Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is represented by a degenerative-dystrophic pathology of the intervertebral discs. This disease refers to progressive disc disorders.
The cervical spine is represented by 7 discs. The cervical region is considered the most mobile. Thanks to this mobility, tilts and turns of the head become possible.
The reason for frequent injuries to this part of the spine is the weakness of its muscular corset. The cervical region withstands constant loads, which consist in holding the head, performing its turns, tilts. It is due to such strong tension that dystrophic changes (osteochondrosis) occur.
disease stages
In osteochondrosis, the following stages of development are distinguished:
- 1st degree osteochondrosis of the cervical region has instability as its main symptom. In the vertebral discs, initial alterations are noted.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical region of the second degree has as its main symptom the protrusion of the discs. Destruction of the annulus fibrosus occurs due to decreased space between the discs. The patient is disturbed by painful sensations, the cause of which is pinching of the nerve endings.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical region of the third degree manifests itself in the final destruction of the fibrous ring. As a result of such destruction, an intervertebral hernia occurs. At this stage of disease progression, the patient's spine suffers from severe deformities.
- The fourth degree is considered the most serious. The patient is bothered by very strong sharp pains at the slightest movements. Periodically, the patient's condition improves, he is no longer worried about very severe pain. But such relief is very dangerous. Indicates the formation of bone growths connecting the vertebrae. The formed growths limit the movement of the spine and in the future can cause the patient's disability.
Causes of pathology
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine began to occur not only in people over 40 years old, but also in young people (18-30 years).
The most common causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- overweight;
- trauma;
- posture violation;
- hypothermia, infectious diseases;
- metabolic disease;
- the presence of nervous tension, stress;
- sedentary lifestyle.
Osteochondrosis develops against the background of muscle clamps. Under the influence of muscle spasms, blood supply is disturbed, mobility is limited, posture is disturbed. As a result of these changes, dystrophic processes develop within the intervertebral discs and vertebrae. As a result of dystrophic processes, a narrowing of the intervertebral discs occurs, due to which the nerve roots emerging from them are compressed.
Symptoms
The peculiarity of the cervical spine lies in its saturation of blood vessels necessary to nourish the brain. Thus, signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine depend on insufficient blood supply to the organs of the head. The lack of oxygen and nutrients negatively affects the brain.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are as follows:
- Frequent headaches.
- Hearing loss, ringing in the ears.
- The appearance of severe dizziness, which may even be accompanied by loss of consciousness.
- Reduced vision.
- Violation of coordination of movements.
- Appearance of hoarseness.
- Snoring occurs, indicating the presence of chronic muscle tension.
As a result of pinched nerves in the cervical region, the following symptoms appear:
- skin pain, teeth;
- weakness in the arms;
- numbness, cold fingers in the upper extremities;
- pain in the neck, throat.
The pathological changes that accompany the disease have many clinical manifestations. Most of them, in addition to pain in the neck, can arouse suspicion of the development of completely different diseases. Returning to the clinic with complaints of pain in the elbow, decreased vision, manifestation of visual disturbances, the patient does not even allow the idea of developing osteochondrosis in him.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine are conventionally divided into 3 groups:
- neurological symptoms. It is a complication that occurs as a result of trauma to the discs, nerve roots, nerves, and nerve plexuses. These symptoms are pain. The pain in osteochondrosis of the cervical region is of a piercing, stabbing character. It can also be characterized as boring, boring. It can be constant or intermittent, but always located deep in the neck. It is pain in the neck that is considered the main sign of the development of osteochondrosis. It accompanies the patient from the moment of awakening, intensifying during the day. The pain can affect the upper extremities, the chest area, the head.
- Symptoms associated with the effect of the disease on the spinal cord. It manifests itself in the presence of movement disorders. The patient, when closing his eyes, feels a lack of coordination. Insufficient blood supply to the spinal cord causes increased fatigue, the development of myelopathy (disappearance of pain, temperature sensitivity). The patient is concerned about weakness in the upper and lower extremities.
- Symptoms associated with damage to the brain, cranial nerves, cerebral vessels. It manifests itself in a pathological effect on the vessels. The lack of blood flow within the system that regulates the blood supply to the brain stem causes a violation of its functions. The patient has increased fatigue, irritability, he is worried about a sleep disorder. He has increased pressure with osteochondrosis of the cervical region, the pulse also increases, sweating and dizziness appear. Also, the patient may experience noise in the ear with osteochondrosis of the cervical region. The patient is disturbed by the feeling of congestion in the ear, the hearing itself is reduced. In the presence of these symptoms, in addition to a decrease in visual acuity, it is very difficult to determine the relationship with progressive cervical osteochondrosis.
Most of the time, these symptoms do not appear separately, but together, but with a predominance of one of the groups.
Syndrome classification
When osteochondrosis of the cervical spine occurs, the symptoms will depend on the object that hit the disease:
- Vertebral artery syndrome.
- root syndromes.
- cardiac syndrome.
- Irritative reflex syndrome.
- Spinal cord compression.
cardiac syndrome
The symptoms of the disease are similar to those of angina pectoris. Spasms of the heart muscle can be the result of compression of the nerve roots in the lower part of the cervical region. Cardiac syndrome appears with irritation of the pectoralis major muscle, the roots of the phrenic nerve.
Paroxysmal pains are felt for quite a long time, for several hours. They intensify during the performance of sudden movements (sneezing, a sharp turn of the head, coughing).
root syndromes
The cause of its appearance is a pinched nerve. Such symptoms appear in the patient due to compression of the nerve roots. The pain occurs directly in the neck, then descends, affects the scapula, shoulder, the outer part of the forearm, and reaches the fingers. The patient may feel pastyness, the effect of "running goosebumps", tingling in the fingers, hands, forearm.
The difference in the symptoms of the disease also depends on the segment that affected the disease:
- Pasture of the index, middle fingers are observed when the roots of the central nerve are injured.
- The pastiness of the ring finger, the little finger is characteristic of the defeat of the roots of the brachial nerve.
vertebral artery syndrome
It is characterized by the appearance of a throbbing headache. This constant pain also affects the temple, crown, occipital and superciliary regions. Sometimes the pain becomes paroxysmal. Increased pain is noted when moving, taking an uncomfortable position. The patient also has alterations in the functioning of the auditory, visual and vestibular apparatus. The patient notes a decrease in visual, auditory acuity, begins to be bothered by pain in the eyes, a disorder of the vestibular apparatus. With a general weakening of the body, there is a possibility of attacks of nausea, loss of consciousness.
irritative reflex syndrome
The patient is disturbed by a sharp pain in the cervical-occipital region. It occurs at the beginning of movement after a state of rest, for example, after sleeping. Also, burning pain can accompany sneezing, performing sharp turns of the head. She hits the shoulder, the chest.
If you feel any of these symptoms, you should contact the clinic for specialized treatment to avoid serious complications.