Since the distant ancestor of man Homo Erectus stood up, humanity, in addition to all the possible advantages associated with upright walking (protection from wild animals, improved visibility, expanded working functionality), has received a rich set of musculoskeletal diseases. Cervical osteochondrosis is one of them. Some people do not take the disease seriously, considering it an annoying but insignificant obstacle. This is especially true in situations where there is no severe pain.
Cervical osteochondrosis: causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention
Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis is usually perceived as a separate symptom from the main disease, but as a result the disease can lead to serious complications and even disability. In this article we will look at what drugs should be taken for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, learn how to get rid of dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis and analyze what exercises should be done for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The term osteochondrosis comes from the ancient Greek words ὀστέον – "bone" and χόνδρος – "cartilage". Doctors use this term to designate a group of dystrophic changes in articular cartilage caused by an increase in the volume of bone tissue. More than other joints, the cartilaginous seal between the vertebrae, which in medicine is called the "disc", suffers.
Osteochondrosis is divided by type into "cervical", "thoracic" and "lumbar". Cervical is the most common. Today this disease is a constant companion of any person over the age of 40. Despite the opinion that this disease develops over the years and young people do not suffer from it, modern medical practice proves the opposite, demonstrating disappointing statistics among people over 30 years of age.
Causes
The causes of osteochondrosis include direct ones (compression of the vertebral vessels and nerves - compression of the cervical vertebrae) and indirect ones, linked to the patient's lifestyle and the physiological characteristics of his body.
Types of compression complications of osteochondrosis:
- Spondylolisthesis. Displacement of the spinal disc from the back or front. At significant rates, displacement is fraught with paralysis and death.
- Osteophytes. Abnormal and pathological growth of bone tissue due to calcium salts.
- Overhang. Protrusion of the intervertebral disc without disruption of the integrity of the collagen ring.
- Ernie. Displacement of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc with rupture of the collagen ring.
Reasons for compression:
- intense physical work;
- physical inactivity, "computer" diseases, sedentary pastime;
- your weight is higher than normal;
- metabolic disorder;
- genetic predisposition;
- incorrect posture;
- weak muscle tone in the neck and back in general;
- overload, fatigue of the back and neck muscles;
- a tendency to a certain position of the neck, for example the habit of tilting the head to one side;
- "old" lesions of the cervical spine;
- nervous shocks and stress.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are sporadic and constant pain in the neck, upper part of the shoulder girdle, collarbones and head. With advanced disease, vertigo (dizziness) and loss of consciousness are possible.
The comprehensive symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are so diverse that the patient is often unable to independently identify one or another symptom of neck osteochondrosis. The attending physician must also conduct a detailed examination to make an accurate diagnosis.
The symptoms of the disease change depending on its progression. Modern medicine distinguishes 4 stages of progression of osteochondrosis:
I – slight changes in normal cervical lordosis. There may be slight pain when you turn your head. Mild discomfort when bending the neck;
II – small displacements between the vertebrae, torsion (uncoordinated rotation of the vertebra with respect to the chord of the spinal column), reduction in the thickness of the intervertebral cartilage. Pain of mild to moderate intensity appears in the neck and head, tingling in the fingertips, tinnitus, when turning the head the patient hears a slight crunch;
III – the intervertebral cartilage is displaced by a quarter relative to the other, the thickness and size of the disc selectively changes, it becomes thinner, changes its normal shape, posterior osteophytes narrow the spinal canal, injuring the spinal cord. The pain becomes intense, its sporadic nature is lost, it becomes stable in nature, oscillating from medium to severe. Weakness appears in the hands, hearing is impaired. When you turn your head, the sound of crunching is heard not only by the patient, but also by those around you. Possible loss of coordination of movements. By the way, dizziness with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a very alarming sign, for which you should immediately consult a doctor if this has not already been done;
IV – the intervertebral discs are significantly displaced, the posterior osteophytes and protuberances become abnormally large, the spinal canal is significantly narrowed and curved, myelopathy (compression syndrome of the spinal cord and its vessels) is formed. Frequent dizziness, loss of consciousness. Severe and very intense pain in the neck, head, collarbone, shoulders. The face, tongue and palate become numb. Vision and hearing are significantly impaired. Weakness throughout the body. The legs and arms are taken away. Temporary paralysis of the limbs. A very significant loss of coordination in space. Swallowing reflex disorder. Total loss of sensation in the hands and throughout the body.
Treatment and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis
When the question arises "how to cure osteochondrosis of the neck? ", we must remember that with cervical osteochondrosis treatment must be timely, there is no way to be late.
Therapeutic and preventive measures are closely related to each other in the treatment of neck osteochondrosis. Conventionally, the difference between them lies in the severity of the disease. Prevention of osteochondrosis is applied before the onset of the disease and during its first three stages. Treatment of the disease begins from the moment it occurs.
In this section we will find out whether it is possible to simultaneously eliminate many of the unpleasant symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, what exercises can be done for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, what tablets, drugs and folk remedies are best used for complicated osteochondrosis, how to treat dizziness , how to treat dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis osteochondrosis with folk remedies.
Prevention
Eliminates many signs of osteochondrosis at once. It includes four types of therapy:
- The traditional way to remove the signs of cervical osteochondrosis and dizziness is to constantly lead a healthy lifestyle;
- physical therapy (not recommended already at the third stage of development of osteochondrosis, although the final decision lies with the vertebrologist);
- massage and self-massage (although manual therapy is very effective for cervical osteochondrosis and can easily relieve pain, it is not recommended in the late stages of the disease);
- apply orthopedic advice and orthopedic devices (Kuznetsov applicator, furniture, household items) in everyday life.
ethnoscience
Neck osteochondrosis can be treated at home using traditional medicine. The products created by her are a creative composition of herbs, essential oils, fats, poisons, roots of various plants with alcohol and iodine.
Can a traditional medicine relieve dizziness and pain? Here the situation is the same as with treatment with drugs: the pain can disappear almost immediately, it will take some time to prevent dizziness. Treatment with traditional medicine must be started as early as possible, then it will definitely bring a positive result.