Poor circulation in cervical osteochondrosis: treatment, symptoms, causes of the disease

Osteochondrosis is a chronic degenerative-dystrophic pathology of the skeletal system, caused by metabolic disorders under the influence of provoking factors and characterized by a number of symptoms from many organs and systems. With osteochondrosis, the cartilage of the vertebrae is destroyed, And their bodies and processes become distorted.

Cervical osteochondrosis: symptoms and treatment

It is rare that today no one has to face the manifestations of this widespread disease: according to statistics, about 60% of the population in developed countries suffer from manifestations of osteochondrosis to varying degrees. The main reason for such wide spread is sedentaryThere is lack of work and movement of modern people.
Previously, cervical osteochondrosis in men usually began at 45-50 years, in women - a little later - at 50-55 years. But now there is rapid rejuvenation: typical picture of the disease in 30-year-oldsThere are qualifying symptoms, and it is not unusual for the first symptoms to appear at age 20.

symptoms

Long-term injury to the vertebral artery disrupts the blood supply to the brain. Due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen), there is an increased risk of ischemia (local reduction in blood supply), discirculatory encephalopathy (vascular damage to the brain), and stroke. goes.

Dizziness is one of the symptoms of cerebrovascular accident with cervical osteochondrosis

Cerebrovascular accident with cervical osteochondrosis has the following symptoms:

• Visual disturbances, oculomotor disorders. In patients, visual acuity is reduced, "fog" appears before the eyes, and diplopia (double vision) occurs. These symptoms appear at the initial stage of pathology.
• Violation of the vestibular apparatus. Then the coordination of movements deteriorates, the patient stumbles when walking, and the muscle tone of the upper limbs decreases. Other symptoms of impaired cerebral circulation include dizziness (dizziness), auditory disorders (Noise, ringing, weakening), disturbance in perception of objects etc.
• Changes in sleep and wakefulness patterns. Due to poor blood circulation in the brain, the patient feels weakness, increased fatigue, sleepiness during the day and is unable to sleep for long at night.
• A vegetative-vascular syndrome occurs. Weakness appears suddenly, the heartbeat changes (increases or slows down), blood pressure increases, and an increase in intraocular pressure is observed.
• Paroxysmal disorders. People suffering from cervical osteochondrosis may faint after turning suddenly or throwing their head back. This is caused by severe compression of the vertebral artery and a sudden slowdown in blood flow.
• Mental disorders. The patient becomes suspicious, extremely irritable and starts committing crimes without any apparent reason. His memory and attention are weakening.

In addition to the symptoms described above, cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by severe cephalgia (headache). As a rule, painful sensations begin in the back of the head, but they can spread to the arms. In some patients, throbbing pain in the templesPain appears, which may also be accompanied by an explosion of vomiting. The pain response is intensified by turning or tilting the head.

With prolonged compression of the vertebral artery, the symptoms intensify and the deformity increases. In the absence of competent therapy the risk of disability increases. Long-term complex treatment is necessary to avoid dangerous complications.

Stages of development of osteochondrosis

In the development of cervical osteochondrosis, it is customary to distinguish 4 stages. But this is an arbitrary division, since most of the symptoms of the disease can also appear in other pathologies. In addition, the actual degree of tissue degradation of the cervical spine depends on the external appearance. may not correspond to the symptoms manifested by.

Phase I (Preclinical)

At the initial stage, the symptoms are mild and are often caused by stress or other diseases. You feel unpleasant stiffness in the neck, pain with sudden movements or bending. At this stage, get rid of early osteochondrosis with the help of therapeutic exercises. It is quite possible to gain or simply walk more and adjust your diet.

second phase

The pain becomes intense, becomes constant, and becomes severe with sharp turns or twists. Severe headaches appear, the patient begins to tire quickly, becomes lost, and parts of the face become numb from time to time. Become.

third step

The formation of disc herniation often causes dizziness, weakness in the arms, pain radiating to the back of the head and arms and being felt continuously in the shoulders.

fourth step

Eventually, the intervertebral discs are destroyed and replaced by connective tissue. The nerves become compressed, causing difficulty in movement, severe pain, dizziness and increased tinnitus.

Causes of cerebrovascular accident in cervical osteochondrosis

To understand why blood circulation in the brain is impaired during osteochondrosis, you need to study the anatomy of the cervical spine. The transverse processes of the cervical segment contain pores that form a canal, and nerves, nerves andThe vertebral arteries pass through it. The latter arises from the subclavian arteries, passes through the transverse opening of C6 (sixth cervical vertebra) and rises high. At the level of the hindbrain, the left and right vertebral arteries join, forming aAn artery is formed from which the hindbrain, internal auditory and cerebellar arteries (anterior and posterior) emerge.

