Hondrostrong Official site
Share this

BACK Effective methods of treating cervical spondylosis.

In the modern world, almost everyone over 25 years old has this disease.Cervical spondylosis occurs much more often than in other parts of the spine.The relevance of this topic is difficult to overestimate.In this article we will consider why this disease occurs, how it manifests, how to treat cervical spondylosis, what drugs are effective in treatment, what non-drug methods exist, and also find answers to the most common questions from patients with a similar diagnosis.Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative-dystrophic (progressive) lesion of the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine.

pain

Causes of cervical spondylosis

Due to the influence of the factors listed below, the load on the cervical spine increases, the neck muscles try to compensate for the excess load, spasms occur, blood circulation in this area is interrupted, causing degenerative changes.Due to a number of factors, the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine change, their structure changes, nutrition is interrupted, small joints between the vertebrae change, bone growth of the vertebral body appears due to increased load on the changed discs.Click to enlarge - exercise therapy treats osteoarthritis in any part of the spine.Factors contributing to the development of cervical spondylosis:

  • Poor posture and scoliosis
  • Overweight
  • Less physical activity, sedentary work
  • Previous spinal injury
  • Metabolic disorders
  • Great physical activity
  • Constant stress and nervous tension
  • Low fitness level
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Habit of incorrect body posture, such as holding the phone receiver with your shoulder
  • Continuous back and neck tension due to the nature of work (stressful state when sitting) of drivers and office workers.
  • Abnormal development in the cervical spine

Degree of development of cervical spondylosis

The degree of osteonecrosis is determined by the clinical picture and patient complaints.The concept of degree should not be confused with the stages of osteochondrosis.The stages will be discussed below.

First degree

Clinical manifestations are minimal, patients may complain of low-intensity pain in the cervical spine, which can intensify when turning the head.Physical examination may reveal mild tension in the neck muscles.

Second degree

The patient is worried about pain in the cervical spine area, which is much more severe and may spread to the shoulder or arm.This occurs due to a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc and compression of the nerve roots.The pain increases when tilting and turning the head.Patients may notice decreased performance, weakness, and headaches.

Third degree

Symptoms of cervical spondylosis become more and more severe, the pain becomes constant, spreading to the arm or shoulder.Numbness or weakness occurs in the arm muscles when a herniated disc forms (see lumbar hernia symptoms).I'm worried about weakness and dizziness.On examination, limited mobility in the cervical spine and pain during palpation of the cervical spine were detected.

Fourth degree

The disc is completely destroyed and replaced by connective tissue.Dizziness increases, tinnitus appears, and coordination is impaired because the vertebral artery supplying blood to the cerebellum and occipital lobe of the brain is involved in this process.

Symptoms depend on the vertebra affected

Separately, we can distinguish radicular syndromes that lead to certain sensory and motor disorders.They differ depending on which vertebra compresses the spinal root:

  • C1: numbness and loss of feeling in the back of the head;
  • C2: pain in the vertex and back of the head;
  • C3: poor speech ability, sensitive tongue, pain and decreased sensitivity on the side of the compressed spinal nerve;
  • C4: heart attack, left lower quadrant, shoulder, scapula, respiratory disorders, decreased neck muscle tone;
  • C5: outer shoulder pain;
  • C6: pain radiating from the forearm to the thumb, as well as from the neck to the shoulder blade;
  • C7: pain behind the shoulder, from the neck to the shoulder blade, spreading down the forearm to 2-4 fingers;
  • C8: Pain from neck to shoulder, from forearm to little finger.

Diagnosis of cervical spondylosis

Basic diagnostic methods:

  • X-ray of the cervical spine.This is a method with little information, especially in the later stages of the disease.
  • Computed tomography.It shows better vertebral changes, but it is difficult to determine the size and presence of intervertebral herniation, as well as the presence of spinal cord conflicts (due to compression of the spinal cord).
  • Magnetic resonance imaging.The most informative method.Not only the bone structure is clearly seen, but also the intervertebral discs, herniations, their size and direction of growth.
  • If a violation of blood flow in the vertebral artery is suspected, duplex ultrasound will be used.This method allows you to accurately determine whether there is a decrease in the rate of blood flow or whether there are any obstacles to normal blood flow.

X-ray stages of cervical spondylosis.

  • Stage 1 – minimal changes in the configuration of the vertebrae, flattening of the cervical curvature (curvature).
  • Stage 2 – instability between vertebrae, possible displacement of one vertebra relative to another, torsion (rotation around the axis of the spine), slight decrease in disc height.
  • Stage 3 – decrease in height of the intervertebral disc by ¼ compared to the disc located above it, changes in the joints between the vertebrae, posterior osteophytes (bone growth), narrowing of the intervertebral foramen and narrowing of the spinal canal where the spinal cord and its membranes are located.
  • Stage 4 – significant reduction in disc height, significant changes in the intervertebral joints, very large posterior bone spurs, significant narrowing of the intervertebral foramen, and significant narrowing of the spinal canal leading to the formation of myelopathy.

