Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine: exacerbation, symptoms and treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervix is ​​a chronic degenerative-dystrophic pathology. If left untreated, it progresses rapidly, provoking an increase in symptoms. During the course of the disease, the remission phases are replaced by relapses, in which the person's condition has significantly deteriorated. He suffers from severe, sharp, stabbing pain, stiffness of the cervical spine, dizziness, sudden beatings of blood pressure and headaches. With exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis insufficient intake of analgesics. It is necessary to act on the causes of clinical manifestations - muscle spasms, displacement of intervertebral discs and vertebrae, compression of muscle roots and blood vessels by bone growths.

After diagnosis, the vertebrologist will devise a therapeutic scheme. To transfer osteochondrosis of the cervix to the stage of stable reaction, drugs of different clinical and pharmacological groups, physiotherapeutic procedures, therapeutic saving gymnastics.

Reasons for relapse

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In most cases, there are no symptoms that precede the worsening of cervical osteochondrosis. The person feels good, is engaged in daily activities, plans things for the near future. Suddenly there is a sharp, faint pain, for the elimination of which it is urgently necessary to take a comfortable horizontal position of the body. This allows you to briefly reduce the severity of the pain before visiting a doctor. Only in 15-20% of cases, before irritation, there is a slight discomfort - pain, tingling pain, "goose bumps", numbness of the back of the neck, shoulders and sometimes forearms. Due to the already deteriorated blood circulation in the spine of the cervix and brain, weakness, apathy, mental and physical performance appear.

Cervix, or cervical lumbago, occurs after a few hours or days. A person experiences pain so severe that when visiting a doctor, one of the questions of interest becomes the possibility of preventing relapse. To prevent worsening cervical osteochondrosis, you need to know the reasons for its occurrence:

• being in a stressful environment for a long time. People who are acutely experiencing even the usual daily conflicts, often suffer from various chronic pathologies, including diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Negative emotions negatively affect the functioning of all life systems. In patients with osteochondrosis of the cervix they provoke muscle spasms, circulatory disorders in the brain, neck and back of the head;
• continuous static and dynamic loads. A long stay at a computer, a typewriter, a microscope leads to a deterioration of the blood supply to cartilage tissues with oxygen, nutrients and biologically active substances. With osteochondrosis2, 3 degrees of severity, a few hours are enough for a relapse. Sleeping in an uncomfortable position on an overly soft mattress or pillow also leads to this;
• sharp movements of the neck. An unintentional twist or tilt of the head can lead to dislocation of the discs and vertebrae, compression of nerve roots or blood vessels by bone growth;
• hypothermia, a sharp change in climatic zone. Vertebrologists note that most often patients with exacerbations of osteochondrosis turn to them in the fall or spring. During the off-season, relapses provoke a drop in temperature. Occurs in autumn for natural reasons, and in spring - due to the desire to quickly get rid of warm heavy clothes;
• respiratory, intestinal, urogenital infections, exacerbations of any chronic disease. In this case, a sharp drop in immunity becomes the cause of recurrence of cervical pathology.

Also, osteochondrosis is aggravated by improperly performed massage, weight lifting, excessive physical activity. The onset of relapse often occurs as a result of non-compliance with medical recommendations regarding diet, drinking, medication.

Clinical presentation

Methods of treating osteochondrosis of the cervical spine or cervix depend on the severity of its symptoms. They are not as intense in pathology 1, 2 degrees, when a small amount of cartilage tissue is damaged. And for osteochondrosis in 3 or 4 stages, acute clinical manifestations are characteristic, provoked by several negative factors immediately. Cartilaginous intervertebral discs have lost their cushioning properties, and the distance between the vertebrae is significantly reduced. Therefore, with a sharp displacement of the vertebrae, the nerves and blood vessels can be squeezed simultaneously. The vertebrologist performs treatment, taking into account the following symptoms of a worsening of cervical osteochondrosis:

• shooting, stitching, pain, pulling pain in the region of the cervix or chest;
• radiation pain in the back of the head, arms, forearms, shoulders, chest;
• persistent or paroxysmal pain syndrome;
• increased pain during movement, shoulder rotation, arm lift.

Pain in the neck and shoulders is one of the signs of an aggravated pathology.

When examining a patient, the vertebrologist detects signs of muscle spasm, paravertebral pain, stiffness of movements, and calm physiological lordosis. An unnatural position of the human body also allows one to suspect a deterioration. He pulls the neck firmly up, turning the whole body to the side to reduce the intensity of the pain. Osteochondrosis of moderate and high severity is manifested by neurological disorders as a result of sensitive damage, motor, etc. functional vegetative structures. For example, when the spinal roots are squeezed, there is a sensation of "sliding crawls", the skin of the forearms and the occipital region loses sensitivity, becomes pale and pleasant to the touch. Patients complain of arm weakness, dizziness, headache, vomiting, decreased vision and / or hearing.

