Osteochondrosis is by far a fairly common disease because people who lead a passive lifestyle are susceptible to it. Usually, deformation of bone tissue and cartilage (code M42. 12) occurs in people up to 45 years of age.
Cervical osteochondrosis is a process in which the articular cartilage itself and its bone tissue deform. It has an ICD-10 code - M42. 12, which has been accepted by the International Forum of Physicians. This part of the spine is most prone to disease because it is the most flexible and is surrounded by a corset of weak muscles, especially in children. It is also characterized by a large number of blood vessels and neural structures. The symptoms presented are directly dependent on the stage of the disease and the nature of the disc deformation.
Causes of osteochondrosis
As mentioned above, the main cause of the onset of the disease is lack of physical activity.
A negative lifestyle can lead to:
- failure of the work of metabolic processes;
- Salt appears in lymph and blood;
- Salt deposits in the liver, kidneys and cervical areas.
Inflammation of OSHOP (Osteochondrosis of the Cervical Spine, code M42. 12) is also caused by insufficient nutrients in the intervertebral discs. This happens when a person eats unbalanced and wrong foods.
Among these symptoms, one can distinguish things such as a temperature that lasts for 20 minutes, a lump in the throat, pain in the spine and cervicothoracic area, an episode of severe pain when a person cannot sleep properly and needs first aid in the form of pain medication to combat such distress. Strong cough, but it is worth noting that cough with osteochondrosis in the thoracic area is also common. In this case, exercise is contraindicated because exercise can exacerbate the problem. It is best to sleep on an orthopaedic mattress.
Why is osteochondrosis dangerous?
Many people are interested in why cervical osteochondrosis is dangerous? This part contains the nerve roots and spinal cord, as well as the arteries that supply blood to the back of the brain and cerebellum. When a person develops OSOP, the arteries are compressed and blood circulation in the brain fails. Then came inflammation, fever for 30 minutes, a lump in the throat, and pain in the back and under the shoulder blades that was sometimes difficult to get rid of.
In the event of an attack of pain, you need to consult a doctor urgently, who will be able to prescribe the necessary pain relievers. In this case, folk remedies or forums where you can find a lot of advice won't help. In acute attacks, exercise or massage is strictly prohibited.
In advanced stages, pinching the arteries can lead to:
- coordination issues;
- vision and hearing loss;
- temperature may occur;
- sore throat;
- stroke.
If the disease is not detected in the first stage and treatment is not started in time, the consequences can appear in the form of intervertebral herniation and herniation.
Degree of osteochondrosis
Diseases like OSHOP develop gradually. Before beginning treatment for cervical osteochondrosis, it is important to understand its extent. Doctors call the disease a 3rd degree.
1 degree
From this stage, the deformation process of the intervertebral disc begins. The annulus fibrosus is covered with small fissures, a process that reduces the elasticity and strength of the intervertebral disc and its height decreases. All of these help compress the nerve root. It is important to understand that only light exercise is allowed in this situation.
The first signs of this stage are pain, a rise in temperature, and a sore throat when a person goes to bed. However, the clinical manifestations of cervical osteochondrosis are often not obvious, and people hardly feel pain and discomfort in the cervical and thoracic spine.
2 degrees
This stage of the disease is chronic. This happens when aid is not provided in a timely manner during the first phase. A person feels constant pain, has a lump in the throat, and the temperature rises while sleeping, resulting in a sore throat. In some patients, cervical osteochondrosis lacks air. The process of compression and destruction of the disc continues and results in a small dislocation of the cervical spine.
At this stage, the "falling" head of cider develops. At the same time, a person feels severe pain in the head, and he has to hold his head with his hands for about 20 minutes to relieve the pain slightly. You need to sleep on an orthopaedic pillow and exercise is contraindicated.
3 degrees
ICD-10 code - M42. 12 - Osteochondrosis third degree is the most difficult stage of the disease. Has the following characteristics:
- A severe headache that keeps you awake
- frequent nausea;
- high temperature rise;
- Dizziness and loss of coordination;
- Loss of sensation in the upper extremities.
In stage 3, the annulus fibrosus has actually deformed, which can lead to serious complications such as herniated discs or hernias.
Since the cartilage tissue has been completely destroyed, the person no longer feels the acute attack of pain, the pain still exists because the nerve root is pinched. Temperatures may rise frequently. Any even light exercise is strictly prohibited during this phase.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at a young age
In children, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine region (it has an ICD-10 code - M42. 02, established by its Physicians Forum) is an extremely rare disease and at the same time dangerous. A child's spine is still a fragile structure and therefore vulnerable to negative factors, especially at this age when the discs and spine continue to grow.
Osteochondrosis in children may develop for several reasons:
- Lack of useful minerals and vitamins in children's diets;
- cardiovascular system problems;
- Spinal cord injury;
- allergy;
- sports;
- physical illness;
- genetic susceptibility;
- Various pathologies during skeletal development;
- When the child's body frequently carries infectious diseases.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in children
Many parents are interested in how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis in children. First of all, in the treatment of this disease, it is accompanied by symptoms such as a lump in the throat, severe pain so the child cannot sleep, inflammation and swelling, which are treated conservatively.
- Drugs with analgesic effect. Usually, with the help of this type of medication, the pain goes away after 20 minutes.
- Medications used to fight edema and relieve inflammation.
- Courses in therapeutic massage, manual therapy and acupuncture, exercise therapy.
- Operational intervention. It is prescribed in the rarest cases, for radiculopathy.
What is cervical osteochondrosis, especially in children, few parents know, which is why you should contact a spondylologist immediately when your child complains of constant neck pain for the first time.
Diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
Nowadays, in order to diagnose osteochondrosis, it is necessary to visit a doctor, who must perform a preliminary examination. Then, if necessary, he will send someone to conduct additional inspections. For this purpose, the cervicothoracic region is examined by magnetic resonance and computed tomography. Thanks to this examination, the diagnosis and extent of the disease can be determined.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
When a patient asks how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis (code M42. 12), the doctor will answer by determining the extent of the disease and studying the main clinical manifestations. To date, there are many different treatments.
Combination therapies are preferred, including traditional and non-traditional methods: manual therapy, drug therapy, exercise therapy, acupuncture, massage, physiotherapy and folk remedies. But it is important to understand that in the case of the latter method, it is better to see a doctor and consult him, you should not go to forums and there for information.
For the treatment of the disease (code M42. 12) to be effective, you will need to visit several specialists: massage therapists, chiropractors, neurologists, surgeons and physical therapists who will prescribe the best combination of theseEffective.
As with all diseases, osteochondrosis is best treated in the first stage of the disease, when you are competent to help. But grades 2 and 3 are not actually suitable for treatment, so a lengthy recovery process is required in this case.