Cervical osteochondrosis is a more dangerous type of disease than osteochondrosis of the thoracic and lumbar regions. This fact is explained by the fact that the neck is very close to the head. Therefore, when the structures of the neck are damaged, various disturbances in the work of the brain, organs of vision, hearing and speech begin.
Therefore, doctors recommend starting treatment as soon as the disease is diagnosed. Especially if it is at an early stage.
Home treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is perhaps even recommended. Just before starting treatment, you need to get detailed instructions and recommendations from your doctor.
The reasons for the development of the disease
Knowing the reasons for the development of cervical osteochondrosis is necessary so that the treatment is not in vain. After all, if the factors that contributed to the development of the pathology are not eliminated, osteochondrosis can recur.
The main causes of cervical osteochondrosis:
- Age - the pathology often develops in the elderly due to the physiological aging processes of the body. But in the last few decades the disease has become "younger" and is being diagnosed in 30-year-old patients. This is due to the modern lifestyle, employment factors, changes in food preferences.
- Profession or hobby: in most cases, degenerative-dystrophic changes in APS tissues begin in people who overload the cervical spine or, conversely, do not provide a normal load. For example, professional heavyweight athletes overload their bodies by doing strength training. And people who work at the computer or generally in a sedentary position, on the contrary, "under load". In the latter case, there are no dynamic loads, but static loads during a long period of immobility are very severe.
- Injury, hypothermia of the neck or surgery performed in this area.
- Inheritance.
- Metastasis in cancer of the spine or other organs.
- Wrong mattress (too much or not firm enough), inappropriate pillows, lying position or prolonged sitting (on a bed, sofa).
The reason for the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can also be improper diet. Or there may be several reasons. The factors that contributed to the development of the pathology will be established by the doctor in the diagnosis process. And during and after treatment, it will be necessary to eliminate these factors or try to reduce their pathological influence.
Symptoms and possible complications
Cervical osteochondrosis may initially develop asymptomatically. Or neck discomfort and other signs are attributed to other diseases, fatigue, stress, weather conditions.
However, if multiple symptoms are present at the same time, this should be the reason for immediate medical attention:
- Pain in the neck which eventually spreads to the head, face, shoulders, shoulder blades, arms. The pain may pass or intensify when turning the head, in a certain position.
- Cracks in the neck, limited mobility.
- Dizziness, fainting.
- Nausea, vomiting.
- Impaired motor skills, coordination of movements, shaking hands.
- Violation of sensitivity in the face, limbs or vice versa, the emergence of unusual sensations: goosebumps, tingling.
- Problems with the function of the organs of sight, hearing, speech.
- The emergence of hypertension or increased intracranial pressure without objective causes from the cardiovascular system.
The onset of these symptoms is directly related to the dystrophic processes themselves in the cervical spine. And also with vertebral artery stenosis and compression of nerve tissue - these structures pass into the spinal canal and are damaged by the vertebrae.
If the disease is not treated, dangerous complications will arise sooner or later. First, the patient loses the ability to move freely - this is disability, permanent loss of the ability to work. Second, the progression of the disease is reflected in brain function, which can cause trauma in the event of a fall, stroke, coma or death.
Home care
All methods of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis can be roughly divided into:
- Etiotropic and pathogenetic- those that affect the very cause of the development of the disease, as well as the mechanism of its development. These are some types of medicines, physiotherapy, physical therapy, gymnastics, wearing a special collar.
- Symptomatic or palliative- those that eliminate the symptoms of the disease or help reduce its severity, intensity. They are aimed at alleviating the patient's condition, improving the quality of his life for the period of treatment and are used in addition to the first group of methods. These are novocaine blockages, taking other anesthetic drugs, ointments, massage.
However, most methods of therapy for osteochondrosis are in one way or another both etiotropic and symptomatic. To quickly cure osteochondrosis, you need to try to use all available methods. That is, the therapy should be as comprehensive, complete and complex as possible.
Today, surgical methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis are widely used. But in the case of a mild form of the disease, their use is not justified.
Therefore, for home treatment, it is necessary to focus on these conservative methods:
- Change in lifestyle and diet.
- Reception or external use of drugs.
- Treatment with home procedures - gymnastics, physical therapy, massage (in case of calling a masseur at home).
- Wear a special collar or kinesio tapes.
- Treatment with folk remedies.
Articles 1, 3, 4 can also be used during rehabilitation after an illness and as preventive measures (to prevent future relapses).
