Signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women, methods of treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women is a common occurrence after 40 years;its development is caused by a combination of many factors (age, sedentary lifestyle, stress on the cervical spine).Under their influence, the elasticity and strength of the intervertebral discs are lost (degenerative-dystrophic changes), their elasticity and height are reduced.

At first, the symptoms of osteochondrosis may be almost invisible (muscle tension, numbness of the skin), then they intensify, and the patient develops signs of cerebral circulation problems (headache, deterioration of vision, hearing, memory, pressure increases).Such violations are dangerous - they can cause the development of:

• persistent hypertension (high blood pressure);
• hypertensive crisis (bleeding in brain tissue);
• neurovascular pathology (reduced muscle strength to complete immobility of the arm).

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women and men begins and develops according to the same scenario;there are no particular differences in the causes, symptoms and treatment of the disease.Some experts note that women more often seek medical help during menopause: in 2/3 of patients, almost all chronic pathologies worsen at the time of hormonal changes, and cervical osteochondrosis is no exception.

Age-related changes in the tissues of the intervertebral disc are irreversible, so it is impossible to completely get rid of the pathology.At an early stage, its development can be stopped with special gymnastics and other physiotherapeutic procedures.After the appearance of intervertebral hernias, surgical restoration of the height of the vertebrae is recommended.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis has its own characteristics (related to fragility and small size of the vertebrae in the department), but is almost no different from the treatment of thoracic or lumbar osteochondrosis.

At the first signs of the disease, consult a vertebrologist or orthopedist.Various manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis (sleep, vision, hearing, pressure changes) are treated by a therapist and neurologist.

Symptom overview

Signs of neck injury in women are almost invisible at first, so the initial stage of the pathology is quite difficult to diagnose.The first to appear are tension, fatigue of the neck muscles and increased headaches.

As the disease progresses in women, the symptoms intensify to severe pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulders, shoulder blades and a pronounced crunch when the head is turned.

In the future, osteochondrosis manifests itself as reduced mobility (it is difficult to turn the head, this causes pain), weakness of the upper limbs (to the point of complete immobility), impaired vision and other numerous symptoms.

Below are the most common manifestations of pathology, starting with the most common:

1. Painful muscle tension is a reaction to "sinking" of the intervertebral discs, displacement of the vertebrae.The body tries to compensate, adjust, keep the spine in the correct position, because of this muscle overload occurs and subsequently their atrophy (weakness).

2. Acute burning or tearing, squeezing pain in the back of the head, neck, shoulders, shoulder blades are the result of muscle spasms (tension), compression of blood vessels and nerve endings (for example, going to the occipital region of the head).The pain syndrome is poorly relieved by painkillers, can intensify from a prolonged stay in a forced position and radiates to the chest and arms.
3. Cracks, crunching during movements and limited mobility of the spine in the cervical region - occur against the background of "sinking" of the intervertebral discs and the growth of the bony surface of the vertebral body.
4. Decreased sensitivity of the skin, weakening of the muscles of the upper limbs and fingers and the shoulder girdle (to the point of complete immobility) is explained by the involvement in the pathological process of nerve endings that provide communication between these organs and the spine.
5. Smooth and strong tinnitus, dizziness, nausea (to the point of vomiting), reduced coordination of movements, changes in blood pressure - the result of deformation (narrowing, compression) of the large vertebral artery, which supplies blood to the brain (to the cerebellum and occiput).
6. The occurrence of hiccups and lack of air (it is not possible to "inhale") fully is caused by irritation of the phrenic nerve.

With advanced cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms may include:

• incorrect position, deviation of the head (torticollis);
• difficulty swallowing (if the nerves of the pharynx and larynx are involved in the process);
• sleep disturbances, mood swings, depression, panic attacks;
• impairment of attention, memory;
• fast heartbeat.

Treatment methods

The pathology cannot be completely cured, as the changes in the intervertebral discs are irreversible.The treatment algorithm for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women is the same as in men.

The approach to therapy is comprehensive:

• with the help of drug therapy, they get rid of severe manifestations of osteochondrosis (pain, tension);
• physiotherapy improves the nutrition of the paravertebral tissues, restores the mobility of the spine;
• therapeutic exercises strengthen the muscles, "stretch" the spine, reduce the load on the discs (in the stage of stable remission or asymptomatic course).

It is recommended to perform gymnastics constantly (throughout your life), this will help stop the final deformation of the vertebrae and the development of all kinds of complications.

