Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a disease that develops in adults after 25 years due to structural changes in cartilage.In the fairer sex, the ailment develops more often due to the characteristics of the hormonal background.We all need to know the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women in order to diagnose the ailment in a timely manner and immediately begin comprehensive treatment.
An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor.An experienced neurologist is engaged in treatment.He prescribes additional studies to determine not only the stage of development of the disease, but also the reason for its development.Then it is much easier to choose the optimal scheme of therapy, eliminating the patient from the main manifestations of the disease.
Explicit signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women appear when the ailment is already actively developing in the body.The slightest impaired well -being is an occasion to see a doctor.If you start the problem, then over time osteochondrosis will go into protrusion or hernia, the patient will be on the operating table.The consequences of the disease will remain for life.At the early stage of the development of the disease from its symptoms, you can completely get rid of.In your strength to improve the state of health, to provide yourself with an active full future without injuries, dystrophic changes in tissues and constant pain.
What is osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a common disease that is characterized by a change in the structure of cartilage tissue in the intervertebral discs.This ailment can affect any joints, but most often the spine hurts.There are obvious signs of osteochondrosis in women, but the final conclusions about the development of the disease can only be drawn after a comprehensive diagnosis.
The cervical spine is considered the most mobile.This zone is often subject to various dystrophic lesions, because it is the least protected.There are no large muscles that would protect and support the spine.The department of seven separate vertebrae consists.They are based on bone tissue.There is a soft “layer” between each vertebra - an intervertebral disc that provides flexibility, neck mobility.Hormones play a great effect on the structure of tissues, so osteochondrosis develops differently in women and men.
According to statistics, 60-70% of the mature population of the planet suffer from this ailment, and in 30% of cases the cause of constant headaches, migraines are precisely osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
To understand when to contact a doctor, it is necessary to study the list of symptoms of the disease.
Why osteochondrosis is dangerous for women
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis in women are considered more carefully, because the weaker sex suffers more from the disease.This is due to the structure of the female body:
- Muscle tissue is not so developed and pumped in ladies than in men, this is an aggravating circumstance in the development of the disease;
- Women work more often in the office, spending a lot of time sitting in the same position at the computer;
- The hormonal background of the female body is radically different from the male, during the period of menopause, dystrophic changes in the strata of cartilage tissue become more pronounced.
In adulthood, in women, bone tissue is gradually destroyed.This is due to the development of osteoporosis.Calcium is washed out of the bones, and its reserves are not replenished.The female body no longer produces a special hormone that promotes the absorption of a trace element.If both cartilage and bone tissue are destroyed at the same time, the consequences can be terrifying.
For this reason, women after 40-45 years are recommended to annually take tests for the level of calcium in the blood, check the condition of bones, cartilage.Certain preventive measures will help get rid of the manifestations of the disease, restore the integrity of the cervical spine.
With osteochondrosis, the structure of the cartilaginous tissue changes, it becomes more dense, rigid.The flexibility and mobility of the vertebrae is lost.If this ailment passes into the intervertebral load, then the contents of the disk protrudes outside the fibrous ring.To get rid of such a complication without surgery is problematic.Do not bring to such a state, try to monitor your health.
The main manifestations of the disease at an early stage
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women differ in the initial and late stage of development.At first, the disease does not annoy almost anything, but it is still worth paying attention to small symptoms.This list includes:
- Discomfort in the neck, especially in the morning;
- Crunch with circular movements of the head, tilts to the side;
- Frequent headaches;
- Light dizziness with a sharp turn of the head to the side.
Due to structural changes in the tissues, pinches of roots of nerve endings occur, which provokes headache.The neck ceases to be flexible.Women often observe its advance.
It is more difficult to hold posture, sometimes even a small hump appears at the place of transition from the neck to the shoulder girdle.All this clearly indicates the development of osteochondrosis.
Instead of making an appointment with a neurologist, women take numerous massage courses.This effect gives a short -term effect.If the massage is incorrect, then over time it will cause even greater harm to the body.
The specifics of cervical osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women can take a long time asymptomatic.The limited mobility of the neck is written off to fatigue, muscle clogging, headaches are not yet very disturbed.And if they arise, then their culprit is called stress, poor sleep.A provocative factor for the transition of a latent disease to an acute form can be a sharp hypothermia, a slight trauma.Often the disease develops at reactive speed.Yesterday, the woman still felt well, but today she could not tear her head off the pillow due to severe pain.Do not wait for this condition will pass by itself.Hurry up to see a doctor.Even at this stage, you can completely get rid of manifestations of osteochondrosis that provoke its factors.
