Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the neck is a common disease of the spine that affects patients of all ages. It is a degenerative alteration of the spinal disc that develops against a background of severe stress, wearing of inappropriate shoes, intense physical exertion and malnutrition.

It develops gradually, so the patient may not notice the first symptoms immediately.

Another name for this disease is degenerative-destructive lesion of the spine, affecting the vertebral body, ligament and articular apparatus, intervertebral discs.

Also often diagnosed in both men and women, it usually develops after age 30. According to statistics, this disease affects 50 to 80% of the population.

The main signs of the disease

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis appear as the pathology progresses. They are more noticeable during an exacerbation. After noticing the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to consult a doctor, since it is often disguised as other disorders, which complicates the timely diagnosis. Patients usually come with the following complaints:

• Severe pain in the cervix area.
• Noise and suffocation in the ears.
• Frequent dizziness.
• Shortness of breath, feeling of shortness of breath.
• Nausea Vomiting.
• Blood pressure drops.
• Frequent fainting or syncope.
• Increase in body temperature.

The signs of cervical osteochondrosis in men are not much different from those that appear in women. Patients complain of discomfort in the occiput, sternum and shoulder girdle. You should contact your local therapist or neurologist for a diagnosis.

Pain in the neck

One of the most common symptoms of cervical spine chondrosis is neck pain affecting the back of the head and shoulders. The nature of the pain (pain, sharp, slight tingling) directly depends on the localization of the lesion and the severity of the development of the pathological process. At the initial stage, it may be a slight discomfort, which does not allow you to freely turn your head in all directions. Gradually, the pain becomes chronic and limits the range of motion.

Pain manifests itself as a result of deformation of the vertebrae, due to insufficient blood supply to the cervix area. Against the background of this process, spasms, anxiety attacks and panic attacks are observed. A painful sensation in the neck area may radiate to the shoulders or arms. Increase after sleep, sudden movements, laughter or sneezing. The discomfort is associated with a characteristic crunch when attempting to turn or muscle weakness.

Muscle tissue spasms and poor circulation often cause not only pain, but also a temporary loss of the ability to move the neck. A constant surge spreads throughout the head, and the patient begins to complain of migraine attacks.

Noise and congestion in the ears

Osteochondrosis of the neck is also manifested by a feeling of suffocation in the ears, hearing loss and the appearance of noise. All this is due to insufficient intensity of blood flow to the vestibular apparatus. This symptom complex is called cochlear, but doctors rarely associate it with a disorder in the spinal region. Pay attention to the nature of the noise and ringing in the ears, it usually intensifies when a person is in one position for a long time or tries to change it.

Patients with hearing problems turn to an otolaryngologist. In the presence of concomitant disorders of the disease, such as numbness of the face, limited mobility of the neck, additional consultation with a neurologist is necessary to clarify the diagnosis and determine the cause.

Headaches and migraines

The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in humans are rarely accompanied by frequent headaches; the female population is more sensitive to it. The vertebrae in this area are constantly exposed to excessive stress, which leads to their progressive deformation, if the muscle tissue is not elastic enough to hold them in a natural position. It is more difficult to identify the cause of the pain in the head because the symptom is not specific. The following reasons cause an attack:

• Cerebral vasospasm.
• Pinched nerve endings in the cervicothoracic spine.
• Increased blood pressure.
• Acute violation of venous outflow.
• Increased fatigue.
• Prolonged stay in an unnatural position.

The headache intensifies during the period of exacerbation, and in the patient, including men. By nature, it can be constant, dull in the form of seizures or pulsations. In the elderly, this symptom requires special attention, since it may suggest the onset of stroke, angina, heart attack or high blood pressure. Therefore, first of all, these conditions are excluded before starting the treatment of osteochondrosis.

With heart disease, patients also complain of compression in the chest area, an irregular heartbeat, which allows the doctor to differentiate the condition over time. Headaches accompanied by nausea, shortness of breath, necessarily require an ECG.

