Frequent dizziness, ringing in the ears, flying around in front of my eyes, and feeling heavy in the back of the head are not only caused by fatigue.
Usually, they are caused by degenerative malnutrition changes in the spine. The headache of cervical osteochondrosis is a typical manifestation of the disease. It is impossible to get rid of them for a long time without affecting the root cause.
Mechanism of disease development
Degeneration of the cartilage and bone tissue of the cervical spine has caused clinical symptoms. The spread and displacement of vertebral fragments inevitably lead to impaired blood flow, insufficient nutrition of the innervation and brain structure, and the causes of cervical spinal deformity are:
- Congenital diseases of bone tissue structure;
- Personal injury
- Improper posture
- Lack of motivation;
- obesity;
- Osteochondrosis of the waist or chest.
In nearly half of the cases, pathology is found in middle-aged and young adults, and is more common in women. The incorrect position of the head during sleep, sitting at a desk, during telephone conversations, and during transportation for a long time contributes to its development. The habit of sleeping on high pillows accelerates the development of osteochondrosis. The mobility of this part of the body, the smaller the size of the vertebrae compared with other parts, the location of a large number of large blood vessels and nerve trunks determine the early onset of symptoms. Pain syndrome is the main one.
Collapse of the intervertebral disc and changes in the vertebrae compress the vertebral artery and the surrounding nerve plexus. Prolonged compression will narrow the lumen of blood vessels, slow down blood flow, and reduce the oxygen supply to tissues. The compression of the nerve trunk by osteophytes can exacerbate malnutrition, hypoxia and subsequent cerebral ischemia-radiculopathy.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
In most cases, headaches and other pathological symptoms are secondary or vertebral-they are caused by pathological processes, not in the brain, but in the adjacent spine.
- Reflex headache-boring pain. It occurs when the first three vertebrae are affected. It starts from the upper part of the neck, extends to the occipital and parietal parts, and then covers the temples and forehead. It is usually unilateral, similar to a typical migraine. It lasts for half an hour to a few days, and increases as the head tilts or turns, active body movements.
- If osteochondrosis affects the fourth and fifth vertebrae, it progresses to neck and arm pain. Its danger is similar to a heart attack. The pain is unilateral, intense, burning, covering the neck, shoulders, and under the shoulder bones, inferior cartilage, and sometimes radiating in the forearms and hands.
- Myofascial dysfunction causes so-called neck migraines. The pulsation or tenderness on one side of the neck spreads along one side, covering part of the occipital bone, crown, temple, and reaching the upper eyelid arch.
In severe cases, other symptoms may be observed: photophobia, red eyes, nausea, and physical weakness.
Cervical osteochondrosis can cause various types of vegetative dystonia:- Frequent headaches;
- Violation of body temperature regulation, intracranial pressure, breathing;
- Spastic mood changes.
With severe squeezing of spinal nerves, language barriers, tongue numbness, and finger sensitivity will decrease. A person becomes like a drunk or under the influence of psychotropic drugs: he speaks slurredly and does not immediately respond to his appeal. In advanced cases, insufficient tissue nutrition and impaired blood supply can lead to a continuous increase in intracranial pressure and loss of vision and hearing.
Diagnostic procedure
If you complain of cervical osteochondrosis and your health is not good, it is necessary to contact a neurologist. During the examination, the doctor will determine the source of the pain. To do this, he uses the following methods:
- In the place where the nerve root is protruding, press the area of the cervical spine with your finger: a new pain response indicates headache.
- Press on the point near the bony protrusion below the lower edge of the ear: the subsequent painful episode clearly indicates the development of a migraine due to mechanical compression.
In order to accurately diagnose cervical osteochondrosis, many instrumental studies are prescribed. Radiography, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are still the main techniques. With their help, you can see pathological changes in bone, cartilage and soft tissues.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
The drug is designed to eliminate symptoms, restore normal blood circulation and the biomechanics of the entire cervical spine.
- To relieve pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, muscle relaxants and antispasmodics are used.
- Reduce the nutritional performance of the patient, improve the venous outflow and prevent the swelling of the affected area.
- Products containing vitamin B and magnesium help to improve the nutrition of nerve tissue cells and reduce adverse symptoms.
- At the same time, it is recommended that patients use drugs to regulate blood pressure and correct heart rate.
- Many patients were shown sedatives, antidepressants, and tranquilizers.
According to the severity of the condition, the treatment course is short or long. Use painkillers once or for a few days. Refers to the normalization of blood flow and vitamins within 2-3 months. In order to maintain the efficacy of the drug, physical therapy is required:
- Electrophoresis
- balneotherapy;
- Dasenization
- Collar massage;
- Acupuncture and reflexology.
If the condition worsens, a therapeutic bandage that supports the cervical muscles should be worn.
In the absence of deterioration of osteochondrosis, therapeutic exercise can help stop and prevent VSD symptoms. Gymnastics helps strengthen neck muscles, relieve spasm, improve blood vessel elasticity and vertebral joint ligaments. Exercises include exercises for soft tissue stretching: deep head tilting, turning, and rotating.
Patients with osteochondrosis complicated by VSD should carefully arrange sleeping places. You only need to rest on the plastic surgery mattress and pillow, and do not drink a lot of liquids at night to avoid edema. It is necessary to avoid jobs and hobbies related to the unfavorable position of the cervical spine: backwards or low head tilt.