Cervical osteochondrosis is a dystrophic dysfunction of the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine. The disease manifests itself in the form of severe pain in the head, neck and upper back.
The danger of osteochondrosis lies not only in the deterioration of the quality of life, but also in the risk of disability.
Features of the course of SOC in women
Symptoms of the development of spinal diseases in men and women are practically the same, but there are still some differences. In women, cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed more often. This is due to anatomical features.
Unlike women, men have well-developed musculature of the shoulder girdle, which supports the cervical spine.
Reference.The condition of the spine is negatively affected by pregnancy and the further period of caring for the child.
The reason for the development of female cervical osteochondrosis may be hormonal changes that occur during the aging process. After menopause, there is a slowdown in metabolic and nutritional processes in the cartilaginous tissue.
Causes and factors
There are many reasons for the development of SOS in women. The most common is menopausal changes in the body. During this period, the amount of progesterone in the female body decreases significantly. As a result of these processes, the support of the spine becomes weaker.Other reasons include the following factors:
- circulatory problems;
- passive lifestyle;
- the presence of excess weight;
- great physical activity;
- weak immunity;
- heredity;
- spinal injury;
- hormonal problems;
- hypothermia.
The list of provoking factors is quite extensive. Women need to be especially careful to monitor their health and support the immune system.
Symptoms
How the disease manifests itself at an early stage
It is important to recognize the signs of the development of the disease in a timely manner.Early symptoms include:
- feeling of stiffness in the neck;
- sudden onset of snoring during sleep;
- frequent headaches;
- discomfort in the fingers and shoulder;
- periodic numbness of the limbs;
- shooting pains that radiate to the neck.
local signs
With cervical osteochondrosis, a number of local symptoms occur.These include the following manifestations:
- stenosis;
- reflex-irritative syndrome;
- radicular syndrome;
- cardiac syndrome.
Stenosis involves a violation of blood circulation in the affected area. The patient feels stiffness and pain. There may be numbness and tingling in the extremities.
Reflex-irritative syndrome can manifest itself in the form of a burning tingling sensation.The pain may radiate to the shoulder joint or chest.
The radicular syndrome causes headaches. Sometimes there are problems with speech.
Cardiac syndrome by its nature resembles an attack of angina pectoris. In some cases, blood pressure rises and arrhythmia appears.
Signs of an acute condition
During the acute stage, deformations of the vertebrae are observed, which compress the vertebral artery.Due to the fact that blood does not enter the brain, the following deviations are observed:
- speech disorder;
- dizziness;
- tinnitus;
- double vision.
Pain can radiate to the stomach, heart, and lungs. When the nerve endings of the cervical region are pinched, there is a pulling pain from the neck to the shoulder blades.
Stages of the disease and their distinctive characteristics
SHOC proceeds in several stages. Each of them has its own distinctive symptoms.In total, there are 4 main stages in the development of osteochondrosis:
- At the initial stage, the disease looks like dehydration of the nucleus pulposus. The patient develops cracks in the annulus fibrosus.
- The second stage involves sagging muscles and ligaments. As a result, there is a motor imbalance of the vertebrae. This stage of the development of the disease is characterized by displacement of the vertebrae.
- The third stage of development is characterized by more pronounced symptoms. Patients develop protrusions of the intervertebral discs and arthrosis.
- The fourth stage is the final one. A distinctive feature is osteophytes. Bone growths form on the surface of the vertebrae. There is an increase in fibrous tissue.
In the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment, the disease can lead to disability.
Diagnostics
If the first symptoms of the disease occur, you should consult a doctor to undergo an examination and prescribe appropriate treatment.In addition to collecting an anamnesis, the doctor prescribes a number of diagnostic studies.
Instrumental examination methods
Instrumental diagnostic methods will help to accurately diagnose and determine the patient's condition. The most commonly prescribed procedures are:
- x-ray;
- myelographic study;
- ultrasound;
- MRI.
Plain radiography is needed to obtain a picture of the entire spine or its affected part.With its help, the doctor will be able to establish the localization of the pathology. With osteochondrosis in the picture of the spine, you can see the presence of bone growths and narrowing of the intervertebral disc.
A more complex type of diagnosis is a myelographic study. It consists in the fact that a contrast fluid is injected into the canal of the spinal cord.
Important.Such a procedure can be dangerous, as an allergic reaction or damage to the spinal cord is possible.
Such a study allows you to study the internal structure of the spinal canal.
