Cervical osteochondrosis marks the symptoms

23 November 2020

The diagnosis of osteochondrosis, in my opinion, is not as sad as discirculatory encephalopathy and vegetative-vascular dystonia. Yes, under "osteochondrosis" we and abroad mean completely different pathologies. Abroad - these are severe skeletal injuries, mainly in children. With us it is enough to complain of pain in the neck, take an x-ray or MRI (where degenerative changes are certainly found) - and here is the diagnosis of osteochondrosis.

The main causes of back pain

In most cases, the patient is diagnosed with osteochondrosis with back pain. But in reality, the reasons are different:

Nonspecific back pain
Caused by muscles, ligaments, tendons. It does not require an MRI. This is the most common cause of back pain and the most favorable option, because doctors usually prescribe a fairly suitable therapy: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxation drugs, physical therapy. It should be noted that for chronic pain lasting more than 3 months, completely different medications are needed.
A fairly rare cause of back pain. Are you surprised? What if an MRI scan found a hernia and your back hurts, isn't the hernia the cause of the pain? In most cases, no. With a hernia, in addition to pain, there should be other symptoms: weakness of some muscles, a decrease in tendon reflexes, reduced sensitivity in the root innervation zone. There are no such symptoms - you can forget about hernia as the cause of pain.

Serious causes other than pain and other symptoms are excluded on the basis of MRI.

It is much worse when the diagnosis of osteochondrosis is made with completely different ailments: increased pressure, dizziness, weakness, anxiety, headache. What should we exclude in this case?

Tension headache and migraine.
Not related to your neck. Healing your neck means going the wrong way, approaching the history of your pain. Tension headache may be accompanied by muscle tension, but it is still a tension headache, not osteochondrosis.
Vertigo
Not because of the sharp blues. The true causes of vertigo: positional benign paroxysmal vertigo, vestibular data lesions, vestibular migraine, Meniere's disease, vestibular paroxysm, cerebellum and trunk pathology, psychogenic dizziness, iron and vitamin B 12 deficiency, heart disease, lung disease andmore.
Arterial hypertension.
Sometimes I come across the opinion that if a patient's blood pressure rises, their neck and, of course, the neck vessels should be checked. Have you encountered arterial hypoplasia, tortuosity, degenerative changes in the cervical spine? We blame them for the increased pressure. This is absurd. In reality, there is no connection between increased pressure and the neck.
Depressive anxiety disorders.
Do you have anxiety, dizziness, weakness and fatigue, sleep disturbances? Let's go back to Benim's neck. And the poor patient, instead of consulting a psychiatrist with antidepressants and tranquilizers, receives physiotherapy, massages and a kind of homeopathy.
Iron deficiency, thyroid dysfunction.

Always keep in mind when you complain of fatigue, weakness, decreased concentration, dizziness, headache.

Over the years, changes occur in our body. The baby's skin is soft and supple. At 30, regardless of how we resort to cosmetic procedures, this is no longer the case. Imagine a sailor who has spent his entire life sailing: his skin is rough and wrinkled. The same thing happens with our spine. In most cases, protrusions and hernias are natural age-related changes. If there are many provoking factors in your life, such as carrying heavy loads, the likelihood of contracting a large hernia increases.

Numerous studies have established that disc protrusions are found in healthy people: at 20 - up to 40% of those examined (remember, these are patients without back pain), at 70 - up to 90%. In addition, the severity of changes on MRI is not associated with the degree of pain syndrome: with a large hernia, there may be no pain, and with small protrusions, the patient may have severe pain (because the cause is not in the protrusions, but in something else).

A hernia never hurts?

Of course it does! In about 1-4% of all cases of back pain. How do you recognize him? A hernia leads not only to pain, but also to other ailments: reduced sensitivity, changes in reflexes, and sometimes a decrease in muscle strength. All this is determined by a competent doctor during a neurological examination.

If the muscle strength is sufficient, the reflexes when tapping with a hammer are symmetrical, not weakened, there are no sensory disturbances, so it is extremely unlikely that back pain is caused by a hernia.

Also, compressing the spinal root to a certain level (if you read the MRI results, you will see that protrusions and hernias are described at the level, for example, C3-C5 or L5-S1), the hernia causesnot just a decrease in sensitivity everywhere, but certain segments and strictly defined changes in reflexes. The neurologist correlates the level of injury with the MRI data.

