The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are so contradictory that in the initial stages of the disease, an incorrect diagnosis is often made and a completely different disease is treated. But over time, clearer signs appear and it becomes clear that the cause of the diseases is damage to the spine. Cervical spondylosis is insidious due to its gradual development, so many patients do not even realize that they have been in danger for a long time.
The disease can be caused by congenital or acquired injuries, heredity, physical overload, poor posture, or excess weight. Each case has its own individual reason for the development of the disease.
Developmental stages of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depend on the patient's condition. Each stage of spondylosis manifests itself differently. There are four stages in total.
- First phase. An initial destruction and loss of elasticity of the intervertebral discs occurs. It can be accompanied by a painful neck pain, but sometimes it is simply a temporary discomfort that few people pay attention to.
- Second stage. The intervertebral spaces are reduced and the annulus fibrosus is destroyed. Severe pain becomes constant due to the pinched nerve root. The manifestations of the disease are expressed, and the treatment of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis most often begins at this stage. Exercises for cervical osteochondrosis should be started.
- Third stage. Complete destruction of the fibrous ring can be observed. Intervertebral hernias and significant deformation of the spinal column appear. Migraines, nausea, dizziness and numbness of the limbs are often observed.
- Fourth stage. The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine become advanced and manifest themselves as a sharp pain attack with any movement. Bone growth develops, which limits movement.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine largely depend on the stage and neglect of spondylosis, as well as the patient's state of health; they are completely different at each stage.
The most typical manifestations of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine:
- severe headache in the back of the head, on the temples, on the top of the head;
- dizziness, fainting;
- intense pain that radiates to the arms and shoulders;
- impaired coordination and vision;
- throbbing pain in brow ridges, temples;
- change in tone, hoarseness, snoring;
- painful attacks that radiate into the chest;
- heart pain similar to angina pectoris;
- painful toothache;
- numbness of the face, fingers;
- breathing problems, nausea, eye and heart pain;
- memory impairment and reduced intelligence;
- pain in the neck, forearm, arm;
- noise in the ears;
- tingling of the limbs, weakness, chills.
The main syndromes of cervical spondylosis
Cervical osteochondrosis can occur in different forms in different patients. Doctors combined these symptoms into clinical syndromes.
Cardiac syndrome
It has symptoms similar to angina pectoris. Because of this similarity, there is a serious risk of failing to treat cardiac ischemia instead of cervical spondylosis. It is characterized by irritation of the thoracic region or phrenic nerve roots. This syndrome is accompanied by long-lasting paroxysmal pain. Tachycardia and extrasystole are observed. But the cardiogram doesn't show any abnormality.
Irritative-reflex syndrome
It is always accompanied by burning, unbearable pain in the neck-occipital area, especially during acute movement. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, manifested in this syndrome, consist of intense pain in the shoulder and chest.
Radicular syndrome
It is better known as cervical sciatica. It appears when the nerve endings of the cervical spine are compressed. When the nerve roots are compressed, the pain threshold descends from the neck down to the shoulder blades, moving to the shoulder, forearm and fingers. Possible pate, tingling, goosebumps.
Vertebral artery syndrome
The patient begins to suffer from a burning, throbbing headache in the browbones, crown of the head, back of the head, and around the temples, which may be constant or intermittent. If the immune system is weakened, dizziness, nausea and possible fainting occur. Hearing acuity decreases, noise is heard in the ear, and the function of the vestibular apparatus is disturbed. Sometimes vision is significantly reduced.
Cervicothoracic spondylosis
The symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis are very similar to cervical spondylosis. But the peculiarity of this complication is that it is often misdiagnosed. It is usually confused with angina pectoris or vegetative-vascular dystonia. Unfortunately, many patients have to take useless drugs until it becomes clear that the cause of serious diseases is thoracic osteochondrosis.
It is characterized by painful attacks similar to intercostal neuralgia, cardiac ischemia or cholecystitis or gastritis. Body movements are very difficult, the patient is afraid to breathe deeply.
Symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis
The symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis also have their own characteristics, the treatment of which differs little from the general principles of the therapy of this disease. The main manifestations of this pathology:
- asthenic syndrome;
- migraine attacks;
- high blood pressure;
- lack of coordination;
- double vision or stars in the eyes;
- dizziness;
- neck, chest, heart pain;
- numbness and coldness of the fingers;
- pain in the arms, shoulders, along the ribs;
- constant noise in the ear.
Many patients think that the manifestation of the disease consists only of constant pain, but this is not so. Dangerous complications can occur that can lead to disability. Advanced osteochondrosis leads to protrusion of the cervical spine, hernias, intercostal neuralgia, radiculitis and complete deformation of the fingers.
Therefore, if you regularly experience different types of pain, or the symptoms listed above are familiar, seek professional help immediately.