Cervical osteochondrosis is what we call a disease of civilization.Modern people spend most of the day sitting in front of computer screens.Such a sedentary lifestyle causes significant stress on the neck muscles and vertebrae.As a result, the structure of the intervertebral discs changes pathologically and the spinal nerve roots are pinched.Nowadays it is difficult to find a person who has never been embarrassed by the manifestations of this disease in his life.That is why the question remains relevant for many: how and how to cure cervical osteochondrosis yourself at home.
Reasons for the development of pathology
Osteochondrosis is a disease in which the degenerative processes of the intervertebral cartilage are activated.They become atrophic, inelastic and lose their functionality.Depending on the part of the spine affected, cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis are distinguished.This pathology is not at all rare.Medical statistics claim that symptoms of varying degrees are detected in 90% of the population, with the average age of onset of the disease being 30-35 years.In case of exposure to unfavorable factors and after serious injuries, the manifestation of osteochondrosis may begin at an earlier age.Pregnant women who are carrying a large child or several fetuses at the same time are also susceptible.
The main cause of osteochondrosis is malnutrition of cartilage tissue.Negative factors such as:
- poor nutrition with insufficient intake of micro- and macroelements;
- insufficient fluid intake;
- congenital and acquired metabolic disorders;
- excess body weight;
- bad habits, including alcohol consumption and smoking;
- constantly recurring stressful situations;
- burdened heredity;
- low level of physical development, weakness of muscle structure;
- excessive static loads;
- poor posture;
- foot deformities, flat feet;
- chronic poisoning;
- spinal injuries.
All these provoking factors are in one way or another the consequence of an unhealthy lifestyle and physical inactivity.
Signs and symptoms
When exposed to the above reasons, pathological symptoms may gradually appear, indicating the manifestation of the disease.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 interruptions in heartbeat;
- numbness of the tongue;
- blurred vision;
- numbness of the hands, particularly pronounced at night;
- limitation of limb movements;
- a tingling sensation in the hands.
Be careful!The symptom of a drooping head is pathognomonic of osteochondrosis.In this case, in order to relieve pain, the patient must support his head with his hands.
Home treatment
It is possible to qualitatively treat osteochondrosis only if all efforts are aimed at eliminating the causes that led to the appearance of the pathology.Complex therapy includes a traditional diet, prescribed by a vertebrologist, and additional methods of traditional medicine.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home is not carried out in isolation.It only complements the main treatment and helps eliminate the following manifestations of the disease:
- neck pain;
- muscle spasm;
- muscle weakness;
- destruction of the cartilage of the intervertebral disc;
- disruption of blood supply to the brain;
- numbness of the upper limbs.
Treatment with folk remedies allows you to stop the progression of destructive processes in tissues and prevent the appearance of exacerbations.
Many homemade medicines, self-massages, compresses, ointments and herbal decoctions are suitable for home use.Most experts confirm their effectiveness.Correct use of these remedies significantly speeds up recovery.In addition, they do not require special skills and are convenient to use at home.And this is extremely valuable, because osteochondrosis is a chronic disease and every patient should know how to quickly cope with painful symptoms.Home treatment has many advantages because it is accessible to everyone and the cost is relatively low.The patient can use several different methods simultaneously and choose the most suitable and effective methods themselves.
Against the background of intensive treatment, it is necessary to reconsider the diet, enriching it with seafood, vegetables, fruits, green plants and dishes made from animal cartilage, such as, for example, the famous jellied meat.
It is very important that during sleep the head is in the correct position and the neck muscles are completely relaxed.To do this, it is best to choose special orthopedic pillows made of latex or memory foam.
Exercise therapy complex
Without the regular and methodical implementation 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 spend at least a minimum of time on simple exercises, you will immediately notice an increase in neck mobility and a decrease in pain.Exercise therapy improves blood circulation and helps strengthen muscles.To achieve a more pronounced and lasting effect, it is recommended to train several times a day.A suitable set of exercises will be selected by a gymnastics specialist, after which you can freely perform them at home.It is necessary to do 8-10 repetitions with a short break after each approach.The most common exercise therapy exercises:
- Turn your head right and left.They should be performed slowly, gradually achieving maximum stretching and relaxation of the muscles.
