Cervical spondylosis, also known as cervical spine syndrome, is a general term for cervical osteoarthritis, proliferative cervicitis, cervical nerve root syndrome and cervical disc prolapse, which is a disorder based on degenerative pathological changes. It is a clinical syndrome with a series of dysfunctions mainly due to long-term cervical spine strain, osteophytes, or disc prolapse and ligament thickening, resulting in compression of the cervical spinal cord, nerve roots or vertebral artery. It manifests as a series of pathological changes of cervical disc degeneration itself and its secondary effects, such as destabilization and loosening of vertebral joints, protrusion or prolapse of the nucleus pulposus, bone spur formation, ligamentous hypertrophy and secondary spinal stenosis, etc., which stimulate or compress the adjacent nerve roots, spinal cord, vertebral artery and cervical sympathetic nerve and other tissues, causing a series of symptoms and signs.
Cervical spondylosis is the main disease of most modern urban office workers, because long-term sitting in front of the computer and do not get exercise, over time, our cervical spine problems, so what are the symptoms of cervical spondylosis, what do we do how to prevent cervical spondylosis, then the following I will give you an introduction to it!
A. Symptoms and performance of different types of cervical spondylosis
1.Cervical type
①Subjective complaints of abnormal sensations such as head, neck and shoulder pain, accompanied by corresponding pressure pain points;
②The cervical spine shows curvature change or intervertebral joint instability on X-ray;
③Excluding other cervical disorders (pillow, frozen shoulder, rheumatic myofibrositis, neurasthenia and other shoulder and neck pain not caused by degenerative disc degeneration).
2.Nerve root type
(1) With typical root symptoms (numbness, pain), and the scope is consistent with the area innervated by the cervical spinal nerve;
② Positive head press test or brachial plexus pull test;
(iii) The imaging findings are consistent with the clinical presentation;
④No significant effect of painful point closure (this test may not be performed if the diagnosis is clear);
⑤Excluding the pain of upper limbs caused by extra-cervical spine lesions (thoracic outlet syndrome, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, elbow tunnel syndrome, frozen shoulder, biceps tenosynovitis, etc.).
3.Spinal cord type
①Cervical spondylosis is clinically manifested by strong damage to the cervical spine;
②X-ray film shows osteophytes on the posterior edge of the vertebral body, spinal stenosis, and imaging confirms the presence of spinal cord compression;
(③Excluding amyotrophic spinal cord sclerosis, spinal cord tumor, spinal cord injury, secondary adhesive arachnoiditis, and multiple peripheral neuritis.
4.Vertebral artery type
①There was a sudden collapse attack with cervical vertigo;
(ii) Positive rotational neck test;
③X-ray shows segmental instability or osteophytes of the cardinal joints;
④More often accompanied by sympathetic symptoms;
⑤Excluding ophthalmogenic and otogenic vertigo;
(6) Excluding insufficiency of basilar artery supply caused by compression of vertebral artery segment I (the segment before entering the transverse foramen of cervical 6) and vertebral artery segment III (the segment before exiting the cervical spine into the skull);
(7) Vertebral arteriogram or digital subtraction vertebral arteriogram (DSA) should be performed before surgery.
5.Sympathetic nerve type
Clinical manifestations include dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, hand numbness, tachycardia, precordial pain and a series of sympathetic symptoms, with instability or degeneration on x-ray. Negative vertebral arteriogram.
6.Other types
Difficulty in swallowing caused by compression of the esophagus by the anterior umbo-like growth of the cervical vertebrae (confirmed by barium examination of the esophagus), etc.
Second, the health care of cervical spondylosis
The first type – hold the head side neck
Injury pathology: cervical lateral flexion, lateral rotation movement, mainly relying on the anterior, middle and posterior oblique muscles of the anterior lateral neck, sternocleidomastoid muscle and the posterior lateral trapezius muscle. The left and right sides need to be balanced and coordinated. The oblique muscles start at the anterior edge of the transverse process of the cervical vertebrae 1-6 and end at the 1st and 2nd ribs. The trapezius muscle starts at the posterior edge of the transverse process of the cervical vertebrae and ends at the outer edge of the scapula and clavicle. If the head and neck move in one direction for a long time (i.e., often turn to the right or left), such as teachers’ habit of turning to the students and the blackboard in one direction in class, students sitting on the side of the classroom for a long time, or office reception guests turning their heads in one direction for a long time, etc., it can lead to unilateral strain on the oblique muscles, sternocleidomastoid muscles and oblique muscles (more congestion and less ischemia), and unilateral rotation of the cervical vertebrae maintained by the unilateral rotation, hook vertebral joint The cervical spondylosis is caused by the disorder of the hook joint.
Prevention and treatment methods: the cervical spine axial position relies on both sides of the oblique muscles sternocleidomastoid and oblique angle muscle balance, lateral neck exercise the muscle strength of these two groups of muscles, so that the damaged are restored, the affected do not cause injury, maintain or restore the normal cervical spine mechanical balance.
