Cervical osteochondrosis is a dystrophic dysfunction of the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine. The disease manifests itself in the form of severe pain in the head, neck and upper back.
The risk of osteochondrosis lies not only in the deterioration of the quality of life, but also in the risk of disability.
Characteristics of the course of SOC in women
The symptoms of the development of spinal diseases in men and women are practically the same, but there are still some differences. In women, cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed more often. This is due to anatomical features.
Unlike women, men have a well-developed musculature of the shoulder girdle, which supports the cervical spine.
Report.The condition of the spine is negatively affected by pregnancy and the further period of caring for the child.
The reason for the development of female cervical osteochondrosis may be the hormonal changes that occur during the aging process. After menopause, there is a slowdown of metabolic and nutritional processes in cartilage tissue.
Causes and factors
There are many reasons for the development of SOS in women. The most common are the menopausal changes in the body. During this period, the amount of progesterone in the female body decreases significantly. As a result of these processes, the support of the spine becomes weaker.Other reasons include the following factors:
- traffic problems;
- passive lifestyle;
- the presence of excess weight;
- great physical activity;
- weak immunity;
- heredity;
- spinal cord injury;
- hormonal problems;
- hypothermia.
The list of causative factors is quite extensive. Women should be extra careful to monitor their health and support the immune system.
Symptoms
How the disease manifests itself at an early stage
It is important to recognize the signs of the development of the disease in time.Early symptoms include:
- feeling of stiffness in the neck;
- sudden onset of snoring during sleep;
- frequent headaches;
- finger and shoulder discomfort.
- periodic numbness of the extremities.
- shooting pains radiating to neck;
local signs
With cervical osteochondrosis, a number of local symptoms appear.These include the following events:
- stenosis;
- reflex-stimulus syndrome;
- radical syndrome;
- cardiac syndrome.
Stenosis involves a violation of blood circulation in the affected area. The patient feels stiffness and pain. There may be numbness and tingling in the extremities.
Reflex-irritation syndrome can manifest itself in the form of burning.The pain may radiate to the shoulder joint or chest.
Radical syndrome causes headaches. Sometimes there are problems with speech.
Cardiac syndrome by its nature is similar to an angina attack. In some cases, blood pressure rises and arrhythmia occurs.
Signs of an acute condition
During the acute stage, deformations of the vertebrae are observed, which compress the vertebral artery.Due to the fact that blood does not enter the brain, the following deviations are observed:
- speech disorder;
- dizziness;
- tinnitus;
- double vision
The pain can radiate to the stomach, heart and lungs. When the nerve endings in the cervical region are compressed, there is pain that radiates from the neck to the shoulder blades.
Stages of the disease and their special characteristics
SHOC proceeds in several stages. Each of them has its own characteristic symptoms.Overall, there are 4 main stages in the development of osteochondrosis:
- In the initial stage, the disease looks like dehydration of the nucleus pulposus. The patient has cracks in the annulus fibrosus.
- The second stage involves relaxing the muscles and ligaments. As a result, there is a kinetic imbalance of the vertebrae. This stage of the development of the disease is characterized by displacement of the vertebrae.
- The third stage of development is characterized by more intense symptoms. Patients develop intervertebral disc protrusions and joints.
- The fourth stage is the final. A characteristic feature is osteophytes. Bony growths form on the surface of the vertebrae. There is an increase in fibrous tissue.
In the absence of early diagnosis and treatment, the disease can lead to disability.
Diagnostics
If the first symptoms of the disease appear, you should consult a doctor to undergo an examination and prescribe the appropriate treatment.In addition to collecting a history, the doctor prescribes a series of diagnostic studies.
Instrumental examination methods
Instrumental diagnostic methods will help to accurately diagnose and determine the patient's condition. The most commonly prescribed procedures are:
- x-ray?
- myelographic study?
- ultrasound;
- MRI.
A plain X-ray is needed to get a picture of the entire spine or the affected part of it.With its help, the doctor will be able to determine the location of the pathology. With osteochondrosis in the image of the spine, you can see the presence of bony growths and narrowing of the intervertebral disc.
A more complicated type of diagnosis is the myelographic study. It consists in the fact that a contrast liquid is injected into the canal of the spinal cord.
Great.Such a procedure can be dangerous, as an allergic reaction or damage to the spinal cord is possible.
