Symptoms and treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine – due to a sedentary lifestyle, bad eating habits. The first symptoms of the disease may appear as early as 25 years, if not to start treatment, will incur serious complications. In the therapy of the disease they apply a comprehensive approach – treatment treatment, diet therapy, therapeutic physical training and physiotherapy.

Causes of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine

Cervical osteochondrosis – a degenerative-degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs, joints, which sees to reduce the mobility of the neck, the emergence of significant pain syndrome. The main reason for the development of disease – violation of the mineral exchange, because of which the bones and joints become less robust.

Why is cervical osteochondrosis:

• overweight, sedentary lifestyle;
• violation possession of your body, scoliosis;
• rheumatism;
• flat feet;
• VSD;
• incorrect nutrition.

Provoke the development of deformation of the cervical vertebrae may injury, spinal injuries, excessive physical load, stress. In women osteochondrosis often occurs during pregnancy, menopause – on the background of hormonal changes reduces the amount of calcium, the bone tissue becomes fragile.

General symptoms

At a constant increased load on the neck vertebrae arises from spasm of muscles, compressed the blood vessels of the neck, disrupted the process of the circulation, occur disturbances in the metabolic processes – is changing the structure of the intervertebral disc, are deformed, they begin to act outside the vertebral column.

As manifested degenerative disc disease of the cervical:

• radicular syndrome on the background, by pressing the nerve endings causing pain that spreads from the neck to the shoulder blades, forearms, it covers the front wall of the chest;
• muscle weakness in the hands, apparent swelling of the neck;
• when head movement is to hear a characteristic crunch;
• weakness, chronic fatigue, changes in blood pressure;
• violation of coordination, often dizziness, seizures are accompanied by nausea, vomiting;
• the deterioration of vision and hearing, noise and ringing in the ears;
• numbness of the limbs, of the tongue;
• frequent migraines;
• in women aged 45-65 years, during sleep there is pain, numbness, tingling in the upper extremities, seizures can be repeated several times a night.

When cervical osteochondrosis disturbed nutrition and blood supply in the brain, arise from disorders of a neurotic nature – anxiety, irritability, mood swings, sleep disorders.

Classification of cervical degenerative disc disease

With the development of osteochondrosis, goes through several stages of development, each of which has specific symptoms. How looks the affected department of the spine in different stages, can be seen on the photo.

The degree of development of the disease:

1. Osteochondrosis of 1 degree – the first stage takes place without some expression of the symptoms, a person concerned about, is rare, and less pain during the rotation and tilt of the head, back muscles quickly get tired.
2. Osteochondrosis of the 2 degree – vertebrae become unstable, pinch nerve, discomfort in the throat acquire a more prominent character, he gives on his shoulder, zika. Other symptoms – fatigue, frequent headaches in the occipital region, a distraction.
3. Osteochondrosis of the 3 degree – the pain gets chronic character, covers the upper part of the back, hands, there has been expressed muscle weakness, numbness in the extremities, evolving intervertebral hernia, often occur attacks of vertigo.
4. Osteochondrosis of the 4 degree – leads to the complete destruction of the intervertebral disc, are replaced by connective tissue, the disease process involves several segments of the spine. There has been a violation of coordination, frequent bouts of dizziness, appears of tinnitus.

Acute osteochondrosis – a consequence of the chronic form of the disease, which is characterized by a strong attack of sharp pain, which arises suddenly after waking up.

To what doctors to go to?

If symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease, you need to visit a neurologist, in some hospitals there are more spine – specialist dealing with the treatment associated just disease of the spine.

Methods of diagnosis

The running forms of degenerative disc disease have a distinct clinical picture that allows you to make the initial diagnosis already at the primary examination. To reveal the degree of degenerative changes in the vertebrae will instrumental methods of diagnosis.

The basic types of surveys in osteochondrosis:

• x-ray radiation – a method is effective only in the initial stages of development of the pathology;
• MRI – the screen is good to see the construction of bone structures, dimensions and direction of development of intervertebral hernia, the condition of the spinal cord;
• The CT – method is less effective than MRI, because it does not provide accurate information on the availability and size of the hernia;
• duplex scanning – allows you to see the violation of the blood flow;
• together – shows the availability of the stinging, inflammation, other nerve damage;
• rheoencephalogram – is prescribed for the violation of the blood supply to the brain.