Based on what was described above, arteries pass through the cervical spine, which are necessary for normal blood supply to the brain. In addition, nerves and sympathetic nerves are located in the spinal canal.

The transverse foramina are considered narrow, but there is enough space for the neurovascular bundle. The blood vessels and nerves are not compressed even when moving the head (turning, bending).

The cervical vertebrae are connected to elastic intervertebral discs. These are a kind of cartilage pads that soften the shocks experienced during running and jumping. These structures also protect the nerves and blood vessels from damage.

With cervical osteochondrosis, the disc loses a lot of fluid and becomes fragile. The increased load provokes flattening of the cartilage pads and the appearance of cracks on their outer cover. As a result, bulges (bulging, disc herniation), osteophytes(bone growths) appear, which injure nerves and blood vessels.

Reference. According to medical statistics, about 30% of cases of circulatory failure in the vessels of the brain are associated with damage to the vertebral artery. In most cases, the disorder occurs on the background of cervical osteochondrosis and atheromatosis (overgrowth of connective tissue on the vessel wall)Is.

Cerebral circulation in cervical osteochondrosis occurs due to the following reasons:

• The nerve supplying the vertebral artery becomes compressed. This causes a spasm in the artery, then restricting blood flow to the brain.
• Prolonged compression of the vertebral artery. Due to continued compression, the lumen of the vessel becomes narrow or completely blocked (occluded). The risk of vertebral artery syndrome then increases.
• Hard compression of the vertebral artery, which prevents the outflow of blood. This can happen when the head is turned, then the person experiences a severe headache and may faint.

Compression and stretching of the vertebral arteries can occur even in healthy people. With cervical osteochondrosis, an important vessel is regularly damaged, and then dangerous complications arise.

Causes and risk factors

Oddly enough, the likelihood of developing osteochondrosis in humans is due to one of its evolutionary advantages - upright posture: the vertebrae press on each other, and with age, the connective tissue deforms. As a result, in older people itis an almost inevitable process. But there are a number of factors that contribute to an earlier and more rapid development of cervical osteochondrosis:

• First of all, this is a sedentary and sedentary lifestyle, often observed in modern life (office workers, drivers and other "sedentary" professions, long work at the TV, computer), lack of physical activity.
• Strained, unnatural postures while working: For example, at the computer, a person often leans forward, taking a strained posture
• The opposite reason is that the load is too heavy and unusual for a person; But even trained athletes, for example, weightlifters, are at risk;
• Any reason that disrupts a person's natural posture: uncomfortable shoes, especially high heels, poor sleeping position, flat feet, arthritis, scoliosis;
• overweight, often caused by poor diet
• Frequent stress, severe nervous tension, constant overwork
• local hypothermia

Why is cervical osteochondrosis dangerous?

Many vital vessels, arteries and capillaries are concentrated in the neck area, so any disturbances there can have unpleasant consequences, including oxygen starvation, hypertension and vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Cervical osteochondrosis affects the parts of the spine that control the functioning of the shoulder and elbow joints, the thyroid gland, the hands and other organs. With osteochondrosis, if not treated, compression of the nerves and blood vessels can occur. There is a high probability of compression, which inevitably affects the functioning of other organs.

diagnosis

Since the symptoms of osteochondrosis are mild and often overlap with other pathologies, it is better to undergo a preliminary examination with a therapist or other specialist - a neurologist, orthopedist. He will ask you about pain and other symptoms, neckWill check mobility, skin condition, balance and reflexes.

If a primary diagnosis of "cervical osteochondrosis" is made, the doctor will refer you for additional studies. The most effective of them is MRI, followed by computed tomography. X-ray studies are much less effective than the first two, especiallyWith advanced disease. The condition of the soft tissues is checked using ultrasound. If your doctor suspects blood vessel damage, you may be referred for a vascular duplex scan.

Since some symptoms match those of angina and coronary heart disease, you may need to consult a cardiologist who will refer you for ECG and echocardiography.

Features of treatment

Insufficient blood supply to the brain due to osteochondrosis of the cervical segment should be treated comprehensively. The basis of therapy is medications; In addition, other conservative methods are used (physical therapy, physiotherapy, etc. ). And in advanced cases, surgery may be necessary.

Doctors have identified the main goals of therapy:

Osteochondrosis and panic attacks

• Restoring the functionality of the brain, improving its blood supply, due to which the organ is saturated with a large amount of oxygen and nutrients.
• Relieving inflammatory response, activating regeneration processes of damaged tissues.
• Some drugs help normalize the composition of the blood, make it more liquid, thereby improving its quality and speed of movement.
• Expand the lumen of blood vessels, thicken damaged areas.
• Stabilize blood pressure.
• Restore the normal structure of the spine, saturate the cartilage tissue with useful substances and strengthen it.

