Headache with osteochondrosis: causes, symptoms and treatment. How to relieve the headache with cervical osteochondrosis?

Everyone in his life at least once faced a headache. It varies so much in nature and intensity that it is sometimes difficult to determine the main cause that contributes to its appearance. In some cases, it is the headache that plays the role of a concomitant symptom of the disease, and sometimes is the result of fatigue or even stress.

How is cervical osteochondrosis manifested? The head aches, and medicines do not help or assist? What to do in this case? The answers to these and many other questions can be found in this article.

Causes of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine

According to experts, a great number of factors provoke the development of such a widespread problem. First of all, this is a hereditary predisposition. There are other reasons that a person himself cultivates. For example, incorrect posture. Many parents since childhood are trying to teach the child to always keep his back straight, but often such efforts are in vain. As a consequence, cervical osteochondrosis is diagnosed today even among the young generation.

As for older patients, here the main causes of pathology lie in professional activity, hypodynamia. Exacerbating the current situation is bad habits, sleeping on a soft bed, improper diet. Due to all the above factors, cervical osteochondrosis occurs. According to doctors, if the timely application for qualified care, the likelihood of complications is negligible.

Why does headache suffer from cervical osteochondrosis?

Due to the reasons described above, numerous degenerative-dystrophic processes are formed directly in the intervertebral discs themselves. In this process, as a rule, one or several cervical vertebrae are involved. The so-called hyaline cartilage begins to gradually lose its habitual elasticity and elasticity, it cracks and dries. Then, through the outer layer, its nucleus begins to bulge, and a hernia forms between the vertebrae itself. The cartilaginous layer is flattened, the vertebrae converge, squeezing the roots of all spinal nerves between them . In this area, the inflammatory process and edema develop. It is in the course of the location of these nerves that there is discomfort in the neck, and with it a headache with osteochondrosis.

Main characteristics

Osteochondrosis, as you know, can affect the entire spine, but most often it affects the cervical section. The headaches that arise in this pathology are characterized by the following symptoms:

• Localization in the occipital / temporal areas.
• Paroxysmal character.
• Discomfort mainly occurs in the morning hours or immediately after awakening.
• Headache with osteochondrosis is enhanced by turns or inclinations.
• Nausea, vomiting, unilateral hearing loss.

It is important to note that this problem can not be eliminated even after taking analgesic drugs. Pain becomes so painful that it often leads to depression, increased pressure, loss of habitual ability to work.

What provokes a headache with cervical osteochondrosis?

• Incorrect posture.
• Dehydration of the body.
• Muscular imbalance.
• Low mobility of the neck and upper back.
• Previous mechanical injuries.
• Uncomfortable posture during sleep.
• Stressful situations.
• Sedentary work.

Diagnostics

Headache with cervical osteochondrosis should not be left without attention. When the primary signs, which were discussed above, should immediately seek help from a specialist. This issue is handled by a neuropathologist.

To confirm the final diagnosis, not only a standard physical examination, but also radiography and MRI of the cervical department will be required.

It is very important to distinguish between discomfort in cervical osteochondrosis and the so-called tension headaches that result from stress, fatigue. The latter, as a rule, are episodic, localized in the zone of temples, eyes. Patients in this case complain of a constant sensation of squeezing the head, as if they had put on a helmet, loss of appetite and other psychosomatic disorders.

Headache with osteochondrosis can poison a person's life in earnest. That is why it is so important to choose a course of treatment in a timely manner and thereby return the patient to a habitual existence.

What is the difference between therapy?

Most often, the development of such a disease, as cervical osteochondrosis, occurs gradually. At the initial stages, he does not have obvious clinical signs, the patient does not bother. That is why drug therapy is not prescribed. However, in order to prevent the subsequent development of this kind of destructive processes, doctors strongly recommend that they reconsider their habitual way of life by choosing a healthier option and try to change the uncomfortable working conditions.

If the headache with osteochondrosis of the cervical region does not bother, but the so-called degenerative-dystrophic processes in the spine itself have already begun, it is important to be guided by the following rules:

• Try to lead an active lifestyle.
• Engaged in affordable sports.
• Follow the correct posture.
• Follow the diet.
• Refuse all bad habits and lifting weights.

With the progression of the disease and the appearance of headaches, there is a need for special treatment. In this case, the main methods of conservative therapy include the following:

• Wearing a special collar.
• Massage the collar zone (improves blood flow to muscle tissue, brain).
• Physiotherapeutic procedures (paraffin, electrophoresis, ultrasound).
• Physiotherapy.

Medications

Medical treatment of headaches in osteochondrosis should be appointed exclusively by a specialist. To ease the existing pain syndrome, it is recommended to take analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antispasmodics. In the case of acute headache, the following drugs are prescribed: "Analgin" in combination with "Dimedrolum", "No-shpa" or "Papaverin". It is important to note that all these drugs have only temporary relief.

To improve all metabolic processes directly in the brain itself and remove the existing discomfort, neuroprotectors (drugs "Actovegin", "Neuromedin", "Pyracetam") are appointed.

If the doctor has confirmed that there is a chronic headache in cervical osteochondrosis, the treatment must necessarily include the intake of B vitamins, the use of gels and ointments (Ketonal, Nayz-gel preparations) and stimulators of the reductive processes in the tissues themselves Means "Teraflex", "Chondroxide").

It should be noted that therapy for osteochondrosis should be carried out in a complex. First of all, you should remove all pain in the neck and head, eliminate the root causes that cause discomfort. If the patient will treat only the headache, the main problem will not be eliminated.

How to relieve the headache with osteochondrosis? It is necessary to provide the patient with complete peace for a while. It is very important that the neck is in a comfortable position. Do not make any sudden movements. Once the headache has passed, you need to call a doctor.

Therapeutic physical training and cervical osteochondrosis

Headache, the treatment of which involves not only the use of medicines, almost always requires complete rest on the part of the patient. However, to prevent pathology and prevent the development of subsequent complications, doctors recommend special gymnastic exercises. It should be noted that resorting to their help is not recommended at times of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, when discomfort is felt particularly strongly.

1. The initial position is lying on the back. You need to put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Take a deep breath. After about 10 seconds, slowly exhale and relax. This exercise is recommended to be performed for five minutes several times a day.
2. The initial position is lying on the abdomen. It is necessary to raise the head and chest in such a way that the stomach and the lower part of the body remain motionless on the floor. The exercise should be repeated for five minutes at intervals of approximately 25 seconds.
3. The initial position is lying on the back. It is necessary to bend the legs gently in the knees and alternately rotate on the left, then on the right side. Exercise can be repeated several times a day for five minutes with an interval of 25 seconds.

Forecast

Unfortunately, today the headache is more often diagnosed with osteochondrosis of the cervical department. Symptoms of such an unpleasant problem prevent you from leading a habitual way of life. However, doctors are sure that in case of correctly selected therapy about pathology, one can forget literally in a month of treatment.

Prevention of osteochondrosis

Headache with osteochondrosis is considered a fairly common problem. It is studied by specialists from all over the world. As already noted above, only the headache itself does not make sense. If the patient does not take into account the root cause, which led to its development, all efforts will be futile. Thus, it becomes clear that in this case it is extremely important to prevent the onset of cervical osteochondrosis. For these purposes, doctors recommend to constantly monitor their posture, exercise, eat right and do not overeat. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the vitamin-mineral balance in the body, which is so important for its proper functioning.

We hope that all the information presented in this article will be really useful for you. Be healthy!