Cervical osteochondrosis — a disease of the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine (usually C5, C6 and C7) bearing degenerative in nature and is characterized by overgrowth of bone tissue in the cervical spine. Formed by the vertebrae, the osteophytes (calcification, spurs) irritate the muscles, causing reflex contraction and increase in pressure on the spinal cord. In the result, the intervertebral discs are compressed, their thickness is reduced, which also contributes to compression of the vertebral artery and pinching the nerve endings in the turning of the head.
In these reasons that cervical degenerative disc disease is a very dangerous disease. It disrupts the blood supply to the brain and provokes anoxia brain regions with possible complications.
The danger of cervical degenerative disc disease
Cervical osteochondrosis is a serious disease, the symptoms of which are not limited to pain in the area of the cervical when moving the head. In the absence of treatment with the development of the disease the patient faces many complications, which cause significant discomfort and can cause various dysfunctions of the body.
Infringement of the arteries arising from the fact that the vertebrae are deformed and approach leads to the so-called vertebral-basilar syndrome. Insufficient blood flow to the brain causes dizziness, vertigo, regular or permanent visual impairment, the occurrence of noise in the ears, faint and dizzy and lost consciousness. Depending on the degree of compression or squashing of the artery of the cervical spine and General characteristics of the organism the consequences can manifest in varying degrees of severity and combined with each other.
Pinching of the occipital nerve in cervical degenerative disc disease becomes the cause of constant headaches radiating to the neck and in the head. The most dangerous is pinching the spinal cord and its nerve branches. While there may be serious dysfunction, consisting of impaired coordination of the limbs, decrease of sensitivity, the loss of power. Also the patient may experience difficulties controlling your bladder and intestines, are often observed spastic uncontrolled movements of the legs.
Without treatment, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine leading to complications — for example, protrusion and hernia of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine. It also contributes to the emergence and development of vascular diseases that cause various abnormalities of the brain until the death of its individual parts.
Causes of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine
Although conventional medicine considers degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs of the cervical disease from the perspective of osteopathy is only a manifestation of deeper disturbances in the body.
Thus, the true causes of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- Incorrect posture. Scoliosis, stoop, round back, kyphosis and other posture disorders, even if they are minor in nature, cause a serious imbalance of the spine. As a result, the load on the intervertebral discs is distributed unevenly, which causes their deformation and excessive wear. The vertebrae begin to move closer, causing pinching of the nervous processes, quickly developing cervical osteochondrosis. Similar effects have posture disorders, caused by a change in the natural position of the ribs.
- Muscle spasms. The spasmodic reaction of the back muscles, the chest press can cause specific areas of the body are severely strained. As a result of disrupted the General equilibrium position of the body, causing a change in the position of the spine. Deformation may affect the cervical or other parts of the spine, causing degenerative disc disease of the thoracic, cervical, lumbar.
- A blood disorder. Because spinal discs have no direct connection with the bloodstream, the food they receive from the surrounding tissues. Circulatory disorders of the cervical leads to the fact that the disks do not get enough fluids for rehydration (recovery of the shape due to moisture absorption), the updates of cartilage. As a result, their wear is accelerated, a decrease in the distance between the cervical vertebrae leading to degenerative disc disease.
- The violation of innervation. Decreased sensitivity of nerve roots leads to pathological changes in their structure, causing displacement and deformation of the vertebrae of the cervical remains unnoticed by the patient. Because pain are lacking due to loss of sensitivity.
- Diseases of internal organs. Incorrect position of internal organs, movement and lowering due to a variety of dysfunctions leading to disruption of the overall equilibrium in the body. The result is particularly noticeable in the position of the spine — cervical, lumbar vertebrae is displaced and deformed, leading to relevant types of degenerative disc disease.
In General, the cervical osteochondrosis develops after exposure to adverse external factors that disrupt the natural equilibrium position of the spine and other systems of the human body. Often, these violations become noticeable not at once, and cervical osteochondrosis progresses, resulting in serious consequences. It is therefore important to regularly visit an osteopath who will be able to fix it the root cause that caused the degenerative disc disease of the cervical vertebra and not to treat the symptoms, as does traditional medicine.
Signs of cervical degenerative disc disease
Depending on which vertebrae affects the cervical degenerative disc disease, symptoms can manifest in various ways. But if you have at least one, is the suspect osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, so it makes sense to appeal to the specialist to conduct a comprehensive examination and diagnosis. The main symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine:
- Pain. The first symptom is pain, which in the early stages manifests itself only when turning and tilting his head. The discomfort is usually localized in the right or left area of the cervical, sometimes the symptoms spread to the nearby region. With the development of cervical degenerative disc disease the pain radiates to the occipital and frontal part of head is migraine.
