Osteochondrosis is an outdated term that is often used in some countries to refer to degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, facet joints and the vertebral bodies themselves. In the cervical spine, these changes are common due to its mobility and cause neck pain in both men and women. Sometimes a degenerative disease is complicated by an intervertebral hernia that compresses the spinal root, which can lead to muscle weakness and numbness of the skin of the upper limbs. We will talk about the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in the article.
Cause of pain
The cervical spine is very mobile. It consists of seven vertebrae, intervertebral discs located between them, as well as ligaments. With osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs become thinner and deformed, their elasticity and shock absorption decrease. Gradually, the inner part of the disc, the nucleus pulposus, protrudes through microdamage in the outer part, the annulus fibrosus. This is how intervertebral protrusions and hernias are formed, irritating the pain receptors of the ligament along the back surface of the spine, causing pain. When the spinal roots are compressed, the pain can extend to the upper limbs and neurological symptoms can appear: reduced sensitivity of the skin of the arm, muscular weakness of the arm, etc. As a protective reaction to possible injuries and damage, bony growths - osteophytes - may appear along the edges of the bodies and on the vertebral arches.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine usually develops as a result of the aging process, but certain risk factors aggravate and accelerate the course of degenerative spinal disease. Among them:
- Genetic predisposition.The presence of osteochondrosis in relatives, especially at a young age, increases the risk of early onset and complications.
- Physical inactivity.With a sedentary lifestyle, the nutrition of the intervertebral discs is disrupted. They do not have blood vessels and receive nutrients by diffusion from the vertebral bodies. These processes actively occur during physical activity.
- Injury.Spinal injuries accelerate the development of degenerative changes in the spine.
- Uneven load on the spine.Possible situations: inappropriate exercise, poor posture, predominant load on one side of the body or limb, prolonged posture with the head tilted, for example when reading on a phone.
- Metabolic disorders.The condition of the vertebrae is affected by the presence of endocrine diseases, in particular diabetes, which make it difficult to nourish the tissues.
Symptoms
The dominant symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is pain. Its location depends on the nature of the lesion. When irritated by a bulging disc or osteophytes of a tender ligament, pain is felt in the neck and is associated with reflex muscle spasm. If the herniation compresses the spinal nerve, pain may radiate down the arm.
Most often, pain is noted in the neck and back of the head and occurs or intensifies with sharp movements of the head, prolonged static tension or an uncomfortable position, for example, after sleep.
Other signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Limited neck mobility, pain when turning the head.
- Neck muscle spasms.
- Decreased tone and strength of the muscles of the upper limbs, typical of compression from a root herniation.
- Altered sensitivity of the skin of the upper limbs.
- When a herniation of the vertebral artery is compressed, symptoms of vertebrobasilar insufficiency appear, developing abruptly when turning or tilting the head: dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, fainting, short-term memory impairmentterm, instability when walking, visual, hearing and speech impairment, severe muscle weakness in the limbs.
Diagnostic
In case of pain and discomfort in the neck area, the patient is recommended to consult a neurologist or vertebrologist. Sometimes it is necessary to consult other specialists: an orthopedic traumatologist in case of a history of injury.
A neurologist conducts an examination and clarifies complaints and medical history. Cervical osteochondrosis can manifest itself in dozens of diseases. An additional examination is therefore often necessary to determine the cause of the pain and make a clinical diagnosis.
A plan for diagnosing neck pain may include the following examination methods:
- Laboratory tests (general blood count, biochemical blood test, urine test, others - as indicated).
- X-ray of the cervical spine to detect fractures and other injuries.
- CT scan of the cervical spine to determine injuries, cancer, and other changes in the vertebrae.
- MRI of the cervical spine to assess the condition of the spinal cord, nerve roots, visualize protrusions and hernias.
- Electroneuromyography to determine the conduction of impulses along the spinal roots.
During differential diagnosis, other examinations are also prescribed at the discretion of specialists.
When is treatment possible without surgery?
For osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, conservative treatment is carried out if there are no progressive neurological manifestations: muscle weakness and numbness of the limbs. They occur when the spinal roots, arteries and spinal cord are compressed.
The neurologist determines how to treat osteochondrosis of the neck after examination and receipt of the examination results. Most patients receive effective conservative treatment with long-term stable remission. Modern techniques are also effectively used to prevent the progression of osteochondrosis and its manifestations.
Conservative treatment methods
For cervical osteochondrosis, treatment begins with conservative methods. Its objectives: pain relief, elimination of muscle spasms, improvement of metabolic processes in nervous tissue and microcirculation.
Drug treatment is carried out to relieve pain and muscle spasms. For this, the neurologist prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants. If the pain lasts more than 12 weeks, that is, it becomes chronic, anticonvulsants and antidepressants with a persistent analgesic effect may be recommended.
In addition to drug therapy, modern and effective techniques are used:
- Acupuncture.The neurologist uses special sterile needles to irritate biologically active points. This relieves the condition: reduces pain, relaxes muscles.
- Plasma therapy.With local administration of the patient's blood plasma enriched with platelets, the regeneration of damaged tissues is stimulated. Recovery time after operations, illnesses and injuries is reduced.
- High intensity magnet.The electromagnetic field stimulates and accelerates the regeneration of damaged tissues. Relieves pain and reduces swelling.
- Physiotherapeutic laser.The method has anti-inflammatory, anti-edematous and analgesic effects. It helps reduce the size of the hernia protrusion. It is used as a basic method in the treatment of intervertebral hernias by the resorption method.
- Physiotherapy.Classes are aimed at strengthening muscles, increasing flexibility of the spine, restoring range of motion of the spinal joints and developing correct posture. Exercises are selected individually by a specialist for the patient, after the acute pain is relieved.
- Kinesio recording.Combined with physical therapy. Before classes, the doctor fixes bands on the neck area in a certain direction to relax the muscles and influence pain receptors. As a result, the pain subsides. With regular use, spinal mobility is restored and muscle tone is normalized.
- Medical massage.The specialist relieves muscle spasms by acting on receptors in the skin, muscles and fascia. Quickly and lastingly relieves pain and improves spinal mobility.
Treatment is chosen individually depending on the cause of neck and back pain and the accompanying symptoms.
Forecast
With prompt diagnosis and treatment, the outcome is favorable. If complications of osteochondrosis appear in the form of intervertebral hernia accompanied by various neurological symptoms, surgical treatment may be required. Subsequently, rehabilitation can last for years. Without treatment, the risk of permanent disability is high. Comorbidities and advanced age worsen the prognosis.
Patients often worry about the question of how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis permanently. Unfortunately, it cannot be completely cured. Degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine are natural aging processes in the body that cannot be avoided. But you can slow their progress and avoid complications.
Prevention
There are no specific preventive measures for osteochondrosis.
The recommendations boil down to improving overall health:
- Maintain optimal body weight.
- Maintain an active lifestyle.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- Regular moderate physical activity - half an hour of walking, warming up the neck and back every day is enough.
- Ergonomics of the workstation. The table and chair should be suitable for your height, the computer screen should be at eye level or slightly higher.
These measures will maintain the health of the musculoskeletal system by reducing the rate of wear of the intervertebral discs.
Summaries:
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine consists of degenerative-dystrophic changes in the vertebrae, accompanied by the formation of intervertebral disc herniations.
- Cervical osteochondrosis is manifested by neck pain, limited mobility and muscle spasms. When a spinal root is compressed by a herniation, muscle weakness and numbness of the skin of the upper extremities may occur.
- Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis involves examining a neurologist and carrying out the necessary additional examinations: CT scan, MRI of the spine and other methods.
- Treatment of osteochondrosis is most often conservative and aimed at relieving pain, inflammation and muscle spasms.
- Prevention of osteochondrosis involves maintaining an active lifestyle, regular physical activity and workplace ergonomics.