Folk remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis

Such a disease of the musculoskeletal system as osteochondrosis today practically does not lend itself to full treatment.

However, the set of doctors has enough tools that help to effectively stop the symptoms of the disease and are able to stop its further development.

Many of these methods require inpatient treatment, for which, given the modern pace of life, a person does not always have time. How to get rid of osteochondrosis in this case?

There is only one answer - treatment of osteochondrosis at home. Consider the methods of treating osteochondrosis at home with folk remedies.

Pathogenesis of the disease

According to statistics, every third person under the age of 45 has complaints of back pain. In most cases, this is caused by osteochondrosis of the spine.

Pathology is primarily characterized by damage to cartilage and bone tissue, and in the process of progression, it begins to affect the patient's nervous system.

The disease is rapidly "getting younger" due to a decrease in the physical activity of the population due to the development of computer technologies and the developing transport infrastructure.

But in addition to a sedentary lifestyle, experts also name other reasons for the development of pathology:

• Ecology;
• Diet disorder;
• Inappropriate distribution of physical load on the back;
• Trauma;
• Weakness of skeletal muscles;
• Decreased immunity against the background of the development of chronic diseases;
• Viral and bacterial pathologies, etc.

With the modern dynamics of a person's life, he simply does not have enough time to take care of his health. There are always ten other reasons not to do this: work, family, children, etc.

Then the person wonders for a long time: where did he get osteochondrosis at the age of 25-30? - a disease that usually occurs in older people.

Many consider it a waste of time to go to a polyclinic, and a logical question is brewing: how to treat osteochondrosis at home?

In order to answer this question, it is necessary to consider what are the most common methods of therapy used by specialists in the treatment of this pathology.

Only after this can we consider the treatment of osteochondrosis with folk remedies to understand how effective alternative methods of treatment are in general.

Treatment of osteochondrosis

Therapy for this pathology does not have any standard and depends on the individual diagnosis of the patient.

This suggests that before starting treatment for osteochondrosis at home, you still need to visit your doctor for a diagnosis.

This must be done in order not to cause even more harm to your body. Complications of this pathology lead to protrusion and herniated intervertebral discs, which can contribute to headaches, loss of limb sensitivity, up to paralysis.

In inpatient treatment after diagnosis, specialists first of all solve three main tasks:

• Removal of pain syndrome;
• Relief of the inflammatory process and edema. These symptoms are almost always present during the development of this pathology;
• Physiotherapy procedures aimed at restoring damaged tissues, the main goal is to achieve a long and lasting remission.

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine with alternative methods cannot replace full therapy.

However, alternative treatment for osteochondrosis may well help reduce pain symptoms and improve the general health of the patient.

What medicines can be used at home

Many drugs that are used in the treatment of osteochondrosis have a number of serious side effects and therefore they are taken only with the permission of the attending physician.

But what if the back pain haunts you and there is no way to go to the clinic? How to cure osteochondrosis at home using the drugs that are available in the home first aid kit?

The first thing recommended for acute pain is drugs from the group of pain relievers.

Aspirin, in addition to its mild analgesic effect, has the ability to thin the blood, which promotes better blood circulation and has an antipyretic effect.

This helps relieve inflammation and swelling of the tissues that pinch the nerve endings and thus cause pain.

The use of pain-relieving patches is advisable. In their composition, they most often contain lidocaine, which quickly has an analgesic effect.

Also, excellent reviews have pain relieving ointments with a cooling effect, which, as a rule, contain menthol and camphor.

If you are sure that the acute phase of the disease has passed, and you have no symptoms of inflammation, it is recommended to use gels with a warming effect: turpentine ointment.

The ointment should be applied directly to the site of pain, rubbing gently into the skin. There is no point in touching unaffected areas.

Cold effect gels can be applied at any time. It is recommended to apply ointments with a warming effect at night and additionally wrap the affected area with a woolen cloth.

Gymnastics at home

Exercise therapy for osteochondrosis is one of the main and effective methods in the treatment of this pathology. A common reason for the development of osteochondrosis is a weak muscle frame that cannot cope with physical activity.

Thus, the entire load falls on the intervertebral discs, as a result of which their degenerative changes occur.

The discs between the vertebrae become thinner or, as they say, dry out and lose their functional ability. Gymnastics allows you to increase muscle tone, improve their elasticity and blood circulation in them.

Depending on the localization of tissue damage and pain syndrome, osteochondrosis can be cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral.

Exercises also exist for different departments, but it is not recommended to train only the more affected area, which brings discomfort to a person, but to work out all parts of the spine.

