Cervical osteochondrosis is a so-called civilization disease.Modern people spend most of the day sitting in front of computer monitors.Such a sedentary lifestyle leads to severe stress on the muscles and vertebrae of the neck.Because of this, the structure of the intervertebral discs changes abnormally, and the nerve roots of the spinal cord are pinched.Nowadays, it is difficult to find a person who has never been bothered by the manifestations of this disease in his life.Therefore, the question remains relevant for many: how and how to cure cervical osteochondrosis at home.
Causes of the development of pathology
Osteochondrosis is a disease in which the degenerative processes of the intervertebral cartilages are activated.They become atrophic, inflexible and lose their functionality.Depending on which part of the spinal column the damage occurred, cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis can be distinguished.This pathology is not at all rare.Medical statistics claim that varying degrees of symptoms are seen in 90% of the population, and the average age at onset of the disease is 30-35 years.Exposure to adverse factors and after serious injuries, the manifestation of osteochondrosis can begin at an early age.Pregnant women carrying large children or multiple fetuses at the same time are also susceptible to this.
The main cause of osteochondrosis is malnutrition of cartilage tissue.Negative factors such as:
- poor nutrition with insufficient supply of micro and macro elements;
- insufficient fluid intake;
- congenital and acquired metabolic disorders;
- excessive body weight;
- bad habits, especially alcohol consumption and smoking;
- constantly recurring stressful situations;
- burdened inheritance;
- low physical development, weakness of the musculoskeletal system;
- excessive static load;
- incorrect posture;
- foot deformities, flat feet;
- chronic poisoning;
- spinal injuries.
All these provoking factors are, in one way or another, the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and physical inactivity.
Signs and symptoms
Subject to the above causes, pathological symptoms may appear gradually, indicating the manifestation of the disease.The first signs to appear are:
- aching pain in the neck;
- dizziness;
- sudden changes in blood pressure during the day;
- strong feeling of weakness, loss of strength;
- feeling of interruption of heartbeat;
- numbness of the tongue;
- blurred vision;
- numbness of the hands, especially at night;
- limitation of limb movement;
- tingling sensation in the hands.
Listen!The symptom of falling head is pathognomonic for osteochondrosis.In this case, in order to relieve the pain, the patient should support his head with his hands.
Treatment at home
High-quality treatment of osteochondrosis is possible only if all efforts are aimed at eliminating the causes that lead to the development of the pathology.Complex therapy includes a traditional regimen prescribed by a vertebrologist and additional methods of traditional medicine.
Home treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is not carried out in isolation.It only complements the main therapy and helps eliminate the following manifestations of the disease:
- wearing;
- muscle spasm;
- muscle weakness;
- destruction of the intervertebral disc;
- disorder of blood supply to the brain;
- numbness of the upper limbs.
Treatment with folk remedies makes it possible to stop the progress of destructive processes in the tissues and prevent the occurrence of exacerbations.
Many medicines, self-massage, poultices, ointments, and homemade herbal decoctions are suitable for home use.Most experts confirm their effectiveness.The correct use of such remedies will significantly speed up recovery.In addition, they do not require special skills and are convenient for home use.And this is extremely valuable, since osteochondrosis is a chronic disease, and every patient should know how to quickly cope with painful symptoms.Home treatment has many advantages, as it is available to anyone and the cost of the treatment is relatively low.The patient can use several different methods at the same time and choose the most suitable and effective methods for him.
Against the background of intensive treatment, the diet should be reconsidered, enriched with seafood, vegetables, fruits, green plants and foods made from animal cartilage, such as the well-known jellied meat.
It is very important that the head is in the right position during sleep and that the neck muscles are completely relaxed.For this, it is better to choose orthopedic pillows made of special latex or memory foam.
Exercise therapy complex
Without regular and methodical implementation of therapeutic exercises, it will be very difficult to get rid of osteochondrosis;even the best and most expensive drugs do not help.If you devote at least a minimal amount of time to simple exercises, you will immediately notice an increase in neck mobility and a decrease in pain.Exercise therapy improves blood circulation and strengthens muscles.In order to achieve a more pronounced and lasting effect, it is recommended to train several times a day.The appropriate set of exercises is selected by a gymnastics specialist, after which you can do them freely at home.After each approach, 8-10 repetitions should be performed with a short break.The most common exercise therapy exercises:
- He turns his head left and right.It should be done slowly, gradually reaching maximum stretching and relaxation of the muscles.
