It is quite difficult to see the first signs of cervical osteochondrosis. Often, they cause so little discomfort that a person does not pay attention to them and does not rush to consult a doctor. In other cases, the symptoms are confused with simple fatigue or a mild cold:
- increased pain in the neck;
- feeling of heaviness in the back of the head;
- slight tingling in the hands.
These symptoms appear in thousands of people every day, but very few people can recognize that cervical osteochondrosis is developing.
It is important! Remember that the disease develops slowly and it is easier to prevent the development of destructive processes in the first stages than to treat an advanced stage!
Who is at risk?
Osteochondrosis develops not only in sedentary people. Athletes of sports such as classical wrestling, judo, freestyle wrestling, sambo also suffer from this disease. The disease develops due to critical loads on the spinal area in the cervical region (constant falls and blows, high mobility of the neck). It should be noted that osteochondrosis is often diagnosed before the age of 35 - in more than 86% of cases.
How the disease develops
Currently, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is more common than other pathologies of the spine. It is mostly related to neck mobility. As the disease progresses, severe pain appears that worsens a person's life. Osteochondrosis progresses slowly, but certainly causes degenerative changes in the bone tissues of the spine. There are four stages of disease development:
- The first stage is characterized by almost complete absence of symptoms. The disease can be identified only during regular examination. Sometimes mild pains may occur, which many identify as signs of stress or fatigue. In the first stage, the nucleus pulposus is destroyed, so the vertebrae begin to bear the load worse. As a result, degenerative-dystrophic processes develop. Among the first symptoms: mild headaches that pass quickly, "inner neck" spasm syndrome, significant muscle tension in the upper back.
- In the second stage of the disease, due to stress, cracks appear on the sides of the discs. They are not yet very deep, but they already contribute to the compression of the core. Protrusion is often detected during diagnosis and the height of the disc decreases. This stage is characterized by frequent and long-lasting pain. A person loses strength, certain parts of his face become numb, and stiffness of movements develops due to the fear of new pain sensations.
- The third stage is characterized by the formation of a hernia in the neck between the vertebrae. Along with the veins located in this region, all tissues - veins, muscles, nerves, arteries are also affected. The pain flows smoothly and spreads from the neck to the occipital region. Special sensitivity occurs when moving the head. Patients also begin to complain of dizziness due to insufficient blood flow in the vertebral artery.
- In the fourth stage, osteophytes are formed - bone tissue grows in width, as the body and brain literally send signals that require an increase in area to spread the load. As a result, the nerves of the vertebrae are compressed, the spaces between the vertebrae decrease, severe stiffness, and sometimes the impossibility of movement occurs. All adjacent joints are damaged. Long-term and difficult treatment, including surgical intervention, is necessary to eliminate the causes and to "contain" cervical osteochondrosis at this stage.
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is an important process that will help prevent the degradation of cervical vertebrae, eliminate complications and preserve your quality of life. However, in order to identify the pathology, it is necessary not only to monitor the symptoms, but also to carry out diagnostics and necessary tests at least once a year.
Features of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Even small changes in the vertebrae, ligaments and intervertebral discs lead to disruption of nerve endings. Blood vessels are also affected. All are connected directly to the brain and other organs, where unpleasant symptoms arise.
It is important! It is the compression of blood vessels and nerves that causes discomfort and severe pain.
Clinical signs of cervical osteochondrosis are divided into three groups:
- the first group is characterized by neurological manifestations of the pathology caused by the influence of inflammatory processes and tissue changes on the peripheral part of the nervous system;
- the second group is related to the impact of the processes on the spinal cord;
- The third group includes symptoms that depend on the disruption of processes in the nerve endings leading to the brain.
As soon as disorders occur in the peripheral nervous system, a person begins to feel pain. They don't always start suddenly and don't last long, but they all start from the same place - inside the neck. The pain is not similar to muscle pain, there is no relief during kneading.
In most cases, when the peripheral system is damaged, there is a feeling of shortness of breath. Patients seem to have an "arch" in their throat and have difficulty breathing. The pain is characterized as unexpressed, dull, feeling of constant tension in the muscles. Sometimes the pain worsens after a night's sleep.
The development of the disease leads to the spread of symptoms. After the head and neck, the arms begin to suffer:
- feeling weak;
- numbness occurs in one or more fingers;
- then large parts of the hands go numb.
