Thanks to healthy intervertebral discs, which play the role of shock absorbers in the spine, a person's movements are easy and relaxed.He doesn't have to think about his movements and calculate them to achieve minimal pain.
Over time, as well as under the influence of other factors, intervertebral discs wear out and deform, causing diseases such as osteochondrosis.The disease is divided into zones of spread depending on the location of the disc deformation.The most common is cervical osteochondrosis.
Cervical osteochondrosis, symptoms, home treatment - this is the topic of this article, the materials of which do not contradict official medicine.
Destructive changes in the intervertebral discs are observed after the age of 20, when the natural hydration of tissues and organs begins to decline.As a result of the gradual loss of moisture, the discs decrease in volume and the distance between the vertebrae decreases.
When the reduction of this distance reaches such a point that the vertebrae begin to come into contact with each other, causing pain, we speak of osteochondrosis (“osteo” - bone, “chondro” - connective tissue), that is, a disease of the connective tissue between the vertebrae.The process of development of pathology lasts years and even decades.
It can be facilitated (or accelerated) by the following factors:
- characteristics of a profession that requires fixing the body in a certain position for a long time: assembly line workers, vehicle drivers, painters;
- sedentary lifestyle, sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work;
- long-term fixation of the body in certain positions: incorrect posture when sitting at a table, incorrect posture during sleep;
- excessive physical activity to which athletes, dancers, acrobats and chargers are exposed;
- frequent intoxications of the body, which also have a destructive effect on the intervertebral discs.These include frequent colds, bad habits;
- flat feet;
- back injuries resulting in disruption of the integrity of the intervertebral discs.
Symptoms
Symptoms of the cervicothoracic spine are conventionally divided into three groups:
- Painful sensationsthey manifest as pain in the upper back, neck and back of the head.The pain may be clearly localized or radiate to the arm.Depending on the vertebra in which the disc is damaged, the pain can radiate (spread) to the left or right arm, either in the forearm area or along the entire arm to the fingertips.The pain can be constant or occur occasionally under the influence of certain factors, mainly movements.
- Movement disorders.After a long period of living with osteochondrosis, a person develops motor stereotypes, resulting in the formation of movement disorders.For example, if pain is felt when turning the head to the left, the patient will try to turn the head to the left as little as possible, which is a mistake.Over time, turning your neck to the left becomes as impossible as bending your knee in the opposite direction.Additional symptoms appear in the form of numbness in the fingers, hands and lateral surface of the forearm.
- Vegetovascular manifestationsOsteochondrosis occurs due to spasm of the vessels or even carotid arteries compressed by the vertebrae, causing migraines and dizziness.“floaters” in the eyes, noise or congestion in the ears.Asthenia, low mood, weakness, drowsiness and chronic fatigue are observed from the central nervous system.And if vertebral artery syndrome is pronounced in cervical osteochondrosis, then it is accompanied by increased blood pressure and headaches, often severe.
If the osteochondrosis itself proceeds slowly, almost imperceptibly for the patient, its exacerbations (intervertebral hernia, sciatica) cause the patient great physical suffering, limit movement and significantly worsen the quality of life.Due to the severe pain during a flare-up, even a simple visit to a medical facility can become an impossible task.
If you call an ambulance at home, the patient will be given an injection of painkiller, given a warning sheet with an imprecise and vague diagnosis: “vertebral sciatica” and advised to visit a neurologist in the clinic.You still have to go to the clinic!
Currently, osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine cannot be cured, like osteochondrosis of other areas of the spine, but preventive measures and folk remedies, combined with traditional treatment, stop the development of the disease, lengthen the periods of remission and relieve symptoms during exacerbations.
The approach to the treatment of osteochondrosis should be comprehensive, combining methods of traditional medicine and folk methods.An examination in the clinic is necessary to accurately determine osteochondrosis and no other diseases.After all, shoulder pain can occur not only with osteochondrosis, but also with heart diseases that require other, often emergency, treatments.
Pharmacological treatment
The most effective way to relieve acute back pain is to block it with anesthetics.But first it is necessary to conduct an MRI examination of the upper part of the spine, which today is the most informative diagnostic method.Depending on the results of the study, the specialist prescribes medications and physiotherapy.
Drug treatment includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the form of injections, tablets or ointments.
To support the therapy, chondroprotective drugs are prescribed.
Vitamin-mineral complexes are prescribed to relieve symptoms such as numbness, goosebumps under the skin, chills, and to enhance the effect of drugs from the above groups.
Therapeutic gymnastics
As part of the physical procedures, the patient will be prescribed therapeutic exercises, which can be performed at home.Initially, it is recommended to visit her in a medical institution.This is necessary to remember the exercises and the method of performing them.Not all exercises can be performed with osteochondrosis.A set of properly selected exercises helps strengthen the back and neck muscles and stabilizes the functions of the spine.
The exercises will consist of stretching the back: hanging on the horizontal bar, freezing in certain poses.Stretching the back releases pinched nerve roots from the vertebrae, thus relieving pain.Sprinting exercises, strength exercises, running and lateral bending are prohibited.