Observation and a careful assessment of the status of certain of the vertebrae spends a discography – in the intervertebral disc with injected contrast agent, which allows you to see the slightest changes in the tissues, to distinguish scar changes from a hernia.

Ways to treat degenerative disc disease of the cervical

In the initial stage of development to treat the osteochondrosis can be without medication, enough to rethink the diet, the mode of the day, regularly carry out a complex of special exercises. In more advanced forms of the disease effective treatment is possible only under condition of use of various drugs, which help to suspend the degenerative changes in the vertebrae.

In the complex therapeutic measures necessarily include physiotherapy – electrophoresis with medicines, ultrasound, magnetic therapy, laser. These methods help cope with the pain, inflammation, tissue swelling, improve the processes of metabolism and blood circulation.

Therapeutic physical education

Exercise therapy is prescribed in the recovery period, when deteriorating degenerative disc disease exercises contraindicated, gymnastics simple, it is possible in home conditions, practice is needed regularly.

Gymnastics Bubnovsky for the treatment and prevention of cervical degenerative disc disease:

1. In a standing position, hands loosely fall along your body. His head tilted forward, chin to try to the chest, fix the position on the account 3. Head tilt back, chin and he looks up, count to 3. Return to the starting position.
2. In a standing position rotate your head to the right, to the left, in each extreme point, fix the position for a few seconds. Repeat 3 times in each direction.
3. In a standing position lean your head to the right, to the left, the ear will try to reach out to the shoulder, hold the position for 30 seconds. Perform 6 repetitions on each side.
4. In a standing position, hands on his belt, chin parallel to the floor, stretched straight forward. Rotate the head, the chin live on the shoulder, the torso a little turn, keep on for half a minute. Do 6 reps in each direction, you may experience mild pain in the spine.
5. In a sitting position, back straight, hands on his knees. Dilute direct zika in his hand, a little in the back, your head at the same time tilt the back, back to the starting position, repeat 5 times.
6. In sitting position, turn your head to the right, the palm of the left hand to live on the right shoulder, elbow, parallel to the floor, the right hand rests on the knee, return to starting position. Perform 6 repetitions on each side.
7. In the sitting position, lift his arms above his head, well connect, your elbows bend a little bit, turn your head to the side until the emergence of mild pain, it fixes the position of the extreme point for a few seconds. Repeat after 6 twists in each direction.

Between exercises do a break of 30 seconds. Before starting the exercises it is necessary to take a warm shower, make a few smooth sail of the head in different directions to warm up the muscles. After charging is complete, easy stretching will help to prevent the occurrence of unpleasant sensations the next day.

Treatment treatment

Drug therapy in osteochondrosis is aimed at the removal of unpleasant sensations, restore mobility of the spine, slowing of degenerative changes in the tissues. Acute bouts of pain they filmed the injection of the NSA helena corticosteroids, chronic form of the disease is treated with ointments, tablets.

Than to treat osteochondrosis:

• The NSA, their release in the form of tablets and resources for external use, eliminate the swelling, pain;
• corticosteroids – cropped acute painful;
• B vitamins, rebuild exchange processes in the tissues;
• chondroprotectors – promote the recovery of cartilage;
• preparations for improvement blood circulation, nutrition of the brain;
• nootropics – improve brain activity, memory;
• muscle relaxants – eliminate muscle spasms;
• for the local treatment used ointment and gels with anti-inflammatory, warmed by the action.

Order for treatment to be effective, it is necessary to combine it with the physical therapy, stick to the diet, otherwise no medication will not help get rid of degenerative disc disease.

Folk remedies

Folk treatment should be used as an adjunct to medical therapy and physical education, to fully get rid of the disease non-traditional methods will not help.