It is important to understand that complex therapy will help to eliminate circulatory problems in the brain, but it will not be possible to completely cure osteochondrosis. But with proper treatment it is possible to slow down the development of pathology for a long time.

Carefully. You can take any medications for cerebral circulatory disorders caused by cervical osteochondrosis only for medical reasons. Otherwise, the symptoms of the disease may worsen or be supplemented with new symptoms, for example, Drug-dependent headache. When drugs are abused, blood circulation in the brain is impaired.

Groups of drugs to improve cerebral blood flow

The following groups of drugs will help improve cerebral circulation in cervical osteochondrosis:

• Vasodilators accelerate blood flow and the transport of nutrients to the brain by increasing the lumen of blood vessels.
• Medicines that prevent blood clots, as well as aspirin-based medicines. They improve the permeability of blood vessels and prevent red blood cells and platelets from sticking to their walls. As a result, the blood becomes thinner and the brainflows rapidly towards.
• Diuretic. These drugs prevent stagnation and swelling. The first drug is used for excess fluid accumulation in brain cells, the second is suitable to eliminate swelling of any place.
• Osmoduretics are the only drugs that do not prevent urine formation. Used to stimulate diuresis in cervical osteochondrosis.
• Antioxidant. These tablets improve the condition of nerve endings and reduce harmful oxidative processes in the body cells.
• Antipsychotics. These drugs slow down the transmission of nerve impulses, thereby providing long-term pain relief. They help deal with stress, prolonged pain, and improve the condition of the spinal cord nerves.

However, it should be remembered that all drugs have contraindications, so taking them without the knowledge of the doctor is prohibited.

Medicines to improve cerebral circulation

Doctors have identified drugs that improve blood circulation in intracranial vessels for osteochondrosis of the neck:

• A bronchodilator that eliminates spasm and normalizes blood flow. It is often used during electrophoresis, a physiotherapeutic procedure during which drugs enter the body through the skin under the influence of current.
• The drug based on theophylline and nicotinic acid saturates the blood with oxygen and improves its quality. When used, microcirculation is accelerated, blood vessels dilate and blood circulation is normalized. Medication blood pressureCan be reduced quickly.
• A drug containing thioctic acid, which helps to expand the lumen of blood vessels. It improves metabolic processes and eliminates vascular spasms.
• A drug based on cattle blood. It helps to normalize the condition of intracranial vessels, enriching neurons with oxygen and glucose.
• Nicotinic acid helps dilate small blood vessels, reduces the concentration of bad cholesterol and restores blood supply to the brain.
• Medicines for vasodilation, make blood less viscous, normalize microcirculation, help get rid of dizziness.

Reference. In case of cerebrovascular accident associated with osteochondrosis, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are used. These drugs help relieve pain in the later stages of the pathology. However, doctor's informationTaking them for a long time without contraindications is prohibited, as they have many contraindications.

As a rule, during therapy several drugs are used according to a specific regimen.

additional treatment

Joint treatment is complemented by physical therapy, which affects the cause of the disease. With the help of exercise therapy, you can improve blood circulation, metabolic processes and improve spinal cord trophism. RegularExercise strengthens the muscles around the damaged vertebrae, providing some relief. However, classes should be carried out regularly to achieve good results.

In case of cerebral circulation disorders associated with cervical osteochondrosis, special gymnastics is indicated.

The patient must follow these training rules:

• Start with simple movements at a slow pace and minimal amplitude, gradually increasing the speed.
• Before exercising, massage your neck or take a warm bath to warm up your muscles.
• Be mindful of your emotions during training. There may be some discomfort in the beginning, but after 3-4 days the body will adapt and your health will improve. If this does not happen or there is severe pain, consult a doctor.

The complex for each patient is compiled by the doctor taking into account the symptoms, severity of pathology, age and general health.

Reference. In case of cerebral circulation disorders it is recommended to supplement exercise therapy with walking or cycling, swimming, yoga, breathing exercises and cardio exercises (elliptical, exercise bike).

An auxiliary treatment method is physiotherapy. To improve cerebral circulation, electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, medicinal baths and acupuncture are prescribed.

In order for the spine and blood vessels to function normally, the patient must eat properly. The diet needs to be supplemented with foods rich in fiber, fatty acids, group B elements, tocopherols and ascorbic acid. To do thisFor this, you need to eat more vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs. In addition, it is useful for patients to eat fatty sea fish, lean meat, nuts, vegetable oils, etc. It is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of filtered water per day.

