Osteochondrosis of the neck is a common spinal disease that affects patients of all ages. It is a degenerative change in the vertebral disc that develops against a background of high stress, wearing the wrong shoes, heavy physical exertion and malnutrition.
It develops gradually, so the patient may not immediately notice the first symptoms.
Another name for this disease is degenerative-destructive lesion of the spine, affecting the vertebral body, the ligament and joint apparatus, the intervertebral discs.
Equally often diagnosed in men and women, as a rule, develops after 30 years. According to statistics, this disease affects 50 to 80% of the population.
The main signs of the disease
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis appear as the disease progresses. They are most noticeable during an exacerbation. Having noticed the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to consult a doctor, as it is often masked by other ailments, which complicates the timely diagnosis. Patients usually come with the following complaints:
- Severe pain in the collar area.
- Noise and choking in the ears.
- Frequent dizziness.
- Shortness of breath, feeling of shortness of breath.
- Nausea.
- Blood pressure drops.
- Frequent fainting or syncope.
- Increased body temperature.
The signs of cervical osteochondrosis in men are not very different from those that appear in women. Patients complain of discomfort in the occiput, breastbone and shoulder girdle. You should contact your local therapist or neurologist for diagnosis.
Neck pain
One of the most common symptoms of cervical spine chondrosis is neck pain affecting the back of the head and shoulders. The nature of the pain (pain, sharp, slight tingling) directly depends on the location of the lesion and the severity of the development of the pathological process. At the initial stage, this may be a slight discomfort, which does not allow you to freely turn your head in all directions. Gradually, the pain becomes chronic and limits the range of motion.
Pain occurs due to deformation of the vertebrae, due to insufficient blood supply to the collar area. Against the background of this process, spasms, anxiety attacks and panic are observed. A painful sensation in the neck area may radiate to the shoulders or arms. Increase after sleep, sudden movements, laughter or sneezing. The discomfort is combined with a characteristic crunch when trying to spin or muscle weakness.
Spasm of muscle tissue and poor circulation often lead not only to pain, but also to a temporary loss of the ability to move the neck. Constant overload spreads throughout the head, and the patient begins to complain of migraine attacks.
Noise and congestion in the ears
Osteochondrosis in the neck is also manifested by a feeling of suffocation in the ears, hearing loss and the appearance of noise. All this happens due to insufficient intensity of blood flow to the vestibular apparatus. This symptom complex is called cochlear, but doctors rarely associate it with a disorder in the spinal region. Pay attention to the nature of the noise and ringing in the ears, they usually intensify when a person is in one position for a long time or tries to change it.
Hearing impaired patients are referred to an otolaryngologist. In the presence of concomitant disorders of the condition, such as numbness of the face, limited mobility of the neck, further consultation with a neurologist is required to clarify the diagnosis and determine the cause.
Headache and migraine
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men are rarely accompanied by frequent headaches; the female population is more susceptible to them. The vertebrae in this area are constantly subjected to excessive stress, which leads to their gradual deformation, if the muscle tissue is not sufficiently elastic to hold them in a natural position. It is more difficult to identify the cause of head pain, as the symptom is not specific. The following reasons provoke an attack:
- Cerebral vasospasm.
- Pinched nerve endings in the cervicothoracic spine.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Acute violation of venous outflow.
- Increased fatigue.
- Prolonged stay in an unnatural position.
Headache intensifies during the period of exacerbation and in the patient, including the male. By nature, it can be constant, dull in the form of seizures or throbbing. In older people, this symptom requires a lot of attention, as it can speak of an incipient stroke, angina pectoris, heart attack or arterial hypertension. Therefore, first of all, these conditions are ruled out before starting treatment for osteochondrosis.
With heart conditions, patients also complain of compression in the chest area, an irregular heart rhythm, which allows the doctor to differentiate the condition over time. Headaches accompanied by nausea, shortness of breath, necessarily require an ECG.
