October 23, 2022
We welcome " Frost Fall " solar term
This issue will bring you cervical spondylosis popular science knowledge
Let’s draw the key points together!
-
What is cervical spondylosis?
Cervical spondylosis refers to a syndrome in which a series of symptoms and signs occur due to degenerative changes in the cervical intervertebral disc and its secondary changes, stimulating or compressing adjacent spinal cord, nerves, blood vessels and other tissues [1]. Due to the strength of exercise and heavy load, the cervical spine is prone to degeneration as they age. Especially for those who have been engaged in desk work for a long time, have weak neck muscle strength, disappear with cervical spine curvature, or have developmental cervical spine stenosis, they are more likely to undergo degenerative changes in the cervical spine.
2
What factors are prone to cervical spondylosis?
1. Long-term bowing of the head can easily cause the ligament of the neck and back muscles and ligaments to be stretched, causing tissue strain, and the pressure and load on the intervertebral disc is increased.
2. Judging from the sleeping position habits, poor sleeping position lasts for a long time or improper use of pillows (the pillow is too high, too low, or the pillow is inappropriate), which not only affects the quality of sleep, but also increases the burden on the neck muscles and causes deformity of the neck bones.
3. From a medical history perspective, people with congenital cervical spine deformity or people with a history of head and neck trauma and chronic cervical spine loss are very likely to develop cervical spondylosis.
3
I heard that cervical spondylosis has classifications. What are the differences?
Cervical spondylosis can be divided into four types according to the different clinical symptoms caused by the compression site [1].
1, nerve root type
This type has the highest incidence rate, because the herniated intervertebral discs and hyperplasia joints compress the corresponding nerve roots, causing symptoms of nerve root stimulation. It is often the beginning of neck and shoulder pain and it will worsen and spread to the upper limbs in a short period of time. According to the compression of different nerve roots, it leads to corresponding problems in the innervation area, including numbness and allergies in the limbs, lower muscle strength of the upper limbs, inflexible finger movements, tenderness of the neck and shoulder muscles, and limited movement of the affected limbs to varying degrees.
2, sympathetic nerve type
This type often has symptoms of sympathetic nerve inhibition or excitation. There are many clinical symptoms, such as neck pain, headache, dizziness, numbness and coldness on the face or trunk, dull pain, palpitations, , tinnitus, hearing loss, insomnia, etc.
3, vertebral artery type
Due to insufficient blood supply due to compression or irritation of the vertebral artery, it mainly causes dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, migraine and other symptoms. When the neck moves heavily, it may cause dizziness and catastrophism.
4, spinal cord type
This type is the most serious type of cervical spondylosis. Due to the degenerate structure of the cervical spine compressing the spinal cord or compressing the blood vessels that supply the spinal cord, a series of symptoms appear, such as numbness, weakness and stiffness of the upper limbs or lower limbs, and the hands cannot complete fine movements. Incontinence and other symptoms may even occur in the later stage.
4
What are the treatments for cervical spondylosis?
1, non-surgical treatment
includes cervical traction, neck braking, neck physiotherapy, improving poor working position and sleeping posture, adjusting pillow height and other methods. Often used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers, muscle relaxants, edema-relieving drugs, and nutritional nerve drugs. cervical spondylosis traction and massage are strictly prohibited. The above method needs to be consulted after consulting a doctor, and do not treat it at will.
2, surgical treatment
When the symptoms are too serious, the spinal cord or nerve root is significantly compressed or deformed, or the conservative treatment is not obvious for 8 weeks or the symptoms are further aggravated, surgical treatment should be carried out in time according to the doctor's advice [1].
5
How to prevent the occurrence of cervical spondylosis? [3]
1. Maintain the correct sitting posture
Keep sitting posture upright when sitting. When using computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices, you should look at the screen in a head-on, and use a stand or book to raise the screen. It is recommended to take a break every 1 to 2 hours, look into the distance, and move your waist and neck. Avoid chronic strain on the cervical spine after a long period of bowing your head.
