The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are so contradictory that in the initial stages of the disease, a wrong 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 hidden due to its gradual development, so many patients for a long time do not even suspect that they have been at risk for a long time.
The disease can be caused by congenital or acquired injuries, heredity, physical overload, poor posture and excess weight. Each case has its own individual reasons for the formation of this disease.
Stages of development of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depend on the stage in which the patient is. At each stage of spondylosis, they manifest differently. There are four stages in total.
- The first phase. There is an initial destruction and loss of elasticity of the intervertebral discs. It can be accompanied by pain in the neck, but sometimes there is just temporary discomfort, which few people pay attention to.
- Second phase. The intervertebral spaces are reduced and the annulus fibrosus is destroyed. Severe pain becomes constant due to rooting of the nerve root. The manifestations of the disease become pronounced and the treatment of the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis most often begins at this stage. It is necessary to start doing exercises for cervical osteochondrosis.
- The third stage. The complete destruction of the fibrous ring is observed. Intervertebral hernias and marked deformations of the spine appear. Migraines, nausea, dizziness and numbness of the extremities are often observed.
- The fourth stage. Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine become advanced and manifest as sharp pain attacks with every movement. Bony growths form, limiting movement.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and their treatment will depend mainly on the stage and neglect of spondylosis and the patient's state of health; in all stages they are completely different..
The most typical manifestations of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine are:
- severe headache in the back of the head, temples, crown of the head;
- dizziness, fainting;
- severe pain that radiates to the arms and shoulders;
- impaired coordination and vision;
- throbbing pain in the browbones, temples;
- change in voice timbre, hoarseness, snoring;
- painful attacks radiating to chest;
- pain in the heart resembling angina pectoris;
- toothache ache;
- numbness of the face, fingers;
- breathing problems, nausea, eye and heart pain;
- memory impairment and reduced intelligence;
- pain in the neck, forearm, arm;
- tinnitus;
- tingling of the limbs, weakness, chills.
The main syndromes of cervical spondylosis
Cervical osteochondrosis can appear in different forms in different patients. Doctors have combined such symptoms into clinical syndromes.
Cardiac syndrome
It has symptomatic features 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 nerve roots of the thoracic region or the phrenic nerve. This syndrome is associated with prolonged paroxysmal pain. Tachycardia and extrasystole are observed. But the cardiogram does not show any abnormalities.
Irritative-reflex syndrome
It is always accompanied by burning, unbearable pain in the cervical-occipital area, especially acute when moving. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, manifested by this syndrome, consist of severe pain in the shoulder and chest.
Radicular syndrome
Better known as cervical sciatica. Appears when the nerve endings of the cervical spine are compressed. When nerve root compression occurs, the pain threshold descends from the neck to the shoulder blades, moving to the shoulder, forearm and fingers. Possible pasty, tingling, goosebumps.
Vertebral artery syndrome
The patient begins to suffer from a burning, throbbing headache in the area of the brow ridges, the crown of the head, the back of the head and the temples; it can be constant or paroxysmal. If the immune system is weakened, dizziness, nausea and possible fainting occur. Hearing acuity decreases, noise is heard in the ears and the functioning of the vestibular apparatus is interrupted. Sometimes there is a significant decrease in vision.
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 turns out 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 take a deep breath.
Cervicothoracic osteochondrosis symptoms
Symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis also have their own characteristics, the treatment of which differs slightly from the general principles of therapy for 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;
- pain in the neck, chest, heart;
- numbness and coldness in the fingers;
- pain in the arms, shoulders, along the ribs;
- constant ringing in the ears.
Many patients think that the manifestation of the disease consists only of constant pain, but this is not the case. Dangerous complications can occur that lead to disability. Advanced osteochondrosis leads to lengthening of the cervical spine, hernia, intercostal neuralgia, radiculitis and complete deformity of the fingers.
Therefore, if you periodically experience pain of various types or the symptoms listed above are familiar to you, immediately seek qualified help.