Osteochondrosis is a common disease of the degenerative-dystrophic type, in which the structure and function of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs are impaired, which causes violation of the roots of the intervertebral nerves and thus causes symptoms. Osteochondrosis is a chronic pathology that arises under the influence of a complex of reasons: from the evolutionary and anatomical features of the structure of the human skeleton to the influence of external factors, such as working conditions, lifestyle, excess weight, injuriesand other. Most often, osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spines is diagnosed as the most exposed to stress. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is complex and long-term, primarily aimed at relieving symptoms and preventing complications.
Symptoms
Damage to the upper spine can manifest itself in a mass of symptoms, depending on the location and severity of the dystrophic process, as well as the severity of injury to the root structures of the cervical spine. Often, patient complaints are reduced to symptoms that at first glance are not related to each other, which can complicate the diagnosis and further treatment of the disease.
In general, the clinic for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is the following series of syndromes:
- Vertebral, characterized by various types of pain in the occiput and neck.
- Spinal, in which symptoms of reduced motor and sensory innervation are observed, in addition, disturbed trophism of the cervical area causes a gradual atrophy of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms.
- Radicular, expressed in pain symptoms in the peritoneal and chest organs, which requires careful additional diagnostics to differentiate osteochondrosis and diseases of the internal organs.
- Vertebral artery syndrome in cervical osteochondrosis - vestibular disorders manifested by headache, hearing disorders, dizziness, up to loss of consciousness.
These phenomena occur when the cause of cerebral ischemia due to the violation of the vertebral artery and the weakening of blood flow.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical segment develops gradually, and patients usually seek treatment already at the stage of clinical manifestations that interfere with quality of life, during periods of exacerbation. How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, only the doctor decides after the appropriate diagnosis, self-medication in this case is unacceptable.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck aims to eliminate pain, inflammation, partial or complete restoration of affected tissue structures and the prevention of complications.
Treatment must be mainly outpatient, any procedures at home can only be in combination with medical prescriptions, after instrumental and laboratory diagnostics.
In advanced cases, in severe stages of development of neurological lesions and concomitant pathologies, hospital treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with the possibility of surgical intervention may be indicated.
Medication for cervical osteochondrosis
It consists in the appointment of courses of drugs that relieve the symptoms of pain and inflammation. In the acute period, drugs are shown in injectable form, after some pain relief, the patient takes pills, locally acting agents in the form of ointments and continues to receive injections.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are considered the drugs of choice in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis to relieve pain and inflammation. These are diclofenac and indomethacin based drugs, available in different dosage forms. They reduce the swelling of soft tissues, thereby reducing pain, local agents have a warming effect, which improves blood flow in the affected cervical region. These drugs are used for 5-10 days, sometimes up to 2 weeks. In the acute period, NSAIDs are prescribed in the form of injections, after a few days the patient switches to the tablet form of administration. It is worth remembering that long-term treatment with NSAIDs adversely affects the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, for this reason the course of treatment usually does not exceed 10 days.
Sedatives such as persene, glycized, valerian tincture, peony, herbal teas are recommended for long-term pain and to reduce the risk of neurosis in the patient, which contributes to the effectiveness of the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. Local irritants. These are ointments, gels, rubbing with local action that have a warming, irritating and distracting effect. They are not used in the treatment of the acute phase. They contain biologically active substances of plant and animal origin, for example bee or snake venom. This group includes viprosal, apizartron, menovazin, nayatoks. In the presence of hypersensitivity to the components of the drug and with a high irritating effect, it is better not to use them, so as not to provoke even greater edema. Vitamins. During the period of treatment and further rehabilitation, the use of multivitamin complexes is recommended. Usually it is a group of vitamins of group B, the representatives of which are involved in ensuring normal nerve conduction, as well as vitamins A and C, to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and improve blood flow. Taking vitamins reduces vestibular disorders: motion sickness syndrome, dizziness, hearing loss.
Chondroprotector. These are substances that contribute to the restoration of the cartilage tissue of the vertebral discs of the cervical segment. These include glucosaminoglycans and chondroitin sulfate. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with chondroprotectors is carried out for a long time, 6-12 months.