2., develop a good sleeping position
Avoid high pillow, "lying like a bow" sleeping position (the posture of lying on the side of the body like a "bow") is conducive to the spine maintaining the physiological curvature of , and the muscles of the whole body can easily reach a relaxed state, so that people are in a comfortable position. It is not only conducive to sleep, but also provides good protection for the cervical spine.
3, prevent neck injuries
Try to avoid acute damage, such as lifting heavy objects, flashing, contusion, etc. If there is any injury, treat soft tissue damage as early as possible to prevent its development and aggravation of cervical spondylosis.
4, exercise to strengthen shoulder and neck muscles
Use exercise therapy, such as swimming, cervical vertebrae exercises , etc., to exercise the cervical vertebrae and enhance the toughness of the cervical muscles, and at the same time it is conducive to enhancing the stability of the cervical vertebrae and the ability to resist external forces.
6
Let's learn lower cervical vertebra exercises[4]
1. Close your eyes, lower your head slowly and naturally, and feel the head stretching of the head gravity on the posterior muscles of the cervical vertebra. Generally, the chin can reach the sternum, which can be maintained at the end for several seconds, and then return to the neutral position.
2. Close your eyes, slowly tilt your head back, and feel the gravity of the head to stretch the muscles on both sides of the front of the cervical vertebra. Generally, the face can be horizontal, maintain at the end for several seconds, and then return to the neutral position.
3. Neutral position of the head, look ahead, slowly tilt the head to one side of the body, feel the head's gravity stretching the contralateral muscle group by the head, maintain it for several seconds at the end, and then return to the neutral position. The left and right sides are completed alternately.
4. Neutral position of the head, look ahead, slowly turn your head to the side of the body, feel the drawing of the contralateral muscle group, maintain it at the end for several seconds, and then return to the neutral position. The left and right sides are completed alternately.
5. Neutral position of the head, look ahead, hold your chin, aim at the tip of your nose, slowly stretch your head forward, feel the pulling and movement of the neck, and then return to the neutral position, repeat it repeatedly 10-20 times. Pay attention to maintaining horizontal movement, do not raise your head or bow your head, etc.
6. Neutral position on the head, look ahead, hold your chin, aim at the headrest, slowly and forcefully retract your head back, feel the movement of your neck, and then return to the neutral position and repeat it several times.
Precautions
Accurate stage of cervical spondylosis is not suitable for this training. After the acute symptoms are relieved, moderate exercise training can be performed; if there are obvious symptoms of spinal cord compression, exercise training should be prohibited; vertebral arterial cervical spondylosis patients should be gentle and slow when performing neck rotation exercises, the movement amplitude should not be too large, and the rhythm intensity of the exercise should be appropriately controlled.
3Work not to forget cervical spine health
Hygienic exercises also arrange on
Low low and more dynamic attention
Cervical spine health
Hands reference: ml4
[1] Chen Xiaoping, Wang Jianping, Zhao Jizong. Surgery (9th edition) [M]. Beijing: People's Health Press, 2020.965-967.
[2] Yan Xiaohong. Prevention and nursing of cervical spondylosis of military special service personnel [J]. Chinese Therapeutic Medicine, 2010, 19(03):218-219.
[3] Hu Yanli, Wang Juan, Yang Li, Wang Chunhong. Prevention and health care of cervical spondylosis [J]. Chinese Therapeutic Medicine, 2021, 30(4):357-359.
[4] Wei Qian, Li Zhuping, Huang Yingmiao, Huang Zhixia, Evaluation of the effect of neck exercises on improving shoulder and neck symptoms of high school students [J]. Chinese School Health, 2021, 42(02):10 00-9817
Basic Medicine College of Air Force Military Medical University School of Basic Medicine, Xiaoyin Studio, Junior Medical Officer,
Instructor,
Doctor, First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University Associate Professor Gao Bo
Basic Medicine School Teaching Experimental Center of Air Force Military Medical University Pu Xueyin Assistant Teaching
Planning: Mao Yuanhao Yang Tengyu Zhang Chengkai
Text: Chen Liujie Li Yichen Wang Xinyu
Comic : Wang Tonglin Ma Yao Liu Zefeng
People's Liberation Army Daily WeChat release
Editor: Li Lu
