In the article, we consider the symptoms, causes, treatment of cervical-cranial syndrome.
Headache is a possible cause of a number of pathologies. This number also includes cervicocranialgia, called the cervical-cranial syndrome. This type of neurological illness is characterized by pain in the occipital region and neck. Very often, such a sore can manifest itself in people who are over sixty years old. Moreover, in proportion to the number of cases among women and men the same.
ICD-10 code
The main provocateur of the development of cervical-cranial syndrome is a head injury along with an overload of the cervical spine, which can form over a sufficiently long period of time. Against the general background, complaints are pain in the neck and head, dizziness is not excluded.
An annoying and not looking serious problem can inform the patient about the presence in his body of a more serious pathology than cervicocranialgia. In ninety percent of cases, it is caused by osteochondrosis of the neck, requiring immediate treatment. The ICD-10 code for cervical-cranial syndrome is M 53.0.
What is this pathology?
In order to understand what kind of syndrome it is, you need to delve a little into the structure of the cervical spine and skull. The neck acts as an anatomical part of the supporting motor apparatus, it provides mobility of the head. Important blood vessels lie here that provide nutrition to the cerebral brain structures. Inside the spine there is a spinal canal, through which autonomic innervations are carried out with the control of all structures of the human body. Any pathologies in the cervical spine disrupt such physiological processes, which leads to a violation of the functions of blood vessels and internal organs.
The skull box is a structure made up of several bones. Inside is the brain, which is covered with a cobweb. A pathological change in the structure of the upper cervical vertebrae can provoke disturbances in the outflow of cerebrospinal fluids from the subarachnoid region. This can put pressure on the bony part of the skull. A sensation of pressure arises in the occipital part of the head. Then an attack of severe pain appears. It can even provoke cerebral vomiting. For the emergence of such a serious neurological pathology as cervical-cranial syndrome, certain pathogenetic aspects are characteristic:
- Compressions occur with violations of the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid.
- The processes of the vestibular apparatus are disrupted, and at the same time dizziness develops along with nausea and vomiting.
- There is a feeling of flickering midges in front of the visual organs.
- Among patients at a young age, such disorders can lead to fainting and confusion.
- In elderly patients, through some pathogenetic changes, a spinal type of stroke can develop according to the ischemic scenario in cerebral vessels.
- The secondary complex of radicular nerve compression in the cervical sector of the spine provokes the appearance of pain that is associated with impaired innervation of the external tissue in the upper neck and cranium (where the scalp is located).
- Against the background of severe compression of the upper pairs of nerves, larynx and pharynx neurosis is formed in combination with trigeminal and facial neuralgia, and a disturbance in speech and swallowing functions.
It is worth emphasizing that the described pathology is a rather dangerous condition that requires immediate consultation by a neurologist.
Causes of occurrence
Cervicocranialgia, as a rule, is formed against a background of impaired blood circulation. The brain simply ceases to receive the portions of oxygen it needs, in connection with this a serious pain syndrome occurs. As they say in medicine, this begins to manifest the reflex nature of the disease. Cramping of the nerve endings, which is usually accompanied by the absolute destruction of cartilage, is considered the most common factor in cervicocranialgia. In this case, edema and inflammation can have an adverse effect on the nerve roots, which manifests itself in discomfort. This syndrome is called radicular.
Cervico-cranial syndrome (according to the ICD - M53.0) is considered far from an independent pathology. It is a combination of symptoms that lead to the formation of cervicocranialgia. Its indirect causes can also be considered inflammatory processes in the form of a hernia, osteochondrosis and spondylosis, pathologies of the heart, lungs, and, at the same time, earlier injuries. Next, let's talk about the symptoms of cervical-cranial syndrome.
Manifestations of the disease
The presence of this deviation may accordingly be indicated by the following characteristic features:
- Presence of a state of constant tension in the neck muscles along with discomfort extending to the back of the head.
- At the same time, the neck begins to itch from a strong burning sensation, against which a aching pain appears, which passes into the region of the head.
- The patient suffers from pain in the region of the forearm and neck.
- Against the background of sharp turns of the head to the side, dizziness can immediately occur.
- The quality of a person’s sleep can become noticeably lower.
- Head felt pulsating noises.
- Nausea along with vomiting and a significant increase in blood pressure are not ruled out.
- Other obvious signs of the manifestation of the disease include noise. They can spread to the head, and at the same time to the ears. At the same time, the skin on the face and neck is numb.
The causes and symptoms of cervical cranial syndrome are interrelated.
Pain in osteochondrosis can spread to the shoulder blades, girdle and arms. In separate examples, patients with this syndrome have numb limbs. Fingers, for example, or the back of the head. Many people cannot turn their heads without turning their entire body with it. Pain, as a rule, shooting and aching. The longer the seizures last, the more the disease is started, the discomfort can intensify even against the background of sneezing and coughing. Symptoms and manifestations of the cervical-cranial syndrome should not go unnoticed.
Types of pathology
Cervicocranialgia is divided into a number of species that differ from each other in their following symptoms:
- Vertebrogenic type, accompanied by severe dizziness in combination with the appearance of dark spots in the eyes, nausea and migraine. Against this background, the cause, as a rule, is poor circulation in the cervical region.
- The chronic type is a hypertensive syndrome in which a characteristic pressing and bursting pain is observed.
- Syndrome, accompanied by an infringement of the vertebral nerves. At the same time, a person’s head hurts only on one side, and has a distinct character.
Treatment features
Diagnosis of cervicocranialgia involves dopplerography of the neck vessels along with x-rays and magnetic resonance therapy. This list of comprehensive measures will certainly help the patient identify osteochondrosis, even at an early stage. As soon as a person is delivered a verdict, having established the disease, it is necessary to adhere as closely as possible to the course of treatment prescribed by the doctor. It is unacceptable to engage in self-medication with this ailment.
