Hello, dear readers.Osteochondrosis is understood as a degenerative disease of intervertebral cartilaginous layers.This problem has accepted global proportions today.In Europe alone, about 60% of adults suffer from cervical osteochondrosis.Doctors associate this fact with the static of people, their low mobility and a type of sedentary work.If not long ago, this disease has developed somewhere at the age of fifty, it is now impossible not to realize that the ailment has rejuvenated significantly, the average age threshold here has decreased to 24 years.But more and more often, 18 -year -old addresses this problem.Speaking about the osteochondrosis of the cervical region, symptoms and treatment cannot be ignored, because these problems are of interest to many.
How osteochondrosis develops the cervical region: the causes and the first signs
Everyone knows that the spine is formed by bone vertebrae, among which are the cartilaginous "pillows: intervertebral discs.
Due to the deteriorated blood flow and low quality nutrition, cartilage tissue here does not receive a nutrient complex.
This leads to a change in the cartilage structure, its deformation and contraction.Gradually they lose their old elasticity, they become less durable.
Since the intervertebral layers that absorb the crash dry, the vertebrae eat each other.As a result, nerve endings and blood trunks are transmitted, which causes pain and numbness in the muscles, migraines and a series of other symptoms.
Over time, the cartilage is destroyed, it becomes fibrous.Gradually, in this pathological process, adjacent vessels, nerve fibers, bone structures are involved.
The main factors of the development of cervical osteochondrosis
The fundamental cause of osteocondiotic pathologies development is considered degenerative changes.There are a number of factors that contribute to this.
Consider the main causes of the osteochondrosis of the cervical column.
- Congenital predisposition.
- Body aging.
- Criminations in metabolic processes.
- Excess weight, obesity.
- Diet errors are the lack of mineral compounds and the systematic lack of liquid.
- Traumatic damage
- The weakening of the skeletal muscles, incorrect posture, flat feet.
- Hypodinamia, sedentary work.
- Physical overloads, the details of the profession, when you have to work in an awkward position, make muscle efforts similar to idiots, etc.
- The end of the sports race and the termination/reduction of energy loads associated with this.
- Overstran psycho -emotional.
- Nicotine dependence.
- The appearance of tumor structures.
It should be noted that the causes of the pathological convictions in the cervical column today are not sufficiently studied.
But it is known reliably that a long stay in standing or sitting without a special movement is an excessively soft bed, not trained muscles of the back and the belt of the upper extremities, the lower nutrition creates an ideal combination for the development of cervical osteochondrosis.
Disease development
Osteochondrosis does not appear suddenly.It develops gradually for a long time, from several years to decades.
Initial distribution changes in vertebrates are not delivered in any way.They can only be found by accident in an X -ray image or during the CT.
In the next stage of the development of the disease, there is a decrease in the thickness of the cartilage layer.Microscopic cracks appear in the intervertebral cartilage.The nun of the individual muscles may appear.Over time, protuberance develops, hernias are possible.The patient is tormented by headache and muscle.
In the last stage of the progression of the disease, bone tissue grows pathologically, nerve endings are damaged and chronic pain develop.Due to cervical osteochondrosis, you can see the curvature of the upper column, radiculitis, stenosis (narrowing of the spinal channel light).
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region: symptoms and treatment
We examine the first signs of osteochondrosis, now we will talk directly about the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.
Symptoms
For cervical osteochondrosis, the following symptoms are characteristic:
- Numbness and spasm of the neck muscles, shoulders and the upper back.
- Sensations of extraction, pain in the dorsal and cervical.
- You can give pain to your hands.
- Headaches, especially in the occipital region, migraines.
- Muides, ears in the ears, visual anomalies (blur, the appearance of "flies" and colored spots).
- Regular numbness of the fingers of the upper extremities.
- The rigidity of the head movements, the restriction of rotation and inclination, everything is accompanied by pain and traction sensations.
- Pain in the palpation of the reciprocal zone.
- A tendency to increase pressure.
Due to muscle weakness, violations can be observed in the coordination of movements.In the presence of cardiological problems, its aggravation is possible due to the spasms of the vertebral artery.Pain can spread to the sternum and rally area.
As you can see, the symptoms are diverse.This leads to the fact that people, who reveal certain deviations in themselves, resort to the help of this specialist (cardiologist, orthopedist, traumatologist).This complicates the diagnosis and timely detection of cervical osteochondrosis.
Which doctor should contact osteochondrosis?
When a complex of described symptoms of osteochondrosis appears, you should seek medical help without delay.
You must get an appointment with a therapist or a neurologist.After the initial clarification of the clinical image as a result of a survey, the patient exam and the palpation of the affected area, the doctor will give a reference for the tests and prescribe an additional exam.
It is possible that it must pass:
- X -Ray.
- Computer tomography.
- Magnetic resonance
- Electromyography
X -Ray will determine the place of location of injuries and the degree of negligence of the disease.A tomographic study will help evaluate the condition of adjacent tissues, and myography is the conductivity of muscle fibers and their innervation.
All this will allow a diagnosis correctly and describe an effective treatment regime.The process will be long, requiring patience and work in oneself.
It will not be possible to completely restore cartilage structures, but significantly improve the quality of life and get rid of chronic pain is a satisfactory task.
