Cervical osteochondrosis suggests degenerative disorders of the intervertebral discs. The disease is accompanied by a complex of different symptoms. The clinical picture develops with the progression of the disease - each stage corresponds to certain signs and the intensity of their manifestation.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis by stages
Osteochondrosis is a progressive disease, so the clinical picture develops gradually. This refers to the number of symptoms of the disease and the intensity of their manifestation. There are a total of 4 stages of the disease.
The first stageof osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is initial. The changes occur mainly at the biochemical level. This stage of the disease is accompanied by mild symptoms or is asymptomatic, which is why it is called preclinical. It has the following features:
- There is discomfort in the neck, which can spread to the arms and shoulders, sometimes the sensations become painful;
- headache;
- motor activity in the cervical spine is slightly limited;
- has visual impairments that pass quickly;
- the sensitivity of the skin of the collar area decreases;
- Symptoms increase with tilting of the head.
The initial stage of osteochondrosis is ignored by many patients. The symptoms of the disease that appear are often due to age, fatigue and stress.
The second stageof cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by the development of protrusions. This stage includes dehydration of the intervertebral disc, reduction of its elasticity and height and the appearance of cracks in the annular fibrosis. In this case, the disc swells in the intervertebral canal.
This stage of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- severe pain in the neck, crunching possible;
- painful sensations are shooting in nature, radiating under the shoulder blade;
- pain increases with prolonged holding of the head in one position;
- significant loss of sensitivity in the skin of the shoulders and arms;
- frequent and prolonged headaches;
- visual disturbances, flies in the eyes;
- tinnitus, ringing;
- muscle weakness in the upper extremities;
- decreased clarity of tendon reflexes;
- development of insomnia, rarely other sleep disorders;
- has a lump in his throat, difficulty swallowing.
The second stage of cervical osteochondrosis is quite clear, so many patients consult a doctor at this stage. In this case, conservative treatment is sufficient.
The third stageof the disease is characterized by destruction of the annular fibrosis and formation of an intervertebral hernia. At this stage, the spine is deformed, the vertebrae are displaced, against the background of their weak fixation, subluxations and dislocations develop.
This stage of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- severe sharp pain that may spread to the heart;
- partial or complete violation of skin sensitivity in the back of the head, shoulders, arms;
- paresis, paralysis of the upper limbs;
- almost complete absence of tendon reflexes.
Finally,stage fourosteochondrosis involves replacing the tissue of the intervertebral discs with scarring. At this stage, remission of the disease often occurs, but the pathological changes spread to other structures of the spine, due to which clinical signs can be observed at different stages of osteochondrosis.
General signs of cervical osteochondrosis
The clinical picture of cervical osteochondrosis is quite diverse. This is due to impaired blood flow, involvement of the peripheral nervous system in the pathological process, possible compression and disruption of the integrity of the spinal cord. Against this background, different symptoms develop, but several common signs of the disease are distinguished.
Pain
This symptom in cervical osteochondrosis is the main one. The main location of the painful sensations is the neck. Pain in the head and face is also observed. Painful sensations can radiate to different parts of the body.
This characteristic of the pathology depends on the affected area:
- if the C4-C5 disc is affected, then the pain radiates to the outer surface of the shoulder and the medial part of the shoulder blade;
- with lesion of the disc C5-C6, painful sensations spread to the lateral surface of the forearm, hand, thumb and forefinger;
- C6-C7 pathology is accompanied by painful sensations on the back of the shoulder and forearm, which extend to the index and middle fingers;
- If the C7-Th1 disc is affected, the pain radiates along the inner surface of the forearm and hand to the ring finger and little finger.
Decreased sensitivity and reflexes
These symptoms appear against the background of a violation of the innervation of the nerve roots. Painful sensations may be absent. The characteristics of reduced sensitivity and reflexes depend on the location of the pathological changes:
- When the C4-C5 disc is affected, the sensitivity at the top of the outer arm is reduced. There is a decrease in the reflex of the biceps muscle.
- C5-C6 disc osteochondrosis is accompanied by decreased sensitivity of the lateral surface of the forearm, hand, thumb and forefinger. The biceps muscle reflex is also reduced.
- C6-C7 disc pathology reduces the sensitivity of the index and middle fingers, the back of the hand and the forearm. There is a decrease in the reflex of the triceps muscle.
- C7-Th1 disc damage is accompanied by a decrease in the sensitivity of the ring finger, little finger, inner surface of the hand and forearm. Reflexes are not affected.
Dizziness
This symptom often develops in the initial stage of cervical osteochondrosis and is one of the first manifestations of the disease. Dizziness is caused by a decrease in the volume of oxygen supplied to the semicircular canals of the inner ear. They are located in the brain and provide balance. Simultaneously with vertigo, there may be oscillations in the pupils in the horizontal or vertical direction.
Nausea
In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, blood flow through the cerebral vessels is impaired. This provokes nausea and belching of the air. These symptoms often occur when turning and tilting the head, and sometimes when walking normally. Symptoms may increase and reach uncontrollable vomiting.
