Cervical osteochondrosis affects people who are in one position for a long time. These are office workers, doctors, engineers, programmers, etc. The appearance of the disease is facilitated by injuries, bruises, overstrain of the spine.
Cervical osteochondrosis: symptoms
- headache;
- visual impairment;
- heart problems;
- pressure surges;
- vestibular disorders;
- severe fatigue;
- pain in the forearms and hands;
- problems with neck mobility.
Headache is one of the most common symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. When the disease worsens, the pain can be so severe that it becomes difficult to tilt or turn your head. When the vertebral artery is squeezed, the pain radiates to the shoulders and arms, dizziness appears, flies fly before the eyes, and if you turn your head sharply, you can lose consciousness. If a nerve is pinched in the cervical vertebrae, pain will be felt in the neck and arms, and then in the shoulder blades and fingers. The patient may feel numbness in the fingers, hands, forearms.
Cervical osteochondrosis affects both people engaged in heavy physical labor and office workers.
Cervical osteochondrosis: prevention
- when sitting for a long time, get up every half an hour and actively move;
- train muscles by doing physical activity;
- control your diet by eating foods that contain vitamins, proteins, calcium;
- maintain correct posture;
- don't carry weights.
I must say that not only the elderly are now suffering from cervical osteochondrosis. Many young people have this disease by the age of 30. The reason for this is physical inactivity, which in the age of universal computerization has become a mass problem.
According to statistics, about half of people over the age of twenty suffer from osteochondrosis of the initial degree, while the disease does not manifest itself in any way. In order not to encounter such a problem, you need to monitor the position of the head. It should not be tilted for a long time.
To relieve tension and reduce the load on the vertebrae, you can massage your neck in a circular motion, starting from the bottom and slowly moving up. Another way is passive gymnastics. You need to tilt your head forward, backward, right, left. There is no need to make circular motions.
To prevent cervical osteochondrosis, you need to move a lot and reduce static loads. No need to sit at the computer for a long time, overloading your intervertebral discs. It is useful to practice swimming, as long back muscles are involved.
If you notice signs of cervical osteochondrosis, consult a doctor. Even if it is not possible to cure the disease, it is possible to slow down its progression and avoid complications. During exacerbations, you need to keep calm. A good effect can be achieved by water and mud therapy, massage, acupuncture, physiotherapy exercises, etc.
If you notice signs of illness, see a doctor without trying to self-medicate. There is no universal way to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis. Various methods are used to treat it.
Physiotherapy procedures relieve inflammation, pain, and speed up recovery. Remedial gymnastics gives a wonderful effect, which minimizes the load on the spine, improves blood circulation, etc. Massage of the affected segment relieves tension and pain, improves blood circulation.