- Tilt your head forward, back and sideways, and it is recommended to stay in each position for a short time.When you bend over, you should touch your chin to your chest and then tilt your head back.
- Static exercises can be performed by overcoming the resistance of your hand with your head, and you can press your palm to your forehead, temple or the back of your head.
- Good exercises to relax the muscles of the shoulder girdle.Raising and lowering your arms, circular movements of the shoulders, bringing them as high as possible to the ears help activate blood circulation and ensure adequate nutrition of the spine at the cervical level.
It is very important to remember that such warm-ups can only be carried out during periods of remission, when there is no active inflammatory process.You should not make sudden, jerky movements and, in case of pain, you should quickly end the activity and consult a doctor.
Advice!In case of exacerbation of pain, wearing a Shants collar is indicated.It fixes the head and neck, bringing peace and preventing pinching of nerve roots.
Self-massage
Massage is a quick and effective way to relieve pain attacks due to osteochondrosis and get rid of accumulations of salt deposits.You need to follow a few self-massage rules:
- massage movements should be performed with the fingers, without using the palm;
- all techniques should be smooth and slow;
- direction of movement – from the spine to the periphery and up and down;
- 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, with the opposite hand, begin to stroke, rub and knead the muscles of the neck and back of the head.
Back massage should be carried out during a period when there is no inflammation, otherwise increased blood flow, on the contrary, will lead to activation of inflammation and aggravation of the disease.
Drug therapy
The use of outpatient medication is justified in cases of severe pain.Additionally, doctors prescribe drugs that stop degenerative processes in cartilage and can eliminate inflammation.
The main thing when taking medications at home is to strictly follow the specialist's recommendations regarding the diet and frequency of use of medications.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 applied strictly in a certain quantity, no more than 3 times a day.
Be careful!In addition to their most powerful anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, NSAIDs and glucocorticoids can cause unwanted 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.
Restoration of cartilage tissue is carried out using drugs including chondroitin and glucosamine.These medications must be taken for a long time because they work very slowly.But in mild cases, they are able to completely restore damaged cartilage.
The treatment regimen also includes vitamin and mineral complexes and drugs that help “feed” cartilage, improve spinal circulation and metabolic processes in tissues.
Applicator
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.By acting on skin receptors, the needles have an irritating effect and cause blood flow to the area of inflammation.Through the injection of numerous needles, a warming effect is achieved, which causes relaxation of the muscles.This is how the applicator helps relieve pain.
Folk remedies and recipes
How to treat osteochondrosis with traditional medicine methods?There are a huge number of different recipes using herbal ingredients.They effectively cope with the symptoms of the disease as part of basic treatment.Healing compositions for oral administration, compresses, ointments and frictions are prepared.
For osteochondrosis, the following mixtures are taken orally:
- Wash young pine buds no more than 2 centimeters long and break them thoroughly in a blender for several minutes.Add sugar at the rate of 100 grams per 200 grams of kidneys.Transfer the sugar mixture to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid and leave it in the refrigerator for 12 to 14 days.When the dye is ready, it will take on a brownish tint.Take 2 to 3 times a day, 1 teaspoon for three weeks.
- Pour warm water over the celery and leave for 8 hours.Take the tincture three times a day, 1 teaspoon.
Homemade rubs are also widely used.The most effective recipe is called grandmother's rub.You need to take 10 analgin tablets and grind them well into powder, add camphor, medical alcohol and iodine solution to them in equal proportions.Shake the resulting mixture vigorously until the tablets dissolve.Apply to areas where pain is localized.Immediately after use, you may feel a slight burning and heat sensation, but the pain disappears 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 cured, 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.