Degenerative dystrophic changes of the cervical spine

Degenerative changes of the cervical spine occur for different reasons. One thing remains unchanged – they are easily lead to protrusions and herniated discs, spondylosis, worsen the quality of life and reduce performance. In severe cases can lead to disability.

How to develop

What is a degenerative pathological changes of the cervical? This is a direct consequence of the deformity of the vertebrae, nerves and intervertebral discs in the cervical spine. Most often the disease has no age nature. Aging, the intervertebral disc ceases to withstand the pressure, becomes flatter and less flexible. Because of this, one vertebra begins to come into contact with each other and both slowly worn down.

The load shifts from the intervertebral discs in the spine, especially the facet. The structure of these joints does not imply such growth-and articular cartilages begin to deform. They begin to sink my bones. The result is inflammation and irritated joints.

The main symptom of degenerative changes one pain, but a problem can become a large number of other manifestations.

Symptoms

Sometimes symptoms appear in the moment when the patient is in need of serious treatment. In some cases the consequences of degenerative changes in the neck can be ischemic stroke, serious problems with mobility or coordination. More or less early stage of the disease will help you to see the problem the following symptoms:

• Become painful movement of the neck and head;
• You began to get tired quickly;
• There is muscle tension, which does not go away;
• Weak hands;
• Numb or feel a "tingling" in the fingers;
• Deteriorating the sensitivity of your palms;
• Dizzy;
• Noise in the ears;
• Worse you begin to hear;
• Visual acuity is reduced;
• Headache;
• Difficult coordination of movements;
• Nausea for no apparent reason;
• Frequent bouts of hypertension.

The causes of pathology

Degenerative change of the cervical spine occurs for the following reasons:

• Permanent bent position leads to unwanted stretching the flexor muscles of the back;
• Sedentary lifestyle, long sitting or driving even stronger decreases the muscle tone;
• Genetically determined are abnormally formed vertebrae, leading to early deformation and atrophy of the affected tissues;

Rarely occurs due to:

• Violations of hormonal background;
• Injuries;
• Pathological changes in the vascular system;
• Muscle spasms;
• A wrong diet;
• Constant stress;
• Metabolic disorders in the intervertebral discs.

Varieties of pathology

Most often found such degenerative changes as degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine. This syndrome is the most severe, the spine when it moves and is damaged, forming osteophytes, are excess bone tissue. The deformation process starts to affect ligaments. Degenerative changes of the cervical also develop in the intervertebral hernia, reduction of the spinal canal, repositioning of the vertebrae, myofascial syndrome.

• Suggest to read: osteophytes of the cervical spine.

Vertebral artery syndrome

Osteochondrosis of the cervical pain syndrome may initially not be present, but quickly make themselvesknow symptoms flattened vertebral artery. Dizzy in the morning, suffering from occipital pain, noise in ears, sick, deteriorating eyesight may start an attack of hypertension.

Pain syndrome

A muscle spasm and pinched nerves irritate the nerve roots, causing disrupted ligamentous circulation, manifested by inflammation of ligaments and degeneration. The patient's pain in combination with greater muscle tension. Muscle spasms cause pain, and it becomes the cause of even more severe spasms.

If it turns out the squeezed nerve in the spine starts with cervical migraine. Pain if it is localized only on one side of the head, in the crown or temple. These migraines can cause vomiting and nausea.

Pain in cervical dystrophy can both wear head and cardiovascular in nature. The patient's condition becomes especially severe due to palpitations, panic, and chills.

• See also: Distortion of the cervical spine.

Myofascial syndrome

Tense muscles appear tight spots (triggers). The symptoms include not only pain – the patient becomes hard to move my head.

Reduced sensitivity

If a pinched or compressed nerve tissue, appear numbness and the feeling of "tingling on the skin." In many cases, patients complain of cold hands and bluish color of the hands. Spinal stenosis causes problems in the organs of the pelvis.

Movement disorders

Osteochondrosis can not only deteriorate the mobility of the cervical and develop muscle atrophy. In some cases, the ridge opposite becomes unstable, manifested pathological curvature. This happens due to the fact that muscles and ligaments well cease to support the vertebrae.

Diagnostic methods

Degenerative changes were diagnosed in the cervical spine by a specialist neurologist. The following methods are used:

• Computed tomography;
• X-ray examination;
• MRI.

MRI is currently the most effective way to diagnose the degenerative changes. This type of imaging gives you the opportunity to see pathologies at the early stages of development.

Treatment

Once and for all cure degenerative processes of the cervical do not allow the possibilities of modern medicine. We can only try to slow the process or stop it, to alleviate or minimize the symptoms.

Try to follow these recommendations, and apply these procedures:

• In the period of exacerbation limit physical activity to a minimum;
• Pain syndrome kopirajte analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants;
• Use warm compresses and anti-inflammatory gels;
• With the help of vitamin complexes will improve your blood circulation;
• Visit a physiotherapist and an acupuncturist;
• Do physical therapy compliance with gentle treatment;
• Take a course of classical massage of the cervical region.

The best result gives the combination of medicines with properly executed medical-gymnastic exercises and the services of a qualified massage therapist. Pay attention to such methods as osteopathy. Try to do Chinese relaxing exercises. These methods will help you to suspend the development of degeneration of the cervical spine, to ease the symptoms and most important to avoid complications.

In most cases it will do the conservative treatment. Operation applies only in situations of entrapped hernia or chronic stenosis of the spinal cord.

Complications

Especially the threat of degenerative changes in the spine that initially may not have symptoms. Pain and reduced mobility of the head show up when to engage in prevention have long later. Overload of the cervical spine is at first implicitly, slowly causing chronic excess muscle tension. Over time, these spasms begin to complicate the metabolism in the neck and head. Further develop protrusion and herniation, stenosis and spondylosis. The spine, the metabolism which worsened in the neck begins to lose its function connecting link between all physiological processes. Symptoms sooner or later will appear, the problem is that they can speak not only about the disease but of its complications.

Spinal stenosis

The position of the vertebrae relative to each other becomes unstable. To return tonormal conditions, bone tissue begins to grow, forming osteophytes. They emerge from the intervertebral discs and joints bhoothnath. These entities put pressure on the spinal canal, sometimes causing pinching of the nerves. The patient start to feel numbness and tingling pain in the area, which is responsible for the nerve.

Herniated discs

Experiencing increasing load, the fibrous ring, which protects the intervertebral discs can begin to crack. Purposly center of the intervertebral discs can go out of the fibrous ring – this phenomenon is called herniated disc. Manifest pain in the neck, give a hand, shoulder or scapular region. If the hernia is close to the spinal cord and nerve roots that arise from neurological disease.

Spondylosis

It is almost exclusively the problem of age, the essence of which – in the growth of bone tissue as a result of processes in an aging spine. Be referred to a osteophytes and cause severe pain.

Prevention

DSP of the cervical spine in most cases irreversible, so age should pay attention to methods of prevention. Watch your diet and excess weight. The excessive load on the spine will most quickly lead to age-related deformations.

Do not neglect healthful exercise. Strengthening muscles, you make life easier for your spine, and therefore – and the whole body.

Try not to fall under the draft, avoid hypothermia. Low temperature can cause neuralgia. Follow the position of his body. Do not take uncomfortable postures, keep your spine straight. Don't lie for a long time, by placing one arm under her head – in this position the cervical accumulates tension.

Do not lift weights, avoid large stress on the body. Don't forget that heavy things off the floor, you should always lift with your back straight. Try to avoid pathological changes of the cervical, in the case of changes in the cervical spine as soon as possible start the treatment.