Cervical osteochondrosis is a degenerative disorder of the intervertebral discs. The disease is accompanied by a complex of different symptoms. The clinical picture develops as the disease progresses - each stage corresponds to certain signs and the intensity of their manifestation.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis by grade (by stage)
Osteochondrosis is a progressive disease, so the clinical picture develops gradually. This indicates the number of symptoms of the disease and the intensity of their manifestation. In total, the disease has 4 stages.
The first stage of the cervical spineis the initial. The changes occur mainly at the biochemical level. This stage of the disease is mild or asymptomatic and is therefore called preclinical. It has the following properties:
- discomfort appears on the neck that can spread to the arms and shoulders, sometimes the feelings become painful;
- headache;
- motor activity of the cervical spine is somewhat limited;
- there are vision impairments that go away quickly;
- decreases the sensitivity of the skin in the collar zone;
- Symptoms increase with tilting of the head.
The initial stage of osteochondrosis is ignored by many patients. Symptoms of the disease are often attributed to age, fatigue, and stress.
The second stage of cervical osteochondrosisis characterized by the development of protrusions. This stage includes dehydration of the intervertebral disc, loss of elasticity and height, and the appearance of cracks in the annulus fibrosus. In this case, the disc protrudes in the intervertebral canal.
This stage of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- severe neck pain, cracking possible;
- painful feelings shoot in nature that radiate under the shoulder blade;
- pain is increased when the head is held in a long-lasting position;
- significant loss of sensitivity in the skin of the shoulder and arm;
- frequent and prolonged headache;
- visual disturbances, flies in the eyes;
- tinnitus, ringing;
- muscle weakness in the upper extremities;
- determination of decreased tendon reflexes;
- development of insomnia, uncommon - other sleep disorders;
- There is a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing.
The second stage of cervical osteochondrosis is quite clear, so many patients seek medical attention at this stage. In this case, conservative treatment is sufficient.
The third stage of the diseaseis characterized by the destruction of annular fibrosis and the development of the intervertebral hernia. At this stage, the spine deforms, the vertebrae move, and subluxations and dislocations develop in the background of their weak fixation.
This stage of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- intense sharp pain that can 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.
Last,the fourth stageosteochondrosis involves the replacement of intervertebral disc tissue with scar tissue. Remission of the disease often occurs at this stage, but pathological changes spread to other structures of the spine, so clinical signs of different stages of osteochondrosis can be observed simultaneously.
Common Signs of Cervical Osteochondrosis
The clinical picture of cervical osteochondrosis is quite diverse. This is due to harmful blood flow, involvement of the peripheral nervous system in the pathological process, possible compression and disruption of the integrity of the spinal cord. This is due to a variety of symptoms, but several common signs of the disease are distinguished.
Pain
This is the main symptom of osteochondrosis of the neck. The main localization of painful feelings is in the neck. Headaches and facial pain can also be observed. Painful feelings can radiate to different parts of the body.
This feature of the pathology depends on the area affected:
- if the C4-C5 disc is involved, the pain radiates to the outer surface of the shoulder and the medial part of the shoulder blade;
- With C5-C6 disc change, painful sensations spread to the lateral surface of the forearm, hand, thumb, and forefinger; Pathology
- C6-C7 is accompanied by painful sensations in the back of the shoulder and forearm, extending to the index and middle fingers;
- if the C7-Th1 plate is affected, pain radiates to the ring surface and little finger on the inner surface of the forearm and hand.
Decreased sensitivity and reflexes
These symptoms are due to a violation of nerve root innervation. Painful feelings may be missing. The characteristics of decreased sensitivity and reflexes depend on the localization of the abnormal changes:
- When the C4-C5 plate is affected, the sensitivity at the top of the outer shoulder decreases. The reflex of the biceps muscle decreases.
- Osteochondrosis of the C5-C6 plate is accompanied by decreased sensitivity of the lateral surfaces of the forearm, hand, thumb, and forefinger. The biceps muscle reflex is also reduced. The pathology of the
- C6-C7 disc reduces the sensitivity of the index and middle fingers, the back of the hand, and the forearm. The reflex of the triceps muscle decreases.
- The defeat of the C7-Th1 plate is accompanied by a decrease in the sensitivity of the ring finger, little finger, inner forearm of the hand, and forearm. Reflexes are not affected.
Dizziness
This symptom often develops in the early stages of cervical osteochondrosis and is one of the first manifestations of the disease. Dizziness is caused by a decrease in the volume of oxygen delivered to the semicircular channels of the inner ear. They are located in the brain and provide balance. At the same time as dizziness, horizontal or vertical fluctuations of the pupils can be observed.
Nausea
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, blood flow through the cerebral vessels is disrupted. This causes nausea and belching. These symptoms often occur when the head is turned and tilted, and sometimes during normal walking. Symptoms may increase and cause uncompromising vomiting.
