Osteochondrosis is a common pathology of the spine, characterized by dystrophic changes in the structure of the cartilage discs of the vertebrae and their bone base. To one degree or another, osteochondrosis appears in most people after the age of 30. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are diverse, which often complicates diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
General symptoms and signs of cervical osteochondrosis
The process of osteochondrosis affects each part of the spine or several at once. Lumbar and cervical vertebrae are most prone to pathology, because they are most susceptible to stress due to the anatomy of the human skeleton.
The consequences of spinal osteochondrosis in the cervical region cause the most inconvenience and potential complications, since the neck is an area rich in neurovascular highways, many of which directly feed the brain. For this reason, the clinical symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are largely related to ischemia of brain areas. In addition, the nerve roots that provide sensitivity and motor activity to the arms and shoulder girdle, when compressed by destroyed spinal discs, can give a diverse symptomatic picture.
Signs of osteochondrosis of the neck depend on which of the body systems is affected by the pathology: Below we will consider the general clinic of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Pain in the back of the head, neck and collar area
This is the most common symptom. The localization of pain can be extended, affecting the shoulders, clavicle area, chest, turning into an intense migraine headache.
The nature of the pain depends on the location of the lesion and the severity of the pathology. In the first stages of the development of the disease, the pain can be quickly transitory, gradually becoming chronic and painful.
During an exacerbation, the pain becomes shooting, with increased tone of the neck muscles and limited head movement. Often, pain with cervical osteochondrosis can be localized behind the sternum, in which case many patients confuse this symptom with angina pectoris. The distinction can be made by taking a nitroglycerin tablet - the pain caused by osteochondrosis is not relieved by it.
Noise, ringing, feeling of fullness in the ears
These symptoms are often accompanied by hearing loss. These phenomena are associated with a decrease in blood flow from the spinal arteries to the vestibular apparatus. The complex of these symptoms is called cochlear or cochlear syndrome, and it is not always possible to determine its relationship with osteochondrosis in the cervical region. A specific distinguishing feature is that noise, congestion and ringing in the ears are felt when changing posture, after a long stay in one posture.
dizziness
Vertigo is also caused by impaired blood flow to the organs of the inner ear, which provides balance to the body. Vertigo is often accompanied by nystagmus - voluntary oscillations of the pupils to the sides.
Lack of air
This sensation occurs due to irritation of the endings of the phrenic nerve. It is a component of the cervical nerve bundle and is involved in the regulation of breathing, its depth and frequency. Patients complain of the inability to breathe deeply. In some cases, the symptom worsens to severe shortness of breath and suffocation. For the same reason, breathing stops at night and snoring is observed. Lack of oxygen due to breathing problems eventually causes increased fatigue, decreased concentration and memory problems.
nausea
Accompanied by belching air. It is also caused by problems with blood circulation in certain areas of the brain and inner ear. Nausea with uncontrollable vomiting provoked by head and body movements is sometimes observed. Frequent nausea and vomiting leads to reduced appetite, weight loss and nutritional deficiency.
Vision problems
"Floating" in the eyes, reduced visual acuity, fog in front of the eyes - these are all symptoms caused by ischemia of the part of the brain responsible for vision. Patients with osteochondrosis complain less often about vision, since the insufficient blood supply from the spinal vesselscompensated by blood flow from the carotid artery system. Glasses and therapeutic exercises for the eye muscles do not solve the problem, vision usually improves after treatment of osteochondrosis.
Blood pressure spikes
Unstable pressure levels are caused by impaired blood flow in the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for the functions of the vascular-motor center.
Sudden fainting or syncope
It occurs when the cerebral arteries spasm due to a short-term stoppage of blood flow through the vertebral arteries. The patient can be quickly brought out of the state of loss of consciousness by positioning him so that his feet are slightly higher than his head - the flow of blood to the brain allows the person to be brought back to consciousness. After a seizure attack, reversible problems with speech and movement may occur for some time due to a brief stoppage of blood flow.
