Osteochondrosis is an outdated term often used in some countries to refer to degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, facet joints and the vertebral bodies themselves. In the cervical spine these changes are common due to its mobility and cause neck pain in both men and women. Sometimes a degenerative disease is complicated by an intervertebral hernia that compresses the spinal root, which can lead to muscle weakness and numbness of the skin of the upper extremities. We will talk about the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in the article.
cause of pain
The cervical spine is very mobile. It consists of seven vertebrae, intervertebral discs located between them and ligaments. With osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs become thinner and deformed, their elasticity and shock absorption decrease. Gradually, the inner part of the disc, the nucleus pulposus, protrudes through microdamage to the outer part, the annulus fibrosus. Intervertebral bulges and hernias form, which irritate the pain receptors in the ligament along the back surface of the spine, causing pain. When the spinal roots are compressed, the pain can spread to the upper extremities and neurological symptoms may appear: decreased sensitivity of the skin of the arm, muscle weakness in the arm, etc. As a protective reaction to possible injuries and damage, bone growths - osteophytes - can be used. - It can appear along the edges of the body and in the arches of the vertebrae.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine usually develops as a result of the aging process, but some risk factors aggravate and accelerate the course of degenerative spine disease. Among them:
- Genetic predisposition.The presence of osteochondrosis in close relatives, especially at a young age, increases the risk of early onset and complications.
- Physical inactivity.With a sedentary lifestyle, the nutrition of the intervertebral discs is disturbed. They do not have blood vessels and receive nutrients by diffusion from the vertebral bodies. These processes actively occur during physical activity.
- Injury.Spinal injuries accelerate the development of degenerative changes in the spine.
- Uneven load on the spine.Possible situations: inadequate exercise, poor posture, predominant load on one side of the body or one limb, prolonged posture with the head tilted, for example when reading on a phone.
- Metabolic disorders.The state of the vertebrae is affected by the presence of endocrine diseases, especially diabetes, which makes it difficult to nourish the tissues.
Symptoms
The dominant symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is pain. Its location depends on the nature of the injury. When irritated by a bulging disc or osteophytes of a tender ligament, pain is felt in the neck and is associated with a reflex muscle spasm. If the hernia compresses the spinal nerve, the pain may radiate to the arm.
Most often, pain is noted in the neck and back of the head and occurs or intensifies with sudden head movements, prolonged static tension or an uncomfortable position, for example, after sleeping.
Other signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Restricted neck mobility, pain when turning the head.
- Spasm of the neck muscles.
- Decreased tone and strength of the muscles of the upper extremities, typical of compression from a spinal root hernia.
- Altered sensitivity of the skin of the upper extremities.
- When a hernia of the vertebral artery is compressed, symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency appear, which develop sharply when turning or tilting the head: dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, fainting, short-term memory impairment, instability when walking, visual impairment, hearing and speech. severe muscle weakness in the extremities.
Diagnosis
In case of pain and discomfort in the neck area, the patient is recommended to consult a neurologist or vertebrologist. Sometimes it is necessary to consult other specialists: an orthopedic traumatologist if there is a history of injury.
A neurologist conducts an examination and clarifies the complaints and medical history. Cervical osteochondrosis can manifest itself in dozens of diseases, so additional examination is often necessary to determine the cause of pain and make a clinical diagnosis.
A diagnostic plan for neck pain may include the following examination methods:
- Laboratory tests (general blood count, biochemical blood test, urinalysis, others, as indicated).
- X-ray of the cervical spine to detect fractures and other injuries.
- CT scan of the cervical spine to determine injuries, cancer, and other changes in the vertebrae.
- MRI of the cervical spine to evaluate the condition of the spinal cord, nerve roots, visualize protrusions and hernias.
- Electroneuromyography to determine the conduction of impulses along the spinal roots.
During the differential diagnosis, other tests are also prescribed at the discretion of the specialists.
