Uncovertebral arthrosis of the cervical spine C4,C5,C6: symptoms and treatment

Uncovertebral arthrosis of the cervical spine is a chronic disease of joints in which there is a lazy strain with degenerative changes of the cartilage inside the joint.

Consequences is the loss of mobility of limbs and joints that are associated with this part of the body, poor blood supply and innervation, which in the absence of adequate treatment lead to necrotic changes.

What is uncovertebral arthrosis?

Uncovertebral referred to as a hook-like outgrowths on the surface of the vertebra. In some cases, the C5 C6 vertebrae may be deformed in the cervical spine, but far more often than any other vertebrae, occurs arthrosis C4 C6.

Uncovertebral arthrosis of the cervical spine – a disease of the joints of the cervical chronic nature, which is manifested by the presence of hook-like outgrowths composed of cartilage, disrupt the normal functioning of brain structures, the mobility of the upper extremities and head due to impaired blood circulation, innervation and compression.

If at first arthrosis uncovertebral articulations does not have severe inconvenience, in the future can lead to serious complications. Numbness, difficulty turning the head, dizziness, and headaches should alert the person and make him to consult a specialist in time to prevent degenerative changes which cannot be cured.

What causes disease?

It's safe to say that this disease affects almost everything. The main reasons that cause this pathology, the following:

1. Excessive load on the cervical spine. Often physical load on the spine get athletes and people whose profession is associated with regular lifting weights. As for sports, no load, exceeding the normal capabilities of the human body, does not go unnoticed.
2. Low physical activity and lack of physical activity also lead to degenerative changes.
3. Repetitive movements in the cervical spine. Usually it occurs in people of specific professions such as Assembly-line work, for example.
4. are overweight. The completeness is accompanied with an excess of fat that accumulates in the intervertebral disc and leads to degenerative changes in cartilage.
5. Heredity. Incorrect articulation of the vertebrae of the cervical spine, leading to poor circulation, innervation and changes in the joints.
6. Injury. Injuries always lead to negative consequences in the structure and functioning of the joints.
7. Inflammation. The inflammatory process negatively influences the trophism of the articular surfaces, which subsequently leads to the formation of hook-like outgrowths on the surface of the vertebra.
8. Disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland. Hypo - or hyperthyroidism leads to disruption in the metabolism and trophism.

The Trophism of the cartilage is disturbed due to the influence of such factors:

• circulatory disorders (in which all nutrients are delivered in insufficient quantities, and the products of metabolism are not removed on time, resulting in a slow toxic poisoning of the body);
• innervation (violation of perception cells in the joints of the signals or nutrients that leads to a lack of oxygen and other necessary elements);
• disruption of the functioning of various organs (over-or under-secretion of endocrine glands hormones);
• metabolism (obesity – a violation of the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates).

As a result of violation of the trophic cartilage in the articular capsule is a change in the structure of the joint. But uncovertebral arthrosis of the cervical spine is the thinning of the intervertebral disc. The body's compensatory attempts to facilitate the work of the disc and begins to form a hook-like appendages on the surface of the joint. However, any changes in the structure, especially of the musculoskeletal system, negatively affect the functioning of other systems. In this case, affects mainly the nervous and circulatory system. On the surface of the vertebrae there are special grooves, holes and / or recesses, through which pass nerves and blood vessels. When transforming these formations often is their tightness, which leads to dizziness, hypoxia, impaired sensation and mobility.

What is the symptoms of pathology?

The initialstage uncovertebral arthrosis of the cervical spine the symptoms are often absent. Possible only with sharp, precisely localized pain in 1-2 vertebrae with a sharp turn of the head or in heavy physical exertion. With the progression of the disease pain and crunching possible at normal load, during sleep or even rest. The dream usually becomes intermittent due to flow off the neck or sharp pain.

In the presence of the initial symptoms of the disease, timely treatment to a specialist and follow all the recommendations in the treatment of almost two weeks it is possible to prevent the further spread of dystrophic changes in cartilage fiber. In the treatment in a more advanced stage to talk about the full recovery is not necessary since the recovery process will be very long, high likelihood of recurrence.

running the Signs of the disease more pronounced, and confusion with other abnormalities almost impossible. Pain present even at rest and when turning the head there is a crunch and sharp pain, which may radiate in any place. There is a feeling of numbness in the head and neck, constant headaches, dizziness, loss of coordination and some spatial disorientation. These symptoms are a result of impaired blood supply and innervation of the brain, hypoxia.

When more serious violations of the uncovertebral joints may form the synovial cyst. The tumor compresses the tissue, so there is severe pain that can even radiate into the leg, and in the absence of treatment causes of neurotic diseases and paralysis. In addition, if not to prevent tumor growth, she can go to the spinal cord and even the brain. Ultimately can develop a complete immobilization of the cervical spine.

Tactics and methods of therapy

As with other diseases, treatment of uncovertebral arthrosis of the cervical spine begins with the elimination of the causes of this pathology. The first is the reduction of load on the cervical spine or if the arthritis has caused the lack of movement, adding weight, which is an element of medical gymnastics, running in the absence of pain. It is necessary to reduce the weight, and with it will go away and fatty deposits in the neck, which would facilitate the passage of nutrients through the blood vessels and nerve fibers.

Like during treatment and after it is recommended to sleep on special orthopedic pillow. The attending physician will choose an orthopedic collar that will expand the intervertebral space and removes the symptoms: reduce pain, swelling, numbness.

The Essence of physiotherapy is to restore mobility in the joints transformed. Exercises should be performed in a well ventilated room or outdoors (ideally in a Park or in the woods). It is better if the patient will be seated, so that when the vertigo was absent the probability of falling, bruises and a concussion. Sudden movements should be excluded and the appearance of pain; in this case, immediately stop the exercise.

Prescribed By a doctor can be massage of the cervical spine to restore circulation and maintain muscle tone. Massage can be using cooling, warming or analgesic ointments and oils.

Physiotherapy and acupuncture also have a positive influence on the treatment of uncovertebral arthrosis of the cervical spine.

Therapy uncovertebral osteoarthritis should be comprehensive, and one important element is taking drugs:

1. Pain and antispasmodic to reduce the pain and spasms that are in the later stages of the disease can be quite strong.
2. Vasodilators to improve the vascularity of the head and neck. Since the vessels are constricted due to the transformation joint, their extension with the help of medication will increase blood flow and compensates for the lack of oxygen and nutrients.
3. Drugs that improve the nutrition of cartilage, which contributes to the rapid restoration of the damaged joint.
4. anti-Inflammatory drugs.
5. Sedatives to maintain the patient in a good mood and the absence of adrenaline – a stress hormone which narrows the blood vessels in response to stress and increased nervous tension.

Treatment by this method is subjected to the joint and adjacent tissues, vessels and nerves.

Though traditional methods of treatment have no effect, their impact makes life easier for the patient. Most ointments and compresses possess analgesic properties. Ointment for rubbing improve blood circulation who suffer from hypoxia, maintain muscle tone, or the risk of malnutrition is reduced.

In advanced stages uncovertebral arthrosis at the lack of effectiveness of drugs, acupuncture and physiotherapy treated surgically surgical intervention.

The Treatment of arthrosis of traditional methods can be practised only in the case when there is no riskallergic reactions and other side effects, which will only aggravate existing problems. We must not forget that people's ways are only an addition to the main medical complex.

Uncovertebral arthrosis of the cervical spine – a serious disease, but with timely treatment to a specialist in the early stages is easily amenable to comprehensive treatment.