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cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis often affects people who work sedentary jobs

cervical osteochondrosisIt is a progressive degenerative dystrophic disease that occurs in the most mobile part of the spine, which is composed of seven intervertebral discs, relatively weak muscle bundles, and increased mobility and instability of the cervical spine.The height and thickness of the cervical intervertebral discs are relatively small, and the fit between them is quite tight. Due to poor neck muscle development, frequent loading may cause disc displacement.

The high susceptibility of the cervical spine to degenerative changes, osteochondrosis in nature and various injuries, is explained by the need for constant physical activity to support the head, control rotation and bending.

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

Until recently, the diagnosis of osteochondrosis was considered a common condition in the elderly.Nowadays, it is rapidly becoming younger.

Cervical osteochondrosis and its manifestations may be caused by disruption of three body systems:

  • Pathological effects of degenerative changes on the peripheral nervous system.
  • When the blood supply to the brain cells from the vertebral arteries is interrupted.
  • In difficult cases - the integrity of the spinal cord is compressed and destroyed.

Cervical osteochondrosis occurs for a variety of reasons:

  • Curvature of the spine - scoliosis, kyphosis;
  • Other postural disorders;
  • Various back and spinal injuries;
  • Physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle;
  • Impaired metabolism;
  • being overweight;
  • excessive physical activity;
  • Mistakes made by athletes during training;
  • stressful situations;
  • Poor physical fitness;
  • low temperature;
  • infectious disease;
  • genetic factors;
  • For example, incorrect habits - the habit of holding the telephone receiver with your shoulder;
  • Back strain caused by office workers sitting for long periods of time and driving for long periods of time;
  • Developmental abnormalities of the cervical spine;
  • Age-related changes.

All of the above factors influence the increased load on the cervical spine.The neck muscles can compensate for the excess load, but due to excessive tension, the muscles spasm, resulting in poor blood circulation, which leads to degenerative changes - cervical osteochondrosis.

The intervertebral disc structure undergoes pathological changes, its nutrition is destroyed, and changes in small intervertebral joints occur.The increased load on the altered disc causes bone growth in the vertebral body.

The progression of cervical osteochondrosis

In determining the extent of cervical osteochondrosis, they relied on the patient's clinical presentation and complaints.

  • I save– Clinical manifestations are rare.There is usually no pain, or the patient complains of mild pain and discomfort that worsens with turning the head, and rapid fatigue of the neck muscles after prolonged exercise.Examination may reveal slight tension in the neck muscles.All of this happens because the core of the disc loses moisture and elasticity, and compression occurs.
  • Level 2– Cervical pain bothers patients with increased changes, becoming more pronounced, and the pain worsens due to prolonged sitting, especially with the head down.The pain may radiate to the shoulder and arm.
  • Level three– Increased manifestations of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.It is characterized by persistent pain in the cervical spine that radiates to the shoulders and arms.Symptoms include numbness or weakness in arm muscles and dizziness.Usually this stage is the beginning of intervertebral hernia formation.
  • Level IV– Acute pain in the neck, loss of control of parts of the limbs, vestibular disorders, headache, dizziness, loss of consciousness, since the vertebral arteries supplying the occipital lobe of the brain and the cerebellum are involved in this process.The disc is completely destroyed and replaced by connective tissue.This can lead to osteophyte growth and possible fusion of the vertebrae, resulting in a loss of mobility in the neck.

Classification of cervical osteochondrosis according to the degree of intervertebral disc changes - radiological stages:

  • first stage– There is no change in the intervertebral disc, slight changes in the vertebral structure, and straightening of the physiological lordosis;
  • second stage– Minor changes associated with spinal segmental instability, possible subluxation, vertebral torsion, slight reduction in intervertebral segmental height.
  • The third stage– Significant changes in the intervertebral disc – The height of the intervertebral disc decreases by 1/4 relative to the height of the intervertebral disc above it, while maintaining the outer surface, the intervertebral foramen and the spinal canal become narrowed, the anterior, posterior and posterolateral dense osteophytes appear;
  • Stage 4– The height of the intervertebral disc is significantly reduced – reduced by 2 times, the intervertebral joints undergo obvious pathological changes, a large number of posterior osteophytes appear, and the intervertebral foramen and spinal canal are significantly narrowed.