Such a study allows you to study the internal structure of the spinal canal.
Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are among the most effective diagnostic methods. According to their results, osteochondrosis can be distinguished from other diseases with similar symptoms.
Treatment
Medical treatment
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis must be comprehensive. An important part is drug therapy.In most cases, the following drug groups are prescribed:
- pain relievers?
- anti-inflammatory;
- chondroprotectors;
- Muscle relaxants;
- vitamins.
Analgesics include nonsteroidal drugs that relieve pain. Most of these drugs are irritants to the lining of the digestive tract.
To alleviate the inflammatory process, hormonal drugs are prescribed.Effective steroid medications include glucocorticosteroid-based ointments and tablets.
Chondroprotectors contain in their composition substances that replace the components of cartilage tissue - hyaluronic acid and chondroitin. To get a lasting effect from taking such drugs, a rather long course of treatment is prescribed.
To relax muscle tone, it is recommended to take muscle relaxants.These are adjunctive medications for pain relief. The muscle relaxant is administered parenterally and only under the supervision of a specialist. For the treatment of osteochondrosis, agents based on benzimidazole and glycerin are used. They have a large number of contraindications.
To maintain the function of the immune system, vitamin complexes are prescribed. They have a positive effect on the peripheral nervous system. The composition must contain fat-soluble vitamins E, D, C, E and B vitamins.
Quite effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis ointments for external use. They help relieve inflammation, warm and relieve pain. Before using them, you should consult a specialist.
Are the drugs effective?
Medication for cervical osteochondrosis is quite effective. It allows you to get rid of the inflammatory process and relieves pain. To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect, medication should be combined with therapeutic exercises and massage.
Gymnastics
Before you start exercising, you should consult a specialist. During exacerbations, it is better to refuse physical activity. It is important that exercise does not cause an exacerbation of pain.
Report.All exercises are as simple as possible and include head movement and isometric muscle tension.
Such exercise can be performed both at home and at work. The starting position for almost all exercises is the sitting position.
Approximate set of exercises:
- The head turns all the way to the right and then to the left. It is important not to make strong jerks. During rotation, the voltage must be maintained for 5 seconds.
- Leans head to shoulder. You should try to touch your shoulder with your ear, while you should not raise your hand itself. The exercise should be done with painless width.
- Circular movements of the head against and clockwise. Rotations should be done as slowly as possible.
Such a light load will help stretch the muscles. In order to bring good results, such gymnastics must be carried out regularly. In this case, the increase in load should be gradual and painless.
Massage
Massage should only be done by a professional. It is necessary to process the neck area, part of the back and the collar zone.The following techniques can be applied:
- caressing;
- pressure;
- pulverization;
- kneading.
Massage should not cause pain. A procedure performed by non-professionals can only worsen the situation.
Folk remedies at home
Alternative treatment methods can be used as adjuncts.It can be compresses from fresh horseradish leaves. They are applied to the cervical area and must be kept on overnight.
Quite effective compress from grated potatoes and honey. This procedure should not be done more than once a week. Folk remedies will help alleviate the patient's condition, but not cure the disease.
Is SHX completely curable?
Cervical osteochondrosis cannot be completely cured.Treatment is aimed at improving the patient's condition and stopping the development of the disease. Periodic relapses are possible, so the patient should carefully monitor her condition. The sooner the treatment starts, the better the result.
Prevention
Proper nutrition
An important position in the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is proper nutrition. The diet should contain products containing synthetic substances for cartilage tissue. It can be jelly, jelly or gelatin.
Great.The body must have enough protein.
It is found in fish, eggplant and meat. It is important to monitor the water balance. Lack of water can lead to dehydration of the intervertebral discs.
The diet should include foods rich in vitamins and minerals. For example, fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood, pork and beef.
Active lifestyle
An active lifestyle will minimize the risk of developing the disease.It is not recommended for women to lift more than 10 kg. In case of problems with the spine, it is recommended to use a special corset.
In order to have a quality and long sleep, it is better to buy a special orthopedic mattress and pillow. Experts recommend swimming, but it is better to refuse running and jumping. During the period of exacerbation, you can not visit the bathroom.
Cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed more often in women.It is important to notice the first signs of deviation in time and start treatment. The sooner treatment is started, the more effective it will be.