Nowadays there is hardly a person over the age of 25 who does not have problems with the spine.One of the most common pathologies is damage to the neck vertebrae, which, if not treated, inevitably develops and causes the patient more and more discomfort.
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a degenerative-dystrophic change in the intervertebral joints and discs.
When cervical osteochondrosis develops, the following symptoms begin to appear:
- decreased visual acuity and hearing;
- tongue numbness;
- when you turn your neck sharply, your vision darkens and you feel dizzy;
- throbbing pain is felt in the back of the head, which can radiate to the temples and crown of the head;
- pain in the cervical and shoulder region, bothering the patient even during sleep and increasing with movement or pressure;
- stiff neck, especially in the morning;
- pressure in the sternum;
- shortness of breath, lack of air.
Since the spinal cord does not receive enough nutrients, the range of motion, as well as the sensitivity of the upper and lower extremities, is significantly reduced.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
The tendency to osteochondrosis of the neck is inherited.In addition, common causes of pathological development are:
- unbalanced diet;
- scoliosis;
- flat feet;
- VSD;
- pressure;
- spinal injuries and bruises;
- excessive physical activity;
- joint pain;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- overweight.
Reference!The main reason for the development of osteochondrosis is a violation of mineral metabolism, which may be associated with a lack of calcium or hormonal imbalance.Women often face this pathology during pregnancy and menopause.
Diagnostics
To determine the degree of degenerative changes in the spine, the following diagnostic methods are used:
- Doppler ultrasound of the carotid and vertebral arteries.Allows you to detect blood vessel spasms, as well as impaired blood supply to the brain and spinal cord.
- Audiography to check the function of the hearing organ.
- Ultrasound.
- CT and MRI of the head and cervical spine.It is carried out to assess the affected area, check the position of the intervertebral disc, and identify compression of the spinal cord and blood vessels.
- Blood test.
- X-ray in the early stages of pathology.
- Electroneuromyography shows the presence of inflammatory processes, pinched nerves and damage.
- Duplex scanning of the head vessel.
Reference!It is easiest to undergo all these procedures in one place, where diagnostics are carried out using modern equipment.
Which doctor treats?
If symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis occur, treatment should not be started immediately.First of all, you need to make an appointment with a neurologist.The specialist will conduct an examination and then refer the patient for the necessary tests.
Important!Carrying out manual therapy and other types of treatment without early diagnosis risks injury and exacerbation of existing problems.
Treatment methods
Once the diagnosis is made, the patient can proceed with treatment.Top specialists work in treatment and rehabilitation centers, so the possibility of complications is minimal.
The main method of treating neck osteochondrosis is manual therapy.Specialists perform massages that relax the neck and shoulders, return vertebrae and joints to their natural position, and work to normalize lymph flow and blood circulation.
Manual therapy is often combined with therapeutic exercises that improve neck muscle tone.In addition, drug treatment and physical therapy are used to eliminate pathology.
Decision
As a result of the therapy, the nerve endings are freed from pinching, the spine becomes stable, and the pain disappears or weakens.A chiropractor can realign the vertebrae and increase the distance between the damaged discs, thereby eliminating friction.
Important!Osteochondrosis degrees 2 and 3 cannot be completely cured.But therapy and rehabilitation will allow the patient to restore the function of the affected spine as much as possible.
Rehabilitation and lifestyle rehabilitation
The treatment and rehabilitation center provides not only diagnosis and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, but also rehabilitation measures.Patients leave the center healthy and ready to return to their normal lifestyle as soon as possible.
Rehabilitation aims not only to restore spinal function, but also to prevent damage to healthy tissue.The program is compiled taking into account the severity of the pathology and the presence of complications.Physiotherapy procedures, massage, exercise therapy, and the use of mud have proven themselves well.If the patient still has pathological symptoms, he is prescribed a drug restriction.
Lifestyle with cervical osteochondrosis
To prevent recurrence of the disease, you must follow the following recommendations:
- change body position at least every half hour;
- do not lift loads that weigh more than 5 kg;
- walking more, doing physical therapy, swimming, Pilates;
- It is better to use a backpack than a bag;
- When working inactively, take a ten-minute break every hour.
Important!The position of the human body during sleep is very important.You need to sleep on your back, on a moderately hard orthopedic mattress and an orthopedic pillow.In this case, the head and neck should lie on the pillow, and the shoulders should lie on the mattress.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is most effective in the early stages, so do not delay a visit to a neurologist.But it is possible to stop the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life regardless of the degree of damage to the joints and intervertebral discs.To do this, it is important not to waste time and follow the recommendations of experts.