Osteochondrosis in the neck in recent years has been found in people of different ages, including young people. Office workers, drivers and people who sit in front of a computer for a long time are especially susceptible to this disease.
People over the age of 20 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 discs between the vertebrae begin to thicken and collapse, which will lead to nerve compressionendings and arteries.
What is dangerous osteochondrosis of the neck
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region, what kind of disease is represented by almost every adult, but not everyone knows in what it is really dangerous. Along this part of the spine run numerous nerve canals 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, nerve roots and blood vessels can be compressed.
In the context of circulatory disorders of the brain, various health problems can appear:
- migraine and severe headaches with cervical osteochondrosis.
- hypertension;
- phytovascular dystonia;
- cardiovascular disorders;
- pathology of the respiratory system;
- impaired vision, hearing 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 supplying the cerebellum with blood and nourishing the medulla oblongata. In this context, cerebral ischemia can occur, as well as spinal stroke.
A bump on the neck with osteochondrosis may be a sign of a malignant tumor: see a doctor immediately!
Common osteochondrosis of the cervical region can cause damage to nerve endings:
- radiculopathy?
- loss of head mobility;
- the appearance of increases in the vertebrae.
In order to avoid serious complications, it is necessary to start treatment in time, which is impossible without a diagnosis.
Radiography for the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis
The doctor is able to determine osteochondrosis of the cervical spine on an X-ray. For greater information content, each section of the spine can be translucent separately and at different angles. 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 a so-called functional X-ray: the patient has to take 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 conclusion will become the most accurate and detailed.
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, the ICD 10 code in 1998 had M42, and several types of pathologies were assigned to it. To date, according to the ICD, the disease has been located in a segment with other pre-spinal diseases 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 - disc displacement.
- M50. 3 - other throat pathology.
- 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 disease
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with disc protrusion is one of the most popular complications. Protrusions are the initial phase of the appearance of an intervertebral hernia, so they should not be underestimated. The main factors that cause protrusions to appear include:
- lack of amino acids in the tissues.
- poor water supply of the cells.
- low concentration of trace elements in tissues.
Intervertebral discs have a core of gelatinous structure, which is surrounded by a special fibrous ring. A weak supply of cells with useful components against the background of osteochondrosis causes damage to the annulus fibrosus, 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.
Headache syndrome
Sometimes doctors diagnose osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with cephalic syndrome in patients. It is determined by patient complaints such as:
- tinnitus;
- Heaviness in the head;
- pre-fainting states and fainting.
The combination of these symptoms indicates poor cerebral circulation, due to which the brain receives less oxygen for full function. Additional symptoms include drowsiness and occasional 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 many reasons, such as:
- congenital anomalies;
- acquired injuries;
- illnesses.
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 quickly go to the doctor, who will prescribe an effective treatment.
Such osteochondrosis of the spine, displacement of cervical discs and vertebral basilar insufficiency are often interrelated disorders that require serious and immediate treatment.
Will I be drafted if I have cervical osteochondrosis?
Many young conscripts suffer from an unpleasant pathology for various reasons. Anyone wondering if osteochondrosis of the neck goes to the military?
We immediately note that in the initial stages of development, this disease will not even allow you to take a break, as it does not interfere with service. With the disease in more advanced stages, pain syndrome and limited mobility, the patient should be registered with a neurologist. The official doctor's report will allow you to get a postponement 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 with a hernia between the vertebrae of the cervical region.
Is it possible to get a sick leave certificate if osteochondrosis in the neck is diagnosed?
Let's understand now, with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, do they give sick leave and for how much? It is really possible to issue, as serious bone pathologies can cause disc displacement, herniation and other dangerous disorders.
You can take sick leave for cervical osteochondrosis if you do the following:
- Contact a neurologist who will make the diagnosis and issue the appropriate certificate.
- The doctor will diagnose and determine the potential risk to health, taking into account the patient's work.
- When inpatient care is prescribed, the sick leave will have one type, and if the patient receives rest for several days, the sheet will receive a different appointment.
With osteochondrosis, the sick leave for how many days will be issued depends on several factors:
- in the initial stages, sick leave can be given for 3-7 days if going to work does not aggravate the condition.
- in an aggravated form, sick leave of up to two weeks may be required.
- with more severe damage to the vertebrae, the patient can be left for treatment for three months.
- a complicated form with periarthritis and other syndromes is treated for up to 7 months and it will be possible to work after the condition is completely normalized.
When surgery is required for the treatment of osteochondrosis, a sick leave sheet is issued taking into account the preparation and recovery schedule.