Osteochondrosis can develop in any part of the spine, but most often it affects the neck and lower back. This disease is inflammatory-dystrophic in nature and proceeds, as a rule, in a chronic form. Cervical osteochondrosis is more often diagnosed in women, while men are more susceptible to osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine.
General description
Most people spend their day sitting: at school, college, the office, driving a car, or at home in front of a computer. Over time, many begin to experience discomfort and then pain after a long session. Posture deteriorates, a curvature appears, it is difficult to straighten up or turn.
This is how 1 appears, the initial stage of osteochondrosis, in which the disease is easiest to cope with. If you do not take measures, in the future it may turn into a chronic form with regular exacerbations. In some cases, the case ends in disability.
REFERENCE: Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine accounts for half of all types of pathology.
The clinical picture of cervical chondrosis includes:
- Pain syndrome caused by compression of the nerve roots. Depending on the damaged vertebrae and discs, the pain can spread to the shoulder, forearm, or entire arm. Characterized by headaches, pressure surges;
- sensory disturbance, mainly in the hands and fingers. May be numbness, stinging, or creeping creep
- decreased strength and tone of muscles on the affected side, sometimes muscle twitching and cramping;
- increased sweating, discoloration of the skin - pallor, redness;
- chest pain; Vertebral artery syndrome
- occurs when one of the two arteries is pinched, which is accompanied by severe headache, tinnitus, nausea, dizziness, less often - swallowing disorder.
There is no medicine that can completely eliminate the cause of osteochondrosis. But you can get rid of its symptoms and prevent possible relapses using the simplest methods.
How is chondrosis treated?
In the acute phase, it is rare for anyone to go without pain medication. The most popular and effective drugs are cheap drugs based on metamizole sodium, as well as NSAIDs - nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
For severe pain, the attending physician may prescribe analgesics in injections, but most often they are prescribed in the form of tablets and supplemented with ointments. Complex therapy also includes physiotherapy, massage, and exercise therapy. Massage sessions and therapeutic exercises usually begin after the relief of acute symptoms.
What you can do yourself at home
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home is a prerequisite that most doctors insist on. It is impossible to cope with the disease with drugs and physiotherapy on their own, they only temporarily eliminate the symptoms. The period of remission can be prolonged by regular and measured physical activity, the use of self-massage techniques, therapeutic compresses and strengthening infusions.
By following the instructions exactly and following the medical advice, impressive results can be achieved. Performing self-massage significantly saves finances, the use of herbal decoctions and infusions instead of certain drugs reduces the negative effect of drugs on the body.
Home therapy, like traditional treatment, helps to stop pain syndrome quickly, normalize cerebral circulation and improve sleep. With the help of the available products, you can eliminate nervousness and irritability, stabilize blood pressure, restore normal sensitivity to the neck and collar area.
exercise therapy
Therapeutic exercises are included in the main standard of treatment for neck chondrosis and are selected by an exercise therapy instructor. The first 1 to 2 sessions take place in a polyclinic or a health center, then the patient can train at home.
Exercise 1. PI (starting position) - stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Tilt your head to the right, left, front and back. All movements should be slow and smooth, you should take your head back very carefully, without throwing it back suddenly.
Exercise 2. From the same PI, turn your head to the sides. At the extreme, direct your gaze behind your back. Sometimes it is not possible to turn your head much at first and you should not force events. Over time, the “blocking” limiting movement will disappear.
Exercise 3. Bring your shoulders back, bringing your shoulder blades as close as possible. Hold in this position for a few seconds, then bring your shoulders forward and around your back. The movement is similar to the famous "cat", but is done in a standing position.
Another effective set includes the following exercises:
- Standing or seated, place your palms on your forehead and rest your head on it, overcoming the resistance of your hands. Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds.
- With your hands on the back of your head, press with the back of your head on your hands and with your hands on the back of your head.
- Place your palm on your right ear and apply mutual pressure, trying to tilt your head towards your right shoulder. Then switch sides and tilt your head towards your left shoulder, keeping your left hand on your left ear.
