Cervical osteochondrosis involves degenerative disorders in the intervertebral discs. The disease is accompanied by a complex of several symptoms. The clinical picture develops as the disease progresses: each stage corresponds to certain signs and the intensity of their manifestation.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in stages (stages)
Osteochondrosis is a progressive disease, so the clinical picture develops gradually. This refers to the number of symptoms of the disease and the intensity of their manifestation. In total, there are 4 stages of the disease.
The first stageof osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is early. The changes mainly occur at the biochemical level. This stage of the disease is accompanied by mild symptoms or is asymptomatic, therefore it is called preclinical. It has the following features:
- discomfort appears in the neck, which can spread to the arms and shoulders, sometimes the sensations become painful;
- headache;
- the motor activity of the cervical spine is slightly limited;
- there are visual impairments that pass quickly;
- the sensitivity of the skin of the collar area decreases;
- Symptoms increase with head tilt.
The initial stage of osteochondrosis is ignored by many patients. Symptoms of the disease that appear are often attributed to age, fatigue and stress.
The second stageof cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by the development of protrusions. This phase involves the dehydration of the intervertebral disc, a decrease in its elasticity and height and the appearance of cracks in the annulus fibrosus. In this case, the disc swells in the intervertebral canal.
This stage of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- severe pain in the neck, possible crunching;
- painful sensations are shooting in nature, radiating under the shoulder blade;
- Pain increases with prolonged holding of the head in one position;
- significant loss of sensation in the skin of the shoulders and arms;
- frequent and long-lasting headaches;
- visual disturbances, flies in the eyes;
- tinnitus, ringing;
- muscle weakness of the upper limbs;
- decreased clarity of tendon reflexes;
- development of insomnia, less often other sleep disorders;
- there is a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing.
The second stage of cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself quite clearly, so many patients consult a doctor at this stage. In this case, conservative treatment is sufficient.
The third stageof the disease is characterized by the destruction of the annulus fibrosus and the formation of an intervertebral hernia. At this stage, the spine is deformed, the vertebrae are displaced, against the background of their weak fixation, subluxations and dislocations develop.
This stage of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- severe acute pain that may spread to the heart;
- partial or total violation of the sensitivity of the skin in the back of the head, shoulders, arms;
- paresis, paralysis of the upper limbs;
- almost total absence of tendon reflexes.
Last, Osteochondrosis of thefourth stageinvolves the replacement of intervertebral disc tissue with scar tissue. At this stage, remission of the disease often occurs, but pathological changes also spread to other structures of the spine, therefore, clinical signs of different stages of osteochondrosis can be observed simultaneously.
General signs of cervical osteochondrosis
The clinical picture of cervical osteochondrosis is quite diverse. This is due to impaired blood flow, involvement of the peripheral nervous system in the pathological process, possible compression and disruption of the integrity of the spinal cord. Against this background, various symptoms develop, but several common signs of the disease are distinguished.
Pain
This symptom in cervical osteochondrosis is the main one. The main localization of painful sensations is the neck. Headaches and facial pains are also observed. The painful sensations can radiate to various parts of the body.
This characteristic of the pathology depends on the affected area:
- if the C4-C5 disc is affected, the pain is radiated to the outer surface of the shoulder and the medial part of the scapula;
- with a C5-C6 disc lesion, painful sensations spread to the lateral surface of the forearm, hand, thumb and index finger;
- C6-C7 pathology is accompanied by painful sensations along the back of the shoulder and forearm, extending to the index and middle fingers;
- if the C7-Th1 disc is involved, the pain radiates along the inner surface of the forearm and hand to the ring and little fingers.
Reduction of sensitivity and reflections
These symptoms occur against the background of a violation of the innervation of the nerve roots. Painful sensations may be absent. The characteristics of reduced sensitivity and reflexes depend on the localization of pathological changes:
- When the C4-C5 disc is affected, sensitivity in the upper outer shoulder is reduced. There is a decrease in the reflex of the biceps muscle.
- Osteochondrosis of the C5-C6 disc is accompanied by reduced sensitivity of the lateral surface of the forearm, hand, thumb and index finger. The biceps muscle reflex is also reduced.
- C6-C7 disc pathology reduces the sensitivity of the index and middle fingers, the back of the hand and the forearm. There is a decrease in the reflex from the triceps muscle.
- The defeat of the C7-Th1 disc is accompanied by a decrease in sensitivity of the ring finger, little finger, inner surface of the hand and forearm. Reflexes are not affected.
Vertigo
This symptom often develops in the initial stage of cervical osteochondrosis and is one of the first manifestations of the disease. Vertigo is caused by a decrease in the volume of oxygen supplied to the semicircular canals of the inner ear. They are found in the brain and provide balance. Simultaneously with dizziness, there may be fluctuations in the pupils in the horizontal or vertical direction.
Nausea
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, blood flow through the cerebral vessels is disturbed. This causes nausea and burping of air. These symptoms often occur when turning and tilting the head and sometimes during normal walking. Symptoms can grow into indomitable vomiting.
