Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a disease that is progressive that is a degenerative changes of the intervertebral discs, accompanied by its deformation and change of structure.
The causes of the disease. The main reason is the violation of metabolic processes in the body and as a result, the deterioration of blood supply of the intervertebral discs. Less frequently the disease occurs as a result of an injury to the cervical area. spine. Contribute to the emergence of degenerative disc disease: sedentary life style, incorrect posture, prolonged "sitting on a Desk in front of the computer, etc.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the treatment at the clinic
Treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease the clinical developed the methods of the East medicine. In the process of treatment methods are used in the Tibetan medicine – the point massage and medicine herbal methods of Chinese medicine it is, in the first place, acupuncture and moxibustion. It is possible to use a soft manual therapy, osteopathy (including the "cranio-sacral techniques", which are a gentle method effects on bone and soft structures of the skull; the purpose of the method - the restoration of proper circulation of cerebrospinal fluid) and other methods available to the doctors of the clinic.
Treatment of degenerative disc disease of the cervical the spine is one of the basic guidelines of the activity of the clinic. Based great experience of work in this direction, we can say that the results the treatment of this disease (including complicated protrusions and hernias of the spine) is quite satisfactory. Treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease is selected for each patient individually and is complex (in the process of carrying out a session usually involves several methods of treatment, the duration of the session – 1-1,5 hours). Pain in the cervical spine, usually, eliminate up to 70% after 2-3 medical session. Treatment of osteochondrosis in average, from 5 to 11 sessions. In the course of treatment to produce effects on the changes pathological in the body, which led to the emergence of the disease.
Characteristics of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Cervical osteochondrosis, in comparison with thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis has a number of features. These characteristics are determined, the main so, characteristics of the structure of the cervical vertebrae, the size of the bone structures that is much smaller than the vertebrae of other departments. Cervical - the a movable spine, keeping the head, that is constantly loaded. Osteochondrosis often affects the most mobile segments (roots-5 - S-7) - this determines the end the symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the cervical.
In the neck in a relatively small volume there are numerous vascular and nervous structures, including here is artery vertebral, which supplies blood to the posterior part of the sections of the brain the medulla oblongata and the cerebellum. After the compression of the artery vertebral due to the reduction circulation in the result of stenosis may develop ischemia of the brain and the spinal cord, as in acute cases it can lead to the movement spinae. The symptoms of artery vertebral - sickness, disorders of the coordination movements, impairment of hearing and vision.
Because of the thickness of the cervical small the displacement of the vertebrae or muscular tension can cause nerve compression endings (a pinched nerve in the cervical spine) or structures vascular. The resulting finally osteophytes in terms of the compactness of the cervical aggravate the situation.
Cervical osteochondrosis leads to the formation of the protrusion and hernia of the spine, which (in addition to the above reasons, muscular tension, dislocation cervical, the formation of osteophytes), comprimarea nerve root, causes swelling and inflammation. In the end, given the small size of the vertebral canal of the cervical spine is the entire volume, additional compremised (compression occurs in the spinal canal). Clinical symptoms of this condition - severe pain.
Osteochondrosis can cause compression of the spinal cord, and because of the limitation of the spinal canal of the neck of the uterus the spine is more common than in the thoracic and lumbar of the spine. In this case in the area affected not only the neck and head, but also from the top (which is more often) and lower extremities. It is in the nature of cervical osteochondrosis often (in comparison with lumbar and thoracic), leads the patient to disability.
This summary, here are the factors that determine the compression of the different vascular and nervous structures cervical osteochondrosis
- Displacement (slippage) of vertebral disc spondylolisthesis. The most common displacement is minimal, because even a small offset vertebrae of the cervical spine causes paralysis, and is often the cause of death result.
- Protrusions and hernias the spine as a result of the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical area. the spine and inside the spinal canal.
- Osteophytes. As a result of cervical degenerative disk disease on the side of bodies vertebral and the joints formed by bony growths - osteophytes. Osteophytes located on the sides of the bodies vertebral adjacent to annoy him muscle, tone the that increases. This increases the load on the vertebrae, that leads to an increase of the pressure on the intervertebral disc height decreases, increases the risk of output of the intervertebral disc. Osteophytes, oriented in the direction of the channel, where artery vertebral can lead to its stenosis.
- The reduction of the height of the disk, vertebral (the flattening of the intervertebral disc)is often caused by the compression of the nerve roots to the reduction of the foramen intervertebral. In addition, in this case, if the success turn neck possible subluxation of the cervical vertebrae, resulting in additional compression.
Cervical degenerative disc symptoms of the disease
The symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the cervical of the spine depend, in the first place, what was the object of defeat. Highlights: syndrome root (compression of spinal roots), compression spinal cord ischemia of the spinal cord in consequence of the stenosis of the artery vertebral, consequent impairment of the flow of blood to the brain stem, cerebellum, cranial the nerves and the inner ear. Below are some of the syndromes.
- The syndromes of cervical radiculitis. Arise roots comprimarea (a pinched nerve in the cervical spine). These symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease associated with a pinch (compression) of nerve roots. The pain radiates from the neck down to the shoulder and then elbow, forearm (on the outside of its surface) in my fingers hands. There may be pasty, "execute and needles", tingling of the forearm, wrist and fingers. In addition, depending on the segment affected, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are different. For example, with the defeat of the Centre of the nerve roots of the pasty will be the thumb, index and the middle finger, and with the defeat of the roots of the brachial nerve of the ring and the little finger ... (the rest of the symptoms are identical).
- Irritative-reflectory syndromes. Symptoms: burning pain in the cervical-occipital area region or in the neck (after sleep, when turning the head, sneezing, etc.). Possible irradiation in the shoulder and chest.
- Artery Vertebral syndrome in cervical osteochondrosis. Symptoms: throbbing, or the "cream" headache, grabbing the back of the head, the temple, the darkness the area above the eyebrows. The pain is often continuous, less paroxysmal, increases after a long stay in an uncomfortable position when driving. With the General weakness the body of nausea, loss of consciousness. It can produce unilateral auditory disorders: the noise, the reduction of the acuity, vestibular disorders. Patients with coronary artery disease can increase the pressure of the blood, pressing pain in the region of the heart. Possible the decrease of the visual acuity, eye pain, etc.
- The cardiac function fetal. The symptoms of degenerative disc disease in this syndrome similar to the symptoms of true angina pectoris. It is assumed that the muscle contractions in the heart caused by the compression spinal roots in the lower segments of the cervical column s' their reflex response. Cardiac syndrome occurs when the irritation of the roots the pectoralis major muscle or the phrenic nerve roots, because its fibers go to the pericardium. Clinical symptoms: pressing pain in the region of the heart. Pain it may be paroxysmal and may last up to several hours. Increase with a strong turn of the head, coughing, sneezing. Possible tachycardia, arrythmia. Coronarosclerosis means that the pain is not removed. The ECG recorded during the attack shows no signs of violation of the circulation to the coronary heart.
