Symptoms and treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease.

Currently, according to the medical statistics, the symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease complain about almost all people older than 25-30 years. The disease affects the spine more frequently than others. Pathology is better to a degenerative process affecting the intervertebral disks and vertebrae located in the neck. The disease is common, and in men, and in women as well. This is a dangerous and complex form of degenerative disc disease, because in the neck there are large blood vessels supplying the brain, and a large number of nerve endings. Violation of innervation and blood supply to lead to a deterioration of the collateral of the brain with oxygen and nutrients.

The symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of degenerative disc disease of the cervical manifest more expressed than in other parts of the vertebral pillar, and that even with minor damage. This is due to the fact that the neck vertebrae are placed close to each other, and the intervertebral discs have a small height. This anatomic feature contributes to the fact that in osteochondrosis more often compressed the nerve endings, spinal cord, blood vessels.

Common symptoms:

• painful;
• weakness and numbness in the upper extremities;
• limitation of motion of the neck;
• disorders of coordination of movements;
• frequent dizziness;
• general weakness;
• the deterioration of the functioning of the organs of perception (hearing, vision, touch, taste).

Pain, more often localized in the neck, give the neck, shoulders, hands. Upper limb pain, if the injured vertebrae trap nervous spine, is responsible for their innervation. Pain in the back of the head are caused by spastic contractions of the muscles in the neck area, attached to the occipital bone and impaired blood circulation in this area.

Weakness of the hands observed in patients, if the disease process involved nervous spinal the innervation of the muscle structures of the upper limb. Restrictions on mobility and a significant crunch in the rotation and the tilt of the neck occurs, if on the cervical vertebra appear to bone growths, the height of the intervertebral discs decreases, it affects the joints located between the vertebrae.

The vertebrae in the neck are transverse processes, which form the channel, where he leads the artery, the drive and the brain. In osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae become dislodged on them grows stronger connective tissue. This leads to the pressure of the neck arteries, deterioration of blood supply of the cerebellum and hind brain-parts. As a result, the person frequent dizziness, a broken motor coordination, general weakness. In advanced cases, when the artery involved in the disease process or severely pinched, then the blood supply to the cerebellum, occipital part and brain stem deteriorates significantly. In this case, reduces the function of the organs of hearing, vision, occurred to numbness of the tongue, the fingers.

The symptoms of the disease also depends on which of the eight vertebrae impressed with degenerative or inflammatory process. To disturbances the sensitivity and movement lead to damage to the spinal roots that affect these or other vertebrae. Depending on the observed manifestations of cervical degenerative disc disease:

• the first vertebra – numb neck and the occipital part of the head, reduces their sensitivity;
• the second – is to feel pain in the area of crown and nape;
• the third – he felt the pain and reduces the sensitivity in that part of the neck, where it is located tight in the spinal cord to the backbone, reduces the intensity of the taste sensations, are present speech disorders;
• the fourth – the feelings of pain radiating to the shoulder blade, the patient troubled heart pains, breathing disorders, reduced tone of the muscles of the neck;
• the fifth – feelings of pain noted in the neck, they give on the outer surface of the shoulder;
• the sixth – pain in the throat radiating in the blade, is manifested in the forearm and large fingers;
• the seventh – pain handing out the blade, the rear part of the arm, forearm and the fingers on the hands (from the second to the fourth);
• eighth – the pain spread from the neck to the shoulders, forearm and Pinkie.

Depending on the appearance of lesions varies four degrees of degenerative disc disease of the cervical. This is not the stage of the disease and the severity of the symptomatology, the conditional mean, as spoken by a pathological process, what are the vertebrae touching.

• At the first degree of the clinical symptoms are missing, or show themselves at least. Patients complain of moderately feelings of pain, increasing when the movements of the head. Effective treatment, is being investigated in this phase of the disease. But people often ignore the warning signs, or do not feel, so to the doctor do not go.
• The deterioration of the defective process increases the symptoms. In the second stage, the pains are more pronounced, giving to the upper limbs, the shoulder blades. At this stage of the development of the degenerative process the height of the intervertebral discs is reduced, as a result of what occurs pinched nerve fibers. It becomes the cause of growing pains. For the second degree of degenerative disc disease of the cervical characterized by the emergence of headache, deterioration of well-being, decreased performance.
• The third degree of the cervical degenerative disc disease vary, the emergence of hernia the affected intervertebral disc. The mobility of the neck is limited, during palpation the patient experiences significant pain. When such a spread of the unhealthy process of pain are persistent, radiating to the upper limb. Feel the tension of the muscles attached to the occipital bone. Patients complain of frequent dizziness, overall weakness, numbness in the hands.
• The fourth level cervical degenerative disc disease is diagnosed when the intervertebral disc is completely destroyed by the degenerative process. It is replaced by fibrous tissue, which leads to a significant restriction of motion. Amazed, the spinal cord and runs in the neck blood vessels. These changes are characterized by a significant deterioration of blood supply to the cerebellum and the occipital part of the brain. Lack of oxygen leads to disturbances in coordination of movements, impairment of hearing, vision, numbness of the tongue, impaired speech.

Methods of treatment

Timely appeal to the doctor at occurrence of the first alarming symptoms, discomfort in the neck, a response from the nervous system, allow you to prevent the progression of degenerative changes. Treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease consists of a complex of therapeutic activities. Among them are:

• the intake of the drug;
• massage;
• therapeutic physical training;
• rehabilitation procedures.