- Turn your head to the sides, placing the palm on the left or right cheekbone. First, the hand rests on the right cheekbone, and the head tries to turn to the right, overcoming the resistance of the hand. Then the palm rests on the left cheek and the head turns to the left. The pressing time is 15 to 20 seconds.
- Grasp the bottom of the head so that the thumbs are on the chin and the rest on the back of the head. Gently pull your head up, it is allowed to swing from side to side like "removing the bottle cap". You can not turn your head, the spine of the cervical column must be straightened. The duration of the exercise is 15 to 20 seconds.
- Spread your arms to the sides and turn first with your left, then with your right, then with both shoulders. This exercise is particularly useful for those who feel tension in the neck and shoulders.
- Standing or sitting with your back straight, “roll” your head from side to side and in the opposite direction, tilting it as much as possible in the middle and trying to reach the chest with the chin. The number of repetitions is 10 to 12.
It is not necessary to complete the above complex if certain exercises cause severe pain and discomfort. By agreement with the doctor, you can also hang on to a horizontal bar or a crossbar, do swimming, water aerobics and other permitted sports.
Self-massage
Self-massage helps treat cervical osteochondrosis at home. With light pressure on the neck, salt deposits are avoided, blood supply and tissue nutrition are improved, and the intensity of pain is reduced. During the procedure, muscles relax, metabolic processes are accelerated, and blood pressure stabilizes.
If you wish, you can consult a massage therapist at the clinic or perform interventions at home. However, it is convenient to massage the neck on your own, after studying the basic techniques and determining the points to be resolved. It is also important to know which areas are best to avoid or to act with caution.
The massage technique is quite simple, and it is quite possible to master it. The basic rules are:
- the direction of movement is from the center to the periphery, that is, from the spine to the shoulders and back of the head;
- it is allowed to massage the cervical area only with the fingers, without using any device;
- strong pressure is excluded: you must act with delicacy and gentleness;
- the muscles of the back and sides of the neck are stroked, rubbed and stretched;
- the massage is performed in a sitting position;
- the session begins with caresses, continues with rubbing and kneading movements, also ends with caresses;
- duration of the procedure - 5-10 minutes.
In the absence of contraindications and the approval of the attending physician, you can use the Kuznetsov applicator. This affordable and efficient device is a fabric or oilcloth roller with embossed elements - round or square point plates.
The applicator is easy to use - just place it under your head and lie down on it. Soft needles bite the skin, increasing blood flow and acting on biologically active points on the neck. The duration of the procedure begins from a few minutes and gradually increases.
First aid for exacerbation
If cervical lumbago occurs suddenly, a visit to the doctor or an appointment with a specialist is the ideal solution. If help is delayed, a number of steps should be taken to relieve the pain and protect the spinal structures from possible injury.
PRACTICAL POSITION
First of all, you need to provide the cervical spine and restrict physical activity as much as possible (it is better to exclude completely). You should lie down on a flat, medium-hard bed or a thick blanket on the floor. A floor that is too hard, such as a bare plank floor or an airy feather bed, will not work.
In case of acute neck pain caused by osteochondrosis, it is recommended to wear a Shants collar, which will prevent the neck from moving or turning freely. This will reduce the load on the cervical muscles and improve local blood circulation.
If there is no Shants collar, you can make a homemade tire from cardboard and cotton, fixing the neck with it.
REFERENCE: Before consulting a doctor, you should not use heating rubbers and ointments, massage your neck. Such actions in some cases can cause very unpleasant complications.
LOCAL FUNDS
In the first hours of an attack, it is permissible to apply ice or a cold compress, but there must be a layer of cloth or gauze between it and the body. This will prevent hypothermia and increased pain.
It is allowed to use anti-inflammatory and analgesic ointments and gels based on diclofenac, ibuprofen, nimesulide and indomethacin. It is forbidden to use such products as Finalgon, Viprosal, Capsicam and other preparations with burning components in the composition.
