Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

15 November 2020

Osteochondrosis of the neck is a degenerative disease in which there is literally "premature aging", "wear and tear" of the intervertebral discs, joints and vertebrae in the cervical spine.

Some facts about the disease:

Osteochondrosis of the neck occurs in men and women approximately equally often.
People aged 30-60 are most often affected.
As a rule, pathology occurs in people who have to be constantly in one position at work and do monotonous movements.
The cervical spine has some structural features, due to which the disease can have many different manifestations.

What features of the cervical spine cause the symptoms of osteochondrosis?

There are holes in the lateral processes of the vertebrae - through them the carotid arteries pass through them to the right and left, which bring blood to the brain.
The initial part of the spinal cord passes through the cervical region - it contains fibers that transmit nerve impulses to all parts of the body, provide movement, sensitivity. If there is compression of the spinal cord on the neck, neurological disorders appear in the body.
This part of the spine has great mobility, which predisposes to osteochondrosis (although, in most cases, the disease still develops in the lumbar spine - not only has great mobility, but also has the greatest stress).
In the neck area, nerve roots protrude from the intervertebral foramen, forming the cervical and brachial plexus. They are responsible for movements in the muscles of the neck, arms, shoulder girdle, skin sensitivity and regulation of autonomic functions.
The first vertebra does not have a massive front part - the body - it is a bone ring that is placed on the tooth - a bony outgrowth of the second vertebra. Thanks to this, it is possible to turn the head to the hips.

Neck pain, headaches, feeling weak, numbness in the hands are symptoms that should make you visit a neurologist. Examination by a specialist and examination using modern equipment will help to understand the causes of the pathology and take the most effective measures.

What happens to the vertebrae in cervical osteochondrosis?

The obscure medical term "degenerative process" refers to the following pathological changes that occur in the cervical spine:

what happens to cervical osteochondrosis

First of all, the lesion in osteochondrosis covers the intervertebral discs. They become thinner, reducing the distance between adjacent vertebrae. Small tears and microcracks form on their outer part. Over time, this can lead to a herniated disc.
As a result of disc damage, the stability of the spinal cord is disturbed.
Suffers from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and intervertebral joints - spondyloarthritis develops. It also contributes to the compression of nerve roots.
The pathological process extends to the vertebrae themselves. Due to the fact that the functions of the intervertebral discs are disturbed, the load on them increases. The spine tries to compensate for this violation, bone growths appear on it - osteophytes.

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

During the exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, traction is used (the patient is placed on a bed with a raised headboard, and the head is fixed with a special loop) to relieve the intervertebral discs. You should wear a Shants necklace for the same purpose. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain. In case of severe pain that does not go away, the doctor may block: inject the anesthetic solution into the area of the affected nerve roots. Physiotherapy is used: ultrasound treatment, novocaine electrophoresis.

When exacerbation subsides, treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine includes massage, physiotherapy, physiotherapy.

One of the main signs of cervical osteochondrosis is neck pain. Many people who are faced with this symptom do not go to the doctor, but prefer to treat chondrosis with home methods. There are at least two good reasons to refuse self-medication and consult a specialist doctor.

First, painkillers and folk methods, although they help relieve pain for a while, do not solve the main problem. Pathological changes in the spine continue to grow. Over time, this threatens more serious consequences. To the point that surgery may be needed.

Second, neck pain does not only occur with osteochondrosis. There are many other reasons. Only a doctor can understand and prescribe the proper treatment.

What symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should make you visit a doctor?

The main symptom of cervical osteochondrosis is pain. It can occur in different places, depending on the level at which the pathological process is localized: in the neck, in the shoulder girdle, in the arm, in the area of the heart. By nature, the pain is dull, it can be burning, painful.

Other manifestations of the disease:

Headache, dizziness, flies in front of the eyes, noise, tinnitus.
Weakness of the muscles of the neck, shoulder girdle, arms.
Skin sensitivity disorder.
Shoulder-scapular periarthritis: painful pain in the neck that extends to the arm, difficulty in abducting the arm above 90 °, weakness and atrophy of the shoulder girdle muscles.
Shoulder-hand syndrome: shoulder and hand pain, swelling and stiffness of the fingers, weakness and atrophy of the hand muscles.
Spinal artery syndrome. Bone growths appear on the vertebrae that compress the nerves, resulting in a reflex spasm of the spinal artery that participates in the blood supply to the brain. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are accompanied by constant headaches that start from the back of the head, spread to the temple, to the scalp, nausea, noise in the head, tinnitus, flickering bright spots in front of the eyes.
Anterior scale muscle syndrome. There is anterior and middle scapular muscle on the neck - they are next to each other, and between them is a small space where nerves and blood vessels pass. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the anterior scapular muscle becomes tense and compresses them, resulting in symptoms such as pain on the inner surface of the forearm, shoulders and fingers. Sometimes the pain radiates to the back of the head. The skin of the hand may become cold, pale, and numbness may occur.

If two parts of the spine are affected at once, cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms may include pain between the shoulder blades in the heart area.