Classification of symptoms in cervical osteochondrosis

The development of this disorder sometimes occurs before the age of 30-35, therefore the signs of the disease can appear even in adolescence. The signs of cervical osteochondrosis are discussed in detail below; disease has become a real problem in the modern world. Sedentary work, prolonged stay in front of the computer negatively affect the state of health and well-being of a person. All symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are associated with malfunctions of different systems:

In advanced cases, there are signs of compression, the integrity of the spinal cord located in the spinal canal is compromised.
The pathological nervous process is capable of affecting the peripheral system. The roots of the spinal cord, located near the foci of deformation of bone and cartilage tissue, are adversely affected.
In some cases, pinching of the vertebral arteries occurs. These blood vessels supply nutrients, oxygen, to the brain cells. Violation of these processes leads to a sharp deterioration in human well-being.

It is known that one of the first signs of the development of the disease is pain in the cervical spine. At first it passes quickly, it is periodic, but then it becomes chronic. The main places of localization of pain are:

occipital muscles (intensified by turning the neck, tilting the head);
shoulder area;
neck.

It can hurt in different ways depending on the location of the injury, the unpleasant sensations can be sharp, stabbing, periodically subside, be aching and constant. Over time, head movements become more difficult due to tension in the neck muscles. If an artery is pinched, a cervical migraine is sometimes observed (with a weakening of the blood supply, a lack of oxygen, a headache appears).

Nausea

In some cases, the vessels of the circulatory system are compressed, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the human brain and inner ear. For this reason, nausea occurs with osteochondrosis. This symptomatology is accompanied, as a rule, by loss of appetite, which causes weight loss, lack of necessary nutrients. In the advanced stages, the disease can cause vomiting when turning the head, walking or bending over. This is due to the lack of blood supply to the middle ear, where the center of balance is located.

Neurological symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Some manifestations of the disease cannot be immediately attributed to characteristic signs. You should know which symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis cannot be ignored, for example, lack of air. If this section is damaged, phrenic nerve irritation syndrome can develop. The patient has difficulty breathing, there is a lack of oxygen, which causes shortness of breath and even severe suffocation.

This manifestation of pathology is often accompanied by snoring, it intensifies if you take an uncomfortable position during sleep. This leads to the fact that a person does not rest at night, wakes up with a feeling of general malaise, weakness, feels tired and overwhelmed. This condition, if left untreated, can lead to memory impairment, decreased concentration, and irreversible changes in brain tissue.

Vestibular signs

Another direction, how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifests itself - vestibular signs. The supply of the brain with all the necessary nutrients occurs through the vertebral arteries. If cervical chondrosis develops, in which the work of the inner ear is disrupted, the patient experiences tinnitus and ringing. In some cases, hearing loss is added to these symptoms.

Knot in the throat

In some cases, the disease manifests itself in only one symptom - the pharyngeal. There is a feeling that a lump has formed in the throat with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, there is sweat, itching, dryness, swallowing is difficult. These manifestations are associated with impaired conduction of the neurovascular trunks emanating from the spinal cord. A lump in the throat is not a specific symptom of chondrosis; it can indicate a tumor or an inflammatory process. When this symptom appears, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Visual signs of cervical osteochondrosis

Symptoms of chondrosis of the cervical spine can vary, but the most common are visual acuity disorders. The supply of visual analyzers occurs through the carotid and vertebral arteries. If a decrease in blood circulation occurs due to squeezing of the latter, a decrease in vision begins, which does not improve with glasses. Cervical osteochondrosis - symptoms:

low blood pressure;
floating and flickering points;
atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries;
violation of focus on the topic;
veil, fog before the eyes.

A characteristic sign that a decrease in vision occurs due to pinching of a blood vessel by a vertebra, impaired blood circulation, will be the lack of improvement when wearing glasses, performing special exercises. Only timely treatment of the underlying disease (before the occurrence of irreversible tissue damage) will help to change the condition.

Arterial signs

The spine plays an important role in the human body, so any disease affects many systems. There are some arterial signs of cervical osteochondrosis that indicate this disease. These include sudden loss of consciousness. This is the most unpleasant and dangerous symptom inherent in this disease. This happens due to impaired blood circulation, when blood temporarily stops flowing through the cerebral arteries.

Severe arterial spasm occurs due to the response of deformed bone processes to irritation of the nerve endings. If your friend has osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and has lost consciousness, he should be lying down, legs raised to a small elevation to increase the outflow of blood from the limbs and increase flow to the brain. After that, people tend to recover quickly.

Instability of blood pressure is another symptom of this disease. Doctors can diagnose spasmodic indicators if the blood supply is cut off. This is not a specific symptom of chondrosis, but it fits into the general picture of the disease. Blood pressure can drop or rise sharply. A person feels a deterioration in his condition, so he must ensure peace.

Vertigo

Earlier, it was described that sometimes loss of consciousness occurs with this disease. This applies to cases where blood flow to the brain was very difficult. More often, patients experience dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis. This is a common symptom that accompanies all patients with this disease. This phenomenon has a spontaneous manifestation. This condition is caused by a reduction in the amount of oxygen supplied to the inner ear. It is found in the human brain and is responsible for the sense of balance. Dizziness occurs when:

turning the head, the neck;
if you suddenly get out of bed.