Warming ointments and rubbing have a local irritant effect, increase blood flow to the neck, which can increase swelling and compression of nerve endings. In the cervical spine, special care is required, since improper actions lead to a sharp increase in blood pressure.
In case of exacerbation of osteochondrosis, massage is not performed due to the risk of increased pain and reflex muscle spasms. Additionally, the cervical vertebrae are hypermobile and any careless movement can make the condition worse.
MEDICINES
Medication can help with pain, but remember pain is a defense mechanism. When it is forcibly removed, nothing will stop you from making a sudden movement of your head, which will make the condition worse. Therefore, after taking a pain reliever, you should observe a gentle bed rest and preferably for at least 2-3 days.
Severe pain, which does not lend itself to stopping with tablets and intramuscular injections, is relieved with the aid of novocaine blockade. This procedure is done strictly in a hospital setting: a local anesthetic is injected next to the damaged vertebra and blocks the pain. Blockages are carried out only as directed and can cause side effects in the form of allergic reactions and infectious complications.
Prohibited actions
A sharp pain in the neck is a good reason for a medical consultation and a complete examination. Only after establishing an accurate diagnosis, the most effective treatment tactics and methods in a particular case are determined.
It is categorically impossible to eliminate pain in any way - for example, try to correct a displaced vertebra on your own or seek help from a friend who is not a specialist. Do not take large doses of pain relievers out of control. Even folk remedies can be harmful if the diagnosis is not yet known.
The correct regimen of movement is very important: if at the stage of exacerbation movement should be as limited as possible, then after a few days physical activity should be extended. Performing exercises of the exercise therapy complex will help improve blood circulation, reduce the intensity of pain and ease the inflammatory process. In addition, correctly selected exercises will help strengthen the muscle corset that supports the spine.
How to cure osteochondrosis forever
Complex drug therapy includes several groups of drugs:
- NSAIDs and analgesics during an exacerbation; muscle relaxants to relax muscles;
- chondroprotectors, restoring the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs;
- vitamin and mineral complexes containing B vitamins
Various ointments, gels and plasters - for example, Nanoplast plaster - effectively complement the treatment. Today, pharmacies have a wide range of local remedies that can be used both during exacerbations and in the recovery phase:
- anti-inflammatory;
- chondroprotective; homeopathic
- .
When the acute symptoms have abated, warming agents can be used.
Traditional methods
Honey Potato Wrap is made with grated raw potatoes and honey. Both components are taken in equal amounts, mixed and laid out on a cloth or gauze. The compress is applied to the neck for about 45 minutes. The procedure is carried out twice a week.
Wax or paraffin should be melted and applied to the sore spot, avoiding contact with the spine itself. It is recommended to make such applications once every two days.
Knead the dough of water and rye flour at medium density, roll out the cake and tie it to the neck. Lubricate the skin with turpentine before application. Close the compress with polyethylene and a warm cloth, hold until a burning sensation appears, but not more than 15 minutes. You can perform the procedure every other day.
The herbal preparation for oral administration is prepared from the following ingredients, taken in equal proportions:
- chamomile;
- millefeuille;
- St. John's Wort;
- calendula;
- thyme;
- dandelion leaves.
2 st. l. infuse the mixture in a thermos, pouring it with a liter of boiling water. Take 3 times a day before meals for ¼ of a glass.
So at home you can do a lot to get rid of such an unpleasant disease as osteochondrosis. When performing all medical appointments, including taking medication, visiting physical and massage procedures, performing therapeutic exercises, there is every chance to avoid its progression andavoid relapses.
What to do now
Statistics show that over 45% of people over 35 have joint disease! It all starts small: somewhere they overworked themselves, somewhere they lifted weights, somewhere they just blew their necks. The joint is designed in such a way that the main problems begin with inflammation of the joint fluid, then softening of the cartilage and, as a result, disability.
One important thing to keep in mind: joint disease will get you to a wheelchair in less than 3 years! The disease progresses several times faster if you are overweight, because in this case there is a double load on the joints.