Cervical osteochondrosis is a so-called disease of civilization.Modern people spend most of the day sitting in front of computer monitors.This sedentary lifestyle places severe stress on the neck muscles and vertebrae.Because of this, the structure of the intervertebral discs changes pathologically and the spinal nerve roots are compressed.Nowadays it is difficult to find a person who has never been bothered by the manifestations of this disease in their life.That is why the question remains relevant for many: how and how you can cure cervical osteochondrosis yourself at home.
Reasons for the development of pathology
Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes are activated in the intervertebral cartilage.They become atrophic, inelastic and lose functionality.Depending on which part of the spine the damage occurred, cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis are distinguished.This pathology is not uncommon.Medical statistics state that symptoms of varying degrees are detected in 90% of the population, with the average age of onset of the disease being 30 to 35 years.When exposed to adverse factors and after serious injuries, the manifestation of osteochondrosis may begin earlier.Pregnant women carrying a large child or multiple fetuses at the same time are also susceptible to this.
The main cause of osteochondrosis is malnutrition of cartilaginous tissue.This can be contributed to by negative factors such as:
- poor nutrition with insufficient supply of micro and macro elements;
- insufficient fluid intake;
- congenital and acquired metabolic disorders;
- excess body weight;
- bad habits, especially drinking alcohol and smoking;
- constantly recurring stressful situations;
- burdened heredity;
- low level of physical development, weakness of the muscular structure;
- excessive static loads;
- incorrect posture;
- foot deformities, flat feet;
- chronic intoxication;
- spinal injuries.
All these provoking factors are, in 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:
- severe neck pain;
- dizziness;
- sudden changes in blood pressure during the day;
- strong feeling of weakness, loss of strength;
- sensation of interruptions in the heart rhythm;
- tongue numbness;
- blurred vision;
- numbness in the hands, especially pronounced at night;
- limitation of limb movements;
- a tingling sensation in the hands.
Pay attention!The symptom of head falling is pathognomonic of osteochondrosis.In this case, to alleviate the pain, the patient must support their head with their 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 regimen, 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 to eliminate the following manifestations of the disease:
- neck pain;
- muscle spasm;
- muscle weakness;
- destruction of intervertebral disc cartilage;
- interruption of blood supply to the brain;
- numbness of the upper extremities.
Treatment with folk remedies makes it possible to stop the progression of destructive processes in tissues and prevent the occurrence of exacerbations.
Many medicines, self-massage, compresses, ointments and homemade herbal decoctions are suitable for home use.Most experts confirm its effectiveness.Correct use of such 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, since osteochondrosis is a chronic disease and every patient should know how to quickly deal with painful symptoms.Home treatment has many advantages, as it is within anyone's reach 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 themselves.
In the context of intensive treatment, it is necessary to reconsider the diet, enriching it with seafood, vegetables, fruits, green plants and dishes based on animal cartilage, such as, for example, the well-known jellied meat.
It is very important that during sleep your head is in the correct position and your 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 medicines will not help.If you devote even a minimum 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:
- Turn your head to the right and left.They need to be done slowly, gradually achieving maximum stretching and relaxation of the muscles.
- Tilt your head forward, backward and to the sides, it is recommended to remain in each position for a short period of time.When bending over, you need to touch your chin to your chest and tilt your head back.
- Static exercises can be done by overcoming the resistance of the hand with your head, or you can press the palm of your hand to the forehead, temple or back of the head.
- Good exercises to relax the muscles in 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 spine in the cervical region.
It is very important to remember that these warm-ups can only be done during periods of remission, when there is no active inflammatory process.You should not make sudden, sudden movements, and if pain occurs, you should quickly end the activity and consult a doctor.
Advice!If the pain worsens, the use of a Shants collar is recommended.Fixes the head and neck, providing peace of mind and preventing pinching of the nerve roots.
Self-massage
Massage is a quick and effective way to relieve pain attacks caused by osteochondrosis and eliminate the accumulation of salt deposits.You need to follow some self-massage rules:
- massage movements should be done with your fingers, without using the palm of your hand;
- all techniques must be smooth and slow;
- direction of movement – from the spine to the periphery and from top to bottom;
- The neck must 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 caress, rub and massage the muscles in your neck and back of your head.
Back massage should be done in a period when there is no inflammation, otherwise increased blood flow, on the contrary, will lead to the 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.Additionally, doctors prescribe medications 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 taking medications.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 quantity, 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 medicines of new generations.
For external use, warming ointments with bee or snake venom are used.The patch has similar effects.Quickly reduces pain and tissue swelling.
Restoration of cartilaginous tissue is carried out using drugs that include chondroitin and glucosamine.These medicines 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 and mineral complexes and medications 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 that contains small doses of zinc, copper and iron.By acting on skin receptors, the needles have an irritating effect and cause blood flow to the inflamed area.By injecting many needles, a warming effect is achieved, which causes the muscles to relax.This is how the applicator helps relieve pain.
Folk remedies and recipes
How can osteochondrosis be treated with traditional medicine methods?There are a huge number of different recipes based on herbal ingredients.They effectively deal with the symptoms of the disease against the background of basic treatment.Healing compositions for oral administration, compresses, ointments and rubs are prepared.
For osteochondrosis, the following mixtures are administered orally:
- Wash young pine buds no more than 2 centimeters long and crush them well in a blender for a few 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 acquire a brownish hue.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 exfoliants are also widely used.The most effective recipe is called grandma's massage.You need to take 10 analgin tablets and grind them well into powder, add camphor, medical alcohol and iodine solution in equal proportions.Shake the resulting mixture vigorously until the tablets dissolve.Apply to the areas where the pain is located.Immediately after use, you may feel a slight burning sensation and heat, but the pain passes 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 the degenerative processes in the cervical spine.Regular use of these methods will improve your quality of life and overall performance.