Effective methods for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home

Many negative factors cause 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 appears in the neck.

Home treatment is a complex of different measures. It is important to stop the destruction of the discs, to eliminate the inflammation and pain syndrome and to start the processes of regeneration of the elastic pad between the vertebrae. The combination of chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants, NSAIDs with exercise therapy, massage and other methods of impact on weakened structures gives a good effect.

Causes and symptoms of osteochondrosis

The disease is getting younger every year. Decades ago, with signs of osteochondrosis of the spine, patients after the age of 40-50 turned to a vertebrologist for help, now many young people are diagnosed with cervical osteochondrosis in their medical records. What is the reason?

Physical inactivity, prolonged use of the computer with little or no movement in combination with endocrine disorders, smoking, poor nutrition and poor ecology increase the risk of damage to the intervertebral discs and bone structures. The destruction of cartilage begins much earlier than nature has predicted.

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

Increase the risk of degenerative and dystrophic processes in the intervertebral discs and vertebrae:

• heavy loads on the support column during strenuous work, in professional athletes, when carrying heavy bags, improper lifting technique;
• overweight;
• previous injuries to the back and cervix;
• endocrine diseases, hormonal disorders during menopause, pregnancy;
• improper metabolism of minerals, chronic pathologies associated with salt deposition, such as gout;
• heredity;
• deficiency of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus;
• excessive consumption of strong coffee for a long time, addiction to alcohol, drugs, smoking;
• improper diet, lack of vitamins: lack of nutrients reduces the speed and quality of nutrition of cartilage during diffusion;
• reluctance to exercise: the worse the flexibility of the spine, the weaker the muscular corset, the greater the risk of affecting all structures of the support column.

Important facts about cervical osteochondrosis:

• The disease progresses with periods of remission and exacerbation. The more carefully the patient follows the doctor's recommendations, the lower the rate of degenerative processes, which slows down the transition from mild to moderate pathology to more severe;
• At an early stage, one does not suspect that the process of degeneration has begun in the pad of the pillow. The more negative factors act, the more actively the intervertebral discs are destroyed;
• Doctors warn:Overweight often occurs 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, does hard work or sits at a computer / TV for a long time, then we can say with almost 100% certainty that chondrosis will quickly turn into osteochondrosis, bulges and intervertebral hernias will appear.

Signs and symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:

• the first stage - in case of nutrient deficiency the elasticity of the cartilage mucosa decreases, the height of the disc slightly decreases, during training slight pains in the back and neck appear;
• the more active the deformation of the intervertebral structures, the more often the discomfort worries, the higher the risk of disc rupture. When the fibrous ring ruptures, the friction of the bone structures increases, the nerve roots pinch and pain occurs. Pinched blood vessels negatively affect the nutrition of important parts of the brain. When they compress sensitive structures and blood vessels, the nutrition of the brain deteriorates, the headache is disturbed, vision decreases, dizziness and nausea appear;

• in the third stage of osteochondrosis the integrity of the fibrous ring is disturbed, the friction of the bone elements increases, frequent pains are disturbed, a hernia develops (disc protrusion occurs). Without the use of NSAIDs and analgesics, the pain syndrome complicates the patient's life;
• If you do not consult a doctor, then osteochondrosis will pass into the quadruple, most severe stage. The cushioning pad is practically destroyed, the mobility of the spine is reduced. The body tries to compensate for the almost complete lack of elastic discs, osteophytes grow - growths that reduce the force of pressure on the vertebrae and nerve roots. The 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, bend his head. The patient often receives a disability group. In severe cases, surgery may be needed to fix the weakened spinal structures with the help of special plates.

Note!In the first or third degree of cervical osteochondrosis, the therapy can be carried out without hospitalization. In advanced cases, acute pain syndrome is required in patients with stage IV disease, monitoring at a vertebrology center, or surgery in the neurosurgery ward.

Home treatment

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

• start therapy only after visiting a vertebrologist or orthopedic traumatologist;
• take medicines prescribed by your doctor;
• perform a set of exercises;
• massages and self-massages problem areas;
• use doctor-approved folk remedies;
• properly equip the work and sleeping area: orthopedic base or shield under a regular mattress, low pillow.

Important moments to enhance the effect of therapy:

• do not overload the spine;
• do not make sudden movements in the cervical spine;
• change profession if you have to constantly lift and move heavy loads or prolonged static loads in the workplace;
• patients diagnosed with osteochondrosis should not work for a long time in their summer cottage, over-stretch the lower back. In cervical osteochondrosis, the profession of seamstress, working on a production 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;
• to walk more in the air, to move, not to spend much time in one position: prolonged dynamic and static loads are harmful;
• combine oral drugs with topical agents. To actively relieve pain, use transdermal patches, which should be fixed on the painful area: neck, shoulder girdle. Thin strips impregnated with an analgesic or NSAID composition reduce discomfort and have an anti-inflammatory effect. The transdermal patch is invisible under clothing, the validity period is from 8 to 24 hours (depending on the type);
• for cervical osteochondrosis and for the prevention of the disease you should do simple exercises every day to prevent blood stasis, to improve the elasticity of cartilage and the flexibility of the vertebrae. Turns, tilting the head, circular rotations of moderate amplitude, doctors advise to do two to three times a day. The movements are smooth, without pulling, otherwise you can damage the rather thin cervical vertebrae;
• Remember 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 good results, at 4 degrees the compositions are ineffective;
• take NSAIDs as directed by your doctor, preferably with selective action. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds, which inhibit only one type of cyclooxygenase enzyme, do not have a pronounced negative effect on the body. Drugs are more expensive than traditional NSAIDs, but the negative effect on the central nervous system, heart and digestive tract is several times lower;
• diet for cervical osteochondrosis reduces the rate of destruction of the cushioning pad, in combination with drugs, accelerates the regeneration process. Do not forget to eat dishes with gelatin, leafy vegetables, red fish, vegetable oils, bran, turkey, dairy products, hard cheeses. It is necessary to sharply limit strong coffee, animal fats, pastries, carbonated beverages, smoked meats, foods with purines, sour fruits and berries. It is important to give up alcohol and smoking.

Medicines

A set of drugs is needed to treat cervical osteochondrosis. Chondroprotectors are taken in the first or third stage of the pathology. With the destruction of the intervertebral disc, rupture of annular fibrosis, it is not worth spending a lot of money on a long course of therapy to purchase this type of drug: chondroprotectors are effective only if a sufficient volume of hyaline pad is preserved.

Effective drug groups:

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

Other treatments:

• turpentine bathsin the treatment of osteochondrosis. After a course of procedures, the nutrition of the hyaline cartilage and the intervertebral joints improves, the pain syndrome decreases and the mobility of the problem area improves. In the treatment of thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis are more often used baths with an emulsion of white and yellow turpentine or a mixture of two types of natural products made from processed pine resin. But in case of damage to the cervical spine, the technique also benefits. The procedure has a beneficial effect on the whole body and the supporting post, which makes it possible to recommend a useful, affordable technique for home physiotherapy;
• gymnasticsfor cervical osteochondrosis. The exercises should be performed slowly, with minimal amplitude in the first lessons. Gradually tilting, turning the head, turning can be done more actively, but sharp and pain during training should not be allowed. The doctor chooses osteochondrosis exercises for the cervical area individually, based on the severity of the osteochondrosis. You can also 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 office. The magnetic field, amplipulse, azocerite applications, mud therapy, turpentine baths increase the effectiveness of home treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. To prevent degenerative and dystrophic changes it is necessary to avoid exposure to negative factors, to monitor the loads on the neck and shoulder girdle.