Cervical osteochondrosis is a dystrophic dysfunction of the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine. The disease manifests itself in the form of severe pain in the head, neck and upper back.
The risk of osteochondrosis lies not only in the deterioration of the quality of life, but also in the risk of disability.
Characteristics of the course of SOC in women
The symptoms of the development of spine diseases in men and women are practically the same, but there are still some differences. In women, cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed more often. This is due to anatomical characteristics.
Unlike women, men have well-developed musculature of the shoulder girdle, which supports the cervical spine.
Reference.The condition of the spine is negatively affected by pregnancy and the further period of child care.
The reason for the development of female cervical osteochondrosis may be the hormonal changes that occur during the aging process. After menopause, there is a slowdown in metabolic and nutritional processes in cartilage tissue.
Causes and factors
There are many reasons for the development of SOS in women. The most common are the menopausal changes in the body. During this period, the amount of progesterone in the female body decreases significantly. As a result of these processes, the support of the spine becomes weaker.Other reasons include the following factors:
- blood circulation problems;
- passive lifestyle;
- the presence of excess weight;
- great physical activity;
- weak immunity;
- inheritance;
- spinal cord injury;
- hormonal problems;
- hypothermia.
The list of provoking factors is quite extensive. Women should be especially careful to monitor their health and support the immune system.
Symptoms
How the disease appears in an early stage
It is important to recognize the signs of the development of the disease at the right time.Early symptoms include:
- feeling of stiffness in the neck;
- sudden onset of snoring during sleep;
- frequent headaches;
- discomfort in fingers and shoulders;
- periodic numbness of the limbs;
- shooting pains radiating to neck.
local signs
With cervical osteochondrosis, a number of local symptoms appear.These include the following manifestations:
- stenosis;
- reflex-irritation syndrome;
- radicular syndrome;
- cardiac syndrome.
Stenosis involves a violation of blood circulation in the affected area. The patient feels stiffness and pain. There may be numbness and tingling in the extremities.
Reflex-irritative syndrome can appear in the form of a tingling sensation.The pain may radiate to the shoulder joint or chest.
Radicular syndrome causes headaches. Sometimes there are problems with speech.
Cardiac syndrome by its nature resembles an attack of angina pectoris. In some cases, blood pressure increases and arrhythmia appears.
Signs of an acute condition
During the acute phase, deformations of the vertebrae are observed, which press the vertebral artery.Due to the fact that blood does not enter the brain, the following deviations are observed:
- speech disorder;
- dizziness;
- tinnitus;
- double vision.
The pain can radiate to the stomach, heart and lungs. When the nerve endings of the cervical region are constricted, there is a pulling pain from the neck to the shoulder blades.
Stages of the disease and their distinguishing characteristics
SHOC proceeds in several stages. Each of them has its own distinctive symptoms.In total, there are 4 main stages in the development of osteochondrosis:
- In the initial stage, the disease looks like dehydration of the nucleus pulposus. The patient develops tears in the annulus fibrosus.
- The second stage involves the breakdown of muscles and ligaments. As a result, there is a motor imbalance of the vertebrae. This stage of the development of the disease is characterized by displacement of the vertebrae.
- The third stage of development is characterized by more pronounced symptoms. Patients develop intervertebral disc protrusions and arthrosis.
- The fourth stage is the last one. A distinctive feature is osteophytes. Bony growths form on the surface of the vertebrae. There is an increase in fibrous tissue.
In the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment, the disease can lead to disability.
Diagnosing
If the first symptoms of the disease appear, you should consult a doctor to undergo an examination and prescribe the appropriate treatment.In addition to collecting an anamnesis, the doctor prescribes a number of diagnostic studies.
Instrumental examination methods
Instrumental diagnostic methods will help diagnose and accurately determine the patient's condition. The most common procedures described are:
- X-Ray;
- myelographic study;
- ultrasound;
- MRI.
Plain x-rays are needed to get a picture of the entire spine or the affected part of it.With its help, the doctor will be able to determine the location of the pathology. With osteochondrosis in the photo of the spine, you can see the presence of bone growths and narrowing of the intervertebral disc.
A more complex type of diagnosis is a myelographic study. It consists in the fact that a contrast liquid is injected into the canal of the spinal cord.
Important.Such a procedure can be dangerous, as an allergic reaction or damage to the spinal cord is possible.
