A fairly common disease in our time is cervical osteochondrosis. The number of people suffering from this pathology is increasing every year. If earlier people of mature age faced the disease in question, now there are many young people at risk.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men
Many factors contribute to the development of cervical osteochondrosis in men. The progression of the disease is provoked by:
- sedentary lifestyle
- weakened immunity;
- unbalanced diet;
- overweight;
- injuries of the cervical spine.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men are:
- Cracking when turning the neck. If this symptom is not eliminated in time, it is likely that the mobility of the neck will significantly worsen in the short term. A crunch in the neck is a direct consequence of the destruction and displacement of the intervertebral joints.
- Pain in the temples and occiput. Painful sensations at first appear only in the cervical region, but gradually move to the back of the head. Muscle spasm causes such pain.
- Weakness. It is about squeezing and damaging the nerves that are responsible for the normal movement of the limbs. This, in turn, leads to muscle weakening.
- Faintness. Poor blood supply caused by osteochondrosis leads to dysfunction of the brain.
- Deterioration of vision. This signal indicates an advanced stage of the disease.
- Heart pain. The pain does not extend to the heart itself, but to the chest. Osteochondrosis causes a strong heartbeat, which contributes to arrhythmias.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women
In women, the muscle corset is less toned, and the vertebrae are much thinner than in men. That is why the fairer sex has a faster deformation in the cervical spine.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis disease in women:
- lack of regular simple physical activity;
- individual anatomy;
- heavy loads on the spine during pregnancy;
- hormonal changes that can provoke the emergence of a hormonal hump that impedes the movement of the cervical spine.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women include:
- pain in the cervical and shoulder spine;
- sharp lumbago when turning the head;
- feeling of stiffness in the cervical spine;
- burning in the shoulders and neck;
- a crunch in the neck when bending and rotating the head;
- muscle spasms with shoulder pain;
- feeling tired;
- frequent headaches.
Symptom of the vertebral artery syndrome with cervical osteochondrosis
In order to prevent serious undesirable complications (stroke), it is necessary to know the symptoms of vertebral artery syndrome in cervical osteochondrosis. Similar symptoms occur due to poor blood flow to the brain.
Vertebral artery syndrome is manifested by the following symptoms:
- throbbing pain that occurs in seizures in one part of the head;
- impaired coordination of movements, dizziness and nausea;
- cases of loss of consciousness are often observed;
- sparks and "floats" in the eyes.
Vertebral artery syndrome is characterized by pain during movement of the neck and head. The feeling of fatigue can turn into a constant sleepy state, as a result of which performance is significantly reduced. Over time, a sensation of a lump in the throat may appear.
If you experience any of the above symptoms, see your doctor immediately. In this case, it is impossible to postpone the trip to the doctor. Delays can lead to irreparable consequences.
Treatment of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis with exacerbation
Exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is almost always accompanied by severe, intense pain. An aggravated disease can be provoked by:
- Stress. Constant worries cause a spasm of the occipital muscles, which leads to poor circulation and headaches.
- Autumn season. During this period, there is a high likelihood of hypothermia of the neck, a restructuring of biological rhythms occurs.
- Exacerbation of other chronic diseases. Even a common cold can exacerbate cervical osteochondrosis.
- Prolonged static head position.
- Incorrectly chosen treatment or self-medication. Improper treatment, non-professional massage, gymnastics (it may be contraindicated) can exacerbate cervical osteochondrosis.
In the event of an attack, relax the tense muscles by leaning your head against something. We recommend using a warming anti-inflammatory ointment, taking pain relievers in tablets. Try wearing a cotton-gauze collar for several days.
When the first attack occurs, be sure to see a doctor. After the diagnosis, you will receive complete information at what stage your disease is.
Complex treatment of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis during exacerbation includes:
- professional massage;
- remedial gymnastics;
- physiotherapy procedures;
- taking anti-inflammatory pain relievers;
- proper nutrition. Reduce your intake of meats, legumes, and coffee.
To prevent osteochondrosis of the neck, you should lead a mobile life, it is important to exclude serious stress on the spine.
Treatment of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis with injections
In the treatment of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, injections are traditionally highly effective. The advantages of injections are:
- almost instantaneous penetration of the drug to the nerve endings;
- injection of the drug directly into the lesion;
- analgesics do not have medicinal properties, but they are able to relieve pain in 10 - 15 minutes;
- antispasmodics help to increase mobility in damaged areas and neutralize muscle spasms;
- injections of chondroprotectors help restore cartilage tissue;
- injections of non-steroidal drugs have an antipyretic effect and relieve swelling;
- injections of B vitamins help restore nerve endings.
Medicines for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be administered:
- in a standard way, that is, intramuscularly;
- using a dropper;
- therapeutic blockade, that is, an injection is made directly into the nerve endings of the affected part of the body.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is a very difficult and long process. If you do not want to face complications, be sure to consult a doctor when symptoms of the disease appear.