Orthopedic treatments
Unpleasant symptoms in the cervical spine are often provoked and aggravated by an incorrect body position during sleep, a long stay in a forced posture or trauma. Therefore, the treatment complex also includes such methods as:
Neck collar or Shants collar. It is prescribed individually for each patient, after a medical consultation, as it is available in different varieties. The collar is a dense frame roller that fastens around the neck and fixes the vertebrae in the required position. The neck, therefore, does not bend and the head does not turn to the side, which guarantees the immobilization of the diseased area, which is important in acute periods. Shants neck collar can also be made in the form of two rollers with an inflatable layer, into which air is injected with a rubber bulb. The inflation of the interlayer between the rollers stretches the spine, which allows to increase the interarticular spaces in the cervical spine. The degree of elongation is determined by the doctor, it is not recommended to solve this problem on your own, in order to avoid damage to the neurovascular bundles of the neck. During the recovery period, a fully inflatable collar is used, which maintains some mobility of the neck and head.
The collar can be worn at home, no more than 3 hours a day, the general use rate is about one month. The final rules of use are determined by the doctor, depending on the severity of the condition and symptoms.
Correct posture. During sleep, it is necessary to keep the body in an anatomically correct position, when the nerves and vessels of the cervical spine are not compressed, this can be done using orthopedic mattresses and pillows. While awake, the patient should check his body position and correctly choose a desk and chair with an appropriate height. Elongation. The treatment procedure consists in stretching the ligaments of the spine to increase the distance between the vertebrae by 1-3 mm. Traction helps to reduce or completely eliminate compression of the radicular disc herniation or bony growths of the vertebra. The procedure removes intervertebral dislocations, reduces muscle contractures. The traction must be performed in stationary conditions by a doctor, and after the procedure, the cervical spine is fixed with a collar or similar devices for several hours. The course of treatment with extractions is on average 10-20 sessions.
Massage
Massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is an important and mandatory part of the treatment, along with the therapy courses. It is prescribed during periods of remission, to speed up recovery and prevent relapses. Massage is used both classic manual and in its varieties by the methods of oriental medicine.
A well performed massage stimulates blood circulation in the neck and collar area, improves the trophism of damaged tissues, relieves muscle and vascular spasms and gives relief to the patient. The general course of massage treatment is 10-14 procedures, every day or every other day, every 3-6 months. In the presence of severe pain, osteochondrosis massage is not performed. At home, you can do self-massage of the diseased cervical area.
Physiotherapy exercises
Physical therapy is always performed, with the exception of periods of exacerbation with pain. Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis can be done at home, although it is advisable to do it under the supervision of an instructor until the correct execution is achieved. The series of exercises consists of:
Turning the head to the side. The head tilts back and forth. Raise your shoulders with your hands fixed or relaxed, keeping for 15-20 seconds in this position. Static loads, when the flexor and extensor muscles of the cervical region are in turn tense, the head does not move.
The total number of repetitions is 5-7 times, one session lasts 15-20 minutes. As part of a treatment complex, physical therapy helps speed recovery and increase remission.
Physiotherapy and reflexology
In the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, electrophoresis with NSAIDs, anesthetics, hormonal preparations, diadynamic currents, laser and shock wave therapy are used. Physiotherapy in the early stage of development can lead to a complete cure and, in difficult cases, increase the time to remission. These methods of treatment are used during the rehabilitation periods after the treatment of exacerbations.
Reflexology, as a method of influencing certain points on the skin of the body, where internal organs are projected, is also used during recovery periods and helps to calm inflammation, improve blood flow, relieve tissue congestionand reduce muscle spasms. Among the methods of treatment, acupuncture, acupressure and hirudotherapy are often used, placing medicinal leeches on the skin of the cervical region.
The use of these methods can shorten the time and amount of medications taken and promote recovery.
Things to do at home
If the patient's condition allows, the manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis can be treated at home. For example, therapeutic exercises can be performed at home if there are no contraindications and constant supervision of a specialist is not required. It should be remembered that the appearance of pain and crunches in the neck is a reason to stop and seek qualified treatment.
