Spinal diseases often cause completely unexpected symptoms.
At first glance, they have nothing to do with the disease. But - a person has cervical osteochondrosis, and dizziness, anxiety, and depression can easily become a part of their life too.
For successful treatment it is important to properly identify the root cause of these problems.
Dizziness in osteochondrosis: causes of occurrence
Cervical osteochondrosis is particularly dangerous because it disrupts the blood supply to the brain. Deformation of the intervertebral discs and vertebrae can compress the vertebral artery, which provides up to a quarter of the volume of blood the brain needs.
Dizziness is a direct result of the lack of oxygen in the brain. In the milder stages of the disease, it usually occurs intermittently and for a short time. Your head may feel dizzy after sleeping or when you suddenly change your posture. As the disease progresses, this condition can last for hours. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and blurred vision.
It is very important to properly identify the source of the problem. The head cannot only become dizzy from osteochondrosis. The same symptom can be caused by disorders of the heart and blood vessels, anemia and other diseases. In this case, the approaches to treatment must be completely different. Often times, a misdiagnosis resulted in people being treated for high blood pressure or similar illnesses for years instead of dealing with the spine.
Blood pressure and cervical osteochondrosis
In this case, cervical osteochondrosis can also cause manifestations of vegetative-vascular dystonia. The reasons also lie in the clamping of the vertebral artery and in muscle spasms. The intracranial pressure is particularly painful for osteochondrosis.
This phenomenon can manifest itself in headache, heaviness, tinnitus and visual disturbances. Using traditional drugs to treat high blood pressure does not produce results (or they are short-lived). Here, too, the correct diagnosis is the key to the success of the treatment.
Increased pressure can also cause pain, so the manifestations of VSD in osteochondrosis can be very strong.
If the chest region is affected in addition to the neck, interruptions in the work of the heart, arrhythmias and a feeling of tightness in the chest can be observed. Heart medication does not work here either.
Osteochondrosis is very dangerous because it causes symptoms similar to other serious diseases. Much can be attributed to him and you may miss the moment when there is an urgent need for help to the heart and blood vessels.
What to do if you feel dizzy with cervical osteochondrosis?
If the diagnosis has not yet been made, dizziness due to osteochondrosis may be suspected if it occurs with a change in posture. The throat also usually tears.
Dizziness can be eliminated by maintaining normal blood flow in the neck. You can try self massage as a quick acting remedy. You will need to undergo treatment to prevent the seizures from recurring. The doctor will advise what to do in a particular situation.
Different drugs and therapies may be required at different stages of the disease:
- A course of muscle relaxants to relax muscle cramps.
- B vitamins - they also have a positive effect on blood circulation.
- Several massages with a specialist, then regular self-massage of the neck.
- Physiotherapy is a must - movements help release jammed 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 blood circulation. And the main thing is to diagnose cervical osteochondrosis in a timely manner, and dizziness, anxiety and depression do not have time to develop.
Reasonable and unfounded fears about osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis manifests itself not only in the physical, but also in the psychological area. This disease is often associated with panic attacks and obsessive-compulsive anxiety.
Your appearance has objective and subjective reasons. Inappropriate panic can be the result of a cerebrovascular accident.
But even more often, fears are a consequence of other painful manifestations of osteochondrosis:
- The patient is constantly waiting for pain attacks and is afraid of them.
- There is a fear of a possible disability.
- The duration of treatment is terrifying, with the prospect of no results.
- Some symptoms suggest other diseases (heart attack, stroke, upset stomach).
Such psychological reactions can only be avoided with the appropriate attitude. The patient needs to constantly remind himself that osteochondrosis is not a sentence. Do not neglect pain medication so that you are not afraid of pain. Relatives and acquaintances of the patient should constantly show confidence in his speedy recovery and maintain a constructive attitude.
Depression as a possible consequence of osteochondrosis
If such "psychotherapy" is not carried out, 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 violations of self-esteem.
- menstrual irregularities in women.
- indigestion.
- numbness of certain parts of the body.
Depression can even lead to suicide attempts, so it is dangerous to ignore its manifestations.
Depression occurs as a reaction to persistent pain and discomfort. Its occurrence is also promoted by social problems that inevitably accompany patients with osteochondrosis.
- Feeling a missed opportunity to live a full life.
- Prolonged "failure" of the work process.
- The awareness that illness causes discomfort for loved ones.
- feeling of helplessness, in vain - the disease does not go away despite the measures taken.
It is important to note that some pain relievers also have a depressive effect on the central nervous system and can lead to a depressed state. Therefore, one should not abuse strong analgesics, but only use them for aggravation. If there is no severe pain, then it is better to use ointments, massages and physical therapy procedures. Relatives of the patient should take into account that depression often prevents the patient from realizing their problem, so they will almost certainly have to "push" them for treatment.
Treatment of mental health problems associated with osteochondrosis
In severe depression with many dangerous manifestations, it is often necessary to use strong antidepressants. But you need to know that all of these drugs are addicting and you cannot use them for a long time. As soon as the most severe manifestations are eliminated, such drugs should be discontinued.
In order to get rid of anxiety and depression, the osteochondrosis itself must first be treated. A number of standard measures are suitable for this: elimination of muscle spasms, chondroprotectors to strengthen the cartilage tissue, physical education, physiotherapy. At the same time, however, it is necessary to improve the patient's state of mind.
- Regular walks and moderate physical activity are required. Light physical activity stimulates pleasure.
- To normalize sleep, you need an orthopedic pillow or just a low hard pillow. The bedroom should always be well ventilated.
- Others should motivate the patient to recover.
- It is necessary to involve the patient as much as possible in public life, in family affairs and in official duties. For the most part, you can find activities that won't hurt your spine. But the person will feel useful and needed.
- In severe cases, the help of a psychologist and even a psychiatrist may be required. Don't be afraid - going to a psychiatrist doesn't mean losing your mind.
The main thing is to "fix" the cervical osteochondrosis, and dizziness, anxiety and depression will no longer be threatening. Against the background of a decrease in painful manifestations, psychological rehabilitation will go much better.
But the best thing is to just avoid these symptoms. It is worth starting treatment for cervical osteochondrosis in a timely manner, and dizziness, anxiety and depression will never appear.