Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis or how to recognize the disease?

Already at a young age, a person has the initial symptoms of cartilage disease - osteochondrosis.

The cervical spine often suffers first, which can lead to an intervertebral hernia, as well as to serious sensory and movement disorders.

Therefore, there is a need not only to know the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis of the spine, but also to be able to diagnose them in time.

Stages of cervical osteochondrosis

The disease begins to develop - after 25 years - when the metabolism in the cartilage deteriorates due to hormonal changes in the body. In this case, the blood flow to the intervertebral discs naturally stops.

These changes in the spinal column correspond to the initial phase of the disease, when there are no manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis yet. However, a combination of additional factors (heredity, stress, early trauma, etc. ) stimulates further disease progression.

The next stage in the development of the disease is the stretching of the membrane of the intervertebral disc - the fibrous covering. Due to the loss of moisture, the disc changes shape and "bulges", which in medicine is called a bulge. At this stage, the first signs appear - sharp burning pains in the neck, which are caused by the pressure of the disc on the nerves.

The beginning of the third phase of the disease is evidenced by the rupture of the membrane of the intervertebral disc (fibrous circle) and the appearance of an intervertebral hernia that compresses blood vessels and nerve fibers. At the same time, the pain is accompanied by disturbances in the sensation and movement of the upper limbs, as well as the collar zone.

The transition to the fourth phase of the development of the disease is the complete destruction of the intervertebral disc, when the blood flow stops not only to individual nerve fibers, but also to the entire spinal cord. The changes at this stage are irreversible, so surgical treatment is required.

General symptoms of the disease

Osteochondrosis can be diagnosed in one (or several) parts of the spine. At the same time, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is considered particularly dangerous, because in this part of the spine are shiny vessels and nerve roots, which supply blood and innervate not only the hands but also the brain.

Thus, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are divided into three major groups:

1. Artery compression:We usually talk about the spinal arteries, which are located in the processes of the cervical vertebrae and supply the brain;
2. Pinched nerve roots:manifested by impaired movement and sensation in the hands, as well as in the parietal part of the skull and occiput;
3. Spinal cord compression:variant IV stage of the disease, associated with serious neurological disorders (paralysis, lack of superficial sensations, etc. ).

The manifestations described are generic. However, there are many private symptoms that allow the disease to be detected in the early stages.

Pain

The first manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis is the local pain syndrome - cervicalgia. It is usually a severe pain in the neck that sometimes spreads to the arm or back of the head. Pain occurs after improper posture (long journeys in transport, sleep) or physical activity. They usually pass by themselves.

After sharp turns or tilting of the head, lumbar pain in the collar area (otherwise cervicago) may occur. It is often accompanied by muscle tension, as a result of which head movements become impossible (up to 10 days after the onset of cervicitis).

Over time, there is an adaptation to pain. But in the second stage, the pain usually intensifies, which indicates further movement and destruction of the intervertebral disc.

When the “bulge” of the intervertebral disc reaches the nerve fibers, a radicular syndrome (called “radiculitis”) occurs. It is usually accompanied by unilateral pain that spreads to the arm (as well as sensory and movement disorders). In this case, reflex muscle tension is noticed - head tilts are impossible.

Other variants of pain syndrome are:

• Pressure headache, which often mimics a migraine but is not relieved by conventional painkillers. It usually "splits" on the nape of the neck, scalp and temples, sometimes on the eyeballs. In this case it can be both one-sided and two-sided;
• “heart” pain (or cardialgia) is extremely rare. It is manifested by chest pain, which may resemble an attack of angina pectoris.

Be careful!If the cause of chest pain is osteochondrosis, then in this condition "heart" drugs will not help! If these pills bring short-term relief, even though there is a palpable fear of death, you should suspect a myocardial infarction and go to the hospital immediately.

Sensory disorders in the cervical spine

Loss, decrease or increase in sensitivity are the main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Thus, sensory disturbances are often observed in the nape of the neck, as well as around the shoulder joint or hand.

In the latter case, these manifestations are accompanied by edema or other trophic pathologies (ulcers and others).

Movement Disorders

If an intervertebral hernia compresses motor nerve fibers, the patient may experience muscle weakness with limited range of motion - paresis. The extreme degree of movement disorders is paralysis - complete lack of movement, as well as reduced muscle tone (until their atrophy) and the disappearance of reflexes. In the early stages, these symptoms may be temporary.

Other symptoms

The manifestations described above are classic symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.

However, there are other (important! ) signs of the disease.

