In today's society, people have a fast pace of life and high work pressure. In addition, with the popularity of smartphones, there are more and more "low head people". Previously, the elderly were prone to cervical spondylosis, but now they are gradually becoming younger, and young people in their twenties and thirties are also prone to cervical spondylosis. This is closely related to young people's tendency to spend long periods of time playing with their phones and sitting in front of computers, without paying attention to their daily health. This article will explore the types, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of cervical spondylosis, hoping to help everyone better understand and prevent cervical spondylosis.
1、 What is cervical spondylosis?
Cervical spondylosis is a common disease among middle-aged and elderly people, based on degenerative pathological changes in the intervertebral disc. In recent years, the incidence of this disease has shown a trend towards younger age groups. The cervical spine has the smallest volume among the vertebrae in the spine, but it has the highest frequency of movement and carries heavy loads. The cervical spine needs to withstand various overloads, strains, and even injuries, so it is easy to undergo degeneration. There are many causes of cervical spondylosis, such as long-term strain on the cervical spine (improper sitting posture, poor sleep position, lack of exercise), intervertebral disc herniation, vertebral artery compression, cervical degenerative changes, etc., all of which can lead to a series of functional disorders.
2、 Type and Symptoms of Cervical Spondylosis
1. Nerve root type cervical spondylosis: a relatively common type of cervical spondylosis, mainly caused by narrowing of intervertebral foramen, which can compress the cervical nerve root and then cause a series of symptoms, with the highest incidence rate among all types of cervical spondylosis. The main symptoms of this type of cervical spondylosis are neck pain and stiffness, which may be accompanied by upper limb pain, numbness, and other symptoms. In severe cases, upper limb weakness or even inability to hold things may occur.
2. Cervical spondylotic myelopathy: It is a relatively dangerous type of cervical spondylosis, mainly caused by cervical degeneration compressing the spinal cord or blood vessels supplying the spinal cord, which can lead to symptoms such as limb numbness, weakness, and movement disorders. As the condition progresses, it can cause neurogenic paralysis.
3. Sympathetic cervical spondylosis: Cervical lesions compress the sympathetic nerve endings around the cervical spine, which is the main cause of this disease. It can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, tinnitus, etc. When turning the head, headaches and dizziness may worsen, and some patients may also experience nausea, vomiting, and other conditions.
4. Arterial cervical spondylosis: This type is relatively common, mainly caused by vertebral artery stenosis or compression. Patients usually experience symptoms such as dizziness, headache, and hearing loss, which affect their normal life.
3、 How to treat cervical spondylosis?
Patients can control symptoms and reduce recurrence through non-surgical treatment. When upper limb numbness is accompanied by severe pain symptoms, it is important to rest and avoid increasing physical stimulation of the neck. Avoid prolonged bowing of the head and neck, and engage in forward bending, backward extension, and rotational activities of the upper limbs. Appropriate medication can also improve the symptoms of patients, for example, when the symptoms of nerve root type cervical spondylosis and sympathetic type cervical spondylosis are relatively mild, you can use traditional Chinese patent medicines and simple preparations of promoting blood circulation and unblocking collaterals; Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be chosen during acute phase attacks. After 3 months of conservative treatment, if there is no effect, surgical treatment should be adopted, and the appropriate surgical method should be selected under the guidance of a doctor.
4、 How to prevent cervical spondylosis?
After about 30 minutes of work, appropriate exercise should be performed by rotating the neck, controlling the amplitude of the movement appropriately. The rotation should be gentle and slow, repeated several times in a short period of time, and massage or massage can be used if necessary to restore cervical spine activity.
2. Avoid leaning against the sofa or half lying and half leaning against the bedside while reading or watching TV.
3. Avoid long-term lowered posture; Do not blow the fan and air conditioner directly towards the neck, pay attention to keeping the neck warm.
4. When sleeping, do not use pillows that are too high. The height should generally be the same as the width of the shoulders.
5. Prevent neck trauma, injuries, etc., which can cause cervical spondylosis.
6. Strengthen shoulder and neck exercises appropriately and pay attention to sleeping posture.
Conclusion
As people age, degenerative changes in the cervical spine are inevitable. Therefore, in daily life, it is important to actively change one's lifestyle, participate in physical exercise appropriately, and maintain a positive and optimistic attitude.