Osteochondrosis of the neck is a common disease of the spine that affects patients of all ages. It is a degenerative change in the spinal disc that develops against the background of severe stress, wearing the wrong shoes, heavy physical exertion and malnutrition.
It develops gradually, so the patient may not immediately notice the first symptoms.
Another name for this disease is a degenerative-destructive lesion of the spine that affects the vertebral body, ligament and joint apparatus, intervertebral discs.
It is diagnosed equally often in men and women, and usually develops after the age of 30. According to statistics, this disease affects 50 to 80% of the population.
The main signs of the disease
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis appear as the pathology progresses. They are more noticeable during exacerbations. Noticing the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to consult a doctor, because it is often covered up by other disorders, which complicates the timely diagnosis. Patients usually come with the following complaints:
- Severe pain in the area of the collar.
- Noise and congestion in the ears.
- Frequent dizziness.
- Shortness of breath, feeling short of breath.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Blood pressure drops.
- Frequent fainting or syncope.
- Increased body temperature.
The signs of cervical osteochondrosis in men do not differ much from those that appear in women. Patients complain of discomfort in the nape of the neck, sternum and shoulder girdle. You should contact your local therapist or neurologist for a diagnosis.
Neck pain
One of the most common symptoms of chondrosis of the cervical spine is pain in the neck that affects the back of the head and shoulders. The nature of the pain (painful, sharp, slight tingling) directly depends on the location of the lesion and the severity of the development of the pathological process. In the initial phase, it can be a slight discomfort, which does not allow you to turn your head freely in all directions. Gradually, the pain becomes chronic and limits the range of motion.
The pain is manifested as a result of deformation of the vertebrae, due to insufficient blood flow to the neck area. In the background of this process, cramps, anxiety attacks and panic are observed. A painful sensation in the neck area can spread to the shoulders or arms. Increase after sleep, sudden movements, laughter or sneezing. Discomfort is combined with characteristic crunching when trying to turn or muscle weakness.
Muscle spasm and poor circulation often lead not only to pain, but also to a temporary loss of the ability to move the neck. Constant strain spreads to the head, and the patient begins to complain of migraine attacks.
Noise and congestion in the ears
Osteochondrosis in the neck is also manifested by a feeling of ear blockage, hearing loss and noise. All this happens due to insufficient intensity of blood flow to the vestibular apparatus. This complex of symptoms is called cochlear, but doctors rarely associate it with a spinal disorder. Pay attention to the nature of noise and tinnitus, they usually increase when a person is in one position for a long time or trying to change it.
Patients with hearing problems consult an otorhinolaryngologist. In the presence of accompanying disorders of the condition, such as numbness of the face, limited mobility of the neck, additional consultation with a neurologist is needed in order to clarify the diagnosis and determine the cause.
Headaches and migraines
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in men are rarely accompanied by frequent headaches, the female population is more susceptible to them. The vertebrae in this area are constantly exposed to excessive stress, which leads to their gradual deformation, if the muscle tissue is not elastic enough to keep them in their natural position. It is more difficult to identify the cause of the headache because the symptom is not specific. The attack is caused by the following reasons:
- Cerebral vasospasm.
- Tight nerve endings in the cervicothoracic spine.
- High blood pressure.
- Acute violation of venous outflow.
- Increased fatigue.
- Prolonged stay in an unnatural position.
The headache intensifies during the exacerbation period, in patients, including men. By nature, it can be constant, dull in the form of seizures or pulsating. In the elderly, this symptom requires special attention, because it can indicate the development of a stroke, angina pectoris, heart attack or arterial hypertension. Therefore, first of all, these conditions are excluded before the treatment of osteochondrosis begins.
With heart pathologies, patients also complain of compression in the area of the chest, irregular heart rhythm, which enables the doctor to differentiate the condition in time. Headaches accompanied by nausea, shortness of breath, necessarily require an ECG.
