Cervical osteochondrosis is a so-called disease of civilization.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 pathologically and the spinal nerve roots are pinched.Nowadays it is difficult to find a person who has never in his life been bothered by the manifestations of this disease.That is why the question remains relevant for many: how and how you can cure cervical osteochondrosis at home yourself.
Reasons for the development of pathology
Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes in intervertebral cartilage are activated.They become atrophic, inelastic and lose their functionality.Depending on which part of the spinal column the damage occurred, cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis is distinguished.This pathology is not at all uncommon.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.When exposed to unfavorable factors and after severe injuries, the manifestation of osteochondrosis can begin at an earlier age.Pregnant women who are carrying a large child or several fetuses at the same time are also susceptible to this.
The main cause of osteochondrosis is a malnutrition of cartilage tissue.This can be contributed to by such negative factors as:
- poor nutrition with insufficient supply of micro- and macroelements;
- insufficient fluid intake;
- congenital and acquired metabolic disorders;
- excess body weight;
- bad habits, in particular drinking alcohol and smoking;
- constantly recurring stressful situations;
- burdened heredity;
- low level of physical development, weakness of the muscular frame;
- excessive static loads;
- incorrect posture;
- deformities of the feet, flat feet;
- chronic intoxication;
- spinal injuries.
All these provoking factors are one way or another a 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 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 interruptions in heart rhythm;
- numbness of the tongue;
- blurred vision;
- numbness of the hands, especially pronounced at night;
- limitation of limb movements;
- a tingling sensation in the hands.
Pay attention!The symptom of a falling head is pathognomonic for osteochondrosis.In this case, in order to relieve pain, the patient has to support his head with his hands.
Treatment at home
It is possible to qualitatively treat osteochondrosis only if all efforts are aimed at eliminating the causes that led to the occurrence of the pathology.Complex therapy includes a traditional regimen, which is 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 therapy and helps eliminate the following manifestations of the disease:
- pain in the neck;
- muscle spasm;
- muscle weakness;
- destruction of intervertebral disc cartilage;
- disruption of blood supply to the brain;
- numbness of the upper extremities.
Treatment with folk remedies allows you to stop the progression of destructive processes in tissues and prevent the occurrence of exacerbations.
Many medications, self-massage, compresses, ointments and home-made herbal decoctions are suitable for home use.Most experts confirm their effectiveness.Correct use of such remedies significantly speeds up recovery.In addition, they do not require special skills and are convenient for use at home.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, since it is available to anyone, and the cost of treatment is relatively low.The patient can use several different methods simultaneously and choose the most suitable and effective methods for himself.
Against the background of intensive treatment, it is necessary to reconsider the diet, enrich it with seafood, vegetables, fruits, green plants and dishes made from animal cartilage, such as, for example, the well-known 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 better to choose special orthopedic pillows made of 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 medications will not help.If you devote at least a minimal amount of time to simple exercises, you can 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:
- Turns the head right and left.They need to be done slowly, gradually achieving maximum stretching and relaxation of the muscles.
- Tilt the head forward, backward and to the sides, and it is recommended to stay in each position for a short time.When bending, you need to touch your chin to your chest, then tilt your head back.
- Static exercises can be done by overcoming the resistance of your hand with your head, and you can press your palm on your forehead, temple or back of your head.
- Good exercises for relaxing the muscles of the shoulder girdle.Raising and lowering the arms, circular movements of the shoulders, bringing them as high as possible to the ears help to activate blood flow and ensure adequate nutrition of the spinal column in the cervical region.
It is very important to remember that such warm-ups can only be done during periods of remission, when there is no active inflammatory process.You should not make sudden jerky movements, and if pain occurs, you should quickly finish 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, providing peace and preventing pinching of the nerve roots.
Self-massage
Massage is a quick and effective means of relieving attacks of pain due to osteochondrosis and getting rid of accumulations of salt deposits.You need to follow some rules of self-massage:
- massage movements should be done with your fingers, without using your palm;
- all techniques must 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 need to 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 the back of the head.
Back massage should be done 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 medications on an outpatient basis is justified in case of severe pain.In addition, 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 regimen and frequency of use of the drugs.For example, the duration of treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is, on average, 5-7 days, and hormonal ointments based on glucocorticosteroids can be applied strictly in a certain amount no more than 3 times a day.
Pay attention!Along with the most powerful anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect, NSAIDs and glucocorticoids can cause adverse reactions 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 swelling of tissues.
Restoration of cartilage tissue is carried out using medications that include chondroitin and glucosamine.These drugs must be taken for a long time, as they act very slowly.But in mild cases they are able to completely restore damaged cartilage.
The treatment regimen also includes vitamin-mineral complexes and drugs that help “feed” cartilage, improve vertebral 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 that contains small doses of zinc, copper and iron.By acting on skin receptors, needles have an irritating effect and cause blood flow to the area of inflammation.Through the injection of many needles, a warming effect is realized, which causes the muscles to relax.This is how the applicator helps relieve pain.
Folk remedies and recipes
How can osteochondrosis be treated using traditional medicine methods?There are a large number of different recipes based on herbal ingredients.They effectively cope with the symptoms of the disease against the background of basic treatment.Healing compositions for oral administration, compresses, ointments and rubbing are prepared.
For osteochondrosis, the following mixtures are taken orally:
- Wash young pine buds no more than 2 centimeters long and thoroughly break them in a blender for several minutes.Add sugar at the rate of 100 grams per 200 grams of kidneys.Transfer the sugar mixture into a glass container with a tight lid and leave in the refrigerator for 12-14 days.When the tincture is ready, it will take on a brownish tint.Take 2-3 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 grandma's rub.You need to take 10 analgin tablets and grind them well to a 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 experience a slight burning sensation and warmth, 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 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.