Osteochondrosis is a process of degeneration, aging, the breakdown of cartilage tissue and its transformation into a type of bone.
In order to understand the problem of osteochondrosis, one has to imagine the structure of the spine: It consists of 35 vertebrae that are superimposed in a column and form a spine. Between the vertebrae there are "pads" - discs of cartilage (they act as shock absorbers and lubricants when the vertebrae move), the discs consist of a rigid, multilayered ring and a liquid gelatinous core in the middle.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:
Everyone knows that the spine becomes thinner near the head. The upper vertebrae that make up the cervical spine are long, fine, but very strong and flexible. But their strength is not unlimited, especially if the daily load on the neck exceeds the norm. The main causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are always hidden in these loads.
How osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifests itself also depends on the type of load and the location of the damage to the intervertebral discs: each nerve root is responsible for a specific function, which is why the manifestations of osteochondrosis of the neck are so diverse. The development of the disease occurs in 4 stages. Each subsequent one is more difficult than the previous one.
Cervical osteochondrosis level 1:
How can our spine protect itself from overuse and destructive physical activity (or inactivity)?
Above all complaints: stretching, tingling, shooting - all these are the first signs of a disease of the spine.
The intervertebral osteochondrosis of the cervical spine begins with a feeling of tension in the neck muscles, their fatigue. The patient may feel slight pain, crunching when turning and tilting the head. Very often such discomfort is perceived as "probably catching a cold" or "I'm sick of something".
Notice! Pain is a sign, we can tell our body's signal that if it worked, it's not just that. Pain cannot be ignored or numbed with pills!
Level 2:
The patient already feels more pain when turning and tilting the head. Sometimes the pain radiates to the right or left arm, shoulder joint, sometimes to the hand.
On the part of the nervous system, there are still rarely headaches, fatigue, fatigue, absent-mindedness (the initial symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are very similar to the cyclical symptoms of the reproductive system: headache, dizziness, feeling of weakness, fatigue).
Even if the signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine have already become clear, in the second stage there is still every chance to prevent the development of the disease and the occurrence of complications. It is particularly important to prevent the development of hernias, which can become dangerous in the cervical spine with loss of mobility and circulatory disorders of the brain.
Level 3:
At the third stage, the disease can already be considered neglected, since the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is already much more difficult at this stage, and the destruction is often irreversible. The pain increases with the appearance of intervertebral hernias.
Constant weakness and dizziness - due to pinching of the nerves and large vessels that supply the cerebral cortex also intensify. The pain is often given into the hands. The innervation of the muscles of the upper extremities is disturbed, as a result of which they weaken. Numbness and tingling in the hands are a common symptom of third degree degenerative disc disease of the neck.
Level 4:
The intervertebral discs have already been severely damaged and changed, and their hernias and protrusions have a significant impact on the patient's wellbeing. Instead of the destroyed intervertebral discs, connective tissue appears, which robs the spine of its flexibility.
The compression of nerves and blood vessels leads to coordination disorders. Pain, drowsiness, lethargy, and dizziness are worse. There is also a ringing in the ears. There is a great risk of developing diseases that can be caused by osteochondrosis:
- When a vertebral artery is compressed by a hernia, it leads to cerebral ischemia and develops into a spinal stroke;
- Pinching the blood vessels can lead to malnutrition in the cortex or lower parts of the brain. As a result - impaired cognition, loss of consciousness;
- Compression of the spinal cord can even be fatal.