Cervical spondylosis, also known as cervical spine syndrome, is a syndrome caused by degeneration and hyperplasia of the cervical spine, stimulating or compressing the nerve roots, spinal cord, vertebral artery or sympathetic nerve, and the lesions are usually found between cervical 5/6 and cervical 6/7. The occurrence of cervical spondylosis is related to chronic repetitive strain injury of the cervical spine, systemic metabolism, endocrine changes and other factors, and it occurs in middle-aged and elderly people and long-time ambulatory workers.
Etiology and pathology.
1, exogenous causes: various acute and chronic trauma can cause different degrees of injury to the intervertebral disc, ligament and joint capsule, thus decreasing the stability of the spine and prompting compensatory hyperplasia of the cervical spine, and if the hyperplasia directly or indirectly compresses the nerves and blood vessels, it produces symptoms.
2, endogenous: mainly the intervertebral disc degeneration. Cartilage plate ossification, decreased permeability, nucleus pulposus dehydration, fibrosis, narrowing of the intervertebral space, decreased spinal stability, wear and tear of the hook vertebral joint and small joints and hyperplasia; vertebral body also compensatory hyperplasia, while the intervertebral foramen becomes narrower and smaller, which in turn compresses the neurovascular. Different manifestations can occur at different sites of hyperplasia: anterior, posterior, and lateral-posterior margins of the vertebral body, lateral and posterior aspects of the hook vertebral joints, transverse processes, and small joints.
Excessive or uncoordinated activity of the cervical spine can produce aseptic inflammation by stimulation of the surrounding soft tissues by the hyperplasia; or local cold, reduced blood flow, muscle spasm, and consequently aseptic inflammation.
Clinical manifestations.
1. Nerve root type. Pain, numbness, abnormal sensation, muscle weakness, decreased nerve reflexes, abnormal special examination, and X-ray changes.
2, Vertebral artery type. Headache, vertigo, f heart, vomiting, deafness and tinnitus, blurred vision, associated with head turning.
3.Sympathetic nerve type. Headache and dizziness, blurred vision, chest tightness, panic, precordial pain, sweating, cold limbs or fever.
4.Spinal cord type. Numbness and weakness of one or both limbs, unstable walking, feeling of stepping on cotton, feeling of tethering in the chest and back, and sphincter dysfunction in severe cases. The limb muscle tone is increased, the muscle strength is weakened, the nerve reflex is hyperactive, and the pathological reflex is positive.
5.Mixed type. Some people call the anterior cervical irritation reaction “cervical type”, which can be seen as dysphagia, cough, slurred pronunciation, etc.
Treatment
Treatment principle: relax the tendons and activate the blood, and regulate the tendons and channels. Improve blood circulation and promote the absorption of inflammation. Before treatment must be clearly diagnosed, to exclude contraindications to manipulation.
1, manual therapy, do massage points.
2. Cervical occipital jaw traction.
3, physical therapy and Chinese medicine ion introduction.
4. Chinese medicine to identify and treat.
5. Chinese medicine preparation, intravenous drip, such as Chuanxiongzin, Danshen injection, etc.
6. The application of anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs.
7. Application of neurotrophic drugs.
8. Life regulation: avoid long hours of ambulatory work.
9. Sleeping posture.
10. Functional exercise: leading crane head, etc.