Cervical spine osteochondrosis is a disease that develops in adults after the age of 25 due to structural changes in cartilage tissue. In the better sex, the disease develops more often due to the peculiarities of the hormonal background. We all need to know the symptoms of osteochondrosis of women in the neck so that we can diagnose the disease in time and start complex treatment right away.
An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a doctor. An experienced neurologist will be involved in the treatment. He ordered further studies to determine not only the stage of development of the disease but also the cause of its development. It is then much easier to select the optimal therapeutic regimen, saving the patient from the main manifestations of the disease.
Obvious signs of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women occur when the disease is already actively developing in the body. The slightest disturbance of well-being is a reason to see a doctor. If you run the problem, over time, the osteochondrosis will become a protrusion or hernia, and the patient will be on the operating table. The consequences of the disease for life remain. In the early stages of the disease, its symptoms can be completely eliminated. It has the power to improve your health, secure yourself an active full future without injuries, tissue dystrophic changes and constant pain.
What is osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a common disease characterized by changes in the structure of cartilage tissue in the intervertebral discs. This disease can affect any joint, but most often affects the spine. There are clear signs of osteochondrosis in women, but definitive conclusions about the development of the disease can only be made after a comprehensive diagnosis.
The cervical spine is considered to be the most mobile. This area is often subject to various degenerative lesions because it is the least protected. There are no large muscles to protect and support the spine. The class consists of seven distinct vertebrae. These are based on bone tissue. There is a soft "layer" between each vertebra - the intervertebral disc that provides flexibility and mobility to the neck. Hormones have a great effect on tissue structure, so osteochondrosis develops differently in women and men.
According to statistics, 60-70% of the planet's mature population suffers from this disease, and in 30% of cases, the cause of permanent headaches and migraines is precisely osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
To understand when to see a doctor, you should study the list of symptoms of the disease.
Why osteochondrosis is dangerous for women
In women, the main symptoms of osteochondrosis are considered more carefully because the weaker one does not suffer better from the disease.
This is because of the structure of the female body:
- Muscle tissue is not as developed and pumped in women as it is in men, this is an aggravating circumstance in the development of the disease;
- Women are more likely to work in the office, spending a lot of time in one place sitting next to a computer;
- The hormonal background of the female body is radically different from that of the male; during menopause, dystrophic changes in cartilage tissue thickness become more pronounced.
In adulthood, women gradually deteriorate in bone tissue. This is due to the development of osteoporosis. Calcium is washed out of the bones and its reserves are not replenished. The female body no longer produces a special hormone that promotes the absorption of the trace element. If cartilage and bone are destroyed at the same time, the consequences can be severe.
For this reason, it is recommended that women over the age of 40-45 have their blood calcium levels checked every year to check the condition of their bones and cartilage. Certain preventative measures help to get rid of the manifestations of the disease, to restore the integrity of the cervical spine in a timely manner.
In osteochondrosis, the structure of cartilage tissue changes, becoming denser and stiffer. The flexibility and mobility of the vertebrae is lost. If this disease passes through the intervertebral weight, the contents of the disc extend beyond the annulus fibrosis. Getting rid of such a complication without surgery is problematic. It is not worth putting it in this state. try to monitor your health.
Main manifestations of the disease in the early stages
In women, the signs of cervical osteochondrosis differ in the early and late stages of development. At first, the disease is almost not annoying, but it is still worth paying attention to the minor symptoms.
This list includes
- Neck discomfort, especially in the morning;
- Crunch in circular movements of the head, bent to the side;
- Common headache;
- Slight dizziness with a sharp lateral rotation of the head.
Due to structural changes in the tissues, the nerve roots become constricted, causing headaches.
The neck is no longer flexible. Progress is often observed in women.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain posture, sometimes even a small hump appears at the transition from neck to shoulder girdle. All this clearly indicates the development of osteochondrosis.
Instead of talking to a neurologist, women go through a number of massage courses. This effect has a short-term effect. If you do the massage incorrectly, it will cause even more damage to your body over time.
Peculiarities of the course of cervical osteochondrosis
In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, women may be asymptomatic for a long time. The limited mobility of the neck is attributed to fatigue, muscle blockage, the headache is not very disturbing yet. And if they do occur, they are called guilty, stressed, poor sleep. Acute hypothermia, minor injury, may be a provoking factor in the transition of the disease from latent to acute form. Often, the disease develops at a reactive rate. Yesterday, the woman was still having a good time, but today, due to the severe pain, she can’t take her head off the pillow. Don’t expect this condition to go away on its own. Hurry to see a doctor. Even at this stage, you can completely get rid of the manifestations of osteochondrosis, provoking its factors.
