[Cervical osteochondrosis in miners].

Abstract

Characteristics, frequency and distribution of vertebrogenic diseases involving cervico-brachial region were studied in more than 1,000 miners from asian North and East exposed to vibration. The data were compared with the results of examination of drivers. The investigation revealed a high level of vertebrogenic cervical pain and cervico-brachial pain in miners with a long length of service, especially in those suffering from vibration disease and frequent osteochondrosis manifestation in younger age, especially in subjects working beyond the Polar Circle. Occupational hazards are proved to play a leading role in the early development of vertebrogenic diseases, and vibration disease predisposes to such pathology. The results make possible to consider the vertebrogenic cervical pain and cervico-brachial pain as occupational diseases in young-aged workers with long length of service or evaluate such diseases as complications of vibration disease in individuals facing this occupational pathology.