Cervical spondylosis is a combination of symptoms, also known as cervical spine syndrome, commonly found in middle-aged and elderly people. It is a comprehensive set of symptoms caused by gradual degenerative changes of human intervertebral discs, cervical spine osteophytes, or stimulation or pressure into cervical nerve roots, cervical spinal cord vertebral artery, and cervical sympathetic nerve after the normal but physiological curve of cervical spine is changed. Cervical spondylosis can be divided into: cervical, nerve root, vertebral artery, spinal cord, sympathetic nerve, other and mixed types according to clinical manifestations.
10 danger signs of cervical spondylosis
1. long-standing headache or migraine.
2. prolonged dizziness.
3. persistent tinnitus or hearing loss of non-ear origin.
4. unexplained cardiac arrhythmia, angina-like symptoms.
5.Long-standing untreated hypotension.
6, “inexplicable” hypertension.
7, long untreated and “can not find the cause” of the internal organs within the dysfunction, such as respiratory system, digestive system, endocrine system dysfunction, etc..
8, more hair oil, more hair finer seborrheic dermatitis of the head, hair loss.
9, always tilting the head to one side.
10, unexplained repeated “pillow ”.
At present, the latest diagnostic criteria for cervical spondylosis are.
(1) The diagnosis can be confirmed if the clinical manifestations are consistent with what is seen in the imaging.
(2) With typical clinical manifestations of cervical spondylosis and normal imaging, attention should be paid to the exclusion of other patients before diagnosing cervical spondylosis.
(3) If there is only abnormal imaging performance without clinical symptoms of cervical spondylosis, cervical spondylosis should not be diagnosed.
The diagnosis is based on the following respectively.
(1) Cervical type: ①Subjective complaints of abnormal sensations such as head, neck and shoulder pain with corresponding pressure pain points. (2) The cervical spine on X-ray film shows changes in curvature or intervertebral joint instability and other manifestations. (3) Other disorders of the neck should be excluded (drop pillow, frozen shoulder, rheumatic myofibrositis, neurasthenia and other shoulder and neck pain not caused by degenerative disc degeneration).
(2) Nerve root type: ① with more typical radicular 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. ③The 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 the 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: ① Clinical manifestations of strong cervical spine damage. (2) X-ray film shows osteophytes and spinal stenosis at the posterior edge of the vertebral body. The presence of spinal cord compression is confirmed by imaging. (3) Excluding amyotrophic spinal cord sclerosis, spinal cord tumor, spinal cord injury, secondary adhesive arachnoiditis, and multiple peripheral neuritis.
(4) Vertebral artery type: The diagnosis of vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis is a problem to be studied. (1) There was a sudden collapse attack. With cervical vertigo. (2) Positive rotational neck test. ③X-ray film shows segmental instability or osteophytes of the pivotal joint. ④More often accompanied by sympathetic symptoms. ⑤Except ophthalmogenic and otogenic vertigo. (6) Exclude insufficiency of basilar artery supply caused by compression of vertebral artery segment I (the segment of vertebral artery before entering the transverse foramen of cervical 6) and vertebral artery segment III (the segment of vertebral artery before exiting the cervical spine into the skull). (7) Vertebral arteriogram or digital subtraction vertebral arteriogram (DSA) is required before surgery.
(5) Sympathetic type: Clinical manifestations include a series of sympathetic symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, hand numbness, tachycardia, precordial pain, etc. There is instability or degeneration on x-ray. Negative vertebral arteriogram.
(6) Other types: cervical vertebrae with anterior bird’s mouth-like hyperplasia compressing the esophagus causing dysphagia (confirmed by barium examination of the esophagus), etc.
To prevent the occurrence of cervical spondylosis, the following points must be noted.
First, some studies have shown that long-term repression of feelings, do not reveal things, sentimental people are prone to neurasthenia, neurasthenia will affect the bones and joints and muscle rest, in the long run, the neck and shoulders are prone to pain. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain an optimistic and good mood.
Second, daily work should pay attention to maintain the correct posture of the head and neck, do not shrug your shoulders, read books, operate the computer to look at the front, keep the spine straight. Pay attention to adjust the height and tilt of the workbench. If the workbench is too high or too low will make the neck supination or flexion, both positions are not conducive to the internal and external balance of the cervical spine. In principle, the head, neck and chest should be made to maintain the normal physiological curve prevail. When sleeping, choose a suitable pillow to maintain the physiological curve of the head and neck section itself. This physiological curve ensures the balance of the external muscles of the cervical spine and maintains the physiological anatomical state of the spinal canal. Not too high or too low, the general pillow with a height of 10 cm is appropriate. Do not lie down to read books, watch TV.
