The treatment of cervical chondrosis is one of the most common problems in the world, since most people over 35 suffer from this disease. This is due to the fact that a very large part of the world's population leads a sedentary lifestyle. Nevertheless, this disease is quite dangerous, so everyone should know about the symptoms and treatment of chondrosis of the cervical spine.
The main causes of the development of the disease
Chondrosis is one of the few pathologies that are characteristic only for people. The reason for this is considered to be differences in the structure of the spine: due to constant pressure and friction, the vertical trunk of the vertebrae is gradually deformed.
The cervical spine, consisting of seven vertebrae, is subjected to constant stress. All elements of this system are small in size and have a weak muscle frame. Inadequate blood supply to the cartilage tissue also has a far from positive effect. And since the cervical spine is considered to be the most vulnerable part of the spine, the treatment of chondrosis of this section of the musculoskeletal system is the first stage of recovery.
Other factors provoking chondrosis
Therapy of such a pathology is a complex and lengthy process, since this disease does not occur for any specific reason. Despite the established connection between the development of the disease and a sedentary lifestyle, this ailment often occurs in athletes due to increased stress.
Older people also suffer from the inevitable manifestations of symptoms of chondrosis of the cervical spine. Treatment of this degenerative pathology, leading to damage to the cartilage of the intervertebral discs and vertebral deformity, does not always give a positive result.
Various forms of chondrosis may appear due to:
- violation of posture;
- curvature of the spinal column;
- back injuries;
- overweight;
- heavy physical work;
- sedentary, sedentary work;
- metabolic disorders in the body;
- frequent hypothermia;
- uncomfortable position during sleep;
- stress and overwork;
- genetic predisposition;
- infectious diseases and general weakness of the body.
In addition, chondrosis may occur due to individual structural features of the body, for example, due to too short / long neck or different lengths of legs.
Stages of the development of pathology
An ailment that affects the upper or lower parts of the spine develops slowly, passing through four different stages. The stages of the disease can be difficult to determine, since the clinical manifestations do not always coincide with the corresponding symptoms. Therefore, the treatment of cervical chondrosis is often ineffective.
Chondrosis: the initial stage
Beginning degenerative-dystrophic changes associated with deformation of the bone-cartilage tissue of the vertebrae are weakly expressed. Usually, people almost never notice them or connect them with possible pathologies of the spine. The most commonly reported symptoms are attributed to fatigue, stress, or psychological overwork.
Second stage of the disease
The appearance of headaches, general weakness, a feeling of numbness on the face are just some of the specific symptoms of cervical and chest chondrosis. Treatment of the disease at this stage gives the chance of a complete recovery of the spine: the use of drugs and lifelong fitness exercises, specially designed for the prevention of diseases of the spine, allows you to forget about the problem for a long time.
Third stage
The destruction of the intervertebral discs occurs, hernias appear, vessels and muscles begin to suffer. The patient develops dizziness, nausea, jumps in blood pressure, pain in the occipital region of the head of the neck and upper back. With such problems, a person, not knowing that these are symptoms of cervical chondrosis and a neurologist should prescribe treatment here, begins to turn to other narrow-profile specialists.
The fourth stage of chondrosis
The last stage of the disease is characterized by the appearance of osteophytes - growths of bone tissue, which provokes pinching of the nerves. Such phenomena entail stiffness of movements and damage to adjacent joints.
Symptoms of chondrosis of the cervical spine
The treatment of degenerative pathologies of the spine should be started with the appearance of signs such as:
- pain in various parts of the back and head;
- insufficient tone and elasticity of the back muscles;
- dizziness, vestibular apparatus dysfunction;
- increased sweating;
- numbness of limbs;
- violation of the functions of the organs of vision and hearing;
- jumps in blood pressure.
Similar symptoms may be present at any stage of the development of this disease. However, in most cases, the patient complains only of a part of the present manifestations. Therefore, many people who first encountered signs of cervical chondrosis receive treatment most often that does not correspond to the true culprit of ill health. Of course, this leads to a delay in the necessary therapy and a significant deterioration in physical condition.
Diagnosis of a pathological condition
To diagnose the disease and exclude other undesirable pathologies, it is necessary to consult a therapist. After examining and collecting an anamnesis, the doctor will direct you to the necessary narrow-profile specialists - an orthopedist, vertebrologist or neurologist.
To determine chondrosis, research methods such as:
- Roentgenography. Allows you to determine the presence of displacement of the vertebrae and deformities of the intervertebral discs.
