The first signs of cervical osteochondrosis are quite difficult to notice. They often cause so little discomfort that a person does not pay attention to them and is in no hurry to see a doctor. In other cases, symptoms are mistaken for simple fatigue or a mild cold:
- increased neck pain;
- feeling of heaviness in the back of the neck;
- slight tingling in the hands.
These signs appear in thousands of people every day, but few are able to recognize them as developing cervical osteochondrosis.
Important! Remember that the disease develops slowly and in the early stages it is much easier to contain the progression of destructive processes than to treat an advanced stage!
Who is at risk
Osteochondrosis does not only develop in those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. Athletes in areas such as classical wrestling, judo, wrestling and sambo also suffer from this disease. The disease develops due to critical loads on the spinal column in the cervical region (constant falls and blows, high mobility of the neck). It is important to consider that osteochondrosis is often diagnosed before the age of 35 – more than 86% of cases.
How the disease develops
Currently, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is much more common than other pathologies of the spine. This is due to the greater mobility of the neck. As the disease progresses, severe pain appears that worsens the person's life. Osteochondrosis progresses slowly, but certainly leads to degenerative changes in the bone tissues of the spine. There are four degrees of disease development:
- The first phase is characterized by an almost complete absence of symptoms. The disease can only be diagnosed during a routine examination. Sometimes, mild pain may occur, which many identify as signs of stress or fatigue. In the first stage, the nucleus pulposus is destroyed, which is why the vertebrae begin to withstand the load worse. As a result, degenerative-dystrophic processes develop. Among the first symptoms are: mild headaches that pass quickly, "inside the neck" spasm syndrome, significant muscle tension in the upper back.
- In the second stage of the disease, cracks appear on the sides of the discs due to stress. They are not very deep yet, but they already contribute to core compression. During diagnosis, protrusion is often detected and the height of the disc decreases. This phase is characterized by frequent and prolonged pain. A person loses strength, certain areas of his face begin to go numb, and stiffness of movements develops due to fear of new pain sensations.
- The third phase is characterized by the formation of a hernia in the cervical region between the vertebrae. All tissues along with the vessels located in this area - veins, muscles, nerves, arteries - are also affected. The pain flows smoothly and spreads from the neck to the occipital region. Special sensitivity occurs when moving the head. Patients also begin to complain of dizziness due to insufficient blood flow in the vertebral artery.
- In the fourth stage, osteophytes form - bone tissue grows in width because the body and brain literally send signals demanding an increase in area to distribute the load. As a result, the nerves of the vertebrae are compressed, the cavities between the vertebrae are reduced, severe stiffness occurs and sometimes impossibility of movement. All adjacent joints are damaged. To eliminate the causes and "contain" cervical osteochondrosis at this stage, it will be necessary to carry out difficult and long-term treatment, including surgical intervention.
Preventing cervical osteochondrosis is an important process that will help contain the degradation of cervical vertebrae, alleviate complications and preserve quality of life. But to identify the pathology, it is necessary not only to monitor the symptoms, but at least once a year to diagnose and carry out the necessary tests.
Features of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Even minor changes in the vertebrae, ligaments and intervertebral discs lead to disruption of the functioning of nerve endings. Blood vessels are also affected. They all connect directly to the brain and other organs, where unpleasant symptoms arise.
Important! It is the compression of blood vessels and nerves that causes discomfort and severe pain.
The clinical symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are divided into three groups:
- the first group is characterized by neurological manifestations of pathology that arise due to the impact of inflammatory processes and changes that occur in the tissues of the peripheral part of the nervous system;
- the second group is associated with the impact of processes in the spinal cord;
- The third group includes signals that depend on the interruption of processes in the nerve endings leading to the brain.
As soon as disturbances occur in the peripheral nervous system, a person begins to feel pain. They don't always start abruptly and last a long time, but they all start in the same place - inside the neck. The pain is not similar to muscle pain, when kneading there is no relaxation.
In most cases, when the peripheral system is damaged, a feeling of shortness of breath occurs. Patients feel as if they have a "lump" in their throat and it becomes difficult to breathe. Pain is characterized as an unexpressed, dull and constant tension in the muscles. Sometimes, after a night's sleep, the pain intensifies.
The progression of the disease leads to the spread of symptoms. Following the head and neck, the arms begin to suffer:
- feeling weak;
- numbness occurs in one or more fingers;
- then large parts of the hands become numb.
