Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and methods for its treatment at home

Back and neck pain is one of the most common unpleasant symptoms that almost every modern person has experienced at least once.

If osteochondrosis used to be considered an age-related disease, today it is increasingly being diagnosed in young people. This is due to a sedentary lifestyle and the habit of moving while doing a sedentary job.

It is important to identify the disease in time, as it is much easier to treat cervical osteochondrosis in the early stages of its development than in advanced cases.

Manifestations and causes of the disease

The manifestations of the disease develop gradually. Their intensity increases with the deterioration of the spine. At first they may bother a person only from time to time, but over time they become permanent.

The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:

• worsening of pain when turning and tilting the head;
• neck crisis;
• headache;
• decreased visual acuity;
• Stiffness and muscle tension in the affected area.

In case of exacerbation of osteochondrosis, a person complains of:

• shooting pain;
• dizziness;
• burning;
• increased neck muscle tone.

Depending on which vertebra is involved in the pathological process, pain and sensory disturbances can affect different areas of the body. They can pass to the shoulder girdle, be felt in the chest of the back and appear on the muscles of the hands and even fingers. Many patients want to know if cervical osteochondrosis can be cured forever. There can be no definite answer here, as it all depends on the stage of the disease and the degree of degenerative changes. But it is possible to alleviate the condition during exacerbations and prevent deterioration of health. And folk remedies will help here.

Causes of osteochondrosis:

• the habit of moving while walking;
• incorrect body position when reading books, working on a computer;
• spinal injuries and injuries;
• insufficiently active lifestyle;
• strenuous physical activity;
• use of too soft mattresses and pillows during rest;
• long-term weight bearing;
• flatfoot;
• metabolic disorders in the body;
• deficiency of vitamins and minerals;
• scoliosis;
• obesity;
• genetic predisposition;
• pregnancy.

When choosing options for treating cervical osteochondrosis, you need to consider the severity of the symptoms. Before starting therapy, you must contact a neurologist to establish an accurate diagnosis and agree on a treatment plan. In some situations, only folk remedies can be refused, and sometimes they must be used in combination with classical therapy.

Treatment with ointments and balms

When applied externally, traditional medicine should reduce pain and inflammation and help normalize muscle movement. Ointments and balms should be used in conjunction with other treatments, as it is quite difficult to cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine only with their help. Rather, they are the means of ambulance and express therapy.

Here are some easy-to-make homemade recipes:

1. Garlic ointment with ginger.Mix equal amounts of garlic mash and chopped fresh ginger root. For plasticity to this mass you need to add a little olive oil or sesame oil. Apply the composition on the neck before bedtime. It is recommended to repeat the procedure every day until the unpleasant symptoms disappear. Leave the ointment on exposure for 30 minutes, after which it should be washed off with warm water.
2. Bay leaf ointment.In 60 ml of melted butter add 5 g of crushed juniper leaves and 6 tsp dry crushed bay leaf. This ointment should be used to rub the painful area of ​​the neck in the morning and evening.
3. Sage ointment.It takes 3 tablespoons to melt in a water bath. l. Vaseline and add 2 tbsp. chopped herb sage, 2 tbsp. plantain leaves, ¼ cup any vegetable oil. It is recommended to rub the neck with ointment three times a day, after which the treated area should be isolated with a woolen scarf for several hours.

Use compresses

For many back problems, external treatment brings significant relief to the patient. They should act quickly, as it is desirable to cure osteochondrosis of the neck as soon as possible to avoid complications. Self-made compresses relieve pain and restore normal mobility of stiff muscles. They can also have a warming effect, due to which the active substances can enter the blood faster.

At home you can use the following recipes:

1. Burdock compress.2 tablespoons dry crushed leaves of a plant, you need to pour 400 ml of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. After straining, a bandage soaked in warm solution should be applied to the painful area covered with cellophane, cotton wool and woolen cloth. The procedure takes 15 minutes. Then the bandage should be removed and a warm scarf wrapped around the neck to keep warm.
2. Compress with eucalyptus and honey.30 g of eucalyptus leaves should be finely chopped and filled with 400 ml of boiling water. Cook them over low heat for 5 minutes. After cooling, add honey (5: 1) to the filtered solution. This solution should be used for compresses every day before bedtime. Leave it for therapeutic effects for 30 minutes.
3. Horseradish compress.The fresh leaves of the plant should be immersed for a few minutes in boiling water to soften. When warm, they should be applied to the neck and covered with plastic wrap and a warm towel on top. The procedure is best done at bedtime, leaving the leaves on the skin overnight. In the morning, they should be removed, washed with warm water and lubricated with baby cream to prevent drying.
4. Compress with mustard and aloe.In equal proportions you should take and mix well aloe juice, dry mustard and vodka. In the resulting solution you need to moisten the gauze, attach it to the neck and insulate this place with a food film and a woolen scarf. Allow the compress to warm overnight.

For maximum effect, compresses for cervical osteochondrosis should be combined with other methods of treatment - broths, ointments and baths. With an integrated approach, the unpleasant symptoms will subside very quickly and then will not remind you for a long time.

Domestic products

In case of exacerbation of this disease, decoctions, alcoholic tinctures and water infusions should be used to relieve swelling and have an anti-inflammatory effect. As the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies must be complex, they should be used in parallel with external rubbing and compresses. It is also important during an exacerbation to minimize stress on the cervical area, to sleep on your back or on the side of an orthopedic pillow and a firm mattress.

For internal use you can prepare the following traditional medicine:

1. Cedar tincture.Half a liter jar should be filled with crushed, unpeeled cedar nuts. The top should be poured with vodka so as to cover the nuts with a layer of 5 cm. The product should be infused for 7 days in a cool, dark place. The tincture should then be filtered and taken in 15 ml three times a day.
2. Decoction of St. John's wort and odorant steel.These components should be mixed in the same amount, 2 tbsp. l. the resulting collection is poured with 400 ml of boiling water. The mixture should be cooked on low heat for 15 minutes, then it should be infused for 1 hour in a warm place. It is recommended to take the broth three times a day, 200 ml before meals.
3. Herbal collection.It is necessary to mix goat willow, buckthorn and birch leaves in a ratio of 5: 1: 4. 30 g of this mixture is poured into 500 ml of boiling water and kept on low heat for 10 minutes. After complete cooling, the broth should be filtered and drunk in a glass in the morning and evening before meals.

Alternative help

Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease with a long course. This is important to understand, as it sometimes takes a long time to treat the cervical spine. The main task during exacerbation is to alleviate the patient's condition. In many cases, this can be done without medication, resorting to folk methods.

Coniferous baths help reduce pain. In an enameled pot you need to put 1 kg of needles and branches of conifers (pine, spruce, juniper), fill them to the top with water and boil on low heat until the water volume is reduced by half. The broth should then be infused for 12 hours in a warm place. 1, 5 liters of the obtained filtered coniferous infusion should be added to the common bath. Its temperature should not be hot (about 37 ° C), as osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be treated only with moderately warm solutions. Too hot water can make the pain worse.

After consulting a neurologist, in the absence of contraindications, you can perform light exercises to eliminate discomfort in the neck. The head should be slightly tilted down and forward, then left and right. You can put your hands on the back of your head and try to move your head in that direction with resistance. The same should be done on the side of the forehead. Such a simple treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home normalizes muscle tone and relieves spasms. Over time, this exercise should take about 15 minutes a day. Movements should be gentle, not forceful or if they cause severe pain.