Contact with bone formers, osteopaths, is strictly forbidden. In official medicine, there is no such thing as "vertebral reduction. "Such prospective professionals are only harmful. Excessive mechanical stress can cause cracks in the thickness of cartilage and bone tissue. You will actually feel better during your first osteopatha treatment, but all of your temporal actions will only lead to your osteochondrosis becoming a big hernia.
Traditional treatment consists of several stages, always done consistently, without pain. Any activity is prohibited during the acute period. To get rid of limited mobility, severe pain, you only need to listen to your doctor’s main recommendations. neurologist and vertebrologist can be observed simultaneously. These highly trained physicians with higher medical degrees use complex treatment methods.
Acute symptoms
When the disease becomes acute, the symptoms of cervical chondrosis in women change.
At this stage, overgrown cartilage tissues press on nerve endings, squeezing large arteries running along the spine to the brain, feeding it. oxygen starvation manifests itself in frequent fainting. Possible short-term memory loss, disorientation in space.
Limb sensitivity is lost due to tightening of nerve endings. The feeling of numbness in the shoulder girdle, the tingling of the fingers is very alarming.
If you do not rush at this stage when starting treatment, there is a possibility of developing partial paralysis. The patient does not feel the upper limbs at all.
If you consult a doctor at this stage, your first effort will be to stabilize the patient.
After withdrawing from the acute period of the disease, various therapeutic methods are prescribed, which include taking medications, the course of various physiotherapy procedures.
Movement therapy is effective when classes are led by a certified instructor with sufficient experience in the rehabilitation of patients with spinal injuries.
Diagnostic Methods
The diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is made in a comprehensive way. When you first see a doctor, it describes in detail all the bothersome symptoms. Based on this information, the doctor can already draw certain conclusions about the development of the disease. The final diagnosis can only be made after further research. Innovative methods of functional diagnostics are increasingly used in medical practice. These include computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Spinal tissues are examined in real time using a special device. The technique allows you to take three-dimensional images in different projections, studying an organ, system, or department thoroughly. the patient receives images and plates along with the study report. The diagnostician makes a detailed description, but the doctor is responsible for the final decoding.
Based on these studies, it is already possible to judge the degree of development of the disease, the affected segments of the intervertebral discs. Control studies are performed semi-annually to assess the dynamics of treatment.
Sometimes additional biochemical blood tests are prescribed. They help to understand whether an inflammatory process is developing in the body.
MRI or X-ray
Some patients complain that an MRI or CT is too expensive. In most cases, such a test is performed on a paid basis because high-performance, high-quality devices cost a lot and are used in private diagnostic centers. In patients, a natural question arises as to whether conventional X-rays are possible.
Only a panoramic X-ray can provide some information about the development of the disease
The cost of this procedure is not much lower than an MRI or CT scan. Bone tissue is clearly visible here, but it is difficult to draw reasonable conclusions about the condition of cartilage and connective tissue. Therefore, those skilled in the art prescribe more advanced diagnostic methods. They should not be rejected because magnetic resonance imaging is also much safer. It can be performed several times at short intervals because no hazardous radiation is used during the test.
Is it possible to get rid of osteochondrosis forever
Knowing the main symptoms and manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis will make it much easier for women to get rid of the disease. The earlier the patient occurs to the doctor, the greater the chance of successful, rapid recovery.
A complex of anti-inflammatory, decongestant drugs, the active use of natural collagen-based drugs that increase connective tissue flexibility, nutritional correction, moderate physical activity, exercise is the main areas of treatment.
You can only achieve positive results by correcting your normal lifestyle and changing your attitude toward physical activity.
Prevention
Aware that women often develop osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is advisable to take preventative measures to exacerbate this complex disease. If you exercise, eat properly, walk a lot in the fresh air, monitor all the systems and functions of the body, the disease will never prevent you.
If you train in the gym under the supervision of an experienced, trained instructor who will always ensure that the basic exercises are performed correctly.
Yoga and pilates work well in preventing osteochondrosis.
Signs of osteochondrosis are already visible in the early stages of the disease. it is important not to miss them and start treatment in time, they will ensure the health of the musculoskeletal system.