With a poor diet, the lack of nutrients can be compensated for with the help of vitamin and mineral complexes. Your doctor will help you choose the right medicine.

Surgery for poor circulation to the brain due to cervical osteochondrosis is performed only in extreme cases. The need for surgical intervention may arise if there is a large growth in the bone that compresses the vessel. During the procedure, the osteophyte is removed. Are being given; If for some reason this cannot be done, a stent is inserted into the blood vessel.

How to treat cervical osteochondrosis

Real, lasting success in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis can be achieved only with an integrated approach, which includes medications, massage of the collar area, therapeutic exercises and physiotherapy. In especially advanced cases, surgical intervention may be required. Naturally, the patient should eliminate or reduce the factors contributing to the development of the disease: move more, eat better, etc.

We strongly advise against resorting to self-medication, primarily because the symptoms of osteochondrosis can mean a completely different disease: not only will the medications you choose not help in treatment, but they may also harm. Even during painful exacerbations, do not run to the pharmacy for painkillers - it is better to make an appointment with a doctor, and even better - do this already at the first symptoms.

relief from intense pain

Osteochondrosis, especially in the later stages, is accompanied by severe pain, so the first task of the attending physician is to alleviate your suffering. He will prescribe you painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins, chondroprotectors to restore cartilage tissue, bloodWill prescribe medications to improve circulation and reduce muscle spasms.

In this article, we deliberately do not give the names of specific drugs - their choice is better to leave to doctors who will take into account all possible consequences and evaluate contraindications.

Therapeutic exercises for cervical osteochondrosis

The simplest and most accessible method, including home, is therapeutic exercises. At the same time, it is also quite effective, as it strengthens the neck muscles, restores blood circulation in damaged areas and compensates for the lack of mobility in everyday life. Does. Physical therapy can be complemented with swimming and aqua gymnastics.

There are many methods, including the use of simulators: most of them do not require special equipment or any special conditions, but we advise you to contact the exercise therapy office, where they will select the most effective set of exercises for you. Will conduct more classes. Under the guidance of an experienced expert.

physical treatment

Correct and constant use of physiotherapeutic methods improves blood circulation in damaged areas, reduces swelling and pain, and slows down the bone formation process.

For osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, laser therapy, shock wave therapy, therapeutic baths and showers, mud therapy and other methods are used.

Neck massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

For osteochondrosis, massage can be very effective: it improves blood circulation, reduces the likelihood of cramps by reducing muscle tone, relieves pain symptoms and improves the general well-being of the patient.

But massage and manual therapy should be used extremely carefully, since inept and harsh effects on diseased areas of the body can only harm. We strongly advise you to first consult with your doctor.

Surgery

In particularly advanced cases, surgical intervention cannot also be ruled out: narrowing of the lumen of the spinal column, formation of herniated intervertebral discs, or spondylolisthesis.

The decision on the need and method of surgical intervention is made by the surgeon, who also determines the initial operation, the postoperative period and the duration of rehabilitation.

Due to cerebral circulation disorders and venous outflow

Impaired venous outflow with cervical osteochondrosis is a common cause of headaches, decreased mental performance, persistent weakness and drowsiness. Stagnation of venous blood causes fluid to flow into the intercellular space. This can lead to increased intracranial pressure. The structures of the brain become heavyare under pressure and are unable to function normally. Blood pressure levels may then begin to rise. In general, this condition is dangerous because it can lead to a risk of hemorrhagic stroke. It has a very high mortality rate even in young patients. Is.

Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a disease whose negative effects can be reduced by proper and timely prevention. You need to think about its prevention in childhood: poor posture and flat feet in a child to the doctor for diagnosisThere is a reason for consultation.

The basis of prevention of osteochondrosis is a correct lifestyle: proper physical activity and periodic exercise, healthy diet, control of body weight during sedentary work.

Complications

Chronic oxygen starvation leads to a rapid disruption of the processes in the human body. In the absence of timely and adequate treatment, the above symptoms will gradually intensify. Depending on which brain is most affected by the lack of essential substances, There is a possibility of several complications developing.

Consequences of cerebrovascular accident in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

• hypertonic disease;
• cerebral ischemia;
• heart rhythm disturbances;
• Problems with orientation and coordination;
• Changes in the quality and type of breathing;
• Decreased mobility of upper limbs.

Even if the listed conditions begin to appear, this is not a reason to panic. In such cases, there is a chance of cure and even complete restoration of impaired functions. The main thing is not to delay further going to the doctor, but immediatelyStart treatment.