• Turn your head. It is often accompanied by osteochondrosis. Dizziness is associated with a lack of blood supply to the inner ear, a paired organ of balance located in the temporal bone. Improper posture or periodic worsening of osteochondrosis causes dizziness, which is sometimes accompanied by nystagmus - rapid fluctuations of the pupils. The human organ of balance is supplied with blood through one artery - the spinal artery. It passes in the cervical vertebrae, and therefore can be "compressed" in diseases of the spine (with osteochondrosis, fractures).
• Ringing in the ears. Ringing in the ears or a blockage in the ears is another possibility of disrupting the “delivery” of blood to the inner ear. This symptom appears after a long stay in the wrong position and then disappears. The latter is a symptom that distinguishes a similar symptom in osteochondrosis from similar symptoms in other diseases.
• Nausea. It is an independent symptom, but is sometimes accompanied by vomiting or vomiting. The latter provokes tilting and turning the head, sometimes even walking. The reason for this condition is the same as for dizziness - reduced delivery of arterial blood to the balance organ. However, prolonged vomiting can have serious complications - dehydration and loss of salt in the body, which can lead to alkalosis (alkalization of the blood). This condition requires intravenous administration of appropriate saline solutions.
• Respiratory disorders. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis may be difficulty breathing when breathing becomes shallow (you cannot completely "breathe through your chest"). It causes a similar state of compression or excessive stimulation of the phrenic nerve (innervates the diaphragm, the muscle responsible for respiratory movements). In such situations, the patient feels short of breath or difficulty breathing. However, more often, excessive stimulation of the phrenic nerve is manifested by prolonged hiccups.
• Attacks at night. Retention of breath during sleep by unsuccessful posture may also be characteristic of osteochondrosis of the cervical region. But more often the disease is manifested by snoring and morning lethargy due to lack of blood containing oxygen during night sleep. Such a "lack of oxygen" can lead to disorders in the brain - loss of attention and memory loss.
• Sore throat. It is considered one of the most common symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. It manifests as dry throat, a feeling of a "foreign body", possible itching or difficulty with the throat. The reason for this is the contraction of the nerve and vascular bundles that extend from the spinal column to the neck organs. Also, we must not forget that similar symptoms can indicate other pathologies (tumors or respiratory diseases). In this case, the presence of osteochondrosis does not exclude tumors or inflammatory processes.

• Visual disturbances. The visual organs are supplied with blood by both the vertebral and carotid arteries. Therefore, visual changes with this pathology are less common, but are characteristic of people with atherosclerotic vascular plaques or hypotension (low blood pressure). Among the manifestations may be: "fog" or a flash of "flies" in front of the eyes, reduced visual acuity or disturbance of its placement (focusing). At the same time, the symptoms of the disease are unstable and cannot be corrected with optics (glasses, contact lenses) or visual gymnastics.
• Unstable pressure. When the vertebral artery constricts, the blood supply to the vasomotor center may be disrupted, resulting in an inadequate increase and decrease in pressure. The latter can be accompanied by syncope - fainting.
• Syncope. Unconsciousness is often observed in older people who additionally have atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries. Usually reflex vasospasm (due to excessive stimulation of nerve endings by hernial protrusions or bone processes) leads to a sudden decrease in the volume of blood flowing to the brain. As a result, the brain experiences hypoxia - a lack of oxygen - which causes loss of consciousness. Be careful! In such situations, the help with fainting consists in the fact that the person is laid on a flat surface and raised legs. Blood from the veins of the lower half of the body flows in large quantities into the heart and then into the brain, restoring the necessary blood flow. To revive a person, it is worth using a substance with a pungent odor, for example, ammonia. Sometimes people have problems with speech and / or movement after syncope, but these symptoms are usually temporary due to the short duration of fainting. If the fainting lasted for more than a few minutes, followed by a headache, until these violations disappear after a few hours, you should suspect a stroke and go to the hospital immediately.
• Temperature rise. This is a very rare symptom of cervical osteochondrosis. It occurs when the blood flow is weakened in the hypothalamus (brain center for thermoregulation). Then it is possible not only to increase, but also to decrease the body temperature. However, local phenomena are most often observed - hyperemia (redness and warming) in the collar area. Remember, the presence of osteochondrosis does not exclude fever due to inflammation or swelling!
• Static Violations. These are curvatures in position, "alignment" of the cervical spine, as well as subluxation in the joints of the spine. Such changes lead to a redistribution of the load, as a result of which some parts of the spine (for example, the lumbar) are overloaded. This can lead to the simultaneous development of osteochondrosis in other parts of the spine.
• Spinal stroke. As mentioned above, stage IV cervical osteochondrosis can result in a spinal cord injury (spinal cord injury). Such pathology is extremely rare, but it is characterized by danger: there is usually tetraplegia (complete immobilization of arms and legs), absence of pain and temperature sensitivity on all extremities, sometimes eye withdrawal, drooping eyelids, pupillary constriction, impaired sensitivity on the face, etc. In such cases, immediate surgical intervention is indicated.

Disease Prevention

To prevent the development and complication of the disease you need to:

• immediately treat spinal cord injuries (bruises and sprains);
• correct posture disorders (kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis), instability of spinal segments, ligament apparatus;
• for correcting orthopedic problems (socks, flat feet), as well as for preferring orthopedic shoes, with comfortable heels or special insoles;
• to reduce excess weight to normal;
• balance the diet by increasing the level of micronutrients, fluids and foods containing collagen (jellies and broths on the bones);
• not to lead a sedentary lifestyle while limiting strenuous physical activity;
• undergo annual preventive inspections (especially for those employed in industries where there is an increased level of vibration from machine tools, equipment or mobile machines);
• athletes, bodybuilders, etc. do not abruptly abandon training.

Elderly people should control comorbidities (atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension). At the same time, it is important to eliminate bad habits (smoking alcohol and tobacco), as well as to avoid stressful situations that lead to nervous tension.

It is worth remembering that osteochondrosis is a progressive disease that does not go away on its own. Many patients are encouraged by remission (a period of weakening of the disease), which is why they return to the old way of life and stop treatment. And that, in turn, significantly worsens the outcome of the disease. Therefore, if you notice symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, consult a neurologist immediately! After all, there is no better treatment than timely therapy!