Third, sit as little as possible, do not walk, do not ride a bike, do not ride a car. Especially the car people and long-term office workers, take some time to exercise every day, especially pay attention to strengthen the neck and shoulder muscle exercise, can do a head and double upper limbs of the forward flexion, back extension and rotation movement, not only can relieve fatigue, but also can make the muscle developed, toughness enhanced, conducive to the stability of the neck section of the spine, enhance the ability of the neck and shoulder to comply with sudden changes in the neck. Mountain climbing, swimming, the prevention of cervical spondylosis effect is better.
Fourth, long-term low-cover workers, pay attention to the combination of static and dynamic, every hour or so to work to stand up and do interval exercises, activities, limbs, cervical spine, eliminate the fatigue of the neck muscles, ligaments, to prevent strain injury.
Fifth, usually pay attention to warmth, do not use electric fans and air conditioners blow directly, pay attention to neck protection when riding in a car or sports, avoid sharp turns, sharp brakes or sudden neck turn.
Sixth, to prevent alcohol abuse. Alcohol can affect the deposition of calcium on the bone, making people susceptible to osteoporosis, osteochondrosis and accelerating the degenerative changes of the cervical spine.
Seventh, Chinese medicine believes that walnuts, dogwood, raw earth, black sesame, etc. have the function of kidney marrow, can be taken in small quantities under the guidance of a doctor in a reasonable manner to play a role in strengthening the bones and delaying the degeneration of the kidneys and joints.
Cervical spine health exercises
Here are six cervical spine health care exercises for you to practice in ordinary times.
1, before leaning back: before doing the exercise, first natural standing, eyes level, feet slightly apart, parallel to the two shoulders, and then hands forked waist. When the action first raise the head back, while inhaling, eyes to the sky, stay for a moment; then slowly to the front of the chest part of the head down, while exhaling, eyes to the ground. Do this action, to close the mouth, so that the jaw as close as possible to the front chest, stay for a moment, and then repeatedly do four times up and down. The key to action is: stretch, easy, slow, to not feel uncomfortable as appropriate.
2, arm turn: before doing the exercise, stand naturally, eyes level, feet slightly apart, the same width as the shoulders, hands naturally down. Movements first raise the right arm, palm down, look up at the palm of the hand, the body slowly turn to the left, stay for a moment. In the turn, pay attention to the heel turn 45 degrees, the body weight forward, and then the body then turn to the right rear side, slowly inhale when rotating, slowly exhale when turning, the whole action should be slow and coordinated. When rotating the neck and waist, try to turn until you can’t, stay for a moment, and then change the left arm after returning to natural style. And change the left arm, put down the hand to slowly press down along the root of the ear, change the arm and then do the same, back and forth repeatedly twice.
3, left and right rotation: before doing the exercise, stand naturally, eyes level, feet slightly apart, parallel to the shoulders, hands crossed waist. The action will first slowly turn the head to the left side, while breathing in the chest, so that the right side of the neck straight, stay for a moment, and then slowly turn to the left side, while breathing out, so that the left side of the neck straight, stay for a moment. Repeat this four times alternately. It is important to note that the whole set of movements should be easy and stretching, so as not to feel dizzy.
4, lifting shoulders and neck: before doing the exercise, stand naturally, eyes level, feet slightly apart, parallel to the shoulders, hands naturally down. When the action slowly lift both shoulders, neck as far down as possible, stay for a moment, both shoulders slowly relaxed down, head and neck natural extension, restore natural, and then sink both shoulders, head and neck up to stretch, stay for a moment, both shoulders relaxed, and natural exhalation. Note that you have to inhale slowly while shrinking and extending your neck, hold your breath when staying, and try to relax your shoulders and neck when loosening your shoulders. After returning to the natural style, do it again four times repeatedly.
5, left and right swing: before doing the exercise, stand naturally, eyes level, feet slightly apart, parallel to the shoulders, hands crossed waist. When the action head slowly to the left tilt, so that the left ear close to the left shoulder, stay for a moment, the head back to the neutral position; then tilt to the right shoulder, the same right ear to close to the right shoulder, stay for a moment, and then back to the neutral position. This swing left and right repeatedly four times, in the head swing need to breathe in, back to the neutral position when slowly exhale, do exercises when the shoulders, the neck should be as relaxed as possible, the action to slow and steady is better.
6, wave flexion and extension: before doing the exercise, first natural standing, eyes level, legs slightly apart, parallel to the shoulders, hands naturally down. Action when the jaw down the front wave flexion and extension, in doing the action, the jaw as close as possible to the front chest, shoulders up, the jaw slowly flexed, chest forward, shoulders back up and down slowly movement. The jaw flexion and extension should be slowly inhaled, slowly exhale when the head is restored, shoulders relaxed, do two stays for a moment; then reverse the jaw extension and flexion movement, inhale when going down from the top, exhale when restoring, do two, forward and reverse practice twice each.