Temperature in osteochondrosis

In some cases, pathological processes spread between the structures of the cervical segment of the spinal cord. This happens with disc protrusion, canal stenosis. The temperature in osteochondrosis is the body's response to these pathologies. The same reaction is possible with vertebral artery syndrome. This is a common occurrence in osteochondrosis in the later stages of the disease development. Therefore, an increase in temperature refers to non-specific symptoms of the disease.

This symptom will not necessarily be present, body thermoregulation may be normal. If you feel constant pain in the back of the head, shoulders, neck, and when you turn or tilt your head, aggravation occurs, you should consult a specialist and undergo an examination. Lack of treatment will necessarily lead to the fact that the condition will worsen, the comfort level of life will decrease.

Learn what to do when diagnosed with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a lesion of the vertebral discs of the cervical spine, as a result of which they undergo degenerative-dystrophic changes. The main reason for its development is a violation of the normal course of metabolic processes, which leads to a distortion of the structure of the vertebral bodies and cartilaginous discs. In the case of localization in the neck, the symptoms of pathology are largely determined by the compression of large vessels. Methods of treatment are selected based on the stage, specificity of the course, severity, main symptoms.

Characteristics of the disease

The cervical form is the most dangerous type of osteochondrosis: it leads to a deterioration of cerebral circulation, as the vertebral artery passes through this area, one of the largest vessels that supply the brain with essential substances and oxygen.

The displacement of the vertebrae, the abnormal changes and the overgrowth of bone and fibrous tissue disrupt the normal functioning of the vessel.

The specificity of the symptoms of osteochondrosis in this part is determined, among other things, by one of the structural features of the cervical vertebrae, which consists in their closest adherence to each other. Consequently, any change in one segment causes the entire department to fail.

Clinical by stage

In the process of its development, cervical osteochondrosis goes through four stages. How does it manifest itself on each of them?

Phase 1. It is characterized by the appearance of initial disturbances in the stability of the intervertebral discs. Symptoms are mild or absent. Not very pronounced pain sensations and local muscle tension are possible.
Phase 2. Disc protrusion begins, the spaces between the vertebrae are reduced, the annulus fibrosus collapses. In many cases, as a result of compression of the nerve endings, pain appears, mainly of a punctual nature. They intensify when turning, tilting the neck. The tone decreases, weakness often appears.
Phase 3. The final destruction process of the fibrous ring leads to the formation of hernias. This stage is characterized by a significant deformation of the spine. An increase in pain and fatigue occurs against the background of sensory disturbances and limited mobility in the affected area.
Stage 4 is the most difficult. Intense pain syndrome occurs with any attempt to move, which leads to a significant limitation of the mobility of this department. Sometimes, the pain subsides, but this does not show an improvement in the condition, but only indicates an increase in the size of the bone growths, which significantly limit movement. They often lead to the patient's disability.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

When located in the cervical spine, the prevailing symptoms of osteochondrosis are:

Pain is the main symptom

cervical, occipital, shoulder, arm pain;
limitation of movements, creaking at various turns, tilt of the neck;
weakness in the hands;
pull the pain in the left side of the chest, which radiates to the corresponding arm;
burning in the interscapular area;
recurrent headaches;
weakness;
dizziness (with severe course of cervical osteochondrosis, can reach loss of consciousness);
coordination of movements is impaired, which is mainly reflected in gait;
hearing loss, ringing in the ears;
decreased vision;
sore throat;
bad dental health;
weakening or hoarseness of the voice;
Snoring is a consequence of the tension in the neck muscles.

In the cervico-thoracic type, the symptoms are almost similar to those of cervical osteochondrosis. It:

asthenic syndrome;
dizziness and headache;
periodic fluctuations in pressure;
flies flashing before the eyes;
pain in the shoulder girdle and arms;
muscle weakness;
numbness, tingling, cold in the fingers;
pain in the chest, heart area;
nausea;
numbness of the tongue, face;
dental problems;
feeling of current flowing down the arms when trying to bend the neck.

Syndromes

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are not considered typical. Which of them is more pronounced largely depends on the specific goal. Many of the manifestations can be mistakenly associated with other pathological conditions. Therefore, there are often cases when the wrong treatment is prescribed. The symptom complex is divided into the following groups:

root;
vertebral artery syndrome;
irritative reflex syndrome.

Radicular syndrome

His middle name is cervical sciatica. The syndrome develops due to pinching of the nerve endings in the neck. The pains are transmitted from the neck, to the shoulder blades, down along the shoulder along the outside of the forearm to the fingers. In this case, they often appear:

disturbing feeling;
tingling in the hand, forearm, fingers;
pasty.

