Dizziness with cervical osteochondrosis (cervicogenic vertigo) is observed quite often. According to statistics, systematic dizziness occurs in approximately 35% of the adult population.. At the same time, in almost half of the cases, its occurrence is associated with one or another pathology of the cervical spine, according to the Internet publication for girls and women from 14 to 35 years old Pannochka. net Dizziness is one of the common symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis What is vertigo? Dizziness, or vertigo, is a pathological condition in which a person has a feeling of incorrect perception of the position of the body in the surrounding space.. It begins to seem to him that objects begin to revolve around him or, conversely, his body revolves around objects.

During an attack of vertigo, the patient loses confidence in his actions and his movements become awkward. In addition, he may develop autonomic and neurological symptoms:.

nausea, vomiting;

unstable blood pressure;

tachycardia;

hyperhidrosis of the face and upper extremities.

Why dizziness occurs with cervical osteochondrosisThe pathological mechanism of the development of osteochondrosis is based on degenerative-dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs. Over time, the cartilage that forms them shrinks and breaks down.. As a result, its shock-absorbing properties deteriorate sharply, and the load on the vertebral bodies increases.. In turn, this leads to the formation of bone spikes and outgrowths on their surface, which injure the soft tissues surrounding the spine and cause an inflammatory reaction..

Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is accompanied by compression (compression) of the vertebral (vertebral) arteries and spinal nerve roots. Violation of the blood supply to the spinal cord and medulla oblongata leads to the development of chronic ischemia and hypoxia of these anatomical structures, which, in combination with irritation of the autonomic nerve fibers, causes cervicogenic vertigo..

Causes of cervical osteochondrosisIt is not one, but a combination of several factors that leads to the occurrence of osteochondrosis. Therefore, this disease belongs to multifactorial. Most often, the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes in the intervertebral discs is provoked by:.

hereditary predisposition;

metabolic disorders;

chronic physical inactivity;

significant physical activity;

chronic infectious and/or somatic diseases.

Any of these factors can cause osteochondrosis. When several factors are combined, the risk of developing the disease increases several times..

Symptoms At the very beginning of the development of cervical osteochondrosis, dizziness is very mild. As a rule, the patient begins to feel dizzy with sudden movements of the neck, and at rest, discomfort quickly disappears..

As the underlying pathology progresses, the severity of vertigo also increases.. Dizziness begins to occur even at rest, and then becomes permanent. At the same time, it is accompanied by a feeling of congestion or tinnitus, headache, heart palpitations, sweating.

DiagnosisDizziness is not an independent disease, but a symptom that accompanies the development of many pathological processes.. Therefore, in order to identify the underlying disease, the patient must consult a doctor who will conduct an examination and prescribe the examination necessary in each specific case, which may include the following methods:.

x-ray of the cervical spine;

computed and/or magnetic resonance imaging of the head and neck;

angiography of cerebral vessels;

vestibular tests.

If necessary, the patient is consulted by doctors of a narrow specialization:.

neurologist;

neuropsychiatrist;

vertebrologist;

otolaryngologist.

Dizziness in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should be differentiated from other types of vertigo, which can be observed in other diseases:.

acute and chronic cerebrovascular accidents;

Meniere's disease;

labyrinthitis;

neuritis (inflammation) of the auditory nerve;

migraine;

climacteric syndrome;

panic attacks;

tumors of the cervical spine or brain.

There are about 80-90 diseases that are manifested by the appearance of dizziness.. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis and prescribe the most effective treatment in each case..

TreatmentTreatment of dizziness in osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should be comprehensive and lengthy. It usually includes the following components:.

The therapy component.

Explanation.

Medical treatment.

A patient with vertigo is often given:.

drugs that improve the rheological properties of blood, dilate blood vessels;

nootropics (improve metabolic processes in brain cells, stimulate the activity of thought processes);

Muscle relaxants (these tablets relieve the muscle spasm that underlies the compression of blood vessels).

Daily regime.

Quite often, especially in the initial stages of osteochondrosis, careful observance of the daily regimen allows you to get rid of the manifestations of dizziness, which means:.

Correct alternation of periods of rest and loads;

Sleep at least 8 hours a night;

Complete active rest.

Diet.

From the diet, you should remove foods that promote spasm of blood vessels and, as a result, increase blood pressure (spicy and salty foods, alcohol, strong tea, coffee, chocolate, energy drinks).

In some cases, a good therapeutic effect is obtained by taking decoctions of medicinal plants (hawthorn fruits, fennel or parsley seeds, ginger root). However, phytotherapy can only be used as prescribed by a doctor, as there may be individual contraindications to it..

To train the vestibular apparatus, patients are recommended to do exercises regularly:.

eye rotation to one side or the other;

standing on one leg with closed and open eyes;

boat swing ride;

body rotation;

head rotation.

Regular swimming lessons can also improve the condition of patients with vertigo.. Preference should be given to the crawl style and on the back. In no case should you swim with a " In this case, there is a significant overstrain of the neck muscles and, as a result, the compression of the vertebral arteries increases..

Crawl swimming helps to train the vestibular apparatus and thereby relieves dizziness. In complex therapy, an important role is also played by other non-drug methods of treatment:.

manual therapy;

massage;

kinesiotherapy;

traction of the spine with the help of special devices;

physiotherapy.

How to relieve an attack of dizziness at home To reduce the severity of dizziness at home, you can use the following techniques:.

Take a deep breath, then, tilting your head forward, take a slow full exhalation;

Sit on a chair, leaning your back on its back, rest your feet on the floor. Fix your gaze on any immovable object and continue to look at it until the unpleasant symptoms stop..

Wash with cold water.

Apply a few drops of ammonia to a small piece of cotton wool and gently inhale its vapors (with a cotton swab should be quickly carried out at a distance of 5-6 cm from the nose).

If the attack of vertigo began on the street, then you need to sit down and bend over to your knees. Stay in this position until the condition improves..

When you need to seek urgent medical attentionUrgent medical attention is usually needed in the following cases:.

vertigo attack occurs for the first time and is associated with severe headache, vomiting, severe tachycardia, chest pain, or feeling short of breath;

disturbances of consciousness occur (disorientation in time and space, agitation, stupor);

vertigo attack lasts more than one hour;

dizziness is combined with sudden weakness in one half of the body, impaired skin sensitivity.

The appearance of such symptoms may indicate the development of a serious illness in the patient (stroke, heart attack), requiring emergency medical care.. Attempts to treat the patient on their own, relying on the advice of relatives and friends, can cause very serious consequences..

Prevention Prevention of the disease includes the following areas:.

maintaining an active lifestyle;

posture control;

normalization of body weight;

giving up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol);

proper rational nutrition.

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