Visual decline almost always accompanies a worsening of cervical osteochondrosis.

Recurrence of cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself in psychoemotional instability, insomnia, hypertension, and sometimes in syncope - short-term pallor resulting from sudden cervical movements.

First aid for recovery

The pain that occurs during a relapse is so sharp that a person simply freezes in place, for fear of making an unnecessary movement. It should be softened, preferably placed on a hard surface. Place a flat pillow or a folded pillow under your back. a blanket so that the patient is comfortable and the intensity of the pain syndrome is reduced.

Now it is necessary to call the ambulance team. The fact is that in some cases, with a worsening of osteochondrosis, a person is unable to swallow a pill. Doctors coming to the phone will inject an analgesic solution intramuscularly ivena. If necessary, they also use funds to restore cerebral circulation or hospitalize a person for further treatment in a hospital setting.

Transportation of patients to the hospital.

While the ambulance is on its way out, the patient should feel better. How to alleviate the worsening of cervical osteochondrosis:

• If swallowing functions are preserved, give an anesthetic tablet;
• Gentle rubbing of pain relieving gels will help reduce pain;
• The patient should not be allowed to stand or bend, as his coordination of movements may be impaired.

Before the doctor arrives, it is strictly forbidden to self-medicate - use warming agents, massage the neck to relieve muscle spasm. If an attack of osteochondrosis is accompanied by an inflammatory process in the paravertebral structures, ie. then such events will provoke the development of irreversible complications.

Treatment of acute phase osteochondrosis

Treatment of aggravation of cervical osteochondrosis begins with the elimination of the main symptom - acute piercing pain. The vertebrologist may prescribe intramuscular administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

The use of hormone blockers with hormonal drugs is practiced. Glucocorticosteroid solutions together with anesthetics are injected into the area of ​​the distorted vertebrae or spinal cord. After elimination of severe pain, continue therapy with tablets or key agents.

How to treat worsening cervical osteochondrosis at home:

• taking NSAIDs in tablets, capsules, pills for 5-7 days. Medications should be combined with proton pump inhibitors to prevent ulceration of the gastric mucosa. If this recommendation is ignored, then after an attack of osteochondrosis, hyperacid gastritis will need to be treated;
• use of NSAIDs in the form of gels, ointments, lotions from the first day of treatment for 7-10 days. The funds should be applied in a thin layer on the pain area 2-3 times a day and rubbed lightly;
• use of heating agents. Once the inflammation has stopped, around the third day of therapy, doctors prescribe agents with a warming effect to improve blood circulation and stimulate regeneration. They are rubbed in a small amount 1-3 times a day. Transdermal products such as a piece of pepper can help cope with the pain;
• intake or parenteral administration of muscle relaxants. They have analgesic effects by eliminating muscle spasm, usually provoked by compression of nerve endings.

what else to do in case of a worsening of cervical osteochondrosis, what medications to take or perform medical procedures, the vertebrologist decides. If the patient has not used chondroprotectors before relapse, then from the first days of therapy he should be prescribed medications that stimulate the restoration of cartilage tissue. To speed up the restoration of all functions of the cervical spine will allow intramuscular injection of chondroprotectors.

The use of B vitamins will significantly speed up the patient's recovery. Pyridoxine, thiamine, cyanocobalamin, nicotinamide, riboflavin improve intrigue in the area of ​​damaged discs and vertebrae, stabilize the central nervous system and vegetation.

Non-drug therapy

For 3-4 days of treatment, the patient is shown bed rest. Any dynamic load on all parts of the spine are excluded. For several hours or throughout the day, patients are advised to wear a Shants collar, the required height which will be determined by the doctor. The use of an orthopedic device helps reduce the load on the cervical vertebrae, prevents the intensification of painful sensations.

Neck blackmail regulates cervical vertebrae.

Diet for osteochondrosis of the cervix during a deterioration should be partial - 5-6 times a day. It is necessary to exclude from the diet foods rich in salt or spices. Their use provokes fluid retention in the body and increased puffiness. Nutritionists recommend eating more fruits, whole grains, salads with fresh vegetables.

In severe relapse, the refraction of some parts of the body is disturbed due to nerve damage. And compression of the spinal cord becomes the cause of conduction disorders - pre- and tetraparesis of the hands, dysfunction internal organs. Therefore, doctors strongly do not recommend independently eliminating the aggravation of cervical osteochondrosis by suffocating the pain with pills. Only adequately performed therapy will help to avoid the dangerous consequences of a recurrence of chronic pathology.