- The deterioration of the senses. Mostly begin to experience vision problems. Bright symptoms — blurred, double vision, darkening of the eyes, bearing regular, often there is noise in the ears.
- Dizziness. Almost always the cervical osteochondrosis accompanied by a characteristic dizziness that occurs when a sharp movement or turn of the head, the tilt, the change of posture. This can cause nausea and vomiting.
- Fainting. A semiconscious state and loss of consciousness are common symptom later stages of cervical degenerative disc disease. In some patients these symptoms may occur during initial development of the disease;
- Cardialgia. Along with other symptoms often there are sensations characteristic of angina attacks;
- Violations of sensitivity. Depending on which vertebrae are affected with cervical osteochondrosis, a sign of the presence of the disease is a partial loss of sensation in the occipital and parietal areas of the head, in the shoulder region, forearm. In some cases, the numbness may spread from neck to hand down to the little finger or thumb, respectively, the external or outer side of the limb;
- A speech disorder. Is not a very common symptom and occurs because of a loss of control over the tongue, owing to squeezing of the nerve roots C3 and C4. Also you experience difficulty breathing.
Usually the symptoms, which is characterized by osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, manifest themselves quite clearly — separately and in combination. So diagnosing them can even be yourself. At the first signs it is recommended to consult a specialist-an osteopath, for which cervical degenerative disc disease, symptoms and treatment — one of the areas of professional activity.
Osteopathic treatment of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine
To date osteopathic treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is the most effective. It is aimed at addressing the root causes and not just dealing with the symptoms that manifest in the form of deformation and protrusion of intervertebral discs.
Faced with cervical osteochondrosis, specialist osteopath first diagnose the disease and its localization in the part of the neck, that is, determines which vertebrae is displaced and deformed. This can be done as guided by the symptoms of degenerative disc disease, and by manual examination of the patient.
The initial phase of treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease — the relief of pain. Often their cause is cervical spasm, treatment which is carried out by a specialist. The spasmodic reaction of the cervical muscles in response to the violation of the General balance in the body leads to compression of the nerve roots. As a result, experiencing pain in the cervical area (osteochondrosis).
Often, the elimination of spasm in itself is an effective treatment of the cervical spine. Removing muscle tension, osteopath does not just relieves pain, but also normalizes the position of the spine. Cervical with proper treatment comes in the equilibrium position and is unloaded.
After a few sessions at the osteopath and signs of cervical degenerative disc disease are minimized or disappear altogether. This is due to the normalization of blood circulation, which often interfere with the muscle that is cramping. The cervical portion of the spine and intervertebral discs have normal food along with blood, and as a result the degenerative disc disease of the cervical vertebra retreats.
In the later stages of the disease, when violations are global in nature and often affect other organs, may require a more complex and lengthy treatment. The specialist treats not only the degenerative disc disease of the spine, but also the associated disease and dysfunction, including the displacement of internal organs, oxygen starvation of a brain, infringement of processes of the spinal cord, etc.
Despite the severity of the disease, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is quite well treated it osteopathic techniques. But to sustain progress and prevent complications and recurrence of the disease specialist is recommended additional methods — physical therapy, correction of nutrition, moderate exercise, massage and physiotherapy.
Depending on the extent to which expressed and what causes is degenerative disc disease, the treatment is selected individually by a specialist. Depending on the result treatment can be adjusted and supplemented with other procedures that helps to effectively and quickly cure the degenerative disc disease of Department.
Prevention of cervical degenerative disc disease
If you are diagnosed with "osteochondrosis of the cervical spine", the treatment can take a long time. It is much easier to avoid this disease at all, leading a healthy lifestyle. To avoid long and complex treatment of degenerative disc disease (which is usually for the later stages) can be fairly simple methods of prevention.
Education of correct posture from an early age helps to avoid treatment of degenerative disc disease in adulthood. Very often this disease affects office workers, leading a sedentary lifestyle and spending a long time in the same position. To avoid osteochondrosis of the vertebrae, it is necessary to make regular workout, changing body position, perform bending and twisting of the head, moderately loading of the shoulder girdle.
Sports activities aimed at the General strengthening of the muscles, joints and bones significantly reduce the risk of osteochondrosis of the lumbar or cervical.
Even if you already have low back pain (the symptoms are quite bright), and preventive exercises will help to mitigate the disease. But it should be remembered that by themselves they are not treated. You must undergo a course by a specialist osteopath. Subsequent prophylaxis will ensure that the signs of degenerative disc disease will not manifest itself the disease does not return.