Osteochondrosis is an outdated term that is often used in some countries to refer to degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, facet joints and vertebral bodies themselves.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, as well as ligaments. With osteochondrosis, intervertebral discs become thinner and deformed, their elasticity and shock absorption decrease. Gradually, the inner part of the disc, the nucleus pulposus, protrudes through microdamages in the outer part, the annulus fibrosus. This is how intervertebral protrusions and hernias form, irritating the pain receptors of the ligament along the back surface of the spinal column, which causes pain. When the spinal roots are compressed, pain may spread to the upper extremities and neurological symptoms may appear: decreased sensitivity of the skin of the arm, muscle weakness in it, etc. As a protective reaction to any injuries and damage, bone growths - osteophytes - may appear along the edges of the bodies and on 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 its early occurrence and complications.
- Physical inactivity.With a sedentary lifestyle, the nutrition of the intervertebral discs is disrupted. They do not have blood vessels and receive nutrients by diffusion from the vertebral bodies. These processes occur actively during physical activity.
- Injury.Spinal injuries accelerate the development of degenerative changes in the spine.
- Uneven load on the spinal column.Possible situations: improper exercise, poor posture, predominant load on one side of the body or one limb, prolonged posture with the head tilted, for example, when reading from a phone.
- Metabolic disorders.The condition of the vertebrae is affected by the presence of endocrine diseases, especially diabetes, which makes tissue nutrition difficult.
Symptoms
The dominant symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is pain. Its localization depends on the nature of the lesion. When irritated by a bulging disc or osteophytes of a sensitive ligament, pain is felt in the neck and is associated with a reflex muscle spasm. If the hernia compresses the spinal nerve, pain may radiate into the arm.
Most often, pain is noted in the neck and back of the head, and occurs or intensifies with sudden movements of the head, prolonged static tension, or an uncomfortable position, for example, after sleep.
Other signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Restricted neck mobility, pain when turning the head.
- Neck muscle spasm.
- Decreased tone and strength of the muscles of the upper extremities, which is typical for compression of a spinal root herniation.
- Impaired sensitivity of the skin of the upper extremities.
- When a hernia of the vertebral artery is compressed, symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency appear, developing sharply when turning or tilting the head: dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, fainting, short-term memory impairment, unsteadiness when walking, visual impairment, hearing and speech, severe muscle weakness in the limbs.
Diagnostics
With 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 complaints and medical history. Cervical osteochondrosis can manifest itself as dozens of diseases, so additional examination is often necessary to determine the cause of the 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, urine test, 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 assess the condition of the spinal cord, nerve roots, visualize protrusions and hernias.
- Electroneuromyography to determine the conduction of impulses along the spinal roots.
During differential diagnosis, other examinations are also prescribed at the discretion of 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 limbs. They occur when the spinal roots, arteries, and spinal cord are compressed.
The neurologist determines how to treat osteochondrosis of the neck after examination and receipt of examination results. Most patients receive effective conservative therapy with stable long-term 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: relief of pain, 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-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants. If the pain lasts more than 12 weeks, that is, it becomes chronic, anticonvulsants and antidepressants with a persistent analgesic effect may be recommended.
In addition to drug therapy, modern effective techniques are used:
- Acupuncture.The neurologist uses special sterile needles to irritate biologically active points. This alleviates the condition: reduces pain, relaxes 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 course of treatment of intervertebral hernias using the resorption method.
- Physiotherapy.Classes are aimed at strengthening muscles, increasing flexibility of the spine, restoring range of motion in the joints of the spine and developing correct posture. Exercises are selected by a specialist individually for the patient, after acute pain has been relieved.
- Kinesio taping.Combined with physical therapy. Before classes, the doctor fixes tapes on the neck-collar area in a certain direction to relax the muscles and influence 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 spasm by acting on receptors in the skin, muscles and fascia. Quickly and permanently relieves pain and improves vertebral mobility.
Therapy is selected individually depending on the cause of neck and back pain and accompanying symptoms.
Forecast
With timely diagnosis and treatment, the outcome is favorable. If complications of osteochondrosis appear in the form of an intervertebral hernia with various neurological symptoms, surgical treatment may be required. Afterwards, rehabilitation can last for years. Without treatment, there is a high risk of permanent disability. Comorbidities and advanced age worsen the prognosis.
Patients are often concerned 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 processes of natural aging of the body that cannot be avoided. But you can slow down their progression and avoid complications.
Prevention
There are no specific preventive measures for osteochondrosis.
Recommendations boil down to improving overall health:
- Maintaining optimal body weight.
- Maintaining an active lifestyle.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- Regular moderate physical activity - half an hour of walking, warming up your neck and back every day is enough.
- Ergonomics of the workplace. The table and chair should suit 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.
Abstracts:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the vertebrae, accompanied by the formation of herniated intervertebral discs.
- Cervical osteochondrosis is manifested by pain in the neck, limited mobility, and muscle spasms. When a spinal root is compressed by a hernia, muscle weakness and numbness of the skin of the upper extremities may occur.
- Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis consists of examining a neurologist and conducting the necessary additional examination: CT, MRI of the spine and other methods.
- Treatment of osteochondrosis is most often conservative and aimed at relieving pain, inflammation and muscle spasm.
- Prevention of osteochondrosis consists of maintaining an active lifestyle, regular physical activity and ergonomics of the workplace.