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 does not rush to see a doctor. In other cases, the symptoms are mistaken for simple fatigue or a mild cold:
- increasing pain in the neck;
- a feeling of heaviness in the back of the head;
- slight tingling in the hands.
These signs appear in thousands of people every day, but only a few can recognize that cervical osteochondrosis is developing.
Important! Remember that the disease develops slowly, and in the first stages it is much easier to stop the progress of destructive processes than to treat the advanced stage!
Who is in danger
Osteochondrosis develops not only in sedentary people. Athletes from such fields as classical wrestling, judo, freestyle wrestling and sambo also suffer from this disease. The disease develops in the neck region due to critical loads on the spinal area (constant falls and blows, high mobility of the neck). It is important to consider that osteochondrosis is often diagnosed before the age of 35 - in 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 greater mobility of the neck. As the disease progresses, severe pain appears, which worsens a person's life. Osteochondrosis progresses slowly, but it certainly leads to degenerative changes in the bone tissue of the spine. There are four stages of the development of the disease:
- The first stage is characterized by an almost complete absence of symptoms. The disease can only be diagnosed during a routine examination. Sometimes you may experience mild pain, which many identify as signs of stress or fatigue. In the first stage, the nucleus pulposus is destroyed, and because of this, the vertebrae begin to bear the load worse. As a result, degenerative-dystrophic processes develop. Among the first symptoms are: mild, quickly disappearing headache, 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 plates as a result of the stress. They are not yet very deep, but they already contribute to squeezing out the seed. During diagnosis, the protrusion is often noticed, and the height of the disc decreases. This stage is characterized by frequent and long-lasting pain. The person loses strength, certain areas of the face become numb, and stiffness of movements develops due to the fear of new pain sensations.
- The third stage is characterized by the development of a hernia in the cervical region between the vertebrae. All tissues, as well as blood vessels in this area - veins, muscles, nerves, arteries - are also affected. The pain flows smoothly and spreads from the neck to the occipital region. Special sensitivity occurs when moving the head. Patients also complain of dizziness due to insufficient blood flow in the vertebral artery.
- In the fourth stage, osteophytes are formed - the width of the bone tissue increases, as the body and brain literally send signals that require an increase in the area needed to distribute the load. As a result, the nerves of the vertebrae are pinched, the cavities between the vertebrae are reduced, severe stiffness and sometimes immobility occur. All adjacent joints are damaged. To eliminate the causes and "contain" cervical osteochondrosis, long-term and difficult treatment, including surgical intervention, should be carried out at this stage.
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is an important process that helps stop the degeneration of the cervical vertebrae, alleviates complications and preserves your quality of life. However, in order to identify the pathology, you should not only observe the symptoms, but also conduct diagnostics at least once a year and take the necessary tests.
Characteristics of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Even minor changes in the vertebrae, ligaments and intervertebral discs lead to disruption of nerve endings. Blood vessels are also affected. All of them are directly connected to the brain and other organs where unpleasant symptoms occur.
Important! Compression of blood vessels and nerves leads to discomfort and severe pain.
The clinical symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can be divided into three groups:
- the first group is characterized by neurological manifestations of the pathology, which arise due to the effect of inflammatory processes and changes in tissues in the peripheral part of the nervous system;
- the second group is related to the impact of the processes on the spinal cord;
- The third group includes those signs that depend on the disruption of the processes of 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 last a long time, but they all start from the same place - inside the neck. The pain is not similar to muscle pain, there is no relaxation when kneading.
In most cases, when the peripheral system is damaged, shortness of breath occurs. Patients feel that there is a "lump" in their throat and it will be difficult to breathe. The pain is characterized by inexpressive, dull and constant muscle tension. 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 go numb.
If you feel pain and pressure in the area of the heart, you can talk about the development of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis. Osteochondrosis is often mistakenly called angina or neuralgia. It is mainly characterized by symptoms such as:
- cough;
- stomach ache;
- discomfort in the liver;
- pain in the lungs.
As soon as the artery vertebra connects to the destructive process (supplying the brain with oxygen), symptoms from the brain begin to appear. As the disease develops, it becomes pinched and unable to function normally. This is how dizziness develops, vision deteriorates, and tinnitus.
The use of traditional painkillers rarely helps with headaches associated with cervical osteochondrosis.
Physical activity and frequent nervous strain can provoke the aggravation of the pathology. Symptoms of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis:
- increasing irritation;
- sensitive and intermittent sleep;
- rapid fatigue.
If a person is diagnosed with vegetative-vascular dystonia, the symptoms intensify: neuroses develop, blood pressure rises. The diagnosis can also indicate the development of cervical osteochondrosis, so it is necessary to undergo all examinations, undergo an MRI and take other images of the cervical spine.
It is almost impossible to independently diagnose cervical osteochondrosis based on symptoms. Taking into account that the first stage occurs practically without obvious signs, regular preventive examinations should be carried out. At the first signs of the disease, treatment should be started, following the doctor's recommendations. Even if the disease has not yet "played out" and does not cause tangible problems.
syndromes
Accurate diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis requires correct confirmation of symptoms. Based on the tests, images and examination, the doctor must determine the exact cause of the symptoms. Each of them is associated with certain syndromes.
Humeroscapular periarthritis
The syndrome is characterized by severe pain and muscle contracture in the area of one shoulder joint. The left shoulder joint is usually affected in left-handed people, and the right joint in right-handed people. Characteristics of the pain syndrome:
- constant;
- sore;
- sore.
In most cases, the pain worsens at night. If you move your hand to the side or behind your back, the pain will also intensify. Sometimes the pain is felt throughout the arm, in the occipital and scapular region.
During the examination, the doctor often notices tension in the joint area, and during palpation the patient feels strong muscle pain. In some cases, the doctor will palpate compactions and small nodules and note slight swelling of the affected shoulder.
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 consisting of nerves and blood vessels shrinks as the cartilage thins or an intervertebral hernia develops. Osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome is characterized by certain symptoms:
- pain is observed in the forearm, in the area of the shoulder blade, 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 hand deteriorates, it becomes numb, and the feeling of "goosebumps" appears;
- a person cannot raise his hand from the side of the affected parts.
Irritative-reflex syndrome
The syndrome is characterized by a slightly burning, sharp pain in the back of the head and neck. This appears when you move your head after a long period of immobility, such as while working on a computer. Discomfort is felt in the shoulder joints, as well as in the chest area.
Cardiac syndrome
The syndrome is often confused with angina pectoris, as the symptoms of the diseases are almost identical. This happens because the pain and contraction of the muscle tissue in the area of the heart is caused by the compression of the roots in the lower sections of the cervical spine. Hence the similarity of diseases.
The syndrome is characterized by pain occurring in attacks, which can last from 10-15 minutes to several hours. It increases significantly with sudden movements (turning, coughing, sneezing). Cardinal syndrome is often characterized by the development of tachycardia, and coronary vasodilators are unable to cope with pain relief. There are also no signs on the cardiogram that are characteristic of circulatory disorders.
Vertebral artery syndrome
The task of the vertebral artery is to supply the brain and spinal cord. With the syndrome, the work of the periarterial sympathetic plexus is interrupted. The syndrome picture looks like this:
- headache of varying intensity;
- disorders of the vestibular apparatus (staggering, loss of balance);
- mild and severe dizziness;
- nausea, vomiting;
- pharyngolaryngeal and ocular symptoms (deterioration of vision, appearance of a veil in front of the eyes).
In the case of 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 disturbed.
Thus, in order to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to determine which syndrome is behind 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 appropriate treatment.