Spinal pathologies often cause completely unexpected symptoms.
At first glance, they have nothing to do with the disease. But - a person has cervical osteochondrosis, and dizziness, fears, and depression can easily become a part of their lives.
For successful treatment, it is important to correctly identify the root cause of these problems.
Dizziness in osteochondrosis: causes
Osteochondrosis of the neck is especially dangerous because it disrupts the blood supply to the brain. Deformity of the discs and vertebrae can compress the vertebral artery, providing up to a quarter of the amount of blood needed by the brain.
Dizziness is a direct consequence of starvation of oxygen in the brain. In the milder stages of the disease, it usually occurs intermittently and for a short time. The head may feel dizzy after sleep or if there is a sudden change in body position. If the disease progresses, this condition can last for hours. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and vision loss.
It is very important to correctly identify the cause of the problem. The head may not feel dizzy just because of osteochondrosis. The same symptom can be caused by cardiovascular disorders, anemia and other diseases. In this case, the approach to treatment should be completely different. Often, misdiagnosis has led to people being treated for years for high blood pressure or other similar illnesses instead of the spine.
Blood pressure and cervical osteochondrosis
In this case, cervical osteochondrosis can also cause manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia. The causes also lie in the stinging of the vertebral artery as well as muscle cramps. Cranial pressure responds particularly painfully to osteochondrosis.
This phenomenon can present as a headache, a feeling of difficulty, tinnitus, and vision loss. Using conventional medications to treat high blood pressure does not produce results (or is short-lived). Again, correct diagnosis is the key to treatment success.
Increased pressure can also cause pain, so the manifestation of VSD in osteochondrosis can be very strong.
If the chest region is affected in addition to the neck, cardiac interruption, arrhythmia, and chest tightness may be observed. Heart medications are not working again.
Osteochondrosis is very dangerous because it causes symptoms similar to other serious illnesses. Much can be attributed to him and he may miss the moment when urgent help is needed for the heart and blood vessels.
What to do if you feel dizzy due to osteochondrosis of the neck
If the diagnosis has not yet been made, you may be suspected of having dizziness due to osteochondrosis if it occurs when you change your posture. In addition, the neck usually cracks.
Vertigo can be eliminated by maintaining normal blood circulation in the neck. You can try self-massage as a quick-acting agent. You must undergo a course of treatment to prevent recurrence of seizures. What to do in a particular situation, the doctor will advise.
Different medications and therapies may be needed at different stages of the disease:
- A course of muscle relaxants to relax muscle cramps.
- B vitamins - they also have a beneficial effect on the blood circulation.
- Multiple massage sessions with a specialist, followed by regular self-massages on the neck.
- Physiotherapy is essential - the movements help to release trapped blood vessels and stimulate blood flow.
Prolonged exposure to fresh air works well. You should quit smoking and limit your alcohol consumption as these bad habits negatively affect your blood circulation. And most importantly, diagnose osteochondrosis of the cervix in a timely manner, and dizziness, fears, and depression will not have time to develop.
Reasonable and unfounded fears in osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis manifests itself not only in the physical sphere but also in the psychological sphere. Often this disease is accompanied by panic attacks and obsessive fears.
There are objective and subjective reasons for their appearance. Unreasonable panic can be the result of cerebrovascular accidents.
But more often, fears are a consequence of other painful manifestations of osteochondrosis:
- The patient is constantly waiting for and afraid of pain attacks.
- Afraid of disability.
- The duration of treatment is daunting if no results are expected.
- Certain symptoms may cause you to expect other illnesses (heart attack, stroke, stomach upset).
Such psychological reactions can only be avoided with the right attitude. The patient should be constantly reminded that osteochondrosis is not a sentence. Don’t neglect painkillers to be afraid of pain. The patient’s relatives and acquaintances must continually demonstrate confidence in rapid recovery and maintain a constructive attitude.
Depression as a possible consequence of osteochondrosis
If such "psychotherapy" is not performed, there is a risk of depression.
This condition can have a number of unpleasant consequences:
- Loss of performance, chronic fatigue syndrome.
- Insomnia.
- Mental impairment.
- Serious violation of self-esteem.
- Menstrual disorders in women.
- Indigestion.
- Numbness of parts of the body.
Running depression can even lead to suicide attempts, so ignoring its manifestations is dangerous.
Depression occurs as a reaction to prolonged pain and discomfort. Its appearance is also facilitated by social problems that inevitably accompany patients with osteochondrosis.
- Feeling a lost opportunity for a full life.
- Persistent "dropout" from the workflow.
- Aware that the disease is causing discomfort to loved ones.
- Feeling helpless, futile - the disease does not go away despite the measures taken.
It is important to note that some painkillers also have a depressing effect on the central nervous system and can lead to a state of depression. Therefore, strong painkillers should not be abused, only to aggravate them. If there is no severe pain, it is better to use ointments, massages and physiotherapy procedures. The patient’s relatives need to be aware that depression often prevents the patient from realizing their problem, so they will almost certainly have to “push” toward treatment.
Treating psychological problems in osteochondrosis
Severe depression, which has many dangerous manifestations, often requires the use of strong antidepressants. But you need to know that all of these drugs are addictive and you can’t use them for long. As soon as the most severe manifestations are removed, such drugs should be discontinued.
Getting rid of fears and depression requires, above all, the treatment of osteochondrosis itself. A number of standard measures are suitable for this: elimination of muscle cramps, chondroprotectors to strengthen cartilage tissue, physical education, physiotherapy. But at the same time, the patient’s mental state needs to be improved.
- Regular walks and moderate physical activity are required. Mild physical activity stimulates pleasure.
- An orthopedic pillow or just a low hard pillow is needed to normalize sleep. The bedroom should always be well ventilated.
- Others need to motivate the patient to recover.
- Whenever possible, the patient should be involved in public life, family affairs, and official duties. In most cases, you may find activities that do not damage your spine. But that person will feel useful and necessary.
- In severe cases, you may need the help of a psychologist or even a psychiatrist. You don’t have to be afraid - turning to a psychiatrist doesn’t mean you lose your mind.
The key to “calling in order” is cervical osteochondrosis, and dizziness, fears and depression cease to threaten. Against the background of a decrease in painful manifestations, psychological rehabilitation is going much better.
But it's best to simply avoid these symptoms. It is worth starting treatment for cervical osteochondrosis in time, and dizziness, fears, and depression will never appear.