Acute chondrosis of the cervical spine is not a completely accurate expression. By talking about cervical chondrosis, we mean a disease such as osteochondrosis, which has a chronic, gradually progressive course. The essence of this pathology lies in the degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cervical vertebrae and the intervertebral discs located between them. The main complication of this disease is the formation of an intervertebral hernia, which, in turn, can compress the spinal cord, blood vessels, etc. In this article, we will examine the main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, and also talk about its diagnosis.
How is cervical osteochondrosis manifested?
The main clinical sign of cervical osteochondrosis is pain syndrome.
Some patients report a fairly strong, sharp pain in the neck, aggravated by smaller movements. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, a sick person, due to painful sensations, can not turn his head and holds it forced, causing less behavioral behavior.
However, more often the presence of dull, persistent pain of moderate intensity is observed. The patient complains of neck discomfort, which becomes more pronounced with active physical activity, after sleeping in an uncomfortable position, etc. Forced stay in such people is lacking. However, they still need to somewhat limit their motor activity, for example, try to avoid sharp turns and tilting of the head.
In addition, the clinical picture can be complemented by sensitive disorders in the cervical region, for example, a feeling as if the neck is "crawling".
With further progression of osteochondrosis and the formation of an intervertebral hernia, the pain syndrome becomes much stronger. A sick person shows constant severe pain in the neck, which significantly reduces the quality of his life.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The main method for diagnosing cervical osteochondrosis is an X-ray examination performed in two projections. X-ray results can reveal:
- Direction of cervical lordosis;
- Flattening of intervertebral discs;
- Narrowing of the intervertebral foramen;
- Marginal bone growths and so on.
A more informative diagnostic method that allows not only the identification of osteochondrosis, but also the performance of differential diagnoses with other diseases, is the magnetic resonance imaging. Computed tomography can also be done. In 2015, scientists from the Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education published a paper, according to the results of which it was discovered that computed tomography is the method that allows to identify the earliest changes in bone tissue.
Furthermore, the study plan can be supplemented by:
- Myelography;
- Discography;
- Electrophysiological research and so on.