Signs of cervical spondylosis in women, treatment methods

Cervical spondylosis in women is a common disease after age 40;Its development is due to a combination of factors (age, sedentary lifestyle, load on the cervical spine).Under their influence, the elasticity and strength of the intervertebral discs are lost (degenerative-dystrophic changes), their elasticity and height are reduced.

At first, the symptoms of osteoarthritis can be almost invisible (muscle tension, skin numbness), then they intensify and the patient appears signs of problems with cerebral circulation (headache, impaired vision, hearing, memory, increased pressure).Such violations are dangerous - they can cause the development of:

• persistent hypertension (high blood pressure);
• hypertensive crisis (bleeding of brain tissue);
• vascular neuropathy (reduction in muscle strength to the point of complete immobility of the arm).

Cervical spondylosis in women and men begins and develops according to the same scenario;There are no specific differences in the causes, symptoms and treatment of the disease.Some experts note that women often seek medical help during menopause: in two-thirds of patients, most chronic pathologies are aggravated at a time of hormonal changes, and cervical spondylosis is no exception.

Age-related changes in the tissues of the intervertebral disc are irreversible, so the pathology cannot be completely eliminated.In the early stages, its development can be stopped with special exercises and other physiotherapeutic procedures.After the appearance of intervertebral hernia, surgery to restore the height of the vertebrae is recommended.

Treatment of cervical spondylosis has its own characteristics (related to the fragility and small size of the vertebrae of the ward), but hardly differs from the treatment of osteoarthritis in the thoracic or lumbar region.

At the first signs of illness, consult a spine specialist or orthopedist.Various manifestations of cervical spondylosis (sleep, vision, hearing, pressure changes) are treated by therapists and neurologists.

Overview of symptoms

Signs of neck damage in women are initially almost invisible, so the initial stage of the disease is quite difficult to diagnose.The first thing that appears is increasing tension, neck muscle fatigue and headaches.

As the disease progresses in women, symptoms will intensify to the point of severe pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulders, shoulder blades, and a distinct crunching sensation when turning the head.

In the future, osteochondrosis in women is manifested by impaired mobility (difficulty turning the head, this causes pain), weakness of the upper limbs (up to complete immobility), impaired vision and many other symptoms.

Below are the most common manifestations of the pathology, starting with the most common:

1. Muscle tension that causes pain is a reaction to the "subsidence" of the disc and the displacement of the vertebrae.The body tries to compensate, align, keep the spine in the correct position, so muscle over-tension and subsequent atrophy (weakness) occurs.

2. Acute burning or tearing, sharp pain in the back of the head, neck, shoulders, shoulder blades is the result of muscle spasm (tension), compression of blood vessels and nerve endings (for example, going to the occipital region of the head).The pain syndrome is rarely relieved by analgesics, can intensify after a long period of forced position and radiate to the chest and arms.
3. Cracking, crunching during movement and limited mobility of the spine in the cervical region - occur against the background of "sagging" of the intervertebral discs and growth of the bony surface of the vertebral body.
4. Impaired skin sensitivity, weakness of the muscles of the upper limbs and fingers, as well as the shoulder muscles (to the point of complete immobility) are explained by the participation in the pathological process of nerve endings that provide communication between these organs and the spine.
5. Mild and strong tinnitus, dizziness, nausea (to the point of vomiting), impaired coordination of movements, changes in blood pressure - the result of deformation (narrowing, compression) of the large vertebral artery, which supplies blood to the brain (to the cerebellum and occipital).
6. The occurrence of hiccups and lack of air (not being able to "inhale" completely) is due to irritation of the phrenic nerve.

With advanced cervical osteonecrosis, symptoms may include:

• incorrect position, deviation of the head (torticollis);
• difficulty swallowing (if the nerves of the pharynx and larynx are involved in this process);
• sleep disorders, mood changes, depression, panic attacks;
• impaired attention, memory;
• fast heart rate.

Treatment methods

The pathology cannot be completely cured because the changes that occur in the disc are irreversible.The treatment algorithm for cervical spondylosis in women is the same as in men.

The treatment is very comprehensive:

• with the help of drug treatment, they get rid of severe manifestations of osteoarthritis (pain, stress);
• physiotherapy improves nutrition of paravertebral tissues, restores spinal mobility;
• Therapeutic exercises strengthen the muscles, "lengthen" the spine, and reduce the load on the intervertebral disc (during the period of stable or symptom-free remission).

You should exercise constantly (throughout life), this will help prevent the eventual deformation of the vertebrae and the development of all kinds of complications.

