Cervical osteochondrosis is a rapidly aging disease. If before it happened mainly after 40 years, now people aged 25-26 are at risk.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in women are more pronounced than in men. This is due to the characteristics of the body structure. In the stronger sex, this part of the body is better developed, which supports the entire vertebral structure, preventing its deformation and load.
Types of osteochondrosis and the dangers that this disease brings
There are different types of osteochondrosis, which differ in the degree of danger of the consequences.
- Thorax. It is considered the safest type of disease. This type of osteochondrosis almost never leads to unpleasant consequences such as protrusion or hernia. This is explained by the low movement of the thoracic region. Due to this, its deformation does not cause severe discomfort to the patient.
- Lumbar. It occurs most often due to the high movement of this part of the body. In addition, it is on the vertebral part that the main load falls. Without timely treatment, this disease can have serious complications: disc herniation and protrusion, as well as radicular syndrome, which is often the main cause of paralysis. The main danger of this type of osteochondrosis is the late manifestation, which is why the time for intensive treatment is often missed.
- cervix. It occurs mainly in the female half. This prevalence is associated with the high activity of the cervical spine, the presence in this part of the body of a large number of nerve fibers that serve as conductors between the brain and other organs. The consequences of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are the most serious - from dangerous complications to death. That is why the treatment of this disease must be timely and effective.
Factors that affect the development of the disease
Scientists have identified many reasons that lead to the appearance of osteochondrosis in women. The main one is menopause and the changes that occur at this stage. The amount of progesterone that enters the body, which is very important for women, decreases. In addition, over the years, the size of the muscles in this area of the body decreases, which leads to a weakening of the spine's support.
There are also other causes of osteochondrosis in women that are not related to age:
- circulatory failure;
- immune system weakness;
- hormonal imbalance;
- descent;
- any injury to the spine;
- excessive physical activity;
- hypothermia;
- passive lifestyle;
- overweight.
A large number of disease-causing factors contribute to the rapid increase in the number of women suffering from cervical osteochondrosis.
Signs of illness
In order not to miss the beginning of the development of the disease, you should know the main symptoms of osteochondrosis in women:
- pain in the cervical region;
- recurring headaches;
- feeling of stiffness in the neck area;
- shooting pain that radiates to the cervical region;
- discomfort in fingers and shoulders;
- numbness in the limbs or tongue;
- suddenly snoring while sleeping.
Depending on the level of sensitivity of the body, other signs of cervical osteochondrosis in women may also appear:
- nausea, sometimes leading to vomiting;
- sudden increase or decrease in pressure;
- bluish skin tone.
It is important to consider that these signs of osteochondrosis are quite serious, even if at first glance they are not associated with the development of the disease. That is why if you have these symptoms, you should immediately contact a specialist to exclude the development of the disease.
Due to the fact that these spinal discs are located quite close to each other and do not differ in height, the symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis in women can be determined already in the early stages of the disease.
The deterioration in general well-being is explained by the fact that the deformation of the intervertebral disc causes immediate pressure on the roots of the nerve endings. It depends on the extent of their defeat, how painful the sensation is, how long the attack can last.
- If the pain is of a short-term nature, which is replaced by short breaks, this is back pain.
- If you feel sick, you should take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Headaches are caused by excessive pressure on the occipital nerves, as well as on the vertebrae of the highest row.
- Unpleasant sensations in the hands, elbows and forearms are characteristic of the deformation of the central vertebral region.
Also, the patient may feel weakness of the hands and loss of skin sensitivity. This happens when the spinal cord is compressed. This symptom is typical for women after 40 years. They also often feel less energy when walking.
If the disease is not treated in time, it can cause the following complications:
- squeezing blood vessels in the brain;
- problems in the functioning of the central nervous system, characterized by behavioral disorders, coordination, speech;
- violation of blood circulation in the brain.
In the second case, accompanying symptoms may occur, such as:
- worry and fear without reason;
- sharp decline in memory;
- frequent mood swings.
Also, disturbances in cerebral blood circulation can cause sudden loss of consciousness, frequent headaches and dizziness. All of these problems are quite serious and require immediate hospitalization. Also, cervical osteochondrosis can cause difficulty swallowing, problems with hearing and vision, as well as a common sense of tinnitus.
Principles of therapy
Treatment of this disease is complex. Various forms of therapy are used at various stages of disease development.
- In the early stages, vasodilation drugs are very effective. They contribute to normal blood circulation in the brain. Cartilage tissue is restored with the help of chondroprotectors.
- Manual treatment has a high level of effectiveness. Specialists with good experience will easily return the vertebrae to their place.
- Physiotherapy is another effective treatment option. It consists of massage courses, laser therapy and electrophoresis.
- Acupuncture is very popular among women. This method has a high percentage of effectiveness with a low pain rate.
- Sports activities are very important in proper treatment. Depending on the type of disease and its severity, the specialist prescribes a complex of physiotherapy exercises or a charging scheme for the cervical area.
- The most important is a change in lifestyle. Starting to exercise and eat right, you will speed up the recovery process significantly. It is very important to provide the body with the intake of useful and nutritious substances in sufficient quantities.
It is believed that women are more concerned about their health, which means that the disease is diagnosed at an early stage, which increases the chances of full recovery.
Folk method
Folk recipes are very effective in the treatment of this disease.
- Fresh radish leaves should be washed thoroughly and applied to the cervical area. It is necessary to fix the compress with a soft bandage and leave it overnight. As a rule, in the morning there is a significant improvement in the situation. To consolidate the effect, the procedure should be repeated at least 3 days in a row.
- Potatoes need to be peeled and grated on a fine grater. Add a little honey to the resulting mass and mix thoroughly. You will get a soft medicine that needs to be applied to the painful area. You can make such a compress no more than once a week.
Such methods will reduce your condition without the use of drugs. In addition, it is very useful to do special therapeutic exercises. It will strengthen the muscles significantly, which will cause the mobility of the spinal area to return. When choosing exercise, you should take into account your physical fitness level and general health. To get an effect, gymnastics should be done regularly.
Disease prevention
Given the massive prevalence of this disease, special attention should be paid to the prevention of osteochondrosis. First of all, you need to reconsider your lifestyle. If you spend most of your time in a sitting position, this needs to be corrected. There are special exercises for office workers that are done right on the desk while working. With high efficiency, they do not need much time or special conditions for training.
In addition, you need to walk a lot. If there is no free time, try to overcome it by walking any part of the way to work. The more you increase it, the more noticeable your efforts will be.
It is also useful to periodically undergo a preventive massage course. In addition to the general strengthening of the body, this will allow you to catch the disease at an early stage and receive effective treatment.
Therefore, every woman should carefully monitor her health and, at the slightest sign of the development of osteochondrosis, immediately take therapeutic measures. If done on time, you can achieve complete recovery without any complications.