How to forget joint pain and osteochondrosis?

• Joint pain limits your movement and full life. . .
• You worry about systemic discomfort, oppression, and pain. . .
• You may have tried a bunch of drugs, creams and ointments. . .
• But judging by the fact that you are reading these lines, they did not help you much. . .

The term "osteochondrosis" characterizes the destructive processes that occur in one or another part of the human skeletal muscular system.

In some patients, this disease affects the joints of the extremities, but with a 95% probability of osteochondrosis is localized in some parts of the spine.

The spine is the main axis of the human body, performs many important functions and is an almost irreplaceable element of the musculoskeletal system.

Violation of the structure of any part of the spine can lead to irreversible consequences and seriously impair the patient's quality of life.

Spinal osteochondrosis can affect one of three sections of the spine: the cervix, chest, or lumbar region, and can also be localized to several sections.

The disease of each of the spinal sections has its own course characteristics and individual symptoms, as well as some nuances in the tactics of treating osteochondrosis.

How does cervical osteochondrosis continue?

According to changes in spinal structures, patient complaints and treatment methods, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is classified into 3 stages of the course.

Phase 1

Inflammation of the cervical spine

This scale rarely has a clinically pronounced appearance, some patients complain of:

• Recurrent headaches;
• Neck discomfort and occupation.

Changes that occur at this stage of the disease affect some vertical and intervertebral vertebrae, the elasticity of the annulus fibrosis decreases and slight compression of the spinal nerve roots occurs

Phase 2

Degeneration of spinal structures continues more clearly, intervertebral discs are practically incapable of performing their functions, pressure occurs on nerve processes and blood vessels, this causes the symptoms of the disease.

Patients report frequent headaches, dizziness, decreased performance. At this stage, most calls for qualified medical care occur, but some spinal injuries are already irreversible.

Phase 3

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine reaches its peak. Massive lesions of the bony and ligament apparatus.

Strong clinical picture:

1. Severe headaches;
2. Nausea, lack of coordination;
3. Sleep problems;
4. sight and hearing disorders.

Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease characterized by alternating periods of deterioration and release phases (quiet).

Exacerbation of the disease is a stage of chronic course, in which there is a manifestation of symptoms of the disease, deterioration of the patient's well-being.

Recession phase is a period that occurs after treatment or itself, characterized by an incomprehensible course of the disease without a pronounced clinical picture.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in the second and third stages is reduced to minimizing the exacerbation phases and prolonging the reaction period.

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Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis

Performing competent treatment, physiotherapy, gymnastic exercises, proper nutrition and lifestyle help the body in the fight against osteochondrosis and can increase the time of release of the disease.

A number of reasons can provoke a sudden exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, causing a recurrence of the symptoms of the disease.

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Frequency, duration and intensity of irritation periods are individual and depend on the cause of onset, presence or absence of treatment, as well as personal characteristics of the organism, its compensatory and adaptive properties.

Causes of deterioration

Spinal degeneration leads to cervical osteochondrosis

It is sometimes quite difficult to perform laboratory tests that allow you to reliably determine the factor that provoked the onset of symptoms of spinal osteochondrosis.

The list of reasons is based on long-term observations of orthopedic doctors and neuropathologists for patients, a thorough analysis of possible predisposing factors, after which patients noticed a deterioration in well-being.

Causes of irritation can be exogenous and endogenous - caused by impact from inside or outside the body.

Endogenous causes include progressive spinal degeneration and weakening of the body's compensatory and adaptive properties.

Among the exogenous factors, the following are likely to provoke a worsening of cervical osteochondrosis:

• Presence of an insufficient load on the back or a change in the prevailing posture (lifting weights, doing strength sports, changing the type of activity);
• Stresses, nervous shocks;
• Passing a session or course of manual therapy by a disabled person;
• Seasonality (revealed a large number of exacerbations of cervical spine disease in autumn);
• Hormonal shock (menstruation, pregnancy, menopause);
• Diseases that weaken the body (viral respiratory infections, infectious diseases, periods of aggravation of other chronic diseases);
• Rapid weight gain.

How to determine if osteochondrosis has worsened?

A worsening of the disease is evidenced by the presence of discomfort in the neck and head, a deterioration in general health.

Sometimes the irritation phase starts at lightning speed, with severe headaches.

In 70% of cases, a rapid worsening of cervical osteochondrosis can be predicted: the patient notices a severe sensation or dull pain along the back of the neck, the complaints intensify in the morning.

