In this article, we will review in detail all of the signs and symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine. Osteochondrosis is a degenerative destruction of the vertebral disks of the vertebrae of manifestations of degenerative.
Because of the violation of the integrity intervertbral component, appear more terrible to the pathology – the hernia and the pastor to the bone destruction.
What is the osteochondrosis
It must be remembered that the process of destruction of the vertebrae and the disks are irreversible, and return to your original job is not to succeed. All you can do is slow down the process of destruction.
Osteochondrosis cervical is much more dangerous, because it is in this department of the spinal column is a very large number of nerve fibres and blood vessels, directly operational in the brain and the body in general. The vertebrae of the cervical spine are very closely to each other, which also creates a risk.
Any compression of the nerves are to, the board of trustees of the arteries, blood vessels, disrupts the blood circulation and the supply of the whole body, which leads to the appearance of a series of symptoms.
The symptoms
Osteochondrosis cervical can immediately without having to disassemble, due to its similarity with other pathologies. At the initial phase, you can usually take a normal fatigue or burnout is. And often the diagnoses are made false. When the primary diagnosis is in the deciding of nerve sprouts crushed, because that may be the brain suffers from a lack of blood circulation.
Frequent manifestations of cervical arthritis are:
- Headaches. This is the first and-resistant symptoms. With the development of the disease, the pain intensifies. The pain itself is similar to the migraine, but has stopped pain medication medication. Of course, if you run a disease, pain relievers, cease to operate. Mainly a person experiences a temporal and occipital area. Meeting and parietal localization.
- The weakness in the hands. It is considered a sign of damage to the nervous outgrowth of flesh, which are responsible for the regulation of the innervation of the upper limbs. The lesion may be very high, up to the paralysis.
- Difficult mobility, the emergence of crack. When osteochondrosis cervical, often turning the head difficult. Also movements of the head are limited to the front and to the rear. And these are accompanied by the creaking of the joints.
- A feeling of numbness in the hands or other parts of the body. Hands or fingers may lose the sensitivity. If you do not treat the low back pain, numbness intensifies until partial or complete paralysis of the whole body. Depends on the extent of the lesions of the nerves are damaged.
- The deterioration of hearing and sight. Sometimes, when you receive a sensation of numbness of the tongue and lips, flashing "flies" before the eyes, blurred vision of objects. The defeat affects these organs because of the proximity of the other and the lack of oxygen in the brain.
- The lack of air. Appears when the defeat of the cervical spine is often due to irritation of the phrenic nerve. The patient is unable to breathe, experiencing shortness of breath and choking, appears snoring. The consequence of this is the hypoxia, the constant tiredness, impairment of memory, attention, weakness, and malaise.
- Vertigo. Very unpleasant symptom, in violation of the coordination in the movements. Accompanied sometimes nausea, fainting, tinnitus. Feel the fluctuations in the floor under the feet. Occurs as a result of the oxygen starvation of the brain due to a rupture in the functionality of vessels and arteries unite their efforts.
The reasons
A lot of them. Up to now, has not corrected the opinion is clear why osteochondrosis of strikes or other area of the spine. But, the factors are known since a long time.
The mode of life
The most frequent cause of the onset of osteoarthritis cervical. In effect, modern man is very little movement. The model of society and social behavior changes, the progress does not stop, and osteochondrosis of more and more "young".
In this group, one may retain:
- a sedentary lifestyle — physical;
- poor diet and excess weight;
- constant stress or an uncomfortable position (common among drivers and office workers);
- the absence of loads on the spine, which weakens the muscles;
- conversely, too much load on the spine.
Injuries
In case of damage of the spine, in 90% of cases, suffering cervical. Often, the violations appear immediately, but sometimes for the development of the disease needs time.
The disturbance in hormonal levels
For this reason, may suffer not only the people in the adult age, but also teenagers, during the restructuring of work of the organization as a whole. It is to be noted that in this case, the disease can be prevented and treated.