Signs and symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

The first symptom of cervical osteochondrosis observed in almost all patients is neck pain.This pain occurs when you lie down after waking up and worsens when you try to turn over.Failure to turn your head, coughing, sneezing, or laughing can cause the pain to worsen.The pain is dull, dull, sometimes sharp, and is located deep in the neck.The nature of cervical pain can be periodic or persistent.The intensity of the pain gradually decreases throughout the day and may even disappear completely.

Signs of uncomplicated cervical osteochondrosis:

  • Neck stiffness and limited movement;
  • Neck pain and discomfort;
  • Adopt a forced head position;
  • There is a "crunching" feeling in the neck when turning the head;
  • Neck muscle tension.

Subsequently, symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis develop due to compression of blood vessels and nerve roots.The specific symptoms that occur are characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis only.

vertebral artery syndrome

This cervical osteochondrosis syndrome occurs due to tight muscle encroachment on the vertebral arteries and deterioration of the blood supply to the occipital lobes of the brain and the cerebellum (the hearing and visual organs).

Arterial spasm may also be a response to irritation of the nerve fibers that run from the spinal cord to the arteries.Cerebral ischemia may occur due to compression.

Symptoms of vertebral artery syndrome:

  • Paroxysmal migraine-like pain in the head, starting with pulsing in the back of the head and spreading to the temples, forehead, and ears;
  • Pain that worsens when you turn or tilt your head while sitting;
  • Tense neck muscles;
  • Dizziness;
  • lack of coordination;
  • a feeling of heaviness in the head;
  • tinnitus;
  • faint;
  • decreased vision;
  • hearing loss;
  • Tongue numbness, severe deterioration of blood supply to the brain;
  • memory impairment;
  • Sleep disorders.

Humeral periscapularosis is a condition that affects the periarticular soft tissues (muscles and tendons of the shoulder joint and scapula), most commonly seen in osteochondrosis of the disc neck between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae.The innervation of the scapular region is destroyed, and as a result, dystrophic changes gradually develop.Tissue dystrophy that occurs early in the pathological process goes unnoticed for a long time.As glenohumeral periarticular disease progresses, other symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis gradually disappear.Deep pain is localized to the attachment points of ligaments and tendons.The progressive destruction of the disc causes irritation of the autonomic nerve fibers, which send impulses into the shoulder joint.The nutrition of the tissues around the joints is destroyed, thus affecting the function of the joints.

Characteristic symptoms of glenohumeral periarticular disease:

  • Shoulder joint pain radiating to the neck and arms;
  • Restriction and pain were observed when moving the arm to one side;
  • Pain worsens when lying down on the affected side;
  • Over time, the muscles of the shoulder and scapula can atrophy.

radiculopathy syndrome

Radicul syndrome occurs due to degenerative changes in the spine, reduction of intervertebral discs, and loss of elasticity of the annulus fibrosus.The appearance of certain symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depends on the location of the changes.

If the nerve root is damaged:

  • C 1 (first cervical vertebra) - Loss of sensitivity in the back of the head.
  • Radicul syndrome of segment C I-C II C 2 - Pain localized to the parietal and occipital regions.
  • There are three segments C II-C III, which is quite rare.The pain is accompanied by decreased sensitivity in one half of the neck (spinal nerve compression), speech impairment, and decreased tongue sensitivity.
  • Due to damage to the C 4 nerve roots in segments C III-C IV, decreased localization and sensitivity of pain in the shoulder girdle and clavicle areas may be accompanied by hypotonia of the neck and head muscles.Due to the presence of the phrenic nerve, damage to the C 4 root can cause breathing problems, pain in the heart area, and hiccups.Quite a rare pathology.
  • C IV-C V segment C 5 – Causes pain in the shoulder girdle and outer surface of the shoulder.The deltoid muscles are weakened and sensitivity of the outer surface of the shoulder is impaired.
  • C 6 and C 7 in segments C V-C VI and C VI-C VII are the most common disorders.Case C 6 – Pain radiating from the neck to the scapula, forearm, outer surface of the shoulder, radial surface of the forearm and further to the thumb.Even the skin loses sensitivity.Case C 7 - Pain radiates from the neck to the shoulder blades, forearm, back of the shoulder, surface of the forearm, and back of the ring finger and ring finger, and the skin in these areas loses sensitivity.
  • Beginning at segment 8 of C VII-T I - localized pain and loss of sensitivity extending from the neck to the posterior surface of the shoulder, ulnar edge of the forearm, little finger.There may be no pain in the little finger, but the finger muscles will be significantly weakened.

