Cervical Osteochondrosis: Four Stages of Progression

Since our distant ancestor Homo erectus stood up, humans have suffered from a rich array of musculoskeletal disorders, in addition to all the possible advantages associated with upright walking (protection from wild animals, improved visibility, expanded work functions). Cervical osteochondrosis is one of them. Some people do not take the disease seriously, viewing it as an annoying but insignificant disorder. This is especially true in the absence of severe pain.

Cervical Osteochondrosis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

Dizziness caused by cervical osteochondrosis is often considered a symptom unrelated to the main disease, but as a result, the disease can lead to serious complications and even disability. In this article, we will take a look at what medicines should be taken for dizziness due to cervical osteochondrosis, learn how to get rid of dizziness due to cervical osteochondrosis, and analyze what exercises should be done for dizziness caused by cervical osteochondrosis.

cervical osteochondrosis

The word osteochondrosis is derived from the ancient Greek words ὀστέον - "bone" and χόνδρος - "cartilage". Doctors use this term to refer to a group of dystrophic changes in joint cartilage caused by an increase in the volume of bone tissue. The cartilage seals between vertebrae (medically called "intervertebral discs") are more affected than other joints.Osteochondrosis is divided into "cervical spine", "thoracic spine" and "lumbar spine" by type. The cervix is the most common. Nowadays, this disease is a common companion of people over 40 years of age. Although it was believed that the disease develops over the years and that younger people do not suffer from it, modern medical practice proves the opposite, with disappointing statistics for people over 30 years of age.

reason

The causes of osteochondrosis include direct causes (vertebral blood vessels and nerve compression - cervical spine compression) and indirect causes, which are related to the patient's lifestyle and physiological characteristics of the body.Types of compression complications of osteochondrosis:

• Spondylolisthesis. The disc is displaced from the back or front. Displacement rates are high, leading to paralysis and death.
• Osteophytes. Abnormal pathological growth of bone tissue due to calcium salts.
• protrude. Disc herniation without damaging the integrity of the collagen ring.
• hernia. The disc core is displaced and the collagen ring is ruptured.

Reasons for compression:

• strenuous physical labor;
• Lack of physical activity, "computer" sickness, sedentary pastimes;
• Higher than normal weight;
• Metabolic disorders;
• genetic susceptibility;
• incorrect posture;
• Muscle tone in the neck and back is generally weak;
• Excessive tension and fatigue in back and neck muscles;
• The tendency of the neck to lean into a certain position, for example, the habit of tilting the head to one side;
• "Old" injury to the cervical spine;
• Nerve shock and stress.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are episodic and persistent pain in the neck, upper shoulder girdle, collarbone, and head. In advanced disease, vertigo (dizziness) and loss of consciousness may occur.The complete list of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis is varied, and patients are often unable to identify one or another symptom of cervical osteochondrosis independently. Even the attending physician must conduct detailed examinations to make an accurate diagnosis.The symptoms of the disease vary depending on its progression. Modern medicine divides the progression of osteochondrosis into four stages:I – Minor changes in normal cervical lordosis. There may be slight pain when turning your head. Mild discomfort when bending the neck; II – Microdisplacement between vertebrae, torsion (uncoordinated rotation of vertebrae relative to the spine), reduced thickness of intervertebral cartilage. Mild to moderate pain in the neck and head, tingling in the fingertips, ringing in the ears, and a slight crunching sound when turning the head;III – The intervertebral cartilage is displaced by a quarter relative to other cartilage, the thickness and size of the intervertebral disc selectively change, become thinner, altering its normal shape, posterior osteophytes narrow the spinal canal and damage the spinal cord. The pain becomes severe, loses its sporadic nature, becomes stable, fluctuates from average to severe. Weakness in the hands and hearing loss. When you turn your head, not only will the patient hear a crunching sound, but so will those around them. May lose coordination of movements. By the way, dizziness due to cervical osteochondrosis is a very alarming sign and you should immediately consult a doctor if you have not already done so;IV – The intervertebral disc is significantly displaced, the posterior osteophytes and protrusions become abnormally large, the spinal canal is significantly narrowed and curved, forming myelopathy (compression syndrome of the spinal cord and its blood vessels). Frequent dizziness and loss of consciousness. Severe and very severe pain in the neck, head, collarbone, shoulders. The face, tongue, and roof of the mouth become numb. Vision and hearing are significantly impaired. Exhausted. Legs and arms were taken away. Temporary paralysis of limbs. Severe loss of spatial coordination. Swallowing reflex disorder. Complete loss of sensation in hands and body.

Treatment and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis

When asked "How to treat cervical osteochondrosis? ", we must remember that if you have cervical osteochondrosis, treatment must be timely and there is no way to be late.Treatment and preventive measures for cervical osteochondrosis are closely related. Often, the difference between them is the severity of the disease. Prevention of osteochondrosis is carried out before the onset of the disease and in the first three stages. Treatment of a disease begins from the moment it occurs.In this section we will learn whether many unpleasant symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can be eliminated immediately, what exercises can be done for dizziness in cervical osteochondrosis, which pills, medicines and folk remedies are best for treating complex osteochondrosis, how to treat dizziness, how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, dizziness, and folk remedies for osteochondrosis.

prevention

Eliminate many signs of osteochondrosis at once. Includes four types of treatments:

• The traditional approach to eliminating symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and dizziness is to continue a healthy lifestyle;
• Physical therapy (not recommended in the third stage of osteochondrosis development, although the final decision rests with the chiropractor);
• Manipulation and self-massage (while manual therapy is very effective for cervical osteochondrosis and can easily relieve pain, it is not recommended in the final stages of the disease);
• Application of orthopedic advice and orthopedic devices (Kuznetsov applicators, furniture, household items) in daily life.

ethnoscience

Osteochondrosis of the neck can be treated at home using traditional medicines. The products she creates are creative combinations of herbs, essential oils, fats, poisons, roots of various plants, as well as alcohol and iodine.Can traditional medicine relieve dizziness and pain? The situation here is the same as with medication - the pain disappears almost immediately, preventing dizziness takes some time. Treatment with traditional medicines must be started as early as possible to ensure positive results.