It is strictly forbidden to contact the bone rights, osteopaths.There is no such thing as “reduction of vertebrae” in official medicine.Such woe-specialists will only harm.Due to excessive mechanical exposure in the thickness of the cartilage and bone tissue, cracks may appear.At the first session, the osteopath will really become better for you, but all its actions will only lead to the fact that osteochondrosis will go into a large hernia.
Traditional treatment includes several stages, it is always carried out sequentially, without pain.Any activity is prohibited in the acute period.To get rid of limited movements, severe pain, you just need to listen to the main recommendations of the attending physician.You can be observed simultaneously by a neurologist and a vertebrologist.These highly qualified doctors with higher medical education introduce complex treatment methods.
Symptoms of an acute state
When the disease takes an acute form, the symptoms of cervical chondrosis in women change.At this stage, the overgrown cartilaginous tissues press on the nerve endings, squeeze large arteries that go along the spine to the brain, nourishing it.Oxygen starvation is manifested by frequent fainting.A short -term memory loss, disorientation in space is possible.Due to pinching of the nerve endings, sensitivity in the limbs is lost.The feeling of numbness of the shoulder girdle, tingling in the fingers is alarming greatly.If at this stage you do not rush to start treatment, there is a probability of partial paralysis.The patient generally stops feeling the upper limbs.
If you contact the doctor at this stage, then at first all his efforts will be aimed at stabilizing the patient's condition.
After the withdrawal from the acute period of the disease, various methods of therapy are prescribed, which include taking medications, taking a course of various physiotherapeutic procedures.
LFK has high efficiency if the classes are conducted by a certified instructor, who has sufficient experience in rehabilitation of patients with damage to the spine.
Diagnostic methods
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is carried out comprehensively.When you first see a doctor, you describe in detail all the disturbing symptoms.The doctor can already draw certain conclusions about the development of the disease on the basis of this information.The final diagnosis can only be made after additional studies.In medical practice, innovative functional diagnostic methods are increasingly used.These include computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography.Using a special apparatus, in real time, the spine tissue is studied.The technique allows you to take three -dimensional pictures in different projections, to study the organ, system or department carefully.The patient is transmitted by pictures and discs with a study record.The diagnostic doctor makes a detailed description, but your attending physician is engaged in the final decryption.
Based on these examinations, one can already judge the degree of development of the disease, affected by segments of the intervertebral discs.Control examinations are carried out with a frequency of six months to evaluate the dynamics of treatment.
Sometimes detailed biochemical blood tests are additionally prescribed.They help to understand whether the inflammatory process develops in the body.
MRI or X -ray
Some patients complain of excessive high cost MRI or CT.This examination in most cases is carried out on a paid basis, because high -power quality devices cost a lot and are used in private diagnostic centers.Patients have a logical question whether a regular radiographic picture can be taken.
The cost of this procedure is not much lower than an MRI or CT.Bone tissue is clearly visible here, but to draw reasoned conclusions regarding the condition of cartilage, connective tissue is problematic.That is why experts prescribe more modern diagnostic methods.It is not worth abandoning them, because magnetic resonance imaging is also much safer.It can be carried out several times after short intervals, because the study does not use dangerous radiation.
Is it possible to get rid of osteochondrosis forever
Knowing the main symptoms and manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis in women, it will be much easier for you to get rid of the disease.The sooner the patient addresses the doctor, the more chances to successful, rapid healing.
A complex of anti -inflammatory, decongestant drugs, the active use of drugs based on natural collagen, increasing the elasticity of connective tissue, nutrition correction, moderate physical activity, exercise therapy are the main areas of treatment.
Only by adjusting the familiar mode of life, changing the attitude to motor activity, can you achieve positive results.
Prevention
Knowing that osteochondrosis of the cervical spine often develops in women, it is advisable to use preventive measures to prevent the activation of this complex disease.If you play sports, eat right, walk a lot in the fresh air, follow all the systems and functions in the body, then the disease will never overtake you.
If you train in the gym, do this under the control of an experienced qualified instructor, who will always monitor compliance with the technique of performing basic exercises.
Help in the prevention of osteochondrosis of yoga, Pilates.
Signs of osteochondrosis are already visible at the initial stage of the development of the disease.It is important not to miss them and start treatment in a timely manner, then the health of the bone muscular system will be ensured.