Rear cervical sympathetic syndrome is a disease that has many other names in international medical literature. The first description of the pathology appeared in the medical literature in the last century, then it was called "cervical migraine."
There is an ailment against the background of compression of the nerve endings near the vertebral artery. The disease is considered as a functional stage of the vertebral artery syndrome. Pathology is a cerebrovascular disease that inevitably leads to disturbances in the blood circulation in the brain.
The danger of the disease is that the spinal nerve can be drawn into the process. It is in close anatomical relationship with the vertebral artery, which is pressed in the presence of the syndrome.
Causes
The main reason for the development of posterior cervical sympathetic syndrome is a lesion in the region of 1-3 vertebrae in the cervical region, which inevitably leads to impaired lymph flow and blood circulation. Then tissue edema appears, and compression of the nerves only increases. The vertebral artery suffers.
It is believed that the pathological process appears against the background of inflammatory processes on the lymph nodes of the cervical zone or in the subarachnoid membrane. A possible provocateur of the disease may be compression of the vertebral artery or arterial atherosclerosis.
In general, two types of causes are distinguished: those associated with diseases of the spine (vertebrogenic) and unrelated (nonvertebrogenic).
Vertebrogenic causes
The posterior cervical sympathetic syndrome may appear against the background of the following diseases:
- spinal injuries;
- excessive mobility of the vertebrae;
- genetic abnormalities;
- osteochondrosis of the 1 and 2 vertebrae;
- unexplained pathologies.
This type of disease can be inherited. If the mother is diagnosed with this ailment, then the likelihood that the child will have a syndrome is 75%. If the father has cervicocranialgia, then the probability of the appearance of the same disease in a baby is only 20%.
Nevertebrogenic causes
The provoking diseases include:
- atherosclerosis of blood vessels;
- spasticity of the cervical muscles;
- congenital diseases and abnormalities in the structure of arteries;
- whiplash injuries;
- inflammatory process in skeletal muscle.
The provoking factors include: lack of sleep, overstrain (mental and physical), rise to a great height. Also provoke this condition can:
- excessive passion for tyramine, this substance is found in large quantities in chocolate, coffee and cheese, nuts;
- bright light;
- hormonal changes, especially during menstruation and menopause;
- strong odors;
- atmospheric pressure differences;
- addictions.
Clinical picture
Pathology is characterized by frequent pain in the neck and neck, which can radiate to the temporal and parietal parts of the head. The pain can be described as throbbing, burning, which increases with head movement.
The patient may have problems with balance, in the eyes there may be a darkening and blurred vision. The syndrome significantly affects mental and physical performance.
What is cervicocranialgia? This is a feeling of “creeping crawl” in the cervical and occipital region. It may seem that there is a foreign object in the eyes. The patient may fall, while not losing consciousness. In some patients, an increase in body temperature is observed, there may be nausea, even turning into vomiting. Some patients observe problems with sleep and memory.
The clinical course of pathology
Barre-Lieu syndrome is conditionally divided into three types in the context of the clinical course of pathology:
- A typical option. It is characterized by the appearance of pain on one side of the head. They are shooting and squeezing. Often the pain intensifies against the background of atmospheric fluctuations, with hypothermia or strong feelings. There may be noise in the ears, hearing may periodically decrease, sometimes speech changes are observed.
- A type accompanied by abnormalities in the diencephalon. In this case, the patients clearly expressed vasomotor-vegetative innervation. The patient has tremor, fever in the face, nasal discharge. At the peak of the attack, indomitable vomiting, palpitations, and shortness of breath may begin. And after the attack subsides, enuresis can begin.
- A type in which peripheral nerves are involved. This type is characterized not only by headaches, but also by unilateral pain in the shoulder area. Serious weakness in the upper extremities is observed.
Stages of the disease
What is cervicocranialgia? This is a pathology that proceeds in two stages. The first is a completely reversible process. At this stage, a periodic narrowing of the vessels occurs, which is accompanied by headaches.
In the second stage, the narrowing is already irreversible, the clinical picture worsens, the symptoms intensify.
Diagnostics
To establish an accurate diagnosis, you will have to undergo a full examination, and only then treatment is prescribed. In cervical osteochondrosis, a symptom - headache - occurs in almost every patient. Headache is generally present in the symptom complex of many diseases. Why is diagnosis of cervicocranialgia emphasized on determining the presence or absence of cervical osteochondrosis? Because it is this pathology that most often becomes a provocateur of the development of Barre-Lieu syndrome.
First of all, the doctor conducts a thorough survey of the patient, prescribes an x-ray examination of the cervical region, donates blood for a general biochemical analysis. Then, MRI and electromyography are performed. Only such a complete examination will make it possible to make an accurate diagnosis.
Treatment methods
The posterior cervical sympathetic syndrome can only be treated comprehensively. The doctor selects a treatment regimen depending on the age of the patient, the degree of the disease and the causes of the disease, if they are established.
To alleviate the condition during an attack, bed rest for three days is recommended. To relieve pain faster, dry heat can be applied to the neck. This can be a heated salt, which will remove puffiness and improve blood circulation.
Mustard or trituration with Dimexidum liquid can act as dry heat, and it is best to undergo physiotherapeutic procedures - electrophoresis with analgesic agents.
After removing the pain, gymnastic therapeutic exercises and a course of vascular treatment are prescribed.
Manual therapy may be recommended, but it has many contraindications. In particular, it is not suitable for people with hypertension or atherosclerosis of blood vessels.
To improve peripheral and cerebral circulation, the following drugs can be prescribed:
- "Cerebrolysin."
- Piracetam.
- "Stugeron."
- Vitamins of group B.
The diagnosis of posterior cervical sympathetic syndrome requires adjustment of the activity of the nervous system. For this, Pentovit, Milgamma, Neuromultivit are prescribed. To relieve pain, you can use Movalis, Nise. Suitable antispasmodics "Drotaverin" or "Papaverine", which eliminate spasms of blood vessels and muscles. And drugs with triptan can eliminate migraine attacks. This is Amigrein or Sumatriptan.
In some cases, doctors recommend traction. However, this procedure has a fairly wide list of contraindications. Traction can not be carried out in the presence of hypertension, with atherosclerosis of blood vessels, in old age.
During periods when the disease subsides, spa treatment is recommended, which can be carried out against a background of radon or hydrogen sulfide baths. This pathology can be treated with mud.
The treatment and symptoms of headache with cervical osteochondrosis strongly overlap with the syndrome. Indeed, it is against the background of osteochondrosis that cervical headaches often occur. It says that the upper vertebrae of the neck are affected. In this case, the pain can be relieved with the help of a Shants collar, which allows you to reduce the load on the cervical vertebra, fix the head in the correct position. With osteochondrosis, it is not recommended to massage, as there is a huge risk of causing additional injury.
Prevention
In order to prevent the onset of the syndrome, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the muscles of the neck and back, constantly strengthen them. Correct posture is very important. It is always necessary to observe the regime of rest and work. And, of course, injuries to the spinal column should not be allowed.
Nutrition should be rational, the menu should contain proteins, fiber. It is better to refuse the use of coffee, foods high in carbohydrates and fats. Do not eat foods that contribute to the accumulation of salts in the body. In particular, it is salt, potatoes, sorrel, grapes and milk.