Cervical osteochondrosis is a more dangerous type of disease than osteochondrosis of the thoracic and lumbar region. This fact is explained by the fact that the neck is close to the head. Therefore, when the neck structures are damaged, various disorders in the work of the brain, organs of sight, hearing and speech begin.
Therefore, doctors advise starting treatment as soon as the disease is diagnosed. Especially if it is at an early stage.
Home treatment for cervical osteochondrosis may even be recommended. Immediately before starting treatment, you must get detailed instructions and recommendations from your doctor.
Reasons for developing the disease
It is necessary to know the reasons for the development of cervical osteochondrosis so that the treatment would not be in vain. Finally, if the factors that contributed to the development of the pathology are not eliminated, osteochondrosis can recur.
Main causes of cervical osteochondrosis:
- Age - pathology often develops in older people due to physiological aging processes in the body. But in recent decades, the disease has been “rejuvenated” and is being diagnosed in 30-year-old patients. This is due to modern lifestyle, professional factors, changes in dietary preferences.
- Occupation or hobby - in most cases, degenerative-dystrophic changes in ODA tissues begin in people who overload the cervical spine or, conversely, do not provide a normal load. For example, professional heavyweight athletes overload their body with strength training. And people who work at a computer or mostly in a sitting position, on the contrary, "under load". In the latter case, there are no dynamic loads, but static loads during a long period of immobility are very serious.
- Injuries, neck hypothermia or surgery in this area.
- Heredity.
- Metastases in tumors of the spine or other organs.
- Wrong mattress (too or not firm enough), unsuitable pillows, prolonged lying or sitting position (on the bed, couch).
The reason for the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine may even be improper diet. Or there may be several reasons. The factors that contributed to the development of the pathology will be determined by the doctor in the process of diagnosis. During and after treatment, it will be necessary to remove these factors or try to reduce their pathological impact.
Symptoms and possible complications
Cervical osteochondrosis may initially develop asymptomatically. Or neck discomfort and other signs are attributed to other diseases, fatigue, stress, atmospheric conditions.
However, if several symptoms are present at once, this should be a reason for emergency medical attention:
- Pain in the neck that eventually spreads to the head, face, shoulders, shoulders, arms. The pain may pass or increase when turning the head, in a certain position.
- Shot in the neck, limited mobility.
- Dizziness, fainting.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Impaired motor skills, coordination of movements, trembling hands.
- Violation of sensitivity on the face, limbs or vice versa, the appearance of unusual sensations - geese, tingling.
- Problems with the function of the organs of sight, hearing, speech.
- Occurrence of hypertension or elevated intracranial pressure without objective causes from the cardiovascular system.
The appearance of these symptoms is directly related to the dystrophic processes in the cervical spine. And also with stenosis of the spinal artery and compression of the nervous tissue - these structures pass through the spinal canal and are damaged by the vertebrae.
If the disease is not treated, sooner or later dangerous complications will occur. First, the patient loses the ability to move freely - it is a disability, a permanent loss of working ability. Second, the progression of the pathology affects the function of the brain, which can result in trauma in a fall, stroke, coma or death.
Home treatment
All methods of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis can be roughly divided into:
- Etiotropic and pathogenetic- those that affect the very cause of the disease, as well as the mechanism of its development. These are some types of medications, physiotherapy, exercise, gymnastics, wearing a special necklace.
- Symptomatic or palliative- those that eliminate the symptoms of the disease or help reduce their severity and intensity. They are intended to alleviate the patient's condition, improve the quality of his life during the treatment period, and are used as an adjunct to the first group of methods. These are novocaine blockades, taking other anesthetic drugs, ointments, massage.
However, most methods of osteochondrosis therapy are both etiotropic and symptomatic. To cure osteochondrosis quickly, you must try to use all available methods. That is, the therapy should be as comprehensive, comprehensive and complex as possible.
Surgical methods of treating osteochondrosis are widely used today. But in the case of a mild form of the disease, their use is not justified.
Therefore, for home treatment, you need to focus on these conservative methods:
- Lifestyle and diet changes.
- Reception or external application of drugs.
- Treatment at home - gymnastics, exercise therapy, massage (in case of calling a masseur at home).
- Wear a special necklace or kinesio strap.
- Treatment with folk remedies.
Items 1, 3, 4 can be used both during rehabilitation after illness and as a preventive measure (to prevent future recurrence).
It is desirable that the treatment program is compiled by a doctor or at least agreed with him. Otherwise, it is possible to cause even greater damage to the health of ODA, which will significantly affect the patient's condition and treatment costs.