If talking about the menopause in women and hormonal diseases, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis, the treatment is more symptomatic of the character.
A genetic predisposition
This factor is most associated, because genetics is not a basis for the development of the disease. But, it affects the emergence of other reasons.
The musculoskeletal diseases
It is a scoliosis, poor posture.
The diagnosis of the disease
The diagnosis can be set only by a physician. At the onset of the first symptoms of the degenerative disease of the disk, be sure to consult a specialist. The diagnosis can be made by several methods.
For example, apply:
- CT (computerized tomography);
- MRI (magnetic resonance tomography);
- dopplerographic study of the vessels;
- x-rays commonly used method for the detection of the disease.
Each method is effective to a certain stage of development of the degenerative disease of the disc. For example, the x-ray would not be informative on the early stage of the pathology.
In the severe forms of the disease, followed by the violation of the sensitivity, paralysis, and fainting, location-doppler.
The period of diagnosis is dependent on the success of the treatment. As he did before, the higher the likelihood minimum disturbance of the vertebral column.
The stage of the disease
It is necessary to distinguish between 4 phases in the development of cervical osteoarthritis.
- The onset of pain in the neck, the region during palpation. Therefore, react to the nerves are affected by the shoots. The pain increases the movements of the head, most often in the corners. Until at this stage itself, the spine is intact, if intervertebral space.
- Characterized by a pain drawing the nature, which gives in the hand, shoulder, or occurring during movements of the head. The pain is similar to migraine. Develops insomnia. At this stage of the disease, vertebrate discs begin to vary destructively.
- The pain is constant, increasing. You get a numbness and stiffness of the limbs, movements of the head complicates. In the hands of more and more felt of weakness. Suffers from attention and memory. The intervertebral discs are already violated, they form cracks, and the bag articular swellings. Training intervertbral of the hernia.
- The complete destruction of the disks, but the vertebrae. The bones are also destroyed. At this stage, without the surgical intervention is not because introduced hernias are the result of the paralysis is not only the hands, but also of the whole body.
It is considered that low back pain can be treated at home on the first two stages. The third requires more professional supervision and treatment under the supervision of a neurologist or vertebrologist.
Home treatment
Do I have to mention that the same processing of the first phase, without the consultation of a physician is not worth it. However, the diagnosis of cervical arthrosis in addition to the consultation must conduct a screening and diagnostic. Because osteochondrosis is perhaps even more serious conditions related to congestive heart failure.
If the diagnosis is actually wrong, and the treatment will be designated in the time. The consequences can be devastating – cerebral ischemia, cerebral vascular accident, spinal cord compression, and other diseases threatening the life of the patient.
Home treatment is composed of:
- a drug treatment;
- of massage;
- gymnastics.
It is very important to approach the treatment in an integrated manner. In the contrary case, the result may not be or will be but of short duration.
The drug treatment
The appointment and the medication is necessary for the relief of severe pain, mobilization in the fight against the disease, the symptoms of withdrawal.
The drugs can be attributed to a different orientation:
- reduction of the pressure and improve the functioning of the brain is the so-called neuro-protective. They form the largest group of drugs;
- improve the vision;
- prevent the emergence of numbness or to relieve muscle spasms muscle relaxant;
- anti –inflammatory -;
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – relieve the inflammation of the pain in the acute period. They are not only available in tablet form, but in capsules, ointments and solutions for injection. Are not designed for a prolonged use of the hard impact on the GASTROINTESTINAL mucosa;
- the group b vitamins (B1, B6, B12). Help to restore the proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system. Are responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses.
The vitamins can be taken in the form of tablets or injections in a schema. The second option allows you to obtain the best effect;
Chondroprotectors occupy a special place. These products are designed to improve the nutrition of cartilage, including intervertebral, slowing their degenerative and degenerative change. Are effective only on the first two steps.