Manifestations also vary depending on the area of the lesion. If the central nerve endings are affected, the pastiness extends to the thumb, middle finger, index finger. When the brachial nerve endings are pinched, the little finger and ring finger are affected.

Irritative reflex syndrome

Sharp burning pain in the cervico-occipital region, which appears during movement after a static state: after sleep, when sneezing, a sharp turning of the head becomes its sign. The pain often radiates to the shoulder and chest.

Vertebral artery syndrome

The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are:

throbbing or burning headache (of a paroxysmal or persistent nature), extending to the temporal, dark, occiput, superciliary arches region;
increased discomfort with certain movements or after a prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position;
general weakness;
nausea;
loss of consciousness;
hearing problems;
disorders of the vestibular apparatus;
eye pain;
blurred vision.

Cardiac syndrome

When this complex of symptoms of osteochondrosis of the neck develops, an image almost similar to angina pectoris develops, which often leads to incorrect treatment. Muscle contractions and spasms in the heart region are most likely a reflex response to compression of the nerve endings in the lower cervical region. Heart syndrome is a consequence of irritation of the phrenic nerve (its fibers lead to the pericardium) or the pectoralis major muscle:

pains appear suddenly, last a long time;
aggravated by a sharp movement of the neck, coughing, sneezing;
tachycardia and extrasystole are possible;
pain does not stop after taking coronary dilators;
there are no signs of impaired circulation on the ECG.

Exacerbation of the disease

In the phase of exacerbation, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are:

increased pain and its radiation to the shoulder blades, interscapular area, arms, shoulders;
Difficulty moving the shoulders, torso, arms, sometimes breathing (inhalation and exhalation);
pain syndrome often resembles a heart attack or intercostal neuralgia;
when pain appears in the right hypochondrium or iliac area, the clinic is similar to the manifestations of gastritis or cholecystitis;
headache is of a prolonged nature, imbalance, visual and auditory functions are disturbed;
in the area of innervation, skin trophism is disturbed, tingling, numbness, dryness, pallor, burning, cold appear;
the tone of the cervical muscles increases;
weakness, lethargy, nervous tension, anxiety, emotional instability appear;
possible sleep disturbances, memory disturbances and concentration problems.

How the disease is diagnosed

The main methods for diagnosing cervical osteochondrosis are:

radiography;
magnetic resonance imaging;
computed tomography;
Doppler ultrasound;
duplex scanning.

The last two methods are used to check the condition of the neck vessels.

Signs of cervical osteochondrosis

The cervical spine contains a huge number of blood vessels that supply nourishment to the brain. Therefore, any neck problems, including cervical osteochondrosis, can lead to a deterioration in the blood supply to the brain. So - and the most common signs of cervical osteochondrosis:

regular headache and dizziness
occasionally - sudden fainting,
reduced coordination of movements, appearance of "smoothness" of gait,
hearing problems, ringing in the ears,
visual impairment,
the appearance of dental diseases,
the appearance of hoarseness in the voice, the change in the timbre of the voice, its weakening,
snoring,
persistent sore throat.

Other symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include a cold sensation in the fingers, numbness, weakness in the arms, pain in the neck and shoulders, often accompanied by dizziness and nausea.

How to treat this disorder

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, symptoms and treatmentdepend on the patient's condition, the severity of the disease, the nature of the lesion of the cervical vertebrae.

In the acute period, hospitalization and medication may be required.

Usually used analgesics, novocaine muscle blockade, muscle relaxants, relieve muscle spasm; chondroprotectors for the nutrition of cartilage tissue; sedatives that calm the nervous system, B vitamins that improve neuromuscular conduction.

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is always long-term and should be comprehensive.

During periods of remission, when there are no acute symptoms, methods of physiotherapy (electrophoresis, ultrasound, etc. ), physical therapy, massage, as well as non-traditional procedures, such as acupuncture, are widely usednecessary.

There are many conservative treatments for osteochondrosis that can stop the progression of the disease. However, each patient needs an individual course of treatment, taking into account the stage of the disease, the characteristics of the organism, sex and age.

The treatment goal of cervical osteochondrosis is:

Elimination of pain and swelling at the site of inflammation.
Relaxation of tense neck muscles.
Release of pinched nerve roots.
Improves blood circulation.
Activation of metabolism.
Improve nutrition of the intervertebral discs.

A targeted complex treatment can prevent the occurrence of intervertebral protrusions and hernias.

In order not to startosteochondrosis of the cervical spine, symptoms and treatmentand to avoid serious complications of the disease, it is necessary to start timely treatment.