Against the background of such signs, the following consequences are possible:
- decreased appetite;
- weight loss;
- nutritional deficiency, alimentary dystrophy.
Lack of air
In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, irritation of the diaphragmatic nerve is possible, which regulates the depth and frequency of breathing. With the defeat of this nerve a person has difficulty breathing, can not breathe fully. Against this background, there is a lack of oxygen, which is fraught with the development of shortness of breath and even suffocation.
During a night's sleep, especially if your head is uncomfortable, there is a risk of stopping breathing. These attacks are usually accompanied by snoring. In the absence of fresh air, hypoxia develops, against which the following symptoms occur:
- fatigue even after sleep duration;
- malaise;
- weakness;
- weakening of attention and memory.
Hearing, noise and ringing in the ears
Against the background of circulatory disorders in cervical osteochondrosis, the vestibular apparatus suffers. This leads to dysfunction of the inner ear and provokes cochlear syndrome, which is also called cochlear. He has the following symptoms:
- tinnitus;
- ringing;
- total hearing loss.
A distinctive feature showing cervical osteochondrosis is the appearance of tinnitus against the background of prolonged stay in a forced position.
Syncope
This symptom occurs against the background of blood flow disorders provoked by cervical osteochondrosis. Usually the blood is constantly flowing through the cerebral arteries. In osteochondrosis, the bone processes of the vertebrae become deformed and irritate the nerve endings. This leads to a pronounced spasm of the arteries, against the background of which the blood flow temporarily stops and the person suddenly loses consciousness. The seizure usually lasts no more than 2-3 minutes.
Pharyngeal symptoms
Such a manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis suggests a whole set of pathological signs:
- sweating;
- foreign body sensation;
- Difficulty swallowing
- dry throat;
- itching sensations.
The symptoms of the pharynx develop against the background of disorders of the neurovascular trunks, the source of which is the spinal cord. When they appear, a differential diagnosis is needed, as such a clinical picture is characteristic of the inflammatory process and tumors.
Visual impairment
Such a disorder in cervical osteochondrosis often occurs against the background of low blood pressure or atherosclerosis of the cerebral arteries. Visual impairment can manifest itself as follows:
- veil before the eyes, objects are seen as if in a fog;
- visual acuity decreases;
- dots flash before your eyes;
- loses focus on certain objects.
A distinctive feature of visual disorders on the background of cervical osteochondrosis is the lack of effect of special gymnastics for the eyes or the use of glasses.
Temperature change
In cervical osteochondrosis, such a deviation is observed locally. This means hyperemia in the pathological area, ie a local increase in skin temperature.
Cervical osteochondrosis syndromes
The symptoms that accompany cervical osteochondrosis are quite common and accompany many other diseases of various organs and systems of the body. To facilitate diagnosis, clinical signs are grouped into groups called syndromes:
- Cervicalgia. This syndrome is reflexive and involves neck pain. This can mean damage to the spine or muscles in this area.
- Cervicocranialgia. This syndrome is also a reflex. This means painful sensations in the cervico-occipital area and occurs against the background of trauma, inflammation or degenerative changes.
- Cervicobrachialgia. This reflex syndrome involves neck pain radiating to the arm. This occurs against the background of compression of the nerve roots of the cervical spine. In osteochondrosis, this syndrome is accompanied by muscular-tonic, vegetative-vascular or neurodystrophic manifestations.
- Radicular syndrome. It is also called - cervical radiculitis. It includes a frightening sensation on the affected area, numbness of the fingers and forearms, slight swelling that spreads to some fingers (depending on the location of the lesion).
- Irritable reflex syndrome. This suggests cervicocranialgia. The painful sensations are sharp and burning, they can radiate to the shoulder, chest. Symptoms increase with a change in head position, a sharp turn, sneezing.
- Vertebral artery syndrome. This symptom complex includes headache, discomfort with certain movements, imbalance, hearing and visual acuity loss, weakness, nausea and loss of consciousness. The headache is pulsating, it can be constant or paroxysmal.
- Heart syndrome. The clinical picture resembles angina pectoris. Suddenly develops long-term pain, which intensifies against the background of a sharp movement of the neck, coughing, sneezing. It does not disappear with cardiac drugs and the electrocardiogram does not show a violation of blood flow to the heart muscle. The clinical picture may be supplemented by tachycardia and extrasystole.
- Vegetative-dystonic syndrome. Occurs in subluxation with displacement of the C1 vertebra. This syndrome usually suggests neurological symptoms of impaired cerebral blood flow - muscle spasms, intracranial pressure drop, dizziness, decreased visual acuity, fainting, headache, nausea.
Cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by various symptoms. The characteristics of the clinical manifestations and their intensity largely depend on the stage of the disease, which implies certain pathological changes. Some signs of the disease are combined into syndromes - such groups of symptoms facilitate the diagnosis.