Reflex symptoms
Symptoms of this category are characterized by a contraction of the vertebrae during head rotation, which, due to pain, forces the patient to occupy a certain position. Osteochondrosis causes pain of a pressing nature that spreads to the temporal zone. Sometimes patients experience a decrease in visual acuity.
Irritation of the nerve connections of the vertebral artery can provoke the appearance of a syndrome that is often diagnosed as a violation of cerebral circulation, which causes dizziness.
In this case, dizziness and nausea can also be caused by a sudden movement of the head. Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis also include heart syndrome. Its manifestation resembles an attack of angina pectoris.
root syndromes
The radicular symptoms of osteochondrosis of the neck are usually the result of spinal root compression. Violations of the musculoskeletal system or sensitivity directly depend on which nerve ending is affected:
- S1 - leads to a violation of sensitivity in the occipital zone;
- S2 - causes pain in the parietal area, which may cause dizziness;
- S3 - reduces the sensitivity of the neck, in addition, there may be a violation of speech;
- S4 - leads to a decrease in sensitivity in the shoulder area, reduces the tone of the neck muscles and causes respiratory failure;
- S5 - causes pain and violation of susceptibility on the outside of the shoulder;
- S6 - causes pain that goes from the neck to the scapula, the outer part of the shoulder and up to the thumb;
- S7 - leads to pain, spreading from the neck to the scapula, back of the shoulder and to the fingers II-IV of the hand.
- S8 - causes pain, a decrease in sensitivity that goes from the neck to the forearm, to the little finger.
Symptoms by group
Dividing clinical phenomena into groups will help to better understand the symptoms of osteochondrosis. With osteochondrosis, three key groups are observed. The first group determines the manifestation of pain, the second is reflected in movement disorders.
The third group is characterized by vascular manifestations. Based on this, it is necessary to consider in detail each individual type of complications of cervical osteochondrosis.
Nervous system
Defeat of the remote part of the nervous system can lead to the manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis. The effect of pain will be accompanied by regular neck pain.
Among the main symptoms are:
- muscle pain;
- joint pain;
- pain in the chest region.
Most often, the onset of pain occurs without external stimuli. When trying to roll over to the other side, lift the head or cough, there may be an increase in the effect of pain. The main location of the pain falls in the neck.
The manifestation of pain can be similar to an electric shock. In addition, there is tension in the neck muscles, difficulty breathing. With exacerbated osteochondrosis, a non-standard posture gradually appears: the patient's head is slightly tilted to the side.
Cervical lumbago restricts head rotation movements. While the rotation of the head is often accompanied by a grinding of the vertebrae and noise phenomena, especially if the disease has already started. Patients often believe that the cause of the spasm of pain may be hypothermia of the neck or increased stress on the cervical spine. Therefore, it is important to understand which symptoms in cervical osteochondrosis cause pain and which exacerbate the clinical manifestations of the disease.
resulting symptoms
Osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra often causes cervical and shoulder sciatica to develop. As a result, patients complain of pain in the occipital region and in the upper part of the neck. There are times when the pain moves to the shoulder girdle area.
This usually occurs when the muscles that are connected to certain nerve endings are tense. The main reason is compression of the nerve endings of the vertebrae.
movement disorders
Osteochondrosis often leads to the development of torticollis. This is the result of a spasm of the neck muscles. Such manifestations of the disease lead to a lack of movement in the cervical spine.
Each attempt to turn the head is accompanied by tightness in the vertebrae and pain in the neck.
Cervical spine X-rays show clear changes in individual vertebrae. The compression of the vessels weakens the pulse in the radial artery. Osteochondrosis in the cervical spine is often accompanied by whitening of the fingers.
An additional manifestation of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae is pain in the shoulder joint. The painful spasm usually occurs at night. Pain is given in the neck or arm, especially during an attempt to bring the arm to the side.
Attempts to give peace to the hand provoke the development of joint stiffness and form a kind of posture: the shoulder pressed against the chest. As a result, osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae in a neglected way allows you to raise your hand only at eye level. Periods of exacerbation are often accompanied by an increase in skin temperature.
vascular phenomena
Insufficient blood flow leads to cerebral manifestations of the disease. The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae with vascular manifestations:
- hypothalamic;
- drops syndrome;
- vestibule-rod;
- ochlear rod;
- pharyngolaryngeal;
- visual disturbances.
The first symptom indicates a malfunction of the hypothalamus and leads to increased fatigue, sleep disturbances. There is a decrease in the ability to remember. There are known cases of manifestation of fear or anxiety without cause. You may also notice a decrease in sex drive and frequent urination.
The second symptom is characterized by the fact that it causes dizziness, fainting and loss of consciousness. The attacks often lead to weakness in the legs and a feeling of weakness. The third syndrome causes dizziness, nausea, and unsteadiness when walking.
However, dizziness can be the cause of several other ailments. For example, conditions such as vestibular neuritis, migraine, or a brain tumor can also cause dizziness.
The fourth symptom is manifested by tinnitus or hearing loss. The main manifestations of the fifth syndrome are a sensation of dryness or a foreign body in the throat, loss of loudness in the voice and tiredness during a conversation. The last sign of cervical osteochondrosis is determined by a drop in visual acuity.
Factors that affect compression of nerve endings:
- displacement of vertebral discs;
- osteophytes;
- the formation of protrusion of the vertebrae;
- change in spinal disc height.
Cervicothoracic osteochondrosis
The basis of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine is the destruction of cancellous bone tissues. Pathological changes in the spine create conditions for the violation of nerve endings in the thoracic region. As a consequence, there is a sensation of electric shock, for example, when trying to bend the neck.
Cervicothoracic osteochondrosis is accompanied by pressure and dragging pains in the chest area. Complications cause impaired mobility of the elbow and shoulder joints. But, as in the thoracic region there are no conditions for trauma to the spinal discs, this pathology rarely leads to the formation of a hernia.
Symptoms of Cervicothoracic Osteochondrosis:
- fatigue;
- headaches, chest pains;
- drops in blood pressure;
- mist before the eyes;
- dizziness;
- buzz;
- neck (vertebrae) and rib pain;
- finger numbness;
- impaired coordination of movements.