In today's world this disease almost all of the people who have reached the age of 25. Cervical low back pain comes much more often than in other departments of the vertebral column. The relevance of this theme is difficult to overestimate.
In this article we will see, because this is a disease that manifests itself in the cure of the cervical spine, low back pain, which drugs are effective in the treatment, which drug is not there are methods, and also to know the answers to the most frequently asked questions of patients with a similar diagnosis.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is degenerative-degenerative defeated (progressive) of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine. For this reason, changes occur to the intervertebral discs, and in the same vertebrae and joints cervical.
The causes of cervical osteoarthritis
As a result of actions of the following factors occurs an increase of load on the cervical spine, the neck muscles try to compensate for the excess load, you experience their coronary spasm, the blood circulation in that area, because of what you experience degenerative changes. Due to a number of factors, changes occur in the intervertebral disc of the cervical spine, changes their structure, disturbed in their food, changes occur in the small joints between the vertebrae, appear bony proliferation of the vertebral bodies, due to the greater load on the modified intervertebral discs.
The factors that contribute to the development of degenerative disc disease cervical:
- Poor posture and the presence of scoliosis
- Overweight
- The lack of physical exercise, sedentary work
- Previously transferred the injuries to the vertebral column
- Disorders of the metabolism
- The great physical effort
- The stress and the constant voltage
- The low level of physical preparation
- Hereditary predisposition
- The usual incorrect positions of the body, for example, the storage of the telephone handset shoulder
- The constant tension in the back, the neck, due to the characteristics of the operation (the state of stress in the sitting position), the riders, the employees of the office.
- Malformations of the cervical spine
The degree of development of cervical osteoarthritis
The degree of arthrosis of the particular clinical picture and complaints of the patient. Should not be the concept of measure confused with the phases of the degenerative disc disease. On the steps discussed below.
The first degree of
the clinical manifestations are minimal, the patient may complain of pain in the cervical spine, low intensity may increase when you turn the head. When using the physical examination you can detect a little tension in the muscles of the neck.
The second degree
the patient is worried about pain in the cervical spine, the intensity of his much more, the pain can be radiation to the shoulder, hand. Occurs is the result of reducing the height of the intervertebral disc, and the infringement of the nerve roots. The pain intensifies when you tilt in a curve, and the head. The patient can celebrate the reduction of performance, weakness, and headache.
The third degree
the symptoms of cervical osteoarthritis are amplified, the pain is constant, radiates to the arm or shoulder. Appears numbness or muscle weakness the hands, so as to form a hernia of the intervertebral discs. Concerned about the weakness, the dizziness. During the inspection reveals the limitation of mobility of the cervical spine, pain on palpation of the cervix.
The fourth degree
occurs the complete destruction of the intervertebral disc, and the replacement of its connective tissue. It enriches dizziness, appears tinnitus, disturbances of coordination, as well as in the process involved the transmission of a spinal artery that supplies the cerebellum and the occipital lobe of the brain.
The clinical picture of degenerative disease of the cervical disc — symptoms, signs
The symptoms of osteoarthritis of the cervical spine are different from the manifestations of this disease in other parts of the spine. This is due to the fact that in the region of the cervical vertebrae are closer to one another, the intervertebral discs have a relatively small height, leading to the birth of the clinic, even if the more subtle pathological processes. Also in the cervical region most often occurs in the compression of the nerve roots and spinal cord.
The most common signs of cervical osteoarthritis — the symptoms of the error:
- The pain syndrome: the pain may have a different location, may be the neck, in the occipital area, shoulder, or upper limb. Pain in the shoulder or arm will appear when the process that is involved the root of bulimia nervosa, Innervating the upper limb. Pain in the back of the head conditioned spasm of the muscles of the neck, that attach to the occipital bone and the violation of the circulation in this area.
- Weakness in the hands occurs when you damage the spine, which are available in motor nerves, not know the muscles of the arm.
- Reduction of sensitivity at hand occurs when you damage the spine, they are sensitive to the nerves, do not know the skin of the upper limb.
- Limitation of the movements of the cervical spine and nibble during the movement occurs because of a reduction in height of the intervertebral disc, the pop-up growths of bone on the bodies of the vertebrae, and the defeat of small joints between the cervical vertebrae.
- Dizziness, lack of coordination, weakness - all these symptoms are due to involvement in the process of vertebral artery, that takes place in the channel and located in the transverse cervical vertebra. In consequence, the development of cervical osteoarthritis, fibrous tissue formation, displacement of the vertebrae, worsens the flow of blood in these arteries, which leads to deterioration of the vasculature and blood vessels in the occipital lobe of the brain and of the cerebellum.
- Numbness of the tongue, diminution of hearing and sight
occur in the most severe cases -with a sharp deterioration in the vascularity in the occipital lobe of the brain, the cerebellum, and of the trunk.
The symptoms depending of the damaged vertebra
Separately, you can highlight radicular syndromes, consequential or otherwise sensitive and the motor violations. They differ depending on which vertebra compresses the spinal back:
- C1: it leads to numbness and the disruption of sensitivity in the back of the head;
- C2: the feeling of pain in the parietal area and nape of the neck;
- C3: speech disorder, the sensitivity of the tongue, pain and decrease in the sensitivity in that part, where discriminated against spinal nerve;
- C4: the pain in the heart, the left side of the right upper quadrant, shoulder, scapula, respiratory, reduction of the tone of the muscles of the neck;
- C5: shoulder pain in the external field;
- S6: the pain, which extends in from the forearm to the thumb, and also from the neck to the shoulder;
- C7: pain in the back of the shoulder, from the neck to the shoulder-blade, gives the forearm up to 2-4 inch;
- C8: pain from neck to shoulder, forearm to her little finger.