The presence ofpredisposing factors against the background of the onset of symptoms of the disease confirms the version regarding the worsening of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

All types of symptoms during irritation

Symptoms that occur during an exacerbation of a chronic spinal disease mainly coincide with the general symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.

The most common symptom of a worsening is pain.

Intensity, nature and localization can be varied: pain in the back of the neck or in one of its parts, headache in the intestine, parietal tubercles, pain in the clavicle, shoulder.

Dangerous manifestations of pain can be symptoms similar to those of myocardial infarction:

1. Scapular pain;
2. Chest pain;
3. Pain in the left limb.

Some patients report painful sensations only when moving the head or arm at the shoulder joint.

Exacerbation of chronic osteochondrosis of the cervix can cause a number of neurological symptoms, if they are present, it is necessary to carefully examine the patientto rule out more serious pathologies:

• Sleep, concentration, memory disorders;
• Loss of coordination, loss of balance, weakness;
• Sensation of flies in front of eyes, goose bumps, buzzing in ears;
dizziness;
• Nausea for vomiting;
• Violation of dictation;
• Decrease or increase the sensitivity of the arm, shoulder blade, neck.

The presence of these symptoms cannot be ignored. The impact of cervical spine osteochondrosis on the blood vessels that supply the brain can lead to the most dangerous complication of cervical osteochondrosis - stroke.

How long does the aggravation last?

The duration of the exacerbation phase may vary depending on the season (in the cold season the activation of osteochondrosis may take longer and more painful), the reasons that caused the recurrence of the symptoms of spinal disease, individual characteristics of the bodypatient and treatment provided.

Experts call the following time phasesStages of worsening osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

• Severe symptoms - up to 1 week, more often - 4-5 days;
• Maintaining some discomfort in the affected area, headache - up to 3 weeks after relief of severe attacks;
• The general irritation period is considered standard - about 1-1. 5 months.

Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis during pregnancy

The body of a pregnant woman undergoes complex physiological changes, has a tremendous hormonal increase, a complete redistribution of the center of gravity of the body, absorption and assimilation of minerals and nutrients changes.

These rearrangements have a serious impact on the muscular system, the spinal cord is under severe stress.

Pregnant women who have a history of a disease such as osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, in 50% of cases, relapse of the disease. This is due to the changes that the spine undergoes.

Symptoms of worsening cervical osteochondrosis in pregnant women are the same as in all other patients.

The difficulty lies in choosing a treatment regimen, as when prescribing medication, it is necessary to consider the potential effect of the drug on the fetus.

To alleviate a worsening in pregnant women, the choice is made in ointments that do not penetrate the baby, in rare cases, with severe pain, complex anesthetic pills or injections are prescribed.

Many pregnant women turn to non-traditional methods of treatment, traditional medicine prescriptions, which are milder for the fetus.

What should you do in case of deterioration?

If you have symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, do not push to see an orthopedic surgeon or neurologist.

Only a specialist can fully assess the patient's condition, the reasons that led to the worsening of the disease, as well as prescribe the correct, safe and effective treatment.

Before visiting a doctor, try to avoid stress on the affected spine.

In the absence of chronic gastrointestinal tract disease or individual intolerance, you can take an analgesic and anti-inflammatory pill.

In case of worsening cervical osteochondrosisis prohibited:

1. Heat the neck or back of the head in a bath, using heating pads or other methods;
2. Take a massage session;
Self-healing.

Methods for treating acute cervical osteochondrosis

Deterioration of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis medication aims to eliminate the symptoms of the disease and early restoration of the patient's well-being and work capacity.

The table shows the main methods of treating diseases of the cervical spine, showing the most common medicines.

Before using any of the medicines listed, consult your doctor.

Group of drugs	Destination destination
NSAIDs	Pain relief, reduction of inflammation in the affected area
Muscle relaxants	Relieve muscle spasm
Diuretics	Reduce swelling in inflamed spine and reduce pressure on nerve roots
Kondroprotektorët	Reconstruction of spine structures
Vitamins	Improved metabolism, chemical reactions
nootropics	Restoration of nerve impulse conduction along nerve processes

A visit to a qualified osteopath in the acute phase will "liberate" the restrained nervous process and remove some of the symptoms of the disease.

How else can you alleviate an irritation at home?

If a doctor's visit is currently impossible, there are some recipes on how to alleviate the condition of a patient with cervical osteochondrosis a bit before offering medical help:

1. Take a warm showerand relaxing;
2. Roll the neck with a natural wool dress;
3. Apply herbal compresses to the affected area. For these purposes, use onions, sage, mint;
4. Make buttermilk and buttermilk 1: 1.