Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a damage to the discs of the cervical vertebrae, as a result of which they undergo degenerative-dystrophic changes.The main reason for its development is a disruption of the normal flow of metabolic processes, which leads to distortion of the structure of the vertebral bodies and cartilage discs.In the case of localization in the neck, the symptoms of the pathology are mainly determined by the compression of large vessels.Treatment methods are chosen depending on the stage, specific course, severity and main symptoms.

Characteristics of the disease

The cervical form is the most dangerous type of osteochondrosis: it leads to a deterioration of cerebral circulation, since the vertebral artery, one of the largest vessels that supplies the brain with necessary substances and oxygen, passes through this area.

Vertebral displacement, abnormal changes and proliferation of bone and fibrous tissue disrupt the normal functioning of the vessel.
The specificity of the symptoms of osteochondrosis in this part is determined, among other things, by one of the structural features of the cervical vertebrae, which consists in their closer adaptation to each other.As a result, any change in one segment provokes a disruption in the entire department.

Clinic depending on the stage

During its development, cervical osteochondrosis goes through four stages.How is it manifested in each of them?

1. Stage 1. It is characterized by the appearance of initial disturbances in the stability of the intervertebral discs.Symptoms are mild or non-existent.Mild pain and local muscle tension are possible.
2. Stage 2. Disc elongation begins, intervertebral spaces decrease, and the annulus fibrosus is destroyed.In many cases, due to the compression of the nerve endings, pain appears, mainly of a punctate nature.They intensify when turning or tilting the neck.The tone decreases, weakness often appears.
3. Stage 3. The process of the final destruction of the fibrous ring leads to the formation of hernias.This stage is characterized by significant deformations of the spine.Increased pain and fatigue occur against the background of sensory disturbances and limited mobility in the affected area.
4. Stage 4 is the most severe.Intense pain occurs with every attempt to move, which leads to a significant limitation in the mobility of this department.Sometimes the pain decreases, but this does not indicate an improvement in the condition, but only indicates an increase in the size of bone growths, which significantly limit movement.They often lead to disability of the patient.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

When located in the cervical spine, the predominant symptoms of osteochondrosis are:

• pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulder, arms;
• restriction of movements, jerking in various turns, tilting of the neck;
• weakness in arms;
• annoying pain in the left half of the chest, radiating to the corresponding arm;
• burning in the interscapular area;
• recurrent headaches;
• weakness;
• dizziness (in severe cases of cervical osteochondrosis, it can reach the point of loss of consciousness);
• coordination of movements is impaired, which is mainly reflected in walking;
• hearing loss, tinnitus;
• decreased vision;
• sore throat;
• bad dental condition;
• weakening or hoarseness of the voice;
• snoring is a consequence of tension in the neck muscles.

With the cervicothoracic type, the symptoms are almost similar to those of cervical osteochondrosis.These are:

• asthenic syndrome;
• dizziness and headache;
• periodic pressure fluctuations;
• flickering of flies before the eyes;
• pain in the shoulder girdle and arms;
• muscle weakness;
• numbness, tingling, cold fingers;
• pain in the chest, in the area of the heart;
• nausea;
• numbness of the tongue, face;
• dental problems;
• sensation of current running along the arms when you try to bend the neck.

syndromes

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are not considered typical.Which of them are more pronounced depends mainly on the specific target of the lesion.Many of the manifestations can be mistakenly associated with other pathological conditions.Therefore, there are often cases when the wrong treatment is prescribed.
The complex of symptoms is divided into the following groups:

• radicular;
• vertebral artery syndrome;
• irritative-reflex syndrome.

Radicular syndrome

Its second name is cervical radiculitis.The syndrome develops as a result of entrapment of nerve endings in the cervical region.The pain radiates down the neck, into the shoulder blades, down the shoulder along the outside of the forearm to the fingers.In this case, the following often appear:

• the feeling of "goosegunga";
• tingling sensation in the hand, forearm, fingers;
• pasteness.

Manifestations also vary depending on the affected area.If the central nerve endings are affected, the paste spreads to the thumb, middle and index finger.When the brachial nerve endings are pinched, the little finger and ring finger are affected.

Irritative-reflex syndrome

Its symptom is a burning, acute pain in the cervical-occipital region, which appears during movement after a static state: after sleep, when you sneeze or turn your head sharply.Often the pain radiates to the shoulder and chest.

Vertebral artery syndrome

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include:

• throbbing or burning headache (paroxysmal or continuous), spread to the temporal region, crown, back of the head, brow ridges;
• increased discomfort during certain movements or after prolonged exposure to an uncomfortable position;
• general weakness;
• nausea;
• loss of consciousness;
• hearing problems;
• dysfunction of the vestibular apparatus;
• eye pain;
• blurred vision.

Cardiac syndrome

When this complex of symptoms of neck osteochondrosis appears, a picture almost similar to angina pectoris develops, which often leads to incorrect treatment.
The contractions and spasms of the muscles in the area of the heart are most likely a reflex response to the compression of the nerve endings in the lower cervical region.Cardiac syndrome is a consequence of irritation of the phrenic nerve (its fibers lead to the pericardium) or the pectoralis major muscle:

• the pain appears suddenly and lasts a long time;
• worsens with sudden movement of the neck, coughing, sneezing;
• tachycardia and extrasystole are possible;
• pain is not relieved after taking coronary dilators;
• there are no signs of impaired circulation on the ECG.

Aggravation of the disease

In the acute phase, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are:

• increased pain and its radiation in the shoulder blades, interscapular area, arms, shoulders;
• difficulty in moving the shoulders, torso, arms and sometimes in breathing (suffocation and exhalation);
• the pain syndrome often resembles a heart attack or intercostal neuralgia;
• when pain appears in the right hypochondrium or iliac area, the clinical picture is similar to the manifestations of gastritis or cholecystitis;
• headaches are long, there are disturbances in balance, visual and auditory functions;
• in the area of innervation, skin trophism is disrupted, tingling, numbness, dryness, pallor, burning and cooling appear;
• the tone of the neck muscles increases;
• weakness, lethargy, nervous tension, anxiety, emotional instability appear;
• There may be disturbances in sleep, memory and concentration difficulties.

Osteochondrosis and vegetative-vascular dystonia

Cervical osteochondrosis can lead to subluxation of the first cervical vertebra with a shift to the right or left, which provokes the development of VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia).It is quite difficult to identify, as often there are no symptoms or they are mild.In this case it is possible:

• compression of sympathetic nerve plexuses, leading to neurological signs or VSD;
• compression of arteries and deterioration of cerebral circulation;
• compression of the veins, causing a violation of blood flow and a subsequent jump in intracranial pressure;
• compression of the spinal cord, causing a deterioration in the movement of the cerebrospinal fluid, which also results in high pressure inside the skull;
• muscle spasm, which increases symptoms as a result of severe compression of blood vessels and nerves.

The result of the described processes is:

• headache;
• darkening of the eyes;
• dizziness;
• impaired visual acuity;
• double vision (diplopia);
• "flies" that flash before the eyes;
• high or low blood pressure;
• nausea, sometimes with vomiting;
• loss of consciousness.

Vertebral subluxation is detected using x-rays.Its reduction is a rather complex procedure, usually performed under general anesthesia.

How is the disease diagnosed?

The main methods for diagnosing cervical osteochondrosis are:

• radiography;
• magnetic resonance;
• computed tomography;
• Doppler ultrasound;
• duplex scan.

The last two methods are used to check the condition of the vessels of the neck.