Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease of civilization.Modern people spend most of the day sitting in front of computer monitors.Such a sedentary lifestyle causes severe stress on the neck muscles and spine.Therefore, the structure of the intervertebral discs changes pathologically and the spinal nerve roots are compressed.Currently, it is difficult to find a person who has never suffered from the manifestations of this disease in his life.Therefore, the question remains relevant for many: how and how can you treat cervical osteochondrosis at home.
The reasons for the development of pathology
Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes in the intervertebral cartilage are activated.They become atrophic, disorganized and lose their functionality.Cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis differ depending on which part of the spine is damaged.This pathology is never uncommon.Medical statistics claim that symptoms of various degrees are detected in 90% of the population, the average age of the disease is 30-35 years.The manifestation of osteochondrosis can begin at an earlier age when exposed to unfavorable factors and after a severe injury.Pregnant women carrying a large child or carrying several fetuses at the same time are also susceptible to it.
The main cause of osteochondrosis is the nutrition of cartilage tissue.This can contribute to such negative factors:
- poor nutrition with sufficient supply of micro and macro elements;
- insufficient fluid intake;
- congenital and acquired metabolic disorders;
- Excess body weight;
- Bad habits, especially alcohol and smoking;
- constantly recurring stressful situations;
- burdened heredity;
- low level of physical development, weakness of the muscle frame;
- Excessive static loads;
- Incorrect posture;
- foot deformities, flat feet;
- chronic intoxication;
- spinal cord injury.
All these inciting factors are the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and physical inactivity in one way or another.
Signs and symptoms
When exposed to the above causes, pathological symptoms indicating the manifestation of the disease may appear gradually.The first signs that 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 pauses in the heart rate;
- numbness of the tongue;
- blurred vision;
- numbness of the hands, especially pronounced at night;
- limitation of extremities;
- tingling sensation in the hands.
Pay attention!The symptom of a falling head is pathognomonic for osteochondrosis.In this case, the patient should support his head with his hands to relieve the pain.
Treatment at home
Quality treatment of osteochondrosis is possible if all efforts are aimed at eliminating the causes that lead to the occurrence of pathology.Complex therapy includes a traditional regimen prescribed by a vertebrate and traditional medicine methods.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home is not isolated.It only complements the main therapy and helps to eliminate the following manifestations of the disease:
- Pain in the neck;
- muscle spasm;
- muscle weakness;
- destruction of intervertebral disc cartilage;
- violation of blood supply to the brain;
- numbness of the upper extremities.
Treatment with folk remedies makes it possible to stop the progress of destructive processes in the tissues and prevent the occurrence of complications.
Many medicines, self-massage, compresses, ointments and home-made herbal remedies are suitable for home use.Most experts confirm its effectiveness.Correct use of such tools greatly speeds up recovery.In addition, they do not require special skills and are convenient for home use.And this is extremely valuable, because osteochondrosis is a chronic disease, and every patient should know how to cope with painful symptoms as soon as possible.Home treatment has many advantages because it is accessible to everyone and the treatment cost 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, it is necessary to revise the diet, to enrich it with seafood, vegetables, fruits, green plants and dishes made from animal cartilage, for example, the well-known jellied meat.
During sleep, the head is in the correct position and the neck muscles are completely relaxed.To do this, it is better to choose a special orthopedic pillow made of latex or memory foam.
Therapy Complex
Without regular and methodical application of therapeutic exercises, it will be very difficult to get rid of osteochondrosis;Even the best and most expensive drugs will not help.If you dedicate at least a minimum amount of time to simple exercises, you can immediately feel increased neck mobility and reduced pain.Exercise therapy improves blood circulation and helps strengthen muscles.It is recommended to practice several times a day to achieve a clearer and more lasting effect.A suitable set of exercises will be selected by a gymnastics specialist, after which you can freely perform them at home.After each approach, you need to do 8-10 repetitions with a short break.The most common exercise therapy exercises are:
- He turns his head left and right.They should be done slowly, gradually achieving maximum stretching and muscle relaxation.