- Tilt your head forward, back and side, and it is recommended to stay in each position for a short time.When bending, you should touch your chin to your chest, then tilt your head back.
- Static exercises can be done by overcoming the resistance of the hand with the head and pressing the palm on the forehead, temple or head.
- Good exercises to relax the muscles of the shoulder girdle.Raising and lowering the arms, circular movements of the shoulders, placing them as high as possible up to the ears help to activate the blood flow and provide proper nutrition to the spinal column in the neck region.
It is very important to note that such a warm-up can only be done during periods of remission, when there is no active inflammatory process.Do not make sudden jerking movements, and if pain occurs, stop the activity quickly and seek medical attention.
Advice!In case of worsening pain, it is recommended to wear a Shants collar.It secures the head and neck, provides peace of mind and prevents pinching of nerve roots.
Self-massage
Massage is a quick and effective tool for relieving pain attacks caused by osteochondrosis and removing salt deposits.Some rules of self-massage must be followed:
- massage movements should be performed with your fingers, without using your palms;
- all techniques should be smooth and slow;
- direction of movement - from the spine to the periphery and from top to bottom;
- The neck should remain straight during the massage.
You should sit on a flat, hard surface and cross your legs.Place your elbow on your knee and start stroking, rubbing and kneading the muscles in the back of your neck and head with your opposite hand.
Back massage should be done at a time when there is no inflammation, otherwise increased blood flow, on the contrary, leads to the activation of inflammation and exacerbation of the disease.
Drug therapy
In case of severe pain, the outpatient use of medicines is justified.In addition, doctors prescribe drugs that stop the degenerative processes of the cartilage and can eliminate inflammation.
When taking home remedies, the most important thing is to strictly follow the recommendations of the specialist regarding the dosage and frequency of the medicines.For example, the duration of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is on average 5-7 days, and hormonal ointments based on glucocorticosteroids can be used in a strictly defined amount, no more than 3 times a day.
Listen!In addition to the strongest anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect, NSAIDs and glucocorticoids can cause side effects and have many contraindications.Therefore, most doctors prescribe the safest drugs of new generations.
For external use, warming ointments with bee or snake venom are used.The patch has similar effects.It quickly reduces pain and tissue swelling.
Cartilage tissue is restored with drugs containing chondroitin and glucosamine.These drugs must be taken for a long time as they work very slowly.But in mild cases, they can completely restore the damaged cartilage.
The regimen also includes vitamin-mineral complexes and drugs that help to "nourish" the cartilage, improve the circulation of the vertebrae and metabolic processes in the tissues.
Applicator
The applicator is cloth or rubber mat with needles.The tips of these needles are coated with a special compound containing small amounts of zinc, copper and iron.Acting on skin receptors, the needles have an irritating effect and cause blood flow to the inflamed area.By injecting many needles, a warming effect is achieved, which causes the muscles to relax.The applicator thus helps to relieve pain.
Folk remedies and recipes
How can osteochondrosis be treated with the methods of traditional medicine?There are many different recipes based on herbal ingredients.They effectively cope with the symptoms of the disease against the background of basic treatment.They prepare healing preparations for oral administration, poultices, ointments and rubs.
For osteochondrosis, the following mixtures should be taken orally:
- Wash young pine buds up to 2 centimeters long and crush them thoroughly in a blender for a few minutes.Add sugar in the ratio of 100 grams / 200 grams of kidney.Put the sugar mixture in a glass jar with a tight lid and leave it in the refrigerator for 12-14 days.When the tincture is ready, it will acquire a brownish tint.Take 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day for three weeks.
- Pour warm water over the celery and let it sit for 8 hours.Take the tincture three times a day, 1 teaspoon.
Homemade scrubs are also widely used.The most effective recipe is grandmother's rub.It is necessary to take 10 tablets of analgin and grind it to a fine powder, add camphor, medical alcohol and iodine solution in equal proportions.Shake the resulting mixture vigorously until the tablets dissolve.Apply to the areas where the pain is localized.Immediately after use, you may experience a slight burning sensation and warmth, but the pain goes away very quickly.Contraindication to the use of the product is the presence of skin defects, such as abrasions, cuts and scratches.
Osteochondrosis cannot be cured completely, especially if you do not consult a doctor.However, the use of folk remedies prevents the appearance of pain and stops the degenerative processes in the cervical spine.Regular use of these methods will improve your quality of life and overall performance.