Kyphosis of the cervical spine. Diagnosis, treatment

The neck is the most vulnerable part of the spinal column, which is easily injured, often susceptible to curvature and the effects of various degenerative processes. Kyphosis of the cervical spine is a rare disease caused by outward curvature of the vertebrae.

This pathology causes a number of problems: headaches, increased blood pressure, discomfort and pain along the spine, impaired sensitivity and motor activity, changes in the structure of cartilage and destruction of intervertebral discs. Cervical kyphosis is diagnosed in people of different age groups, so it is very important not to forget about preventive measures.

Possible reasons

At birth, the child’s spine does not have any curvature; only after some time do physiological curves (kyphosis and lordosis) begin to form. Backward protrusion of the spinal column in the thoracic and lumbosacral regions is called pathological kyphosis. Kyphotic deformity of the cervical spine is a pathology that is very rare. Doctors divide all possible causes into two categories: acquired and congenital.

Acquired causes include:

• Old age, at which destruction of cartilage and bone tissue is observed.
• Concomitant diseases of the spinal column (spondylosis, osteoporosis, osteochondrosis).
• Poor posture in the form of scoliosis, increased stress on the spine, or, conversely, their complete absence.
• Back injury, which includes damage to muscles, ligaments and the vertebrae themselves.
• Damage to the vertebrae or other tissues by infectious agents (for example, spinal tuberculosis).
• Progressive inflammatory processes in severe form, which have a sharp negative effect on the entire body.
• Oncological neoplasms in the spine and tissues adjacent to it.

Congenital causes include:

• Intrauterine abnormal development of a child.
• Damage to the cervical vertebrae when passing through the birth canal or during childbirth.
• Genetic predisposition, characteristic of several generations at once.

Kyphosis of the neck leads to numerous negative consequences. If you notice the disease in time and take all possible measures to combat it, you can avoid complications and its further development.

Prevention of kyphosis

It is quite possible to prevent the occurrence of curvature of the cervical spine . To do this you need:

• constantly monitor your posture and neck position;
• monitor your physical fitness: regular physical activity helps strengthen the muscle frame;
• If visual acuity is reduced, use glasses or contact lenses.

When the first symptoms of kyphosis appear, you should consult a doctor. Curvature can be corrected in the initial stages of the disease even in adulthood.

Classification

Doctors divided kyphosis into two types: arcuate (in the form of a short, highly elongated arc) and angular (in the form of a round tightness, the apex of which is one or more vertebral processes). In the second situation, in the absence of measures to combat the disease, patients develop a hump.

Several forms of kyphotic deformity are distinguished according to etiology:

Degenerative changes in the cervical spine

• Postural develops most often in people under 30 years of age, and mainly among the female half of the population due to stretched spinal ligaments.
• Paralytic is formed as a result of the onset of paralysis of the back muscles for various reasons.
• Postoperative is associated with a violation of the technique of performing operations on the spinal column, as well as non-compliance with the recommendations of a specialist in the postoperative period.
• Post-traumatic accounts for approximately 35% of all kyphosis and develops very quickly. Occurs after spinal fractures, ligament and muscle injuries.
• Senile (senile) is associated with age-related changes and is also common among women.
• Degenerative develops as a result of concomitant diseases of the spine, for example, osteochondrosis.
• Rachitic is typical for young children from 6 months of age with a diagnosis of rickets.
• Scheuermann-Mau disease or juvenile form of kyphosis. Curvature of the spine is observed during the period of active growth and is almost always combined with scoliosis.

As a result of diagnostic procedures, it is possible to identify not only the form of the disease, but also the severity of pathological processes in the cervical vertebrae.

Forecast

If left untreated, kyphosis will progress . This provokes a deterioration in blood supply to the brain. As a result, the patient experiences severe pain. They are localized mainly in the occipital part. In addition, problems arise with the functioning of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

When kyphosis is detected in childhood, it is possible to get rid of the disease using a conservative method in more than 90% of cases. In patients over 16 years of age, it is much more difficult to remove the deformity. Treatment is aimed at stopping the progression of the disease.

Characteristic symptoms

Pathological kyphosis of the cervical or cervicothoracic spine is manifested by many symptoms. Patients suffering from this disease complain of restrictions in neck mobility, crunching and discomfort when turning the head, frequent dizziness and headaches of varying intensity in the back of the head, poor posture, the appearance of stooping, and subsequently a hump, and increased blood pressure at rest.

Patients are concerned about impaired sensitivity of the upper extremities (numbness and tingling of the fingertips), the skin of the face and neck, spasm of the skeletal muscles of the cervical spine at the back, deterioration of vision and hearing, functional pain syndrome in the affected area, spreading to the shoulders and lower part of the head.

The greater the angle of curvature of the spinal column, the more pronounced signs of the disease are observed in patients

What is it: clinical picture

From Greek, “lordosis” is translated as “stooped, bent.” In medicine, this term refers to the physiological curves of the spine in the lumbar and cervical regions with a forward-facing convexity. The purpose of these bends is to reduce the shock-absorbing load that the spinal column experiences when walking.