Dizziness
When osteochondrosis develops to grade 2 or higher, impaired coordination and frequent dizziness often occur. This is due to degenerative changes of the vertebrae, spasms, pinching of the nerve endings. The brain does not receive the required amount of oxygen, which adversely affects the functioning of the vestibular apparatus. As a result of the deviation of the condition, the symptom is:
- Systemic vertigo. They appear as a sensation of the whole body spinning and of the objects surrounding it. Dysfunction appears due to the malfunction of the vestibular apparatus, weakening of muscle tissue and receptors located in the joints.
- Non-systemic vertigo. In addition to instability, patients experience bouts of nausea, an uncertain state in standing position. Circular rotation is usually absent.
Dizziness is a serious symptom that should be treated immediately by a doctor. In the presence of numbness of the shoulders, paralysis of the facial muscle tissue, loss of consciousness, emergency hospitalization is required.
Shortness of breath and shortness of air
Another serious symptom with advanced osteochondrosis in the shoulder area is a constant feeling of lack of air. Breathing problems result from compression of nerve endings and receptors that do not transmit impulses from the pharynx to the esophagus. Shortness of breath appears when the vertebrae are moved, increases in a state of stress, accompanied by a lump in the throat. After taking a sedative, the state of health returns to normal.
Lack of air causes root syndrome. Spasm of the diaphragm, affects the depth and rhythm of breathing. The patient becomes suffocating and struggles to breathe air, memory and concentration problems appear. Such a symptom in osteochondrosis requires immediate assistance, as it can cause a number of serious complications. The doctor selects the medicine individually, taking into account the condition.
Nausea
In the cervical region, there is a large accumulation of nerve endings, an artery that is responsible for transporting nutrients to the brain passes through it. With osteochondrosis, protrusions and intervertebral hernias gradually form, which affect blood pressure, and as a result, the patient experiences an attack of nausea.
Prolonged impairment of normal blood circulation leads to vomiting, loss of consciousness, and causes stroke and disability. Therefore, the appearance of such a symptom, which is not associated with nutritional errors, requires immediate medical advice.
Increased blood pressure
For cervical osteochondrosis, a characteristic symptom is a pressure jump during the day. For a long time, the increase or decrease in blood pressure is not maintained, which is a characteristic sign of degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc. The daily dynamics of blood pressure is abrupt, as irritation of the nerve endings is reflected and causes short-term spasms of blood vessels. A distinctive feature of increased pressure in cervical osteochondrosis is:
- headache;
- chest discomfort;
- decreased sensitivity in the collar area;
- muscle tension after being in one position for a long time.
All of this is taken into consideration when making a diagnosis. Rapid deterioration of the condition and pressure changes are the basis of patient admission and care in the hospital setting.
Visual impairment
Osteochondrosis in the cervical spine often causes unpleasant symptoms such as double vision, flickering, the appearance of "flies". This signals the severity of the process and requires a visit to a doctor. Against the background of the destruction of connective tissue in the vertebrae, the following diseases can develop:
- Glaucoma. The patient is diagnosed with increased intraocular pressure, damage to the optic nerve. It is impossible to completely get rid of pathologists, only to achieve stable remission with complex treatment.
- Cataract. This pathological process leads to the destruction of the lens. Changes are associated with metabolic processes and acute impairment of oxygen supply to the brain. The first sign of the disease is the appearance of "flies" in front of the eyes. Timely initiation of treatment helps preserve the patient's vision.
- Claude Bernard Horner's disease. One of the reasons for the appearance of a lesion is considered to be hypoxia in the occipital region. The main signs of a pathological condition are a decrease in pupil reaction or a difference in the size of the pupil in different eyes. Some patients complain of not being able to completely close their eyes for a night's rest, and low-light vision is also affected.
The ophthalmologist prescribes the treatment, after a thorough examination. But the therapy is carried out only in a complex aimed at eliminating the cause of the violation. Only in this way can the problem be effectively addressed.
Pharyngeal problems
Degenerative changes in the cervical vertebrae cause problems with swallowing. The patient complains of a lump in the throat, sweating, sensation of a foreign body in the throat, itching. The signs indicate a malfunction of the neurovascular trunks extending from the spinal cord. But the symptomatology is not considered characteristic and can be observed with pathological disorders such as inflammation, swelling.