The application of drugs with local action in the form of ointments, gels, medicinal patches is also carried out at home, strictly according to the medical prescription.
Also, it is possible to heal at home using some physiotherapy devices - for magnetotherapy and ultraviolet radiation and reflexology devices.
Folk remedies are also used in the form of compresses and compresses on the sore cervical region from grated potatoes, horseradish leaves, propolis, aloe and other herbal ingredients. Traditional methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis are palliative, temporarily relieve pain, edema, warm the affected section, and you should not limit yourself to them alone.
All means of treating osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should complement each other and be carried out in consultation with the doctor, after a complete diagnosis.
Medical treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine involves the use of conservative methods in order to provide adequate pain relief and there is no threat of significant disruption of the patient's daily activities.
Symptoms of the disease
Constant bending, lifting, rotation and twisting over many years of life, of course, negatively affect the health of the neck and the quality of its structural components. With all of these repetitive neck stresses, it's no surprise that around two-thirds of people experience neck pain at some point in their life. Pain sensations can be alarming symptoms of a disease such as osteochondrosis.
Attention! Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is considered one of the most common pathologies. This disease most often affects people of working age, leading a sedentary lifestyle.
The disease is initially asymptomatic. However, in the event of symptoms such as persistent headache, pain in the heart and under the shoulder blade, this disease requires immediate and effective treatment.
Degenerative processes can lead to the following manifestations:
- acute pain;
- double vision;
- dizziness;
- numbness in the shoulder area;
- weakness in the shoulders, arms.
This distress and loss of mobility can have a significant impact on career, family and quality of life.
The cervical spine is made up of seven bones called vertebrae, separated from each other by discs filled with a cushioning jelly-like substance. This design offers the ability to stabilize the neck, smoothly pivot it from side to side and tilt it back and forth.
Over time, these natural shock absorbers wear out and can begin to degrade. The space between the vertebrae narrows and the nerve endings are pinched. This process is known as cervical osteochondrosis. Of particular note is that research shows that approximately 25% of asymptomatic people under the age of 40 and 60% over the age of 40 have some degree of osteochondrosis. As osteochondrosis progresses, the neck becomes less flexible, the sensation of pain increases, there is a feeling of stiffness, especially towards the end of the day. It is for these reasons that osteochondrosis develops.
Attention! Its complications can be life-threatening.
Diagnostic and treatment functions
Diagnosis of the disease includes the following general manipulations:
- initial inspection;
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging);
- X-ray examination.
Drug therapy is the basis for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in combination, along with massage. Effective treatments include the following:
- reflexology;
- electrostimulation;
- manual therapy.
Physical therapy can also help reduce pain over a long period of time. The most commonly used methods include:
- acupuncture;
- electrophoresis;
- microcurrent electrical stimulation;
- laser therapy.
Usually, the course of this treatment of cervical osteochondrosis lasts about 14 days.
Simultaneously with the application of ice or heat, with the help of a special medicine, it will be possible to achieve pain relief and control pain and inflammation. In addition, exercises for the neck and shoulder girdle area, performed independently or with the help of a professional, will also help. Exercise helps maintain flexibility. Exercise, particularly by stretching the neck as much as possible, is essential for maintaining flexibility in the neck area. The specific set of exercises should be developed individually by a doctor or physiotherapist.
Medicines that can provide relief include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics.
Attention! You shouldn't use these medications for more than seven days without consulting your doctor, as kidney failure can be among the serious unwanted side effects they can cause.
Medicines containing steroids and muscle relaxants can also be used.
Treatment during an exacerbation
In the acute phase of the disease, when excruciating pain dominates the clinical picture, the main goal of medical therapy is to relieve pain. In such situations, for a limited period of time, very carefully and competently and only under the supervision of a doctor you can take analgesics (for example, tramadol, oxadol, orthophen) or more complex drugs (arcoxia). They are able to relieve pain and muscle tension.
