Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is represented by a degenerative-dystrophic pathology of the intervertebral discs. This disease refers to progressive disc disorders.
The cervical spine is represented by 7 discs. The cervical region is considered the most mobile. Thanks to this mobility, inclinations and turns of the head become possible.
The reason for the frequent injury of this part of the spine is the weakness of its muscular corset. The cervical region withstands constant loads, which consist in holding the head, performing its turns, tilting. It is due to such a strong tension that dystrophic changes (osteochondrosis) occur.
Stages of the disease
In osteochondrosis, the following stages of development are distinguished:
- 1st degree osteochondrosis of the cervical region has instability as its main symptom. In the vertebral discs, the initial disturbances are noted.
- 2nd degree osteochondrosis of the cervical region has protrusion of the discs as the main symptom. The destruction of the fibrous ring occurs due to a decrease in the space between the discs. The patient is disturbed by painful sensations, the cause of which is pinching of the nerve endings.
- Osteochondrosis of the 3rd degree cervical region manifests itself in the final destruction of the fibrous ring. As a result of such destruction, an intervertebral hernia occurs. At this stage of the progression of the disease, the patient's spine undergoes severe deformities.
- The fourth degree is considered the most severe. The patient is disturbed by very strong acute pains at the slightest movements. Periodically, the patient's condition improves, he is no longer worried about very severe pain. But such relief is very dangerous. Indicates the formation of bony growths that connect the vertebrae. The formed growths restrict the movement of the spine and in the future can cause disability to the patient.
Causes of pathology
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine began to manifest itself not only in people over 40, but also in young people (18-30 years).
The most common causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- excess weight;
- trauma;
- violation of posture;
- hypothermia, infectious diseases;
- metabolic disease;
- the presence of nervous tension, stress;
- sedentary lifestyle.
Osteochondrosis develops against the background of muscle clamps. Under the influence of muscle spasms, the blood supply is disturbed, mobility is limited and posture is impaired. As a result of these changes, dystrophic processes develop within the intervertebral discs and vertebrae. As a result of dystrophic processes, a narrowing of the intervertebral discs occurs, as a result of which the nerve roots emerging from them are compressed.
Symptoms
The peculiarity of the cervical spine lies in its saturation with the blood vessels necessary to nourish the brain. Therefore, the signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine depend on insufficient blood supply to the organs of the head. Lack of oxygen and nutrients negatively affects the brain.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are as follows:
- Frequent headaches.
- Hearing loss, ringing in the ears.
- The appearance of severe dizziness, which can also be accompanied by loss of consciousness.
- Reduced vision.
- Violation of coordination of movements.
- Appearance of hoarseness.
- Snoring occurs, indicating the presence of chronic muscle tension.
As a result of pinched nerves in the cervical region, the following symptoms appear:
- soreness of the skin, teeth;
- weakness in the arms;
- numbness, cold fingers on the upper limbs;
- pain in the neck, throat.
Pathological changes accompanying the disease have many clinical manifestations. Most of them, in addition to pain in the neck, can raise the suspicion of the development of completely different diseases. Turning to the clinic with complaints of pain in the elbow, decreased vision, the manifestation of visual disturbances, the patient does not even allow the thought of developing osteochondrosis in him.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine are conventionally divided into 3 groups:
- neurological symptoms. It is a complication that occurs as a result of trauma to the discs, nerve roots, nerves and nerve plexuses. These symptoms are pain. Pain in osteochondrosis of the cervical region has a piercing and stabbing character. It can also be characterized as boring, boring. It can be constant or intermittent, but always localized in the depths of the neck. It is pain in the neck that is considered the main sign of the development of osteochondrosis. It accompanies the patient from the moment of awakening, intensifying during the day. The pain can affect the upper limbs, the chest area, the head.
- Symptoms associated with the effect of the disease on the spinal cord. It occurs in the presence of movement disorders. The patient, closing his eyes, feels a lack of coordination. Insufficient blood supply to the spinal cord causes increased fatigue, the development of myelopathy (disappearance of pain, temperature sensitivity). The patient is concerned about the weakness of the upper and lower limbs.
- Symptoms associated with damage to the brain, cranial nerves, cerebral vessels. It manifests itself in a pathological effect on the vessels. The lack of blood flow within the system that regulates the blood supply to the brain stem causes a violation of its functions. The patient has increased fatigue, irritability, is worried about a sleep disorder. He has an increase in pressure with osteochondrosis of the cervical region, the pulse also increases, sweating and dizziness appear. Also, the patient may experience noise in the ear with osteochondrosis of the cervical region. The patient is disturbed by the sensation of suffocation in the ear, hearing itself is reduced. In the presence of these symptoms, in addition to a decrease in visual acuity, it is very difficult to determine the relationship with progressive cervical osteochondrosis.
Most often, these symptoms appear not separately, but together, but with a predominance of one of the groups.
Classification of the syndrome
When osteochondrosis of the cervical spine occurs, the symptoms will depend on the object that affected the disease:
- Vertebral artery syndrome.
- root syndromes.
- heart syndrome.
- Irritative reflex syndrome.
- Compression of the spinal cord.
Cardiac syndrome
Symptoms of the disease are similar to those of angina pectoris. Heart muscle spasms can be the result of compression of the nerve roots in the lower part of the cervical region. Heart syndrome occurs with irritation of the pectoralis major muscle, the roots of the phrenic nerve.
Paroxysmal pains are felt for quite a long time, for several hours. They intensify when performing sudden movements (sneezing, sharp turning of the head, coughing).
Radicular syndromes
The cause of their occurrence is a pinched nerve. Such symptoms appear in the patient due to compression of the nerve roots. The pain occurs directly in the neck, then goes down, affects the scapula, shoulder, the outer part of the forearm, reaching the fingers. The patient may feel softness, the effect of "running goose bumps", tingling in the fingers, hands, forearm.
The difference in the symptoms of the disease also depends on the segment that affected the disease:
- The pastiness of the index, middle finger is noted when the central nerve roots are injured.
- The pastiness of the ring finger, the little finger is characteristic of the defeat of the roots of the brachial nerve.
vertebral artery syndrome
It is characterized by the appearance of a throbbing headache. This constant pain also affects the temple, crown, occipital and brow regions. Sometimes the pain becomes paroxysmal. An increase in pain is noted when moving, assuming an uncomfortable position. The patient also has disturbances in the functioning of the auditory, visual and vestibular systems. The patient notes a decrease in visual acuity, hearing, begins to be disturbed by pain in the eyes, a disorder of the vestibular apparatus. With a general weakening of the body, there is a possibility of bouts of nausea, loss of consciousness.
Irritative reflex syndrome
The patient is disturbed by acute pain in the cervical-occipital region. It occurs at the beginning of movement after a state of rest, for example after sleep. In addition, the burning pain can accompany sneezing, making sharp turns of the head. She gives in to the shoulder, to the chest.
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should contact the clinic for specialized treatment in order to avoid serious complications.