Such a study allows you to study the internal structure of the spinal canal.
CT and MRI are among the most effective diagnostic methods. According to their results, osteochondrosis can be distinguished from other diseases with similar symptoms.
Treatment
Medical therapy
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be comprehensive. An important part is drug therapy.In most cases, the following groups of drugs are prescribed:
- analgesic;
- anti-inflammatory;
- chondroprotectors;
- muscle relaxants;
- vitamins.
Analgesics include nonsteroidal drugs that relieve pain. Most of these drugs are irritating to the mucosa of the digestive tract.
To relieve the inflammatory process, hormonal drugs are prescribed.Effective steroid medications include ointments and tablets based on glucocorticosteroids.
Chondroprotectors contain in their composition substances that replace the components of cartilage tissue - hyaluronic acid and chondroitin. To get a lasting effect from taking such drugs, a rather long therapeutic course is prescribed.
To relax muscle tone, it is recommended to take muscle relaxants.These are auxiliary drugs for pain relief. The muscle relaxant is administered parenterally and only under the supervision of a specialist. For the treatment of osteochondrosis, agents based on benzimidazole and glycerin are used. They have a large number of contraindications.
To maintain the functioning of the immune system, vitamin complexes are prescribed. They have a positive effect on the peripheral nervous system. The composition should contain fat-soluble vitamins E, D, C, E and B vitamins.
Quite effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis ointments for external use.They help relieve inflammation, heat and relieve pain. Before using them, you should consult a specialist.
Are the drugs effective?
Drug treatment for cervical osteochondrosis is quite effective. This allows you to get rid of the inflammatory process and relieves pain. To get the maximum therapeutic effect, taking medications should be combined with therapeutic exercises and massage.
Gymnastics
Before starting gymnastics, you should consult a specialist. During exacerbations, it is better to refuse physical activity. It is important that gymnastics does not cause the pain to worsen.
Reference.All exercises are as simple as possible and include head movement and isometric muscle tension.
Such gymnastics can be performed both at home and at work. The starting position for almost all exercises is a sitting position.
Approximate set of exercises:
- The head turns all the way to the right, then to the left. It is important not to make strong jerks. During rotation, the voltage must be maintained for 5 seconds.
- Lean head to shoulder. You should try to touch the shoulder with your ear, while you should not raise your hand yourself. The exercise should be done with a pain-free amplitude.
- Circular movements of the head counterclockwise and clockwise. Rotations should be performed as slowly as possible.
Such a light load will help stretch the muscles. In order for it to bring good results, such gymnastics must be performed regularly. In this case, the increase in load should be gradual and painless.
Massage
Massage should only be performed by a professional. It is necessary to process the cervical region, a part of the back and the collar area.The following techniques can be applied:
- petting;
- squeezing;
- trituration;
- kneading.
Massage should not cause pain. A procedure performed by non-professionals can only worsen the situation.
Folk remedies at home
Alternative therapy methods can be used in addition.It can be compresses from fresh horseradish leaves. They are applied to the cervical region and should be worn at night.
Very effective compress with grated potatoes and honey. This procedure should be performed no more than once a week. Folk remedies will help alleviate the patient's condition, but not to cure the disease.
Is it possible to completely cure SHX?
Cervical osteochondrosis cannot be completely cured.Therapy is aimed at improving the patient's condition and stopping the development of the disease. Periodic relapses are possible, so the patient should carefully monitor her condition. The sooner treatment is started, the better the outcome.
prevention
The right food
An important place in the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is proper nutrition. The diet should contain products that contain substances synthesized for cartilage tissue. It can be jelly, jelly or gelatin.
Important.The body must have enough protein.
It is found in fish, eggplant and meat. It is important to monitor the water balance. Lack of water can lead to dehydration of the intervertebral discs.
The diet should include foods rich in vitamins and minerals. For example, fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, pork and beef.
An active lifestyle
An active lifestyle will minimize the risk of developing the disease.Women are not recommended to lift more than 10 kg. In case of problems with the spine, it is recommended to wear a special corset.
To have a quality and long sleep, it is good to buy a special orthopedic mattress and pillow. Experts recommend swimming, but it is better to refuse running and jumping. During the period of deterioration, you cannot visit the bathroom.
Cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed more often in women.It is important to notice the first signs of deviation in time and start treatment. The sooner the therapy is started, the more effective it will be.