Osteochondrosis generally refers to degenerative changes in any articular cartilage. Thus, this pathological condition can occur in all joints of the musculoskeletal system. However, the most pronounced symptoms, for example, headaches and headaches, as well as heart attacks, are noted in the case of osteoarthritis, i. e. cartilage tissue damage between the vertebrae of the cervical spine.
According to WHO statistics, about 60% of Europeans experience bone necrosis of one degree or another. In men, the disease manifests itself about 10 years earlier than women. The sex sterner representatives face the symptoms somewhere around 45 years old. Half of women are between 55-60 years old, respectively. At the same time, experts are ringing alarm bells about the ongoing rejuvenation of the disease. If you do not have timely treatment, it means that within a decade the number of 30-year-old patients with osteonecrosis disease will increase significantly.
Causes of bone necrosis
Dystrophic changes in the root canal occur for a variety of reasons. The natural aging of cartilage tissue should be at the fore, this is an irresistible and objective case. However, as mentioned above, the disease is getting younger and younger, this is no longer related to the aging process but due to other causes.
In young patients, the disease occurs due to a metabolic disorder associated with a poor diet. The abundance of fat and low vitamin content in food causes cartilage to start literally "starve" and go into a dystrophic state.
Another provoking factor is physical inactivity. Read the forums that people who have had this disease communicate, and you'll find that most of them are still relatively young residents of megacities, as a rule, they're in intellectual jobs. the mind is related to sitting positions. The motor activity of the lower cervical vertebrae leads to loss of elasticity of the cartilage layer in the intervertebral discs.
Due to poor nutrition and related metabolic disorders, as well as due to inactivity, the pulp begins to degenerate, becoming more and more dense. In the later stages of bone necrosis, a complication occurs, manifested by replacement of cartilage tissue with bone and thickening of the intervertebral discs. This results in pinching of nerve roots and blood vessels located there. The involvement of elements of the nervous system and blood vessels in the pathological process determines the specific course of bone necrosis.
Characteristics of the disease
The difficulty in coping with this disease lies in its late diagnosis, which is explained by the fabrication of osteonecrosis under other conditions. People are wasting valuable time and not treating this pathology, because they are not aware of its presence. And the patient cannot be blamed for this. If the pressure spikes, then we treat the hypertension. Heart stabbed - we went to a cardiologist. The head often hurts and now one cannot sleep without ibuprofen or analgin. We didn't even have to happen that we needed to see a neurologist.
Meanwhile, just a few specialist visits to this profile will allow you to initiate the cartilage restoration of each cervical vertebra, which in turn eliminates hyperemia. pressure pressure, suspicion of angina, persistent headache and other symptoms related to the neck and shoulder area. The spine, it seems to us, doesn't seem to be connected.The timely detection of pathology prevents further myelosuppression and allows you to treat osteonecrosis at home and outpatiently - no hospitalization required. Unfortunately, the lion's share of the patient turned to a neurologist who had sufficiently severe lesions of the disc - when the neck began to be intolerable.
Diagnostic method
Diagnosing a bone tumor is a complex undertaking. Research may take a long time, but its cost is reasonable, as early treatment of the disease avoids the worst-case scenario - surgery to replace a fibrous disc, in which the nerve rootsthe compression is released and a full function implant or simple height compensation device replaces the removal of the element of the spine. Orthopedists determine what kind of solution is for a particular patient after a comprehensive diagnosis.
Since the disease, as pointed out above, is obscured, it is first necessary to ensure that symptoms are not related to problems in other organs. For example, in the case of a heart attack, you may need a cardiologist and confirm that you do not have heart disease. A comprehensive diagnosis will not only allow to confirm suspicions of bone necrosis, but also find out the general condition of the body along the way.
The final diagnosis is made based on x-ray results of the cervical spine on the front and side projections. A more informative method is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It allows you to more accurately define the localization of dystrophic changes. Thanks to that, the doctor has the opportunity to literally prescribe the treatment.
Healing by folk methods at home
The advantage of osteonecrosis, if the word is used in this case, is that the patient can be treated at home, without the need for mandatory hospitalization. The course of treatment includes taking special medications and performing exercises from the exercise therapy complex.
Medicines (their types) used to treat osteonecrosis at home are shown in the following table.
| Analgesic | In most cases these are tablets, sometimes capsules. These funds are designed to relieve pain in the cervical spine. |
| Anti-inflammatory | Hormonal medication to stop inflammatory processes caused by changes in the disc cartilage. At the same time reduce pain. |
| Chondroprotectors | The drug contains ingredients for the repair of cartilage tissue, such as hyaluronic acid. Designed for long term use. |
| Muscle relaxants | Means for relaxing muscle tension. These drugs are used only under the supervision of the attending physician. Limited use due to the large list of contraindications. |
| Outdoors | Ointments, gels, v. v. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and warming are used. Before using these funds, you need to consult a specialist. |
| Vitamins | Vitamin preparations help to improve the conductivity of nerve fibers and the functioning of the general peripheral nervous system. These are vitamins of group B, as well as A and C. In some cases, vitamin D. is prescribed. |
Be aware that ourlist of drugs does not provide a basis for self-medication. A specific agent with indications of dosage and taking into account the pathogenesis of each individual case can only be ordered by a certified neurologist. Thoughtless adherence to TV commercials that "recommend" the best drugs for osteonecrosis does not have a cure for the disease, but on the contrary, aggravates the situation. BE CAREFUL!
