Signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women, treatment methods

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women 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 are reduced.

At first, the symptoms of osteochondrosis can be almost invisible (muscle tension, numbness of the skin), then they intensify and the patient develops signs of problems with cerebral circulation (headaches, deterioration of vision, hearing, memory, water hammer).Such violations are dangerous - they can provoke the development of:

• persistent hypertension (high blood pressure);
• hypertensive crisis (hemorrhage in brain tissue);
• neurovascular pathology (decrease in muscle strength until complete immobility of the arm).

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women and men 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 consult a doctor more often during menopause: in 2/3 of patients, almost all chronic pathologies worsen at the time of hormonal changes, and cervical osteochondrosis is no exception.

Age-related changes in the tissues of the intervertebral disc are irreversible, therefore it is impossible to completely get rid of the pathology.At an early stage, its development can be stopped by special gymnastics and other physiotherapeutic procedures.After the appearance of intervertebral hernias, surgical restoration of the height of the vertebrae is recommended.

The treatment of cervical osteochondrosis has its own characteristics (related to the fragility and small size of the vertebrae of the department), but practically does not differ 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 the initial stage of the pathology is quite difficult to diagnose.The first to appear are tension, fatigue of the neck muscles and increased headaches.

As the disease progresses in women, symptoms intensify to severe pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulders, shoulder blades, and a pronounced cracking sound when turning the head.

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

Below are the most common manifestations of the pathology, starting with the most common:

1. Painful muscle tension is a response to the “sagging” of the intervertebral discs, the displacement of the vertebrae.The body tries to compensate, align, maintain the spine in the correct position, as a result, muscle overstrain occurs, and then atrophy (weakness).

2. A sharp burning or tearing sensation, pinching pain in the back of the head, neck, shoulders and shoulder blades is the result of muscle spasm (tension), compression of blood vessels and nerve endings (for example, in the direction of the occipital region of the head).The pain syndrome is poorly relieved by analgesics, can intensify after a long stay in a forced position and radiates to the chest and arms.
3. Cracks, crunches during movements and limited mobility of the spine in the cervical region occur against the background of “sagging” of the intervertebral discs and growth of the bone surface of the vertebral body.
4. Impaired 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 in the pathological process of nerve endings that provide communication between these organs and the spine.
5. Mild and loud tinnitus, dizziness, nausea (up to vomiting), impaired coordination of movements, changes in blood pressure - the result of deformation (narrowing, compression) of the large vertebral artery, which provides blood supply to the brain (to the cerebellum and occiput).
6. The appearance of hiccups and lack of air (it is not possible to “inhale” completely) are caused by irritation of the phrenic nerve.

In advanced cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms may include:

• incorrect position, head deviation (torticollis);
• difficulty swallowing (if the nerves of the pharynx and larynx are involved in the process);
• sleep disturbances, mood swings, depression, panic attacks;
• weakening of attention, memory;
• rapid heartbeat.

Treatment methods

The pathology cannot be completely cured, since the changes occurring in the intervertebral discs are irreversible.The treatment algorithm for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine in women is the same as in men.

The therapeutic approach is global:

• with the help of drug treatment, they get rid of severe manifestations of osteochondrosis (pain, tension);
• physiotherapy improves the nutrition of paravertebral tissues, restores mobility of the spine;
• therapeutic exercises strengthen the muscles, “stretch” the spine, thereby reducing the load on the discs (at the stage of stable remission or asymptomatic course).

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

Drug therapy

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is carried out using conservative methods;pronounced signs of the disease (pain, cerebral circulation disorders, sensitivity) are relieved by medications.

Drug group	What is it prescribed for?
Non-hormonal analgesics, anti-inflammatories	Reduce inflammation and pain
Angioprotectors	Improve blood circulation, promote oxygen saturation of tissues
Muscle relaxers	Relaxes the muscles of the cervical region, improves blood circulation
B vitamins	Stimulates rapid restoration of nervous tissue, enhances the effect of anti-inflammatories and analgesics, improves metabolism
Chondroprotectors	With long-term use, the destruction of cartilage tissue is stopped

In case of severe pain in the pinched nerve, an analgesic and anti-inflammatory blockade is administered into the paravertebral muscles.The neck is immobilized using a special orthopedic collar or Shants splint (this reduces the load on the muscles in the collar area).

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapeutic treatment gives good results for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

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 medication through the skin barrier to the source of pain, quickly relieves pronounced and residual signs of cervical osteochondrosis
Therapeutic massage of the collar area	Relaxes muscles, improves blood circulation, stimulates tissue oxygen saturation
Acupuncture	Stimulates biologically active points of the body, quickly relieves residual symptoms of the disease

Women with cervical osteochondrosis benefit from:

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

Patients are categorically not recommended to overcool (especially after physiotherapy).

Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis

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

The basic exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are performed sitting or standing, gently, without jerks or efforts (2-3 minutes every day):

• Tilt your head left and right (towards your shoulder).
• Tilt your head forward (touch your chin to your chest) then back (touch the back of your head).

• Turn your head to the right (look at your right shoulder) and to the left (look at your left shoulder).
• Lower your head, touch your chin to your chest.Turn it left and right from shoulder to shoulder and back (as if you were “rolling” your head onto your chest).
• Roll your head back, turn left, right and back (“roll” along your back from shoulder to shoulder).
• Make a full circular rotation with your head from left to right, then right to left.
• Raise your shoulders (at the same time), lower them.
• Move your shoulders forward then back.

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

If, during exercises, unpleasant signs of cervical osteochondrosis appear in women ("floaters" in front of the eyes, nausea, dizziness), take a break from the exercises.If such sensations occur constantly, you should consult a physiotherapist or your doctor.

Nutrition for cervical osteochondrosis

In case of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you can adhere to the general principles of a healthy diet, adhering to the basic rule: food should be complete and varied:

• You need to introduce foods into 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 restoration of damaged tissues.
• Limit the consumption of alcohol, strong tea and coffee, salty, smoked and fried foods.These products irritate inflamed tissues and increase pain.

What products are recommended for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:

Necessary substances in the composition	Product List
Natural glycosaminoglycans	Chicken, beef, red fish, hard cheese, avocado, soy, gelatin products
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 yolk
Vitamin PP	Vegetables, cereals, sea fish, legumes
Calcium	Cottage cheese, cheeses, milk, fermented milk products
Magnesium	Dark chocolate, rice bran, legumes, cereals
Phosphorus	Sea fish, seafood, legumes, milk, hard cheese
Sulfur	Nuts, chicken, hard cheese, legumes
Potassium	Nuts, legumes, prunes, bananas, garlic

To maintain normal weight, it is recommended to limit the consumption of fast carbohydrates (confectionery, sweets, sugar), fatty meats, lard and margarine.