The main signs and symptoms of cervical lumbar osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a very common disease that affects both women and men equally. Moreover, age does not play a special role here. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are not limited to the elderly, whose pathology is the result of a natural aging process. The disease is increasingly found in young people, and in most cases they are to blame.

Causes of pathological development

This damage to the spine is degenerative-dystrophic. That is, as in all structural elements, pathological changes occur in the spine, which cannot be reversed in the later stages. This type of osteochondrosis is considered the most dangerous, because the result is a violation of the main nerve roots and blood vessels that nourish the brain. That is, over time, the spine stops functioning normally along its entire length.

The following reasons for the development of the disease can be distinguished:

1. Lifting and movement of heavy objects.
2. Significant sports loads.
3. Weight loss will be followed by fatigue and constant tiredness.
4. Staying in a static position for a long time: working on a computer, taking notes, reading a book, office work. This is the main reason for young people.
5. Genetic factor.

Naturally, inflammatory processes in the spine or other parts of the body can also cause osteochondrosis of the neck. Other causes are not excluded: hypothermia, trauma, surgery.

Classification of symptoms

Thus, treatment of the spine should be carried out only after an accurate diagnosis of the patient. To do this, the doctor must know the clinical appearance of the patient and apply all instrumental examination methods. The patient's symptoms depend on the degree of damage to body systems:

1. Most of the symptoms on the side of the brain are related to circulatory disorders due to vasoconstriction.
2. The picture of peripheral nerve damage is caused by compression of the nerve roots coming out of the spinal cord.
3. Severe neurological disorders occur in the later stages of the disease due to compression of the spinal cord.

You can now take a closer look at the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.

The most common symptoms of pathology

Regardless of the cause of the problem, the clinical picture is almost always the same in all patients. Cervical lumbar osteochondrosis has the following symptoms:

• Painful feelings. They are localized in the neck, back of the head and neck. The pain can also spread to the shoulders, chest and clavicle of the skeleton. Often migraines are characteristic of osteochondrosis. Gradually, the anxiety becomes painful and chronic. Exacerbation of the pathology causes shooting pains during movement. The muscles are very tense at the same time. Sometimes just one injection - an anesthetic block - can relieve this symptom.
• Tinnitus, feeling airless. This occurs as a result of impaired blood supply to the vestibular apparatus.
• Dizziness. The inner ear is poorly supplied with blood due to lack of oxygen. This situation is additionally accompanied by uncontrolled irregular actions of students.
• If there is an improvement in blood circulation in the affected area, the patient faints quickly enough.
• Feeling short of breath. The presented symptom appears to be due to irritation of the phrenic nerve. That is, the patient simply can not breathe deeply. He also snores and may suddenly stop breathing. Over time, the patient develops shortness of breath and choking attacks. More oxygen starvation will damage brain tissue, resulting in impaired attention and memory.
• Nausea. Sometimes it is accompanied by vomiting, which is difficult to control any movement of the body or head. The patient's appetite is disturbed, weight is lost.

• Vision problems. Cervical osteochondrosis can cause a symptom such as "flying" in front of the eyes or fog, a decrease in severity, impaired vision. In addition, exercise therapy or wearing glasses can not solve the problem.
• Pressure change. This condition is caused by vascular spasm. The patient may lose consciousness.
• Feeling dry and round in the throat. Sometimes this is the only symptom that says the neck is affected. Therefore, in this case, osteochondrosis can be easily confused with other pathologies.
• Increase in temperature. This symptom is rare. Moreover, the variable is the local temperature, not the basal temperature. The skin around the neck becomes warm and red.
• Limited mobility. The neck looks bent. You can also hear an unpleasant squeak and hiss in the neck when you turn your head.
• Weakness in the arms and a burning sensation between the shoulder blades.
• Disorders of coordination of movements that affect the patient's gait.

Some of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis listed above are not specific. This makes the diagnosis of the disease somewhat difficult, because a person does not consult a specialist in time.