It is desirable that the treatment program has been drawn up by a doctor, or at least agreed with him. Otherwise, it is possible to cause even greater harm to the health of APS, which will significantly affect the patient's condition and the cost of treatment.
Lifestyle and diet
Without normalizing lifestyle, physical activity and revising the daily menu, the treatment will make little sense.
What needs to be changed:
- Quality of the bed- buy an orthopedic mattress, in addition, it is advisable to buy an orthopedic pillow.
- Loads on the cervical spine- should be moderate. It is advisable to give up heavy sports, change hard physical work into another type of activity. With passive loads you can also change the work. If this is not possible, it is necessary to periodically stretch the neck during the working day, move the head more during the working period.
You also need to start eating right. After all, it is with food that all the necessary elements are provided to restore muscle, nerve, cartilage and bone tissue of the vertebrae. Consequently, the food should be rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals (calcium, iron, vitamins C, E, A, group B).
Drugs
The main groups of pharmacological drugs prescribed by doctors:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: they relieve pain and stop the inflammatory process in the tissues.
- Preparations designed to relieve pain syndrome (including anti-inflammatory and warming effects). These include injections, corticosteroid pills, ointments, and creams.
- Means intended for the regeneration of ODA tissues - chondroprotectors.
- Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants to relax the neck muscle tissue.
- Vitamins and minerals, vitamin and mineral complexes.
All medications except vitamins and painkillers should be drunk during the courses. Periodic admission from case to case will not give results, which will affect the effectiveness of the treatment.
Procedure
At home, the ability to perform physiotherapy is limited. For example, you can massage or stretch the spine only by calling a specialist at your home, and not everyone can afford it. But self-massage and elementary physical exercises are quite real and do not require financial costs.
Self massage can be done with your hands, as the neck area is quite easy to reach. The self-massage technique is simple - it is necessary to perform soft stroking and creasing movements. It is helpful to use a lubricant, such as petroleum jelly. The main thing is that the procedure does not cause pain.
You can also massage with a towel, rubbing the neck or with a jet of hot water in the shower. Another good option is to take a stick, like the handle of a shovel, round. Such a stick is placed on the back of the shoulders, grabbing the ends and guiding it up and down the surface of the neck like a rolling pin. If possible, you can buy massage devices. Lyapko roller massager is very useful, it is not expensive, its effectiveness has been proven.
Neck gymnastics is also pretty simple. You need to smoothly make a variety of turns, inclinations of the head. However, with an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, there is no need to perform exercises, as the pain can be simply unbearable. From this, spasms of the neck muscles can begin.
Wearing orthopedic structures is an effective treatment method
There are many advantages to wearing a custom collar:
- Support the spine and relieve muscle tissue.
- More efficient tissue regeneration.
- Improve blood circulation, including in the vertebral artery. With cervical osteochondrosis, this is one of the main tasks.
- Neck fixation reduces mobility and pain.
- Protection of the neck area from possible injuries and additional injuries.
However, the collar has its drawbacks. Wearing it is not always appropriate in the company of other people. It can also be difficult to review and perform necessary household chores or work manipulations. But for the period of treatment, you should try to wear a collar according to the schedule determined by the doctor.
Neck bandaging as a treatment method also has many advantages:
- Aesthetically acceptable, you can freely appear "in public" with the tape. Colored ribbons, if they are not appropriate in a particular situation, can be hidden by dresses with a high collar.
- Do not limit physical activity.
- Moisture proof, no need to remove before showering.
- Improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage, relieve pain and inflammation, edema.
- Relieves stress on muscle tissue.
- Massage, stimulate metabolic processes in the muscles, their regeneration.
There is only one drawback of kinesio tapes - their price, but many patients can afford to pay 100 rubles for a 5-meter roll.
Folk remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis
For oral treatment you can use:
- Infused in water of bay leaves or cranberry.
- Decoction of parsley root.
- Aqueous solution of celery juice.
- Eat sesame seeds.
- Herbal teas - for a fee or purchased (chamomile, nettle, oregano, hops).
- Alcoholic infusion of chopped pine nuts.
For treatment with compresses and rubs, it is useful to use burdock, horseradish, red pepper (infusions, decoctions) and tar or clay, which are sold in pharmacies.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home is quite effective in most cases. If the degenerative-dystrophic changes have already progressed strongly, it is recommended to combine home therapy with other methods of treatment. For example, use the services of a physical therapist, massage therapist, chiropractor.
And if the disease has just begun to develop, then medicines, home procedures and folk methods allow you to get a quick result. That is, to heal the spine without resorting to the services of specialists.