Dizziness

Frequent coordination disturbances and dizziness often appear when osteochondrosis is grade 2 or higher. This is due to degenerative changes in the vertebrae, spasms, pinching of nerve endings. The brain does not receive the required amount of oxygen, which negatively affects the functioning of the vestibular apparatus. As a result of the deviation of the condition, the symptom is:

• Systemic dizziness. They appear as a sensation of rotation of the whole body and the objects around it. Dysfunction occurs due to dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus, weakening of muscle tissue and receptors located in the joints.
• Non-systemic dizziness. In addition to the instability, patients experience bouts of nausea, an uncertain state in an upright position. Circular rotation is generally absent.

Dizziness is a serious symptom that should be treated immediately by a doctor. In case of numbness of the shoulders, paralysis of the muscle tissue of the face, loss of consciousness, emergency hospitalization is required.

Shortness of breath and lack of air

Another serious symptom of advanced osteochondrosis in the shoulder area is a constant feeling of lack of air. Breathing problems result from the compression of nerve endings and receptors that do not transmit impulses from the pharynx to the esophagus. Shortness of breath appears when the vertebrae are moved, it increases in a stressful state, accompanied by a lump in the throat. After taking a sedative, the state of health returns to normal.

Lack of air causes radicular syndrome. Spasm of the diaphragm, affects the depth and rhythm of breathing. The patient becomes suffocating and breathing with difficulty, memory and concentration problems appear. Such a symptom of osteochondrosis requires immediate assistance, as it can lead to a number of serious complications. The doctor selects the drug individually, taking into account the condition.

Nausea

In the cervical region there is a large accumulation of nerve endings, an artery responsible for transporting nutrients to the brain passes through it. With osteochondrosis, intervertebral protuberances and hernias are gradually formed, which affects blood pressure, and as a result the patient experiences an attack of nausea.

Prolonged impairment of normal blood flow leads to vomiting, loss of consciousness, and causes stroke and disability. Therefore, the appearance of such a symptom, which is not associated with nutritional errors, requires immediate medical attention.

Increased blood pressure

For cervical osteochondrosis, a characteristic symptom is a jump in pressure during the day. For a long time, the increase or decrease in blood pressure is not maintained, which is a characteristic sign of degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc. The daily dynamics of blood pressure are abrupt, as irritation of nerve endings is reflex and causes short-term spasms of blood vessels. A distinctive feature of increased pressure in cervical osteochondrosis is:

• headache;
• chest discomfort;
• decreased tenderness in the cervix region;
• muscle tension after being in one position for a long time.

All this is taken into account during the diagnosis. The rapid deterioration of the condition and sudden changes in pressure are the basis of the patient's hospitalization and management in a hospital setting.

Visual impairment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine often causes unpleasant symptoms such as double vision, flickering, the appearance of "flies". This signals the severity of the process and requires a visit to a doctor. Against the background of the destruction of connective tissue in the vertebrae, the following diseases can develop:

• Glaucoma. The patient is diagnosed with increased intraocular pressure, damage to the optic nerve. It is impossible to completely eliminate pathologists, only to achieve stable remission with complex treatment.
• Cataract. This pathological process leads to the destruction of the lens. The changes are associated with metabolic processes and an acute impairment of oxygen supply to the brain. The first sign of the disease is the appearance of "flies" in front of the eyes. Starting treatment quickly helps preserve the patient's vision.
• Claude Bernard-Horner disease. One of the reasons for the appearance of a lesion is considered hypoxia in the occipital region. The main signs of a pathological condition are a decrease in the reaction of the pupil or a difference in the size of the pupil depending on the eyes. Some patients complain that they cannot fully close their eyes for a night's rest, and twilight vision suffers as well.

The ophthalmologist prescribes treatment, after a thorough examination. But therapy is carried out only in a complex aimed at eliminating the cause of the violation. Only then can the problem be dealt with effectively.

Pharyngeal problems

Degenerative changes in the cervical vertebrae cause swallowing problems. The patient complains of a lump in the throat, sweating, a feeling of a foreign body in the throat, itching. The signs indicate a dysfunction of the neurovascular trunks that originate from the spinal cord. But the symptomatology is not considered characteristic and can be observed with such pathological disorders as inflammation, swelling.