Against the background of such signs, the following consequences are possible:
- decreased appetite;
- weight loss;
- nutritional deficiency, alimentary dystrophy.
Lack of air
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, irritation of the phrenic nerve, which regulates the depth and frequency of breathing, is possible. With the defeat of this nerve, a person has difficulty breathing, he cannot breathe fully. Against this background, there is a lack of oxygen, which is fraught with the development of shortness of breath and even suffocation.
During night sleep, especially if the head is uncomfortable, there is a risk of respiratory arrest. Usually these attacks are accompanied by snoring. In the absence of fresh air, hypoxia develops, against which the following symptoms occur:
- fatigue even after the duration of sleep;
- malaise;
- weakness;
- weakening of attention and memory.
Impaired hearing, noise and ringing in the ears
Against the background of circulatory disorders in cervical osteochondrosis, the vestibular apparatus suffers. This leads to inner ear dysfunction and causes cochlear syndrome, which is also called cochlear. It has the following symptoms:
- tinnitus;
- rings;
- general hearing loss.
A distinctive feature that indicates cervical osteochondrosis is the occurrence of tinnitus against the background of prolonged stay in a forced position.
Syncope
This symptom occurs against a background of blood flow disorders provoked by cervical osteochondrosis. Normally, blood constantly moves through the cerebral arteries. With osteochondrosis, the bone processes of the vertebrae are deformed and irritate the nerve endings. This leads to a pronounced spasm of the arteries, against the background of which the blood flow is temporarily stopped and the person suddenly loses consciousness. Fainting usually lasts no longer than 2-3 minutes.
Pharyngeal symptoms
This manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis implies a whole series of pathological signs:
- tickling;
- foreign body sensation;
- Difficulty swallowing
- dry throat;
- itching sensations.
Pharyngeal symptoms develop against the background of disorders of the neurovascular trunks, the source of which is the spinal cord. When they appear, a differential diagnosis is required, since a similar clinical picture is characteristic of the inflammatory process and tumors.
Visual impairment
Such a disorder in cervical osteochondrosis often occurs against the background of low blood pressure or atherosclerosis of the arteries of the brain. Visual impairment can manifest itself as follows:
- a veil in front of the eyes, objects are visible, as in a fog;
- visual acuity decreases;
- the dots flash in front of the eyes;
- loses focus on certain topics.
A distinctive feature of visual disturbances against the background of cervical osteochondrosis is the lack of special gymnastic effect for the eyes or wearing glasses.
Changing the temperature
With cervical osteochondrosis, such a deviation occurs locally. This means hyperemia in the pathological area, that is, a local increase in the temperature of the skin.
Cervical osteochondrosis syndromes
Symptoms accompanying cervical osteochondrosis are quite common and accompany many other diseases of various organs and systems of the body. To facilitate diagnosis, the clinical signs are grouped into groups called syndromes:
- Neck pain. This syndrome is reflexive and involves neck pain. It could indicate damage to the spine or muscles in this area.
- Cervicocranialgia. This syndrome is also reflected. It means painful sensations in the cervico-occipital region and occurs against the background of trauma, inflammation or degenerative changes.
- Cervicobrachialgia. This reflex syndrome involves neck pain that radiates to the arm. It occurs against the background of compression of the nerve roots of the cervical spine. With osteochondrosis, this syndrome is accompanied by musculo-tonic, vegetative-vascular or neurodystrophic manifestations.
- Radicular syndrome. It is also called another way - cervical radiculitis. It involves a disturbing sensation on the affected area, tingling in the fingers and forearms, slight swelling with spread to some fingers (depending on the location of the lesion).
- Irritative reflex syndrome. It involves cervicocranialgia. Painful sensations are sharp and burning, they can radiate to the shoulder, chest. Symptoms increase with a change in the position of the head, a sharp turn, sneezing.
- Vertebral artery syndrome. This symptom complex includes headache, discomfort with certain movements, imbalance, loss of hearing and visual acuity, weakness, nausea, and loss of consciousness. The headache is throbbing, it can be constant or paroxysmal.
- Cardiac syndrome. The clinical picture resembles angina pectoris. Long-term pain suddenly develops, which intensifies against the background of a sharp movement of the neck, coughing, sneezing. It doesn't go away with heart medications, and an EKG doesn't show abnormal blood flow to the heart muscle. The clinical picture can be supplemented by tachycardia and extrasystole.
- Vegetative-dystonic syndrome. Occurs in case of subluxation with displacement of the C1 vertebra. This syndrome usually involves neurological symptoms of impaired cerebral blood flow: muscle spasms, drops in intracranial pressure, dizziness, decreased visual acuity, fainting, headache, nausea.
Cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by various symptoms. The features of clinical manifestations and their intensity largely depend on the stage of the disease, which implies some pathological changes. Some signs of the disease are combined into syndromes - such groups of symptoms facilitate diagnosis.