Osteochondrosis is a degenerative bone condition that most commonly affects the spine and knees. This primarily causes excruciating pain and movement problems. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive treatment.
Osteochondrosis - what is it?
It is based on a violation of endochondral ossification. However, this condition results from local ischemia of hyaline cartilage in the metaphyses of the growing bone. This condition is often called juvenile osteochondrosis precisely because it develops in the developing skeletal system.
In patients with osteochondrosis, the cartilage tissue is ischemic, depleted and dies as a result. Cartilage does not mineralize, but ossifies and then separates from the bone on which it is formed, as it is not very strong. The separation of cartilage from bone may be due to mechanical factors.
Osteochondrosis can take many forms, but patients often have:
- Osteochondrosis of the spine, which in most cases involves the lumbar or cervical spine.
- Osteochondrosis of the knee with a load on the tubercle of the tibia, which forms the knee joint.
In this article we will pay special attention to osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (SHO).
Osteochondrosis - causes
Osteochondrosis is a disease whose degenerative-dystrophic causes largely depend on the form of the disease occurring in a particular patient. In the case of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, its development may be the result of a violation of the tension of the structures responsible for the stabilization of the spine. The cause of the disease may be a gradual loss of cushioning properties of the intervertebral discs. As for osteochondrosis of the knee, it usually occurs as a result of an avulsion fracture of the tibial tuberculosis. This is an overload resulting from an imbalance between the cross section of the muscle, the surface of its attachment and the forces acting on a very small area, ie.
Characteristics of osteochondrosis of the cervical segment
Osteochondrosis of the cervical segment of the spine differs in manifestations from osteochondrosis of the lumbar and thoracic segments.
The neck contains many blood vessels and nerves, including the spinal artery, which enters the spinal canal. Therefore, in osteochondrosis of the cervical segment of the spine, when the vertebrae are displaced, nerve formations appear on the lateral areas (which can irritate the muscles and areas around the ligaments).
When the vertebral artery is compressed due to narrowing of the artery (stenosis), the blood supply to the brainstem and cerebellum decreases.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are caused by the following factors: compression of the spinal roots (cervical radiculitis), compression of the spinal cord (myelopathy), spinal cord injury due to circulatory disorders associated with stenosis (narrowing and arteries)veins.
Radical syndromes (cervical sciatica)
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are associated with compression (compression) of the nerve roots. The pain can start from the neck to the shoulder and spread to the outer surface of the shoulder, forearm and fingers. This can affect the sensitivity of the skin of the forearm, hand and fingers.
Spinal artery syndrome
Headache (paroxysmal, persistent, impulsive, which is intensified by turning the head), dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears.
SHO treatment
In the acute stage, accompanied by severe pain, topical application of painkillers and corticosteroids is indicated to relieve muscle tension in the motor segment of the vertebrae and reduce pain.
Combinations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antispasmodics, analgesics and vitamins are effective.