy, electrophoresis and laser therapy, allows for rapid pain relief, removal of swelling of the surrounding tissues, improves blood supply in the area of inflammation, and activates the metabolic processes of the damaged cartilage tissue. intervertebral discs. The aim of the treatment is not only to reduce pain and improve the patient's condition, but also to stop the further destruction of the intervertebral discs and the vertebrae themselves by acting on different parts of the pathological process.
The techniques used in modern clinics for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis have been tested in the best manual therapy centers in Europe and the USA, are safe, effective, have virtually no contraindications, and are well tolerated by patients even at an older age. groups.
Recommendations for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are given to the patient after consultation with the neurologist, depending on the stage of the disease, the severity of the symptoms, comorbidities and examination results.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region
Osteochondrosis of the neck is a degenerative disease in which there is literally "premature aging", "wear and tear" of the intervertebral discs, joints, and vertebrae in the cervical spine.
Some facts about the disease:
- Osteochondrosis of the neck occurs about equally often in men and women.
- Most often, people aged 30-60 get sick.
- As a rule, the pathology occurs in people who have to constantly be in the same position at work and perform monotonous movements.
- The cervical spine has some structural features, due to which the disease can have many different manifestations.
Which characteristics of the cervical spine cause the symptoms of osteochondrosis?
- There are openings in the lateral processes of the vertebrae - the carotid arteries pass through them from the right and left, which supply the brain with blood.
- The initial part of the spinal cord passes through the neck region - it contains fibers that carry nerve impulses to all parts of the body, providing movement and sensitivity. When the spinal cord is compressed in the neck, neurological disorders occur throughout the body.
- This section of the spine has high mobility, and this predisposes to the occurrence of osteochondrosis (although in most cases the disease still develops in the lumbar region - it has not only great mobility, but also the greatest stress).
- In the neck, nerve roots exit the intervertebral foramina and form the cervical and brachial plexuses. They are responsible for the movement of the muscles of the neck, arms, and shoulder girdle, the sensitivity of the skin, and the regulation of autonomic functions.
- The first vertebra does not have a massive front part - the body - this is a ring of bone that is placed on the tooth - a bony outgrowth on the second vertebra. This allows the head to turn from side to side.
Neck pain, headache, feeling of weakness, hand numbness are symptoms that should make you see a neurologist. Examination by a specialist and examination with modern equipment will help to understand the causes of the pathology and take the most effective measures.
What happens to the vertebrae in cervical osteochondrosis?
The incomprehensible medical term "degenerative process" refers to the following pathological changes that occur in the cervical spine:
- First, in osteochondrosis, the lesion covers the intervertebral discs. They become thinner, so the distance between adjacent vertebrae decreases. Small gaps and microcracks appear on the outside. Over time, this can lead to a herniated disc.
- As a result of damage to the discs, the stability of the connection between the vertebrae is disturbed.
- He suffers from osteochondrosis of the cervical and intervertebral joints - spondylarthrosis develops. It also promotes nerve root compression.
- The pathological process also extends to the vertebra itself. As the functions of the intervertebral discs are impaired, the load increases. The spine tries to compensate for this violation, bone growths appear on it - osteophytes.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
During exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra, traction is used (the patient is placed on a bed with a raised headrest and the head is fixed with a special loop) to relieve the intervertebral discs. You should wear Shants collar for the same purpose. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain. In case of severe pain that does not go away, the doctor can perform a blockade: he can inject an anesthetic solution into the area of the affected nerve roots. Physiotherapy is used: ultrasound treatment, electrophoresis with novocaine.
When the exacerbation subsides, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine includes massage, physiotherapy, physiotherapy.
One of the main signs of cervical osteochondrosis is neck pain. Many people who are faced with this symptom do not consult a doctor, but prefer to treat "chondrosis" with home methods. There are at least two good reasons to refuse self-treatment and consult a specialist.
First of all, painkillers and folk methods, although they help relieve pain for a while, do not solve the main problem. Pathological changes in the spinal column continue to grow. Over time, this threatens to have more serious consequences. As much as surgery may be necessary.
Secondly, neck pain occurs not only in osteochondrosis. There are many other reasons. Only a doctor can understand and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Physiotherapy
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis is a long processrequires an integrated approach. After getting rid of the primary symptoms, you can continue using various physiotherapy procedures:
- UHF therapy.Exposure to high frequency electromagnetic fields. It has an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect, and also promotes the initiation of regeneration processes.
- Amplipulse.Low-frequency currents are applied to problem areas of the body. Blood vessels dilate, relieve pain and spasms.
- Phonophoresis and electrophoresis.Introduction of drugs into deep tissues using ultrasound and direct current.
Massage procedures are also widely used, which are possible only after the removal of the inflammatory process. The massage helps to relax the muscles and gets rid of spasms.
Diet - complex treatment of osteochondrosis
This disease requires a complex approach, so changing the diet is a completely effective treatment method. The diet is completely consistent with the generally accepted concept of healthy eating, so try to add the following types of food to your diet:
- Citrus fruits (in the absence of allergy).
- Olive oil.
- Fresh herbs and vegetables.
- Mineral water.
- Fish and foods high in phosphorus, protein, magnesium and calcium.
- Milk and milk products.
Ready-made vitamin complexes, which can be found in a large selection in pharmacy chains, will be an excellent aid. Remember that all medicines should be taken only as prescribed by the doctor.
What symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should see a doctor?
The main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain. It can occur in different places, depending on the level at which the pathological process is localized: in the neck, shoulder girdle, arm, heart region. The sensation of pain is dull by nature, it can be burning and painful.
Other manifestations of the disease:
- Headache, dizziness, "flies before the eyes", noise, tinnitus.
- Weakness in the muscles of the neck, shoulder girdle, arm.
- Violation of skin sensitivity.
- Shoulder-shoulder periarthritis: aching pains in the neck that pass to the arm, difficulty in abducting the arm above 90 °, weakness and atrophy of the muscles of the shoulder girdle.
- Shoulder-hand syndrome: pain in the shoulder and hand, swelling and stiffness of the fingers, weakness and atrophy of the hand muscles.
- The vertebral artery syndrome. Bony growths appear on the vertebrae, which compress the nerves, resulting in a reflex spasm of the vertebral artery, which supplies blood to the brain. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are accompanied by a constant headache, which starts from the back of the head and spreads to the temples and crown, nausea, noise in the head, tinnitus, flashing bright spots in front of the eyes.
- Anterior scalene syndrome. There is an anterior and middle scalene muscle on the neck - they are close together, and between them there is a small space in which nerves and blood vessels pass. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the anterior scalene muscles are stretched and compressed, resulting in symptoms such as the inner surface of the forearm, shoulder, and fingers. Sometimes the pain radiates to the back of the head. The skin of the hand may become cold, pale and numb.
- epicondylitis syndrome. In the lower part of the shoulder, on the sides of the elbow joint, there are bony protrusions - epicondyles. In the epicondylitis syndrome caused by cervical osteochondrosis, pain occurs in them, which increases when pressed. Other symptoms also occur: neck pain, pain when pressing certain points in the region of the cervical vertebrae.
If two sections of the spine are affected at the same time, in the case of cervical thoracic osteochondrosis, the symptoms may include pain between the shoulder blades, in the area of the heart.
In case of osteochondrosis, the risk of intervertebral hernia and stroke increases. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, see your doctor.
Conclusion
Now you know how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine without resorting to surgical intervention. Surgery is the most radical treatment method when the disease has already run its course and there is no other way out. But it is within your power to prevent your health from becoming this way.