Medical therapy

Doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory means to reduce the intensity of painful sensations, reducing the inflammatory process and swelling of the nerve root. Chondroprotectors regenerates damaged tissues cartilage, intervertebral disk. Muscle relaxants relax the throat muscles, relieve spasms. Medicinal compositions for improving blood flow to help restore the broken blood supply to the brain. Vitamins activate the metabolism in the nerve tissues. In intense painful sensations the doctor may prescribe analgesic drugs. If the patient has significant pain, then analgesics are introduced parenterally, after the pain calm down, are switching to tablets.

Physiotherapy techniques

Physiotherapy – an effective way to deal with osteochondrosis of the cervical. To treat this disease is definitely with the use of such methods, on the basis of which were achieved the following results:

• reduces the intensity of the pain;
• activates renewal of damaged bone, cartilage and muscle tissue;
• detachable cramps, and tension in the muscles;
• docked the inflammatory process;
• improves the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the affected area and the brain.

The most effective in the treatment of degenerative disc disease are considered the following types of treatment:

• uses the electrophoresis (in the affected area operates an electric shock, which, in addition to activation blood flow and tissue repair, improves the delivery of the relevant substances of the product to has been struck by a degenerative process of the tissues);
• ultrasound therapy (are activated processes sharing a sick area, reduces soreness, docked inflammation);
• magnetic therapy (relieves swelling of the affected area, which contributes to a reduction in pain intensity);
• the laser (improves blood circulation in the unhealthy process, has anti-inflammatory effects).

Therapeutic physical education

Exercises are assigned at the time when cropped the acute manifestations of the disease. During the exercise should not be a feeling of discomfort and soreness. Perform complex should after reaching the open remission to prevent relapse.

• To take the position, lying on his stomach, lift your head and body, relying on the hands. Back straight, breathing deep and smooth. To remain in the position for a minute-two, then not in a hurry to take its original position. The number of repetitions – 3.
• Position – lying on his stomach, arms along the body. Slowly turn your head, trying to touch the ear to the floor. Repeat 6 times on each side.
• Sitting or standing on the inhale tilt your head, trying to reach his chin on his chest. On the exhale smoothly avert his head back, lifts up his eyes to the ceiling. The number of reps – 10-15.
• A good exercise for strengthening the neck muscles – pressure on the forehead pressed to his hands. To achieve the effect you need to press and your palms on the forehead and the forehead on the palm of your hand for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.
• Rotate the head around. Do the exercises should be slowly, smoothly. In every direction – on the 10 speed. It is unacceptable to the emergence of dizziness when performing the movements. If this happens, it is necessary to stop immediately.

Massage

The course is appointed by the physician in the absence of acute pain, carry out the it can only the expert with medical education. In this disease, it is not recommended to apply to the Amateurs.

The therapeutic effects of massage of the collar area:

• improves blood flow and lymphatic circulation in the affected area;
• relaxes the muscles, detachable spasm;
• reduces the intensity of painful sensations.

Surgery

Surgery is indicated if conservative treatment does not bring results for the half year, the patient tormented by severe pain, showing signs of damage to the nerve fibers and myelopathy. If osteochondrosis of the cervical underway with complications, it is the threat of stroke, there has been a strong squeezing of the spinal cord, then surgery is required.

According to testimony to resort to the following types of surgical procedures:

• endoscopic discectomy – removal of part or the entire intervertebral disc;
• on laminotomy – excision of the bone fragments ligaments and the resulting particles of bone tissue (often combined with laminoplasty – the creation of artificial boards for the expansion of the spinal canal);
• laser evaporation space of the core – fission the nucleus of the intervertebral disc with a laser beam simultaneously with the destruction of its shattered fragments;
• cold plasma nucleoplasty – place the endoscope is used a long and thin hollow needle, which is introduced into the intervertebral disc, through him, to the place of slaughter bring the electrode, the provision of cold plasma impact.

Neck – a complex organ, which lead to large blood vessels, spinal cord. It is easy to damage, and therefore to the operational interventions of the resort no more than 5% of cases. Surgical treatment is often accompanied by the development of complications. Among them are:

• the inflammatory process in the tissues or membranes of the spinal cord;
• osteomyelitis;
• scarring that leads to narrowing of the blood and spinal channels.

Surgery of the cervical spine is complex and require a long rehabilitation period. Rescue the patient after the surgical intervention lasts for a period of from six months and more.

Prevention

To highlight the development of cervical degenerative disc disease, it is necessary to:

• to track the position of the spine and neck;
• lead an active lifestyle, move more;
• do the exercises, you need to be cautious, adhere to the correctness of the execution, because even a small injury can affect the state of the musculoskeletal system;
• take care of correct position of the body during sleep, get orthopedic or anatomy of the mattress;
• to properly equip the workplace, where one spends a lot of time;
• regularly engaged in physical culture;
• keep track of food rations, to ensure the supply of all the beneficial minerals necessary for bone strength, especially magnesium and calcium;
• constantly held pharmacy examination for the early detection of degenerative disc disease.

Prevention will help to prevent the degenerative changes in the cervical spine, it will protect from painful feelings, dizziness, numbness of limbs and other unpleasant symptoms.