How to identify cervical osteochondrosis: symptoms

Cervical osteochondrosis often remains undiagnosed for a long time.Headache, dizziness and other symptoms are attributed to the general malaise or vitamin deficiency.But taking vitamins and taking a long break does not help - over time, headache attacks in the morning after a proper sleep and rest.What's going on?It progresses the "ordinary" osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, which is easy to identify at home and to be diagnosed precisely by full examination.Timely detection of the pathology guarantees rapid and effective treatment.Otherwise, the disease causes severe neck pain and partial paralysis or numbness of the limbs.

What is cervical osteochondrosis?

Before looking at the question of how to determine osteochondrosis of the cervix, it is necessary to study pathology pathology.Cervical osteochondrosis is a destructive lesion of the intervertebral discs.The lesion can be long -lasting or progress quickly.The same is said about the stage of the disease - depending on the external and internal factors, the pathology can reach an advanced stage for a short time or can be felt for many years with sick neck pain after a long static position.

Cervical osteochondrosis is the destruction of cartilage of the intervertebral discs, which develops for various reasons.The leading position is occupied by cartilage dystrophy - a type of thinning of the cartilage of the intervertebral disc, which develops as a result of a deficiency of beneficial trace elements, impaired circulation and pressure on the vertebrae.Thinning leads to pinching the root of the spinal cord - here begins severe pain in the neck and back of the head and provokes an increase in blood or even the cranial pressure.

To the horror of people who are not yet aware of the development of the presented pathology, it should be noted that destruction can be influenced by a long stay in the computer or a banal unhealthy diet.It is therefore important to diagnose the disease over time and to start treatment.

Important!Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease that cannot be completely cured.That is why it is important to prevent it, not "stick already destroyed areas".

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis

Doctors advise to contact the clinic at the first symptoms of the development of cervical osteochondrosis.Of course, they are easy to identify at home and not only here - dangerous manifestations can expect the patient even during harmless activity.

Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include:

1. Head pain, dizziness, periodic loss of balance for no apparent reason, seizure, blurred vision - the symptoms presented show syndrome (pinching) of the spinal artery, resulting in the brain and organs do not receive the necessary beneficial trace elements and oxygen.
2. Increased intracranial pressure, nausea and vomiting - against the background of insufficient oxygen supply and other disorders in the blood supply to the brain, hypertonic syndrome develops.
3. Pain in the neck, shoulders, hands, characteristic numbness or tingling, partial or complete paralysis of the hands, sore throat and ears, hearing damage - radicular syndrome develops, characterized by the already mentioned pinching of the root of the spinal cord.
4. Hypertension and tachycardia, the development of cervical migraine - impaired blood flow to the vertebrae arteries.

From the above it is clear that the unexplained manifestations in the future can be felt with significant signs that will lead to a violation of the usual life activities of a person and the partial loss of motor activity.

Important!You should consult a doctor who is already at the stage of pain and neck pain after a long stay in a static position or after sleep.If, after moving your head, you feel heat in the affected area, the intervertebral disc is destroyed and the heat means a tide of blood and a complete recovery of blood circulation.

Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis

As soon as pain and discomfort in the neck are detected, you should consult a doctor for a examination in three stages immediately:

• inspection;
• X -ray;
• Differential diagnosis.

Visual check by a specialist

If pain occurs, it is better to contact Hiropractic immediately, which will only be able to give a more accurate picture for the development of the pathology after one examination.So, in the appointment, the doctor checks:

• condition of the muscles of the collar area, shoulder girdle, hands;
• Symmetry of the neck, chin, supervascular areas;
• shoulder position;
• The presence of spinal curvature.

The therapist conducts a study by palpating the back and sides of the neck - usually people with osteochondrosis experience pain or discomfort that should not have.If the development of cervical osteochondrosis is suspected, the doctor tests tests to determine the intervertebral space using special tools.

Also, an important criterion during visual examination is to determine the normal mobility of the neck - as a rule the patient cannot easily make full turns or slopes of the head.This criterion can pre -determine the location of the affected area and the accompanying pinching of the root of the spinal cord.

X -ray and other instrumental diagnostics

After identifying osteochondrosis, it is important to understand at what stage the disease is and what are the possible additional consequences.Here they resort to instrumental diagnostics, which consists of the following methods:

1. X-ray is the simplest and most informative way of determining the development of pathology.This is a radioactive radiation of X -rays, on the basis of which an image is made - emphasizing the musculoskeletal system.From the image you can determine the affected disc, possible pinching and other characteristics of the pathology.
2. MRI and CT are the most modern methods of instrumental diagnostics, on the basis of which doctors can determine the nature of existing pinching and its stage.According to the received data, the doctor offers further deterioration of the patient's condition.
3. Doppler ultrasound allows you to determine the condition and blood supply to the brain and neck.This makes it possible to explain the presence of dizziness or headache.

A comprehensive study of the data obtained allows not only the diagnosis of the disease and the determination of its stage, but also to prevent more damage to the spine.Suitable treatment is taken based on the diagnosis.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis is the usual exclusion of possible diseases that have similar signs and symptoms such as cervical cervical osteochondrosis.If a person suffers from a headache during the pathology under consideration, it is necessary to rule out possible head injuries and other causes that have caused this symptom.

It is also important here when neck pain is detected to exclude diseases of the spine itself - for example, the same injury, dystrophic changes in congenital or acquired nature, inflammatory process or cancer.Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is often confused with heart disease, stomach ulcers, vegetative-vascular dystonia and other diseases.

As a result, the doctor may further prescribe the following patient tests:

• General blood test to exclude the development of oncological process;
• General urine analysis - to exclude an inflammatory process;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs - for the exclusion of gastritis, ulcers and other organs pathologies;
• Fluorography - to rule out tuberculosis;
• Other methods for examining the patient's health.

Based on the data obtained, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment, which consists of several stages - elimination of exacerbation, maximum possible recovery with the treatment of significant diseases and preventative measures to avoid new exacerbation.You should not delay a specialist visit, as treatment and rehabilitation in advanced conditions can last for several years.