Cervical osteochondrosis

7 August 2022

Osteochondrosis is a form of degenerative disease of the joints and intervertebral discs. Osteochondrosis affects the cartilage tissue of the discs. As a result, the disc hardens and shrinks, losing its shock-absorbing properties and causing severe pain.

Cervical osteochondrosis is a progressive degenerative-dystrophic process that leads to depletion, deformation and destruction of the intervertebral discs of the cervical region. Loss of shock-absorbing cartilage causes pain both due to exposure of the articular surfaces (spondylarthrosis) and compression of the nerve roots of the spinal cord.

In the absence of timely treatment, ossification of the spine is possible with the loss of its natural flexibility, impaired blood supply to the brain, deterioration of nerve conduction in those parts of the body that innervate the roots of the cervical spine.

Pathology can develop both independently and as part of a general lesion of the spine, covering the thoracic, lumbar and sacral regions.

General information about cervical osteochondrosis

It is believed that osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is more common than in other parts. In fact, this is not so - dystrophic phenomena develop uniformly at all points of maximum load - in the area of the main bends of the spine (the lower the segment is, the greater the load it bears) . However, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are more severe, so it seems to be more common. This is due to the high mobility of the neck vertebrae, which simultaneously hold the head, as well as the specificity of the location of the exits of the roots of the spinal cord.

On a note!According to statistics, the disease affects more than 60% of middle-aged and elderly people. However, recently there has been a revival of the pathological process - the pathology appears in young people and even in teenagers. This is due to the general computerization of study and work, as well as the reduction of physical activity and the deterioration of the quality of nutrition.

Considering the age group, 2 forms of cervical osteochondrosis can be distinguished - normal and pathological.

normal processit is related to the natural aging of the body, when the symptoms of the disease are a consequence of the gradual deterioration of the intervertebral discs. The process occurs under the influence of the endocrine system and is a consequence of the changes of menopause. The destruction of the cartilage structures starts from the center of the intervertebral disc and is accompanied by a gradual replacement of the cartilage tissue with fibrous tissue. The pathology is irreversible, but it can be compensated with special drugs.

Pathological processassociated with abnormal destructive changes in the body - immune, dystrophic, inflammatory, metabolic. First of all, perichondrial tissues are involved - salt deposits appear in bone structures, nerve roots become inflamed, atrophy or hypertonicity of skeletal muscles occurs, which leads to impaired blood circulation in the head-neck-chest area. With early diagnosis, the pathology is treatable and ends with the full restoration of the healthy functioning of organs and tissues.

Stages of cervical osteochondrosis and their symptoms

There are 4 main stages of the pathological process:

Stage 1 - expressed by slight discomfort and muscle strain in the affected area, the cartilage discs lose their stability.
Stage 2 - there is local pain, especially when moving the head. The intervertebral discs are deformed, the annulus fibrosus begins to collapse, the distance between the vertebrae decreases.
Stage 3 - pain intensifies and becomes constant, movements are limited. Turning the head can cause attacks of dizziness, nausea, reduced blood supply to the brain leads to general lethargy, fatigue, reduced concentration, the cartilage becomes thinner, the vertebrae close, the annulus fibrosus is completely destroyed with the risk of intervertebral hernia.
4th stage - the pain syndrome completely immobilizes the neck area. cerebral blood circulation is impaired and requires constant medical support. the vertebrae begin to grow together.

Cervical osteochondrosis: signs, symptoms, pathology treatment

In the early stages, osteochondrosis is asymptomatic. As the disease develops, a characteristic feature becomes the presence of painful or unpleasant sensations in the head, neck and chest, less often in the upper extremities.

All possible symptoms can be conditionally attributed to 4 types of syndromes: cardiac, spinal, root (nervous) and vertebral artery syndrome (with circulatory disorders).

Spinal Syndrome:

crackling in the neck when turning / tilting the head.
As the disease progresses, pain and difficulty in movement appear.
morphological structural disorders in the vertebral body and intervertebral space (visible on X-rays).

Cardiac Syndrome:

shortness of breath, weakness;
feeling of lack of inspiration, lack of air.
spontaneous phenomena from the cardiovascular system - angina pectoris, retrosternal pain, burning;

radical syndrome:

numbness of the tongue, shoulders, fingers, occipital region.
difficulty swallowing;
discomfort in the area between the shoulder blades.
headache in occiput and forehead.

vertebral artery syndrome:

unjustified jumps in blood pressure.
dizziness, until loss of consciousness.
tinnitus, feeling of cotton in the head.
temporary one-sided blindness, "flies" in the eyes.
periodic attacks of nausea, especially when moving the head.
headaches - mainly in the back of the head, as well as migraines.
drowsiness, reduced performance, memory, concentration, depression.

Caution!All these syndromes must be combined with each other. The absence of symptoms of one of them can be the reason for differential diagnosis with other groups of diseases.

