Signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women, treatment methods

In women, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a common phenomenon after 40 years;Its development is caused by a combination of many factors (age, sedentary lifestyle, load on the cervical spine).Under their influence, the elasticity and strength of the intervertebral discs are lost (degenerative-dystrophic changes), their elasticity and height decrease.

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

• persistent hypertension (high blood pressure);
• Hypertensive crisis (hemorrhage in brain tissue);
• Neurovascular pathology (decreased muscle strength to complete immobility of the arm).

In women and men, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine 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 seek medical help more often during menopause: in 2/3 of patients, almost all chronic pathologies worsen during 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 by special exercises and other physiotherapeutic procedures.After the appearance of an intervertebral hernia, it is recommended to surgically restore the height of the spine.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis has its own characteristics (related to the weakness and small size of the spine of the department), but it 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 a neurologist.

Overview of symptoms

Signs of neck damage in women are almost invisible at first, so diagnosing the initial stage of the pathology is quite difficult.Tension, neck muscle fatigue and headache appear first.

In women, with the progression of the disease, the symptoms intensify to severe pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulders, shoulder blades and marked convulsions when turning the head.

In the future, osteochondrosis in women is manifested by reduced mobility (it is difficult to turn the head, it causes pain), weakness of the upper limbs (up to complete immobility), impaired vision and many other symptoms.

The most common manifestations of pathology are listed below, starting with the most common:

1. Painful muscle tension is a response to the "sinking" of the intervertebral discs, the displacement of the vertebrae.The body tries to compensate, straighten, keep the spine in the right position, because of this the muscles are overloaded and subsequently their atrophy (weakness).

2. Acute burning or tearing, compression pain in the head, neck, shoulders, shoulder blades is the result of muscle spasm (tension), compression of blood vessels and nerve endings (for example, moving to the back of the head).The pain syndrome does not respond well to painkillers, may be aggravated by long periods of forced posture, and radiates to the chest and arms.
3. Cracking, cramping during movement and limited mobility of the spine in the cervical area - occurs against the background of "sinking" of the intervertebral discs and 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 (up to complete immobility) are explained by the involvement of the nerve endings in the pathological process, which ensures communication between these organs and the spinal column.
5. Smooth and strong tinnitus, dizziness, nausea (up to vomiting), impaired coordination of movements, changes in blood pressure - the result of deformation (narrowing, compression) of the large spinal artery, which provides blood supply to the brain (to the cerebellum and to the occiput).
6. Occurrence of hiccups and lack of air (it is impossible to "breathe in" completely) is caused by irritation of the phrenic nerve.

In advanced cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms may include:

• Incorrect position, head tilt (torticollis);
• Difficulty swallowing (if the nerves of the throat and larynx are involved in this process);
• sleep disturbances, mood swings, depression, panic attacks;
• weakening of attention, memory;
• fast heartbeat

Treatment methods

It is impossible to completely cure the pathology, since 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 therapy approach is comprehensive:

• With the help of drug therapy, they relieve severe manifestations of osteochondrosis (pain, tension);
• Physiotherapy improves the nutrition of paravertebral tissues, restores the mobility of the spine;
• Therapeutic exercises strengthen the muscles, "stretch" the spine, reduce the load on the disks (at the stage of stable remission or asymptomatic course).

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

drug therapy

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is carried out by conservative methods;Manifest signs of the disease (pain, impaired cerebral circulation, sensitivity) are relieved by medication.

group of drugs	What is it for?
Non-hormonal painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs	Reduce inflammation and pain
Angioprotectors	Improves blood circulation, helps saturate tissues with oxygen
Muscle relaxants	Relaxes the muscles of the cervical region, improves blood circulation
B vitamins	Stimulates rapid recovery of nerve tissue, enhances anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, improves metabolism
Chondroprotectors	With long-term use, the destruction of cartilage tissue stops

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

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy treatment gives good results in cervical spine osteochondrosis:

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 the expressed and residual signs of cervical osteochondrosis.
Therapeutic massage of the collar area	It relaxes muscles, improves blood circulation, stimulates oxygen saturation of tissues
Acupuncture	Stimulates biologically active points on the body, quickly removes residual symptoms of the disease

Women with cervical osteochondrosis benefit from:

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

Patients are strongly advised against excessive cooling (especially after physical therapy).

Exercise during cervical osteochondrosis

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

The main exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are performed sitting or standing, smoothly, without straining the cartilage and straining (2-3 minutes every day):

• Tilt your head to the left and right (toward the 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 over your right shoulder) and to the left (look over your left shoulder).
• Lower your head, touch your chin to your chest.Roll left and right from shoulder to shoulder and back (as if rolling your head over your chest).
• Pull your head back, turn to the left, right and back ("turn" along the back from side to side).
• Make a complete circular rotation with your head from left to right, and then from right to left.
• Raise your shoulders up (at the same time), lower them down.
• Roll your shoulders forward and then back.

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

If, while performing exercises, women experience any unpleasant signs of cervical osteochondrosis ("swimming" in front of the eyes, nausea, dizziness), take a break from the exercises.If such sensations appear constantly, you should consult a physiotherapist or doctor.

Nutrition during cervical osteochondrosis

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

• You should include food in your diet - sources of amino acids, vitamins, minerals that participate in the synthesis of collagen, glycosaminoglycans (important for cartilage), improve metabolism and stimulate the rapid recovery of damaged tissues.
• Limit the consumption of alcohol, strong tea and coffee, salty, smoked and fried foods.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	List of products
Natural glycosaminoglycans	Chicken, beef, red fish, hard cheese, avocado, soy, 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, cereals, cheese, milk
Vitamin D	Sea fish, sea fish liver, butter, raw heart
Vitamin PP	Vegetables, cereals, sea fish, legumes
calcium	Cottage cheese, cheese, milk, fermented milk products
Magnesium	Dark chocolate, rice bran, legumes, cereals
phosphorus	Sea fish, seafood, legumes, milk, hard cheese
of sulphur	Nuts, chicken, hard cheese, legumes
potassium	Nuts, legumes, plums, 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.