The following consequences are possible in the background of such signs:
- decreased appetite;
- weight loss;
- malnutrition, food dystrophy.
Shortage of air
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, phrenic irritation is possible, which regulates the depth and frequency of respiration. By defeating this nerve, a person has difficulty inhaling, unable to breathe completely. In light of this, there is a lack of oxygen, which is fraught with shortness of breath and even suffocation.
During sleep at night, especially if the head is uncomfortable, there is a risk of respiratory arrest. These attacks are usually accompanied by snoring. In the absence of fresh air, hypoxia develops, with the following symptoms:
- fatigue even after the duration of sleep;
- malaise;
- weakness;
- Decreased attention and memory.
Hearing loss, noise and tinnitus
The vestibular device suffers from circulatory disorders of cervical osteochondrosis. This leads to inner ear dysfunction and triggers cochlear syndrome, also called cochlear. The following symptoms are present:
- tinnitus;
- ringing;
- general hearing loss.
A distinguishing feature of cervical osteochondrosis is the occurrence of tinnitus in the background of prolonged stay in a forced position.
Syncope
This symptom is associated with circulatory disorders caused by cervical osteochondrosis. Normally, blood moves continuously through the arteries in the brain. In osteochondrosis, the bone process in the vertebrae is deformed and irritates the nerve endings. This leads to a pronounced spasm of the arteries, in the background of which the blood flow temporarily stops and the person suddenly loses consciousness. Fainting usually lasts up to 2-3 minutes.
Symptoms of pharynx
This manifestation of osteochondrosis of the neck involves a number of pathological signs:
- sweating;
- foreign body sensation;
- Difficulty swallowing
- dry throat;
- itching.
Symptoms of the pharynx develop in the background of disorders of the neurovascular strain, the source of which is the spinal cord. When they appear, a differential diagnosis is required because the inflammatory process and tumors have a similar clinical picture.
Visual impairment
Such a disorder of cervical osteochondrosis often results from low blood pressure or atherosclerosis of the arteries in the brain. Visual impairment can occur as follows:
- veil before the eyes, objects appear as if they are in fog;
- visual acuity decreases;
- dots flash in front of the eye;
- loses focus on certain topics.
A distinguishing feature of visual disturbances in the background of cervical osteochondrosis is the lack of special eye exercises or the use of glasses.
Temperature change
In cervical osteochondrosis, this abnormality occurs locally. This means hyperemia in the abnormal area, i. e. a local rise in skin temperature.
Cervical osteochondrosis syndromes
The symptoms that accompany osteochondrosis of the neck are quite common and accompany many other diseases of various organs and systems in the body. To facilitate diagnosis, clinical symptoms are classified into groups called syndrome:
- Cervicalgia. This syndrome is reflexive and involves neck pain. It may indicate damage to the spine or muscles in this area.
- Cervicocranialgia. This syndrome is also a reflex. This causes painful sensations in the cervico-occipital region and occurs in the background of trauma, inflammation, or degenerative changes.
- Cervicobrachialgia. This reflex syndrome involves neck pain radiating to the arm. It occurs in the background of the compression of the nerve roots of the cervical spine. In osteochondrosis, this syndrome is accompanied by muscular, vegetative-vascular, or neurodystrophic manifestations.
- Radicular syndrome. It is also called another way - cervical radiculitis. It is accompanied by a creepy sensation in the affected area, tingling in the fingers and forearms, mild swelling that spreads to some fingers (depending on the location of the lesion).
- Irritant reflex syndrome. This results in cervicocranialgia. Painful feelings are sharp and burning, they can radiate to the shoulders, chest. The symptoms increase with a change in the position of the head, a sharp turn, sneezing.
- Vertebral artery syndrome. This syndrome includes headache, discomfort with certain movements, imbalance, loss of hearing and vision, weakness, nausea, and loss of consciousness. The headache is throbbing, can be permanent or paroxysmal.
- Heart syndrome. The clinical picture is similar to that of angina pectoris. Suddenly, long-term pain develops, which intensifies against the background of sharp movements of the neck, coughing, sneezing. It does not go away with heart drugs, and the electrocardiogram does not show a violation of myocardial blood flow. The clinical picture may be supplemented by tachycardia and extrasystole.
- Vegetative-dystonic syndrome. Occurs in the case of subluxation with displacement of the vertebra C1. This syndrome usually refers to the neurological symptoms of impaired cerebral blood flow - muscle cramps, drop in intracranial pressure, dizziness, decreased visual acuity, fainting, headache, nausea.
Osteochondrosis of the cervix is accompanied by a variety of symptoms. The characteristics and intensity of clinical manifestations are highly dependent on the stage of the disease, which results in certain pathological changes. Some of the symptoms of the disease merge into syndromes - such groups of symptoms facilitate diagnosis.