If you feel pain and pressure in the heart area, you can talk about the development of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis. Osteochondrosis is often mistakenly identified as angina or neuralgia. It is mainly characterized by the following symptoms:
- cough;
- stomach pain;
- discomfort in the liver;
- pain in the lungs.
As soon as the vertebral artery joins the destructive process (supplying the brain with oxygen), symptoms from the brain begin to appear. As the disease progresses, he becomes depressed and unable to function normally. Dizziness develops, vision deteriorates, and tinnitus occurs.
The use of traditional painkillers rarely helps headaches with cervical osteochondrosis.
Physical activity and frequent nervous tension can lead to exacerbation of the pathology. Symptoms of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis:
- increased irritability;
- sensitive and intermittent sleep;
- rapid fatigue.
If a person is diagnosed with vegetative-vascular dystonia, the symptoms intensify: neuroses develop, blood pressure jumps. The diagnosis can also indicate the development of cervical osteochondrosis, so it is necessary to undergo all tests, undergo an MRI and take other images of the cervical spine.
Independent diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis is almost impossible based on symptoms. Taking into account that the first stage occurs with virtually no obvious symptoms, it is necessary to undergo regular preventive examinations. At the first signs of the disease, treatment should begin by following the doctor's recommendations. Even if the disease has not yet "played out" and does not cause noticeable problems.
Syndromes
For the accurate diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, it is necessary to correctly justify the symptoms. Based on tests, images and examinations, the doctor must determine the exact cause of the symptoms. All of them are associated with certain syndromes.
Humeroscapular periarthritis
The syndrome is characterized by severe pain and muscle contracture in one of the shoulder joints. In left-handed people, the left shoulder joint is usually affected, and in right-handed people, the right joint. Features of the pain syndrome:
- Stable;
- painful;
- painful
In most cases, the pain worsens at night. If you move your hand to the side or put it behind your back, the pain will also intensify. Sometimes pain is felt in the whole arm, occipital and scapular regions.
During the examination, the doctor often feels tension in the joint area, and during palpation, the patient feels severe pain in the muscles. In some cases, the doctor sees compressions and small nodules during palpation, and there is slight swelling in the affected shoulder.
Radicular syndromes
The syndrome can develop when the spinal cord is damaged. It usually appears a few years after the onset of osteochondrosis. Irreversible destruction occurs in the vertebrae and discs: the space containing the nerves and vessels decreases, the cartilage becomes thinner, or an intervertebral hernia develops. Osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome is characterized by certain symptoms:
- pain is observed in the forearm, in the region of the shoulder blade and passes to the front of the chest;
- it becomes difficult to move the neck, pain and stiffness are felt;
- The sensitivity of the skin on the hands worsens, it becomes numb and the feeling of "gas buds" appears;
- a person cannot raise his hand from the side of the affected parts.
Irritation-reflex syndrome
The syndrome is characterized by a slight burning, sharp pain in the back of the head and neck. It appears when you move your head after a long period of inactivity, for example, while working at the computer. Discomfort is felt in the shoulder joints as well as in the chest area.
Heart syndrome
The syndrome is often confused with angina pectoris, because the symptoms of the diseases are almost the same. This occurs due to the compression of the roots in the lower parts of the cervical spine, causing pain in the heart and contraction of muscle tissue. Hence the similarity of diseases.
The syndrome is characterized by pain that comes with attacks and can last from 10-15 minutes to several hours. It is significantly intensified by sudden movements (turning, coughing, sneezing). Often, cardinal syndrome is characterized by the development of tachycardia, and coronary dilators do not cope with pain. There are no signs of circulatory disorders in the cardiogram.
Vertebral artery syndrome
The role of the vertebral artery is to supply the brain and spinal cord. With the syndrome, the work of the periarterial sympathetic plexus is disturbed. The picture of the syndrome looks like this:
- headaches of varying intensity;
- disorders of the vestibular apparatus (shock, loss of balance);
- light and severe dizziness;
- nausea, vomiting;
- pharyngolaryngeal and eye symptoms (deterioration of vision, the appearance of a curtain in front of the eyes).
Burning pain with vertebral artery syndrome often occurs not only in the neck, but also in the back of the head. A feeling of laziness, resentment and nervousness develops. Anxiety level increases, sleep and memory may be disturbed.
Thus, in order to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to determine which syndrome is the basis of cervical osteochondrosis. Based on specific symptoms, test results, photographs and palpation, an experienced doctor will be able to accurately determine the characteristics of the pathology and prescribe the correct treatment.