Degrees of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the main methods of their treatment

spine injury in cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a disease that is accompanied by degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine. It is often observed in the region of the cervical vertebrae. This disease is not a punishment for human health, modern medicine can easily deal with it. But you need to know the degree of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the causes of its development, symptoms, as well as the main methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pathology.

Factors that contribute to the development of pathology

Atrophic changes on the vertebrae occur as a result of heavy loads on this part of the spine, spasms of muscle fibers and dysfunction of the circulatory system in this area. Deviations that occur in the discs activate the growth of formations of bone etiology, which causes pinching of nerve structures. The reasons can be:

  • twisted posture or scoliosis;
  • excess weight;
  • inactive lifestyle;
  • physical injuries to the spine;
  • metabolic disorders;
  • high load on the spine;
  • genetic predisposition;
  • malnutrition;
  • frequent hypothermia;
  • prolonged static tension of back and neck muscles.

To reduce the risk of developing pathology, you should try to avoid these factors. If this is not possible, it is necessary to know the symptoms of the pathology in order to diagnose it at an early stage.

Signs of illness

One of the first and true symptoms of pathology is radicular syndrome. It develops as a result of the growth of intervertebral disc structures and nerve compression. The patient has numbness of the tongue, speech and swallowing disorders, tingling in the shoulders, collarbones and heart muscle. The pain can spread to other parts of the body, especially the upper limbs and shoulder blades.

Common signs of pathological processes are:

  • burning, tingling in hands and back;
  • chest pain;
  • severe tinnitus, vision loss;
  • pain syndrome during movement;
  • periodic migraines and dizziness;
  • frequent numbness of nearby body parts.

Knowing these symptoms, you can start early diagnosis and choosing a treatment strategy for the disease. This will greatly increase the chances of a complete recovery of the patient's health.

Degrees and stages of pathology progression

This disease is a very insidious disease, because it has certain degrees and stages of osteochondrosis. They have a big difference between them, because stage 1 does not actually create symptoms and runs latently, and in stage 2 the disease is very noticeable.

In osteochondrosis of the cervical region of the 1st degree, structural disorders in the muscular apparatus were observed as a result of damage to the capsular formations between the vertebrae. In this case, the patient suffers from periodic pain, swelling and numbness of some parts of the body). Loss of vision and dilated pupils are also common.

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine of the 2nd degree is a little more dangerous than its predecessor. This is due to the fact that the pain is sharp and pronounced. Equally important symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree are circulation disorders in the cartilaginous structures of the spine and numbness of the upper extremities. Their education should be a signal to the specialist to start therapy. Therefore, it is important to know what osteochondrosis of the second degree is.

In the presence of osteochondrosis of the 3rd degree, this means that the patient has serious damage to the intervertebral discs, as well as impaired cerebral circulation. This form of the disease occurs as a result of an inactive lifestyle. Some processes become irreversible at the same time and are not amenable to therapy. The prognosis for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis of the 3rd degree is favorable in most cases, but it does not guarantee the patient's complete recovery.

Osteochondrosis of the 4th degree is a disease that is in a neglected, decompensated form. In this case, the patient shows very serious structural damage to the spine, as well as severe cerebrovascular insufficiency. This type of pathology is dangerous for the patient's life, so he must be under the supervision of medical staff 24 hours a day.

Attention!It is precisely the division of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine into degrees that allows doctors to assess the patient's condition as accurately as possible, as well as to choose the most effective strategy for his treatment.

Diagnosis and treatment of diseases

The disease is diagnosed by various instrumental and laboratory methods. This includes:

  1. General and biochemical blood analysis.
  2. x-ray examination.
  3. Ultrasound examination.
  4. CT scanner.
  5. M. R. I.

An equally important factor is the subjective examination of the doctor. During it, the specialist must find out the anamnesis of the disease and the life of the patient. He should also visually inspect the affected area and listen to the patient's complaints.

In osteochondrosis of the first degree and osteochondrosis of the second degree, the goal of therapy is to eliminate the symptoms of the disease. Medicines should relieve headaches, spastic conditions in the muscular apparatus, and also stabilize metabolic processes in the structures of the spine. In this case, the doctor uses analgesics. At the same time, you need to know how to properly treat osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree so that the pathology does not progress to the next stage.

During the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis of the 3rd degree, the neurologist can use heating and anti-inflammatory drugs. They help to deal with more serious manifestations of the pathology. The last stage of the disease requires symptomatic therapy and patient care. In this case, large amounts of narcotic painkillers are administered to reduce the intensity of the person's pain.

It is important to remember that only a doctor should deal with the treatment of the disease, because self-medication can lead to serious complications.