Since the rise of man's distant ancestor, Homo Erectus, humanity has suffered a variety of musculoskeletal disorders, in addition to all the possible benefits associated with upright walking (protection from wild animals, improved vision, expanded work functionality). One of them is cervical osteochondrosis. Some people do not take illnesses seriously, considering them an annoying but insignificant obstacle. This is especially true in situations where there is no severe pain.
Cervical osteochondrosis: causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention
Dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis is generally perceived as a symptom separate from the main disease, but the disease can lead to serious complications and even disability. In this article, we will look at what drugs should be taken for dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis, find out how to get rid of dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis, and analyze what exercises should be done for dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The term osteochondrosis comes from the ancient Greek words ὀστέον - "bone" and χόνδρος - "cartilage". With this term, doctors refer to a group of dystrophic changes in the articular cartilage caused by an increase in the volume of bone tissue. The cartilaginous closure between the vertebrae, which is known in medicine as the "intervertebral disc, " suffers more than other joints.
By type, osteochondrosis is divided into "cervical", "thoracic" and "lumbar". Cervical is the most common. Today this disease is a constant companion of every person over 40 years old. Despite the opinion that this disease develops over the years andyoung people do not suffer from it, modern medical practice proves the opposite and shows disappointing statistics in people over 30 years old.
causes
The causes of osteochondrosis include direct causes (compression of vertebral vessels and nerves - compression of the cervical vertebrae) and indirect causes associated with the patient's lifestyle and the physiological characteristics of his body.
Types of compression complications in osteochondrosis:
- Spondylolisthesis. Displacement of the intervertebral disc backwards or forwards. To a significant extent, displacement is associated with paralysis and death.
- Osteophytes. Abnormal, pathological growth of bone tissue caused by calcium salts.
- Head Start. Protrusion of the intervertebral disc without breaking the integrity of the collagen ring.
- Hernias. Displacement of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc with rupture of the collagen ring.
Reasons for compression:
- intensive physical work;
- physical inactivity, "computer illness", sedentary leisure activity;
- weight is higher than normal;
- metabolic disorder;
- genetic predisposition;
- incorrect posture;
- generally weak muscle tone in the neck and back;
- Overload, fatigue of the back and neck muscles;
- a tendency to a certain neck posture, for example the habit of tilting the head to one side;
- "old" injuries to the cervical spine;
- nervous shocks and stress.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are sporadic and constant pain in the neck, upper shoulder girdle, collarbone and head. If the disease is advanced, dizziness and loss of consciousness are possible.
The overall symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are so diverse that the patient is often unable to independently identify one or another symptom with neck osteochondrosis. The treating doctor must also carry out a detailed examination in order to make an accurate diagnosis.
The symptoms of the disease change depending on the course of the disease. Modern medicine distinguishes 4 stages of progression of osteochondrosis:
I – minor changes in normal cervical lordosis. There may be slight pain when turning your head. Slight discomfort when bending the neck;
II – minor displacements between vertebrae, torsion (uncoordinated rotation of the vertebra relative to the spinal tendon), reduction in the thickness of the intervertebral cartilage. There is pain of mild to moderate intensity in the neck and head, tingling in the fingertips, tinnitus, when turning the head the patient hears a slight crunch;
III – intervertebral cartilage is displaced by one quarter relative to the other, the thickness and size of the intervertebral disc changes selectively, it becomes thinner, changes its normal shape, posterior osteophytes narrow the spinal canal and injure the spinal cord. The pain becomes more intense, its sporadic character is lost, it becomes more stable and fluctuates from average to severe. Weakness appears in the hands, hearing is impaired. When you turn your head, the crunching sound is noticeable not only to the patient but also to those around you. Possible loss of coordination of movements. By the way, dizziness in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a very alarming sign, in which you should immediately consult a doctor if you have not already done so;
IV - intervertebral discs are significantly displaced, posterior osteophytes and protrusions become abnormally large, the spinal canal is significantly narrowed and curved, myelopathy develops (compression syndrome of the spinal cord and its vessels). Frequent dizziness, loss of consciousness. Severe and very severe pain in the neck, head, collarbone, shoulders. The face, tongue and palate become numb. Vision and hearing are significantly impaired. Weakness throughout the body. Legs and arms are taken away. Temporary paralysis of the limbs. A very significant loss of coordination in space. Swallowing reflex disorder. Complete loss of feeling in the hands and throughout the body.
Treatment and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis
When asked "How to cure osteochondrosis in the neck? "" we must remember that treatment for cervical osteochondrosis must be timely and there is no possibility of being late.
Therapeutic and preventive measures are closely related in the treatment of neck osteochondrosis. Conventionally, the difference between them lies in the severity of the disease. Prevention of osteochondrosis is carried out before the onset of the disease and in the first three stages. Treatment of the disease begins from the moment it occurs.
In this section we will find out whether it is possible to eliminate many of the unpleasant symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at once, what exercises can be done to combat dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, what tablets, drugs and folk remedies are best used for complicated osteochondrosis and how toTreatment of dizziness, how to treat dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis and osteochondrosis with folk remedies.
prevention
Eliminates many signs of osteochondrosis at once. Includes four types of therapy:
- The traditional way to eliminate signs of cervical osteochondrosis and dizziness is to constantly lead a healthy lifestyle;
- physiotherapy (not recommended as early as the third stage of development of osteochondrosis, although the final decision lies with the vertebral doctor);
- Massage and self-massage (although manual therapy for cervical osteochondrosis is very effective and can easily relieve pain, it is not recommended in the final stages of the disease);
- use orthopedic advice and orthopedic aids (Kuznetsov applicator, furniture, household items) in everyday life.
ethnoscience
Osteochondrosis of the neck can be treated at home using traditional medicine. The products she creates are a creative composition of herbs, essential oils, fats, poisons, roots of various plants with alcohol and iodine.
Can a traditional medicine relieve dizziness and pain? Here the situation is the same as with drug treatment - the pain can disappear almost immediately, preventing dizziness will take some time. Treatment with conventional medicine must be started as early as possible, then it will definitely bring a positive result.