Non-steroidal drugs, which are mostly taken as pain relievers, can also eliminate the cause of pain: inflammatory edema, which narrows blood vessels and nerves.
The use of muscle relaxants allows you to relieve muscle spasm, normalizing the condition of the cervical vertebrae, nerve endings and blood vessels. The use of vitamins is very important.
For severe compression of nerve endings, doctors recommend anticonvulsants. If the pain is not relieved by other means, it is blocked with novocaine.
If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is in an acute stage and is accompanied by severe pain, specialists also prescribe local administration of lidocaine, corticosteroids to relieve muscle tension in the segment of spinal movement and reduce pain.
In the treatment of acute pain, drugs are administered by injections, then it will be possible to proceed to treatment in the form of pills and further alleviate health conditions using ointments.
Antidepressants are prescribed as supplements in some cases. These drugs help psychologically withstand attacks of very severe pain and the specificities of the disorders associated with the cervical spine.
Recommendations for treatment in remission
The treatment period in the mild stages suggests:
- activation of blood circulation in the large vessels and periphery;
- improved metabolism;
- restoration and renewal of bone tissue and cartilage structures.
For this purpose, the most suitable:
- anti-inflammatory gels and ointments containing steroids and analgesics;
- ointments, the action of which is directed to the heating point of the diseased area, capable of increasing blood flow to the diseased area and improving the nutrition of tissues.
Chondroprotectors (chondroxide ointments and tablets) help restore cartilaginous intervertebral discs.
Massage creams and ointments with bee venom and plant extracts have a regenerating, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. A therapeutic massage that, if done properly, can be done at home to relieve discomfort. In order not to harm the body, you need to follow a few simple rules:
- do not press too hard on the neck and back;
- all movements should be from top to bottom.
Topical anesthetic creams include capsaicin. Creams are also effective in treating pain associated with osteochondrosis. It is necessary to apply the cream on the area where the sensation of pain is most present.
Attention! Be sure to wash your hands after rubbing the cream, especially the capsaicin, as the cream can cause irritation on the skin of the hands or other parts of the body that will touch the hands.
Such an unpleasant symptom as dizziness, with osteochondrosis, occurs due to vasospasm and inflammation of the nervous tissue. To cope with this help vasodilators and means to improve blood circulation in the vestibular apparatus.
Vitamin B is also included in the complex therapy of cervical osteochondrosis, as it has the following properties:
- restores the sensitivity of the tissues;
- reduces neurological damage.
You have to be very careful that although there is a very variable range of quality drugs that help with osteochondrosis, taking many of them is often accompanied by tangible side effects. It happens that the condition of the back improves, but difficulties appear in various organs. It follows that medicines are intended exclusively to complement the complex of other methods of combating this disease.
Thanks to an integrated approach to treatment, it will be possible to achieve positive dynamics of the healing process only if the entire spectrum of therapeutic measures is carried out consistently, regularly and systematically.
Often patients do not pay attention to pain in the neck area, which causes complications.
Surgical treatment
If pain persists after six months, during which competent medication was performed, and daily activities become more difficult, doctors may recommend resorting to surgery. The operation will aim to stop the movement of the affected cervical spine. It will involve removing the disc, as well as inserting a metal device or bone graft to help maintain or restore normal disc height and neck stability and alignment. Special plates can be used to provide the desired fixation between the two vertebrae.
Attention! Patients should be aware that surgery that causes severe neck pain is much less reliable than surgery for relieving osteochondrosis pain in another part of the body. Therefore, if the only or predominant symptom is neck pain, surgery should only be recommended as a last resort and after all other tried treatment options have failed.
Prevention
Preventive methods of neutralizing relapses are formed by complexes of physiotherapy exercises and therapeutic massages. Proper prevention is an important step towards success.
It will also be very important to pay attention to the fact that it is necessary to adhere to a regular daily diet that minimizes, if not completely eliminated, the intake of salty and spicy foods in order to minimize swelling and improve metabolism. It will also be useful to do yoga and swimming. Among the unconventional methods, acupuncture and hirudotherapy are often used.