Body temperature change
Osteochondrosis, as it progresses, becomes the cause of an increase in body temperature. These symptoms occur when the vertebral artery is damaged, spinal canal stenosis or disc protrusion. It causes changes in neurosis and concomitant neurological disorders. Against the background of a rise in temperature, there is numbness of the tongue or hands, an inflammatory process in the lymph nodes, a burning sensation of the tongue.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis depending on the stage
Signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine largely depend on the stage of development of the pathology, the compressive force of the nerve endings and the process of deformation of the discs. It provokes the appearance of symptoms of compression of the vertebral artery and a violation of blood flow to the brain. Pinched nerve endings lead to severe neurological pathologies. The severity of the signs directly depends on the stage of development of the disease:
- Initial. Degenerative processes in the vertebral discs proceed unnoticed by the patient. It is quite difficult to notice the first changes, as these can be mild headaches (they are felt more strongly in women), discomfort in the neck, slight deterioration of vision or loss of sensation in the collar area. At this stage, patients rarely go to the doctor, attributing symptoms to fatigue, lack of sleep, or stress.
- Second phase. As the disease progresses and disc protrusion appears, more pronounced symptoms appear. The destruction of the fibrous ring affects the movements of the head, they become more limited. In addition, patients begin to complain of constant ringing in the ears, impaired visual function, pain in the neck with a characteristic crunch, problems with swallowing, sleep disturbances and decreased clarity of reflexes. Keeping the head in one position causes severe discomfort, which requires a doctor's consultation.
- Third stage. Intervertebral hernias are formed gradually, the fibrous ring is completely destroyed, there is deformation of the vertebrae, displacement of bone segments, dislocations, instability. The patient complains of acute pain in the neck, pronounced shoulder syndrome, paralysis of the upper extremities, tendon reflexes are not observed, reduced sensitivity in the scalp. This is a severe stage of the disease that requires complex treatment.
Osteochondrosis is a chronic systemic disease that manifests itself with various symptoms. The reason is always hidden in compressed nerve endings, circulatory disorders and deformation of the intervertebral discs. Protrusion, hernia and displacement gradually lead to the loss of mobility of the vertebra.
Age directly affects the severity of symptoms. The older the patient, the stronger the changes in the connective and bone tissues. This is due to the weakness of muscle fibers, nutritional deficiencies and chronic inflammatory diseases in the body.
Patient testimonials
Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae is a common disease, as the nerve roots are constantly exposed to stress due to the excessive mobility of the segment. Timely detection of pathology avoids serious complications, so many people read patient reviews and compare them with their symptoms.
Woman, 35 years old
"We suspected osteochondrosis almost immediately, as I was constantly tormented by headaches and had trouble turning my neck. But the diagnosis was made only after the X-ray. Since the treatment does not give a normal result and the pains still appear periodically, the computed tomography is still ahead, will confirm or deny the progression.
Woman, 42
"Doctors have not been able to determine osteochondrosis for a long time due to the fact that the symptoms echoed with my gastritis. I felt sick from time to time, but I attributed this to nutritional errors. Only after I passed out did I go away. to the doctor and I started looking for a problem. The discomfort in the neck was not very painful in the initial phase and the pain was felt only as the disease progressed. Treatment was prescribed only after the CT scan. Treatment is gradually giving results ".
Man, 36 years old
"Osteochondrosis in the neck developed due to the peculiarities of the profession, but they were unable to determine it immediately. At first, my vision fell, which I immediately attributed to eye fatigue at night, " and then the dizziness and pain in the neck started to suffer, but as I was driving constantly and this did not bother me. The diagnosis was made already in almost 3 stages, when the pressure started to rise and the problems started with health in general. The treatment has not yet yielded tangible results "
It is strictly forbidden to diagnose yourself without laboratory and equipment research. Any information should be taken as a note only.
Cervical osteochondrosis is manifested by a large number of symptoms, but most of them are easily confused with similar pathologies. Therefore, it is recommended to consider the patient's complaints in a complex and carry out differential diagnostics, which allows for the timely identification of the disease and the prescription of the correct treatment, which includes physiotherapy, gymnastics and drug treatment.