The development of computers and the computerization of the population have made the table a place where a person spends almost the whole day at this position. An unpleasant painful sensation in the spine is known to almost every second person. Pain in the spine, limbs, numbness in the legs are the main signs of osteochondrosis. Moreover, if earlier people over 40 suffered from osteochondrosis, today teenagers are already faced with this disease in high school.
Depending on the localization, osteochondrosis is divided into several types - cervical, thoracic and lumbar. Cervical osteochondrosis is one of the most common types of diseases. It must be said that due to its localization, it causes complications in the work of the brain, fraught with neurological diseases. From our article you will learn in detail about this disease, its course, features of treatment and prevention.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
It may sound a bit strange, but the cause of osteochondrosis of the spine is . . . human life. Any excessive load on the spine leads to some deformation, which is why the disease occurs. Osteochondrosis can be prevented, cured, but only if it does not work. And for those who, fortunately, do not suffer from pain, I would like to warn: analyze the degree of stress on your spine - and you will understand whether you are at risk of osteochondrosis.
So, the main and most common cause of osteochondrosis in adults can be work, which involves constantly lifting heavy objects, such as the work of loaders. Also, the disease can be provoked by "sedentary" work in the office or work "on the legs", as, for example, with salespeople who are in a certain position for a long time, creating a load on the same muscles, sections of the spine.
There is a risk of osteochondrosis in sportsmen due to heavy loads or, conversely, due to poor physical development in those who do not play sports at all. There are cases of the onset of the disease even when athletes were actively engaged in training, and then suddenly stopped them abruptly. It is impossible not to mention spinal injuries, which subsequently lead to osteochondrosis. Can affect the spine and flat feet, when due to the irregular shape of the foot, the load on the vertebrae and discs is distributed differently, creating inconvenience.
Perhaps osteochondrosis in pregnant women due to the same increased load, as well as in women who constantly walk in heels, overloading the spine.
The causes of osteochondrosis in the neck area can be genetic or hereditary.
Spinal diseases can manifest themselves due to impaired metabolism in the body, obesity, low immunity, poisoning, infectious diseases that reduce the functionality of the spine.
Over the years, the spine becomes fragile, loses the elasticity of the discs, bone density and becomes deformed. Age is another cause of osteochondrosis.
Finally, the impact on the spine of the environment and living conditions is undeniable. Improper ecology, stress, nutrition, not rich in vitamins and microelements - all this may well provoke the development of cervical osteochondrosis. Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are quite pronounced. They must be known to stop the development of the disease in time. After all, each of us is partly at risk.
Symptoms and stages of the disease
You can recognize osteochondrosis by a simple exercise - turning your head. Painful sensations when turning are the first signs of cervical osteochondrosis. The following symptoms are muscle spasms, difficulty moving, numbness in the fingers, pain in the shoulders.
This type of disease is called radicular syndrome or cervical sciatica. This happens if the nerve roots are compressed by the vertebrae due to a violation of their location, the appearance of a hernia. The pain in this case descends in a wave from the shoulder to the fingers, tingling of the fingers and forearm is felt. If the little finger and ring finger go numb, it means that the brachial nerve is affected, this is the region of 7-8 vertebrae. If the other three fingers - the problem is in the region of vertebrae 5-6-7, then the central nerve is affected.
In addition, the disease has symptoms associated with the functioning of the brain. Often, recurrent headaches with cervical osteochondrosis are severe or painful. Maybe dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, tinnitus, spots before the eyes, blurred vision, hearing, problems with teeth. These signs of the disease indicate that there is an effect on the two vertebral arteries that carry blood to the brain. In particular, in the areas responsible for blood pressure, in the cerebellar area, which controls our vestibular apparatus. This type of disease is called vertebral artery syndrome and is very common. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, affecting the arteries, is fraught with a violation of the ability to move normally and even strokes.
There are also irritative reflex syndromes. In this case of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms are similar to those of other types of the disease, but pain attacks occur suddenly after a state of rest. For example, when a person gets up after sleeping, he feels a strong annoying pain in the neck.
Another type of disease is very similar to heart disease - angina, when pain arises in the chest and radiates to the shoulder, lasting for several hours. It is a cardiac syndrome. A cardiogram will help distinguish osteochondrosis from heart disease, which will confirm that blood circulation is not disturbed and the patient is worried about the spine, and not about the heart.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is divided into stages of the course of the disease. In the first stage or preclinical stage, there is a slight change inside at the level of biochemistry. A person feels inconvenience during a long stay in one position, during physical exertion. The back and neck muscles get tired quickly.
