Cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a chronic disease of the spine, which occurs as a result of impaired tissue nutrition and the destruction of its structure.

According to WHO, 80% of residents of industrial cities suffer from this disease.

The first signs of the disease can be diagnosed as early as 20 years of age. With age, more serious lesions appear.

Features of the disease

The cervical muscle skeleton is less developed compared to other parts of the back. Therefore, due to physiological characteristics, even a slight load on the cervical spine can lead to displacement of the vertebrae. This disrupts blood flow in this area, the movement of nerve impulses, and the full blood supply to the brain.

As a result, the disease, which begins with a feeling of discomfort in the neck, slight stiffness in the neck, unpleasant heaviness in the nape of the neck or a tingling sensation in the fingertips, can develop into impaired coordination, impaired vision, hearing, and more serious consequences, including impaired blood supply to the brain.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

pain of varying degrees of intensity, which increases with prolonged stay in the same position

weakness, numbness and tingling in the arms

neck stiffness when turning the head

dizziness

a feeling of a lump in the throat and difficulty swallowing

Depending on the nature of the disorder, the symptoms of osteochondrosis may vary:

Radicular syndrome causes sharp, burning, throbbing pain in the neck, which spreads to the arm or shoulder. Compression of the nerve endings can cause dizziness, limited tongue movement, impaired smell, difficulty breathing, and a feeling of a “lump” in the throat. The pain intensifies during physical and emotional stress.

Spinal artery syndrome is manifested by sharp, throbbing headaches localized in the back of the head and temples.

Vertebral syndrome leads to the appearance of burning pain and a feeling of tightness in the neck. Often this syndrome occurs when sneezing, coughing, moving the head.

Cardiac - manifests itself with pain in the chest, similar to a heart attack, which lasts several hours. Pain attacks are accompanied by increased pressure, arrhythmia.

Neck pain (cervicalgia)

Cervicalgia – pain in the neck, which occurs as a result of damage to the muscles of the cervical spine or the cervical-collar region. Pain is often accompanied by tension in the neck muscles, limited mobility of the neck, and sometimes dizziness, impaired autonomic function, and decreased visual acuity.

Why does the neck hurt

According to statistics, 70% of the working population suffers from neck pain.

The causes of the painful condition are numerous: overheating, prolonged head position during sleep, muscle overload during physical work, sitting at a computer, injury, spinal pathology, neoplasms, infectious lesions of the tissues of the spinal column.

Cervicalgia can have vertebrogenic causes (for example, osteochondrosis or spinal hernia) and non-vertebral (muscle overextension, occipital neuralgia, etc.).

Pain in the neck can be shooting, stabbing, throbbing, and can be aggravated by any muscle tension. Often, patients complain of limited neck mobility, dizziness, tinnitus, pain in the nape, numbness of the fingers and occipital region. Sometimes cervicalgia is accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting.

Pain during cervicalgia, as well as its cause, can be different.

For example, overextension, muscle spasm, protrusions and hernias are accompanied by acute pain. Chronic pain develops in osteoporosis, spondylosis, and other cases.