Massage
It is an integral part of the treatment. The traditional massage, on the recommendation of specialists is expected to increase from changes every six months. To this day, there are very many methods of treatment of degenerative disc disease in cervical area and there is plenty to choose from.
For example, practice manual methodology, proven on the positive side and give good results in the treatment.
Recently appeared on the branch of osteopathy, is very interesting in that it considers the human body as a whole with the musculoskeletal system mental and nervous. They are united. The treatment is done by hand.
Acupuncture is also a good solution, provided by his technician.
Girudoterapiya or treatment with the effectiveness of a level of acupuncture.
Gymnastics
We have already talked about the fact that one of the factors affecting the development of cervical arthrosis is a small physical activity on the muscles of the back. Nowadays, we have most of the time spend in a sitting position, without change of posture, which can be quite comfortable.
Important information! You can't perform exercises in the acute period of pain.
In order to maintain and strengthen the muscles needed to perform all the days of ten simple exercises. They are particularly relevant when initial manifestations of the disease.
- Starting Position standing naked on the width of the shoulders, the stomach is retracted and the shoulders straightened. From this hand position, you need to lift the sides and to the top, joining at the top with the follow-up samples in the back. Do you feel as bind a spatula. After this, the position of the body is recovering. Repeat up to 7 times.
- PI the same thing. Enter yourself in the hands of the most possible, to elbows viewed from the front. Then, pull your arms back to the hands have touched cubits. Don't forget to take constantly the belly. Repeat up to 10 times.
- At best it is an exercise to perform standing up, but if difficult or appeared dizziness, it is assumed the sitting position. The neck stay straight and the shoulders straighten. The head, you need to turn left and the chin to bring the hand to the shoulder, not lifting it. The same thing in the other direction. The exercise is alternated with repeat up to 5 times.
- Similarly, the exercise n ° 3, only the head rocking back and forth at a very slow pace.
- Slowly and with caution, make a half-circle with a slant toward the front of the head from the left shoulder to the right and to the rear. Attention! You can't make circular motions, only one half-circle!
- YIP – standing. It is necessary to clench and support the chin. Push the chin on the hands for 5 seconds, after which change the position of the occipital region. A very effective for training the muscles of the neck. Repeat 4 times.
- Sitting, hands touch the legs and the head tilted as far forward as possible. The ideal is regarded as a position where his chin touches the chest. In this perspective, to turn the head to the left and to the right. It is important, for the chin all the time focused on the chest. Repeat up to 10 times.
- Need a chair with a low backrest. Will be well, if this exercise is performed at least 4 times. The shoulders straightened. The task of trying to look on the wall behind him.
- The sitting position on a chair. The hands between the knees. Inhale – slope on the side. Exhale a vertical position. Is made alternately to the left and to the right up to 7 times.
- Exercise on the belly. Lying down need to bend towards the top, trying to fix the body as high as possible and for the longest time. Repeat 6 times.
The complex is only at the time and the gradual strengthening of the number of repetitions.
Folk remedies
Treatment of folk remedies is more activities for the warm-up sick of the area. But, here, you need caution in resorting to these practices, as well as the neck is located in great proximity to the encphale. And so, instead of healing, you can do a lot of harm.
During the treatment of the income of the population, it is better to choose with the most gentle of the exhibition, avoiding severe irritation.
Recipes:
- Ointment of his grand-mother. Is taking iodine and camphor, 10 ml, analgin – 10 tablets, macerated, alcohol – 300 ml blends and rubs the neck in a thin layer over the whole night.
- Potato a poultice made of grated potatoes and honey. Imposed on the night.
- A poultice of horseradish. The fresh leaves of horseradish are processed on steam and is superimposed on the neck in the form of compresses for 15 minutes.
- A poultice made of vermeil. Taken 1 part of aloe leaves, crushed, add 2 parts honey, and 3 of the alcoholic product. The mixture must rest for 12 hours. Superimposed on the gauze for 15 minutes maximum.