- CT scan. It gives a voluminous idea of the ongoing changes in the spine and allows you to detail the degree and nature of the lesion.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. Lets get a picture of structural changes.
- Ultrasound scanning of the vessels of the neck. It allows to detect changes in blood flow in the vessels caused by the development of the pathological process.
Only after the necessary examinations can we talk about the adequacy of the use of certain treatment regimens for cervical chondrosis.
Therapeutic measures
Today, there are several effective methods of treating this disease, many of which can be used at home. However, we must not forget that the treatment of any pathology of the spine is a long process. Often, the therapy used can only slow down or stop the development of the disease, but complete healing and recovery is unlikely.
At the initial stages of pathological processes, as a rule, conservative methods of recovery are used. For the treatment of cervical chondrosis in this case, most often used:
- medications and special creams;
- therapeutic exercises or exercise therapy;
- physiotherapy;
- massage courses;
- special devices that fix the correct position of the spine and provide a resting state of the affected areas (Shants collar, orthopedic corsets).
At the later stages of degenerative-dystrophic changes that provoke destruction of the bone-cartilage structure of the spine, surgical intervention may be recommended.
Medications
As a treatment for symptoms of cervical chondrosis at home, drugs such as:
- Chondroprotectors (tablets and capsules for oral administration, preparations for intramuscular and intraarticular administration).
- Vitamins
- Analgesics (for example, "Analgin", "Baralgin", "Flupirtine" and other drugs; if they are ineffective, they make novocaine blockade).
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, non-steroid drugs: Diclofenac, Nimesulide, Meloxicam, etc.).
- Antispasmodics (for example, "Tolperisone", "Tizanidine", and in some cases, more serious drugs are prescribed that are used to relieve muscle spasm - "Carbamazepine" or "Gabapentin").
The main task of using these funds is the elimination of pain.
Surgical interventions on the spine are done, first of all, in those situations when compression of the spinal cord occurs. Similar procedures include removal of the intervertebral hernia and relief of decompression. In severe cases, it is possible: microdiscectomy, reconstruction of the disk using laser technology, replacement of the damaged disk with an implant, stabilization of a certain area of the spine.
Improving gymnastics and exercise therapy
Improving physical education is one of the simple, affordable and at the same time effective methods of treating many pathologies of the spine. In addition, such measures are widely used in the treatment of cervical chondrosis at home.
Such wellness procedures are necessary to strengthen the muscular frame of the spine, replenishing the functionality of weakened vertebrae. Therefore, here, of particular importance is not the intensity and load in the classroom, but their regularity.
To strengthen the muscles of the neck and back, you need to perform a certain set of exercises daily. These can be simple turns and tilts of the head or more complex movements where the hands are involved. Small sports equipment can sometimes be used. Such gymnastics can be done at home or at work.
Regular exercises in the pool and long walks in the fresh air can be very useful.
However, an important condition for this is that any gymnastic exercises are carried out outside the period of exacerbation of the pathological process and in the absence of pain.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapeutic procedures are an important step in the treatment of chondrosis of the cervical spine. They mean the impact on the body of certain physical fields and radiation. This method has a minimal list of contraindications.
To date, in the treatment of chondrosis of the cervical or thoracic spine using physiotherapy techniques are widely used:
- Ultrasound exposure, which helps to improve metabolic processes in cells and tissues and relieves swelling.
- Laser treatment improves metabolism in tissues and promotes their rapid recovery.
- The effects of a magnetic field have a positive effect on the process of tissue regeneration, and also have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
- Exposure to electric currents (electrophoresis) is usually used in combination with medications, since the use of this procedure speeds up their absorption.
- Shock wave therapy using acoustic waves is used to effectively relieve pain and eliminate edema.
Massage courses
Many massage techniques help reduce muscle tone, causing spasm. Such procedures normalize blood circulation in the area affected by chondrosis, and improve the outflow of lymph, which provokes edema. Therefore, massage is one of the mandatory procedures recommended for the treatment of many pathologies of the spine.
Using special tools
Other methods of treating cervical chondrosis include the use of special devices that ensure optimal fixation of the spine in the correct position. Shantsa collar and specially selected corsets and belts are recommended to be worn during exacerbations of the disease, during physical exertion or prolonged sedentary work.
To reduce the likelihood of exacerbations, it is also recommended to arrange a place to sleep. The best solution in this matter may be the use of an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
In the absence of treatment for cervical chondrosis, a person may experience consequences such as hypertension, migraines, stroke, compression of the spinal cord, etc.