Cervical spine is one of the most susceptible to osteochondrosis and, unfortunately, is very often affected by this disease. Its symptoms, in addition to pain in the neck, can be severe headaches associated with compression of the spinal artery by bone growth in the vertebrae. Cervical osteochondrosis can be dangerous not only for the elderly, but also for young people who lead a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle.
What are the causes of cervical osteochondrosis?
The causes of cervical osteochondrosis are the same as the causes of the whole degenerative process of the spine as a whole: physical inactivity, nutrition, heredity, sedentary work, professional workload, etc. Among the special factors, it should be noted the high mobility of this part of the spine, so the cervical vertebra has a large daily load.
Many features of cervical osteochondrosis are also due to the fact that the structure of the cervical vertebra differs from others and that the neck, which feeds the brain, is closely connected with important blood vessels. These vessels are called vertebral arteries, or more simply, vertebral arteries. They pass through the arches of the cervical vertebrae, delivering blood directly to the cranial cavity. If the cervical spine is affected by osteochondrosis, the artery inside the vertebrae may constrict, which reduces blood flow to the brain. This is one of the mechanisms of the appearance of headaches in cervical osteochondrosis.
What are the stages of cervical osteochondrosis?
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be mild or severe. The most severe stage of degeneration is an intervertebral hernia. Hernias in the cervical region are not as common as in the lumbar region, but they are not uncommon. Many young people see a doctor with hernias found on MRI, and some with hernias during the diagnostic process. What is important here is that the hernia itself is not always the cause of the pain, but it does not mean that it is not treated.
It should be noted that not all neck pain is caused by osteochondrosis. That is, this process can occur, but it cannot be the cause of this pain syndrome in this patient. More often, the cause of pain is a syndrome of the musculoskeletal system with excessive tension of the short parts of the skeletal muscles. For example, if we sit at a computer for a long time, the trapezius muscles become monotonous, and as a result, their spasms and pain may spread to the neck, head, and arms.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis?
There are several key points to follow for proper and competent treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. It's all about some kind of prevention and early visits to the doctor. Here are the most important measures:
- Carefully follow the rules of ergonomics, the organization of your workplace, the correct height of the table, monitor at eye level.
- Regular warming of the neck and arms (closely related to them) at least once every 1. 5-2 hours during sedentary work, daily morning exercises.
- Regular massage and osteopathy courses at least once every 6 months.
Taking painkillers can be started only as directed by a doctor, otherwise you can simply push the disease into a corner, eliminating the symptoms and leaving the cause of the pathology uncontrolled.
How can osteopathy help with cervical osteochondrosis?
Osteopathy is a very effective treatment for this disease. The fact is that the need for manual procedures for osteochondrosis is clear to everyone, but not everyone understands how dangerous these manipulations can be.
Some chiropractors use rough confidence techniques, after which the patient suddenly feels particularly "positive" and initially "enlightened. "These are ways to unlock terrible, motor segments that are "shrinking" the vertebrae with an incredible crisis and reminiscent of suffocation.
It should be noted that all these rough and seemingly beautiful methods are often dangerous and have nothing to do with osteopathy. The system of the cervical vertebrae is so finely and balanced that any rough intervention affects not only one vertebra, but the entire neck, the entire spine, the head, the blood vessels, and so on.
The osteopath works very carefully and smoothly with the neck, without rough movements and sudden manipulations. At first glance, it may seem that the doctor did not do anything special, but this is not the case. The basis of osteopathy is the delicate sensitivity of the doctor's hands. An osteopath always knows how to balance the muscles, ligaments and bone system without damaging it. Therefore, osteopathic correction for cervical osteochondrosis is the most successful, safe and effective.