Cervical-thoracic osteochondrosis and vegetative dystonia

vegetative-Vascular dystonia (VVD) often exhibited by doctors as a diagnosis. As a rule, most patients were women, young and Mature age.

Diverse complaints and symptoms cause them to go through many diagnostic procedures before it detected the true cause is osteochondrosis of the cervical-thoracic spine.

But the connection autonomic neuropathy and degenerative disc disease comes to the fore immediately. Diagnosis and treatment of combined and interrelated pathologies should be carried out under the supervision of a neurologist and, if possible, an osteopath.

Considering the causation of the two diseases – autonomic neuropathy and degenerative disc disease – should begin with degenerative diseases of the spine.

Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects fibrous tissue of the intervertebral discs in violation of its power. Most often the disease develops as a result of insufficient load on the back muscles, low physical activity.

low back pain can affect any part of the spine: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral. But symptoms that occur when vegetative-vascular dystonia, are most often the "fault" of degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine.

Classical signs of

1. back Pain becomes chronic.
2. the Pain may spread along the nerve roots in the extremities.
3. When compression of the nerve fibres is disrupted sensitivity, occurs numbness in the fingers, feeling of "pins and needles".
4. In breast osteochondrosis pinched spine leads to intercostal neuralgia. And while Shane may be impaired accessory nerve, which innervates the trapezius muscle. As a result, man is unable to turn his head and lift the shoulder on the affected side.

What is the relationship between autonomic neuropathy and degenerative disc disease

In the cervical spine are important blood vessels, namely, vertebral arteries and veins. First nourish the brain with blood containing lots of oxygen and nutrients, the latter carry used blood to sate it.

In osteochondrosis of the cervical-thoracic spine, narrowing of intervertebral spaces and the presence of osteophytes leads to compression of the vertebral vessels. This causes the symptoms of autonomic neuropathy.

Complaints presented by patients

The Complaints are varied and often masked by other diseases: cardiac, gastric, neurological.

For simplicity of classification their and combined:

1. Cardiac symptoms. Include heart attacks or slow heart rate, feeling disruptions of the heart, pain in the chest. Some people have the feeling pulsation vessels in the neck, limbs, fear of heart failure.

2. the Symptoms of the respiratory system. Occur in lesions of the cervical-thoracic spine. The patient complains of shortage of air, that it is difficult to breathe, to get more air in the chest, frequent shortness of breath at rest. As well as a feeling of heaviness in the chest, especially in the supine position. These signs are especially pronounced during the attack panic attacks.

3. the Symptoms of the digestive system. The man is troubled by heartburn, nausea, bloating, frequent urge to the toilet, diarrhea. In rough seas may occur vomiting, abdominal pain. These signs appear when compression of the spine the thoracic spine.

4. Neurological symptoms. In the more common cervical degenerative disc disease. Complaints are of excessive emotionality of a person, irritability. The patient becomes sensitive to weather changes. Often sleepy or, on the contrary, could not sleep, tormented by insomnia.

The Patient suffers from headaches that cannot be attributed to migraine. They can occur because of impaired venous outflow. Sometimes fainting.

because of decreased blood flow appears noise in the ears, darkening in the eyes, or "flashing flies".

You May experience depressive symptoms, pessimism, apathy.

In some cases occur so-called panic attacks – suddenly there are feelings of anxiety, intense fear that can accompany any of the above symptoms.

5. Other symptoms. In this group we have combined the following symptoms: a rise or lowering of body temperature, a decrease or a sudden rise in blood pressure, feeling heat or cold, feeling the tide of heat to the face or limbs, increased sweating.

Sometimes in advanced cases, women may experience problems with the menstrual cycle and in men – impotence.

Therefore, the treatment and diagnosis of autonomic neuropathy so difficult, because in order to detect the disease, it is necessary to exclude other diseases.

Treatment

Treatment of autonomic neuropathy primarily involves therapy of the cervical-thoracic osteochondrosis. Use techniques of therapeutic physical training, massage, swimming pool, massage therapy. From anti-inflammatory drugs are useddrugs, analgesics, protective agents.

Symptomatic treatment of autonomic neuropathy involves the appointment of sedatives, tranquilizers, antioxidants. You must also stop Smoking, since nicotine constricts blood vessels.

When pronounced panic attacks use tranquilizers, in some cases, antidepressants (tricyclic or selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake).

Often Useful also to consult a psychologist or psychotherapist.

by reducing cerebral blood flow using drugs that improve cerebral blood flow. When increased blood pressure taking antihypertensive medication.

From the foregoing it is clear that the treatment of dystonia is only possible if to remove its root cause – the osteochondrosis. However, the difficulty is that the IRR is not always the patient finds the strength to engage in therapeutic exercises, sports. Because of fear and apathy he preferred to be treated by the pill, masking the symptoms.

low back pain and IRR are progressing, and there is a vicious circle. And in order to break it, it is necessary to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.