If you feel pain and pressure in the heart region, this can talk about the development of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis. Osteochondrosis is often misidentified as angina or neuralgia. It is mainly characterized by symptoms such as:
- cough;
- stomachache;
- liver discomfort;
- pain in the lungs.
As soon as the vertebral artery is connected to the destructive process (supplies oxygen to the brain), brain symptoms begin to appear. As the disease develops, it becomes compressed and cannot function normally. This is how dizziness develops, vision deteriorates and tinnitus occurs.
The use of conventional analgesics rarely helps in the treatment of headaches with cervical osteochondrosis.
Physical activity and frequent nervous tension can provoke an exacerbation of the pathology. Symptoms of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis:
- increasing irritation;
- sensitive and intermittent sleep;
- rapid fatigue.
If a person is diagnosed with vegetative-vascular dystonia, the symptoms intensify: neuroses develop, blood pressure rises. The diagnosis may also indicate the development of cervical osteochondrosis, therefore it is necessary to pass all tests, undergo an MRI scan and take other photographs of the cervical spine.
It is almost impossible to independently diagnose cervical osteochondrosis based on symptoms. Considering that the first phase occurs practically without evident signs, it is necessary to carry out regular preventive examinations. At the first signs of the disease, treatment should be started, following the doctor's recommendations. Even if the disease is not yet "over" and does not cause tangible problems.
Syndromes
For an accurate diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, a correct justification of the symptoms is necessary. Based on examinations, images and scans, the doctor must accurately determine the causes of the symptoms. All of them are associated with certain syndromes.
Humeroscapular periarthritis
The syndrome is characterized by severe pain and muscle contracture in the region of one of the shoulder joints. In left-handers, the left shoulder joint is usually affected, and in right-handers, the right joint is affected. Features of pain syndrome:
- constant;
- sore;
- aching.
In most cases, the pain intensifies at night. If you move your hand to the side or place it behind your back, the pain will also intensify. Sometimes the pain is felt throughout the arm, in the occipital and scapular regions.
During the examination, the doctor often notices tension in the joint area, and during palpation, the patient feels severe pain in the muscles. In some cases, the doctor notices impactions and small nodules on palpation, as well as slight swelling in the affected shoulder.
Radicular syndromes
The syndrome can develop when the spinal root is damaged. It usually appears several years after the onset of osteochondrosis. Irreversible destruction occurs in the vertebrae and discs: the cavity made up of nerves and vessels shrinks as the cartilage becomes thinner or an intervertebral hernia forms. Osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome is characterized by some symptoms:
- pain is observed in the forearm, in the shoulder blade area, and moves to the front of the chest;
- it becomes difficult to move the neck, pain and stiffness are felt;
- The sensitivity of the skin on the hands worsens, it becomes numb and a sensation of "goosebumps" appears;
- a person cannot raise his hand from the side of the affected parts.
irritant reflex syndrome
The syndrome is characterized by a sharp, somewhat burning pain in the back of the head and neck. It appears when you move your head after a long period of immobility, for example when working on a computer. Discomfort is felt in the shoulder joints, as well as in the chest area.
cardiac syndrome
The syndrome is often confused with angina pectoris, as the symptoms of the diseases are almost identical. This happens because pain and contractions of muscle tissue occur in the heart region due to compression of the roots in the lower sections of the cervical spine. Hence the similarity of diseases.
The syndrome is characterized by pain that appears in crises and can last from 10 to 15 minutes to several hours. Significantly intensify with sudden movements (turning, coughing, sneezing). Often, cardinal syndrome is characterized by the development of tachycardia and coronary dilators are unable to relieve pain. There are also no signs on the cardiogram characteristic of circulatory disorders.
Vertebral artery syndrome
The role of the vertebral artery is to supply the brain and spinal cord. With the syndrome, the functioning of the periarterial sympathetic plexus is disrupted. The picture of the syndrome looks like this:
- headaches of varying intensity;
- disorders of the vestibular apparatus (staggering, loss of balance);
- mild and severe dizziness;
- nausea, vomiting;
- pharyngolaryngeal and ocular symptoms (deterioration of vision, appearance of a veil before the eyes).
In vertebral artery syndrome, burning pain often occurs not only in the neck but also in the back of the head. A feeling of lethargy, resentment and irritability develops. Anxiety levels increase, sleep and memory can be disturbed.
Thus, to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to determine which syndrome underlies cervical osteochondrosis. Based on specific symptoms, test results, photographs and palpation, an experienced doctor will be able to accurately determine the characteristics of the pathology and prescribe the correct treatment.