Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis is a lesion of the discs of the cervical vertebrae, due to which they undergo degenerative-dystrophic changes.The main reason for its development is the disruption of the normal course of metabolic processes, which leads to distortion of the structure of the vertebral bodies and cartilage discs.In the case of localization on the neck, the symptoms of the pathology are largely determined by the compression of large blood vessels.Treatment methods are selected 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 deterioration of cerebral circulation, because the vertebral artery, one of the largest vessels that supplies the brain with the necessary substances and oxygen, passes through this area.

Displacement of the vertebrae, abnormal changes and proliferation of bone and fibrous tissue disturb the normal functioning of the blood vessel.
The specificity of the symptoms of osteochondrosis in this part is determined, among other things, by one of the structural characteristics of the cervical vertebrae, which consists in their tighter fitting together.As a result, any change in one segment causes disruption in the entire department.

Clinic depending on the stage

During its development, cervical osteochondrosis goes through four stages.How does it manifest itself in each of them?

1. Phase 1. It is characterized by the appearance of initial disturbances in the stability of the intervertebral discs.Symptoms are mild or absent.Mild pain and local muscle tension are possible.
2. Stage 2. Disc protrusion begins, the gaps between the vertebrae decrease, and the annulus fibrosus is destroyed.In many cases, due to the compression of the nerve endings, pain occurs, mostly of a punctate nature.They are amplified when turning or tilting the door.Tone decreases, weakness often occurs.
3. Stage 3. The process of final destruction of the fibrous ring leads to the formation of a hernia.This phase is characterized by a significant deformation of the spine.Increased pain and fatigue appear against the background of sensory disturbances and limited mobility in the affected area.
4. Stage 4 is the hardest.Intense pain occurs with every attempt to move, which entails a significant limitation of the mobility of this department.Sometimes the pain subsides, but this does not indicate an improvement in the condition, but only indicates an increase in the size of bone growths that significantly limit movement.They often lead to disability of patients.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

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

• pain in the neck, nape, shoulder, hands;
• restriction of movement, crunching at different turns, tilting of the neck;
• weakness in arms;
• agonizing pain in the left half of the chest, spreading to the corresponding arm;
• burning in the interscapular region;
• recurring headaches;
• weakness;
• dizziness (in severe cases of cervical osteochondrosis, loss of consciousness may occur);
• coordination of movements is disturbed, which is mainly reflected in walking;
• hearing loss, tinnitus;
• reduced vision;
• sore throat;
• poor dental condition;
• weakening or hoarseness of the voice;
• snoring is the result of tension in the neck muscles.

In 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;
• chest pain, heart area;
• nausea;
• numbness of the tongue, face;
• dental problems;
• sensation of electricity running along the arms when trying to bend the neck.

Syndromes

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are not considered typical.Which of them are the most pronounced largely depends on the specific target of the lesion.Many manifestations can be mistakenly associated with other pathological conditions.Therefore, there are frequent 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 other name is cervical radiculitis.The syndrome develops as a result of pinching of nerve endings in the cervical region.The pain radiates down from the neck, into the shoulder blades, down the shoulder along the outside of the forearm to the fingers.In this case, the following often occurs:

• feeling "goosebumps";
• tingling of the hand, forearm, fingers;
• pastiness.

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

Irritative reflex syndrome

Its symptom is burning, acute pain in the cervical-occipital region, which occurs during movement after a static state: after sleeping, sneezing or turning the head suddenly.Often the pain spreads to the shoulder and chest.

Vertebral artery syndrome

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include:

• throbbing or burning headache (paroxysmal or persistent), which spreads to the temporal region, crown, nape, eyebrows;
• 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 cervical osteochondrosis appears, a picture almost similar to angina pectoris develops, which often leads to incorrect treatment.
Muscle contractions and spasms in the heart area are most likely a reflex response to compression of nerve endings in the lower cervical area.Cardiac syndrome is a consequence of irritation of the phrenic nerve (its fibers lead to the pericardium) or the pectoralis major muscle:

• pain appears suddenly and lasts a long time;
• aggravated by sudden movements of the neck, coughing, sneezing;
• tachycardia and extrasystole are possible;
• pain is not alleviated after taking coronary dilators;
• there are no signs of circulatory disorders on the ECG.

Aggravation of the disease

In the acute phase, symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are:

• increased pain and its radiation in the shoulder blades, interscapular area, arms, shoulders;
• difficult movement of shoulders, trunk, arms, and sometimes breathing (breathing in and out);
• the pain syndrome often resembles a heart attack or intercostal neuralgia;
• when the pain appears in the right hypochondrium or iliac zone, the clinical picture is similar to the manifestations of gastritis or cholecystitis;
• headaches are long-lasting, disorders of balance, visual and auditory functions occur;
• in the zone of innervation, skin trophism is disturbed, tingling, numbness, dryness, pallor, burning and chills appear;
• the tone of the neck muscles increases;
• weakness, lethargy, nervous tension, anxiety, emotional instability appear;
• Sleep, memory and concentration problems may occur.

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 (vegeto-vascular dystonia).It is quite difficult to identify, because often there are no symptoms or they are mild.In this case it is possible to:

• compression of sympathetic nerve plexuses, leading to neurological signs or VSD;
• compression of arteries and deterioration of cerebral circulation;
• compression of the veins, which causes a violation of blood outflow and a subsequent jump in intracranial pressure;
• compression of the spinal cord, which causes deterioration of the movement of 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:

• headaches;
• 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, which is usually performed under general anesthesia.

How is the disease diagnosed?

The leading methods for diagnosing cervical osteochondrosis are:

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

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