Osteochondrosis is about twice as common in women as it is in men. The reasons for this lie in the peculiarities of anatomy and physiology, as well as in the way of life and traditional ideas.
The symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women are generally similar to those seen in men. But there are also special cases due to biological differences.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis in young and mature women
Previously, most cases of osteochondrosis were thought to occur in women "over 50". But in recent years, cervical osteochondrosis has sharply "rejuvenated, " and its detection in a 30-year-old woman is no longer a rarity.
The manifestations of osteochondrosis in women and men are similar: pain during movement, crackling, headache, visual and hearing impairment, numbness of the limbs, chin, part of the face. Nausea is less common in women. But the prerequisites for the onset of symptoms of the disease vary across the sexes. In men, this is more often caused by injuries and excessive stress.
In women, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis depend on other factors.
- Objectively, women have weaker muscles and bones - that’s physiology. Therefore, a woman’s spine is subjected to more severe stress. Like a man. Due to the lack of a muscular corset.
- Hormonal factor affects the condition of the spine. Therefore, the appearance and worsening of osteochondrosis in young women provokes pregnancy and menstruation, in mature women - the onset of menopause.
- Women have traditionally done a variety of chores that require a mild head decision. Harm to the neck. One of the signs of damage to the 7th cervical vertebrae was even given the name "female" - "widow's hump" or "housewife's roller. "In men, this symptom is virtually non-existent.
- Other types of work with a slightly tilted head lead to the same result. This position must be held at a computer or desk, and many women are representatives of the “sitting” profession (teachers, secretaries, treasurers, dispatchers).
- Older women who reach retirement age as a result of unreasonable traditions are "waving to themselves. "They stop by monitoring their weight and lead a sedentary lifestyle. These are favorable conditions for osteochondrosis.
- Women are much more likely to suffer from dietomania than men. Violation of the nutritional balance leads to the appearance and exacerbation of osteochondrosis.
These factors cannot be avoided. But you can detect the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the neck in women in time, and your treatment will give a positive result.
Pain syndrome: what pain can occur in cervical osteochondrosis
Pain is a major symptom of osteochondrosis. But it is important to know what pain can occur in cervical osteochondrosis. This is necessary in order not to effectively treat non-existent disease instead of osteochondrosis and not to miss the threatening symptoms disguised as osteochondrosis.
More often, osteochondrosis causes pain in the neck: when moving sharply or dull, it hurts for a long time. But this pain immediately indicates a change in the spine. Worse, give it to completely different organs. This is due to the compression of the deformed vertebrae and the discs of the nerve roots and blood vessels.
- The head can hurt in different areas (depending on which vertebrae is injured). Such pain can be confused with migraine, neuritis, manifestation of VSD.
- Shoulder pain sometimes occurs, especially when trying to raise your arm. There is no point in treating bursitis.
- Pain can radiate to the entire arm. Typically, this symptom only works on one side.
- The most dangerous solution is chest or shoulder pain. It can be confused with signs of heart disease and even heart attack. It’s okay if osteochondrosis forces you to bother the cardiologist unnecessarily. It is much worse if the first signs of a heart attack are mistakenly mistaken for osteochondrosis.
The intensity of the pain may vary. In the initial stage, periodic lumbago and dull pain occur due to muscle tension. But with the onset of the disease, the lumbago can become literally unbearable and deprive the patient of the opportunity to move his head completely.
Osteochondrosis with radical syndrome in women
If this phenomenon occurs in the lower back, it is usually called radiculitis. Its essence is that the nerve roots from the spinal cord are compressed by deformed vertebrae and intervertebral discs.
Radical syndrome occurs with a sharp severity of symptoms - severe pain and inflammation, dizziness, fainting, panic attacks. It only occurs if the disease has been mistreated or not at all. This is an increased danger for women in our country - they tend to “persevere”, “don’t pay attention to the little things” or are content with folk remedies, and this is not always acceptable.
Osteochondrosis with radical syndrome alone cannot be treated. It manifests when the altered discs are already protruding, forming hernias, and growths have formed in the vertebral bodies. Stopping this process requires serious diagnosis and professional impact on the spine. And the pronounced symptoms cannot be removed by home methods.
Cervical osteochondrosis in women in the acute stage
Exacerbation of osteochondrosis occurs periodically in all patients. The development of exacerbation can be determined by increasing the onset of symptoms and the appearance of new ones (increased pain, headache or fainting, impaired vision, insomnia . . . ). In women, snoring during sleep can also be a sign of worsening. But it is much more important to know what causes can worsen. And avoid them or prepare to fight the disease.
Typical cases - sharp lifestyle changes, intense physical activity, infectious disease, stress, trauma. But women also have specific body conditions that can cause deterioration in well-being.
- Ladies who are worried about being overweight tend to resort to exhausting diets. And no one cares what effect this will have on health. And a radical diet can cause severe damage to the spine.
- In the case of osteochondrosis, women should wait for it to get worse during menstruation or pregnancy.
- The same can happen with hormonal contraceptives - osteochondrosis is sensitive to hormonal imbalance. It affects the health of the joints.
- Menopause is a serious factor affecting the spine. Older ladies need to pay special attention to themselves. However, the majority of patients with osteochondrosis are of age.
In acute stage women, cervical osteochondrosis is treated in the same way as in men. In some cases, hormone therapy (or withdrawal) may be needed. You should not act on your own, they will be treated at home during remission.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck in women: characteristics
Strictly speaking, they are not. Women show the same medications as men:
- analgesics;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- muscle relaxants for muscle relaxation;
- medicines to normalize blood pressure and relieve vascular spasms;
- vitamin complexes;
- Chondroprotectors for cartilage tissue repair.
These medicines can be offered as injections (in severe cases), as tablets, or as topical treatments. They will be prescribed by a doctor. It also suggests massage and physiotherapy procedures - without which osteochondrosis cannot be treated. Physiotherapy is essential and the same for women and men.
What is prescribed more often to women are sedatives. Although women (contrary to popular belief) are more resistant to stress, their nervous reactions are more pronounced. Hot temper, depression, panic can adversely affect treatment.
Folk remedies for neck osteochondrosis
In women, the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are often associated with neural reactions. Soothing teas should be especially recommended for women. We can make it from lemongrass, chamomile, mint. Ready-made herbal preparations for sale. This improves health, sleep, and attunement to fight the disease.
You can use folk remedies to relieve pain - horseradish leaves or burdock, steamed celandine herb. The compress should not be too hot - this is dangerous for the vessels in the brain. Homemade ointments are also suitable as a warming agent. You can make a mixture of mummy and butter (1: 1) or Vaseline with honey, mint and red pepper (in grams: 100: 20: 3: 2). Suitable for grinding and vodka and pepper.
Baths with pine needles (you can also use ready-made extract) or sea salt and oak leaves are suitable for remission or temporary pain relief.
And, of course, women need to exercise regularly and lead a moderately active lifestyle to strengthen the lumbar spine.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are not so difficult to identify in women, nor is treatment impossible. It is more important that women themselves are more attentive and lead a rational lifestyle.