With osteochondrosis, the risk of intervertebral hernia and stroke increases. If you experience the above symptoms, talk to your doctor.

It is better not to engage in self-medication. Even if you have tried and tested methods that can usually help you manage pain, that doesn’t mean you’re doing it right.

Pain can cause not only osteochondrosis, but also intervertebral hernia, muscle disorders (myofascial pain syndrome) and be a symptom of other diseases. To properly treat a disease, you need to understand its causes and conduct a differential diagnosis. This is only possible in a clinic.

To identify the cause of the disease and properly treat the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, you must visit a neurologist and undergo an examination.

At the heart of cervical osteochondrosis is the defeat of the intervertebral discs. Their chemical composition is injured, initially swells and then decreases, cracks and tears appear in their outer part, which become denser. Then the degenerative process spreads to the vertebral, intervertebral joints. Due to the decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc, the load on the vertebrae increases and bone growths - osteophytes - appear on them.

What are the causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?

There is no consensus on the causes of cervical osteochondrosis. It is believed that different conditions cause the disease, there are different views:

Age-related changes in the spine. However, almost all people over the age of 40 have skeletal changes, but not all have osteochondrosis.
Neck injuries. Often among the causes of the disease is indicated trauma: bruising of the neck, compression fracture, subluxation of the spine. Chronic injuries, such as intense training for athletes, persistent uncomfortable bent positions, and recurrent whiplash injuries in the car, can be significant.
Congenital anomalies of the vertebrae: cervical ribs, fusion of adjacent vertebrae, fusion of the first vertebra with the occipital bone, etc.
Occupation. More often, the disease affects people who work in a monotonous posture, constantly making the same type of movement.
Interruption of blood supply to the spine, venous insufficiency, edema in the area of the nerve roots.
Autoimmune Disorders.Conditions in which the immune system does not work properly, attacking its own connective tissue, the body's ligaments.

Visit a neurologist. An experienced healthcare professional will understand the source of your health problems and prescribe the right treatment.

Causes of worsening cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis occurs in the form of alternating exacerbations and periods of improvement, when the symptoms stop bothering for a while. The following reasons may trigger another deterioration:

An awkward, twitching movement of the door.
Long stay in a monotonous uncomfortable position. For example, the neck may begin to ache after prolonged work on the computer, after sleeping on an uncomfortable pillow.
Stress, nervous tension. Chronic stress causes cramps in the neck muscles, which can cause new exacerbations.
Various diseases, exacerbations of chronic diseases.
Incorrect, illiterate self-medication. For example, massage and therapeutic exercises are useful during remission, but contraindicated during exacerbations.

What diseases can have similar manifestations?

Very often, the manifestations of "osteochondrosis" are actually associated with a completely different disease. For example, the reason may be hidden in the muscles - there is such a condition as myofascial pain syndrome. Pain occurs due to constant tension of the same muscles.

Dizziness associated with otolithiasis - a condition in which calcium salt crystals accumulate in the inner ear - is sometimes considered a manifestation of "cervical osteochondrosis".

Pain and crunch in the neck, headaches - when these symptoms occur, many people "diagnose" osteochondrosis. Everything is clear - when it hurts, you need to take painkillers or make ukolchik, endure the heat and everything will pass. Why go to the doctor when you can handle it yourself?

However, often self-healing does not lead to anything good. Painful attacks can become more frequent, stronger and longer lasting over time. If you take painkillers uncontrollably almost every day, you can get stomach or kidney problems. After all, any drug has side effects.

And the cause of pain is not always the main cause of osteochondrosis. To find out the real cause and understand how to deal with it effectively, you need to visit a doctor and undergo an examination.

How does a neurologist diagnose cervical osteochondrosis? What happens in the office during the examination?

During your first visit, the neurologist will ask you a few questions:

How long have you had headaches, neck pains?
Where does the pain occur? What kind of character are they: stabbing, pain, shooting, pulling?
When does pain usually occur? What provokes it? After what do you feel better?
Have you already seen a doctor? Have you been examined and treated? Which? How long ago?
What other symptoms bother you?
What other chronic diseases do you have?
Have you had a neck injury recently?

The doctor will then perform a neurological examination, checking your reflexes, skin sensitivity, muscle strength and tone. You will be asked to turn around, tilt your head to the side, forward, backward. The doctor will gently press on your head, certain parts of your neck, to determine the onset of pain.

After the examination, you will be diagnosed and prescribed the necessary diagnostic methods.

What diagnostic methods are used for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine?

Examination of cervical osteochondrosis usually includes the following diagnostic methods:

Radiography of the cervical spine.
According to the indications, X-ray contrast studies are prescribed: myelography (introduction of contrast into the space surrounding the spinal cord), discography (introduction of contrast into the intervertebral disc), angiography (introduction of contrast into the veins).
Computed tomography.
Magnetic resonance imaging.
For severe neurological disorders, you may be prescribed electroneuromyography - a study that determines the passage of electrical impulses into nerves and muscles.

Often the manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis resemble angina pectoris. If after the examination the doctor still doubts the diagnosis, you will be prescribed an ECG and other diagnostic methods.