The cervical spine plays an extremely important role in our body. It is from him that the efficiency of our senses depends. With age, the cervical spine degenerates, which can be caused, among others, by headache, neck numbness or dizziness.

This delicate structure connecting the head with the thorax forms seven vertebrae that form a slightly forward arch. They are smaller than the othervertebrae of the spine , but play a very important role. It depends on them, among others the efficiency of the senses, e.g. balance, sight. The first - the gable one - supports the skull, the second - rotating - allows the head to move up, down and sideways.

Causes of degenerative changes in the cervical spine

The cervical spine , like other parts of it, degenerates with age. You may feel the resulting discomforts of your heart, eyes, brain, and even progressive paralysis. Why? All the most important nerves run through the narrow holes incervical vertebrae . If they are oppressed by distorted vertebrae, this is your impression. The 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th cervical spine is most exposed to degenerative changes and micro-injuries. The 3rd vertebra is especially hurt when it is sitting with its head tilted. Adrenaline is lethal for everyone, which is released in large amounts when we overload our muscles, e.g. by sitting in one position for several hours. It causes the muscles to tighten strongly, which hurts the vertebrae. Initially, degenerative changes cover the space between the 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae. The deformation of all intervertebral discs is spondylosis. You feel the first stage as low neck flexibility, and over time you experience severe muscle pain in the neck area. Then the flattened intervertebral discs put more pressure on the nerves, which causes not only severe pain, but also temporary paresis of the hand. Discs can also press against blood vessels and cause cerebral ischemia.

Important

How to protect the cervical spine

The chair at the desk should have adjustable height and side supports on which you can properly support yourself, relieving the entire spine. All feet must touch the floor, the seat must not compress your thighs and knees. When sitting at a table or desk, do not lean forward or stretch out too much.head in front of you. Place the screen of the monitor straight ahead, at eye level, to avoid straining the muscles of the neck or shoulders when looking to the side. During a long car journey, wear a pillow-croissant made of a soft sponge to support your head. Fasten your seat belts and set the height appropriate for your height. headrest Choose an orthopedic and corrective pillow that supports your neck.Do not sleep while sitting. If you need to sleep on a tall pillow, put the other one under your knees. During the conversation, do not support the telephone receiver with your shoulder.

Headaches can be caused by changes in the cervical spine

Those that appear on the back of the head, in the so-called part of the occipital part are associated with high blood pressure. Often, however, it is the result of changes in the cervical spine. The pain from the cervical spine increases when the head is tilted forward or backward. Finding the cause of the ailments is difficult, especially when half of the head hurts and the pain moves from the forehead towards the back. It is then confused with migraine. It is even more difficult to make a diagnosis when you experience facial pain and numbness of the skin (characteristic of inflammation of the trigeminal nerve) or a feeling of choking in the throat (which can also occur after a heart attack). Before such ailments are attributed to degeneration or overload of the cervical spine, they are sometimes treated as diseases of the brain, sinuses, middle ear, heart, and even … food poisoning.What to do?Observe your body to accurately describe the situations in which stronger pain appears during the visit to the doctor. Do not abuse painkillers, so as not to obscure the image of ailments.

Numbness in hands may result from degenerative changes

The painful numbness of the hand, arm that radiates to the shoulder, is also the result of degenerative changes in the cervical spine, especially the 7th vertebra. When the so-called the shoulder will develop for good, we lose our grip, we cannot make precise movements with our fingers. The reason is the pressure that degenerative changes (osteophytes) exert on the plexus of nerves responsible for the efficiency of the hands, and coming out through the intervertebral openings from the cervical spine. Painkillers provide relief. Effective, albeit not without its drawbacks (weakening the muscles of the neck), is wearing a soft orthopedic collar. It's also good to take magnesium with vitamin B6 and use cold compresses. Sore areas should be lubricated with anti-inflammatory ointment or lavender oil, which relaxes the muscles.

See the set of exercises for neck pain in the video

You must do it

Isometric exercises for neck pain

They relax muscles effectivelycervical spine after long typing, sitting at the computer. Repeat each exercise three times.

  • Place your straight fingers on the back of your head on the back of your head, gently press them against your neck, then tilt your head towards the right and left arms, then back and forward. Avoid circular head movements as they are incompatible with physiological head movements. With degeneration or overstrain, they can be very harmful.
  • Look straight ahead. Keeping your head level, make left-hand turns while gently lifting your chin up. Repeat the same, turning your head to the right.
  • Look straight ahead. Bend your head left and right once as if you want to touch your ear with your shoulder.
  • "Hug" your chin to your chest. Then slide your chin as far forward as possible and then lift it up as if you want to "draw" a circle with it.

Neck pain may be caused by overstraining the neck muscles

Long car driving, body cold, severe stress, and even fatigue can cause severe neck pain and restriction of head movement. This is called torticollis. It happens that the head becomes immobilized in an unnatural position, which is caused by overloaded muscles of the neck. By immobilizing the neck, the body protects itself against additional irritation of pain receptors and nerve fibers. The body itself decides which direction to turn the head, choosing the position in which the muscles are as little stressed as possible. What to do? Make a warm compress all over the back of the neck or rub in a painkiller. Sleep on a contoured pillow that supports the neck or on a roll made of a towel. If you don't feel relieved after three days, see your doctor. You may need medications to relieve muscle tension. Doctors suspect that torticollis may result from a deficiency of magnesium and B vitamins. In the case of recurring pains, it is worth taking them regularly.

Dizziness and fainting may be the result of disturbances in blood flow through the vertebral arteries

They are attributed to diseases of the circulatory system. But such fainting and dizziness can also be the result of a so-called impaired blood flow. vertebral arteries, which in narrow bone canals are crushed by the appendages of degenerated bones. In people with developed atherosclerosis, even a slight or temporary restriction of the blood supply to the brain will result in dizziness or fainting. What to do? The Doppler scan will show blood flow through the carotid arteries. They are performed with the physiological position of the head and a strong left or right twist.

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Spine, bones, joints