Signs

Symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease are very diverse. Most often it is sharp or aching pain in the neck, but there are other symptoms that distinguish cervical osteochondrosis Osteochondrosis - learn how to properly distribute the weight   from other parts of the spine osteochondrosis. All the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis can be divided into three groups:

• radicular syndrome - neurologic symptoms of osteochondrosis Symptoms of osteoarthritis - pain and disturbance of sensitivity That arise with the direct impact of changes in the discs spinal nerve roots; mainly pain);
• spinal symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease Symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease Developing as a result of compression of the spinal cord disc changes; mostly movement disorders;
• Cardiovascular symptoms of cervical degenerative disc disease associated with compression of the brain feeding the vertebral arteries; manifest violation of cerebral circulation.

All manifestations of cervical degenerative disc disease is most often combined with each other with a predominance of symptoms of any one group.

Cervical osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome

The aggravation of cervical degenerative disc disease is accompanied by radicular syndrome associated with compression of spinal nerves altered intervertebral disks. In this molecule the nucleus pulposus of a disc may be absorbed into the fibrous disc cracks and into the blood. In response to their entering into the bloodstream's immune system produces antibodies that accumulate near the modified drive and cause autoimmune inflammation (allergic reaction to the body's own tissues - inflammation of cervical degenerative disc disease) tissue edema, where the corresponding spinal root, and its infringement.

When squeezing the spine of a so-called radicular pain. Pain may be acute (as an electrical shock) propagating down on the shoulder, forearm and fingers (usually the ring finger and little finger). In some cases, it appears and sensory disturbances in the form of numbness, pins and needles sensation. Pain and sensory disturbances increase with the load on the spine, coughing, sneezing, bending the head in a healthy way and at night while you sleep Dreams: how to understand our dreams When the neck is in a forced position. There is a tension in your neck, which severely limits its mobility.

Most often infringed seventh cervical spine while the first three cervical spine are rarely affected, however, can not eliminate their defeat. Acute low back pain is accompanied by symptoms of cervical lesions individual spinal nerves of the cervical spine:

• the first and second cervical roots (Cl, C2) - pain and sensory disturbances localized in the parietal and occipital regions;
• the third cervical spine (C3) - pain and sensory disturbances are located in behind the ear; a feeling of thickening of the tongue, difficulty of movement of food in the mouth tongue;
• the fourth cervical root (C4) - localized pain in the shoulder girdle and the clavicle; for toning the diaphragm appears prolonged hiccups and a violation of swallowing a lump in the throat; It appears as heart pain; if the infringement is kept for a long time, the muscles may atrophy back of the neck, there is a symptom of hanging their heads;
• fifth cervical spine (C5) - localized pain in the neck, spreading perednenaruzhnoy of the shoulder; the patient can not take his hand side;
• sixth cervical spine (C6) - localized pain in the neck, give to the shoulder blade, shoulder girdle, shoulder, forearm and thumb; reduced muscle strength - and other flexor muscle, located on the surface of the upper limb posteroexternal;
• seventh cervical spine (C7) - pain and sensory disturbances localized in the neck and shoulder blades, give to the back of the hand, index finger and middle finger;
• eighth cervical spine (C8) - localized pain in the neck and shoulder blades, where the spread posteromedial surface of the hand to the little finger; often appear vegetative symptoms: pallor, sweating, dilated pupils; infringement with prolonged appear unbearable, gnawing, aching pain in the fingers, worse weather changes.

Cervical osteochondrosis with spinal syndrome

Osteochondrosis of the neck may also be accompanied by a spinal syndrome. Spinal syndrome (myelopathy) occurs when the spinal cord compression of the intervertebral disc changed (compressive myelopathy) or in violation of the blood supply to the spinal cord at squeezing its supply arteries (vascular myelopathy).

Compression myelopathy occurs most frequently when a herniated disc and runs for a long time. Initially, patients concerned about weakness in the arms and legs, accompanied by a feeling of numbness or cooling. Muscle weakness gradually increases, reduced muscle tone, their volume, there are muscle twitching. At the same time develop disorders of pain and temperature sensitivity. Occasionally develop disorders of the pelvic organs (mainly incontinence). With a sharp turn of the head can be a feeling of electric shock to the neck area with the spread on the upper and lower limbs.

Vascular myelopathy develops due to compression of the blood vessel by decreasing the size of the intervertebral foramen, through which the artery. This pathology manifests itself in the form of motor disorders of varying severity - from mild paresis to paralysis of the arms and legs. There may be a variety of sensory disturbances and the pelvic organs.

Complications

Harmful if cervical osteochondrosis? How dangerous cervical osteochondrosis? Unlike other parts of the spine osteochondrosis cervical osteochondrosis Osteochondrosis - learn how to properly distribute the weight   fraught with impaired blood supply to the brain stem, and the medulla oblongata, which are vital centers - vasomotor and respiratory. In violation of the blood supply to brain tissue will receive less oxygen, which can cause failure of the vital centers, and this will lead to a cessation of breathing Stop breathing (apnea) during sleep - upper airway obstruction   or cardiac activity.

What other complications can occur with cervical osteochondrosis? First of all, it is the neurological complications associated with compression of spinal nerves:

shoulder-scapular periarthritis (more correctly, shoulder-shoulder periarthrosis) - degenerative degenerative disorders associated with permanent injuries to the nerve innervating the area of ​​shoulder joint; disease is manifested by pain in the shoulder joint, worse at night, especially in the lateral position, radiating to the neck and arm; pain aggravated by a show of hands or by the institution of her back; severely restricted movement in the shoulder joint, atrophy (shrinking) the muscles of the shoulder and shoulder blade, reduced the sensitivity of the skin in the upper extremity and shoulder blades, there are paresthesias - formication, tingling and so on;

epicondylitis - similar violations in the epicondyle of the elbow; It shows constant and increases with the slightest movement of the hand pain; gradually develop muscle weakness.

The consequences of cervical degenerative disc disease can be very serious, so it is important to quickly identify and begin to treat this disease.

Diagnosis of cervical degenerative disc disease

How to identify cervical osteochondrosis? To do this, you need to consult a doctor, a neurologist and a complete examination. Based on the survey and examination of the patient doctor makes a preliminary diagnosis and then refer patients for further examination.

The main method of screening on cervical osteochondrosis is a radiography of the spine in the frontal and lateral projections, which is conducted with the patient standing or lying down, and in flexion, extension, and lateral tilt. If necessary, a study is complemented by imaging of the affected spine. In radiography can see a reduction of the distances between the vertebrae (decrease in the volume of the intervertebral disc) and bony outgrowths fixing spine and changes its correct position.

In addition, apply these radiographic techniques such as discography (kernel disk is introduced contrast agent, and detects changes in the discs), myelography (a contrast agent is injected into the spinal canal and revealed his narrowing, disc hernia, adhesions), airmyelography (into the spinal canal instead of contrast material air is introduced, after which takes pictures revealed the same abnormality as that of myelography), angiography (a contrast agent is injected into the carotid artery - detected vertebral compression or basilar artery).

Computed tomography (CT) allows one to clearly see the body of the vertebrae, soft tissue, intervertebral discs, ligaments, blood vessels. CT clearly visible gaps circuits disk compression of nerve roots, deformation of the spinal dura mater.

One of the most effective methods of investigation and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which allows you to clearly see the intervertebral discs, nerve roots, blood vessels.

To study the functional state of neuromuscular systems performed electromyography (EMG), for the study of the state of the brain vessels - rheoencephalography (REG) and electroencephalography (EEG) - the last two studies must be conducted with the syndrome of the vertebral artery.