Change in body temperature

Osteochondrosis, as it progresses, becomes the cause of an increase in body temperature. Such symptoms occur when the vertebral artery is damaged, spinal stenosis, or a protruding disc. It causes changes in neurosis and concomitant neurological disorders. Against the background of an increase in temperature, there is numbness of the tongue or hands, an inflammatory process in the lymph nodes, a burning sensation of the tongue.

Symptoms of osteochondrosis by stage

Signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine largely depend on the stage of development of the pathology, the compressive force of the nerve endings and the process of deformation of the discs. It provokes the appearance of symptoms of compression of the vertebral artery and a violation of blood flow to the brain. Pinched nerve endings lead to severe neurological pathologies. The severity of the signs directly depends on the stage of development of the disease:

1. Initial. Degenerative processes in the vertebral discs go unnoticed by the patient. It is quite difficult to notice the first changes, as these can be mild headaches (they are felt more strongly in women), discomfort in the neck, slight deterioration in vision or loss of sensitivity. in the neck area. At this point, patients rarely go to the doctor, attributing symptoms to fatigue, lack of sleep, or stress.
2. Second step. As the pathology progresses and a disc protrusion appears, more pronounced symptoms appear. The destruction of the fibrous ring affects the movements of the head, they become more limited. In addition, patients begin to complain of constant ringing in the ears, impaired visual function, neck pain with a characteristic cracking sound, swallowing problems, sleep disturbances, and decreased blood pressure. clarity of reflexes. Keeping the head in one position causes severe discomfort, requiring medical attention.
3. Third step. Intervertebral hernias are gradually formed, the fibrous ring is completely destroyed, there is deformation of the vertebrae, displacement of bone segments, dislocations, instability. The patient complains of sharp neck pain, pronounced shoulder syndrome, paralysis of the upper extremities, tendon reflexes are not observed, impaired sensitivity of the scalp. It is a severe stage of the disease which requires complex treatment.

Osteochondrosis is a chronic systemic disease manifested by various symptoms. The reason is still hidden in the compressed nerve endings, circulatory disorders and deformation of the intervertebral discs. Protrusion, hernia and displacement gradually lead to loss of mobility of the vertebra.

Age directly affects the severity of symptoms. The older the patient, the stronger the changes in connective tissue and bone. This is due to weak muscle fibers, nutritional deficiencies and chronic inflammatory diseases of the body.

Patient testimonials

Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae is a common disease, as the nerve roots are constantly exposed to stress due to excessive mobility of the segment. Timely detection of pathology avoids serious complications, which is why many people read patient reviews and compare them to their symptoms.

Female, 35 years old

"We almost immediately suspected osteochondrosis because I was constantly plagued with headaches and had trouble turning my neck. But the diagnosis was not made until after the x-ray. As the treatment does not give a normal result, and pain still appears periodically, the CT scan is still early, it will confirm or deny the evolution.

Woman, 42 years old

"Doctors couldn't determine osteochondrosis for a long time because the symptoms echoed my gastritis. Every now and then I felt sick, but attributed this to nutritional errors. It wasn't until after I passed out that I went to the doctor and started looking for a problem. The discomfort in the neck was not very painful at the initial stage, and the pain was felt only as the pathology progressed. Treatment was not prescribed until after computed tomography. The treatment gradually gives results. "

Male, 36 years old

"Osteochondrosis of the neck developed due to the peculiarities of the profession, but they could not determine it immediately. At first my eyesight went down, which I immediately attributed to eye strain at night, then dizziness and neck pain started to suffer, but since I was driving constantly, I didn't mind it. The diagnosis was already made at almost 3 stages, when the pressure started to build and the problems started with general health. The treatment has not yet given tangible results "

It is strictly forbidden to diagnose yourself without laboratory research and equipment. Any information should only be taken as a note.

Cervical osteochondrosis is manifested by a large number of symptoms, but most of them are easily confused with similar pathologies. Therefore, it is recommended to consider the patient's complaints in a complex and carry out differential diagnoses, which allows to quickly identify the disease and prescribe the appropriate treatment, which includes physiotherapy, gymnastics and drug therapy. .