Pharyngeal symptoms
Often they can be the only sign indicating cervical osteochondrosis. It manifests itself as soreness, dryness and feeling of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing. The symptoms are associated with compression of the nerve plexuses responsible for the innervation of the pharynx. It is necessary to distinguish such manifestations from a similar clinic with inflammation or neoplasms.
Increase in body temperature
An increase in body temperature in cervical osteochondrosis is not the most typical symptom, it is observed rarely and locally: in the area of the cervix and collar, with slight reddening of the skin. The clinic of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine can be, first of all, of different degrees of severity, it depends on the stage of development of the pathologies, also during periods of exacerbation they are more pronounced, and secondly, they developin certain syndromes.
Symptoms depending on the stage of cervical osteochondrosis
Stage I: Beginning of degenerative processes in the cartilage of the spinal discs. Symptoms are mild and sometimes may not be observed at all. Important: these symptoms become more pronounced when the head is tilted.
As a rule, at the first stage of cervical osteochondrosis, patients do not go to the doctor, believing that all the symptoms are related to fatigue, stress, age, lack of sleep. Stage II At this stage, the bulging of the spinal discs begins, the intervertebral spaces narrow and the collagenfiber of the annulus fibrosus of the disc is destroyed. Noticeable pain symptoms of a point nature appear due to compression of the nerve trunks, which are intensified by neck movements and head turns. Here you can already suspect cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which in the second stage are as follows: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th.
Keeping the head in one position for a long time leads to severe pain. At this stage of the disease, patients already come to the doctor for help Third stage The fibrous ring in the disc is destroyed, hernias are formed. In the third stage, deformation of the spine, displacement and dislocation of the vertebrae due to their weak fixation is observed.
This is a severe stage of the disease, in which the patient can no longer support his head. Ischemia of the spinal cord and compression of the spinal arteries lead to paralysis and paresis of other parts of the body and spinal stroke.
Syndromes caused by osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae
Nonspecificity and a large number of diverse symptoms accompanying cervical osteochondrosis make diagnosis and further treatment difficult, as some of them may be a sign of completely different diseases. The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis fall into certain groups called syndromes. Their presence and severity may indicate pathology in the cervical spine with a certain localization.
A group of common syndromes:
Koreshkovy. It is otherwise called cervical sciatica. It combines symptoms related to pinched nerve roots of the cervical vertebrae. It is characterized by "goosebumps" in the affected area, numbness in the fingers and forearms, and pasty skin that spreads to certain fingers.
Irritative-reflexive. Burning and sharp pain in the back of the head and neck, sometimes radiating to the chest and shoulder, occurring when changing the position of the head and neck, when sneezing, coughing or turning the head sharply.
Vertebral artery syndrome includes:
Hearty. An almost identical picture with angina pectoris often leads to incorrect diagnosis and treatment. The syndrome occurs due to irritation of the phrenic nerve receptors, partially involving the pericardium and pectoralis major muscle. Thus, spasms in the cardiac region are more of a reflex, as a response to irritation of the cervical nerves. Symptoms:
Vegetative-dystonic syndrome. Subluxation of the first cervical vertebra with displacement can lead to the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia. VSD is not a sure diagnosis because there are no obvious symptoms.
There may be neurological signs, symptoms of impaired cerebral blood flow, spikes in intracranial pressure, and muscle spasms. As a result, the patient's complaints are reduced to dizziness, reduced visual acuity, loss of consciousness, headache and nausea.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis
The described condition of the spine is a very serious pathology, which, if neglected, leads to disability, and as a result of deep disorders of cerebral blood circulation - to death. For this reason, you should not self-medicate if such symptoms appear.
In the initial stages, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is conservative, including medications: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anesthetics, hormonal agents, vitamin complexes, chondroprotectors - all this relieves inflammation, pain, improves the trophism of soft tissues and vertebral cartilage.