Osteochondrosis is one of the few diseases that is unique to humans. The reason for this is such a distinctive feature of a person as a straight leg. The vertical position of the spine causes the vertebrae to press against each other, and the bone and cartilage tissue of the spine gradually breaks and deforms. It is recommended to treat osteochondrosis as early as possible.
The human spine begins in the cervical region. There are a total of 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, primarily due to the increased mobility of the vertebrae in this area. In the cervical region, the disease is reflected primarily in the discs, which are a weak spot 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 the insufficient blood supply to the cartilage tissue.
Thus, the development of the disease is a complex and lengthy process and there is no single cause. Although there is a link between sedentary work and the presence of cervical osteochondrosis, the disease is often common in trained people, especially athletes, due to the increased load on the cervical spine during weightlifting.
In the elderly, as a rule, the breakdown of spinal 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 external or internal negative factors play a major role.
Factors contributing to the development of cervical osteochondrosis:
- bad posture
- Rachiocampis
- back injury
- Overweight
- heavy physical work
- Sedentary work
- Disruption of metabolic processes
- Frequent hypothermia
- Uncomfortable posture during sleep
- Stress, fatigue
- hereditary factors
- Infectious diseases
- Body features such as too long or too short neck
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 bone and cartilage may not correspond to the symptoms observed in the patient.
First degree
Destructive processes begin in the bone and cartilage 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 fatigue.
Second specialty
The height of the disc begins to decrease, cracks appear on its surface. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at this stage are manifested in constant pain, weakness, numbness of certain parts of the face.
Third degree
Herniations of the 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 - bone growths that protect the vertebrae from tension, which leads to pinching of the nerve, which leads to stiffness and damage to neighboring joints.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- Neck and shoulder pain
- muscle weakness
- Increased sweating
- Numbness of the hands
- Impaired coordination
- Dizziness
- Impairment of vision and hearing
- Increase in 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 on the list, and the rest may be missing. A person who first encounters such signs of the disease does not always suspect cervical osteochondrosis. Therefore, you can turn to different doctors - therapists, cardiologists, neurologists, surgeons. And the correct diagnosis as a result can be made very late.
Cervical osteochondrosis syndromes
In cervical osteochondrosis, several syndromes appear, ie typical conditions that have a complex of characteristic features. They occur 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 intermittent dizziness, impaired hearing and vision. In some cases, seizures may occur. There is often a type of syndrome that suggests that blood flow to the artery is normal in the normal state, but when the head turns 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 the arteries, not the arteries, which makes it harder for blood to flow from the head. The syndrome leads to an increase in intracranial pressure, which can manifest itself with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and headache.