The second stage of the disease is called the stage of increasing changes in the nucleus pulposus. At this time, the intervertebral disc is deformed, the metabolism is disturbed in the nucleus pulposus, some of its cells die. Due to these processes, the distance between the vertebrae decreases, which subsequently leads to pinched nerves and spasms. A person feels pain in the damaged areas of the spine.
In the third stage of the disease, complete or partial destruction of the fibrous ring occurs. Cracks appear through which the pulpy nucleus comes out, violating the tightness of the connection of the vertebrae. Spine becomes abnormally mobile, vertebral sections are displaced. This causes a person pain in the entire back, movement disorders occur, tenderness in the limbs disappears.
And the most severe, the fourth stage of osteochondrosis, is manifested by the regeneration of spinal discs, the so-called fusion of the vertebrae. The nucleus pulposus replaces the cartilage, the pain decreases and the spine functions again as a support. But, unfortunately, the consequence of such changes in the spine is the restriction of human mobility and even disability.
The spine has three important functions in the human body. These are support, protection of the spinal cord and cushioning during movement. Our ability to move comfortably and exist depends on the spine. Back pain should not be considered a temporary and random phenomenon. Take it as a rule: if you feel pain with a smooth head turn, you need to contact a neurologist.
Osteochondrosis in children
Osteochondrosis in children is not as common as in adults, and is rather a congenital disease or due to heredity. But since the deformation of the spine can lead to bad consequences and seriously harm the development of the child's body, we decided to highlight this topic separately and draw the attention of parents to osteochondrosis in children. children.
A child's spine is more susceptible to injury, freezing, lack of nutrients for formation and development. And this, as already mentioned, is the cause of osteochondrosis. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the nutrition of the child, remember that it should be rich in calcium and other trace elements, be varied and useful. In case of injuries and falls on the back, especially at a young age, it is imperative to consult a doctor for an examination and, if the disease is confirmed, its possible further treatment. By the way, osteochondrosis in a child can be a consequence of birth trauma.
Osteochondrosis occurs in children and due to heredity, when the fragility of the vertebrae is transmitted genetically. If in spinal disease in children the growth zone of the bone is affected, i. e. the area in which the bone grows, this can also lead to impairedgrowth and overall development of the child. Symptoms of osteochondrosis in children are similar to those in adults, but the pain is more moderate, movements are not disturbed. With cervical osteochondrosis, fainting, dizziness are likely.
If the child has prerequisites for osteochondrosis or you suspect back problems, immediately consult a doctor. The earlier the disease is detected, the sooner you can rid the child of it.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis, like other diseases, begins with an examination by a doctor. In this case, a neurologist. The doctor examines the patient in different positions - standing, sitting, lying down, examines the condition of the spine during movement. Draws attention to the posture, the location of the middle furrow of the back, the position of the shoulder blades, shoulders. In addition to visual inspection, tactile inspection is also mandatory. The site of the lesion is found, guided by complaints, examination, and also using a special technique for counting the vertebrae. In addition, the patient is prescribed radiation therapy or magnetic resonance therapy to examine the spine more carefully, to determine the stage of the lesion. After diagnosis, treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is prescribed.
Treatment
The treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is usually complex. Most often, it is based on a few mandatory points. One of the main ones is the correct engine mode. Correct means moving without shaking your head. Any rapid movement does not benefit the vertebrae. The doctor will most likely prescribe a special medical soft collar for you to wear, which will immobilize the neck for the duration of the treatment.
Wanting to consider something from the side of himself, the patient should slowly turn his head. If you feel uncomfortable in the neck, do special exercises, massage yourself.
Medicines are an obligatory step in the treatment of osteochondrosis in the acute stage. The doctor will prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pills to eliminate foci of inflammation and swelling. Be sure to help smooth the course of the disease with painkillers. If osteochondrosis causes muscle spasms, medication is also prescribed to relieve cramps and relieve pain. Vitamin B will also be prescribed, which improves brain function, helps fight stress and strengthens muscles. And if the patient is in a depressed state, antidepressants will be prescribed.
You can not do without the treatment of osteochondrosis without external preparations - gels, ointments, creams. Known anti-inflammatory drugs will act directly on the focus of the disease. There are ointments called chondroprotectors, that is, ointments containing elements that restore the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs. And, of course, the patient will need ointments or creams for therapeutic massage, which is also indispensable.
