Ever since humans' distant ancestors Homo Erectus stood up, humans, in addition to all the possible advantages associated with upright walking (protection from wild animals, better vision, expanded work functions), have received a rich set of musculoskeletal diseases. Cervical osteochondrosis is one of them. Some people do not take illness seriously, considering it an annoying but unimportant obstacle. This is especially true in situations where there is no severe pain.
Cervical osteochondrosis: causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention
Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis is generally considered a separate symptom from the main disease, but as a result, the disease can lead to serious complications and even disability. In this article we will see what medicine to take for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, learn how to get rid of dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, and analyze what exercises to do for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The term osteochondrosis comes from the ancient Greek words ὀστέον - "bone" and χόνδρος - "cartilage". Doctors use this term to designate a group of dystrophic changes in joint cartilage caused by an increase in the amount of bone tissue. More than any other joint, the cartilage seal between the vertebrae, which in medicine is called "disc, " suffers.
Osteochondrosis is divided by type into "cervical", "thoracic" and "lumbar". The cervix is the most common. Today, this disease is a constant companion of any person over 40 years old. Despite the opinion that this disease develops over many years and young people do not suffer from it, modern medical practice proves otherwise, showing disappointing statistics among people over 30 years old.
Cause
The causes of osteochondrosis include direct ones (compression of vertebral canals and nerves - compression of cervical vertebrae), and indirect ones, which are related to the patient's lifestyle and physiological characteristics of his body.
Types of compression complications of osteochondrosis:
- Spondylolisthesis. Displacement of the spinal disc from the back or front. At a significant rate, displacement is fraught with paralysis and death.
- Osteophytes. Abnormal and pathological growth of bone tissue due to calcium salts.
- Prominence. Protrusion of the intervertebral disc without breaking the integrity of the collagen ring.
- Hernia. Intervertebral disc core displacement with collagen ring rupture.
Reasons for compression:
- intense physical work;
- physical inactivity, "computer" disease, inactive hobbies;
- weight is higher than usual;
- metabolic disorders;
- genetic predisposition;
- incorrect posture;
- weak muscle tone in the neck and back in general;
- overstrain, back and neck muscle fatigue;
- a tendency to a certain position of the neck, for example, the habit of tilting the head to one side;
- "old" injuries of the cervical spine;
- nervous shock and stress.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are sporadic and constant pain in the neck, upper shoulder girdle, collarbone and head. With advanced disease, vertigo (dizziness) and loss of consciousness are possible.
The complete symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are so diverse that patients often cannot independently identify one or another symptom with neck osteochondrosis. Even the attending physician must conduct a detailed examination to make an accurate diagnosis.
The symptoms of the disease change as it progresses. Modern medicine distinguishes 4 stages of the development of osteochondrosis:
I – minor changes in normal cervical lordosis. There may be some pain when turning the head. Mild discomfort when bending the neck;
II – small displacement between the vertebrae, torsion (the rotation of the vertebrae is not aligned relative to the spinal cord), a reduction in the thickness of the intervertebral cartilage. Pain of mild to moderate intensity appears in the neck and head, tingling in the fingertips, tinnitus, when turning the patient's head he hears a slight noise;
III - the intervertebral cartilage is displaced by one quarter compared to the other, the thickness and size of the disc changes selectively, it becomes thinner, changing its normal shape, posterior osteophytes narrow the spinal canal, injuring the spinal cord. The pain becomes intense, its sporadic nature disappears, it becomes stable in nature, fluctuating from average to severe. Weakness appears in the hands, hearing is disturbed. When you turn your head, the buzzing sound is not only heard by the patient, but also by the people around you. Possible loss of movement coordination. By the way, dizziness with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a very worrying sign, in which you should immediately see a doctor if this has not been done;
IV - the intervertebral disc is significantly displaced, posterior osteophytes and protrusions become abnormally large, the spinal canal is significantly narrowed and curved, myelopathy is formed (syndrome of compression of the spinal cord and its canals). Frequent dizziness, loss of consciousness. Severe and very severe pain in the neck, head, collarbone, shoulders. The face, tongue, and palate become numb. Vision and hearing are significantly affected. Weakness of the whole body. Legs and hands are taken. Temporary paralysis of limbs. Severe loss of coordination in space. Swallowing reflex disorder. Loss of sensation in the hands and the rest of the body.
Treatment and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis
When asking the question "how to cure neck osteochondrosis? ", we must remember that with cervical osteochondrosis, treatment must be timely, there is no way to be late.
Therapeutic and preventive measures are closely related to each other in the treatment of neck osteochondrosis. Conventionally, the difference between them lies in the severity of the disease. Prevention of osteochondrosis is used before the onset of the disease and during its first three stages. Treatment of the disease begins from the moment of its occurrence.
In this section, we will find out whether it is possible to eliminate many unpleasant symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at once, what exercises can be done for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, which tablets, drugs and folk remedies are best used for osteochondrosis thatcomplicated, how to treat dizziness, how to treat dizziness with osteochondrosis cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies.
Prevention
Eliminates many signs of osteochondrosis at once. Includes four types of therapy:
- The traditional way to get rid of the signs of cervical osteochondrosis and dizziness is to always lead a healthy lifestyle;
- physical therapy (not recommended already in the third stage of the development of osteochondrosis, although the final decision is up to the vertebrologist);
- massage and self-massage (although manual therapy is very effective for cervical osteochondrosis and can easily relieve pain, it is not recommended in the last stages of the disease);
- use orthopedic advice and orthopedic devices (Kuznetsov applicators, furniture, household items) in everyday life.
ethnoscience
Osteochondrosis of the neck can be treated at home using traditional medicine. The products he created are creative compositions of herbs, essential oils, fats, poisons, roots of various plants with alcohol and iodine.
Can traditional medicine relieve dizziness and pain? Here the situation is the same as in the case of treatment with drugs - pain can disappear immediately, preventing dizziness will take some time. Treatment with traditional medicine must be started as early as possible, only then will it bring positive results.