About 70 percent of people are at risk of cervical osteochondrosis. This disease occurs at any age, but often at 20-40 years. Many people wonder if cervical osteochondrosis can increase blood pressure. Yes, in addition to the symptoms of acute pain, often osteochondrosis of the neck is really the cause of high blood pressure.
The relationship between diseases
How are osteochondrosis and pressure related? Hypertension is an increase in pressure that occurs in a large circle of blood circulation. Most often, in thirty percent of the world's population, this ailment develops in a chronic form. Given this and the fact that osteochondrosis occurs in approximately seventy percent of people, it becomes clear that the likelihood of a combination of these diseases is quite high. So, these ailments are found in approximately the same age group, and with increasing age, the number of patients increases significantly.
The cervical region is closely connected with the human cardiovascular system. So, the spinal sympathetic center responsible for supplying nerves is located in the region from the 8th cervical vertebra to the 6th thoracic.
We can say that osteochondrosis and pressure are related. In addition, nerves located in the 6th thoracic and 3rd cervical vertebrae participate in the innervation of the heart muscle (the supply of tissues or organs with nerves, which provide a continuous connection with the nervous central system). Therefore, any pathology that occurs in 3-5 cervical vertebrae disrupts the normal blood circulation between the brain and spinal cord.
Today, doctors have determined that cervical osteochondrosis and blood pressure and heart rhythm disturbance have a strong relationship. As a rule, hypertension is found in patients who have protrusions and intervertebral hernias of the neck. Often in a similar situation, the patient has constant pressure surges throughout the day.
Causes of osteochondrosis pressure drops
There may be several causes of hypertension. For example, under stress, its increase is a normal reaction of the human body (the survival of the human body is ensured, blood is sent to vital organs). But today, modern man’s life is so full of various stresses that this fact often leads to the failure of defense mechanisms. As a result, we have an increase in pressure even with slight irritation.
So, in a person who is in a stressful state at an emotional level, in the conditions of physical inactivity, it is the cervical region that is affected. Based on this, before medication, if you have cervical osteochondrosis and your blood pressure jumps, a thorough examination should be performed to identify reliable causes.
Symptoms of pressure drops in osteochondrosis
Hypertension is often exacerbated by starvation of the brain, which occurs with a disease of the cervical spine. This disease is often found in the stage of exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, in other words, with the formation of protrusions or intervertebral hernias. One of the main symptoms in this case are jumps or drops in pressure, that is, cervical osteochondrosis and blood pressure are associated, moreover, they are accompanied by dizziness and headaches.
In order to identify the involvement of pressure instability, diagnostic procedures are needed. But one of the effective methods is to study the symptoms at the time of an attack of drops. These include:
- dizziness and headache;
- dumbness of the fingers and shoulder girdle;
- neck pain.
In addition, increased pressure in cervical osteochondrosis is also accompanied by sharp piercing pain and darkening in the eyes. If the pain does not go away when taking medication, then we can confidently say that the increase in pressure does not appear due to problems with the cardiovascular system and not when exposed to external factors, namely because of osteochondrosis.
If you observe the symptoms listed above, do not delay the visit to the doctor. Treatment of these ailments will help you get rid of discomfort and pain.
Cervical osteochondrosis and blood pressure: prevention
The best treatment for any ailment is, of course, preventive measures. If he already is, then his condition can be alleviated by mitigating the painful manifestations.
Methods for the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis
- Normalized loads. Be careful not to overload the body.
- Healthy and proper nutrition, not resulting in metabolic disorders.
- Fresh air in the room. The room must be often ventilated, since a decrease in the oxygen content in the blood can cause vasospasms. Smoking leads to the same negative effect, therefore quitting smoking is an important step towards curing the pathology of the cervical spine.
What you should pay attention to
Quite often, weather-dependent people attribute their headache to high blood pressure and use medications to lower it. But the increase in pressure is more likely a consequence than an initial cause. The pain caused by osteochondrosis leads to the fact that a person has a feeling of anxiety because of this, which entails an increase in blood pressure. Therefore, drugs that reduce it, in this case, do not help, since blood flow deficiency is not eliminated in the cervical arteries.
To avoid such situations, it is advisable for people who suffer from headaches to keep their pressure under control. To do this, measure it on weekends with good health - this will be considered your normal blood pressure. Next, try to measure it daily in the morning and evening. Having noticed the increase, bring it back to normal using an acceptable method for you. If the pain has not disappeared, then it can be assumed that the cause is osteochondrosis.
Cervical osteochondrosis and blood pressure: treatment
With the correct diagnosis of the ailments under consideration, the patient will first of all expect medical treatment, including not only drugs that control pressure drops, but also those that have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
Quite often, a patient who has an increase in pressure with cervical osteochondrosis is prescribed massage and therapeutic exercises. At home, it may be enough every 2-3 hours to perform preventive movements, inclinations and self-massage in the neck. This simple method will reduce headache and normalize pressure to some extent.
But you need to remember that active mobility or massage can cause an increase in blood pressure. Therefore, it is advised that all exercises and procedures be performed under the supervision of a vertebrologist or neurologist, since any slight deviation can lead to pressure drop or vice versa in case of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, thereby increasing the recovery and rehabilitation period.
Therapeutic exercises
Cervical osteochondrosis and blood pressure are diagnoses in which gymnastics is used, but it must be done systematically and regularly to achieve the full effect.
- Starting position - standing or sitting. As you exhale, tilt your head, bringing your chin as close to your chest as possible. Then, slowly while inhaling, turn your head as if you want to see your back. In the extreme position, hold on for a couple of seconds and exhale again slowly tilt your head to your chest. Repeat exercise - 10 times. Based on your well-being, you can do several approaches 3-4 times, with an interval of about five minutes.
- Put your palm on your forehead and push it for 15-20 seconds without bending your head back.
- Starting position - lying on the stomach, arms - along the body upside down. Put your chin on the floor plane and try to relax as much as possible. Slowly tilt your head to the right, trying to touch the floor with your ear. Return to the original position. Then do the exercise to the left. Repeat 10 times.
The complex of recreational exercises should not include strong extensor and flexion movements of the neck, as they can injure the vertebral discs. Exercise should not be accompanied by pain. Feel the pain - reduce your stress.