Treatment with medication

Treatment of cervical spondylosis in women is carried out using conservative methods;Clear signs of the disease (pain, cerebral circulation disorders, sensitivity) are relieved when taking medication.

Drug group	What is it prescribed for?
Non-hormonal pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs	Reduce inflammation and pain
Vasoprotective drugs	Improves blood circulation, promotes oxygen saturation of tissues
Muscle relaxants	Relaxes neck muscles, improves blood circulation
B vitamins	Stimulates rapid recovery of nerve tissue, enhances anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, improves metabolism
Chondroprotectors	With long-term use, the destruction of cartilage tissue stops

In case of severe pain in the area of a pinched nerve, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs will be injected into the paraspinal muscles.The neck is fixed with a special orthopedic ring or Shants brace (it reduces the load on the muscles in the neck area).

Physical therapy

Physical therapy treatment gives good results for cervical spondylosis:

method	What functions do they perform?
Magnetic field therapy	Stimulates blood circulation, reduces swelling and pain
supersonic	Stimulates local blood circulation, improving tissue healing
Electrophoresis with drugs	Delivers medication through the skin barrier to the source of pain, quickly reducing visible and residual signs of cervical spondylosis
Massage therapy for the neck area	Relaxes muscles, improves blood circulation, stimulates oxygen saturation of tissues
Acupuncture	Stimulates biologically active points in the body, quickly reducing residual symptoms of the disease

Women with cervical spondylosis benefit from:

1. Treatment at sanatoriums in specialized sanatoriums (maximum 2 times a year).
2. Mud therapy.
3. Warming application (paraffin therapy).
4. Bath therapy (therapeutic bath).

Patients should absolutely not be excessively hypothermic (especially after physical therapy).

Exercise for cervical spondylosis

Physical therapy exercises can prevent the progression of osteoarthritis.They are performed to relieve muscle tension, strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the cervical spine, and reduce stress on the vertebrae.

Basic exercises to treat cervical spondylosis are performed in a sitting or standing position, gently, without jerking or muscle tension (2-3 minutes a day):

• Tilt your head left and right (toward your shoulders).
• Tilt your head forward (touch your chin to your chest) then back (touch the back of your head).

• Turn your head to the right (look at the right shoulder) and to the left (look at the left shoulder).
• Bend your head down, touching your chin to your chest.Rotate left and right from shoulder to shoulder and back (as if “rolling” your head across your chest).
• Move your head back, turn left, right and back ("roll" along your back from shoulder to shoulder).
• Make a complete rotation with your head from left to right, then right to left.
• Raise your shoulders up (at the same time), lower them down.
• Move your shoulders forward and then back.

Gymnastics is performed during periods of stable remission of the disease (when there are no obvious manifestations of the disease - pain, swelling, inflammation).

If, while performing the exercises, any unpleasant signs of cervical spondylosis occur in women (“floating” before the eyes, nausea, dizziness), temporarily stop exercising.If such sensations occur continuously, you should consult a physiotherapist or doctor.

Nutrition for cervical spondylosis

With cervical spondylosis, you can adhere to the general principles of a healthy diet, adhering to the basic principle - food must be complete and varied:

• You need to include foods in your diet - sources of amino acids, vitamins, minerals that participate in the synthesis of collagen, glycosaminoglycans (important for cartilage), improve metabolism and stimulate rapid recovery of damaged tissues.
• Limit alcohol, strong tea and coffee, salty, smoked and fried foods.These products irritate inflamed tissue and increase pain.

Which products are recommended for cervical spondylosis:

Necessary substances in the composition	Product list
Natural glycosaminoglycans	Chicken, beef, red fish, hard cheese, butter, soy, products with gelatin
Vitamin E and A	Eggs, liver, fish, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds
Vitamin C	Citrus fruits, berries, vegetables
B vitamins	Lean meat, sea fish, nuts, cereals, cheese, milk
Vitamin D	Sea fish, sea fish liver, butter, raw yolk
Vitamin PP	Vegetables, grains, sea fish, beans
calcium	Cheese, cottage cheese, milk, fermented milk products
Magnesium	Dark chocolate, rice bran, beans, cereals
Phosphorus	Sea fish, seafood, legumes, milk, hard cheese
sulfur	Nuts, chicken, hard cheese, beans
Potassium	Nuts, beans, plums, bananas, garlic

To maintain normal weight, it is recommended to limit the consumption of fast carbohydrates (candy, sweets, sugar), fatty meat, lard and margarine.