Degrees of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the main methods of their treatment

Spinal injury in cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease associated with degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine. It is often observed in the area of the cervical vertebrae. This disease is not a verdict on human health, modern medicine can easily cope with it. But you need to know the degree of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the causes of its development, symptoms, as well as the main methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pathologies.

Factors contributing to the development of pathology

Atrophic changes in the vertebrae occur as a result of a heavy load on this part of the spine, spasms of muscle fibers and dysfunction of the circulatory system in this area. Deviations that occur in the intervertebral discs activate the growth of formations of bone etiology, which provokes pinching of nerve structures. The reasons can be:

  • twisted posture or scoliosis;
  • overweight;
  • inactive lifestyle;
  • physical injuries to the spine;
  • metabolic disorders;
  • heavy load on the spine;
  • genetic predisposition;
  • malnutrition;
  • frequent hypothermia;
  • persistent static tension in the back and neck muscles.

To reduce the risk of pathology, you should try to avoid these factors. If this is not possible, it is necessary to know the symptoms of the pathology in order to diagnose it at an early stage.

signs of the disease

One of the very first and true symptoms of pathology is radicular syndrome. It is caused by the growth of the structures of the intervertebral discs and the compression of the nerves. The patient has numbness of the tongue, speech and swallowing disorders, tingling in the shoulders, collarbones and heart muscle. The pain may radiate to other parts of the body, particularly the upper limbs and shoulder blades.

Common signs of pathological processes are:

  • burning, tingling in arms and back;
  • chest pain;
  • severe tinnitus, vision loss;
  • pain syndrome during movements;
  • periodic migraines and dizziness;
  • frequent numbness in nearby parts of the body.

Knowing these symptoms can help you diagnose and choose a treatment strategy for the disease early on. This significantly increases the chance of a full recovery of the patient's health.

Degrees and stages of progression of pathology

This disease is a very insidious disease, as it has certain degrees and stages of osteochondrosis. They have a big difference between them, since stage 1 does not form any symptoms and is latent, and in stage 2 the disease is very noticeable.

With osteochondrosis of the cervical region of the 1st degree, structural disorders in the muscular apparatus are observed as a result of damage to the capsular formations between the vertebrae. In this case, the patient is tormented by periodic pain, swelling and numbness of some parts of the body). There is also common vision loss and dilated pupils.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine of the 2nd degree is slightly more dangerous than its predecessor. This is because the pain is sharp and pronounced. Equally important symptoms of second-degree cervical osteochondrosis are circulatory disorders in the cartilaginous structures of the spine and numbness in the upper extremities. Your training should be a signal for a specialist to start therapy. Therefore, it is important to know what is second degree osteochondrosis.

In the presence of grade 3 osteochondrosis, this means that the patient has severe damage to the intervertebral discs and impaired cerebral circulation. This form of the disease is observed as a result of an inactive lifestyle. At the same time, some processes become irreversible and not amenable to therapy. The prognosis for the treatment of grade 3 cervical osteochondrosis in most cases is favorable, but it does not guarantee a full recovery of the patient.

Osteochondrosis of the 4th degree is a disease that is in a neglected, decompensated form. In this case, the patient shows very severe structural damage to the spine, as well as severe cerebrovascular insufficiency. This type of pathology is life-threatening for the patient, so he needs to be under the supervision of medical personnel around the clock.

Attention!It is the grading of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine that allows doctors to assess the patient's condition as accurately as possible and select the most effective strategy for his treatment.

diagnosis and treatment of the disease

The disease is diagnosed using various instrumental and laboratory methods. These include:

  1. General and biochemical analysis of blood.
  2. X-ray examination.
  3. ultrasound examination.
  4. CT scan.
  5. magnetic resonance imaging.

An equally important factor is the subjective examination of the doctor. In the process, the specialist must find out the anamnesis of the disease and the life of the patient. He must also visually inspect the affected area and listen to the patient's complaints.

In the case of osteochondrosis of the 1st degree and osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree, the goal of therapy is to eliminate the symptoms of the disease. The drugs are intended to alleviate headaches and spastic conditions in the muscular system and to stabilize metabolic processes in the vertebral structures. In this case, the doctor uses analgesics. At the same time, you need to know how to properly treat osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree so that the pathology does not go to the next stage.

During the treatment of grade 3 cervical osteochondrosis, a neurologist can use warming and anti-inflammatory drugs. They help to cope with more serious manifestations of pathology. The last degree of the disease requires symptomatic therapy and patient care. In this case, large amounts of narcotic painkillers are introduced to reduce the severity of a person's pain.

It is important to remember that only a doctor should deal with the treatment of the disease, since self-medication can lead to serious complications.