Osteoarthritis affects not only the knee and hip joints.Sometimes degenerative processes take place on the cervical spine.In advanced cases, without treatment, they can lead to complete loss of mobility due to the joining of vertebrae and even disability.
How will it develop
The cervical region includes 7 beads, the most removable of the entire spinal column.If some pathological processes occur in the body, cervical vertebrae, protected by a elastic "plate" (DISC), become covered with osteophytes (bone growth).The jump, on the other hand, becomes thinner and destroyed, and the atrophy of adjacent soft tissue.
The intervertebral disc can swell and press on the nearby tissues or nerves.The vertebrae changes their shape, which leads to spinal deformities.If they are pronounced, the patient develops cervical arthrosis deformity.
Causes of cervical bead arthrosis
- Genetic pathologies of the development of the musculoskeletal system as a whole, for example dysplasia, flat feet, scoliosis (if a certain bond is damaged, the entire biomechanical chain suffers).
- Dystrophic changes in joints associated with age -related changes.
- Cervical back injuries.
- Excessive strain, for example due to excess weight, coupled with professional activities or sports.
- Hernia or prolonged discs.
- Inflammatory diseases (arthritis, rheumatism).
- Endocrine system dysfunctions.
- Disordishes metabolic disorders, etc.
How to recognize
Cervical bead arthrosis is associated with dull, painful, usually one -sided pain, which intensifies with movement.Patients complain of morning pain.Unpleasant sensations emanate in the neck area, and then move to the blade and shoulder wings, the syndrome intensifies with palpation.
Other characteristic symptoms of the disease are:
- paroxysmal or migraine dizziness;
- Reduce the range of head movement due to pain (for example, a person can bypass the head 45-50 °);
- press when moving the neck;
- Specific sounds in the ear;
- visual impairment;
- pain in the chest area;
- numbness at the bottom of the face.
In the later stages, against the backdrop of a total deficiency of synovial fluid in the joints, deformities of the spinal column appear, and systemic hypertension can also develop - an inexplicable increase in blood pressure.If the disease is complicated by radicular symptoms, such as a suppressed nerve, its form is diagnosed - detected arthrosis.It is not easy to recognize your illness: based on its symptoms, it can easily be confused with a cardiovascular or brain pathology.
Difficulties in diagnosis
Before describing a complex treatment regimen or prescribe intra-articular injection of synovial fluid prosthesis, the rheumatologist must ensure that the diagnosis is correct, as the symptoms of the disease copy a number of other pathologies.After collecting an anamnesis and the study of a blood test to determine the lack of other diseases (with arthrosis, blood count does not change), one of the following studies is performed:
- Radiography in several projections;
- CT or MRI;
- Vascular angiography.
As a result of examinations, the doctor determines changes in the cartilage structure of the intervertebral discs, the joint space, the amount of synovial fluid and its absence in the joints, the nature of bone growth - osteophytes.
Why should the arthrosis of the cervical beads be treated
If the treatment of cervical vertebrae osteoarthritis is delayed, the disease may lead to the following complications:
- compression of nerve endings and, as a result, severe pain;
- Pinching of spinal canals;
- stroke
Treatment of cervical spine arthrosis
As a rule, people turn to an acute form of the disease, so the main goals of therapy are as follows:
- eliminate pain syndrome;
- Stop inflammation;
- Eliminate the pinching of spinal luggage nerve endings.
In addition, for the normal functioning of the vertebrae, it is necessary to restore the destroyed strands of the discolid cartilage, and therefore, increase blood circulation in damaged tissue.
Therapeutic methods
1. Medicines.
NSAIDs are used to relieve pain and inflammation, and chondroprotectors are used to regenerate cartilage tissue.Blood circulation and nutrition of affected tissues can be normalized with the help of vasodilator drugs.Muscle relaxants are used to relieve muscle spasms.
2. Physiotherapeutic.
Physiotherapeutic treatment is natural auxiliary and is intended to accelerate metabolism in tissues.Most often, with this diagnosis, manual therapy, magnetic therapy and acupuncture, phonophoresis and infrared radiation are prescribed.
If the medication does not help and there is the possibility of vertebral artery syndrome, surgery is prescribed for non -cervical vertebrae.It involves removing and replacing the damaged joint with an endoprostese.
In order not to damage your neck with arthritis and help it, practice, for example, morning exercises:
What is an orthopedic regime for neck arthritis?
Patients with arthritis of any joint, including those who use prosthetic preparations of synovial fluid or other medications, are shown a special orthopedic regimen that will help avoid complications:
- It is necessary to carefully check your behavior, avoiding bending.
- During the sedentary work, short breaks for physical activity are required.
- Orthopedic collars from chances help relieve stress from the cervical region - according to the doctor's indications.
- A mattress and orthopedic pillow will not be redundant.
Comprehensive treatment of cervical bead arthrosis also includes special gymnastics and professional massage.With the help of curves and rotations, bending and throwing his head under the supervision of an instructor, it is possible to develop the motor skills of this part of the spine.
Intra-articular injections of a synovial fluid substitute for this type of arthritis are not practiced due to specific localization.On the contrary, the patient may be offered professional massages or hardware methods for local and safe development of deep and superficial muscles.The main thing is to find a good specialist, trust him and not allow the disease course to take its course.