Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a disease that develops in adults after 25 years due to structural changes in cartilage tissue. In the fairer sex, the disease develops more often due to the peculiarities of the hormonal background. We all need to know the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women in order to diagnose the disease in a timely manner and immediately begin complex treatment.
Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. An experienced neurologist is involved in the treatment. It assigns additional studies to determine not only the stage of development of the disease, but also the cause of its development. Then it is much easier to choose the optimal treatment regimen, saving the patient from the main manifestations of the disease.
The obvious signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women appear when the disease is already actively developing in the body. The slightest disturbance of well-being is a reason to visit a doctor. If you start the problem, over time, the osteochondrosis will turn into a bulge or hernia, and the patient will be on the operating table. The consequences of the disease will last a lifetime. In the early stages of the disease, the symptoms can be completely eliminated. It is in your power to improve your health, ensure an active, full-fledged future without injuries, dystrophic tissue changes and constant pain.
What is osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a common disease characterized by changes in the structure of cartilage tissue on the intervertebral discs. This disease can affect any joint, but most often it affects the spine. There are clear signs of osteochondrosis in women, but final conclusions about the development of the disease can be made only after a comprehensive diagnosis.
The cervical spine is considered the most mobile. This area is often exposed to various degenerative lesions, because it is the least protected. There are no large muscles that protect and support the spine. The department consists of seven separate vertebrae. They are based on bone tissue. Between each vertebra is a soft "layer" - the intervertebral disc, which provides flexibility and mobility of the neck. Hormones have a major impact on tissue structure, so osteochondrosis in women and men develops in different ways.
According to statistics, 60-70% of the mature population of the planet suffers from this disease, and in 30% of cases the cause of constant headaches is migraine, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
To understand when you need to see a doctor, you need to study the list of symptoms of the disease.
Why osteochondrosis is dangerous for women
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis in women are considered more carefully, because the weaker sex suffers more from the disease.
This is due to the structure of the female body:
- Muscle tissue is not so much developed and pumped out in women as in men, it is an aggravating circumstance in the development of the disease;
- Women are more likely to work in an office, spending a lot of time sitting in one position behind a computer;
- The hormonal background of the female body is radically different from the male; during menopause, dystrophic changes in cartilage thickness become more pronounced.
In adulthood, women gradually deteriorate bone tissue. This is due to the development of osteoporosis. Calcium is leached from the bones and its reserves are not replenished. The female body no longer produces a special hormone that promotes the absorption of trace elements. If both cartilage and bone are destroyed at the same time, the consequences can be dire.
For that reason, women after the age of 40-45 are recommended to perform annual tests for the level of calcium in the blood, to check the condition of the bones and cartilage. Certain preventive measures will help to resolve the manifestation of the disease in a timely manner and restore the integrity of the cervical spine.
With osteochondrosis, the structure of the cartilage tissue changes, becoming denser and stiffer. The flexibility and mobility of the vertebrae is lost. If this disease progresses to intervertebral severity, then the contents of the disc protrude beyond the annular fibrosus. Getting rid of such complications without surgery is problematic. It is not worth bringing into such a state. try to monitor your health.
The main manifestations of the disease at an early stage
Signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women differ in the initial and late stages of development. At first, the disease is almost not annoying, but it is still worth paying attention to the minor symptoms.
This list includes:
- Discomfort in the neck, especially in the morning;
- Crunching during circular movements of the head, bending to the side;
- Frequent headaches;
- Slight dizziness with a sharp turn of the head to the side.
Due to structural changes in the tissues, the roots of the nerve endings are compressed, causing headaches.
The neck is no longer flexible. In women, moving forward is often observed.
It’s getting harder to maintain posture, sometimes even a slight hump appears at the transition from the neck to the shoulder girdle. All this clearly indicates the development of osteochondrosis.
Instead of making an appointment with a neurologist, women go through a number of massage courses. This effect has a short-term effect. If you do the massage wrong, over time it will cause even more damage to the body.
Specificity of the course of cervical osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women can be asymptomatic for a long time. Limited mobility of the neck is attributed to fatigue, muscle clogging, headaches are still not very disturbing. And if they do happen, then they call them the culprit, stress, bad sleep. The provoking factor for the transition of the disease from latent to acute form can be severe hypothermia, minor injury. Often the disease develops at a reactive rate. Yesterday the woman still felt well, but today she cannot take her head off the pillow due to severe pain. Don’t expect this condition to go away on its own. Hurry to the doctor. Even at this stage, you can completely get rid of the manifestations of osteochondrosis, causing its factors.