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

Dystrophic phenomena in the region of the cervical spine are related to the vertical position of the skeleton and the specific distribution of static and dynamic loads, which largely depend on the prevailing posture and the degree of skeletal muscle development.

lack of movement - what does not develop - degrades: muscles weaken, tissues are destroyed.
incorrect static postures - muscle clamps lead to circulatory disorders with subsequent tissue degeneration.
lack of nutrition or unbalanced nutrition - the body must receive everything necessary for the construction and renewal of bone and cartilage structures of the skeleton, maintaining muscle tone.
obesity, overweight, carrying heavy loads - the load on skeletal structures increases.
constant nervous tension and nervous stress.
hypothermia of the cervical region - "cold", "swollen" - causes hidden inflammatory processes.
the presence of autoimmune diseases involving cartilage leads to its premature destruction.
endocrine pathologies disrupt metal metabolism, reduce the absorption of calcium, silicon, phosphorus and other elements of bone and cartilage tissue.
neck injuries;
congenital abnormalities of the spine and adjacent muscles.

Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis

The diagnosis of "osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra" becomes difficult due to the low specificity of the symptoms and the wide variety of their manifestations. During the examination, you will need to consult a neurologist, surgeon, orthopedist, cardiologist.

A physical examination is carried out by a doctor by questioning the patient. The main diagnostic load lies in the instrumental and laboratory research methods.

x-ray of the cervical region. at the initial stage of the process, MRI of the cervical region will be more informative - it will provide high-quality visualization of hard and soft tissues - it will show the condition of the intervertebral discs, the presence of osteophytes, deformations, damage to nerve roots and blood vesselsvessels. assess the condition of ligaments, muscles, bone tissue. shows the dynamic state of the soft tissues.
Dopplerography of the vessels of the neck will help to assess the hemodynamics and the degree of damage to the blood vessels (in particular, the condition of the vertebral artery).
contrast myelography - will help with suspected violation of nerve processes.
ECG and echocardiography of the heart are used in the differential diagnosis of cardiac syndrome with cardiovascular diseases.

How to treat cervical osteochondrosis

A complex of therapeutic measures is formed taking into account the stage of the disease (acute, chronic), the degree of damage and the causes of the pathology. Use conservative treatment, surgery, mixed approach.

conservative impact

It is a gradual restoration or restoration of the damage in the context of symptomatic treatment. It includes drug therapy, physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage methods.

Medical care:

pain relievers - mainly gels and topical ointments. in severe cases - general painkillers in the form of tablets.
anti-inflammatory drugs - NSAIDs, as well as corticosteroids (short course if necessary).
drugs to improve microcirculation and blood circulation in general.
chondroprotectors - means for the protection and restoration of cartilage tissue.
muscle relaxants - to eliminate muscle spasms and spasms.
complexes of vitamins and microelements - necessary for nutrition and support of tissues with structural elements.

As the acute symptoms subside, the methods of physiotherapy, exercise and self-massage are connected.

Physiotherapyimproves the nutrition of cartilage and bone tissues. due to the restoration of blood supply to the damaged area. In order to avoid complications, it is recommended to use the method of isometric movements, when instead of real turns and tilts of the head, which can cause damage, their imitation is used.

Caution!All actions should be performed only after diagnosis and consultation with a doctor.

The technique allows you to develop and strengthen the atrophied short muscles of the neck and stabilize the position of the cervical spine. The series of basic exercises:

Place the palm of your right hand on the side of the head - for 10 seconds, press your palm to the head, while stretching the muscles of the head and neck for resistance - the head must remain still.
Lower your hand, relax the head and neck muscles as much as possible for 20 seconds.
Repeat the exercise with your left hand.
Place both hands on your forehead with your palms - for 10 seconds, press your forehead, as if trying to tilt your head back, while tensing your neck muscles to resist the movement. The head must remain still.
Lower your arms, relaxing your muscles as much as possible, as in the previous exercise.
Place both palms on the area above the back of the head. By analogy, perform a pressure load on the neck muscles, trying to tilt your head forward - it should still be motionless.
Lower your arms, relax your neck and head muscles. Repeat the exercise set 4-10 times.

After strengthening the short muscles of the neck, you can start performing dynamic exercises.

On a note!Swimming and water exercise have been proven techniques to restore cervical mobility.

Self-massageallows you to reduce the intensity of local reactions and relieve muscle spasms during static work. Rules of execution:

area of influence - the back of the head, back and side surfaces of the neck.
perform the procedure in a sitting position.
the movements must be performed in the direction from the spine.
use only fingertips.
avoid pressure on inflamed areas.
perform the movements smoothly - sudden pressure can hurt.

Physiotherapytypical for inpatient care and spa rehabilitation. Well proven:

electrophoresis - heats the area, improves microcirculation, is used for deeper penetration of local preparations.
magnetotherapy?
Enhancement?
UHF.

Surgery is indicated for complicated extrusion, spinal cord involvement, and intractable pain syndromes.