Symptoms of the disease depending on the degree of development

Depending on the symptoms observed in the patient, their prevalence and intensity, we can talk about the stage of development of cervical spine osteochondrosis. Each degree has its own characteristics:

1. The first stage. Periodic headaches are accompanied by discomfort in the neck, shoulders and arms. There is a slight limitation of mobility. There may be a slight decrease in skin sensitivity in the neck area. At this stage, treatment is practically not carried out, because patients do not want medical help. Some patients try to treat osteochondrosis at home using folk remedies.
2. The second stage. Pain in the cervical spine intensifies, an unpleasant crisis is heard. There is a serious sensitivity disorder in the shoulder area, as well as in the hands. At this stage, the headache is practically non-existent, the patient's vision deteriorates, there is noise in the head and ears, and the clarity of tendon reflexes decreases. During the exacerbation of osteochondrosis, shooting pains appear under the scapula. Here it is impossible not to see the symptoms of the disease, and the patient tries to see a doctor. But it is no longer possible to completely escape defeat. It will only be possible to slow down future development.
3. The third stage. Here, the collagen fibers of the disc are already destroyed, the appearance of a hernia bulge. The fixation of the vertebrae is broken and they begin to fall out. There may even be cuts. The patient has severe pain in the neck and heart, paresis and paralysis of the upper muscles, bending of the spine. At this stage in the development of osteochondrosis, tendon reflexes are practically absent. One complication of this degree of cervical osteochondrosis is spinal cord injury.

If a person "gets rid" of the disease at home without consulting a doctor, this behavior can result in disability.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine cannot be completely cured, but timely and proper therapy can slow its development.

What syndromes cause osteochondrosis?

Thus, there are certain symptoms that indicate that a person has a certain syndrome. If there is at least one symptom, there is no need to talk about such a pathological condition.

There are several syndromes triggered by cervical osteochondrosis:

• Radical. It can be called "cervical radiculitis" in another way. Occurs as a result of a compressed nerve. It is characterized by the following symptoms: pain spreading to the shoulder blades, extending along the shoulder and extending to the forearm and fingers; the appearance of "flies" in front of the eyes; nausea in the fingers, arms, hands. The localization of symptoms may vary depending on which pair of roots is damaged.
• Irritant reflex. Sneezing in the neck and occiput is characterized by acute burning pain caused by movement after sleep. Unpleasant feelings can be given to the chest.
• Vertebral artery syndrome. The following symptoms are noted here: loss of consciousness, nausea, severe burning headache in nature, the skull extends to the parietal, temporal and occipital parts. The patient is characterized by weakness, hearing impairment, pain in the eyes and blurred vision.
• Heart. It has a special feature - it is easy to confuse it with an attack of angina pectoris, so the prescribed treatment may be wrong. If a patient is diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms of heart syndrome include: sudden onset of pain that increases with the slightest movement; tachycardia; inability to stop the attack with special heart pills that promote dilation of the coronary arteries. At the same time, the cardiogram shows no signs of circulatory disorders.

Because osteochondrosis has a chronic form, exacerbations occur periodically. The intensity of symptoms increases. Feelings can last a long time, and only an injection of an anesthetic can eliminate them. Tablets may not be effective.

How is pathology diagnosed?

To accurately determine the severity of osteochondrosis, the patient must undergo a thorough examination to determine the degree of destruction of the vertebrae. Covers the following procedures:

• External examination of the patient.
• Neurological tests.
• Duplex scanning of blood vessels or Doppler ultrasound.
• MRI.
• KT.
• Cervical spine radiography in two projections.
• Electrocardiogram.

In this case, laboratory tests are not informative. Sometimes they are prescribed to determine the cause of the development of osteochondrosis.

Features of pathological treatment

Thus, treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be carried out in the early stages. In addition, a sick person can take the necessary medication, do therapeutic exercises at home, but only after a thorough research and consultation with specialists.

Therapy should be comprehensive. It is not enough to eliminate the pathological symptoms alone. It is necessary to try to restore cervical spine function. To do this, a person needs medication (painkillers, hormonal, vitamin complexes, chondroprotective drugs), as well as therapeutic exercises.

A special injection is used in the intercostal space to relieve the severe pain that the pills cannot stop. However, this blocking method can be used only a few times a year.

In addition to medication, the patient is offered physiotherapy procedures: massage, ultrasound and ultraviolet treatment. If conservative therapy does not work, the patient is prescribed surgery. But rather, it is an extreme measure, and it is better not to allow the disease to occur in such a situation.