Such damage to the spine or intervertebral discs, such as osteochondrosis, is becoming more and more common in our time. This is one of those diseases from which absolutely no one is immune. The risk increases with age, but young people can also develop osteochondrosis.
Especially unpleasant is the fact that without proper treatment, osteochondrosis actively provokes the development of a whole range of concomitant diseases. These include arterial hypertension, neuralgia, increased intracranial pressure, metabolic disorders, restricted mobility of the head and back and much more. Sometimes the condition of patients reaches a critical state, there is a serious threat to life.
In representatives of different sexes, the course of osteochondrosis has its own characteristics. Of the five patients with osteochondrosis, three are women. The weaker sex at the same time suffers from more pronounced symptoms, and also much more often has side effects of the disease. This trend is explained by the peculiarities of the work of the female body.
characteristics of the disease
According to statistics, osteochondrosis in women mainly affects the neck region. This is because the cervical vertebrae are much more fragile than others. The neck area also has extremely fragile muscles and a fairly thin bone structure. As a result, constant pressure loads on the spine have a faster and stronger effect on this area.
Women often perform jobs that are considered risky in terms of osteochondrosis of the neck: cashier, seamstress, computer operator, accountant. At the same time, it is extremely difficult to notice the initial stages of the development of the disease, since the patient may not feel any serious pain or any special discomfort. Meanwhile, by the time symptoms are detected, osteochondrosis can already lead to significant degenerative processes, disrupting the functioning of the nervous system and blood flow, and this is fraught with a deterioration in the nutrition of brain tissue.
It is extremely dangerous when a woman additionally encounters one or more of the following manifestations.
- menopause and related problems of cellular metabolism in cartilage and bone tissues;
- genetic predisposition to osteochondrosis, other similar diseases;
- hematopoietic problems;
- hormonal disorders;
- metabolic disease;
- scoliosis, postural deformity;
- overweight.
The reasons
There are a number of factors that inevitably lead to disease with prolonged exposure. Considering the characteristics of the organism, quite specific causes of the development of osteochondrosis in women can be separately distinguished. They are based on three stages of disease development in ascending order.
- First stage. It is provoked by regular overloading of the muscle fibers of the neck due to an uncomfortable position.
- second phaseIt is caused by the onset of tissue degeneration in the intervertebral discs, as well as in the vertebrae themselves. There is numbness, a worsening of the sensitivity of the limbs, reduced mobility of the spine.
- Third section. Associated with the development of an intervertebral hernia. Motor activity is blocked, fibrous rings are torn. The pain spreads to the neck, head and chest region, vertebral artery syndrome develops.
main factors
The main provocateurs of female osteochondrosis include:
- severe emotional and physical stress;
- forced regular and prolonged stay in a position in which the neck is pinched or the head has to be tilted forward;
- spinal injury;
- increased pressure on the spine (e. g. during pregnancy, being overweight);
- abnormal changes in the structure of the skeleton;
- scoliosis.
Secondary Factors
This is a group of general causes that contribute to the development of the disease, but without the ability of the first group of factors to provoke it.
- hormonal disorders;
- age-related degenerative changes;
- autoimmune, vegetative problems;
- Menopause;
- adynamia;
- frequent hypothermia of the body;
- overweight;
- diabetes mellitus.
symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are the same in women as in men. The most important are listed below.
- The main alarm is pain. Cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by frequent aching or paroxysmal acute pain in the neck (less often - on the back of the head, as well as on the face). The feeling increases when you try to move your head.
- Often there is reduced mobility, spasms of the neck, chest area.
- After the age of 50, many patients suffer from tinnitus, visual and hearing disorders and heavy snoring.
- Sometimes the disease causes a sharp crunch when turning the neck.
- Another common symptom is dizziness, a gradual loss of coordinated movements.
The very first signs of the disease should make the woman understand that urgent measures need to be taken. A number of diagnostic and therapeutic methods can only be selected by a doctor, so the listed symptoms are a reason for urgent medical attention.
The condition is considered especially dangerous when these manifestations are accompanied by a constant lack of air, a feeling of coma in the throat, stuffy ears and cloudy eyes.
treatment
Elimination of the disease or its main symptoms is necessarily preceded by a full diagnosis. Computed tomography, ultrasound and Doppler and sometimes X-ray machines are used for this purpose. A prerequisite is the preventive diagnosis of osteochondrosis in older women, the rest should be resorted to if there is a suspicion of a disease.
Effective therapeutic measures are based on an integrated approach, as well as taking into account the individual specifics of a particular clinical case. Depending on the stage of development of osteochondrosis, certain approaches may be effective.
The following points should be considered when treating women:
- age;
- the presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- the quality of the endocrine system.
medication
Therapy with classical drugs is the usual, simplest, but at the same time very effective method. However, drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is carried out only when more benign options have shown their ineffectiveness.
Before turning to medicinal preparations, a woman is invited to turn to herbal teas (chamomile, dandelion roots, celandine), natural compresses (made of wax, burdock or horseradish leaves, garlic cloves, cottage cheese with vinegar, honey). They also resort to aroma baths, lifestyle and diet corrections, stress relief.
They cover the lack of effectiveness of these drugs with classical medicine. These are analgesics, as well as nonsteroidal drugs. Both groups of drugs are always taken taking into account the phase of the menstrual cycle.
At the end of the cycle, with an increase in pain sensitivity, a decrease in the body's defenses, the dose of analgesics increases. Painkillers are consistently recommended in higher doses for women going through the menopause. At the same time, in pregnant women, as well as at the beginning of the menstrual cycle, analgesics are reduced to a minimum.
The peculiarity of the treatment of female osteochondrosis is the regular intake of tranquilizers. Mood swings, irritability, as well as stress, significantly affect the progress of any therapeutic or preventive technique, if we speak of a weaker field.
The most difficult cases include the additional intake of chondroprotectors, as well as corticosteroids.
exercise therapy
Properly selected gymnastic complexes are an integral part of a balanced therapy. Treatment of the consequences of cervical osteochondrosis in women, among other things, focuses on restoring mobility in this part of the body, and here the complex of exercise therapy is the main help.
Certain exercises are always selected by the doctor. Both classic (tilting and turning the head, rotating the shoulders) and specific movements can be involved. Yoga poses are often used to eliminate pain. Such treatment is also allowed at home, if the complex is carried out regularly and clearly in accordance with the doctor's prescriptions.
Along with exercise therapy, cervical massage, manual therapy and a special diet work well against osteochondrosis. These exercise methods can achieve an additional effect. The type of massage sessions for women is selected taking into account the cycle. With special care, a massage technique is also determined for women in menopause.
Following recovery, it is extremely important to follow preventative measures with the utmost clarity. This helps to avoid relapses, and they are common in osteochondrosis, mainly due to the repeated influence of causative factors.