Many negative factors provoke negative changes in the intervertebral discs - chondrosis develops. If left untreated, the disease progresses, degenerative and dystrophic processes affect bone tissue, osteophytes develop, osteochondrosis develops, and pain appears in the neck.
Home treatment is a set of different measures. It is important to stop the destruction of discs, to eliminate inflammation and pain syndrome, and to start the processes of regeneration of the elastic cushion between the vertebrae. A good effect is given by a combination of chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants, NSAIDs with exercise therapy, massage and other methods to influence weakened structures.
Causes and Symptoms of Osteochondrosis
The disease is getting younger every year. Decades ago, with signs of osteochondrosis of the spine, patients between the ages of 40 and 50 turned to a vertebrologist for help, now many young people are diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis intheir medical records. What is the reason?
Physical inactivity, prolonged computer use with little or no movement, associated with endocrine pathologies, smoking, poor diet and poor ecology increase the risk of damage to intervertebral discs and structuresbone. The destruction of cartilage begins much earlier than nature expected.
While previously the main cause of cervical osteochondrosis was the natural aging process (the padding pad between the vertebrae received less nutrients with age, became less elastic, became thinner), now there are manyother negative factors.
Increase the risk of degenerative and dystrophic processes in the intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies:
- high loads on the support pole during hard work, in professional athletes, when carrying heavy bags, improper lifting technique;
- overweight;
- injuries to the back and cervix;
- endocrine diseases, hormonal disturbances during menopause, pregnancy;
- poor mineral metabolism, chronic pathologies associated with the deposition of salts, such as gout; heredity
- ;
- deficiency of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus;
- excessive consumption of strong coffee for a long time, addiction to alcohol, narcotics, smoking;
- poor diet, lack of vitamins: lack of nutrients reduces the rate and quality of cartilage nutrition during dissemination;
- refusal to engage in physical education: the poorer the flexibility of the spine, the weaker the muscle corset, the greater the risk of affecting all structures of the support column
Important facts about cervical osteochondrosis:
- the disease continues with periods of remission and exacerbation. The more carefully the patient responds to the recommendations of the doctor, the lower the rate of degenerative processes, which slows the transition from a mild and moderate stage of the pathology to a more severe stage;
- at an early stage a person does not suspect that a process of degeneration has started in the cushion. The more negative factors act, the more actively the intervertebral discs are destroyed;
- Doctors warn:Overweight often appears against the background of endocrine diseases and low physical activity, which increases the risk of cartilage damage. If an obese person smokes a lot, drinks coffee often, works hard, or sits in front of a computer / TV for a long time, then with almost 100% certainty we can say: quite quickly chondrosis will turn into osteochondrosis, protrusions and intervertebral hernias will appear.
Signs and symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:
- the first stage - with a deficiency of nutrients, the elasticity of the cartilage cushion decreases, the height of the disc slightly decreases, slight pain in the back and neck appears during exercise;
- the more active the deformation of the intervertebral structures, the more often the discomfort is concerned, the greater the risk of destruction of the disc. When the fibrous ring breaks, the friction of bone structures increases, the nerve roots are pinched, and pain appears. Pinched blood vessels interfere with the nutrition of important parts of the brain. When sensitive structures and blood vessels are compressed, nutrition of the brain deteriorates, headaches are disturbed, vision decreases, dizziness, nausea appears;
- in the third stage of osteochondrosis, the integrity of the fibrous ring is violated, the friction of the bone elements increases, frequent pain disturbs, hernias develop (a protrusion of the disc occurs). Without the use of NSAIDs and analgesics, the pain syndrome complicates the patient's life;
- if you do not see a doctor, osteochondrosis will quadruple, the most severe stage. The padding cushion is practically destroyed, the mobility of the spine is reduced. The body tries to compensate for the almost complete absence of elastic discs, osteophytes develop - growths that reduce the pressure force on the vertebrae and nerve roots. Stabilization of the support column occurs, the pain weakens, but at the same time the mobility of the spine in the cervical area decreases, it is difficult for a person to move, bend, turn, bendthe head. The patient often receives a disability group. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to fix the weakened vertebral structures using special plates.
Note!In the first-third degree of cervical osteochondrosis, treatment can be carried out without hospitalization. In advanced cases, an acute pain syndrome in patients with the fourth stage of the disease, observation in a vertebrological center or operation in the neurosurgery department is required.