Attention!If pain occurs while performing remedial gymnastics, training should be stopped immediately and carried out only under the supervision of a specialist.

1. The first two exercises perfectly stimulate the intervertebral discs in the cervical spine, promote better fluid circulation and thicken them. To perform them, you should take a sitting or standing position. We make head bends forward and backward with a small range of motion. The movements should remind you that you are having a conversation with the person and in what agreement with him or her by saying yes.
2. The next exercise is similar to the first, only now you need to turn your head left and right, as if saying no. Movements should not be done with a large amplitude, it should be approximately 30% of the maximum possible tilt or turn of the head. They are performed several times a day at a convenient time for 2-3 minutes each.

3. The following exercise for treating the spine at home strengthens the muscles of the neck and shoulders well. Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, arms lowered down along the body. We make circular movements with our shoulders back and forth. It is also performed several times a day in several approaches, 15-20 times in each direction.
4. To work out the lumbar spine, it is recommended to perform an exercise that looks more like a belly dance. Starting position, standing feet shoulder-width apart. We make circular movements with the pelvis, first in one direction, then in the other. At the same time, we make sure that the chest and shoulder girdle remains as motionless as possible. It is enough to do two or three times in different directions for 20 -25 rotations.

5. The next exercise is aimed at strengthening the lats and trapezius muscles. The position of the body, lying on the stomach, arms extended forward. We lift our arms, shoulders and head up, linger for a second and lower ourselves to the starting position. The exercise is performed 10-15 times.

In addition to strengthening the back muscles, one should not forget about the abdominal muscles, which are involved not only in deep breathing, but also in maintaining correct posture. Weak abdominal muscles contribute to the development of lumbar lordosis.

Attention!Exercise benefits the body only with regular exercise.

Gymnastics is a good remedy for osteochondrosis. The therapeutic effect is achieved by strengthening the muscles and improving blood circulation in them, which prevents the development of the inflammatory process and edema around the cartilage tissue.

Physiotherapy at home

Folk remedies used for osteochondrosis are often taken from the life experience of entire generations and are successfully used in traditional medicine as physiotherapy procedures.

Some of them can be easily done at home.

Cold and hot shower

The first folk remedy with which you can treat osteochondrosis at home is a contrast shower.

For many, this procedure is associated only with hardening and not everyone understands how this procedure will help in the fight against this pathology.

The explanation here is quite simple - a sharp redirection of the blood flow in the muscles, around the cartilaginous tissues and the skin.

This promotes the outflow of excess fluid from areas of inflammation and edema and the inflow of essential trace elements into damaged tissues.

At the moment when a person is under hot streams of water, protective mechanisms are activated in the body, which should save him from overheating.

This is achieved by the outflow of blood from the internal organs to the muscles and skin. The vessels dilate, the amount of blood increases and excess heat is removed outside.

When you suddenly stand on the cold streams of water, the opposite reaction occurs - the outflow of blood from the muscles and skin to the internal organs.

This is the process of thermoregulation of the body and, at the same time, blood circulation in the damaged tissues is normalized, which contributes to the improvement of the condition as a whole.

The procedure is simple enough. It is necessary to stand under tolerant, non-scalding hot water for 20-30 seconds.

Then switch the water to cold for 10-20 seconds. The procedure should be carried out 3-5 times, ending with a cool but comfortable water temperature.

Despite the obvious benefits of this procedure, it still has contraindications:

• It is forbidden to perform this procedure when the patient has symptoms of a cold or acute respiratory disease;
• Cardiovascular diseases;
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and other internal organs, etc.

The volume of blood from internal organs to muscles and back is large enough and can cause: heart attack, stroke or internal bleeding. Therefore, this complex should be performed with a gradual increase in the time interval under cold or warm water.

First, spend no more than 5-7 seconds under running water and gradually bring these values to 30 seconds over several weeks.

Salt baths

Another folk remedy for the treatment of osteochondrosis is salt baths. They are excellent help in the event that pain in the back is provoked by muscle overstrain.

To prepare a bath, you will need sea or ordinary coarse salt. Fine and purified by evaporation will be less effective in this case.

The volume of a standard bath varies from 170 to 195 liters, this amount of water will require about 5 kg of salt.

Water temperature from 36 to 38 ° С. Any essential oils can be used for the best effect. After the procedure, it is recommended to stand for a few minutes under slightly warm running water.

Osteochondrosis is practically not curable, but using treatment with alternative methods as an additional therapy to the main treatment, it is still possible to stop, and therefore win.