It is necessary to start treating cervical-cranial syndrome with a certain category of drugs. For example, Diclofenac is the most common solution to this problem. Moreover, this medicine also has analogues in the form of Diclonate and Voltaren. The duration of the medication directly depends on how intensely the person develops the pain syndrome. But, as a rule, NSAIDs take no more than one week of medication. In the presence of weak aching pain, the daily norm of such a drug is a dosage of 75 milligrams. And with a characteristic acute pain sensation, it will take from 120 to 150 milligrams.
"Diclofenac" with its analogues is used in the treatment of cervical-cranial syndrome in various forms, from ordinary pills to all kinds of solutions for intramuscular injection. An obligatory medication, also required for administration, is Tizanidine, which helps relieve muscle cramps in a short time. It is most convenient to take the Tizanidine medication in the format of ordinary pills, which are used in an amount of two to four, which depends on the strength of the pain. In the course of therapy, it is necessary to be registered with a neurologist without fail, having regular consultations with him.
In addition to therapy with tablets, in order to eliminate the problem, physiotherapy is also used, including electromagnetic action, as well as electric current to muscle tissue. Acupuncture massage is also very effective in this matter. Therapeutic gymnastics, as a rule, includes a number of exercises in combination with exercises in a special corset for muscles. Thus, a good metabolism that normalizes blood circulation is stimulated. All this makes it possible to reverse the destructive process in the spinal column. However, the specificity of the pathology shows that in case of localization it is not recommended to conduct full-fledged massages.
Treatment of the syndrome in question, which develops as a result of the presence of cervical osteochondrosis, usually involves a different lifestyle, which should be different from that which the person led before. The patient will have to combine two incompatible things at once, namely vigorous activity with sedentary work. It is also necessary to eat right. Vegetables with fruits, just like dairy products, will certainly help. At the same time, it is best to refuse fried and fatty foods, excluding it from the diet. It is mandatory to take vitamin complexes.
Let's talk about the consequences of cervical cranial syndrome. What can they manifest themselves in?
Effects
If you do not deal with the problem at hand, adverse effects may occur. Leaving aside even the most minor trauma in the cervical spine, it is possible to provoke the development of degenerative and dystrophic processes. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to prevent such a disease, but there is a way to reduce the risks of its occurrence by facilitating the course. To do this, you must adhere to certain preventive recommendations.
Prevention
It is very difficult to prevent and prevent cervical-cranial syndrome (according to ICD-10: M53.0), however, it is possible to reduce the risks of its occurrence or significantly ease the course. To do this, it is recommended to listen to the following tips:
- Perform a set of exercises that can relieve muscle tension.
- From time to time, the neck muscles should be extended in order to strengthen them.
- It is necessary to observe correct posture.
- Performing work at the computer, you need to place its monitor at eye level.
- During sleep, you need to have your head on the pillow, and your shoulder on the mattress.
You need to try to completely eliminate the "aggressors" from your life, which often provoke certain stressful situations, and if you fail to do this, but you need to learn how to switch from the current problem to some pleasant moments.
Myofascial cervical cranial syndrome
Myofascial syndrome is a chronic condition associated with the formation of local seals in the muscle tissue in the form of trigger points. Pain is usually triggered by palpation of points and through movements, quickly leading to a limitation of muscle fatigue and motor range. Diagnosis is by inspection and palpation. Further, according to the indications, radiography is carried out in combination with a study of somatic organs. Treatment, as a rule, includes a combination of pharmacotherapy in the form of non-steroid medications, muscle relaxants and alternative methods, such as reflexology, along with massage, exercise therapy, post-isometric relaxation and so on.
Myofascial syndrome has previously been associated with rheumatic muscle damage, with inflammation of the fibrous tissue, and, in addition, with increased viscosity in the muscles. According to such ideas, the pathology bore the names "myofascitis", "fibrositis", "myogelosis." It is worth noting that this disease is widespread, speaking as one of the most common causes of chronic pain. The disease most affects people of middle age. In men, myofascial cervical syndrome is observed two times less than in women.
What is the standard of care for cervical cranial syndrome? About this - below.
Standard of care
Treatment of the disease begins with drugs from the NSAID category. Often, as noted earlier, doctors prefer Diclofenac or Tizanidine, which is a central muscle relaxant that relieves muscle spasms. But in addition to medical treatment, the patient may need a consultation of a neurologist, along with a radiography of the cervical spine and functional tests. The treatment of the syndrome in question directly depends on the provoking reasons. The following treatment methods are standardly used:
- Conducting conservative treatment, which includes taking various medications.
- The implementation of physiotherapy.
- Patient wearing orthopedic special devices.
- Performing surgery.
Army
We will also talk about cervical-cranial syndrome and the army.
The examination of the pathology in question is carried out for the underlying disease, that is, directly due to the pain syndrome. Examination of pathologies of the spine (be it osteochondrosis, spondylarthrosis, scoliosis, etc.) is based on the presence of morphological and functional disorders. This provision is based on the classic postulate of the unity of functions in the body. This means that as a result of examination of the conscript, violations in organs and systems are determined, and then a paraclinical study is performed, determining the morphological substrate that led to such deviations.
After all the examinations required by the attending physician, a final diagnosis is established, based on which the category of fitness for military service is determined. During the examination for this disease, the severity of dysfunction is mainly assessed, and then they are checked whether the detected substrate (protrusion, disc hernia, etc.) is a sufficient reason for the existing dysfunction. It is worth emphasizing that only a minor violation is enough to exempt from conscription.
We examined the symptoms and treatment of cervical cranial syndrome.