Osteochondrosis is one of the few diseases peculiar to humans. The reason for this is such a distinctive feature of a person as a right foot. The vertical position of the spine causes the vertebrae to press against each other, and the bone and cartilage tissue of the spine is gradually destroyed and deformed. It is recommended to treat osteochondrosis as early as possible.
The human spine begins in the cervical region. In total, there are seven vertebrae in this department, from the first to the seventh. The vertebrae are separated from each other by intervertebral discs. The cervical spine is a particularly vulnerable part of it, mainly due to the increased mobility of the vertebrae in this area. In the cervical region, the disease is mainly reflected in the discs, which are a weak point in the structure of the spine.
Factors such as the small size of the vertebrae and the relative weakness of the neck muscles also contribute to the spread of cervical osteochondrosis. Also, the development of cervical osteochondrosis is strongly influenced by insufficient blood supply to the cartilage tissue.
Thus, the development of the disease is a complex and long process and does not have a single cause. Although there is a connection between the sedentary work of a person and the presence of cervical osteochondrosis, nevertheless, the disease is often found in trained people, especially athletes, due to the increased load on the cervical spine duringweightlifting.
In older people, as a rule, the breakdown of spinal structures is an inevitable process associated with the aging of the organism and the weakening of its defenses. However, the most common pathological type of cervical osteochondrosis, in which the main role is played by external or internal negative factors.
Factors contributing to the development of cervical osteochondrosis:
- Bad posture
- Rachiocampus
- back injury
- Overweight
- strenuous physical labor
- Sedentary work
- Violation of metabolic processes
- Frequent hypothermia
- Uncomfortable posture during sleep
- Stress, fatigue
- hereditary factors
- Infectious diseases
- Body characteristics such as a neck that is too long or too short
Degrees of development of cervical osteochondrosis
The disease has four stages. It is not always easy to determine the stage of the disease by analyzing the symptoms, because sometimes the degree of breakdown of bone and cartilage tissue may not correspond to the symptoms observed in the patient.
First degree
The destructive processes begin in the bone and cartilaginous tissues of the vertebrae. As a rule, at this stage of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms are mild. Patients do not notice them at all or do not associate them with diseases of the spine, but attribute them to stress and overwork.
Second degree
The height of the disc begins to decrease, cracks appear on its surface. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at this stage are manifested by constant pain, weakness, numbness of certain parts of the face.
Third degree
Herniated intervertebral discs are formed, the vessels and muscles of the neck are damaged. The patient has dizziness, pain in the back of the head.
fourth degree
Osteophytes appear - bony growths that protect the vertebrae from stress, which leads to pinching of the nerve, which leads to stiffness and damage to adjacent joints.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Neck and shoulder pain
- muscular weakness
- Increased sweating
- Hand numbness
- Impaired coordination
- Dizziness
- Visual and hearing impairment
- Increased blood pressure
- Headache
These symptoms, characteristic of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, can be present at any stage of the disease. In most cases, there are only a few symptoms listed, and the rest may be missing. A person who first encountered such signs of the disease does not always suspect that he has cervical osteochondrosis. Therefore, he can turn to various doctors - therapists, cardiologists, neuropathologists, surgeons. And the correct diagnosis accordingly can be made very late.
Syndromes of cervical osteochondrosis
With cervical osteochondrosis, several syndromes occur, that is, typical conditions that have a complex of features. They appear depending on the nerves and arteries affected by the disease:
- vertebral artery syndrome
- heart syndrome
- hypertensive syndrome
- radicular syndrome
- cervical migraine syndrome
Vertebral artery syndrome is one of the most unpleasant and dangerous complications of cervical osteochondrosis. This is because blood flow in the artery that runs along the spine and supplies the brain is reduced. The syndrome is manifested by symptoms such as systemic or periodic dizziness, hearing and visual impairment. In some cases, fainting may occur. Often there is a kind of syndrome, implying that in the normal state the blood flow in the artery is normal, but when the head is turned in one direction or another, it can drop sharply.
Hypertension is also one of the most dangerous complications. Unlike vertebral artery syndrome, it is caused by compression of arteries, not arteries, making it difficult for blood to drain from the head. The syndrome causes increased intracranial pressure, which can manifest as symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and headache.