The main signs and symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Cervical osteochondrosis is a very common disease that affects both men and women equally. Moreover, age does not play a special role here. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are found not 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 are to blame.

Reasons for the development of pathology

This spinal lesion has a degenerative-dystrophic character. That is, in the vertebrae, as well as in all their structural elements, pathological changes occur that in later stages can no longer be reversed. This type of osteochondrosis is considered the most dangerous, because its consequence is a violation of the main roots of nerves 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 weight bearing.
4. Long-term adherence to static posture: working at a computer, writing notes, reading books, working in the office. That is the main reason for young people.
5. Genetic factor.

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

Classification of symptoms

Therefore, the treatment of the spine should be performed only after the patient has been given an accurate diagnosis. And for this the doctor needs to know the clinical picture of the patient, as well as apply all the instrumental methods of examination. The symptoms that occur in a patient depend on the degree of damage to the body's systems:

1. Most symptoms on the part of the brain are the result of impaired blood circulation due to vascular compression.
2. The picture of damage to the peripheral nerves appears due to the compression of the nerve roots that come out of the vertebral foramen.
3. Severe neurological disorders appear in the late stages of the development of the disease due to spinal cord pinching.

You can now take a closer look at 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 localized in the neck, occiput and collar area. The pain can also spread to the shoulders, chest, and skeletal collarbone. Frequent migraines are characteristic of osteochondrosis. Gradually, the discomfort becomes painful, chronic. Worsening of the pathology causes pain that bursts during movement. The muscles are very tense at the same time. Sometimes just an injection - an anesthetic block - can eliminate this symptom.
• Tinnitus, stuffy feeling. This occurs as a result of a deterioration in the blood supply to the vestibular apparatus.
• Dizziness. It is caused by a lack of oxygen, because the inner ear is poorly supplied with blood. This condition is further accompanied by uncontrolled irregular movements of students.
• Unconsciousness from which the patient emerges quickly enough if there is an improvement in blood circulation in the affected area.
• Feeling short of breath. The presented symptom appears due to irritation of the phrenic nerve. That is, the patient is simply not able to take a deep breath. He also snores and may suddenly stop breathing. Over time, the patient develops difficulty breathing and choking attacks. Further starvation with oxygen will damage the brain tissue, which will lead to damage to attention and memory.
• Nausea. Sometimes any movement of the body or head is accompanied by vomiting, which is difficult to control. The patient has a disturbed appetite, reduced weight.

• Vision problems. Cervical osteochondrosis can cause such a symptom as "fly" in front of the eyes or fog, reduced weight, violation of the focus of vision. Moreover, exercise therapy or wearing glasses cannot solve the problem.
• Pressure change. This condition is caused by an artery spasm. The patient may even lose consciousness.
• Dry and lumpy feeling in the throat. Sometimes it is the only symptom that says the neck is affected. Therefore, osteochondrosis in this case can be easily confused with other pathologies.
• Temperature increase. This symptom is unusual. Moreover, it is not the basal temperature that changes, but the local temperature. The skin around the neck becomes hot and red.
• Limited mobility. The neck seems to sting. And you can also hear an unpleasant crackling and crunching in the neck when turning your head.
• Weakness in the hands and a burning sensation between the shoulder blades.
• Impaired coordination of movements, which affects the patient's gait.

Some of the above signs of cervical osteochondrosis are not specific. This makes the diagnosis of the disease somewhat difficult, because the person does not turn to 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. The first phase. It is accompanied by periodic headaches, discomfort in the neck, shoulders and arms. There is little limitation on mobility. There may be a slight decrease in skin sensitivity in the collar area. At this stage, treatment is practically not performed, because patients do not seek medical help. Some patients try to treat osteochondrosis at home using folk remedies.
2. Second phase. The pain in the cervical spine intensifies, and an unpleasant crunch is heard. In the region of the shoulders, as well as in the arms, a serious violation of sensitivity occurs. Headaches practically do not disappear at this stage, the patient's vision worsens, noise occurs in the head and ears, and the clarity of tendon reflexes decreases. During the exacerbation of osteochondrosis, cracking pains radiate below the shoulder blade. Here it is no longer possible not to notice the symptoms of the disease, and the patient tries to visit the doctor. However, it is no longer possible to completely get rid of the defeat. It will only be possible to slow down its further development.
3. The third phase. Here the collagen fibers of the disc are already destroyed, which looks like a hernial protrusion. The fixation of the vertebrae is disturbed and they begin to fall out. Even sprains can occur. The patient develops very strong pains in the neck and heart, paresis and paralysis of the upper limbs occur, and the spine is bent. Tendon reflexes are practically absent at this stage of osteochondrosis development. A complication of this degree of cervical osteochondrosis is a spinal stroke.

If a person "saves" themselves from illness at home without consulting a doctor, then that behavior can result in disability.

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

What syndromes cause osteochondrosis?

So, there are certain sets of symptoms that indicate that a person has a certain syndrome. If at least one sign is missing, then it is not necessary to talk about such a pathological condition.

There are several syndromes caused by cervical osteochondrosis:

• Radicular. Alternatively, it may be called "cervical radiculitis. "It occurs as a result of nerve constriction. It is characterized by the following symptoms: the presence of pain radiating to the shoulder blades, passing along the shoulders and extending to the forearms and fingers; the appearance of "flies" before the eyes; tingling in fingers, forearms, hands. The localization of symptoms can vary depending on which pair of roots is damaged.
• Irritant reflex. It is characterized by acute burning pain in the neck and nape of the neck, which occurs due to movement after sleep, when sneezing. Unpleasant sensations can be obtained in the chest.
• Vertebral artery syndrome. The following symptoms stand out here: loss of consciousness, nausea, severe burning headache in nature, which spreads to the scalp, temples and occiput of the skull. The patient is characterized by weakness, hearing impairment, eye pain, and blurred vision.
• Hearty. It has a special feature - it is easy to confuse it with an attack of angina pectoris, so the prescribed treatment may turn out to be wrong. If a patient is diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms of heart syndrome are as follows: suddenly there is pain that intensifies with the slightest movement; tachycardia; inability to stop the attack with special heart pills that promote dilation of the coronary arteries. At the same time, there are no signs of circulatory disorders on the cardiogram.

Because osteochondrosis has a chronic form, its worsening periodically occurs. The intensity of the symptoms increases. Feelings can last for a long time, and only an injection of anesthetic can remove them. The tablets may not be effective.

How is pathology diagnosed?

In order to accurately determine the severity of osteochondrosis, to determine the extent of vertebral destruction, the patient must undergo a thorough examination. It contains the following procedures:

• External examination of the patient.
• Neurological tests.
• Duplex scan or Doppler ultrasound of blood vessels.
• MRI.
• 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.

Characteristics of pathology treatment

Thus, treatment of cervical osteochondrosis must be carried out in the early stages. Moreover, a sick person can take the necessary medications, do therapeutic exercises at home, but only after a thorough examination and consultation with specialists.

Therapy must be comprehensive. It is not enough just to remove the symptoms of the pathology. It is necessary to try to restore the functionality of the cervical spine. For this, a person needs medications (painkillers, hormonal, vitamin complexes, chondroprotective drugs), as well as therapeutic exercises.

To eliminate severe pain that the tablets cannot stop, a special injection is used, which is done in the inter-articular region. However, this method of blocking can be used only a few times a year.

In addition to medication, the patient is offered physiotherapy procedures: massage, ultrasound and ultraviolet treatment. If conservative therapy does not work, then the patient is prescribed surgery. But it is rather an extreme measure and it is better not to allow the disease in such a state.