Lifestyle and diet
Without normalizing lifestyle, physical activity and revising the daily menu, there will be no point in treatment.
What needs to change:
- Quality of sleeping place- buy an orthopedic mattress, in addition it is advisable to buy an orthopedic pillow.
- Loads on the cervical spine- should be moderate. It is advisable to leave hard sports, change physically hard work into another type of activity. You can also change the operation with passive loads. If this is not possible, you should occasionally stretch your neck during the working day, move your head more during working hours.
You also need to start eating properly. Finally, food provides all the necessary elements for the regeneration of muscle, nerve, cartilage and bone tissue of the vertebrae. Accordingly, food should be rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals (calcium, iron, vitamins C, E, A, group B).
Medications
Main groups of pharmacological drugs prescribed by doctors:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - relieve pain and stop the inflammatory process in the tissues.
- Preparations designed to relieve pain syndrome (including anti-inflammatory and warming effects). These include injections, corticosteroid tablets, ointments and creams.
- Means intended for tissue regeneration ODA - chondroprotectors.
- Spasmolytics and muscle relaxants to relax the neck muscle tissue.
- Vitamins and minerals, vitamin and mineral complexes.
All medications, except vitamins and painkillers, should be taken in courses. Occasional admission from case to case will not give results, which will affect the effectiveness of treatment.
Procedures
At home, the possibility of physiotherapy is limited. For example, you can massage or stretch your spine just by inviting an expert to your home, and not everyone can afford that. But self-massage and basic physical exercises are quite real and do not require financial costs.
Self-massage can be performed with the hands, because the neck area is easy enough to reach. The technique of self-massage is simple - you need to do light movements and folds. It is useful to use a lubricant, such as Vaseline. The main thing is that the procedure does not cause pain.
You can also massage with a towel, rubbing your neck or a jet of warm water in the shower. Another good option is to take a stick, like the handle of a shovel - round. Such a stick is placed on the back of the shoulder, grabbing the ends and driving it up and down the surface of the neck like a rolling pin. If possible, you can buy massage devices. Lyapko roller massager is very useful, not expensive, its effectiveness has been proven.
Neck gymnastics is also quite simple. You need to smoothly make various bends, tilting the head. However, with the worsening of osteochondrosis, exercise should not be done, as the pain can be simply unbearable. This can cause neck muscle cramps.
Wearing orthopedic structures is an effective method of treatment
Wearing a custom collar has many benefits:
- Supports the spine and relieves muscle tissue.
- More efficient tissue regeneration.
- Improving blood circulation, including the vertebral artery. In cervical osteochondrosis - this is one of the main tasks.
- Fixing the neck reduces mobility and pain.
- Protects the door area from possible additional injuries and injuries.
However, the collar has its drawbacks. Wearing is not always appropriate in the company of other people. It can also be difficult to inspect and perform the necessary household duties or work manipulations. But during the treatment period, you should try to wear the necklace according to the schedule determined by the doctor.
Neck spraying as a method of treatment also has a number of advantages:
- Aesthetically acceptable, with the tape you are free to appear "in public". Colored ribbons, if not appropriate in a particular situation, can be hidden by clothing with a high collar.
- Don't limit physical activity.
- Moisture resistant, does not need to be removed before showering.
- Improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage, relieve pain and inflammation, edema.
- Relieve stress on muscle tissue.
- Massage, stimulate metabolic processes in muscles, their regeneration.
There is only one drawback of kinesio tapes - their price, but many patients can afford to pay 5 rubles for a roll of 5 meters.
Folk remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis
For oral treatment you can use:
- Aqueous infusion of bay leaves or cranberries.
- Parsley root decoction.
- Aqueous solution of celery juice.
- Eat sesame seeds.
- Herbal teas - own fees or purchased (chamomile, nettle, oregano, hops).
- Alcoholic infusion of chopped pine nuts.
For the treatment of compresses and rubbing it is useful to use burdock, horseradish, red pepper (infusions, decoctions) and tar or clay sold in pharmacies.
Treating cervical osteochondrosis at home is quite effective in most cases. If degenerative-dystrophic changes have already progressed strongly, it is recommended to combine home therapy with other methods of treatment. For example, use the services of a physiotherapist, massage therapist, chiropractor.
And if the disease has just begun to develop, medicines, home remedies and folk methods allow a quick result. That is, to cure the spine without resorting to the services of experts.