Headaches in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Despite the fact that statistics speak of cervical osteochondrosis as not the most common disease, there are still categories of people who are more likely to have it. It is worth remembering that the complications of this disease are very serious. This is explained by the anatomy of the neck - the presence of important vessels of the circulatory system and nerves on this part of the spine.

The reasons

It all starts with the fact that osteochondrosis makes the intervertebral discs flat, and they lose the necessary stability, become pathologically mobile. Due to violations in the bends of the spine, the discs are deformed, thinner, bone and cartilage growths or osteophytes are formed. The spinal canal narrows, osteophytes irritate and negatively affect blood vessels and nerve tissues.

The brain begins to receive a limited amount of blood due to the fact that the spinal canal with arteries and nerves is compressed by pathological formations. As a result, we get both as the main signs of this disease.

Dizziness is observed with cervical osteochondrosis, usually when the patient wakes up, especially in those sleeping on high, soft pillows. The duration of such a state can be calculated in minutes and hours, a symptom occurs sporadically, but it can also appear regularly. Sometimes combined with a sharp darkening in the eyes, loss of spatial orientation. This is a short-term phenomenon, which often leads to fainting of a person.

The main reasons are:

• Compression of the spinal artery by osteophytes

With the enlargement of osteophytes towards the muscles, compression of the discs occurs, followed by a violation of blood circulation in the cartilage, nerves of the spine, making the course of the disease severe.

• Osteophyte pressure on Frank's nerve

If the growths irritate the nerve plexus covering the vertebral artery (Frank's nerve), or an intervertebral hernia presses on it, then an arterial spasm occurs, blood circulation is disturbed, cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself as dizziness.

In older people, dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis is more pronounced due to the diseases they have acquired by this age, atherosclerotic changes in the vessels.

Syndromes

Headache often manifests itself as a single symptom of osteochondrosis of the neck, but sometimes goes away, accompanied by others - nausea, vomiting, visual, auditory disturbances, loss of coordination in space.

Cerebral disorders that cause cervical osteochondrosis are manifested by several types of syndromes:

• Vestibular-stem

A disease of the cervical region causes a malfunction of the vestibular apparatus, which is responsible for balance, due to a lack of blood supply to it. The syndrome is manifested precisely by dizziness, which happens when a person throws his head back, turns it sharply to the side, and gets out of bed. The syndrome is expressed by apparent rotations of objects around, vibrations of walls, floors.

• Vertebral artery

The syndrome is also called "cervical migraine". It is determined by symptoms such as dizziness, combined with pain of a pulsating, burning nature of the occipital and temporal parts. Sometimes there are pressure drops, nausea. Distinguishes the syndrome from other pain in the shoulder, arm. Occurs when blood flow deteriorates in the arteries of the spine, Frank's nerve when exposed to osteophytes.

• cochlear stem

It is manifested by recurring dizziness due to a malfunction in the work of the organs responsible for balance. The main symptom can be supplemented by whistling, ringing in the ears, their congestion. These symptoms are aggravated by retractions of the head back and to the sides, a long immobile position of the patient.

Treatment

After a mandatory examination of the condition of the spine, which is closely related to such a manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis as a headache, treatment is prescribed. The most informative study using magnetic resonance therapy, which is usually prescribed by the attending physician.

Since the headache in osteochondrosis is caused by compression of blood vessels and nerves, the treatment will be carried out to achieve the following goals:

• Relief of the patient from the compression effect through drug treatment, physiotherapy, and other procedures
• Elimination of squeezing moments in the spine
• Improvement of condition, complete restoration of intervertebral discs.

It is possible to eliminate dizziness and pain caused by the development of osteochondrosis of the neck only with an integrated approach to its treatment, which consists of a number of procedures.

Taking medication

The patient is prescribed medicines that relieve pain and relieve inflammation. Muscle spasm is relieved with Botox injections. Retinol and ascorbic acid are prescribed to supply oxygen to the brain. If the pain in the neck is severe, dizzy, then pills are used for dizziness, pain. With their small effect, non-steroidal drugs are prescribed.

Tablets and ointments help reduce the number and intensity of dizziness attacks due to better nutrition of the elements of the spine. But drugs alone do not guarantee a cure for the disease that caused them. At the end of the course of treatment, dizziness may resume.

Physiotherapy procedures

Taking medications is necessarily supplemented by various physiotherapeutic procedures, each of which has a certain effect on the affected part of the vertebral neck:

• electrophoresis

The method allows you to activate local blood circulation, remove spasms by increasing the temperature in the diseased area when exposed to electric current.

• Magnetotherapy

The action of low-frequency magnetic field inductors on the problem area of ​​the neck makes it possible to expand blood vessels and improve metabolism, reduce blood viscosity, and remove toxins.

• Ultrasound

Micromassage with ultrasonic waves relieves inflammation, pain in the affected area of ​​the neck, which reduces the likely symptoms of a headache.

Reflexology

Headache with osteochondrosis of the neck is well treated with reflexology. Biologically active points on the spine are processed in different ways: laser, heat, current. Acupuncture is no less effective. These actions of the reflexologist contribute to the activation of the circulatory system, tissue metabolism, which leads to getting rid of dizziness and headache.

Massage

To restore good blood flow, to relieve muscle spasms, massage of the cervical-collar zone helps. Also effective is the impact on diseased intervertebral discs, vertebral bones by manual therapy.

Spinal traction

Sometimes spinal traction is used. This is done on a special mattress. After the procedure, the space between the vertebrae of the neck will increase, metabolic processes will improve, and the head will stop spinning.

Therapeutic exercises and diet

With osteochondrosis of the neck, the symptoms of which are aggravated by dizziness, doctors recommend special exercises. They normalize blood circulation, metabolic processes, restore the mobility of the vertebrae.

Effective treatment involves the refusal of the patient from caffeine-containing products, restriction of salt intake, exclusion from the use of analgesics.

ethnoscience

Well prevents the development of problems with dizziness in osteochondrosis of the cervical region drink based on infusion of hawthorn fruit. Fir or menthol oil is used to lubricate and massage the cervical region to prevent headaches. It helps to apply a mixture of fir, castor and juniper oils.

Rubbing against dizziness is done as follows: mix 150 ml of pure, add (1 tbsp each) and analgin tablets (5 pcs.).

Treatment of dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis does not end, even when the symptoms of the disease are eliminated. The goal is to stop the destruction of the intervertebral discs. The spine of a person with a history of this disease should be unloaded as much as possible. You can not sit still for a long time, you should constantly stretch your muscles, give up heavy physical exertion.