Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine accounts for about a quarter of all cases of osteochondrosis. He is the "youngest" and often affects people under 30. The disease develops gradually, progresses slowly but steadily. In the early stage of the development of cervical osteochondrosis, it can generally be asymptomatic, becoming an accidental finding during radiographic examination.
Causes of osteochondrosis
The disease manifests itself as dull, aching pains in the chest, under the shoulder blades, in the shoulder region, numbness and the appearance of "goosebumps" in the chest, stiffness of movements. Often the pains are belt-like in nature, accompanied by angina pectoris, unpleasant painful sensations in the stomach, and shortness of breath may occur. Short-term acute pains are sometimes observed.
The causes of the destruction of the vertebral discs and compression of the nerve endings of the spinal cord can be scoliosis acquired in adolescence, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, the same type of load on the spine and long-term regular sitting in a sitting position.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: symptoms
The most important, earliest and most frequent symptom of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is pain. It intensifies when you bend over or turn your head.
Depending on the localization of the pathological focus, pain can be given to the back of the head, under the shoulder blade or in the arm.
It can be constant, sore. It can occur from time to time, but as the disease progresses, it worries a person more and more often. The pain is also sharp, excruciating. This is a symptom of an exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, which can manifest itself after hypothermia of the body.
Head movements are generally difficult. This is due to the constant tension of the muscles in the collar and neck area. When you lean forward or turn your head, you often hear a creak.
In the later stages of cervical osteochondrosis, a person cannot hold their head for long. Sometimes he is unable to turn or tilt it without experiencing severe pain. The patient tries to support his head with his hands or tries to take a comfortable position to relieve his pain.
Vertebral artery syndrome
This group of symptoms occurs due to compression of the vertebral artery by a displaced intervertebral disc, overgrown cartilage tissue, or strained muscles. The syndrome is a complex of symptoms, including cervical migraines, impaired consciousness, and increased blood pressure.
Cervical migraine is a headache that results from decreased blood flow and oxygen deprivation of tissues. The pain is often one-sided. It hurts, first of all, the back of the head. Possible irradiation to the ear, eye or forehead.
Sometimes hearing impairment occurs and the ears start ringing. Possible visual impairment. In the eyes they double, in front of the eyes "flies flash". The scalp can become so painful that it cannot be touched. Headache with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
A frequent symptom of cervical osteochondrosis and vertebral artery compression is an increase in blood pressure. But osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and hypertension are not always related to each other. It should be borne in mind that in old age, an increase in pressure is observed in many people.
Only after studying the history of cervical osteochondrosis, the doctor can establish whether hypertension is a complication of the disease. If there is a history of recurrent attacks of arterial hypertension, which are accompanied by palpitations and fear of death, this is most likely one of the symptoms of vertebral artery compression. If the increase in pressure occurred gradually and frequent hypertensive crises were not observed, most likely, the patient has hypertension, which is not associated with osteochondrosis.
Impaired consciousness occurs when there is insufficient blood supply to the brain. There is drowsiness, dizziness, a decrease in the speed of reaction to external stimuli. There is a short-term loss of consciousness.
Rehabilitation after spinal stroke
What are the most dangerous symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis? Without a doubt, this is a spinal stroke - the death of part of the spinal cord due to the complete absence of blood flow in the pinched vessels. It always leads to disability, causing paresis and paralysis. Fortunately, spinal strokes are rare.
Cardiac syndrome
Among the symptoms of exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, there is heart pain. It occurs due to pinching of the posterior roots of the fourth spinal nerve. In fact, heart pain could be attributed to radicular syndrome. But this symptom is specific and therefore isolated as a separate syndrome.
Heart pain with osteochondrosis can mimic angina pectoris or myocardial infarction. But when a patient seeks medical attention, a competent doctor immediately, based on the patient's symptoms and complaints alone, can rule out heart disease.
- First, the presence of other symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae in the patient will already lead the specialist to the idea that the cause of the pain in the heart may be a problem with the spine;
- Secondly, the pain is not strong and sharp, as in myocardial infarction, and is not accompanied by the fear of death. It is not associated with physical activity, unlike an attack of angina pectoris;
- Thirdly, such pain is quite long, and after taking nitroglycerin it does not go away and does not even subside;
- Fourth, the pain is increased by turning or tilting the head, which is not seen with "real" heart disease.
Radicular syndrome
Radicular syndrome combines those signs of cervical osteochondrosis that develop due to compression of the spinal nerve roots. Depending on the level at which pinching has occurred, various symptoms of intervertebral osteochondrosis of the cervical spine may develop.
Compression of the roots at the level of the first or second segment leads to numbness of the occipital skin or pain in the occipital region.
Pinching of the roots of the third spinal nerve leads to numbness of the tongue and skin behind the ear. If the motor fibers are pinched, it becomes difficult for a person to chew food and has the sensation of an enlarged tongue.
Compression of the roots in the fourth segment of the spinal cord causes pain in the heart and collarbone, hiccups and pharyngeal migraines. There is a foreign body sensation in the throat, it is difficult to swallow food. There may be a sore throat that mimics a sore throat. But the differential diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis and tonsillitis is not difficult at all. Inflammation of the pharyngeal tonsil is always accompanied by hyperthermia, while with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the body temperature does not rise.
Symptoms for cervical osteochondrosis
The most common symptom of pinching the roots of the fifth spinal nerve is reduced mobility of the shoulder muscles. It is difficult for the patient to raise his hand and bring it to the side.
Pinching the roots of the sixth segment most often causes pain in the shoulder blade and forearm. It becomes difficult for the patient to bend and rotate the forearm.
The seventh pair of spinal nerves mainly innervates the hand, index and middle fingers. When pinched, the mobility of these parts of the body is disturbed, numbness or pain occurs.
Pinching at the level of the eighth segment makes it difficult to bend and extend the ring and little fingers. Pain and sensory disturbances can also occur. However, these manifestations can already be attributed to the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine, since the roots of the eighth spinal nerve are located between the seventh cervical and first thoracic vertebrae.
What is the danger of cervical osteochondrosis? First of all, from its complications. The appearance of intervertebral hernias can lead to compression of the spinal cord and, consequently, to the development of paresis and paralysis. When the first symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis appear, treatment should already be started. Properly selected therapy will slow down the progression of the disease, improve the patient's quality of life and avoid the development of complications of cervical osteochondrosis.