Gymnastics way: orthostatic position, eyes level, hands bent elbows, two palms together behind the head, then the head and neck to the side of the flexion, and a little pressure, left and right lateral flexion 8 × 4 times each.
Note: side flexion when the thorax, waist and back, remain upright and do not move.
The second type – hold the head flexion and extension
Injury pathology: head and neck flexion and extension movement is to rely on the front of the neck oblique angle muscle (flexion) and the back of the neck head and neck pinch muscle, collar ligament, trapezius muscle, scapular lift muscle (extension). Long-term low or semi-low head work, such as reading, writing, drivers, computers, accounting, sewers, lathe workers and other types of work, can easily lead to strain on the extension muscle group. Especially the collateral ligament. The ligament is the toughest skeletal muscle ligament in the neck, buried deep in the forked spine of all cervical vertebrae, playing an important role in supporting the gravity of the head, maintaining the normal curvature of the cervical vertebrae bending forward and the position of the cervical vertebrae in the axis. Once the strain, muscle strength decreases, the cervical vertebrae lose their central sustaining force, resulting in rotation, lateral bending, cervical bending disorder, and cervical spondylosis.
Prevention and treatment methods: exercise the neck and injury of the extension muscle group, maintenance of the cervical bending and cervical spine axis muscle strength.
Gymnastics way: two eyes flat, hands bent elbows, palms together behind the head.
The first step: press the back of the head to flex the neck to the jaw against the chest.
The second step: hold the head with both hands with slight pressure against it, so that it slowly lift the head and back extension.
Repeat this 8 x 4 times.
Note: The chest and back do not move, and if there is a lesion, the range of flexion and extension is based on the principle of no pain.
The third style – neck tackling
Injury pathology: the posterior neck ligament and the scapularis scapularis is an important pillar to maintain the neck curvature and support the gravity of the head, this group of muscles due to long-term low head work and strain, secondary to cervical spine disorders, so the protection of this group of muscles is an important measure to prevent cervical spondylosis.
Prevention and treatment mechanism: This is a method of self-massage and massage of cervical muscles, which can loosen adhesions, increase blood flow in ischemic people, improve muscle volume and enhance muscle tone.
Gymnastics way: upright slightly tilted head, hands together behind the neck, with the wrist joint to pinch the back of the neck muscle, and lift 8 × 4 times.
Note: palm force should be aware of stable, do not take the skin injury.
Three, cervical spondylosis green treatment means
1.Exercise therapy
When the symptoms of each type of cervical spondylosis are basically relieved or in a chronic state, medical gymnastics can be started to promote the further elimination of symptoms and consolidate the therapeutic effect. Local rest is appropriate during the acute attack of symptoms, and the stimulation of movement should not be increased. Exercise is contraindicated when there are more obvious or progressive spinal cord compression symptoms, especially cervical backward movement should be contraindicated. When the vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, the neck rotation movement should be gentle and slow, and the amplitude should be controlled appropriately.
2.National art point therapy
According to the characteristics of different diseases, the patient is stimulated by pointing, flicking, plucking, pinching and sparing with fingers or palms on specific parts of the patient’s body surface, supplemented by wine moxibustion, so that the outside of the point is opened and the inside of the point is moved, so that qi and blood flow smoothly, yin and yang are relatively balanced, and immunity and self-healing ability are improved, so as to achieve the purpose of activating blood circulation, removing blood stasis, supporting the righteousness and eliminating evil, and curing the disease.
3.Traction therapy
Traction” was one of the preferred methods for treating cervical spondylosis in the past, but in recent years, it has been found that many patients with cervical spondylosis, especially those who have been using “traction” for a long time, suffer from cervical spondylosis after using “traction”. However, in recent years, it has been found that many patients with cervical spondylosis, especially those who have been using “traction” for a long time, have not only failed to reduce their cervical spondylosis, but also aggravated it.
Traction not only can not promote the recovery of the cervical spine physiological curvature, on the contrary, traction straightened the cervical spine, but also weakened the cervical spine physiological curvature, so cervical spondylosis should be used with caution traction therapy.
4.Massage and massage therapy
Is a more effective treatment measures for cervical spondylosis. Its therapeutic effect is to relieve the tension and spasm of the neck and shoulder muscles, restore the cervical spine activities, release the nerve roots and soft tissue adhesions to relieve symptoms, spinal cord type cervical spondylosis generally prohibit gravity massage and reset, otherwise it is very easy to aggravate the symptoms, and may even lead to paraplegia, even if the early symptoms are not obvious, surgery is generally recommended.
5.Physiotherapy
In the treatment of cervical spondylosis, physiotherapy can play a variety of roles. It is generally believed that iontophoresis, ultrasound, ultraviolet light or intermittent current are feasible in the acute stage; ultrasound, iodine iontophoresis, induction electricity or other heat therapy are used after the pain is reduced.
6.Warm compress
This treatment can improve blood circulation, relieve muscle spasm, eliminate swelling to reduce symptoms, and help stabilize the affected vertebrae after manipulative treatment. This method can be used hot towel and hot water bag local external compresses, acute patients with heavy pain symptoms should not be warm compress treatment.