Injectable Therapy
In the treatment of osteonecrosis, along with the administration of ointments and ointments, injections are used. There are many types of drugs for injection. The therapies include all types of injections, including the following:
- under the skin;
- intramuscularly;
- intravenously;
- epidural anesthesia.
Injections are more effective than oral medications and other types of folk treatments. The rapid blood flow brings the agent to the painful site, which explains the rapid healing effect of the wound. And, for example, with an epidural injection, the drug is injected directly into the spinal cord and begins to work immediately.
Vitamins and other supplements are usually injected under the skin. Anti-inflammatory drugs and chondroprotectors are administered intramuscularly. For example,injected a very popular patient anti-inflammatory drug into muscle tissue. Drugs that speed up the cerebral circulation are injected intravenously. This is required in the case of an overgrown disc compressing the blood vessels through which the blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Epidural injections are used to prevent severe pain when other pain relief methods are ineffective. With this injection, the needle passes between vertebrae processes and delivers anesthetic medication directly to the spinal cord. This procedure is performed only by a professionally trained anesthetist.
Injections are perfectly effective only with regular gymnastics. That is, the use of the drug by itself is not enough to completely treat osteonecrosis. Only in combination with exercise therapy is it possible to relieve the symptoms of the disease and in the future, restore affected cartilage tissues.
What to do during exacerbations?
Although cervical spinal necrosis is chronic and more or less imperceptible over the long term, patients sometimes face exacerbations. In each patient, they occur at different intervals and can happen unpredictably. During these periods, it is important to take timely steps to prevent a significant deterioration of the condition.
Hedgehog providers
Exacerbation of osteonecrosis, like any other, does not occur, as it is said, does not occur. Usually, acute conditions are triggered by the following factors:
- stress;
- massage is not professional;
- weather phenomenon;
- visit a hot tub (sauna);
- excessive physical activity after long periods of physical inactivity.
In women, bone necrosis is often worse during menstruation. Alcohol abuse is also a powerful stimulant.
Exacerbation symptoms
Symptoms of an exacerbation of osteonecrosis in each patient manifest differently and are determined by the general clinical picture of the pathogen. For example:neck and headache in an acute condition reported by all patients and loss of sensitivity to the sensation of facial numbness during an exacerbation not everyone feels, however, itHappens quite often. And, of course, during this period, symptoms of the diseases in which the bone necrosis is covered is exacerbated. These include heart attacks, dizziness, tinnitus, hot flashes, etc. v. The exacerbations are especially dangerous, in which the inflammation of the cervical spine occurs.
Relief measures for exacerbations
In the stage of more severe bone necrosis, it is necessary first to consult a doctor. It is not necessary to ignore this rule, as delays in this matter can be harmful. The neurologist will assess the patient's condition and recommend steps for an effective and, importantly safe way out of a crisis.
Usually, in acute conditions with osteonecrosis, injections of pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. But exercise must be interrupted during this period. On the contrary, the patient must be kept calm. It is not acceptable to strangle - this can worsen the condition. It is advisable to switch the aggravation in the supine position and fix the head while placing a roller or at least a roll plate under it.
An important role in reducing the frequency of exacerbations is by preventing them, which leads to maintaining a correct motor regimen in everyday life.Patients with bone necrosis need to monitor position, keep head straight, avoid sudden movement. In wet and cold weather, it is necessary to protect the neck vertebra from hypothermia. And, of course, you shouldn't forget about medical fitness for a minute - you need to do it regularly. This is the key to bone necrosis without exacerbations.
2 severity levels
Neuroscientists distinguish 3 levels of osteonecrosis - 1, 2 and 3. In lion's share of the patient, the disease is noted at stage two. This is due to the following points. Grade 1 is characterized by the appearance of short-term pain in the neck, like an electric discharge. At an early stage, the lint that holds the center of the disc begins to deflate. Guidelines for diagnosis of bone necrosis disease grade 1 is dilated pupils, not related to other phenomena in the body.
Number of patients with 1st degree bone necrosis is not very large. The disease at this stage is only transient, and can be cured (if treated promptly), or quickly transitioned to the second stage - if this time is missed. The situation in the number of patients with grade 3 bone necrosis is similar. It is also small. This is due to the fact that most doctors often manage to initiate treatment promptly and prevent the transition of the pathology from the second stage to the third stage. Illness of this degree is characterized by symptoms such as acute neck pain, not relieved even after taking pain relievers, loss of control of part of the upper limb, constant dizziness, and often fainting. Grade 3 bone tumors are treated, as a rule, by surgery, since drug treatments are often ineffective.