It is strictly forbidden to contact bone setters, osteopaths. There is no such thing as "vertebral reduction" in official medicine. Such potential experts will only do harm. Due to excessive mechanical stress, cracks in the thickness of cartilage and bone tissue can occur. During the first session with an osteopath you will really feel better, but all his procedures over time will only lead to osteochondrosis turning into a big hernia.
Traditional treatment consists of several stages, always carried out consistently, without pain. Any activity is prohibited during the acute period. To get rid of limited movements, severe pain, you just need to listen to the main recommendations of your doctor. can be observed simultaneously by a neurologist and a vertebrologist. These highly qualified doctors with higher medical education apply complex treatment methods.
Acute symptoms
When the disease becomes acute, the symptoms of cervical chondrosis in women change.
At this stage, the overgrown cartilaginous tissues press on the nerve endings, squeezing the large arteries that extend along the spine to the brain, feeding it. oxygen starvation is manifested by frequent fainting spells. Possible short-term memory loss, disorientation in space.
Due to the tightening of the nerve endings, the sensitivity of the limbs is lost. Feeling numb in the shoulder girdle, tingling in the fingers are very alarming.
If you do not hurry to start treatment at this stage, there is a possibility of developing partial paralysis. The patient completely stops feeling the upper limbs.
If you consult a doctor at this stage, at first all his efforts will be focused on stabilizing the patient's condition.
After withdrawal from the acute period of the disease, various methods of therapy are prescribed, which include taking medication, undergoing various physiotherapeutic procedures.
Exercise therapy is very effective if the classes are conducted by a certified instructor who has sufficient experience in the rehabilitation of patients with spinal injuries.
Diagnostic Methods
The diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is made in a comprehensive manner. When you first visit a doctor, you describe in detail all the disturbing symptoms. Based on these data, the doctor can already draw certain conclusions about the development of the disease. The final diagnosis can be made only after additional research. Innovative methods of functional diagnostics are increasingly used in medical practice. These include computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. With the help of a special device, the tissues of the spine are examined in real time. The technique allows you to make three-dimensional images in different projections, thoroughly study the organ, system or department. the patient is given pictures and discs with a record of the examination. The diagnostician gives a detailed description, but your doctor is responsible for the final decoding.
Based on these examinations, it is already possible to judge the degree of disease development, the affected segments of the intervertebral discs. Follow-up examinations are performed every six months to assess the dynamics of treatment.
Additional biochemical blood tests are sometimes prescribed. They help to understand whether an inflammatory process is developing in the body.
MRI or X-ray
Some patients complain that MRI or CT are too expensive. In most cases, such an examination is performed for a fee, because high-quality high-power devices cost a lot and are used in private diagnostic centers. Patients are naturally asked if it is possible to do a conventional X-ray.
Only a panoramic X-ray can give certain information about the development of the disease
The cost of this procedure is not much lower than an MRI or CT scan. Here, the bone tissue is clearly visible, but it is problematic to draw reasoned conclusions regarding the condition of the cartilage and connective tissue. That is why specialists prescribe more modern diagnostic methods. You should not reject them, because magnetic resonance imaging is much safer. It can be reported several times at short intervals, because no dangerous radiation is used in the study.
Is it possible to get rid of osteochondrosis forever
Knowing the main symptoms and manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis in women will make it much easier for you to get rid of the disease. The sooner a patient sees a doctor, the better the chances of a successful, quick cure.
Complex of anti-inflammatory, decongestant drugs, active use of drugs based on natural collagen, which increases the elasticity of connective tissue, nutritional correction, moderate physical activity, exercise, are the main areas of treatment.
Only by correcting your usual way of life, by changing your attitude towards physical activity, can you achieve positive results.
Prevention
Knowing that osteochondrosis of the cervical spine often develops in women, it is recommended to use preventive measures to prevent the aggravation of this complex disease. If you do sports, eat properly, walk a lot in the fresh air, monitor all systems and functions in the body, then the disease will never affect you.
If you train in the gym, do so under the supervision of an experienced qualified instructor who will always make sure you perform the basic exercises properly.
Yoga and Pilates work well to prevent osteochondrosis.
Signs of osteochondrosis are visible in the initial stage of the disease. It is important not to miss them and start treatment on time, then the health of the musculoskeletal system will be ensured.