- It is recommended to tilt the head forward, backward and to the sides and stay in each position for a short time.When bending, you need to touch your chin to your chest, then you need to tilt your head.
- Static exercises can be done by eliminating the resistance of your hand with your head, and you can press your palm on your forehead, temple or the back of your head.
- Good exercises to relax the muscles of the shoulder girdle.Raising and lowering the arms, circular movements of the shoulders bring the ears as high as possible and ensure adequate nutrition of the spine in the cervical region.
It is very important to remember that such warm-ups can be done only when there is no active inflammatory process, during remission.You should not make sudden cutting movements and if pain occurs, you should end the activity quickly and consult a doctor.
Need it!In case of exacerbation of pain, a chance collar is worn.It straightens the head and neck, calms and prevents pinching of nerve roots.
Self-massage
Massage is a quick and effective way to relieve pain attacks due to osteochondrosis and get rid of salt deposits.You must follow the rules of self-massage:
- Massage movements should be done with your fingers without using Palm;
- All techniques should be smooth and slow;
- The 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.Put your elbow on your knee and start hitting with the opposite side, hitting the back of the neck and head, kneading.
Back massage in the absence of inflammation, otherwise there is increased blood flow, otherwise increased blood flow will lead to the activation of the aggravation of the disease.
Drug therapy
In case of severe pain, the use of drugs on an outpatient basis is reasonable.In addition, doctors prescribe drugs that can stop degenerative processes in the cartilage and eliminate inflammation.
When taking medication at home, the main thing is to strictly follow the recommendations of the specialist regarding the regimen and frequency of the medication.For example, the duration of treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is 5-7 days on average, and hormonal ointments based on glucocorticosteroids can be applied in a certain amount no more than 3 times a day.
Pay attention!In addition to the strongest anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, NSAIDS and glucocorticoids can cause negative reactions and cause 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 a similar effect.It quickly reduces the pain and swelling of tissues.
Cartilage tissue regeneration is carried out using drugs that include chondroitin and glucosamine.As these drugs act very slowly, they must be taken over a long period of time.However, in mild cases, the damaged cartilage can be completely restored.
The treatment regimen also includes vitamin and mineral complexes and drugs that help to "feed", improve vertebral circulation and improve metabolic processes in tissues.
Typist
The applicator is a cloth or rubber mat with needles.The tips of these needles are coated with a special compound containing small doses of zinc, copper and iron.Acting on the receptors of the skin, the needles have an irritating effect and cause blood flow to the inflamed area.By injecting multiple needles, a warming effect is carried out, which causes the muscles to relax.How the applicator helps relieve pain.
Folk remedies and recipes
How can osteochondrosis be treated using traditional medical methods?There are many different recipes based on herbal ingredients.They effectively cope with the symptoms of the disease against the background of the main treatment.Medicinal compositions are prepared for oral administration, compresses, ointments and plasters.
For osteochondrosis, the following mixtures are taken orally:
- Cut the young pine buds NO more than 2 centimeters and grind them thoroughly in a blender for a few minutes.Add sugar at the rate of 100 grams per 200 grams of kidney.Transfer the sugar mixture to a glass container with a tight lid and leave it in the refrigerator for 12-14 days.When the tincture is ready, it will turn brown.Take 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day for three weeks.
- Pour hot water into the curry and leave for 8 hours.Take tincture, 1 teaspoon, three times a day.
Homemade rubs are also widely used.The most effective recipe is called Grandma's Rub.You need to take 10 tablets of analgin and grind them into a powder, add camphor, medical alcohol and iodine solution to them in equal proportions.Stir the resulting mixture until the tablets dissolve.Apply to the regions where the pain is localized.Immediately after use, you may experience a slight burning sensation and heat, but the pain goes away very quickly.A contraindication to the use of this product is the presence of skin defects such as abrasions, cuts and scratches.
Osteochondrosis cannot be completely treated, especially if you do not consult a doctor.However, the use of folk remedies will prevent the appearance of pain and stop degenerative processes in the cervical spine.Regular use of these methods will improve your quality of life and overall performance.