Symptoms and causes of cervical osteochondrosis of varying severity

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can appear at any age, but the risk increases after 25 years.The sooner treatment begins, the more chances to stop the disease in the bud and avoid unpleasant complications.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Signs of the cervical spine at the initial stage of the disease can be lubricated, manifested episodically and not immediately alert the patient.

Osteochondrosis-nothing more than deformation of the vertebrae of a spine associated with degenerative (destructive) processes that rejoice in it.

The reasons can be different:

• Constant physical overload, uneven stretching of muscles, long stay in a static position (sitting at the computer, driving a car);
• Neck injuries;
• Improper nutrition with a predominance of fatty, salty, acute foods;
• Alcohol abuse and cigarettes;
• Metabolic and endocrine disorders.

At risk, people who have burdened heredity, overweight, and patients with rheumatism.Synealing, severe stress, can provoke an exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis.

Under the influence of external or internal factors in the spine, pathological processes associated with a change in the shape and position of the vertebrae, the refinement of cartilage, and the formation of bone growths begin.

All this leads to pinches of blood vessels and nerve endings.The nutrition of the brain is disturbed, pain and discomfort appear.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include:

• Headache and dizziness;
• Weakness, prefabricated condition, fainting;
• A feeling of general malaise, weakness, constant fatigue;
• Pain in the neck, nape, shoulder girdle, crunch when turning the head.

At the same time, visual acuity can decrease, hearing worsen, patients complain of noise in their ears and “flies” before their eyes.The described symptoms are the result of innervation disorders.

A long-term violation of the blood supply to the brain causes migraines, vegetative-vascular disorders, respiratory pathologies and cardiovascular system.

The vertebrae of the cervical region are highly mobility with a small size, and the neck muscles are relatively weak.The cervical spine is negatively affected by static and high physical activity.

Degree of disease

There are 4 degrees of cervical osteochondrosis.Each of them corresponds to their own symptoms, but in some cases a specialist can not just make an accurate diagnosis.

1. The deformation of the spine is in its infancy, in the cartilaginous and bone tissue the changes are almost not noticeable, the emerging symptoms are episodic.Patients associate pain and discomfort with overwork, stress, physical exertion;
2. The shape and height of the intervertebral disc changes, its integrity may be violated.At this stage, the pain in the neck, the shoulder girdle becomes constant.He may become numb, his head hurts.
3. Intervertebral hernias, squeezing the nerves and blood vessels, cause severe headache, weakness, dizziness, pre -fabric and fainting conditions.The patient feels fatigue, pain in the back of the head, noise in the ears.
4. The vertebrae are deformed, bone growths appear on them - osteophytes pinched nerves.The vertebrae of the neighboring departments suffer, the usual movements are disturbed, their amplitude is reduced, each movement is accompanied by severe pain in the neck, shoulder, and collarbone.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

In men, cervical osteochondrosis is less common than in women, it begins later, but the symptoms are more pronounced and the disease develops more rapidly.At the first signs of the disease at home, it is necessary to begin affordable treatment:

• Daily gymnastics for the neck include simple exercises that develop the spine and muscle apparatus that improve blood circulation (circular rotation of the neck, tilting to the shoulders, tilting back and forth);
• Alcohol and oil compresses, salt heating pads (cannot be used in the acute phase) will help relieve pain in the neck;
• To relieve symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis will help the use of drugs - spasmias, painkillers, anti -inflammatory drugs.

At the first signs of deformation degenerative processes in the cervical region, you need to seek medical help.As a rule, conservative treatment is prescribed:

• physiotherapy;
• massage (necessarily - professional!);
• Taking drugs that not only relieve symptoms of the disease, but also contributing to the restoration of cartilage tissue - chondroprotectors in tablets or injections.

Cervical osteochondrosis is easier to warn than to cure.

Among the preventive measures are the rejection of harmful salty and acute foods, compliance with the regime of work and rest, balanced physical activity.