The exams will have to return more than once.After all, it will be necessary to trace the course of the disease, adjust the treatment program, predict possible complications or improvements.
Therefore, even if the pain has retreated, this is not a reason to refuse to carry out repeated diagnostic measures.
How to deal with neck osteochondrosis
For the disease to release the disease, a complete set of several methods should be used.Active treatment in most cases has been for several months.But here it depends a lot on enthusiasm, the patient's good faith and his willpower.In some cases, surgical intervention is required.
At the beginning of the treatment, it is necessary to adhere to the following principles.
- Medical recommendations must be constantly followed.About all changes in the state and undesirable reactions should be informed of the attending physician.
- It is necessary to learn to dose the load, avoid excessive muscle activity and excess muscle excess of the cervical region.
- It is necessary to abandon sports overloads and, if necessary, change the work.
- Medical and Physical Education classes are a prerequisite.They must be carried out systematically and preferably daily.Special neck gymnastics should be selected individually, taking into account the patient's possibilities and the degree of negligence of the disease.The exercise set is performed under the guidance of an instructor.
- The use of anti -inflammatory and analgesic drugs should be justified and strictly dosed.All medications, especially hormonal, are prescribed by a doctor.
- It is important to maintain an anatomically correct body position.Even in a dream.Therefore, the mattress must have enough rigidity.With an orthopedic pillow are determined by direct selection.
- If necessary, you should sit down for a long time, with an interval of a couple of hours, make a short cut for the neck.It is advisable to get up, although a sitting position is also allowed.
Why should it heat up?
This simple form will allow:
- restore normal blood flow;
- Knead the rigid muscles;
- get rid of numbness, tingling, pulling sensations;
- Relieve muscle tension;
- Avoid throwing muscles and their groups;
- Avoid overloading the cervical region.
All exercises are as simple as possible.They are relatives for everyone from childhood and do not take long.A few minutes are enough.They can be done both at home and in the workplace.
Exit the views of employees without touch?Solve the stairs or in the bathroom.Perhaps you can even exercise discreetly in transport, avoiding unnecessary attention.
All exercises must be done with a straightened back.It is recommended to expand the shoulders and sprinkle the chest a bit.Make maximum turns allowed with the sides.
Act carefully and without fanaticism so as not to damage a weakened column.After that, several times alternately lower the head to one or another shoulder.Now you can perform several rotation movements-10-15 on each side.
Another good exercise.Expand the column as much as possible, as if the crown hung it.Now he slowly tilt his head forward, trying to press the edge of the chin towards the chest.Then you need to perform slowly and carefully the opposite action.
Attention!In the presence of some damage, you cannot reject your head back!See your doctor.
The procedure to perform exercises does not matter.A set of actions and the number of repetitions is selected individually.Wrapping your neck, don't forget the thoracic region.They are closely connected.
It is recommended to try to unite the shoulder blades from time to time.Maybe you listen to a crunch.Do not be afraid: these are the vertebrae in their place.After that, as a rule, relief feels.
To relieve tension in the trapezoidal muscle, lift your shoulders as much as possible.The actions are carried out several times.After that, close your shoulders and say your hands.
Medications
For cervical osteochondrosis, several types of medications are used.These medications are used during periods of exacerbation of the disease.
They are designed to solve a series of problems:
- pain elimination;
- the fight against inflammation;
- Strengthen metabolic processes in affected tissues.
Preparations are also used, including hormonal and vitamin, which stimulate cartilage restoration.
Other methods to combat pain
In addition to exercise therapy and medicines, the set of measures to eliminate manifestations of the osteochondrosis of the cervical zone includes the following exposure methods.
- An increase in intervertebral spaces due to the elimination of the spinal column.For this, the dosed load is applicable.The impact is carried out in different ways, including the use of special tables.This measure allows the column to return the anterior length, give it the correct shape and release the restless nerves.Some patients, desperate to find an effective way to get rid of chronic pains, turn to bone rights.Here the spine is subject to aggressive effects.This method can help with the condition that there will be a professional who has a medical education.
- The massage also gives good results.This procedure helps to disperse blood, improve nutrition and exchange of cartilage gases, relieve tension and muscle clamps, and get rid of pain.If possible, you must resort to the car -massage.But you must act correctly, having approved the appropriate information session.You can massage your neck, shoulders, scalp, arms, neck area on your own.Rubing, kneading, small pressure is used.The supreme massage is effective when the exposure is performed at active body points.But here we need special knowledge and considerable experience.Therefore, only a professional manual therapist must be addressed.
- The physiotherapeutic effect implies the use of various media: magnetic field, laser, ultrasound, low frequency current, etc.Medications are often used here.This method to introduce them has a local effect, improves its effectiveness and avoids a series of side effects.The physical procedure helps fight pain, inflammation, accelerate post -traumatic and postoperative rehabilitation.
- Acupuncture, such as manual therapy, improves or inhibits several processes in the body due to the effects on biologically active points that are calculated under the body.Reflexotherapy allows you to adjust metabolism, improve blood flow and relieve pain.But despite its effectiveness, this method is not suitable for everyone, since it implies the use of needles, which some patients categorically do not accept.
The greatest efficiency of these measures is achieved by using them in a single complex under medical supervision.To a large extent, the success of the therapy depends on the patient's determination and his desire to deal with osteochondrosis.