Cervical spondylosis, people often think that its main symptom is neck, shoulder and arm pain, but in fact, this is only a small number of symptoms of some types of cervical spondylosis, and there are many more symptoms of cervical spondylosis.
Let’s understand the different types of cervical spondylosis separately.
1.Cervical cervical spondylosis
It manifests as pain in the head and occipital area and the back of the neck, and the patient feels stiffness and restricted movement of the neck, and the head and neck can only be restricted to a certain position.
2.Nerve root type cervical spondylosis
It is caused by the herniated discs and osteophytes in the cervical spine, so that the discs and osteophytes protruding to the intervertebral foramen compress the nerve roots, manifesting as head, occipital and posterior neck pain, neck and shoulder pain and can radiate down to the forearm and fingers, the lighter is persistent pain and swelling, the heavier can be like a knife cut, needle-like, and some patients show skin allergy, touching that is a feeling of electric shock, some show numbness, touching When touching the skin, it is like a layer of thick cloth. These people often have a history of recurrent neck and shoulder pain before the onset of the disease, which gradually worsens, and then develops into radiating pain. Some patients also suffer from trauma to the disease. The pain is aggravated when coughing and defecating, and the muscles in the back of the neck and shoulder are tense and there are pressure points are also common symptoms.
3.Spinal cord type cervical spondylosis
This type of cervical spondylosis is characterized by a series of spinal cord compression symptoms caused by cervical disc herniation or osteophytes. It is common in 40-60 years old, and its performance can be without neck and shoulder pain symptoms or neck discomfort, but directly appearing as weakness of hands and feet, unfavorable walking of lower limbs, poor grip of upper limbs, easy falling of holding objects, and failure of small movements. Sometimes, the limbs feel numb, and the feet seem to step on cotton when they land, and the gait is unstable and easy to fall. Some of them also show a feeling of banding or weight-bearing in the chest or waist. In severe cases, incontinence or urinary retention may occur, and even tetraplegia.
4.Vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis
It often manifests as headache and dizziness, but also tinnitus, dizziness, memory loss, hoarseness, difficulty in swallowing, eye muscle paralysis, blurred vision, and cardiac symptoms such as tachycardia and bradycardia. Vertigo attacks caused by head rotation are characteristic of this disease, and sudden fainting is also possible.
5.Sympathetic cervical spondylosis
There are symptoms of sympathetic excitation or inhibition, such as eyelid weakness, blurred vision, pupil dilation, eye sockets distension, tearing and other eye symptoms; tachycardia or slow heartbeat, precordial pain; increased blood pressure; cold extremities, local temperature drop, pins and needles sensation when the extremity is cold, followed by redness and pain; there may also be vasodilatation, redness, heat, pain and sensory allergy of the fingers; there may also be excessive sweating or less sweating of one side of the extremity. There may also be tinnitus, deafness, nystagmus, trigeminal neuralgia, occipital neuralgia, linguopharyngeal nerve dysfunction, etc.
6.Cervical spondylosis with esophageal compression
Cervical spine hyperplasia protruding too far forward can compress the esophagus and produce swallowing difficulties.
7.Mixed cervical spondylosis
The mixed presence of two or more types of cervical spondylosis can lead to more and more complicated symptoms.
Misconceptions in diagnosis and treatment
1.Often people think that only the presence of neck pain or neck, shoulder and arm pain can be considered as cervical spondylosis.
2.Most patients without obvious neck, shoulder and arm pain are misdiagnosed and treatment is delayed, and they go to other departments, such as cardiology, quintessential medicine and neurology.
3.It is believed that there is no good treatment for cervical spondylosis and it cannot be cured.
4.Treatment methods are only sedation, acupuncture, traction, massage or surgery, etc.
Correct diagnosis and treatment method: Diagnosis and typing can be made according to the various symptoms of cervical spondylosis combined with X-ray, CT, nuclear magnetic examination, etc. Different treatment methods should be selected according to different types in order to receive satisfactory results.
1.Traction
Traction can be applied in sitting or lying position, with the neck bent forward 15-20°, for about 1 hour each time, twice a day, until the symptoms disappear. Generally 2-4 weeks for a course of treatment. This method is an effective treatment method for nerve root type, sympathetic type and vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis.
2.Physiotherapy
Polarized light irradiation, heat transmission, low-frequency pulse, Chinese medicine or vinegar ion import treatment can be used with traction as appropriate, which can achieve better results.
3.Tui na orthopedic therapy
Massage can improve local blood supply, relax muscle spasm and relieve pain; osteopathy can correct cervical intervertebral joint disorder and relieve nerve compression, which is effective, but it should be used with caution for patients with spinal cord cervical spondylosis or cervical spinal stenosis, so as not to cause serious consequences.
4.Acupuncture treatment
Acupuncture has the function of unblocking meridians, harmonizing qi and blood, eliminating qi and blood stagnation, calming the mind and tranquilizing the spirit, and blocking the malignant cycle, so as to achieve analgesia, improve symptoms and promote recovery.
5.Medication
Western medicine mainly includes anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving drugs, blood-vitalizing and vasodilating drugs, drugs to improve brain tissue metabolism, hormone drugs, diuretic and dehydrating drugs, vitamin drugs, anesthesia and other drugs; Chinese medicine mainly includes drugs to relax the tendons and activate blood circulation and relieve pain, such as safflower, angelica, cinnamon stick and kudzu root, etc.
6.Nerve block and pain point injection therapy
By blocking sensory nerves and sympathetic nerves, the nerve conduction pathways of somatic and visceral vascular pain can be blocked, the vicious cycle of pain can be blocked, blood circulation and anti-inflammatory effects can be improved, and immediate effect can be achieved.
7.Collar and neck brace
To maintain the cervical spine braking, used for ambulatory patients or between treatment periods.
8.Surgical treatment
The vast majority of cervical spondylosis can be cured or obtain significant effect through the above non-surgical comprehensive therapy. However, for some serious cervical spondylosis that cannot be cured for a long time, surgery is required. For example, anterior cervical disc and bone spur removal + bone graft fusion can be adopted for spinal cord type cervical spondylosis, and posterior cervical spinal canal enlargement and shaping surgery can be adopted.
9.Prevention of cervical spondylosis.
(1) Head and neck bruises, bruises and whipping injuries are prone to cervical spondylosis, such as napping in a car and inadequate preparation for sports can trigger cervical spondylosis, and attention should be paid to prevention.
(2) correct the poor posture in life to prevent chronic injury. Bad posture in life is one of the main reasons for the formation of chronic strain injury, so to prevent often make the cervical spine in long-term side-bending, forward bending and other bad posture.
(3) reasonable pillow is also a factor in the prevention of cervical spondylosis, the pillow is a protective tool for the cervical spine, the height of the unsuitable pillow can make the cervical spine destabilization, prone to joint dislocation, and then induce cervical spondylosis.
(4) For patients who have degenerative changes of the cervical spine (especially elderly patients), attention should be paid to the warmth of the neck and shoulders, not to over-extend and flex the neck, and when talking with others, watching TV, reading books and newspapers, etc., they should look as straight as possible and not to over-twist and flex, so as not to induce cervical spondylosis.