Unlike the other two types of osteochondrosis, such as lumbar or thoracic, cervical osteochondrosis has a number of distinctive features. This is due to the fact that in this area the structure of the vertebrae is different, in structure they are much smaller than the others. The neck should turn freely, this is the most mobile part, and besides, it is most subject to stress. In this regard, painful sensations arise in it most often.
Since a large number of nerve and vascular formations pass in the neck area, the patient is pursued by a headache, ischemia of the spinal cord, or brain, may develop. At night, fingers become numb, it is difficult to fully control the hand, the temperature drops, blueness and swelling may appear in the hand. At the same time, the supply of blood to the brain becomes difficult, since the vertebral artery is compressed, and this leads to symptoms such as impaired coordination, loss of vision and hearing, and dizziness often occurs.
Even a small load is enough for the vertebrae to move. You can overextend your cervical muscles. The result is compression of both blood vessels and nerve endings. Over time, osteophytes are formed, which aggravate the situation, and the disease is difficult to cure.
The pain can affect not only the neck, but also the limbs, most often the arms. This is the result of spinal cord compression.
Osteochondrosis can be cured, but this requires systematicity and perseverance. Often, when the first symptoms are removed, the patient interrupts the treatment, while the disease will not slow down to return again, since it will only be started.
How to understand that the disease needs to be treated?
First of all, it should be noted that it is important to consult a specialist at the first symptoms of the disease, since it is the efficiency factor that can cure the patient, and not get rid of the problem for a while. If the disease progresses, and it is no longer possible to call the stage early, then healing is impossible. It is not worth treating osteochondrosis on your own, only a doctor can choose the right treatment regimen, accurately establish the diagnosis, and how far the disease has gone.
Without qualified help, you can aggravate the situation, and even harm your body, not to mention cure it.
Such treatment proceeds in a complex manner, different methods are combined, factors that affect how the disease proceeds and progresses are taken into account, only then it can be localized or cured.
Activities for osteochondrosis
- anesthesia;
- the use of antispasmodics;
- tissue repair stimulants using ointment;
- manual therapy;
- massotherapy;
- hirudotherapy;
- physiotherapy;
- surgical intervention.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine of the 2nd degree, this is a disease at the time of exacerbation, and it can be treated with painkillers with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. And only when the acute stage passes, you can start treatment using other methods, not forgetting that diet is also important.
It is a delusion to believe that this disease occurs more in middle-aged and older people, that they are not afraid of 2 and 3 degrees of the disease.
Increasingly, young people suffer from osteochondrosis, so the disease is getting younger. And this is due to some factors:
- violation of posture;
- trauma;
- scoliosis;
- impaired metabolism;
- stress;
- large body weight;
- lack of physical fitness.
Young people spend many hours, or even days at the computer, and this leaves an imprint, the percentage of healthy young people is decreasing. But not only a lack of physical activity can affect the appearance of the disease, but also excessive work, overload and an incorrectly selected training regimen for athletes.
Polysegmental osteochondrosis
There is such a concept as polysegmental osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, and this concept is not clear to everyone. In fact, this is a manifestation of the disease not in one place, but in several at once, it is more difficult to cure it. As you know, the spine is divided into several sections:
- cervical;
- chest;
- lumbar;
- sacral;
- coccygeal.
Problems even in one place cause a lot of trouble and pain, and if the disease has affected more than one department, then it is quite difficult to determine the disease by symptoms. There are too many painful manifestations, and they all mix, making it difficult to diagnose. This can be done only by contacting a qualified specialist, and there is no need to delay.
Cervical disease, for example, manifests itself as a severe headache, and pain in the lumbar region occurs with exertion. For a long time, the thoracic region may not manifest itself in any way, even if problems have arisen, but then abruptly turns into intercostal neuralgia, and this syndrome worries the patient very much.
Manifestation and symptoms
The general condition of the patient is unimportant, since painful sensations can be felt almost throughout the body. Tingling sensations, headache, pain in the region of the heart, disruption of the functioning of internal organs, especially if there are chronic diseases. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the cause of all ailments, the degree of the disease, while it is easy to make a mistake and choose the wrong direction in treatment. It is not enough to make an X-ray of one area of the spine to diagnose the degree and the affected area. But do not be afraid, for a specialist this problem is completely solvable, since it is not so rare.
Treatment
First of all, the pain syndrome is relieved with the help of pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs, and only then they begin rehabilitation. It is this period that is directly treatment, since it will not be possible to completely cure osteochondrosis, it quickly turns into a chronic form.
Currently, many alternative treatments are offered, but they should be treated with caution, since manual therapy helps only if it is carried out by a competent specialist. Physical therapy according to the Bubnovsky method, for example, causes a lot of controversy. And treatment with medicinal leeches can cause allergies.
Prevention
Do not forget that it is easier to prevent any disease than to treat it for a long time and sometimes unsuccessfully. Therefore, as a preventive method, it is possible to recommend doing special exercises that develop the flexibility of the neck. It is also good to strengthen and stretch these muscles to prevent the development of disease.