Cervical disc disease is the degenerative process that the discs located in the cervical spine go through. The greatest mobility of our spine occurs between the fifth, sixth and seventh vertebra. This is why cervical discopathy occurs in this region..
The Neck Pain and radiant arm pain, are characteristic symptoms of cervical disc disease. It develops when one or more of the cushioning discs in the cervical spine begin to break due to wear and tear..
Lack of movement, an accident, the wrong posture, the long hours spent in front of the computer, stress and excessive muscle strains strain the spine and wear it down. Next, you will see the main symptoms and causes of this condition.
Index
Symptoms of cervical disc disease
When cervical disc disease becomes symptomatic, pain may develop slowly or appear suddenly. Symptoms can range from mild neck discomfort, even debilitating pain and numbness that radiates to the arm and hand.
Symptoms of Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease, can vary widely from person to person. Some common features of cervical disc disease symptoms include:
- Difficulty moving limbs
- Coordination problems and / or balance.
- Loss of sphincter control
- Weakness and / or numbness anywhere below the neck
- Bumpy pains in the arms and legs, which may be worse if you lean forward
Main causes
Eventually most of us are prone to cervical disc disease, as age advances. There are some factors that can accelerate this condition. Within which we have:
Genetics
Some studies indicate, that genetics play a very important role in the development of degenerative cervical disc disease. This genetic component predisposes some people to faster disc wear..
Nutrition
Weight has been linked to the risk of developing degenerative disc disease. It is important to maintain a balanced diet to avoid overweight and obesity that can affect the cervical spine.
Smoke
This habit can prevent nutrients from reaching the discs and cause them to lose hydration more quickly..
Injuries
An injury to the spine, like a herniated disc, can sometimes initiate or accelerate cervical disc disease.
Diagnostico
Cervical disc disease is diagnosed when a damaged disc in the spine becomes symptomatic. To confirm cervical disc disease, must visit an orthopedist, who will order imaging tests.
The condition is typically diagnosed by the following process:
- Medical history
- Physical exam
- Imaging studies
- Image confirmation via: magnetic resonance, bone scan, computed tomography
- Creating an effective treatment plan
Treatment of discopatía cervical
Immobilization of the cervical curve using a brace is another treatment that your doctor may decide to improve cervical disc disease.. Another possibility during the acute phase of pain is to rest in a lying position recommended by a physical therapist..
When the pain is gone, it is possible to activate the normal movement of patients with cervical disc disease, through kinetic therapy. Relaxing and strengthening the muscles will help relieve pain and prevent reoccurrence of pain episodes..
In cases involving discopathy, physical therapists or doctors may order:
- Laser treatment
- Magnetic and electromagnetic fields
- Sollux and Biotron lamps.
- Ultrasound
- Cryotherapy
- Hot compresses
- Iontoforesis
A small percentage of cases of cervical disc disease require surgery. If your case turns out to be serious enough to undergo surgery, this will be done by a neurosurgeon.
The most common method is fenestration or disc removal. The surgeon makes an incision of 1 a 3 cm long at the disc level and, after retracting the muscles, cut small squares (Windows) the posterior surface of the vertebrae and removes the discs.
Simple exercises to relieve pain
To improve this condition, it is important to maintain an active lifestyle. Next, we will introduce you 2 simple exercises that you can do sitting in your office or home:
1. Rotation of the head from side to side in a sitting position
- Make sure you are sitting correctly, using good sitting posture.
- Turn your head aligning your chin with your left shoulder. You can use your hand to push your head deeper into the stretch. Hold for 20 seconds.
- Turn your head aligning your chin with your right shoulder. You can use your hand to push your head deeper into the stretch. Hold for 20 seconds.
- repeat from 3 a 5 times on each side.
2. Lateral flexion in sitting position
- Make sure you are sitting correctly, using good sitting posture.
- Lower your right ear towards your right shoulder. You can use your hand to gently push your head deeper into the stretch.. Hold for 20 seconds.
- Lower your left ear to your left shoulder. You can use your hand to push your head deeper into the stretch. Hold for 20 seconds.
- repeat from 3 a 5 times on each side.