Dizziness
Impaired coordination and frequent dizziness often occur when osteochondrosis develops to grade 2 or higher. This is due to degenerative changes in the vertebrae, cramps, pinching of nerve endings. The brain does not receive the required amount of oxygen, which negatively affects the functioning of the vestibular apparatus. As a result of the deviation of the condition, the symptom is:
- Systemic vertigo. They appear as a feeling of turning the whole body and the objects around it. Dysfunction occurs due to malfunction of the vestibular apparatus, weakening of muscle tissue and receptors located in the joints.
- Unsystematic vertigo. In addition to instability, patients experience bouts of nausea, an insecure state in an upright position. Circular rotation is usually absent.
Dizziness is a serious symptom that should be sought immediately from a doctor. In the presence of numbness in the shoulders, paralysis of the facial muscle tissue, loss of consciousness, urgent hospitalization is required.
Shortness of breath and shortness of breath
Another serious symptom of advanced osteochondrosis in the shoulder area is a constant feeling of shortness of breath. Breathing problems are caused by compression of nerve endings and receptors that do not transmit impulses from the throat to the esophagus. Shortness of breath occurs when the vertebrae move, increases in a state of stress, followed by a lump in the throat. After taking sedatives, the health condition returns to normal.
Lack of air causes radicular syndrome. Spasm of the diaphragm, affects the depth and rhythm of breathing. The patient becomes suffocated and has difficulty breathing air, problems with memory and concentration occur. Such a symptom in osteochondrosis requires urgent help, because it can cause a number of serious complications. The doctor chooses the medicine individually, taking into account the condition.
Nausea
In the cervical region, there is a large accumulation of nerve endings, through which passes the artery that is responsible for transporting nutrients to the brain. In osteochondrosis, bumps and intervertebral hernias gradually form, which affects blood pressure, and as a result, the patient experiences an attack of nausea.
Prolonged damage to normal circulation leads to vomiting, loss of consciousness and causes stroke and disability. Therefore, the appearance of such a symptom, which is not associated with dietary errors, requires urgent medical advice.
High blood pressure
For cervical osteochondrosis, the characteristic symptom is a jump in pressure during the day. High or low blood pressure is not maintained for a long time, which is a characteristic sign of degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc. The daily dynamics of blood pressure is sudden, because the irritation of the nerve endings is reflex and causes short-term spasms of blood vessels. The peculiarity of increased pressure in cervical osteochondrosis is:
- headache;
- chest discomfort;
- reduced sensitivity in the collar area;
- muscle tension after a long stay in one position.
All this is taken into account when making a diagnosis. Rapid deterioration and sudden changes in pressure are the basis for hospitalization of the patient and providing help in the hospital environment.
Visual impairment
Osteochondrosis in the cervical spine often causes such unpleasant symptoms as double vision, flickering, the appearance of "flies". This indicates the seriousness of the process and requires a visit to the doctor. Against the background of destruction of connective tissue in the vertebrae, the following diseases can develop:
- Glaucoma. The patient is diagnosed with high intraocular pressure, optic nerve damage. It is impossible to completely eliminate pathologists, but only with complex treatment to achieve stable remission.
- Cataracts. This pathological process leads to the destruction of the lens. The changes are associated with metabolic processes and acute damage to the brain's oxygen supply. The first sign of the disease is the appearance of "flies" in front of the eyes. Timely start of treatment helps to preserve the patient's vision.
- Claude Bernard-Horner's disease. One of the reasons for the appearance of the lesion is considered to be hypoxia in the occipital region. The main signs of a pathological condition are a decrease in the pupil reaction or a difference in the size of the pupil in different eyes. Some patients complain that they cannot completely close their eyes for a night's rest, and they also suffer from twilight vision.
The ophthalmologist prescribes treatment, after a detailed examination. But therapy is carried out only in a complex aimed at eliminating the cause of the violation. Only then can the problem be solved effectively.
pharyngeal problems
Degenerative changes in the cervical spine cause swallowing problems. The patient complains of a lump in the throat, sweating, a feeling of a foreign body in the throat, itching. Signs indicate a malfunction of the neurovascular trees that go from the spinal cord. But the symptomatology is not considered characteristic and can be observed with pathological disorders such as inflammation, swelling.