Manual therapy for osteochondrosis
Many patients with osteochondrosis seek help from chiropractors. This method of treatment can be included in the complex if the patient has an anatomical change in the spine, the occurrence of hernia or displacement of the discs. With the right treatment, it really gives positive results. But when looking for a specialist, be careful. Before accepting treatment, make sure the specialist has a medical degree and practices traditional treatment, as well as additional training in neurology and chiropractor specialties and has confirmatory certificates. Operator experience is also important. After all, the therapy itself requires clear movements, and if used incorrectly, it is fraught with injury. The principle of manual therapy is a point impact on the structural components of the spine. With a quick push, the joint that moved from the correct position returns to it again. Proper therapy is undoubtedly a very effective treatment for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Physiotherapy
Therapeutic exercises for cervical osteochondrosis will allow you to fight the disease even in the workplace. In addition, simple exercises will be an excellent prevention of diseases of the spine.
So take your eyes off the screen, lean back in your chair and learn some useful exercises.
Sitting on a chair, place your feet shoulder-width apart. Relax, lower your hands. Slowly lower your head until your chin touches your chest. If it doesn't work, it's fine, turn it down as much as possible, as much as possible. After that, slowly raise your head and tilt it back, also until it stops. Returning to the starting position with a straight head, repeat the exercise 5 times.
Without getting up from the chair, gently turn your head to the side. First in one direction, then return to the starting position and turn in the other. 5 times each.
By turning your head, you can go to the tracks. The exercise is also done in a seated position, slowly tilting the head to the left, then back, then to the right. They tilt their heads all the way, trying to press their ears to their shoulders. The exercise is performed at least 5 times for each side.
This will help stretch the neck muscles and the next exercise. In a sitting position, the head is slowly thrown back, hold this position for a few seconds and slowly begin to turn the head, without raising it, to the left, then to the right, making at least 10 turns in total.
You can also, without leaving the workplace, do an exercise to warm up the muscles of the shoulders. Sitting in a relaxed position, begin to rotate your shoulders forward 5 times, then back 5 times. Do this slowly and carefully, feeling each muscle.
It will help stretch your shoulders and the exercise known to everyone since kindergarten. It can be performed as desired - sitting or standing, depending on the situation. You slowly throw your left hand over your shoulder to the right side, touch your ear with your fingers and lower it. Throw your right hand in the same way above your head towards your left ear.
Now a little more warm up for the neck muscles. Put your palm on your forehead, start pressing your forehead to your palm resisting with your hand. Hold this position with an extended neck and count to 5. Then relax and repeat the exercise twice.
The exercise is similar to the previous one. But now other cervical muscles will work. You throw your hand or, more conveniently, both, bent into a lock, behind your head, put them on the back of your head and start resting your head on your hands. Do the exercise 3 times for 5 seconds.
Now we stretch the side muscles of the neck. There is only one scheme - the head presses the hand, the hand resists. You put your left hand on your left temple, press for a count of 5, pause for a few seconds and repeat 2 more times. In the same way, the exercise is done for the right side of the neck.
And finally, a short warm-up in a standing position. It is better to choose free space in the office for this. Feet are shoulder width apart for better balance. With outstretched arms in a free state, they begin to rotate synchronously 5 times forward, then 5 times back.
After taking a short break of 10-15 minutes, you will feel the tension in your back and neck muscles decrease, let your eyes rest from the monitor, relax a bit. Such work breaks are useful, and in many modern offices they even practice a mass exit of colleagues to warm up. Do not neglect the simple rule - warm up whenever you are tired and tense. Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis is an excellent treatment for the early stages of the disease and effective prevention. In more severe cases of the disease, a course of exercise therapy (physiotherapy exercises) is prescribed.
Therapeutic exercise for cervical osteochondrosis
Exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis is simply irreplaceable. A set of exercises will improve the functionality of the spine, help to constantly maintain muscle tone and relieve tension. Exercise will require free time and a warm exercise mat on the floor. They can be done at home in the evening or in the morning before work. Of course, it is advisable to do this between meals.
Lying on your back on the floor, stretch your arms along your torso. Look ahead and begin to gradually shift your gaze to the right and left, 4 times in each direction. After moving your eyes to the side, start looking up and down also 4 times. After completing the lateral warm-up, proceed to rotate the eyes immediately clockwise, then counter-clockwise.
In the same position, lying down, turn your head in turn in different directions. Gradually, slowly. After doing 4 turns in each direction, tilt the head sideways to the left and to the right shoulder.
You can do exercises by lifting your head. Further, lying on a flat surface, lift your head off the floor and tilt it towards your chest, trying to touch your chest with your chin. Pull your head as close as possible. All this without sudden movements no more than 4 times.
When performing exercises for cervical osteochondrosis, you need to remember that not only the cervical region, but the whole body requires warming up. Therefore, lying on your back, having completed the first simple exercises, having warmed up, proceed to the next one. Extend your arms out to your sides and roll onto your side, trying to touch the opposite side with your hand and foot, but not rolling over onto your stomach. The turn is done on inspiration and they return to their original position on expiration. Don't do more than 5 rounds.
