The main signs and symptoms of cervical spine osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a very common disease that affects men and women equally. Furthermore, age does not play a special role here. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are not found only in the elderly, whose pathology is a consequence of the natural aging process. The disease is increasingly found in young people and, in most cases, they themselves are to blame.

The reasons for the development of pathology

This spinal cord injury has a dystrophic-degenerative character. That is, in the vertebrae, as well as in all its structural elements, pathological changes occur, which are no longer subject to reversion in the later phases. This type of osteochondrosis is considered the most dangerous, as its consequence is the infraction of the main nerve roots and vessels that feed the brain. That is, over time, the spine ceases to function normally along its entire length.

The following reasons for the development of the disease can be distinguished:

1. Lifting and moving heavy objects.
2. Significant sports loads.
3. Improper transport of weights.
4. Long-term adherence to a static posture: working on a computer, writing notes, reading books, office work. This is the main reason for young people.
5. Genetic factor.

Of course, the inflammatory processes that arise in the spine or other parts of the body can also cause osteochondrosis of the neck. Other reasons are not excluded: hypothermia, trauma, surgery.

Symptom classification

Therefore, treatment of the spine should be done only after the patient has received an accurate diagnosis. And for that, the doctor needs to know the patient's clinical condition, as well as apply all instrumental methods of examination. The symptoms that arise in the patient depend on the degree of damage to the body's systems:

1. Most symptoms on the side of the brain are due to impaired blood circulation due to vascular compression.
2. The image of the damage to the peripheral nerve appears due to the compression of the nerve roots that come out of the vertebral foramen.
3. Severe neurological disorders appear in the final stages of the disease's development due to the spinal cord clamping.

Now you can consider in more detail the main signs of cervical osteochondrosis.

The most common symptoms of pathology

Despite the reason that contributed to the appearance of the problem, the clinical picture is almost always the same in all patients. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has the following symptoms:

• Painful sensations. They are located on the neck, neck and neck area. The pain can also spread to the shoulders, chest, clavicle of the skeleton. Frequent migraines are characteristic of osteochondrosis. Gradually, the discomfort becomes painful, chronic. The exacerbation of the pathology causes acute pain during movement. The muscles are very tense at the same time. Sometimes, just one injection - an anesthetic block - can eliminate this symptom.
• Tinnitus, feeling of clogging. This occurs as a result of the deterioration of the blood supply to the vestibular apparatus.
• Dizziness. It is caused by a lack of oxygen, as the inner ear is poorly supplied with blood. In addition, this condition is accompanied by uncontrolled irregular movements of the pupils.
• Fainting, from which the patient leaves very quickly, if there is an improvement in blood circulation in the affected area.
• Feeling of shortness of breath. The symptom presented appears due to irritation of the phrenic nerve. That is, the patient simply cannot breathe deeply. He also snores and may suddenly stop breathing. Over time, the patient develops shortness of breath and suffocation attacks. The lack of oxygen will further damage brain tissue, resulting in loss of attention and memory.
• Nausea. Sometimes, any movement of the body or head is accompanied by vomiting, which is difficult to control. The patient's appetite is disturbed, the weight is reduced.

• Vision problems. Cervical osteochondrosis can cause symptoms such as "flies" before the eyes or fog, decreased severity, violation of the focus of the eye. In addition, exercise therapy or wearing glasses cannot solve the problem.
• Pressure change. This condition occurs due to spasm of the arteries. The patient may even lose consciousness.
• Feeling of dryness and lumps in the throat. Sometimes, this is the only symptom that indicates that the neck is affected. Therefore, osteochondrosis, in this case, can be easily confused with other pathologies.
• Temperature increase. This symptom is unusual. Furthermore, it is not the basal temperature that changes, but the local temperature. The skin around the neck is hot and red.
• Restricted mobility. The neck appears to be contracting. And you can also hear a nasty pop and a pop in the neck when you turn your head.
• Weakness in the arms and burning sensation between the shoulder blades.
• Impaired movement coordination, which affects the patient's gait.

Some of the signs of cervical osteochondrosis, listed above, are not specific. This makes the diagnosis of the disease a little difficult, as the person does not consult the specialists in time.

