Nowadays there are practically no people over the age of 25 who do not experience spinal problems.One of the most common pathologies is damage to the vertebrae of the neck, which, if left untreated, inevitably progresses and causes more and more discomfort to the patient.
What is osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joints and intervertebral discs.
As cervical osteochondrosis progresses, the following symptoms begin to appear:
- decreased visual and hearing acuity;
- numbness of the tongue;
- when you sharply turn your neck, your vision darkens and you feel dizzy;
- a stabbing pain is felt in the back of the head, which may radiate to the temples and crown of the head;
- pain in the cervical region and shoulders, which bothers the patient even during sleep and increases with movement or stress;
- stiff neck, especially in the morning;
- pressure on the sternum;
- difficulty breathing, feeling of lack of air.
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 inherited.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 usually 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.It allows you to detect spasmodic blood vessels, as well as poor blood supply to the brain and spinal cord.
- Audiography to check the functioning of the hearing organs.
- Ultrasound.
- CT and MRI 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.
- X-ray at an early stage of pathology.
- Electroneuromyography showing the presence of inflammatory processes, pinched nerves and damage.
- Duplex scanning of the vessels of the head.
Reference!It is most convenient to carry out all these procedures in one place, where diagnosis is carried out using modern equipment.
What doctor do you treat?
If symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis occur, treatment cannot be started immediately.First of all, it is worth making 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 a preliminary diagnosis risks injury and aggravation 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 probability of complications is minimal.
The main method of treating osteochondrosis of the neck 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 lymphatic flow and blood circulation.
Manual therapy is often combined with therapeutic exercises that increase neck muscle tone.In addition, pharmacological treatments and physiotherapy are used to eliminate the pathology.
Results
As a result of the 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 maximally restore the impaired functions of the spine.
Rehabilitation and restoration of lifestyle.
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 prepared to return to their normal life as soon 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, physiotherapy and mud applications have proven effective.If the patient still has symptoms of pathology, pharmacological blockades are prescribed.
Lifestyle with cervical osteochondrosis.
To avoid a relapse of the disease, the following recommendations should be followed:
- change body position at least every half hour;
- do not lift loads weighing more than 5 kg;
- walk more, do physical therapy, swim, pilates;
- It is preferable to use a backpack than a bag;
- When working sedentarily, take ten-minute breaks every hour.
Important!The position of the human body during sleep is of great importance.You should 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 you should not delay visiting 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.