Since most patients have grade 2 bone necrosis, this form of the disease is of most interest from a clinical standpoint, and it is in the treatment of this stage that the greatest accumulation of experience is accumulated. According to statistics, the proportion of patients with stage II bone necrosis in the total number of patients with this disease is about 75%.
Characterized by this form of the disease is a chronic course with short exacerbations.Second degree differs from first degree because the space between vertebrae continues to decrease. That is, the disc has not yet flattened as was the case with stage 3, but it becomes significantly thinner, leading to pinched nerve roots and all the classic symptoms of osteonecrosis.
Since the second degree pathology is the most common, talking about the treatment of cervical bone tumors in general, they imply the implementation of treatment related to this particular form of the disease. And these, we repeat, include drug treatments and physiotherapy exercises. Properly executed treatment allows you to get rid of the disease and prevent the disease from going into the third stage with an almost inevitable operation to replace the disc.
Main symptoms and appropriate treatment
Cervical spinal tumor is a difficult to diagnose degenerative lesion of the intervertebral disc. Usually this disease occurs in people aged 45-50 years, but in recent years it has "rejuvenated" and now neurologists often see patients in the age of 30.
The difficulty in detecting bone necrosis is explained by the "simulating" nature of the course of the disease - when it is disguised as other pathologies.The cause of the disease is a decrease in the elasticity of the cartilage tissue, forming a disc between the vertebrae.. The cartilage becomes thinner and denser. As a result, the nerve roots are compressed (so-called lens intrusion), leading to the following symptoms:
- headache and heart attack;
- increased blood pressure;
- reduces the sensitivity of the facial area (to paralysis);
- lists part of the upper limb.
All these symptoms are definitely associated with neck pain. Usually this pain is mild and does not require the patient to take painkillers. Ignoring slight pain in the neck, the patient does not sound an alarm about osteonecrosis, but tries to treat other conditions, for example, angina or hypertension that most likely he does. don't get it.
Methods of treatment
Following the modern approach, the bone resorption occurs in waves. At first, it manifests as an exacerbation (acute stage). Then, the symptoms weaken and a subacute phase begins. The third stage is remission, which continues until the next episode. The task of treating osteonecrosis is to rapidly end the acute phase, alleviate the patient's condition in the subacute phase and ensure long-term remission.
During the acute and subacute period, the patient takes analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. At these stages, one effective solution is to use the Shants neck collar, which keeps the head in a position where the neck muscles are relaxed, helping to eliminate the pain. During remission, drug therapy with chondroprotectors to improve the quality of cartilage tissue and a set of physiotherapy exercises are indicated. Exercise is even more important than hyaluronic acid injections because healthy physical activity stimulates the formation of collagen fibers in cartilage in a natural way.
Chest neck disease type
Formally speaking, cervical and breast bone tumors are two different diseases. However, they are often combined. This is due to the fact that the neck and chest sections of the spine close together, linking the two pathological types of the disc. That is, with dystrophic changes in the cervical vertebrae, in fact the same violations are also observed in the thoracic region. Therefore, these two forms of the disease are combined, especially since their symptoms are very similar. The main symptom is pain. With degenerative cervical vertebrae, localized pain in the neck, in the case of damage to the cervix, pain in the sternum is added.
Common symptoms include:
- numbness of the face;
- headache and heartache;
- blood pressure is not stable;
- large tinnitus.
In case of thoracic vertebrae injury, the list is added due to impaired motor coordination, shoulder joint activation, and hand numbness.
Chest neck spine treatment
Treatment is indicated after a thorough diagnosis by X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Treatment of osteonecrosis is very complex - medication and physiotherapy. Drug therapy includes the use of anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications.An important part of treatment is the use of chondroprotectors to directly restore cartilage tissue in the disc space. Physiotherapeutic measures include compressing and using all types of ointments, as well as physical therapy exercises.
If bone necrosis is detected in the thoracic spine, professional massage will be indicated. The massage action activates the regeneration of cartilage tissue naturally. Massage helps to get rid of thoracic vertebrae more effectively than exercise, as the spine in this place is not flexible, so when doing exercises, it is not always possible to provide range of motion. normal for each vertebra. On the contrary, a massage therapist can accurately influence the diseased disc. Only contact a qualified spine therapist. In addition, massage therapists must be licensed.
Timely measures to remove tarsal necrosis will allow to avoid surgery to replace the damaged disc with an endocrine. Early diagnosis and discipline of outpatient medicine and folk remedies will save you money. If you have any doubts about osteonecrosis, consult a neurologist. But better. . .
Remember to consult your doctor before treating any illness. This will help to take into account individual tolerability, confirm the diagnosis, ensure that the treatment is correct, and rule out negative drug interactions. If you take a prescription without consulting your doctor, you are at your own risk. All information is provided for informational purposes only and is not medical assistance. All responsibility for the application lies with you.