Nowadays there are practically no people over the age of 25 who do not have back problems.One of the most common pathologies are injuries to the neck vertebrae, which, if left untreated, inevitably progress and cause increasing discomfort to the patient.
What is osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a degenerative-dystrophic change in the joints and intervertebral discs.
As cervical osteochondrosis progresses, the following symptoms begin to appear:
- decreased visual and hearing acuity;
- tongue numbness;
- when you turn your neck sharply, your vision becomes dark and you feel dizzy;
- a throbbing pain is felt in the back of the head, which may radiate to the temples and the top of the head;
- pain in the cervical region and shoulders, bothering the patient even during sleep and increasing with movement or stress;
- neck stiffness, especially in the morning;
- pressure in the sternum;
- shortness of breath, feeling short of breath.
Due to the fact that the spinal cord does not receive enough nutrients, the range of motion, as well as the sensitivity of the upper and lower extremities, is noticeably reduced.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
The predisposition to osteochondrosis of the neck is hereditary.Also, common causes of the development of pathology are:
- unbalanced diet;
- scoliosis;
- flat feet;
- VSD;
- stress;
- spinal injuries and bruises;
- excessive physical activity;
- rheumatism;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- excess body weight.
Reference!The main reason for the development of osteochondrosis is a violation of mineral metabolism, which may be associated with calcium deficiency or hormonal imbalance.Women often encounter this pathology during pregnancy and menopause.
Diagnosis
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 spasmodic blood vessels, as well as impaired blood supply to the brain and spinal cord.
- Audiography to check the functioning of the hearing organs.
- Ultrasound.
- Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the head and cervical spine.It is performed to evaluate the affected area, check the position of the intervertebral discs and identify compression of the spinal cord and blood vessels.
- Blood test.
- Radiography at an early stage of the pathology.
- Electroneuromyography showing the presence of inflammatory processes, compressed nerves and damage.
- Duplex scanning of head vessels.
Reference!It is most convenient to carry out all these procedures in one place, where diagnostics are carried out using modern equipment.
Which doctor treats
If symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis occur, treatment cannot be started immediately.First of all, you must make an appointment with a neurologist.The specialist will perform an examination and then refer the patient for the necessary tests.
Important!Carrying out manual therapy and other types of treatment without prior diagnosis runs the risk of injury and worsening of existing problems.
Treatment methods
Once the diagnosis is made, the patient can proceed to treatment.Leading specialists work in the treatment and rehabilitation center, so the likelihood of complications is minimal.
The main method of treating cervical osteochondrosis is manual therapy.The specialist performs a massage that relaxes the neck and shoulders, returns the vertebrae and joints to their natural position and works to normalize lymph flow and blood circulation.
Manual therapy is often combined with therapeutic exercises that increase the tone of the neck muscles.Additionally, drug treatment and physiotherapy are used to get rid of the pathology.
Results
As a result of therapy, the nerve endings are freed from pinching, the spine is stabilized and the pain disappears or weakens.A chiropractor can realign the vertebrae and increase the distance between damaged discs, thus eliminating friction.
Important!Osteochondrosis of grades 2 and 3 cannot be completely cured.But therapy and rehabilitation will allow the patient to restore the impaired functions of the spine as much as possible.
Rehabilitation and lifestyle restoration
The treatment and rehabilitation center offers not only diagnosis and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, but also rehabilitation measures.The patient leaves the center healthy and ready to return to their normal lifestyle as quickly as possible.
Rehabilitation aims not only to restore the functioning of the spine, but also to prevent damage to healthy tissues.The program is drawn up taking into account the severity of the pathology and the presence of complications.Physiotherapeutic procedures, massages, exercise therapy and mud applications have proven to be good.If the patient still presents symptoms of the pathology, medication blocks will be prescribed.
Lifestyle with cervical osteochondrosis
To prevent a relapse of the disease, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- change body position at least every half hour;
- do not lift loads weighing more than 5 kg;
- walk more, do physiotherapy, swimming, Pilates;
- It is preferable to use a backpack instead of a purse;
- When working sedentary, take ten-minute breaks every hour.
Important!The position of the human body during sleep is of great importance.You need to sleep on your back, on an orthopedic mattress of medium hardness and an orthopedic pillow.In this case, the head and neck should rest on the pillow and the shoulders on the mattress.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is most effective at an early stage, so do not delay a visit to a neurologist.But it is possible to stop the progression of the disease and improve 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 a specialist.