Cervical osteochondrosis is the 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 roots of the spinal nerves are compressed.Today it is difficult to find a person who has never been bothered by the manifestations of this disease in his 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 the pathology
Osteochondrosis is a disease in which degenerative processes are activated in the intervertebral cartilages.They become atrophic, inelastic and lose their 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 claim that symptoms to varying degrees are found in 90% of the population, with the average age of onset of the disease being 30-35 years.With exposure to adverse factors and after severe injuries, the manifestation of osteochondrosis can begin at an earlier age.Pregnant women who carry a large child or several fetuses at the same time are also susceptible to it.
The main cause of osteochondrosis is malnutrition of cartilage tissue.This can be contributed by such negative factors as:
- poor nutrition with insufficient supply of micro- and macroelements;
- insufficient fluid intake;
- congenital and acquired metabolic disorders;
- overweight;
- 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;
- foot deformities, flat feet;
- chronic intoxication;
- spine injuries.
All these provoking factors in one way or another are a consequence of an unhealthy lifestyle and lack of physical activity.
Signs and symptoms
When exposed to the above causes, pathological symptoms may gradually appear, indicating the manifestation of the disease.The first signs that appear are:
- aching pain in the neck;
- vertigo;
- sudden changes in blood pressure during the day;
- strong feeling of weakness, loss of strength;
- sensation of heart rhythm interruption;
- numbness of the tongue;
- blurred vision;
- numbness of the hands, especially pronounced at night;
- limitation of limb movements;
- tingling sensation in the hands.
Pay attention!The symptom of a falling head is pathognomonic for osteochondrosis.In this case, to relieve the pain, the patient should support his head with his hands.
Treatment at home
High-quality treatment of osteochondrosis is possible 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 vertebrae 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 the cartilage of the intervertebral discs;
- disruption of blood supply to the brain;
- numbness of the upper limbs.
Treatment with folk remedies allows you to stop the progression of destructive processes in the tissues and prevent the occurrence of exacerbations.
Many medicines, self-massage, compresses, ointments and home-made herbal decoctions are suitable for home use.Most experts confirm their effectiveness.Correct use of such means significantly accelerates recovery.In addition, they do not require special skills and are convenient to use at home.And this is extremely valuable, because 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 accessible to everyone and the cost of treatment is relatively low.The patient can use several different methods at the same time and choose the most suitable and effective methods for himself.
Against the background of intensive treatment, it is necessary to review the diet, to enrich it with seafood, vegetables, fruits, green plants and dishes made from animal cartilage, such as the well-known jellied meat.
It is very important that during sleep the head is in the right 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.
Complex of exercises for therapy
Without regular and methodical application of therapeutic exercises, it will be very difficult to get rid of osteochondrosis;even the best and most expensive drugs 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 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 rest after each approach.The most common exercise therapy exercises:
- He turned his head left and right.They should be done slowly, gradually achieving maximum stretching and relaxation of the muscles.
- Tilt the head forward, backward and sideways, and in each position it is recommended to stay for a short time.When you bend over, you should 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 the forehead, temple or back of the head.
- Good exercises to relax 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 provide full nutrition to the spine 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 in the event of pain, you should quickly end the activity and consult a doctor.
advice!In case of exacerbation of pain, wearing a Shants collar is indicated.Fixes the head and neck, providing calmness and preventing pinching of the nerve roots.
Private massage
Massage is a quick and effective means of relieving pain attacks caused by osteochondrosis and removing accumulations of salt deposits.You must follow some rules for self-massage:
- massage movements should be performed with fingers, without using your palm;
- all techniques should 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 should sit on a flat, hard surface and cross your legs.Place the elbow on the knee, and with the opposite hand, begin to stroke, rub and knead the muscles of the neck and back of the head.
Back massage should be done in a period when there is no inflammation, otherwise the increased blood flow, on the contrary, will lead to the activation of inflammation and worsening of the disease.
Drug therapy
The use of drugs on an outpatient basis is justified in severe pain.In addition, doctors prescribe drugs that stop degenerative processes in cartilage and can eliminate inflammation.
The main thing when taking medicines at home is strict adherence to the specialist's recommendations regarding the regimen and frequency of use of the medicines.For example, the duration of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is an average of 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 side effects and have many contraindications.That is why 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.Quickly reduces pain and tissue swelling.
The restoration of cartilage tissue is carried out with the help of drugs that include chondroitin and glucosamine.These drugs must be taken for a long time because they work very slowly.But in mild cases, they are able to completely restore the damaged cartilage.
The treatment regimen also includes vitamin-mineral complexes and drugs that help "nourish" cartilage, improve vertebral circulation and metabolic processes in tissues.
Applicator
The applicator is a cloth or rubber pad with needles.The tips of these needles are coated with a special compound that contains small doses of zinc, copper and iron.Acting on skin receptors, the needles have an irritating effect and induce blood flow to the area of inflammation.By injecting multiple needles, a warming effect occurs, which induces muscle relaxation.Here's how the applicator helps relieve pain.
Folk remedies and recipes
How can osteochondrosis be treated using traditional medicine?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 the main treatment.Medicinal compositions for oral administration, compresses, ointments and rubs are prepared.
For osteochondrosis, the following mixtures are taken orally:
- Wash the young pine buds no more than 2 centimeters long and thoroughly beat them in a blender for a few minutes.Add sugar in the amount of 100 grams per 200 grams of kidneys.Transfer the sugar mixture to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for 12-14 days.When the tincture is ready, it will take on a brownish hue.Take 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day for three weeks.
- Celery is poured with warm water and left for 8 hours.The tincture is taken three times a day for 1 tsp.
Home rubs are also widely used.The most effective recipe is called grandmother's triple.You need to take 10 tablets of analgin and grind them well into powder, add camphor, medical alcohol and iodine solution to them in equal proportions.Shake the resulting mixture vigorously until the tablets dissolve.Apply to the places where the pain is localized.Immediately after use, you may feel a slight burning and warmth, but the pain disappears very quickly.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 occurrence of pain and stop the degenerative processes in the cervical vertebrae.Regular use of these methods will improve your quality of life and overall efficiency.