Change in body temperature
Osteochondrosis, as it progresses, becomes the cause of an increase in body temperature. Such symptoms occur when the vertebral artery is damaged, spinal canal stenosis or disc protrusion. It provokes changes in neuroses and accompanying neurological disorders. Against the background of increasing temperature, there is numbness of the tongue or hands, inflammatory process in the lymph nodes, burning of the tongue.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis depending on the stage
The signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine largely depend on the degree of development of the pathology, the force of compression of the nerve endings and the process of disc deformation. It provokes the appearance of symptoms of compression of the vertebral artery and violation of blood flow to the brain. Tight nerve endings lead to severe neurological pathologies. The severity of the signs directly depends on the stage of disease development:
- Initial. Degenerative processes in the spinal discs go unnoticed by the patient. The first changes are quite difficult to notice, as they can be mild headaches (felt more strongly in women), neck discomfort, mild deterioration of vision or loss of sensitivity in the neck area. At this stage, patients rarely go to the doctor, attributing symptoms to fatigue, lack of sleep or stress.
- Second phase. As the pathology progresses and disc protrusion occurs, more pronounced symptoms appear. Destruction of the annulus fibrosus affects the movements of the head, they become more limited. Also, patients begin to complain of constant tinnitus, impaired visual function, neck pain with characteristic squeaking, swallowing problems, sleep disturbance, and decreased reflex clarity. Keeping the head in one position causes severe discomfort, which is why a consultation with a doctor is necessary.
- The third phase. Intervertebral hernias are gradually formed, annulus fibrosus is completely destroyed, there is a deformation of the vertebrae, displacement of bone segments, dislocations, instability. The patient complains of acute neck pain, pronounced shoulder syndrome, paralysis of the upper limbs, tendon reflexes are not noticed, impaired sensitivity of the scalp. This is a difficult stage of the disease that requires complex treatment.
Osteochondrosis is a chronic systemic disease that manifests itself in various symptoms. The reason always lies in compressed nerve endings, circulatory disorders and deformities of intervertebral discs. Protrusion, hernia and displacement gradually lead to loss of vertebral mobility.
Age directly affects the severity of symptoms. The older the patient, the stronger the changes in connective and bone tissue. This is due to weakness of muscle fibers, nutritional deficiencies and chronic inflammatory diseases in the body.
Patient Testimonials
Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae is a common disease, because the nerve roots are constantly exposed to stress due to excessive mobility of the segment. Timely detection of pathology avoids serious complications, so many people read patient reviews and compare them with their symptoms.
Female, 35 years old
"We suspected osteochondrosis almost immediately, because I was constantly suffering from headaches and I had problems turning my neck. But the diagnosis was made only after an X-ray. Since the treatment does not give a normal result, and the pain still occurs periodically, computed tomography isjust before us, it will confirm or refute the progression.
Woman, 42
For a long time, doctors could not diagnose osteochondrosis due to the fact that the symptoms resonated with my gastritis. I felt sick from time to time, but I attributed it to dietary mistakes. Only after fainting did I go to the doctor and start looking for a problem. she was not very painful in the initial phase, and the pain was felt only as the pathology progressed. Treatment was prescribed only after a CT scan. The treatment gradually yielded results. "
Male, 36 years old
"Osteochondrosis of the neck developed due to the specifics of the profession, but they could not determine it immediately. First I lost my sight, which I immediately attributed to eye strain at night, and then dizziness and neck pain began to occur, but because I was constantly driving and thatI was not bothered. The diagnosis was made in almost 3 stages, when the pressure started to jump, and health problems in general began. The treatment has not yet given tangible results. "
It is strictly forbidden to make a diagnosis without laboratory and apparatus research. Any information should be construed as a note only.
Cervical osteochondrosis is manifested by a large number of symptoms, but most of them are easily confused with similar pathologies. Therefore, it is recommended to comprehensively consider the patient's complaints and conduct a differential diagnosis, which allows timely identification of the disease and prescribing the correct treatment, which includes physiotherapy, gymnastics and drug treatment.