The diagnosis of cervical arthrosis
The main diagnostic methods:
- X-ray of the cervical spine. It Has not been uninformative method, especially in the later stages of the disease.
- The computed tomography scan. Better show changes in the vertebrae, but it is difficult to determine the size and the presence of intervertebral hernia, and also the presence of the disco-medullary conflict (compression hernia of the spinal cord).
- Tomography, magnetic resonance imaging. The most informative method. Perfectly visible not only the bone structure, but also the intervertebral discs, hernia, their size, their direction of growth.
- In the case of a suspected violation of the blood flow in the vertebral arteries using duplex ultrasonography. This method allows to determine with precision if there is a decrease in the rate of blood flow, if there are obstacles to the normal blood circulation.
The radiological stage of osteoarthritis cervical.
- Stage 1 – minimal changes in the configuration of the vertebrae, the smoothness of cervical lordosis (curvature).
- 2 phase – instability between the vertebrae, maybe the displacement of a vertebra with respect to another, and torsion (rotation around the axis of the spine), a slight reduction in height of the intervertebral disc.
- Phase 3 – the reduction in height of the intervertebral disc in the ¼ relatively above is of the disk, changes in the joints, the intervertebral posterior osteophytes (bone outgrowths), the contraction of the holes in the intervertebral and a narrowing of the spinal canal, in which lies the spinal cord with its shell.
- 4 phase – a significant reduction in height of the intervertebral disc, significant changes in the joints the intervertebral, huge osteophytes in the rear, a significant contraction of the holes in the intervertebral and significant narrowing of the spinal canal with the formation of myelopathy.
Principles of treatment of cervical osteoarthritis
The main methods of treatment of degenerative disc disease of the cervical is the the pharmacological treatment, physiotherapy, massage the head, neck and the area of the neck, particularly effective medical gymnastics with osteochondrosis of the cervical. The main groups of drugs used during this disease, are:
| The name of the group | The action | |
| Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) | reduce the pain, promote the removal of aseptic inflammation and edema of the back, and damaged the nerve. | |
| Vitamins of the group b | improve the metabolism of nervous tissue. | |
| Medications that improve the rheological properties of the blood and blood circulation | improve the nutrition and damaged the nerve roots and improve the flow of blood to the brain. | |
| Chondroprotectors | drugs, reducing the cartilage tissue, including the damaged intervertebral disc. | |
| Muscle relaxants | medicines, relieve the muscle spasm. |
Attention! These preparations are not appointed, are for reference only.
Physiotherapy in the treatment of cervical osteoarthritis
| Electrophoresis with drugs. | Under the action of the electrical current of ions, drugs fall in the desired spot. Done with novocaine, for the pain, or with aminophylline to improve the flow of blood. |
| The ultrasound | has anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving action, and improves the metabolic processes in the area of impact. |
| Magnetic therapy | has analgesic action due to the removal of tissue edema. |
| Laser therapy. | because of the exposure you get the anti-inflammatory effect and improves blood circulation. |
Therapeutic exercise
THERAPY with osteochondrosis of the cervical must be carried out outside acute acute. The maximum efficiency of this technique in the recovery period. During the execution of a complex should not be discomfort and pain!
| Exercise n ° 1 | Lying on his belly, press your hands on the floor, lift the head and chest, the back should be straight. Stay in this position for 1-2 minutes. Come down slowly on the floor. Repeat 2-3 times. |
| Exercise n ° 2 | Lying on your stomach, stretch your arms along the body, the head turn to the left, try to touch the ear with the floor, then turn your head to the right. Repeat 6-7 times in each direction. |
| Exercise n ° 3 | In the sitting position, on the inspiration of lean forward and the head try to touch the chest, then exhaling, bend back and raise your head. Repeat 10-15 times. |
| Exercise n ° 4 | Sitting apply the palm of the hand to the forehead, apply pressure with the palms on the forehead, and the forehead on the palm of the hand. Continue this exercise for 30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times. |
| Exercise n ° 5 | Slowly rotate the head first on one side, then the other side. For 10 revolutions in each direction. Look, this is not appeared dizziness. When it appears to a financial year ended. |
The most frequently asked questions of patients with neck osteochondrosis and their answers
If it may require surgery with osteochondrosis of the cervical?
Readings to require intervention is the lack of effectiveness of conservative treatment for 6 months, accompanied by a constant pain syndrome and signs of damage to the nerve roots, and even myelopathy. In all other cases, the operation is not performed.
How long can you apply FANS?
As well as most of the NSAIDS have side effects on the gastric mucosa, is long and frequent intake of these medications is not recommended. When taking this group of medications is necessary to follow strictly the recommendations of the attending physician, the life of the shelter can be individual, depends on the stage of the degenerative disc disease, the complaints of the patient and his comorbidities.
How effective is take chondroprotectors?
At the moment there are no trials of the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of these drugs. In these cases, doctors are of the opinion that the drug is impractical.
How to receive the best vitamins in pill form or injection?
No difference in the level of absorption of the drugs in these two routes of administration do not. Considering the pain to inject, and the frequency of complications, it is recommended to take vitamins of group "A" in pre-formed shapes.
What are the measures to be taken outside of the aggravation?
Better to do physical therapy at home 2 times a year to attend massage the head, neck and the neck area and to limit the excessive load on the cervical spine.