What to do when cervical osteochondrosis in domestic conditions:

1. A fresh leaf of horseradish rinse with boiling water, a little cool, the inner side of attach to the neck, to commit to its gentle natural fabric. The procedure to do before going to bed, a compress leave it on all night.
2. Grate on a small grater raw potatoes, mix in equal proportions with warm liquid honey. The mixture used for siding, the procedure carried out 1-2 times a week.
3. Mix a raw egg 100 ml sunflower oil 20 ml of vinegar, 20 g flour, blend away in a dark place for 48 hours, remove the foil from the surface. A means to smear the pain of the plot before going to bed, store in the refrigerator.
4. In may to collect pine buds long to 2 cm, cut into thin slices, folded into a container of dark glass. 1 pcs raw material, take 2 parts sugar, a drug to take away in a dark place for 2 weeks. Drink 5 ml of the mixture three times a day, now swallow, hold for 2-3 minutes in the mouth. Duration of the course of 15-20 days, repeated 2-3 times a year.
5. Grind 150 g of purified garlic and 400 g of cranberries, blend folded in a glass jar, after 24 hours, add 800 ml of honey, mix. Take 5 ml of medicine three times a day before meals.

To cope with the severe pain, pull out the excess of salt will help the cabbage leaf, smeared with honey, compress the lock on her neck warm in a sling, leave it on all night.

Massage with cervical osteochondrosis

Massage helps to strengthen muscle tone, improve blood circulation in the tissues, while severe forms of degenerative disc disease of the conversation is performed by a specialist. In the lighter forms of the disease, for the prevention of you own massage – treatment spend at home.

Technique of massage:

1. Preheat the muscles – both hands vigorously holding on to the back, the side surfaces of the neck from top to bottom. The start-up time – 2 minutes.
2. The edge of the palm to squeeze into the bottom of the neck, sliding movements move to the guest of hair growth, then on the shoulder joints.
3. The tips of the fingers of both hands to do the rubbing a circular motion in the occipital area from the line of growth of hair on the forearm – from the spine to the ears and back.
4. Tweak the neck muscles from the bottom up, and then in the opposite direction.
5. Stroking from neck to shoulder blades – carry at each kinds of exercise.

Possible consequences and complications of

In the cervical vertebrae are placed close to each other, the height of the intervertebral discs is small, so that the various complications of degenerative disc disease also arise in the minor degenerative changes in the bone tissue.

How dangerous osteochondrosis of the cervical:

• frequent bouts of migraines;
• heart rhythm disorders, atherosclerosis;
• protrusion, intervertebral hernia, bony growths of the vertebrae;
• serious pathology of the brain;
• narrowing of the lumen of the vertebral artery, which sees to the development of VSD, hypertension, brain, disability;
• spinal stroke.

Contraindications in cervical osteochondrosis

To lead a full life at an osteochondrosis, it is necessary to avoid actions that could provoke the emergence of pain, worsening of the disease.

What to do and not to do when cervical osteochondrosis:

• sleep on a very hard helena a soft mattress, on a high pillow;
• lift weights, if it is necessary to lift something heavy, do it with a straight back with bent knees;
• wear the bag on one shoulder;
• during the exacerbation of the pathology to do active movements of the head, neck;
• smoke, consume alcohol;
• walk without a scarf in cold weather, sitting in a draft near the air conditioner;
• a long stay in an uncomfortable position, sitting position;
• wear high-heeled shoes;
• crunch the neck.

Heat treatments – warming wraps, access to the spa, warming the blue lamp, can be done only in remission of the disease. When focusing the heat only for a short time will ease the pain, but soon the uncomfortable feelings come back, increase the degree of their manifestations.

Prevention of the disease

The purpose of maintaining the health of the spine, enough to follow simple rules of prevention.

How to avoid cervical degenerative disc disease:

• to get rid of excess weight;
• do exercises every morning, do swimming, yoga, dancing;
• spend more time in the fresh air, they are particularly useful early morning walks;
• eat right, monitor the consumption of salt, stay hydrated;
• when working in a seated position every hour to do exercises for the neck, watch the possession of your body;
• keep your neck warm;
• get enough sleep, avoid physical, mental and emotional fatigue.

Cervical osteochondrosis – a chronic slowly progressive disease, the symptoms of the disease are manifested are not right. The appropriate combination of traditional and folk methods of treatment, exercise and diet help to cope with unpleasant symptoms and simple measures of prevention – to avoid the relapse of the disease.