Osteochondrosis of the neck in recent years has been found in people of various ages, including young people. Especially susceptible to this disease are office workers, drivers and people who sit for a long time in front of the computer.
People over 20 who do not pay enough attention to their health and physical activity can develop osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae, as a result of which the discs between the vertebrae begin to thicken and collapse, which will lead to nerve compression. endings and arteries.
What is dangerous osteochondrosis of the neck
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region, what disease is approximately represented by every adult, but not everyone knows what it is really dangerous for. Along this section of the spine pass numerous nerve channels and vessels, which are responsible for supplying the brain with nutrients. In the neck area, the vertebrae are especially close to each other, so even with a slight change in their structure, the nerve roots and blood vessels can be compressed.
Against the background of brain blood circulation disorders, various health problems can occur:
- migraine and severe headache with cervical osteochondrosis;
- hypertension;
- vegetovascular dystonia;
- cardiovascular disorders;
- pathology of the respiratory system;
- impaired vision, hearing and even coordination of movements.
In the later forms of development, osteochondrosis of the neck, as in the photo, leads to vertebral artery syndrome. The latter is responsible for supplying the cerebellum with blood and feeding the medulla oblongata. Against this background, cerebral ischemia can occur, as well as spinal stroke.
A lump on the neck with osteochondrosis may be a sign of a malignant tumor: go to the doctor immediately!
Frequent osteochondrosis of the cervical region can cause damage to nerve endings:
- radiculopathy;
- loss of head mobility;
- the appearance of outgrowths of the vertebrae.
In order to avoid serious complications, it is necessary to start treatment in a timely manner, which is impossible without diagnosis.
X-ray for diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
The doctor can determine osteochondrosis of the cervical spine on an X-ray. For greater informativeness, each part of the spine can be translucent separately and at different angles. In such photos of the pathology of the neck, you can look 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 must take different positions to bend the spine to create a picture 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 conclusion will be made most accurately and in detail.
Classification of osteochondrosis of the neck according to the 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 attributed to it. To date, according to the ICD, the disease is identified in a section with other preorshopathies in the range of M50 to M54. Depending on the pain syndrome, the disease is classified into:
- M50. 0 - osteochondrosis with myelopathy;
- M50. 1 - with radiculopathy;
- M50. 2 - disk 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 in accordance with the ICD classification.
Protrusions in the disease
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with disc protrusion is one of the most common complications. Protrusions are the initial phase of the appearance of intervertebral hernia, so they should not be underestimated. The main factors causing the appearance of bumps include:
- lack of amino acids in tissues;
- poor supply of cells with water;
- low concentration of trace elements in tissues.
The intervertebral discs have a core of gelatinous structure that is surrounded by a special fibrous ring. The weak 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 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:
- noise in the ears;
- heaviness in the head;
- pre-seizure states and seizure.
The combination of these symptoms indicates poor cerebral circulation, due to which the brain receives less oxygen for full functioning. Additional symptoms include drowsiness and sometimes fever.
Osteochondrosis of the neck with displacement
Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae with displacement, which occurs in some patients, is one of the most common forms. The disease develops for many 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 feel neck pain and suspect disc displacement, you should immediately go to a doctor who will prescribe effective treatment.
Such osteochondrosis of the spine, cervical disc displacement 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 recruits suffer from unpleasant pathology for various reasons. Some are interested in whether osteochondrosis of the neck is accepted in the army?
We immediately note that in the initial stages of development, this disease will not even allow you to get a break, since it does not interfere with service. At a more advanced stage of the disease, pain syndrome and limited mobility, the patient should be registered with a neurologist. The doctor's official opinion will allow you to get a reprieve, 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 a defeat of three vertebrae and with a hernia between the vertebrae of the cervical department.
Is it possible to get a sick leave if osteochondrosis of the neck is diagnosed?
Now let's find out, with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, do they give sick leave and for how long? It is really possible to give out, because serious bone pathologies can cause disc displacement, herniation and other dangerous diseases.
You can get sick leave for cervical osteochondrosis if you do the following:
- Contact a neurologist who will make a diagnosis and issue an appropriate certificate.
- The doctor will diagnose and determine the possible health risk, taking into account the patient's work.
- When inpatient treatment is prescribed, the hospital sheet will have one type, and if the patient is assigned a break for several days, the sheet will receive a different designation.
In case of osteochondrosis, the sick leave for how many days will be issued depends on various factors:
- in the initial stages, sick leave can be given for 3-7 days if going to work does not worsen the condition;
- in an aggravated form, sick leave of up to two weeks may be required;
- with more severe lesions of the vertebrae, the patient can be left to heal for three months;
- a complex form with periarthritis and other syndromes is treated for up to 7 months, and it will be possible to work after complete normalization of the condition.
When an operation is necessary for the treatment of osteochondrosis, a sick leave is issued, taking into account the time of preparation and rehabilitation.