Effective methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis at home.

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 grow, osteochondrosis develops, and pain in the neck appears.

Home treatment is a complex of different measures. It is important to stop the destruction of the discs, eliminate inflammation and pain syndrome, and initiate the regeneration processes of the elastic pad between the vertebrae. A good effect is obtained 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. Several decades ago, with signs of osteochondrosis of the spine, patients after 40-50 years went to a vertebrologist for help, now many young people have a diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis in their medical records. Which is the reason?

Physical inactivity, prolonged use of the computer with little or no movement, combined with endocrine pathologies, smoking, poor nutrition, and poor ecology increase the risk of damage to the intervertebral discs and bone structures. Cartilage destruction begins much earlier than nature intended.

If before the main cause of cervical osteochondrosis was the natural aging process (the cushioning pad between the vertebrae received less nutrition with age, became less elastic, became thinner), now there are many other negative factors.

Increase the risk of degenerative and dystrophic processes in 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;
• previous back and cervical injuries;
• endocrine diseases, hormonal disturbances during menopause, pregnancy;
• inadequate mineral metabolism, chronic pathologies associated with salt deposition, eg gout;
• inheritance;
• calcium, magnesium, phosphorus deficiency;
• excessive consumption of strong coffee for a long period, addiction to alcohol, narcotics, smoking;
• improper diet, lack of vitamins - lack of nutrients reduces the rate and quality of cartilage nutrition during diffusion;
• unwillingness to exercise: the poorer the flexibility of the spine, the weaker the muscular corset, the greater the risk of affecting all the supporting structures of the spine.

Important facts about cervical osteochondrosis:

• the disease progresses with periods of remission and exacerbation. The more carefully the patient complies with the doctor's recommendations, the lower the rate of degenerative processes, which slows down the transition from the mild and moderate stages of the pathology to the most severe;
• at an early stage, a person does not suspect that a degeneration process has begun in the cushion pad. The more negative factors act, the more actively the intervertebral discs are destroyed;
• Doctors Warn:Being overweight often appears in the context of endocrine diseases and low physical activity, increasing the risk of cartilage damage. If an obese person smokes a lot, often drinks coffee, does hard work or sits in front of a computer / TV for a long time, then with almost 100% certainty we can say that chondrosis will quickly turn into osteochondrosis, bumps will appearand intervertebral hernias.

Signs and symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:

• the first stage: with a nutrient deficiency, the elasticity of the cartilage lining decreases, the height of the disc decreases slightly, weak pain in the back and neck appear during exercise;
• the more active the deformation of the intervertebral structures, the more often they worry about discomfort, the greater the risk of destruction of the disc. When the annulus fibrosus ruptures, friction of the bone structures increases, the nerve roots are pinched, and pain occurs. Pinched blood vessels negatively affect the nutrition of important parts of the brain. When the sensitive structures and vessels are compressed, the nutrition of the brain deteriorates, headaches disturb, vision decreases, dizziness appears, nausea;

• In the third stage of osteochondrosis, the integrity of the fibrous ring is violated, the friction of the bone elements increases, frequent pains disturb, hernias develop (a bulging of the disc occurs). Without the use of NSAIDs and analgesics, the pain syndrome complicates the patient's life;
• if you don't see a doctor, osteochondrosis will go to quadruple, the most serious stage. The cushioning pad is practically destroyed, the mobility of the spine is reduced. The body tries to compensate for the almost complete absence of elastic discs, osteophytes grow, growths that reduce the force of pressure on the vertebrae and nerve roots. Stabilization of the supporting spine 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, bend the head. Often the patient receives a group of disability. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to repair weakened vertebral structures using special plates.

Note!In the first-third degree of cervical osteochondrosis, therapy can be performed without hospitalization. In advanced cases, acute pain syndrome is required in patients with the fourth stage of the disease, observation in a vertebrological center or an operation in the neurosurgery department.

Home Treatment

How to treat cervical osteochondrosis? The therapy will be successful if the following rules are followed:

• start therapy only after visiting a vertebrologist or orthopedic traumatologist;
• take medications prescribed by your doctor;
• performs an exercise therapy complex;
• massage and self-massage problem areas;
• use doctor-approved home remedies;
• properly equip the workplace and for sleeping: an orthopedic base or a shield under a normal mattress, a low pillow.

Important points to improve the effect of therapy:

• don't overload the column;
• do not make sudden movements in the cervical spine;
• change occupation, if in the workplace you constantly have to deal with lifting and moving heavy objects or prolonged static loads;
• patients with a diagnosis of osteochondrosis should not work for a long time in their summer house, overextending the lower back. With cervical osteochondrosis, the profession of a seamstress, working on an assembly line, on a construction site is not suitable. It is necessary to choose the type of activity in which it will be possible to alternate loads and rest;
• walk more in the air, move, do not spend a long time in one position - long-term dynamic and static loads are harmful;
• combine oral medications with topical agents. For active pain relief, use transdermal patches, which should be fixed on the painful area: neck, shoulder girdle. The 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 period of validity is from 8 to 24 hours (depending on the type);
• with cervical osteochondrosis and for the prevention of the disease, it is necessary to perform simple daily exercises to prevent blood stasis, improve the elasticity of cartilage and flexibility of the vertebrae. Turns, head tilt, circular rotations of moderate amplitude, doctors advise to do two or three times a day. The movements are smooth, without jerks, otherwise it can damage the rather thin cervical vertebrae;
• be sure 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 only one type of cyclooxygenase enzyme do not have a pronounced negative effect on the body. The drugs are more expensive than traditional NSAIDs, but the negative effect on the central nervous system, the heart and the digestive tract is several times less;
The
• diet for cervical osteochondrosis reduces the rate of destruction of the buffer pad, in combination with medication, accelerates the regeneration processes. Be sure to eat dishes with jelly, leafy vegetables, red fish, vegetable oils, bran, turkey meat, dairy products, hard cheeses. Strong coffee, animal fats, sweets, carbonated beverages, smoked meats, purine foods, sour fruits, and berries need to be drastically limited. It is important to quit alcohol and smoking.

Medications

In the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a complex of drugs is needed. Chondroprotectors are taken in the first or third stage of the pathology. With the destruction of the intervertebral disc, the rupture of the fibrous ring, it is not worth spending a lot of money on long-term treatment to buy such drugs: chondroprotectors are effective only if a sufficient volume of the hyaline pad is preserved.

Effective drug groups:

• painkillers;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds;
• neurotropic B vitamins;
• chondroprotectors;
• transdermal patches;
• hot ointments with chili pepper, camphor, snake and bee venom;
• medicines to activate blood circulation.

Other treatments:

• turpentine bathsin the treatment of osteochondrosis. After a course of procedures, it improves the nutrition of the hyaline cartilage and intervertebral joints, decreases the pain syndrome and improves the mobility of the problem area. Baths with an emulsion of white and yellow turpentine or a mixture of two types of natural products made from processed pine resin are most 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 makes it possible to recommend a useful and affordable technique for home physiotherapy;
• gymnasticsfor cervical osteochondrosis. Exercises should be done slowly, with minimal amplitude in the first lessons. Gradually, bends, head turns and rotations can be performed more actively, but no jerking or pain should be allowed during exercise. Exercises for osteochondrosis for the cervical zone, the doctor selects individually, depending on the severity of osteochondrosis. In addition, you can massage the neck and shoulder area: the effect is moderate, without strong pressure.

The best option is to combine home treatment with a visit to the physical therapy room. The magnetic field, amplipulse, ozokerite applications, mud therapy, turpentine baths enhance 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, control the loads on the neck and shoulder girdle.