When is treatment possible without surgery?
For osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, conservative treatment is carried out if there are no progressive neurological manifestations: muscle weakness and numbness in the extremities. They occur when the spinal roots, arteries, and spinal cord are compressed.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the neck is determined by the neurologist after the examination and receiving the results of the examination. Most patients receive effective conservative therapy with long-term stable remission. Modern techniques are also effectively used to prevent the progression of osteochondrosis and its manifestations.
Conservative treatment methods
For cervical osteochondrosis, therapy begins with conservative methods. Its goals: pain relief, elimination of muscle spasms, improvement of metabolic processes in nervous tissue and microcirculation.
Drug therapy is carried out to relieve pain and muscle spasms. For this, the neurologist prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants. If the pain lasts more than 12 weeks, that is, it becomes chronic, anticonvulsants and antidepressants with persistent analgesic effect may be recommended.
In addition to drug therapy, modern and effective techniques are used:
- Acupuncture.The neurologist uses special sterilized needles to irritate biologically active points. This relieves the condition: reduces pain, relaxes the muscles.
- Plasma therapy.With the local administration of the patient's blood plasma enriched with platelets, the regeneration of damaged tissue is stimulated. Recovery time after operations, illnesses and injuries is reduced.
- High intensity magnet.The electromagnetic field stimulates and accelerates the regeneration of damaged tissues. Relieves pain and reduces swelling.
- Physiotherapeutic laser.The method has anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous and analgesic effects. It allows you to reduce the size of the hernial protrusion. It is used as a basic method as part of the treatment of intervertebral hernias using the resorption method.
- Physiotherapy.Classes aim to strengthen muscles, increase spinal flexibility, restore range of motion in spinal joints, and develop correct posture. The exercises are selected by a specialist individually for the patient, once the acute pain has been relieved.
- Kinesio tape.Combined with physiotherapy. Before classes, the doctor places adhesive tapes on the neck area in a certain direction to relax the muscles and influence the pain receptors. As a result, the pain subsides. With regular use, spinal mobility is restored and muscle tone is normalized.
- Medical massage.The specialist relieves muscle spasms by acting on the receptors in the skin, muscles and fascia. Quickly and permanently relieves pain and improves spinal mobility.
Therapy is selected individually depending on the cause of neck and back pain and the accompanying symptoms.
Forecast
With timely diagnosis and treatment, the result is favorable. If complications of osteochondrosis appear in the form of an intervertebral hernia with various neurological symptoms, surgical treatment may be necessary. Afterwards, rehabilitation can last years. Without treatment, there is a high risk of permanent disability. Comorbidities and advanced age worsen the prognosis.
Patients often worry about the question of how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis forever. Unfortunately, it cannot be completely cured. Degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine are natural aging processes of the body that cannot be avoided. But you can stop its progression and avoid complications.
Prevention
There are no specific preventive measures for osteochondrosis.
The recommendations boil down to improving general health:
- Maintain optimal body weight.
- Maintain an active lifestyle.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- Regular moderate physical activity: half an hour of walking, warming up the neck and back every day is enough.
- Workplace ergonomics. The table and chair should fit your height, the computer monitor should be at eye level or slightly higher.
These measures will maintain the health of the musculoskeletal system by reducing the rate of wear of the intervertebral discs.
Summaries:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the vertebrae, accompanied by the formation of intervertebral disc herniations.
- Cervical osteochondrosis is manifested by pain in the neck, limited mobility and muscle spasms. When a hernia compresses a spinal root, muscle weakness and numbness of the skin of the upper extremities can occur.
- Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis consists of an examination by a neurologist and carrying out the necessary additional examinations: CT, MRI of the spine and other methods.
- Treatment of osteochondrosis is usually conservative and aims to relieve pain, inflammation and muscle spasms.
- Prevention of osteochondrosis consists of maintaining an active lifestyle, regular physical activity and ergonomics in the workplace.