As for hypolordosis (straightening, smoothing of lordosis), it is a pathological condition characterized by straightening the physiological curves of the spinal column in the neck or lower back.

With hypolordosis, the bend straightens backwards

This pathology is extremely rare - it accounts for no more than 1% of the diagnosed spinal diseases, and is equally often detected in older men and women.

The smoothness of lumbar and cervical lordosis can occur in different ways - asymptomatic or with severe pain in the area of ​​pathological straightening. The different clinical picture of the disease is determined by the condition of the muscle corset, the anatomical features of the body structure, and the degree of deformation of the vertebrae.

Diagnosis and treatment

Typically, if kyphosis is diagnosed early, it responds well to medication and requires physical therapy support. To determine the degree of bending angle, the following procedures are carried out:

• X-ray of the spine in a lateral projection with the spinal column maximally extended.
• Magnetic resonance imaging to identify the degree of curvature and changes in the structure of cartilage tissue.
• Contrast myelography (obtaining an image of the subarachnoid space after the introduction of a contrast agent into it) if it is impossible to perform an MRI.

If necessary, other organs and systems are examined to see how severely their work is impaired. Treatment of kyphosis of the cervical spine directly depends on the initial cause of its appearance. In addition, the general well-being, the state of the body, the degree of disease, and the individual characteristics of each person are taken into account.

Therapy usually takes a lot of time and effort. Only if all the specialist’s instructions are perfectly followed is it possible to achieve a complete cure for cervical kyphosis. The main measures in the fight against the disease are:

• Therapeutic gymnastics, exercises in which are selected individually for each patient.
• Taking medications (analgesics, antispasmodics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, etc.).
• Massage of the neck and collar area.
• Manual and physiotherapy.
• Wearing specially designed collars that are able to hold the neck in a stationary, level position.
• Carrying out surgery.

How is the disease diagnosed?

In the early stages, when the angle of curvature is no more than 30%, diagnostic methods such as computed tomography and ultrasound can identify a problem with the cervical vertebrae. However, these studies are purposefully carried out only if there are medical indications or at the request of the patient on a paid basis in private clinics. This is the main reason for the problems of people who encounter the disease when it progresses and destroys the musculoskeletal system.

If the angle of curvature of the spine exceeds 30%, it is still visually imperceptible, but the first symptoms of pathology already appear, with which patients come to the doctor. Manual examination, supported by the results of computer diagnostics, makes it possible to identify a deviation with a high degree of probability.

Gymnastics for cervical kyphosis

We figured out what kyphosis is and how to treat it. Before performing any exercises, you should consult your doctor. There are simply cases when certain procedures are contraindicated. The main exercises to help cope with kyphosis in the neck are the following.

Starting position - standing, hands behind your back holding a gymnastic stick, feet shoulder-width apart. While inhaling deeply, squat down as low as possible, and while exhaling, stand up. Perform 10–15 repetitions smoothly, without sudden movements. Starting position – standing, arms down. As you inhale, your arms stretch up and your head is thrown back a little. You need to remain in this position for 5–10 seconds. As you exhale, lower your arms and relax.

A positive effect can be achieved after acupuncture

Starting position – lying on your back, elbows pressed to the floor. Slowly and gently, the head rises up along with the chest as you inhale, and lowers as you exhale. 10–15 repetitions per 1 approach. Starting position - standing on your elbows and knees, head down, buttocks up. Walking in this position should include at least 50 steps, gradually increasing the load.

Starting position standing or sitting. The palms rest on the forehead, and at this time the forehead needs to resist the palms. The duration of the exercise is from 10 seconds with a further increase in time. The effect of gymnastics will be maximum if you supplement it with wearing a special collar. It is not recommended to use gymnastics if there is a fever, high blood pressure, mental disorders, or acute infectious diseases.

Deep lordosis of the lumbar spine (hyperlordosis)

Lordosis is a completely natural phenomenon.
Along with the common curvature of the lateral surface of the spine among people – scoliosis. Deep lumbar lordosis of the spine often occurs with a sedentary lifestyle. The disease can also be caused by improper exercise in the gym, during which the abdominal and buttock muscles are not used, and the back extensors are overloaded. When doing barbell squats, deadlifts or lunges, you should always pay attention to the technique. Before exercise, you need to activate the gluteal and abdominal muscles, for which you should use resistance bands.

Hyperlordosis can be caused by stress on the lower back during daily activities. Bending or lifting heavy objects with straight legs places significant stress on the lumbar spine. Hyperlordosis can also affect pregnant women with weakened abdominal muscles during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Pathogenesis

Each type of kyphosis has its own pathogenesis, but the manifestations are the same - a change in the anatomical structure of the cervical spine, which can harm overall health.

All vertebrae are connected to each other using intervertebral discs - a kind of cartilage pad to absorb physical stress, ligaments of elastic tissue and tendons for attaching muscles to the bones that hold the spinal column.

Under unfavorable conditions, the spinal ligaments are stretched, the muscles weaken, and cease to perform their function, allowing the vertebrae to take on other shapes and bend.