Osteochondrosis is one of the few diseases that are unique to humans. The reason for this is such a distinctive feature of a person as a straight 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 soon 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 greater 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 spinal column.
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. In addition, the development of cervical osteochondrosis is strongly affected by insufficient blood supply to the cartilage tissue.
Therefore, the development of the disease is a complex and long process and does not have a single cause. Although there is a connection between a person's sedentary work and the presence of cervical osteochondrosis, however, the disease is often found in trained people, especially athletes, due to the increased load on the cervical spine during weight lifting.
In older people, as a rule, the degradation of vertebral structures is an inevitable process associated with the aging of the body 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
- Rachiocampsi
- back injury
- Overweight
- hard physical work
- Sedentary work
- Violation of metabolic processes
- Frequent hypothermia
- Uncomfortable posture during sleep
- Stress, fatigue
- hereditary factors
- Infectious diseases
- Body characteristics such as neck 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, as sometimes the degree of degradation of the bone and cartilage tissue may not correspond to the symptoms observed in the patient.
First degree
Destructive processes begin in the bone and cartilage tissue of the vertebrae. As a rule, at this stage of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms are mild. Patients either do not notice them at all or do not associate them with spinal diseases, 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 grade
Herniated intervertebral discs are formed, blood vessels and neck muscles are damaged. The patient has dizziness, pain in the back of the head.
fourth degree
Osteophytes appear - bone 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:
- Pain in the neck and shoulders
- muscle weakness
- Increased sweating
- Numbness of the hand
- Impaired coordination
- Dizziness
- Visual and hearing impairment
- Increased blood pressure
- Headache
These symptoms, characteristic of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, can be present at all stages of the disease. In most cases, there are only a few symptoms from the list, and the rest may be absent. 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 as a result can be made very late.
Cervical osteochondrosis syndromes
With cervical osteochondrosis, several syndromes occur, that is, typical conditions that have a complex of characteristic features. They appear depending on which nerves and arteries are 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 due to the fact that the blood flow in the artery that runs along the spine and feeds the brain is reduced. The syndrome presents with symptoms such as systemic or periodic dizziness, hearing and vision problems. In some cases, fainting may occur. Often there is some kind of syndrome, which implies 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 sharply decrease.
Hypertension is also one of the most dangerous complications. Unlike vertebral artery syndrome, it is caused by compression of the arteries, not the arteries, making it difficult for blood to flow out of the head. The syndrome leads to an increase in intracranial pressure, which can manifest itself with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and headache.