The next exercise involves sitting up from a lying position. Lying on the floor, arms extended along the body, you need to get up slowly, leaning on your hands. A rather difficult exercise for osteochondrosis, so we once again emphasize that you need to do it carefully and slowly, 3-4 times.
Lying on your back, bend your legs and press them against your stomach, clasp your knees with your hands. Then gently pull your head towards your feet and touch your knees. In addition - also carefully return to the lying position. The exercise is done up to 5 times.
You are lying down, legs bent at the knees at the level of the abdomen, arms outstretched. Rotate your body alternately right and left up to 5 times in each direction.
Do not interfere with abdominal exercises. Turn around and stretch your arms along the body. Start lifting your head off the ground, then your shoulders, your torso, focusing on your legs and hips. Then return to the starting position and do the exercise up to 5 times.
Breathing exercises are useful for osteochondrosis of the cervical region. After a little rest from the previous exercises, lie on your back, cross both hands on your stomach. Inhale deeply and slowly, blowing on the stomach, also exhale carefully, drawing in the stomach. Take 5 breaths and exhales.
Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Breathe little, contract your muscles, exhale, relax. The number of breaths is also 5.
These exercises are only introductory and should not be considered as a complete treatment. Rather, they are recommendations for the prevention of the disease or its development. Therapeutic exercise for cervical osteochondrosis is selected by the doctor, depending on the needs of the patient.
Self-massage
Massage is one of the necessary and pleasant procedures during the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis and is prescribed by a doctor. Of course, trying to repeat a professional massage at home is out of the question, involving relatives, this matter is really dealt with only by health workers. But light kneading movements can be done on your own, being distracted in the middle of the working day and relieving stress. By the way, massage will be a good addition to gymnastics.
So feel pain in your neck, lean back in your chair, relax your back. The massage begins by stroking the neck with the palms from top to bottom, that is, from the hair to the shoulders. After stroking, turn your palms with an edge towards your neck and move your hand up and down several times, pressing lightly. Then start grinding. Place your palms at the back of your head so that your fingers converge in the middle of the spine. Rub the body, moving your hands from the center of the vertebra to the sides of the neck, working down from top to bottom. You can massage your neck with your fingertips by rubbing it in a circular motion. Then begin pinching the skin and muscles, grasping them between the index finger and thumb. And then stroke your neck with your palms, completing the massage.
Self-massage for cervical osteochondrosis will help relieve pain and muscle tension.
Treatment with folk remedies
The most popular folk remedies for all diseases are herbal preparations. Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies is usually possible in the early stages of the disease. Herbs such as mint, St. John's wort, calendula, yarrow, licorice root, chamomile, birch and strawberry leaves help well with diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Prepare teas from these herbs, drink regularly, as a tonic and a means of prevention.
You can also take herbal baths. For each bath you need at least 300 grams of dry plants. The pine bath helps a lot. The needles of coniferous plants are crushed, poured with boiled water and boiled for 20 minutes. Then strained, added to a hot bath and steamed for up to half an hour.
You can and should take baths with chamomile, which has an anti-inflammatory effect and perfectly heals the body. Chamomile is poured with boiling water, insisted for up to an hour, filtered and added to the water.
A quick compress of improvised means will help relieve back pain. Everyone has potatoes and honey at home. Traditional methods are advised to make such a compress out of it: grate vegetables and mix with honey in a 1: 1 ratio. The composition is applied to gauze and applied to the sore spot. Relief is guaranteed, but, alas, not for long.
Ginger garlic ointment works much the same way. They are rubbed on a grater and combined 1: 1, a little butter or petroleum jelly is added so that it can be smeared, and the sore spot is rubbed. It will also relieve pain and inflammation, but it will not cure disease. With osteochondrosis, a mandatory visit to a neurologist is necessary, who will prescribe a comprehensive treatment.
Finally, I would like to talk about the basic rules of behavior for osteochondrosis. First, keep your back straight and your head straight. Configure your workspace according to these standards, even put a book under your monitor if it is low, or find a higher chair.
Do not lift heavy objects unless absolutely necessary. And if you really had to carry the load, take the heavy not in a bent position, but do it like weightlifters with a barbell - sit down and then stand up with a burden.
Do not overcool your back, protect it from drafts. A wide choice of fashionable and stylish vests will keep your back warm at any time of the year and in all circumstances.
Move more, swim, do gymnastics, hold on to the horizontal bar.
Having mastered all the secrets of gymnastics, self-massage and the prevention of osteochondrosis with folk remedies, share them with your office friends. So you can not only insure yourself against spinal diseases, but also help your colleagues avoid back pain and increased fatigue. To be in a good health!