Home treatment
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis? Therapy will be successful if the following rules are observed:
- start treatment only after consulting a vertebrologist or orthopedic traumatologist;
- take the medicines prescribed by your doctor;
- perform an exercise therapy complex;
- perform massages and self-massages in problem areas;
- use folk remedies approved by doctors;
- correctly equip the workplace and sleeping place: an orthopedic base or a shield under an ordinary mattress, a low pillow.
Important points to improve the effect of therapy:
- does not overload the spine;
- do not make sudden movements in the cervical spine;
- change occupation, if in the workplace you have to constantly lift and move heavy objects or prolonged static loads; Patients
- with the diagnosis of osteochondrosis should not work for a long time in their summer cottage, stretch the lower back. With cervical osteochondrosis, the profession of a seamstress, work on an assembly line, on a construction site is not suitable. You have to choose the type of activity in which it will be possible to alternate loads and rest;
- walk more in the air, move around, not spend a lot of time in the same position: prolonged dynamic and static loads are harmful;
- combines oral medications with topical agents. For active pain relief, use transdermal patches, which should be attached to the painful area: neck, shoulder girdle. Thin strips impregnated with an analgesic or a composition from the NSAID group reduce discomfort and have an anti-inflammatory effect. The transdermal patch is invisible under clothing, the validity period is 8 to 24 hours (depending on the type);
- with cervical osteochondrosis and for disease prevention, you need to do simple exercises daily to avoid blood stasis, improve the elasticity of cartilage and flexibility of the vertebrae. Turns, tilt of the head, circular rotations of moderate amplitude, doctors advise to do two to three times a day. The movements are smooth, without jerks, otherwise you can damage the rather thin cervical vertebrae;
- It is imperative to take chondroprotectors for four to six months or more to restore the height and quality of the intervertebral disc. At 1-3 degrees of osteochondrosis, tablets and ointments with chondroprotective properties give a good result, at 4 degrees the compositions are ineffective;
- take NSAIDs as directed by a doctor, preferably with selective action. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compounds that suppress a single type of cyclooxygenase enzyme do not have a pronounced negative effect on the body. Medicines are more expensive than traditional NSAIDs, but the negative effect on the central nervous system, heart and digestive tract is several times weaker;
- diet for cervical osteochondrosis reduces the rate of destruction of the cushion, in combination with drugs, accelerates the processes of regeneration. Be sure to eat dishes with gelatin, leafy greens, red fish, vegetable oils, bran, turkey meat, fermented dairy products, hard cheeses. It is necessary to strongly limit strong coffee, animal fats, sweets, carbonated drinks, smoked meats, foods with purines, sour fruits and berries. It is important to give up alcohol and smoke.
Drugs
In the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a complex of drugs is required. Chondroprotectors are taken at the first or third stage of the pathology. With the destruction of the intervertebral disc, the rupture of the fibrous ring, you should not spend a lot of money on a long course of treatment to buy this type of drugs: chondroprotectors are effective only if a sufficient volume of hyaline cushion is kept.
Groups of effective drugs:
- pain relievers
- ;
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compounds;
- neurotropic B vitamins;
- chondroprotectors;
- transdermal patches;
- Hot Pepper, Camphor, Snake and Bee Venom Ointments;
- medicines to activate blood circulation.
Other treatments:
- turpentine bathsin the treatment of osteochondrosis. After a series of procedures, the nutrition of the hyaline cartilage and intervertebral joints improves, the pain syndrome decreases, and the mobility of the problem area improves. Baths with white and yellow turpentine emulsion or a mixture of two types of natural products based on treated pine resin are more often used in the treatment of thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis. But with damage to the cervical spine, the technique also benefits. The procedure has a beneficial effect on the whole body and the support post, which allows us to recommend a useful and affordable technique for home physiotherapy;
- gymnasticsfor cervical osteochondrosis. Exercises should be done slowly, with minimal amplitude in the first few lessons. Gradually, tilting, head turns, rotations can be done more actively, but jerking and pain should not be allowed during exercise. Osteochondrosis exercises for the cervical area, the doctor selects individually, depending on the severity of osteochondrosis. In addition, you can massage the neck and shoulders: the effect is moderate, without strong pressure.
The best option is to combine home treatment with a visit to the physiotherapy room. Magnetic field, amplipulse, ozokerite applications, mud therapy, turpentine baths improve the effectiveness of home treatment for cervical osteochondrosis. For the prevention of degenerative and dystrophic changes, it is necessary to avoid exposure to negative factors, to monitor loads on the neck and shoulder girdle.