Since the distant ancestor of man, Homo Erectus, stood up, humanity, in addition to all the possible advantages associated with upright walking (protection from wild animals, increased visibility, increased work functionality), has received a rich set of musculoskeletal diseases. Cervical osteochondrosis is one of them. Some people do not take the disease seriously and consider it an annoying but insignificant 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 usually perceived as 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 look at what medications should be taken for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, learn how to get rid of dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, and analyze what exercises should be performed 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 volume of bone tissue. More than other joints, the cartilaginous seal between the vertebrae, which in medicine is called the "disc", suffers.
Osteochondrosis is divided by type into "cervical", "thoracic" and "lumbar". The cervical is the most common. Today, this disease is a constant companion of anyone over 40 years old. Despite the opinion that this disease develops over the years and young people do not suffer from it, modern medical practice proves the opposite, showing disappointing statistics among people over 30 years of age.
Causes
The causes of osteochondrosis include direct ones (compression of the vertebral vessels and nerves, compression of the cervical vertebrae) and indirect ones, related to the patient's lifestyle and the physiological characteristics of his body.
Types of compression complications of osteochondrosis:
- Spondylolisthesis. Displacement of the spinal disc from behind or from in front. At a significant rate, displacement is plagued by paralysis and death.
- Osteophytes. Abnormal and pathological growth of bone tissue due to calcium salts.
- Outgoing. Protrusion of the intervertebral disc without disruption of the integrity of the collagen ring.
- Hernias. Displacement of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc with rupture of the collagen ring.
Reasons for compression:
- intense physical work;
- physical inactivity, "computer" illness, sedentary pastime;
- weight is higher than normal;
- metabolic disorder;
- genetic predisposition;
- incorrect posture;
- weak muscle tone of the neck and back in general;
- overexertion, fatigue of the back and neck muscles;
- a tendency to a certain position of the neck, for example, the habit of tilting the head to the side;
- "old" injuries of the cervical spine;
- nervous shocks and stress.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are sporadic and constant pain in the neck, upper shoulder girdle, clavicles and head. With advanced disease, vertigo (dizziness) and loss of consciousness may occur.
The complete symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are so diverse that the patient often cannot independently identify one or another symptom of osteochondrosis of the neck. Even the treating doctor must perform a detailed examination in order to make an accurate diagnosis.
The symptoms of the disease change according to its progression. Modern medicine distinguishes 4 stages of osteochondrosis progression:
I – minor changes in normal cervical lordosis. There may be slight pain when turning the head. Mild discomfort when bending the neck;
II – minor displacements between the vertebrae, torsion (uncoordinated rotation of the vertebra with respect to the spinal chord), 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 head the patient hears a slight crunch;
III – the intervertebral cartilage is displaced by a quarter relative to the other, the thickness and size of the disc selectively change, it becomes thinner, changes its normal shape, posterior osteophytes narrow the spinal canal and damage the spinal cord. The pain becomes intense, its sporadic character is lost, it becomes stable, fluctuating from medium to severe. Weakness appears in the hands, hearing is impaired. When you turn your head, the crunch is heard not only by the patient, but also by those around him. Possible loss of coordination of movements. By the way, dizziness with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a very alarming sign, in which you should immediately consult a doctor, if you have not already done so;
IV – intervertebral discs are significantly displaced, posterior osteophytes and protrusions become abnormally large, the spinal canal narrows and curves significantly, myelopathy is formed (compression syndrome of the spinal cord and its vessels). Frequent dizziness, loss of consciousness. Intense and very intense pain in the neck, head, collarbone, shoulders. The face, tongue and palate become numb. Vision and hearing are significantly affected. Weakness throughout the body. Legs and arms are removed. Temporary paralysis of the extremities. A very important loss of coordination in space. Swallowing reflex disorder. Complete loss of sensation in the hands and throughout the body.
Treatment and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis.
When asking the question "how to cure osteochondrosis of the neck? ", we must remember that with cervical osteochondrosis the treatment must be timely, it is not possible to be late.
Therapeutic and preventive measures are closely related to each other in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck. Conventionally, the difference between them lies in the severity of the disease. Prevention of osteochondrosis is applied before the onset of the disease and during its first three stages. Treatment of the disease begins from the moment of its appearance.
In this section we will find out whether it is possible to eliminate many of the unpleasant symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis at once, what exercises can be done for dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis, what tablets, medications and folk remedies are best used for complicated osteochondrosis, how to treat dizziness, how to treat dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis osteochondrosis with home remedies.
Prevention
Eliminates many signs of osteochondrosis at once. It includes four types of therapy:
- The traditional way to eliminate signs of cervical osteochondrosis and dizziness is to constantly lead a healthy lifestyle;
- physiotherapy (not recommended already in the third stage of the development of osteochondrosis, although the final decision depends on 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 later stages of the disease);
- apply orthopedic tips and orthopedic devices (Kuznetsov applicator, furniture, household items) in everyday life.
ethnoscience
Osteochondrosis of the neck can be treated at home with traditional medicine. The products he created are a creative composition of herbs, essential oils, fats, poisons, roots of various plants with alcohol and iodine.
Can a traditional medicine relieve dizziness and pain? Here the situation is the same as in the case of drug treatment: the pain can disappear almost immediately, and it will take some time to prevent dizziness. Treatment with traditional medicine should be started as soon as possible, then it will definitely bring a positive result.