What is dangerous cervical osteochondrosis

The neck region gathers a dense tangle of major blood vessels, nerve processes, and dynamic structures of the bony skeleton. In the absence of treatment, serious pathological changes can be observed:

the weakening of the annulus fibrosus causes dislocations and subluxations in the region of the most mobile vertebrae.
the presence of osteophytes and muscle spasm leads to violation of nerve roots and blood vessels with the formation of compression syndromes.
the destruction of the cartilage discs and the convergence of the vertebrae leads to intervertebral hernias with nerve tissue involvement.

Each of these phenomena is followed by a strong negative reaction from the whole organism.

Possible complications and consequences

The list of the most common complications of cervical osteochondrosis includes:

phytovascular dystonia;
hypertension;
oxygen starvation of the brain and its structures.
retinal dystrophy of the eye with visual impairment.
thyroid gland dysfunction;
dysfunction of the esophagus and trachea - difficulty swallowing and respiratory spasms.
intractable pain in the head, neck, chest, upper limbs.
spasms and numbness of the face, hands.
disorder of the hypothalamus-pituitary system, which implies the failure of the entire hormonal activity of the body.

Preventive measures for cervical osteochondrosis

The most effective treatment is disease prevention. Prevention will help you with this. Just follow some basic recommendations:

correct your posture,
create a comfortable work space.
during sedentary work, take breaks for an "exercise minute".
include in your diet foods rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon - fish, nuts, seeds, legumes, dairy products, fresh vegetables, fruits. limit the intake of salt, sweet, starchy and spicy foods.
for sleep and rest, use an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
go for a non-strength sport - it is better to prefer swimming.

Even if you are not able to take into account all the requirements, moderate exercise, proper nutrition and attention to your posture can significantly reduce the risk of developing pathology.

The hidden cause of impotence, male and female infertility is osteochondrosis

Even at school, in biology lessons, they tried to convey important information about the huge role of the spine in maintaining human health. Unfortunately, many at that time were busy with more important things and did not listen to the words of the teachers. But in vain! Doctors say that disorders of the musculoskeletal system, in particular, caused by osteochondrosis, can cause the development of a huge number of various serious diseases.

Because osteochondrosis has a strong destructive effect on the human body

Often men suffer from impotence and infertility, and women try in vain to get pregnant and do not even suspect that this can be caused by ordinary osteochondrosis. The fact is that the cause of the development of the disease lies in the violation of the blood supply to the tissues of the vertebrae and the muscles surrounding them. Since there are no blood vessels in the intervertebral discs, they are the first to suffer from a lack of water and various other substances. This leads to cracks in the cartilage, which means that the discs are no longer able to absorb the load on the spine. This is where the constant back pain comes from.

If at this stage you do not intervene in the process, then osteochondrosis will continue to develop and give complications, for example, disc herniation. This, in turn, causes a violation in the segmental apparatus of the spinal cord and impairs blood circulation, including the pelvic organs. This is the main reason for the development of many disorders in the work of internal organs, as well as the impotence and infertility that interest us.

The development of impotence in men, in addition to violations at the physical level, also contributes to the psychological factor. After all, for any normal, full man, even a failure in bed becomes a drama, and it does not matter that it is caused by an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, sciatica or other sources of back pain.

Men may begin to experience erectile dysfunction in the presence of cervical or lumbar degenerative disc disease. But in any case, the pathology develops according to its own mechanism.

Cervical osteochondrosis

With the presence of this type of disease, a decrease in the quality of blood circulation in the brain is observed, which causes malfunctions in the production of sex hormones and substances responsible for vascular tone. Therefore, with cervical osteochondrosis, more often patients complain of a decrease in sexual desire, anorgasmia and problems with ejaculation.

Lumbar osteochondrosis

Since the pelvic area, that is, where the male genitals are located, is, as it were, in a "disabled" state due to disorders in the spinal cord, nerve impulses do not always manage to pass to the genitals, which leads to erectile dysfunction.

Female and male infertility as a result of osteochondrosis

Often, in the absence of other prerequisites, unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child in both men and women can be the result of pathological processes accompanying osteochondrosis. Most often, the cause of the problem lies not so much in the violation of the blood supply to the organs located in the small pelvis, but in neurological disorders.

Examinations of women suffering from infertility show degenerative changes in the lower part of the thoracic spine and in the waist. In infertile men, osteochondrosis affects the lumbosacral region. Such differences in the areas affected by osteochondrosis are explained by the peculiarities of the structure and innervation of the pelvic organs in representatives of different sexes.

Sometimes women cannot get pregnant even if they do not show signs of the disease and do not feel the slightest discomfort in the back. This is primarily due to the fact that disorders in the reproductive system can occur even if only the anterior roots of the spinal cord are damaged, which is not accompanied by pain.

Therefore, all those suffering from disorders of sexual and reproductive functions are strongly recommended to undergo the most comprehensive examination of the body, not forgetting the neuropathologist and spondylologist. It is possible that the root of the problem lies precisely in the pathologies of the spine.