Swimming is another form of physical activity that brings quick and long-term results.Freestyle swimming or breaststroke are the most suitable methods for patients with osteochondrosis of the cervical or thoracic spine.You can master them by purchasing a gym membership.During the warm season, you can practice in local reservoirs.
During periods of acute pain it is forbidden to do gymnastics!It is allowed only after getting up in the morning to hang from a horizontal bar or crossbar with arms wide open;it is in the morning, after sleep, after a long stay in the same position, that the strongest pain is felt.
Nutrition for osteochondrosis
There is no special diet for osteochondrosis, but some foods help improve metabolic processes in the cartilage that makes up the lining of the intervertebral disc.
These products include: meat and fish, fruits and vegetables, nuts, herbs, dairy products, eggs.
During exacerbations, it is recommended to exclude:
- Sweet,
- flour and limit the consumption of cereals,
- salt and spices.
You need to drink at least 2 liters of clean water a day.Water cannot be replaced by coffee, juices, carbonated drinks and alkaline mineral waters.It is very useful to add dandelion syrup to water in the amount of 1 teaspoon per glass.
Preparing the syrup is not difficult: add 350 grams of dandelion flowers and two chopped lemons with water (just to cover) and boil for half an hour.Then strain and pour a kilogram of sugar into the resulting broth, dissolve over low heat, stirring.The amount received is sufficient for a full course.Dandelion syrup helps retain moisture in the cartilaginous tissues of the body.
The beneficial effect of cinquefoil on the musculoskeletal system is known as it relieves inflammation.
Sabelnik is sold in herbal pharmacies.Fill a glass bottle 2/3 with weed, pour alcohol or vodka under the cap.Infuse and then store in a dark place for 2 weeks.
Take 10-15 drops with water in the morning.within a month or two.You can repeat the course 2 times a year.The same cinquefoil tincture can be used for compresses on the sore neck area.
There is a known connection between the poor condition of the intervertebral discs and excess body weight, which increases the load on them.Therefore, if you are overweight, it is wise to choose a low-calorie diet to lose weight.
Massage
With osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, especially if caused by physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle, massage helps.The patient lies on the sofa on his stomach so that his chin protrudes over the edge of the sofa.Another family member massages the back muscles with circular motions of the fingers.You should feel the muscles moving under your fingers.Then the masseur places his right palm on the spine, and with his left palm applies light pressure from above and carefully slides along the spine from the base of the skull to the coccyx.
The last stage of the massage will be rubbing the skin of the back with a special composition.To prepare it in the old days, vegetable oil (raw, cold pressed) and sea salt were used, taken in equal quantities by volume.The components are shaken periodically for three days, keeping the mixture at room temperature.On the third day the composition is ready for use.When buying sea salt it is important to pay attention to the composition: there must be no colourants, flavors or other additives.
Rubbing the back with this composition is carried out daily, starting from three minutes.The duration of the session increases by one minute every day and reaches twenty.After the massage, rinse off the mixture as usual using any cleanser.Therefore, the course will last two weeks.As a result, the condition of the vessels of the back and tissues adjacent to the spine will improve.This method will be especially useful when vertebral artery syndrome is observed in cervical osteochondrosis with increased blood pressure and migraine.
Applications and tablets
With osteochondrosis, damaged discs are often subject to calcification and salt accumulation.Adjacent tissues are also sensitive to this process, which causes severe pain with unsuccessful or sudden movements.Applications according to popular recipes will help dissolve these salts.
The dough is mixed with rye flour, pharmaceutical turpentine and oleoresin until it reaches the consistency of cake dough.It should rest for two days at room temperature.After two days, the patient should drink a glass of milk and apply cakes of the resulting dough to the sore spots, fix them with cellophane and wrap them on top with a towel.Leave it on all evening.Repeat the application 2-3 times a week.
Another recipe for a mixture for application is more gentle and does not irritate the skin as much, but its disadvantage is that the onset of the therapeutic effect is not so quick: a spoonful of flour, 100 grams of ghee and a spoonful of 9% vinegar are mixed.Focaccias are prepared with this mixture in the same way and applied to the sore spot.
For osteochondrosis, compresses are often successfully used in folk medicine:
- a glass of honey,
- 2 glasses of radish juice,
- half a glass of alcohol,
- mix everything and use for compresses on the painful part.
The above recipe for cinquefoil tincture is also useful for these purposes.
During a flare-up, heating of sore spots should not be used, but after the inflammation has subsided, a sauna with a broom consolidates the results.First the body must be coated with a mixture of honey and sea salt in equal parts.With osteochondrosis, fluid often accumulates in the tissues around the source of inflammation, and this method removes excess fluid from the body.
The best treatment for any disease is prevention.This banal truth fully applies to osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.To prevent pain from recurring, you should strengthen your immune system, organize physical activity with a visit to the pool, gym, conveniently organize space for sleeping and working, and take measures to reduce excess weight, if you have it.It may also be wise to quit a job if it requires too much physical effort, because health is more important!