Drug therapy

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is carried out using conservative methods;pronounced signs of the disease (pain, cerebral circulation disorders, sensitivity) are alleviated with medication.

Group of substances	What is it prescribed for?
Non-hormonal pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs	Reduce inflammation and pain
Angioprotectors	Improve blood circulation, promote tissue oxygenation
Muscle relaxants	Relaxes the muscles of the cervix, improves blood circulation
B vitamins	Stimulates the rapid recovery of nerve tissue, increases the effect of anti-inflammatory and painkillers, improves metabolism
Chondroprotectors	With long-term use, the destruction of cartilage tissue is stopped

In case of severe pain in the area of the pinched nerve, an analgesic, anti-inflammatory blockade is given in the paravertebral muscles.The neck is immobilized using a special orthopedic collar or a Shants splint (it reduces the load on the muscles in the collar area).

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy treatment gives good results for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

Methods	What functions do they perform?
Magnetotherapy	Stimulates blood circulation, relieves swelling and pain
Ultrasound	Stimulates local blood circulation, improves tissue healing
Electrophoresis with drugs	Provides delivery of the drug through the skin barrier to the source of pain, quickly relieves pronounced and residual signs of cervical osteochondrosis
Therapeutic massage of the collar area	Relaxes the muscles, improves blood circulation, stimulates oxygen saturation of tissues
Acupuncture	Stimulates biologically active points on the body, quickly relieves remaining symptoms of the disease

Women with cervical osteochondrosis benefit from:

1. Sanatorium-resort treatment in specialized sanatoriums (up to 2 times a year).
2. Mud therapy.
3. Heating applications (paraffin treatment).
4. Balneotherapy (therapeutic baths).

Patients are categorically advised not to overcool (especially after physiotherapy).

Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis

Physiotherapy exercises can stop the development of osteochondrosis.They are designed to relieve muscle tension, strengthen the muscles and ligaments of the cervical spine and relieve stress on the vertebrae.

Basic exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are performed sitting or standing, smoothly, without jerks or strain (2-3 minutes every day):

• Tilt your head left and right (toward your shoulder).
• Tilt your head forward (touch your chin to your chest) and then back (touch the back of your head).

• Turn your head to the right (look at your right shoulder) and to the left (look at your left shoulder).
• Lower your head, touch your chin to your chest.Turn it left and right from shoulder to shoulder and back (as if you are "rolling" your head over your chest).
• Move the head back, turn left and right and back (“roll” along the back from shoulder to shoulder).
• Make a full circular rotation with your head from left to right and then from right to left.
• Raise your shoulders (simultaneously), lower them.
• Move your shoulders forward and then back.

Gymnastics is performed during a period of stable remission (when there are no pronounced manifestations of the disease - pain, swelling, inflammation).

If during the exercises unpleasant signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women appear ("floaters" in front of the eyes, nausea, dizziness), take a break from the exercises.If such sensations occur constantly, you should consult a physiotherapist or your doctor.

Nutrition for cervical osteochondrosis

With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you can adhere to the general principles of a healthy diet, observing the basic rule - food should be complete and varied:

• You need to introduce foods into your diet - sources of amino acids, vitamins, minerals that participate in the synthesis of collagen, glycosaminoglycans (important for cartilage), improve metabolism and stimulate rapid recovery of damaged tissue.
• Limit the consumption of alcohol, strong tea and coffee, salt, smoked and fried food.These products irritate the inflamed tissue and increase the pain.

What products are recommended for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

Necessary substances in the composition	Product list
Natural glycosaminoglycans	Chicken, beef, red fish, hard cheese, avocado, soya, products with gelatin
Vitamin E and A	Eggs, liver, fish, vegetable oil, nuts, seeds
Vitamin C	Citrus fruits, berries, vegetables
B vitamins	Lean meat, sea fish, nuts, grains, cheese, milk
Vitamin D	Sea fish, sea fish liver, butter, raw yolk
Vitamin PP	Vegetables, grains, sea fish, legumes
Calcium	Cottage cheese, cheeses, milk, fermented milk products
Magnesium	Dark chocolate, rice bran, legumes, cereals
Phosphorus	Sea fish, shellfish, legumes, milk, hard cheese
Sulphur	Nuts, chicken, hard cheese, legumes
Potassium	Nuts, legumes, prunes, bananas, garlic

To maintain a normal weight, it is recommended to limit the consumption of fast carbohydrates (confectionery, sweets, sugar), fatty meat, lard and margarine.