Cervical spondylosis confidently occupies the first place in the incidence of spinal diseases.There is hardly a person who has not heard of this disease, but few people know that osteoarthritis is not a disease, but a condition that includes a whole set of diseases that arise when the spine tries to adapt to unfavorable conditions.And the treatment of cervical spondylosis or other types of bone and cartilage diseases must be comprehensive.
Definition of osteoarthritis
Osteonecrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the intervertebral discs due to a decrease in water content in them.
What we commonly call natural cartilage degeneration is the result of reduced water content in the intervertebral disc.
Mechanism of the disease.Stages of osteoarthritis
In the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, the intervertebral discs are located between the vertebral bodies.The intervertebral disc consists of a special nucleus pulposus - cartilage and water, and the annulus fibrosus is denser cartilage.The main function of the intervertebral disc is shock absorption.Without a sufficient amount of fluid in the core, the disc cannot perform this function properly and osteoarthritis occurs in the cervical spine or other parts of the spine.
When describing the stages of cervical spondylosis or other types of osteoarthritis, people often use the classification of neurosurgeon A.I.The facility was proposed in 1971.
Osteoarthritis stage 1
Dehydrated, the disc becomes less elastic and elastic but is still forced to bear the same load as before.As a result, the height of the disc decreases, the disc flattens and bulges appear.
Osteoarthritis stage 2
With constant pathological exposure, cracks may appear in the fibrous annulus of the intervertebral disc.As the height of the intervertebral disc decreases, instability of the entire segment occurs.
Osteoarthritis stage 3
The annulus fibrosus is completely disrupted, through which the looser core flows out (herniated disc).
Often, such changes lead to symptoms of cervical spondylosis.The thoracic region is least susceptible to hernia formation; even in the presence of disc pathology, part of the load is still taken by the sternum and ribs.
A bulging or herniated disc can affect the spinal nerve roots, causing pain, inflammation, swelling and disruption of nerve fiber transmission.
Osteoarthritis stage 4
Without encountering resistance from the damaged disc, the bodies of adjacent vertebrae will move closer together.The disorder occurs in the joints between the vertebrae (spondyloarthrosis) and the vertebrae may twist or move relative to each other (spondylolisthesis).
At this stage, the body's compensatory forces come into play.To reduce the load on the damaged disc, the vertebrae collapse, grow in width, and increase in area.Additionally, destroyed tissue of the annulus fibrosus can be partially replaced by bone.
In some cases, these processes can relieve pain, but often the growth of the vertebrae further narrows the spinal opening and compresses the nerves.
Symptoms of the disease.Degrees of osteochondral degeneration
The classification that doctors are accustomed to using does not include stages but rather the degree of osteoarthritis.It more fully describes the symptoms of osteonecrosis and begins from the moment the patient feels pain.
1 degree osteochondrosis in the cervical spine or other parts of the spine
Occurs when a disc ruptures due to sudden movement or overexertion.It is manifested by sudden pain and the feeling of an electric current running through the spine and muscles following a stress reflex.
Grade 2 osteochondrosis in the cervical spine or other parts of the spine
The second stage of cervical spondylosis can manifest as symptoms of intervertebral protrusion and spinal instability.Chronic pain gets worse with exercise.Alternating periods of remission and exacerbation.The cervical spine is characterized by neck pain that worsens after prolonged periods in one position, headaches, arm pain, shoulder pain, periodic discomfort or numbness in the fingers.For the lumbar region - lower back pain, pain in the buttocks, periodic pain in the sacrum, frequent leg fatigue.
Grade 3 osteochondrosis in the cervical spine or other parts of the spine
Cervical spondylosis manifests itself in the form of symptoms of disc herniation (pain along the affected nerve, numbness in the arms or legs, changes in gait, headaches) or distant symptoms of disc herniation (in the neck area: frequent headaches, tinnitus, vertigo, decreased vision, hearing, muscle strength in the arms; in the chest area: irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing; in the lumbar area: kidney disease, gastrointestinal tract, sexual dysfunction, numbness or weaknessleg muscles).
Grade 4 osteoarthritis in the cervical spine or other parts of the spine
It is generally accepted that fourth-degree osteoarthritis begins from the moment the hernia is no longer manifested, the manifestations of the disease may decrease, but the symptoms of cervical spondylosis, as well as instability of the spine, slipping or twisting of the vertebrae or their complete fixation relative to each other, remain.They can be connected by manifestations of vertebral growths, which can also compress spinal nerves, leading to atrophy or blockage of the spinal canal (secondary spinal stenosis) and compression of the spinal cord (spinal cord ischemia).In addition, the fourth degree includes the consequences of surgical intervention if the hernia is removed in time (various types of neurological disorders, paralysis, inflammation).
Prevention and treatment of cervical spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is a disease that everyone is at risk of getting.Don't think he will ignore you.If you have not yet detected the symptoms of cervical spondylosis, it's time to think about prevention.
- In people with a sedentary lifestyle, the nutrition of the intervertebral discs is often disrupted, which leads to dehydration - therefore, move more.
- People with bad habits are susceptible to spinal diseases, and the reason is dehydration - drink more water and, if possible, switch to a healthy lifestyle.
- Sorry, push-ups, pull-ups, weightlifting, and working out once a week is not a healthy lifestyle.To give your spine a beneficial load, you need to do special exercises for the spine.Daily.
- People who do not know how to properly hold the body in space often suffer from curvature of the spine, which also negatively affects the intervertebral discs.– Observe how you stand in line or sit in a meeting…
Treatment of cervical osteoarthritis is as complex a process as osteoarthritis itself.Unfortunately, two basic principles do not apply to it: “It will go away on its own” and “It remains untreatable.”This disease will not go away on its own and, if left untreated, will reduce its lucky owner's spine to rubble.
In the treatment of cervical spondylosis, it is important not to miss the early stages of the disease, when everything is still fixable and you can get by with “a little blood”.About half of very young people are familiar with the first symptoms of cervical spondylosis, and by the age of 40, most people already know about them firsthand.