anterior scalene syndrome

The anterior scalene muscle is located in the area of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae and attaches to the first rib, to which the medial scalene muscle also attaches, and the subclavian artery and brachial plexus pass through the space formed between these muscles.As a result of disc destruction, autonomic nerve fibers are stimulated and impulses are sent to the anterior scalene muscles.

Muscle spasm occurs, compressing the brachial plexus and vertebral artery.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, characteristics of anterior scalene syndrome:

  • The pain ranges from severe to aching and spreads to the forearm and hand.
  • The pain increases as the arm moves to the side and the head tilts.
  • Compression of the arteries is characterized by cold hands, numbness, and swelling.

Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis

The main methods for diagnosing cervical osteochondrosis are:

  1. Spine X-ray– Direct and transverse projections and the functional position of the patient – (open mouth) to determine reduction in disc height and degenerative bone growth.
  2. MRI – magnetic resonance imaging– is the most informative diagnostic method and can detect the localization of pathological changes in cervical osteochondrosis with high accuracy.Detection of protrusions and intervertebral hernias and their size and direction of growth.
  3. CT - computed tomography– Determine the presence of changes in the vertebrae in cervical osteochondrosis, but this diagnostic technique is less informative.
  4. Ultrasonic double-sided scanning– A method that allows you to determine whether the blood flow rate is reduced and whether there is an obstruction to normal blood flow.

In order to rule out pathological processes in the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, visual and auditory organs, and digestive organs, differential diagnosis is made using types of examinations such as ultrasound, electrocardiography, electroencephalography, and laboratory tests are performed.

Treatment principles for cervical osteochondrosis

The main methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis are:

  • drug treatment,
  • physical therapy,
  • Massage the neck and collar area,
  • Therapeutic exercises.

For the drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, the following types of drugs are mainly used:

  • NSAIDs reduce pain and help relieve swelling and inflammation of damaged nerve roots;
  • B vitamins that improve metabolic processes;
  • Drugs that improve blood rheological properties and blood flow, and improve nutrition of damaged roots;
  • Chondroprotective agent – used to repair cartilage tissue;
  • Muscle Relaxants – Relieve muscle spasms.

Physical therapy for cervical osteochondrosis

  • Electrophoresis may relieve pain or improve blood flow.
  • Ultrasound – Improves metabolic processes, acts as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory method.
  • Magnetic therapy - reduces swelling and relieves pain.
  • Laser Therapy – Improves blood circulation and has anti-inflammatory effects.

therapeutic exercise

For cervical osteochondrosis, physical therapy is performed during the recovery period after pain relief, as pain and discomfort should not occur while performing a set of exercises.Patients with this diagnosis are best served with regular physical therapy to limit excessive stress on the cervical spine.Restoring muscle tone is the main task in treating cervical osteochondrosis.

Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis

A combination of physical activity, sleeping on a comfortable bed with an anatomically correct mattress, sitting for long periods of time and warming up, maintaining correct posture and proper nutrition are keys to a healthy cervical spine.You should try to avoid neck injuries and lifting too much weight.

As the Japanese say: a crooked neck is a sign of a short life.

This is an assessment of the health of the most mobile part of the spine.

The complications of this disease are diverse and dangerous.The minimum diameter of the cervical spinal canal makes the spinal cord very fragile, and compression can lead to paralysis, paralysis and other consequences.

Another danger of cervical osteochondrosis is disruption of the blood supply to the brain.Compression of the vertebral arteries leads to reduced blood circulation, which may lead to conditions such as ischemia of the brain and spinal cord, and in the most severe cases, spinal cord stroke.

To avoid irreversible damage, it is highly recommended to consult a doctor as soon as possible.