Osteochondrosis in the neck in recent years has been found in people of different ages, including young people. Office workers, drivers and people who sit in front of a computer for a long time are very susceptible to this disease.
People over the age of 20 who do not pay enough attention to their health and physical activity can suffer from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, as a result of which the discs between the vertebrae begin to thicken and collapse, and this will cause nerve compression. extremities and arteries.
Is osteochondrosis dangerous in the neck
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region, what kind of disease is represented by every adult, but not everyone knows what is actually dangerous. Many channels and nerve channels run along this part of the spine, which is responsible for supplying the brain with nutrients. In the neck area, the vertebrae are very close to each other, so even with slight changes in their structure, nerve roots and blood vessels can be squeezed.
Against the background of cerebral circulation disorders, various health problems can occur:
- severe migraines and headaches with cervical osteochondrosis;
- hypertension;
- vegetovascular dystonia;
- cardiovascular disorders;
- pathology of the respiratory system;
- vision, hearing and movement coordination disorders.
In the form of later development, neck osteochondrosis, as in the photo, leads to vertebral artery syndrome. The latter is responsible for supplying the cerebellum with blood and nourishing the medulla oblongata. Against this background, cerebral ischemia may occur, as well as a spinal stroke.
A lump on the neck with osteochondrosis can be a sign of a malignant tumor: see a doctor immediately!
Common osteochondrosis in the cervical region can cause damage to nerve endings:
- radiculopathy;
- loss of head mobility;
- the appearance of growths on the vertebrae.
To avoid serious complications, it is necessary to start treatment on time, which is impossible without diagnosis.
X-ray for the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
Doctors can determine osteochondrosis of the cervical spine on an x-ray. For greater information content, each section of the spine can be translucent separately and at different angles. In such a pathological picture of the neck, one can examine in detail and determine the degree of damage to the vertebrae.
Some doctors refer the patient to the so-called functional x-ray: the patient needs to take a different position to rotate the spine to make a picture of the neck. In rare cases, the patient is injected with a special substance into the disc, artery or spinal canal. In this case, X-ray conclusions will be made the most accurate and detailed.
Classification of neck osteochondrosis according to the ICD
ICD 10 is the International Classification of Diseases, which in 2007 became a generally accepted guide for assigning appropriate codes to various diseases. Osteochondrosis of the cervical region, the ICD 10 code in 1998 has M42, and several types of pathology have been assigned to it. Until now, according to the ICD, the disease has been identified in sections with other pre-dorsopathies in the range from M50 to M54. Depending on the pain syndrome, the disease is classified into:
- M50. 0 - osteochondrosis with myelopathy;
- M50. 1 - with radiculopathy;
- M50. 2 - balance disc;
- M50. 3 - other pathologies of the neck;
- M50. 9 - diagnosis not determined.
Various cervical osteochondrosis
Consider the most common types of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine according to the ICD classification.
Protrusions in disease
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with disc protrusion is one of the most popular complications. Protrusions are the initial phase of the appearance of intervertebral hernia, so they should not be underestimated. The main factors that cause the appearance of protrusions include:
- lack of amino acids in tissues;
- poor supply of cells with water;
- low concentrations of trace elements in tissues.
The intervertebral disc has a gelatinous structural core, which is surrounded by a special fibrous ring. Poor supply of cells with useful components against the background of osteochondrosis causes damage to the fibrous ring, which should hold the nucleus pulposus in the disc. Tissue pathology occurs with the formation of cracks in the ring and the penetration of gelatinous material into the microcracks.
Cephalgic syndrome
Sometimes doctors diagnose osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with cephalgic syndrome in patients. It is determined by the patient's complaints such as:
- tinnitus;
- heaviness in the head;
- state before fainting and fainting.
The combination of these symptoms indicates poor cerebral circulation, which causes the brain to receive less oxygen to function fully. Additional symptoms include drowsiness and occasional fever.
Osteochondrosis of the neck with displacement
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with displacement, which occurs in some patients, is one of the most common forms. This disease develops for a variety of reasons, including:
- congenital abnormalities;
- injuries sustained;
- disease.
Vertebral displacement contributes to the narrowing of the spinal canal, which causes pain and disrupts the work of various internal organs. If you have pain in the neck and suspected disc displacement, you should immediately go to the doctor, who will prescribe effective treatment.
Such spinal osteochondrosis, cervical disc displacement, and vertebrobasilar insufficiency are often interrelated disorders that require serious and immediate therapy.
Will they take me into the army if I have cervical osteochondrosis?
Many young conscripts suffer from unpleasant pathologies for various reasons. Anyone interested in whether neck osteochondrosis is taken into the army?
We immediately note that at the main stage of development, this disease will not allow you to rest, because it does not interfere with service. With the disease in an advanced stage, pain syndrome and limited mobility, the patient should be registered with a neurologist. The doctor's official conclusion will allow you to get a postponement, and in the most advanced cases, the young man may be declared unwell.
According to the law, it is impossible to serve in the army with the defeat of three vertebrae and with a hernia between the vertebrae of the cervical region.
Is it possible to get a sick leave certificate if neck osteochondrosis is diagnosed?
Now let's think, with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, do they give sick leave and for how long? It is absolutely possible to remove it, because serious bone pathology can cause disc displacement, hernia and other dangerous disorders.
You can get sick leave for cervical osteochondrosis if you do the following:
- Contact a neurologist who will make a diagnosis and issue the appropriate certificate.
- The doctor will diagnose and determine possible health risks, taking into account the patient's work.
- When inpatient treatment is prescribed, sick leave will have one type, and if the patient is given a break for several days, the sheet will receive a different appointment.
With osteochondrosis, sick leave for how many days will be issued depends on various factors:
- at the initial stage, sick leave can be granted for 3-7 days if going to work does not worsen the situation;
- in severe form, sick leave of up to two weeks may be required;
- with more severe wounds to the vertebrae, the patient can be left to be treated for three months;
- complicated form with periarthritis and other syndromes is treated for up to 7 months, and it will be able to function after the condition is completely normalized.
When surgery is required for the treatment of osteochondrosis, a sick leave sheet is issued taking into account the preparation and recovery time.