Osteochondrosis refers to degenerative diseases of the spinal cord, which includes
The gradual elimination of dystrophy, deformation and vertebrae.This can cause pain, many unpleasant consequences, and in advanced cases - even for disability.It is important to pay attention to your health and consult a doctor on time when suspected symptoms appear.
The cervical and thoracic spine is less common than the lumbar, however, the occurrence of osteochondrosis in these areas can be fraught with serious consequences.Due to the proximity of the cervical region, violation of blood supply to the brain sometimes develops to the head, which entails a number of complications.In addition, changes can damage the roots of the nerves - as a result, the patient feels severe pain and numbness.
Due to presence
Osteochondrosis occurs in a very large number of people, especially today, when citizens lack sufficient physical activity, proper nutrition and poor posture.The reasons that can provoke the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic region include:
- age-related changes;
- genetic predisposition;
- Motionless lifestyle, hypodionamia;
- Asana disorder;
- Severe additional weight;
- Injuries;
- overload;
- Flat legs and other flaws of the musculoskeletal system;
- stress and bad habits;
- The cold is back and long cold.
Recently, osteochondrosis is increasingly observed in young people, which is mainly associated with the wrong way of life.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Like most chronic diseases, osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic region is quite insidious and does not appear immediately.In the early stages, the patient may not experience anything but periodic discomfort in the spine, but the progression of the disease leads to an increase in symptoms:
- Pain in the head or neck, which sometimes falls on the shoulder belt and upper limbs and, depending on the course of the disease, can be acute and painful or manifested by aching, dumb, duration;
- Dizziness, visual and hearing loss, motor coordination;
- Numbness, irritation or tingling in the upper limbs;
- asthenia, fatigue, loss of normal working capacity;
- Intercostal neuralgia, pain in the heart area, pressure changes.
Most of the negative symptoms are due to the fact that deformed areas of the spine compress blood vessels and nerve roots, as a result of which their normal functioning is disrupted.Subsequently, if treatment is not started on time, such complications can lead to serious disruptions in the body and even disability.
diagnosis and treatment
The doctor begins to suspect that the patient has osteochondrosis, based on his complaints and the collected medical history.To confirm or refute the diagnosis, the specialist prescribes diagnostic measures, the main of which is radiography of the spine in the frontal and lateral projection.To obtain more detailed information, CT and MRI are performed: they help to track complications in time.
For osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, complex treatment is prescribed.As a rule, it includes several main areas:
- Drug therapy is mainly painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that help reduce pain;In addition to them, muscle relaxants are prescribed to relieve muscle spasms, chondroprotectors to strengthen cartilage tissue, and B vitamins, which improve the condition of the nervous tissue;
- Physiotherapy includes massage and other procedures (ultrasound, magnetic therapy, etc.) aimed at improving the condition of the spine and removing mobility restrictions;
- Physical therapy allows you to activate blood flow, strengthen muscles, relieve excess stress on the spine, tone the body and correct posture;It also helps in relieving pressure on the nerve roots.
Stretching procedures are used periodically to return the spine to its original shape.