The cervical spine is one of the most prone to osteochondrosis, and unfortunately, it is often affected by this disease. In addition to pain in the neck itself, it can also be symptomatic of a severe headache associated with a pinched vertebral artery due to bone growth on the vertebrae. Cervical osteochondrosis is not only dangerous for the elderly, but also for the young, who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
What are the causes of cervical osteochondrosis?
The etiology of cervical osteochondrosis is the same as that of the entire spinal degenerative process: lack of exercise, malnutrition, genetics, sedentary work, occupational overload, etc. Among the special factors, attention should be paid to the high mobility of this part of the spine, so the daily load on the cervical spine is large.
Many features of cervical osteochondrosis are also structurally distinct from other cervical vertebrae and are closely related to important blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. These blood vessels are called vertebral arteries, or more simply, vertebral arteries. They pass through the interior of the cervical vertebral arch, delivering blood directly to the cranial cavity. On the other hand, if the cervical spine is affected by osteochondrosis, the arteries in the vertebrae are pinched, reducing blood flow to the brain. This is one of the mechanisms of headache in cervical osteochondrosis.
What are the stages of cervical osteochondrosis?
Cervical osteochondrosis can be mild or severe. The most severe stage of degeneration is intervertebral hernia. In the cervical region, hernias are not as frequent as in the lumbar spine, but even here they are not uncommon. Many young people present with a hernia on an MRI, while others have a hernia during the diagnosis. The important thing here is that a hernia itself isn't always the cause of the pain, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be treated.
It's worth noting that not all neck pain is caused by osteochondrosis. That is, this process can occur, but is not the cause of this pain syndrome in this patient. More commonly, the cause of pain is a musculoskeletal syndrome, which is essentially overexertion of a short segment of skeletal muscle. For example, if we sit in front of a computer for long periods of time, the trapezius muscles can become numb in a monotonous position, causing them to spasm and pain that can radiate to the neck, head, and arms.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis?
For the correct and effective treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, several key points must be noted. All of these are related to prevention and early medical treatment. We list the most necessary measures:
- Careful observance of ergonomic rules, organization of work space, correct height of desks, monitors at eye level.
- Regularly warm up your neck and arms (closely related to it), at least every 1. 5-2 hours during sedentary work, with daily morning exercises.
- Regular massage and osteopathy, at least every 6 months.
You can only start taking painkillers under the guidance of a doctor, otherwise you can only push the disease into a corner, relieve the symptoms, and ignore the pathological cause.
How does osteopathy help with cervical osteochondrosis?
Osteopathy is a very effective treatment for this disease. The truth is that the need for manual procedures for osteochondrosis is obvious to everyone, but not everyone understands the dangers of these procedures.
Some chiropractors practice rough trusting techniques, after which the patient suddenly feels particularly "positive", achieving "enlightenment" in the mind. This is the "reduction" of the vertebrae, accompanied by an incredible constriction, terrifying, reminiscent of choking, the technique of unlocking motion segments.
It must be said that all these rough and beautiful looking techniques tend to be unsafe and have nothing to do with osteopathy. The cervical spine system is very finely arranged and balanced, so any gross intervention will not only affect a single vertebra, but the entire neck, entire spine, head, blood vessels, etc.
The osteopath handled the neck very carefully and smoothly, without rough movements and sudden manipulations. At first glance, you might think the doctor isn't doing anything special, but that's not the case. The basis of osteopathy is the delicate sensitivity of the doctor's hand. An osteopath always knows how to balance the muscles, ligaments, and skeletal system without harming it. Therefore, osteopathic correction of cervical osteochondrosis is the most successful, safest, and most effective.