Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a degenerative disorders of the intervertebral discs in the neck.
Cervical spine is very mobile, due to the need in the turns and head tilts, but also quite vulnerable due to weak muscular corset. Any negative impacts on your back and neck, negative impact on the cervical spine.
Anatomically, the cervical vertebrae are close to each other, so the probability of displacement and destruction is significant even without the influence of external factors. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is dangerous not only for its unpleasant manifestations, but also the possibility of pinching of the arteries that feed the brain.
Causes of cervical degenerative disc disease
Causes of degenerative disc disease of the cervical lies primarily in changes in cartilage tissue due to the accumulation of salts in the blood and lymph of man.
With proper diet and regular exercise of salt in the human body is well spent. Otherwise, perhaps their excessive accumulation in organs and cartilage. Thus, the cartilage loses its mobility and flexibility, which explains the processes of displacement of the vertebrae, pinching the arteries and other degenerative changes.
In addition, there are degenerative changes in which there are osteophytes — bony growths in the cervical vertebrae which irritate the muscles, causing them stress, which further worsens the human condition.
All changes and disorders in the cervical spine is guilty in most cases a sedentary lifestyle. Usually cervical osteochondrosis suffer office workers who are forced to sit for eight hours a day, especially if they do not bother regular exercise. It used to be that any of osteochondrosis spine is a disease that is inherent in the people after 35 years, but at the present time the disease is much younger. Many young people are beginning to feel the first symptoms of osteoarthritis are still in school or in the first year of University, which is also due to the long sedentary position and, in addition, disturbances in posture.
But it is worth noting that people whose work involves physical labor, also can encounter degenerative disc disease of the cervical. Large load on your back together with uncomfortable body position or previous back injuries have negative effects on the neck, causing unnecessary tension. In addition, we can highlight several main reasons for the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical, namely:
- overweight;
- genetic predisposition;
- disturbances in the body's metabolic processes;
- incorrect or poor nutrition;
- prolonged stress;
- flat feet;
- hypothermia;
- lifts weights during an undeveloped muscle corset back;
- injuries of the spine or back in General.
People who are in the prevention of osteochondrosis of steel periodically to perform a variety of physical exercises, remember that improper execution of these exercises too can lead to problems in the neck.
Symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease
The main symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical — pain of varying severity, which may be localized in different parts of the human body.
So, the pain may spread to the eye area, to give the teeth or the ears be a wrong diagnosis. Sometimes the pain from osteoarthritis may radiate to shoulders, arms, shoulders and even in the lumbar spine.
With cervical osteochondrosis possible localization of pain in the heart area that people will most likely mistaken for heartache, but she doesn't come off any drugs. As you can see, the symptoms and pain from osteoarthritis of the cervical multifaceted, and the degree of severity for each individual case.
If due to cervical degenerative disc disease was pinched arteries that nourish the brain, then perhaps the appearance of such symptoms as: dizziness, tinnitus, numbness of the tongue, headaches, hearing loss and vision, the loss of orientation in space and other symptoms associated with insufficient blood supply to the brain.
In addition, osteochondrosis of the cervical people will feel quite a pronounced strain in the neck, which increases when the head tilts, long sitting position, and in the morning after sleep.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine begins with the collection of information about the way of life of the man and his work, as well as with the analysis of the symptoms. In addition, the physician needs to be installed in the presence or absence of similar symptoms in family members to identify possible genetic predisposition.
The next step in diagnosis is visual inspection of the back and neck in different positions, you clearly see the changes of posture and various disorders that can cause low back pain. Alternatively, a feeling of painful zones that will indicate the degree of pain and tension the muscles and vertebrae.
Such methods help to suspect the presence of degenerative disc disease of the cervical, but the main role in diagnosis assign instrumental methods of research. So, actively using the method of radiography, which gives quite a lot of information about the state of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. If the information is not enough for diagnosis, it is possible to conduct magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI gives information not only on the vertebrae, but the condition of the soft tissues.
In the case of expressed headaches and tension in the neck, often use duplex examination of blood vessels. It allows to assess the structure of blood vessels and the patency of blood flow through them, and identify many violations and anomalies of development of vessels.
Treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is usually a comprehensive approach that involves both medication and physical therapy.
Drug treatment involves taking drugs which relieve pain and reduce inflammatory processes in tissues. When not very severe pain is possible to use only local preparations in the form of ointments or gels. But in the case of bright pain, the person may be used as medicines, used oral and local medications.
In addition, osteochondrosis very often prescribe nootropics and B-vitamins that are designed to improve blood flow in the cervical spine and contribute to better nutrition of the brain.
But the results of medical treatment of degenerative disc disease of the cervical will be reduced to zero if people do not reconsider your lifestyle. For example, if the cause of the disease in sedentary lifestyle and sedentary work, then the person you want to include in your life regular exercise.
Very good results in the treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease showed different physiotherapy methods, such as electrophoresis, water treatments, massage and therapeutic exercises. In addition, significant effect of treatment is achieved through manual therapy, hirudotherapy and osteopathy.
Prevention
Many diseases are easier to prevent than to cure in the event of their occurrence. Osteochondrosis refers to such diseases. To protect yourself from it, one needs to adhere to certain preventive actions.
So, regular physical activity and exercises significantly reduces the likelihood of development of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and, in addition, does not allow a person to gain weight. In addition, in sedentary work people have every hour or two to do a light workout the neck, and follow proper posture.
In the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis result shows a good regular massage, which allows you to work out all the problem areas and to prevent the development of excessive tension in the muscles.
Avoiding stress, regular meals and healthy sleep are General recommendations that reduce the likelihood of not only degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, but many other unpleasant diseases. Also, people should remember that it is not necessary to lift weights, especially if his physical training is not allows to do it without consequences.
In addition, as a preventive measure, people should once a year to visit a specialist for early detection of back problems and neck.