Symptom

Damage to the upper spine can manifest itself with a variety of symptoms, depending on the location and severity of the dystrophic process, as well as the severity of the impact on the root structures of the cervical spine.Often, the patient's complaints are reduced to at first glance unrelated symptoms, which can further complicate the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.In general, the clinical picture of cervical spondylosis includes a series of the following syndromes:

  • Vertebrae, characterized by various types of pain in the back of the head and neck.
  • Spine, in which there are symptoms of impaired mobility and sensation, in addition, impaired nutritional status in the cervical region causes gradual atrophy of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms.
  • Roots, manifested by painful symptoms in the peritoneal region and thoracic organs, require additional thorough diagnosis to distinguish osteonecrosis and diseases of internal organs.
  • Vertebral artery syndrome with cervical spondylosis is a vestibular disorder characterized by headaches, hearing loss, dizziness, and even loss of consciousness.These phenomena occur due to cerebral ischemia due to violation of the vertebral artery and impaired blood supply.

How to treat cervical spondylosis?

Cervical spondylosis develops gradually and patients often seek treatment at the stage of clinical manifestations that interfere with quality of life, during the severe stage.How to treat cervical spondylosis is decided by the doctor only after a proper diagnosis;Self-medication in this case is unacceptable.Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is aimed at eliminating pain, inflammation, partially or completely restoring the affected tissue structure and preventing complications.Treatment is mainly outpatient;any home procedure can be performed only together with a medical prescription, after instrumental and laboratory diagnosis.In advanced cases, at a severe stage of development of neurological damage and accompanying pathologies, inpatient treatment of cervical spondylosis with the possibility of surgical intervention may be indicated.

Treatment of cervical spondylosis with medication

It involves prescribing medications that reduce pain and inflammation.In the acute stage, the drug in injectable form is indicated;After the pain subsides, the patient takes pills, topical medication in the form of an ointment and continues with injections.

  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They are considered the drug of choice in the treatment of cervical spondylosis to reduce pain and inflammation.Available in different dosage forms.They reduce soft tissue swelling, thereby reducing pain;Topical agent has a warming effect, helping to improve blood flow in the affected cervical area.These drugs are used for 5-10 days, sometimes up to 2 weeks.In the acute phase, NSAIDs are prescribed as injections;After a few days, the patient switched to taking the pill form.It is worth remembering that long-term treatment with NSAIDs negatively affects the mucous membrane of the digestive tract; for this reason, the course of treatment usually does not exceed 10 days.
  • Hormones.If NSAIDs are ineffective, the patient may be prescribed a paravertebral anesthetic in the cervical spine with glucocorticosteroids to treat pain, usually with an injection of dexamethasone or hydrocortisone into the affected area or tablets.Drugs in this group are prescribed to patients with cervical nerve root syndrome to reduce nerve fiber swelling.
  • Anesthesia.They are prescribed in the form of local neuromuscular blockade, which helps eliminate symptoms of severe pain.The blockade may be intradermal, subcutaneous, muscular, perineural, or radicular, depending on the injection site.To prolong the analgesic effect, anesthetics are administered along with hormones.Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is carried out every other day, a total of 5-7 such procedures are prescribed.Anesthesia can also be administered by injection into specific biologically active points;This treatment technique is a type of acupuncture and is called pharmacotherapy.
  • Antispasmodic drugs and drugs that improve microcirculation in the cervical and collar areas.To treat muscle tension in the affected area, nicotinic acid and others may be prescribed.By reducing neck muscle spasms and improving blood flow, blood flow to the affected area is stimulated, while symptoms of cervical osteoarthritis and inflammation are alleviated.During exacerbations, diuretics are also administered to reduce vasospasm and thereby improve microcirculation in the affected area.
  • Sedatives, such as tinctures of valerian, peony and herbal tea, are recommended for prolonged pain relief and to reduce the risk of developing neurosis in patients, contributing to improving the effectiveness of treatment of cervical spondylosis.
  • Local irritant.These are ointments, gels, and lotions that have a warming effect, causing discomfort and distraction.They are not used in the treatment of the acute phase.They contain biologically active substances of plant and animal origin, for example, bee or snake venom.If you are hypersensitive to the components of the drug and if the irritating effect of the drug is high, it is better not to use them so as not to cause more swelling.
  • Vitamin.During the period of treatment and further rehabilitation, it is recommended to use multivitamin complexes.Usually, this is a group of B vitamins, whose representatives participate in ensuring normal nerve conduction, as well as vitamins A and C, which strengthen the walls of blood vessels and improve blood flow.Taking vitamins reduces vestibular disorders - motion sickness syndrome, dizziness, hearing loss.
  • Chondroprotectors.These are substances that promote the recovery of cartilage tissue of cervical vertebral discs.Treatment of cervical spondylosis with cartilage-protecting drugs is performed over a long period of time, 6-12 months.

Orthopedic treatment methods

Symptoms of discomfort in the cervical spine are often provoked and aggravated by incorrect body posture during sleep, prolonged exposure to forced positions or trauma.Therefore, when treating diseases, people often use methods such as necklaces or Shants necklaces.It is prescribed individually to each patient, after medical consultation, as it comes in many varieties.The collar is a dense roller with a frame that helps to tie it tightly around the neck and fix the vertebrae in the required position.Due to this, the neck does not bend and the head does not turn to the side, this ensures immobilization of the diseased area, which is very important in the acute stage.Shants collars can also be made in the form of two rollers with an inflatable layer, in which air is pumped with a rubber bulb.Inflating the layer between the rollers will stretch the spine, helping to increase the distance between the joints in the cervical spine.The degree of dilation is determined by the doctor;Do not arbitrarily solve this problem to avoid damage to the neurovascular bundles in the neck.During recovery, a fully inflatable collar is used to maintain neck and head mobility.

The necklace can be worn at home, no more than 3 hours a day, for a total wearing time of about one month.Final wearing regulations are determined by the doctor, depending on the severity of the condition and the symptoms present.