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 consult a doctor. In other cases, the symptoms are confused with simple fatigue or a mild cold:
- increased neck pain;
- feeling of heaviness in the back of the head;
- slight tingling in the hands.
These signs appear in thousands of people every day, but few can recognize them as the development of 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 develops not only in those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. Athletes in fields such as classical wrestling, judo, wrestling and sambo also suffer from this disease. The disease develops due to critical loads on the spine 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 increased mobility of the neck. As the disease progresses, severe pain appears that worsens a person's life. Osteochondrosis progresses slowly, but definitely leads to degenerative changes in the bone tissues of the spine. There are four degrees of development of the disease:
- The first phase is characterized by an almost total 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 phase, the destruction of the nucleus pulposus occurs, which is why the vertebrae begin to bear the load worse. As a result, degenerative-dystrophic processes develop. Among the first symptoms are: mild headaches that pass quickly, spasm syndrome "inside the neck", 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 yet very deep, but they already contribute to squeezing the nucleus. During diagnosis, a protrusion is often detected and the height of the disc decreases. This phase is characterized by frequent and prolonged pain. A person loses strength, some areas of the face begin to numb, and rigidity of movements develops due to fear of new pain sensations.
- The third stage is characterized by the formation of a hernia in the cervical region between the vertebrae. All tissues and vessels located in this area are also affected: veins, muscles, nerves, arteries. The pain flows smoothly and spreads from the neck to the occipital region. Particular sensitivity occurs when the head moves. Patients also begin to complain of dizziness due to insufficient blood flow in the vertebral artery.
- In the fourth phase, osteophytes are formed: the bone tissue grows in width because the body and brain literally send signals that require an increase in area to distribute the load. As a result, the nerves of the vertebrae are pinched, the cavities between the vertebrae are reduced, severe stiffness occurs, and sometimes the 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 a long and difficult treatment, including surgical intervention.
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is an important process that will help contain the degradation of the 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 carry out diagnostics and undergo the necessary tests.
Characteristics of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Even small 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 appear.
Important! It is the compression of blood vessels and nerves that leads to discomfort and intense pain.
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 on the spinal cord;
- The third group includes signs 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 suddenly and don't last long, but they all start from the same place: inside the neck. The pain is not similar to muscle pain; no relaxation occurs when kneading.
In most cases, when the peripheral system is damaged, a sensation of shortness of breath occurs. Patients feel as if they have a "lump" in their throat and it becomes difficult to breathe. The pain is characterized by the sensation of 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. After the head and neck, the arms begin to suffer:
- feeling weak;
- numbness occurs in one or more fingers;
- then most of the hands become numb.
If you feel pain and pressure in the heart area, you 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;
- stomach ache;
- liver discomfort;
- lung pain.
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 shrinks and cannot function normally. This is how dizziness develops, vision deteriorates and tinnitus occurs.
The use of conventional painkillers rarely helps with headaches with cervical osteochondrosis.
Physical activity and frequent nervous stress can provoke an exacerbation of the pathology. Symptoms of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis:
- increasing irritation;
- sensitive and intermittent sleep;
- fast fatigability.
If a person is diagnosed with vegetative-vascular dystonia, the symptoms intensify: neurosis develops, blood pressure jumps. The diagnosis may also indicate the development of cervical osteochondrosis, so it is necessary to pass all tests, undergo an MRI and take more photos of the cervical spine.
It is almost impossible to independently diagnose cervical osteochondrosis based on symptoms. Considering that the first phase presents practically without obvious signs, it is necessary to regularly undergo preventive examinations. At the first signs of the disease, treatment should begin, following the doctor's recommendations. Even if the disease has not yet "expressed itself" and does not cause tangible problems.
Syndromes
For an accurate diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, correct justification of the symptoms is necessary. Based on tests, images and examinations, 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 area of one of the shoulder joints. In left-handed people, the left shoulder joint is usually affected, while in right-handed people, the right joint is affected. Features of pain syndrome:
- constant;
- in pain;
- in pain.
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 increase. Sometimes the pain is felt throughout the arm, in the occipital and scapular regions.
During the examination, the doctor often notes tension in the joint area, and during palpation the patient feels severe pain in the muscles. In some cases, the doctor notices compactions and small nodules on palpation and a slight swelling of the affected shoulder is noted.
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 decreases, as the cartilage thins or an intervertebral hernia forms. Osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome is characterized by certain symptoms:
- the pain is observed in the forearm, in the scapula 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 of the hands worsens, it becomes numb and a sensation of "goosebumps" appears;
- a person cannot raise his hand from the side of the interested parties.
Irritant reflex syndrome
The syndrome is characterized by a sharp, rather 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 while working on the computer. Discomfort is felt in the shoulder joints and chest area.
Cardiac syndrome
The syndrome is often confused with angina pectoris, since the symptoms of the diseases are almost identical. This happens because pain and contractions of the muscle tissue in the heart area occur 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 manifests itself with attacks and can last from 10-15 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 fail to cope with pain relief. In addition, on the cardiogram there are no characteristic signs of circulatory disorders.
Vertebral artery syndrome
The role of the vertebral artery is to supply the brain and spinal cord. With the syndrome, the work of the periarterial sympathetic plexus is disrupted. The picture of the syndrome looks like this:
- headache of varying intensity;
- disorders of the vestibular system (staggering, loss of balance);
- mild to severe dizziness;
- nausea;
- pharyngolaryngeal and ocular symptoms (deterioration of vision, appearance of a veil in front of the eyes).
With 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 may be disrupted.
Therefore, 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.