CT and MRI are among the most effective diagnostic methods. According to their results, osteochondrosis can be distinguished from other diseases with similar symptoms.
Treatment
Medical therapy
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be comprehensive. An important part is drug therapy.In most cases, the following groups of drugs are prescribed:
- analgesics;
- anti-inflammatory;
- chondroprotectors;
- muscle relaxants;
- vitamins.
Analgesics include non-steroidal drugs that relieve pain. Most of these drugs are irritating to the lining of the digestive tract.
To relieve the inflammatory process, hormonal drugs are prescribed.Effective steroid drugs include ointments and tablets based on glucocorticosteroids.
Chondroprotectors contain in their composition substances that replace the components of cartilage tissue - hyaluronic acid and chondroitin. To get a lasting effect from taking such drugs, a rather long therapeutic course is prescribed.
To relax muscle tone, it is recommended to take muscle relaxers.These are auxiliary drugs for the relief of pain. The muscle relaxant is administered parenterally and only under the supervision of a specialist. For the treatment of osteochondrosis, agents based on benzimidazole and glycerin are used. They have a large number of contraindications.
To maintain the functioning of the immune system, vitamin complexes are prescribed. They have a positive effect on the peripheral nervous system. The composition must contain fat-soluble vitamins E, D, C, E and B vitamins.
Quite effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis ointments for external use.They help relieve inflammation, warm and relieve pain. Before using them, you should consult with a specialist.
Are the drugs effective?
Drug treatment for cervical osteochondrosis is quite effective. It allows you to get rid of the inflammatory process and relieves pain. To obtain the maximum therapeutic effect, taking medications should be combined with therapeutic exercises and massage.
Gymnastics
Before starting gymnastics, you should consult with a specialist. During exacerbations, it is better to refuse physical activity. It is important that gymnastics does not cause an exacerbation of pain.
Reference.All exercises are as simple as possible and involve head movement and isometric muscle tension.
Such gymnastics can be performed both at home and at work. The starting position for almost all exercises is a sitting posture.
Approximate set of exercises:
- Head turns all the way to the right, then to the left. It is important not to make strong jerks. When turning, the voltage must be maintained for 5 seconds.
- Tilts head to shoulder. You need to try to touch your shoulder with your ear, while you should not raise your hand itself. Exercise should be done with a painless amplitude.
- Circular movements of the head against and clockwise. Rotations should be performed as slowly as possible.
Such a light charge will help stretch the muscles. In order for it to bring good results, such gymnastics must be carried out regularly. In this case, the increase in load should be gradual and painless.
Massage
Massage should only be performed by a professional. It is necessary to work out the cervical region, part of the back and the collar zone.The following techniques may be applied:
- stroking;
- squeezing;
- trituration;
- kneading.
Massage should not cause pain. A procedure performed by non-professionals can only aggravate the situation.
Folk remedies at home
Alternative therapy methods can be used as additional ones.It can be compresses from fresh horseradish leaves. They are applied to the cervical region and must be kept overnight.
Quite effective compress of grated potatoes and honey. This procedure should be carried out no more than 1 time per week. Folk remedies will help alleviate the patient's condition, but not cure the disease.
Is it possible to completely cure SHX?
Cervical osteochondrosis cannot be completely cured.Therapy is aimed at improving the patient's condition and stopping the development of the disease. Periodic relapses are possible, so the patient should carefully monitor her condition. The sooner treatment is started, the better the outcome.
Prevention
Proper nutrition
An important place in the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is proper nutrition. The diet should contain products that contain synthesized substances for cartilage tissue. It can be jelly, jelly or gelatin.
Important.The body must have enough protein.
It is found in fish, eggplant and meat. It is important to monitor the water balance. Lack of water can lead to dehydration of the intervertebral discs.
It is necessary to introduce foods rich in vitamins and minerals into the diet. For example, fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood, pork and beef.
Active lifestyle
An active lifestyle will minimize the risk of developing the disease.Women are not recommended to lift more than 10 kg. In case of problems with the spine, it is recommended to wear a special corset.
In order to have a quality and long sleep, it is best to purchase a special orthopedic mattress and pillow. Experts recommend swimming, but it is better to refuse running and jumping. During the period of exacerbation, you can not visit the bath.
Cervical osteochondrosis is more often diagnosed in women.It is important to notice the first signs of deviation in time and start treatment. The sooner therapy is started, the more effective it will be.