Osteochondrosis in the neck has been noted in people of different ages, including young people, in recent years. Office workers, drivers and people who sit in front of computers for a long time are particularly susceptible to this disease.
People over 20 years of age who do not pay enough attention to their health and physical activity can develop osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, as a result of which the intervertebral discs between the vertebrae thicken and collapse, resulting in compression of the nerve endings and arteries.
What is dangerous osteochondrosis of the neck?
Osteochondrosis of the neck region, what kind of disease is represented by approximately every adult, but not everyone knows what it is really dangerous for. Numerous nerve tracts and vessels that are responsible for supplying the brain with nutrients run along this section of the spine. In the neck area, the vertebrae are particularly close together, so that nerve roots and blood vessels can be squeezed even with a slight change in their structure.
Against the background of impaired blood circulation in the brain, various health problems can arise:
- Migraines and severe headaches with cervical osteochondrosis;
- Hypertension;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- pathology of the respiratory system;
- Visual, auditory and even movement coordination.
In later forms of development, osteochondrosis of the neck, as in the photo, leads to vertebral artery syndrome. The latter is responsible for the blood supply to the cerebellum and nutrition of the medulla oblongata. Against this background, there may be cerebral ischemia, as well as a stroke.
A bump on the neck with osteochondrosis can be a sign of a malignant tumor: seek medical attention immediately!
Frequent osteochondrosis of the cervical region can cause damage to the nerve endings:
- radiculopathy;
- loss of head mobility;
- the appearance of growths on the vertebrae.
In order to avoid serious complications, it is necessary to start treatment on time, which cannot be done without diagnosis.
X-ray for diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
On an X-ray, the doctor can detect osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Each section of the spine can be translucent separately and at different angles for greater information content. In such photographs of the pathology of the neck, one can examine in detail and determine the degree of damage to the vertebrae.
Some doctors refer the patient to what is called a functional X-ray: the patient has to assume different positions to twist the spine to create an image of the neck. In rare cases, patients are injected with special substances into the disc, artery or spinal canal. In this case, the X-ray is made in the most accurate and detailed way.
Classification of osteochondrosis of the neck according to ICD
ICD 10 is the International Classification of Diseases, which in 2007 became the generally accepted guide for assigning appropriate codes to various diseases. Osteochondrosis of the cervical region, ICD code 10 in 1998 had M42 and several types of pathologies were assigned to it. So far, according to the ICD, the disease has been identified in a section with other predorsopathies in the range from M50 to M54. Depending on the pain syndrome, the disease is divided into:
- M50. 0 - osteochondrosis with myelopathy;
- M50. 1 - with radiculopathy;
- M50. 2 - plate offset;
- M50. 3 - other pathology of the neck;
- M50. 9 - unspecified diagnosis.
Varieties of cervical osteochondrosis
Consider the most common types of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine according to the ICD classification.
protrusions in the disease
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with herniated disc is one of the most popular complications. Protrusions are the initial phase of the occurrence of an intervertebral hernia, so they should not be underestimated. Key factors causing the appearance of protrusions include:
- lack of amino acids in tissues;
- poor supply of water to cells;
- low concentration of trace elements in tissues.
The intervertebral discs have a gelatinous core surrounded by a special fibrous ring. Weak supply of useful components to cells against the background of osteochondrosis causes damage to the fibrous ring, which should hold the nucleus pulposus in the intervertebral disc. Tissue pathologies occur with the formation of cracks in the ring and the penetration of the gelatinous substance into microcracks.
Cephalgic Syndrome
Sometimes doctors diagnose osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with cephalic syndrome in patients. It is determined by such complaints of sick people as:
- ringing in the ears;
- heaviness in the head;
- fainting spells and fainting spells.
The combination of these symptoms indicates poor cerebral circulation, which means the brain receives less oxygen to function properly. Other symptoms include drowsiness and occasionally 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. The disease develops for numerous reasons, including:
- congenital anomalies;
- acquired injuries;
- Diseases.
The displacement of the vertebrae contributes to the narrowing of the spinal canal, which causes pain and disrupts the work of various internal organs. If you have neck pain and a suspected herniated disc, you should quickly see a doctor who will prescribe an effective treatment.
Such osteochondrosis of the spine, dislocation of the cervical discs and vertebrobasilar insufficiency are often interrelated diseases that require serious and immediate therapy.
Will they take me into the army if I have cervical osteochondrosis?
Many young conscripts suffer from an unpleasant pathology for various reasons. Some are interested in whether neck osteochondrosis will be accepted into the army?
Immediately, we note that in the first stages of development, this disease does not even allow for a breather, since it does not affect the service. In the case of advanced disease, pain syndrome and limited mobility, the patient should be presented to a neurologist. The doctor's official graduation allows you to be pardoned, and in the most advanced cases the young man can be declared unfit.
According to the law, it is impossible to serve in the army with the defeat of three vertebrae and a hernia between the vertebrae of the cervical region.
Is it possible to get sick leave when diagnosing osteochondrosis of the neck?
Now let's find out whether they are on sick leave for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and for how long? It is really possible to exhibit it, since serious bone diseases can cause herniated discs, hernias and other dangerous diseases.
You may be on sick leave for cervical osteochondrosis if you:
- Contact a neurologist who will make a diagnosis and issue a certificate.
- The doctor will diagnose and determine the possible health risk, taking into account the patient's work.
- When inpatient treatment is prescribed, the sick leave has one type, and when the patient is assigned a rest period of several days, the sheet gets a different appointment.
With osteochondrosis, the sick leave issued for how many days depends on several factors:
- at the initial stage, sick leave of 3-7 days can be granted if the course of work does not aggravate the condition;
- in aggravated form, sick leave of up to two weeks may be required;
- With more severe lesions of the vertebrae, the patient can be treated for three months.
- A complicated form with periarthritis and other syndromes is treated for up to 7 months, and it is possible to work after the complete normalization of the condition.
If surgical intervention is required for the treatment of osteochondrosis, a medical record is issued, taking into account the timing of preparation and rehabilitation.