In contrast to the other two types of osteochondrosis, such as lumbar or thoracic, cervical osteochondrosis has a number of peculiarities. This is because in this area the structure of the vertebrae is different, in structure they are much smaller than the rest. The neck should rotate freely, this is the most movable part and besides, it is the most stressed. In this regard, the most common painful sensations occur.
Since a large number of nerve and vascular formations run in the neck area, the patient is followed by headaches, and ischemia of the spinal cord or the brain can develop. At night, fingers become numb, it is difficult to fully control the hand, the temperature drops, blue stain and swelling may appear in the hand. This makes the blood supply to the brain more difficult as the vertebral artery is compressed, leading to symptoms such as incoordination, loss of vision and hearing, and frequent dizziness.
Even a small load is enough to move the vertebrae. You can overstretch your neck muscles. The result is compression of both blood vessels and nerve endings. Osteophytes also form over time, making the situation worse and the disease is difficult to cure.
The pain can affect not only the neck but also the limbs, mostly the arms. This is the result of spinal cord compression.
Osteochondrosis can be cured, but this requires systematic approach and perseverance. When the first symptoms go away, the patient often stops treatment while the disease does not slow down and come back as it is just beginning.
How can one understand that the disease needs treatment?
First of all, it should be noted that at the first symptoms of the disease it is important to consult a specialist, since this is the efficiency factor that will cure the patient and not get rid of the problem for a while. If the disease progresses and it is no longer possible to identify the stage early on, a cure is impossible. Treating osteochondrosis on its own is not worth it, only a doctor can choose the right treatment regimen, accurately diagnose and determine the course of the disease.
Without qualified help, you can make the situation worse and even harm your body, let alone cure it.
Such treatment is complex, various methods are combined, factors affecting the course and course of the disease are taken into account, only then it can be localized or cured.
Activities for osteochondrosis
- Anesthesia;
- the use of anticonvulsants;
- Tissue repair stimulants using ointment;
- manual therapy;
- massotherapy;
- Hirudotherapy;
- Physical therapy;
- surgical intervention.
2nd degree cervical spine osteochondrosis, this is a disease at the time of exacerbation and can be treated with pain relievers with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. And only when the acute stage passes, you can start treatment with other methods, not forgetting that nutrition is also important.
It is a delusion to believe that this disease is more likely to be found in middle-aged and elderly people, that they are not afraid of 2 and 3 degrees of the disease.
Increasingly, young people suffer from osteochondrosis, so the disease is getting younger and younger. And that's due to a few factors:
- Violation of posture;
- Trauma;
- Scoliosis;
- disturbed metabolism;
- emphasize;
- large body weight;
- lack of physical fitness.
Young people spend many hours or even days at the computer and that leaves traces, the proportion of healthy young people is decreasing. But not only a lack of physical activity can affect the occurrence of the disease, but also excessive work, overload and an incorrectly selected training program for athletes.
Polysegmental osteochondrosis
There is a concept like polysegmental osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, and this concept is not clear to everyone. In fact, this is a manifestation of the disease not in one place, but in several at the same time, it is more difficult to cure. As you know, the spine is divided into several sections:
- cervical;
- Chest;
- Lumbar vertebrae;
- sacred;
- Coccyx.
Problems even in one place cause a lot of anger and pain, and when the disease has spread to more than one department, it is quite difficult to determine the disease from symptoms. There are too many painful manifestations and they all mix, making diagnosis difficult. This can only be done by contacting a qualified specialist, without any hesitation.
For example, cervical disease manifests itself as a severe headache, and lumbar pain occurs during exertion. The thoracic region cannot manifest itself in any way for a long time, even if problems have arisen, but then suddenly turn into intercostal neuralgia, and this syndrome greatly worries the patient.
Manifestation and symptoms
The general condition of the patient is unimportant, since painful sensations can be felt almost all over the body. Tingling, headache, pain in the heart area, malfunction of internal organs, especially with chronic diseases. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the cause of all ailments and the degree of the disease, while it is easy to make a mistake and choose the wrong direction of treatment. It is not enough to x-ray an area of the spine to diagnose the grade and the affected area. But do not worry, this problem can be solved by a specialist, as it is not so rare.
treatment
First of all, the pain syndrome is relieved with the help of pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs, and only then rehabilitation begins. It is this time that is treated directly because osteochondrosis cannot be cured completely, it quickly turns into a chronic form.
Many alternative treatment methods are currently offered, but should be used with caution, as manual therapy will only help if it is performed by a competent specialist. Physiotherapy according to the Bubnovsky method, for example, creates a lot of controversy. And treatment with medicinal leeches can trigger allergies.
prevention
Do not forget that it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it for a long time and sometimes unsuccessfully. Therefore, as a preventive method, it is possible to recommend special exercises that will develop the flexibility of the neck. It is also good to strengthen and stretch these muscles to prevent disease from developing.