Symptoms of the disease, depending on the degree of its development

Depending on what symptoms are observed in the patient, what is their prevalence and intensity, we can talk about the stage of development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Each degree has its own characteristics:

1. First step. It is accompanied by periodic headaches, discomfort in the neck, shoulders, arms. There is a slight limitation of mobility. In the collar area, there may be a slight decrease in skin sensitivity. At this stage, treatment is practically not carried out, as patients do not seek medical help. Some patients try to treat osteochondrosis at home with folk remedies.
2. Second stage. In the cervical spine, the pain intensifies, an unpleasant crackling sound is heard. In the shoulder region, as well as in the hands, there is a serious violation of sensitivity. At this stage, the headaches practically do not disappear, the patient's vision deteriorates, there is noise in the head and ears and the clarity of the tendon reflexes decreases. During an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, sharp pains appear, radiating under the scapula. Here it is no longer possible to miss the symptoms of the disease, and the patient seeks a doctor. However, it is no longer possible to get rid of defeat completely. It will only be possible to slow down its development.
3. Third stage. Here the collagen fibers of the disc are already destroyed, resulting in a hernial protrusion. The fixation of the vertebrae is interrupted and they begin to fall. Even shifts can occur. The patient develops severe pain in the neck and heart, there is paresis and paralysis of the upper limbs, the spine is bent. The tendon reflexes at this stage of development of osteochondrosis are practically absent. A complication of this degree of cervical osteochondrosis is a spinal effusion.

If a person "rescues" an illness at home without consulting a doctor, this behavior can result in disability.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine cannot be completely cured, but the correct and timely therapy can slow its progression.

What syndromes cause osteochondrosis?

Therefore, there are certain sets of symptoms that indicate that a person has a certain syndrome. If at least one sign is missing, there is no need to talk about this pathological condition.

There are several syndromes that are caused by cervical osteochondrosis:

• Root. Otherwise, it can be called "cervical radiculitis". It appears as a result of pinched nerves. It is characterized by the following symptoms: the presence of pain that radiates to the shoulder blades, runs along the shoulder and extends to the forearms and fingers; the appearance of "flies" before the eyes; tingling in fingers, forearms, hands. The location of the symptoms can vary depending on which pair of roots is damaged.
• Irritating reflex. It is characterized by sharp burning pain in the neck and occipital region, which arises due to movement after sleep, when sneezing. Unpleasant sensations can be transmitted to the chest.
• Vertebral artery syndrome. Here, the following symptoms stand out: loss of consciousness, nausea, severe burning headache in nature, extending to the parietal, temporal and occipital parts of the skull. The patient is characterized by weakness, hearing loss, eye pain and blurred vision.
• Cardiac. It has a peculiarity - it is easy to confuse it with a fit of angina pectoris, so the prescribed treatment may turn out to be wrong. If the patient is diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms of the cardiac syndrome are as follows: sudden onset pain, which increases with the slightest movement; tachycardia; the inability to stop the attack with special cardiac pills that promote the expansion of coronary vessels. At the same time, there are no signs of circulatory disturbances on the cardiogram.

As osteochondrosis has a chronic form, its exacerbations occur periodically. The intensity of the symptoms increases. The feelings can persist for a long time and only an injection of anesthetic can remove them. The pills may not be effective.

How is the condition diagnosed?

To accurately determine the severity of osteochondrosis, to identify the extent of destruction of the vertebrae, the patient must undergo a thorough examination. It includes the following procedures:

• External examination of the patient.
• Neurological tests.
• Duplex scan or Doppler ultrasound of blood vessels.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.
• CT.
• X-ray of the cervical spine in two projections.
• Electrocardiogram.

Laboratory analyzes, in this case, are not informative. Although they are sometimes prescribed to determine the cause of the development of osteochondrosis.

Features of the treatment of pathology

Therefore, treatment of cervical osteochondrosis must be carried out in the early stages. In addition, a patient can take the necessary medications, perform therapeutic exercises at home, but only after a thorough examination and consultation with specialists.

Therapy must be comprehensive. It is not enough to just remove the symptoms of the pathology. It is necessary to try to restore the functionality of the cervical spine. For this, the person needs medications (analgesics, hormonal, vitamin complexes, chondroprotectors), in addition to therapeutic exercises.

To eliminate the severe pain that the pills cannot stop, a special injection is used, which is made in the interarticular region. However, this method of blocking can be used only a few times a year.

In addition to drug treatment, physiotherapy procedures are offered to the patient: massage, ultrasound and ultraviolet treatment. If conservative therapy does not work, the patient will receive surgical intervention. But it is, rather, an extreme measure, and it is better not to allow the disease to reach such a state.