Thanks to healthy intervertebral discs, which act as shock absorbers in the spine, a person's movements are easy and relaxed.He does not need to think about his movements and calculate them to achieve the least pain possible.
Over time, as well as under the influence of some other factors, the intervertebral discs wear out and deform, causing a disease 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, treatment at home - this is the topic of this article, the elements 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 decrease.Due to the gradual loss of moisture, the discs decrease in volume and the distance between the vertebrae decreases.
When the reduction in 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 or 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: poor posture when sitting at the table, poor posture while sleeping;
- 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 leading to disruption of the integrity of the intervertebral discs.
Symptoms
Cervicothoracic spine symptoms are classically divided into three groups:
- Painful sensationsmanifest as pain in the upper back, neck and back of the head.The pain can either be clearly localized or radiate down the arm.Depending on the vertebra between which the disc is damaged, irradiation (spread) of pain can occur in the left or right arm - both in the forearm area and along the entire length of the arm to the tips of the fingers.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, leading to the formation of movement disorders.For example, if pain occurs when turning the head to the left, the patient will try to turn the head as little as possible to the left, 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 of the fingers, hands and lateral surface of the forearm.
- Vegetovascular manifestationsOsteochondrosis occurs following spasms of the vessels or even the carotid arteries compressed by the vertebrae, causing migraines and dizziness.“floaters” in the eyes, noise or congestion in the ears.From the side of the central nervous system, asthenia, low mood, weakness, drowsiness and chronic fatigue are observed.And if the vertebral artery syndrome is pronounced in cervical osteochondrosis, then it is accompanied by increased blood pressure and headaches, often severe.
If osteochondrosis itself progresses slowly, almost imperceptibly for the patient, then its exacerbations (intervertebral hernia, sciatica) cause the patient great physical suffering, limit movements and significantly worsen the quality of life.Due to severe pain during an exacerbation, even a simple visit to a medical institution can become an impossible task.
If you call an ambulance to the house, the patient will be given an injection of painkiller, an information sheet with an inaccurate and vague diagnosis: "spinal sciatica" and will be recommended to consult 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, prolong remission periods and alleviate symptoms during exacerbations.
The approach to the treatment of osteochondrosis should be comprehensive, combining the methods of traditional medicine and folk methods.A clinical examination is necessary to accurately determine osteochondrosis, and no other disease.After all, shoulder pain can occur not only with osteochondrosis, but also with heart diseases requiring other, often emergency, treatment.
Drug treatment
The most effective way to relieve acute back pain is to block it with anesthetics.But first it is necessary to carry out an MRI examination of the upper 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 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the form of injections, tablets or ointments.
Chondroprotective drugs are prescribed to support treatment.
Vitamin and 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, therapeutic exercises will be prescribed to the patient, which can be performed at home.Initially, it is recommended to visit him in a medical institution.This is necessary to memorize the exercises and the method to perform them.Not all exercises can be performed with osteochondrosis.A correctly selected set of exercises helps to strengthen the muscles of the back and neck and stabilize 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 nerve roots pinched by the vertebrae, relieving pain.Exercises with jerks, strength exercises, running and bending to the sides are prohibited.
Swimming is another form of physical activity that brings quick and long-term results.Crawl or breaststroke swimming are the methods most suitable for patients suffering from osteochondrosis of the cervical or thoracic spine.You can master them by purchasing a gym membership.In the warm season, you can practice in local reservoirs.
During periods of acute pain, doing gymnastics is prohibited!It is allowed only after getting up in the morning to hang on a horizontal bar or a crossbar with your arms outstretched;it is in the morning, after sleep, after a long stay in one position, that we feel the most intense pain.
Nutrition for osteochondrosis
There is no special diet for osteochondrosis, but certain foods help improve the 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:
- soft,
- flour and limit the consumption of cereals,
- salt and spices.
You should drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day.Water cannot be replaced with coffee, juices, carbonated drinks and alkaline mineral waters.It is very useful to add dandelion syrup to water at the rate 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 filter and pour a kilogram of sugar into the resulting broth, dissolve over low heat, stirring.The amount received is enough for a full course.Dandelion syrup helps retain moisture in the body's cartilage tissues.
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 cork.Infuse then store in a dark place for 2 weeks.
Take 10 to 15 drops with water in the morning.in a month or two.You can repeat the course 2 times a year.The same potentilla tincture can be used for compresses on the painful 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
For osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, especially if it is caused by physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle, massage is useful.The patient lies on the sofa with his stomach lowered so that his chin hangs over the edge of the sofa.Another family member kneads the muscles of his back with circular movements of his fingers.He should feel the muscles rolling beneath his fingers.Next, the massage therapist places his right palm on the spine, and with his left palm he applies light pressure from above and carefully slides along the spine, from the base of the skull to the tailbone.
The final stage of the massage will be rubbing the skin on the back with a special composition.To prepare it in the past, vegetable oil (raw, cold pressed) and sea salt were used, taken in equal quantities by volume.The components are stirred periodically for three days, keeping the mixture at room temperature.On the third day the composition is ready for use.When purchasing sea salt, it is important to pay attention to the composition: it should not contain any dyes, flavors or other additives.
Back rubbing 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 massaging, rinse the mixture as usual with any detergent.So the course will last two weeks.As a result, the condition of the vessels of the back and the 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 migraines.
Applications and compresses
With osteochondrosis, damaged discs are often subject to calcification and salt accumulation.Adjacent tissues are also susceptible to this process, which causes severe pain accompanied by sharp or unsuccessful movements.Applications according to folk recipes will help dissolve these salts.
The dough is mixed from rye flour, pharmaceutical turpentine and oleoresin until it reaches the consistency of pie dough.It must rest for two days at room temperature.After two days, the patient should drink a glass of milk and apply cakes of the resulting paste to the sore spots, fix them with cellophane and wrap them with a towel on top.Leave it on all evening.Repeat the application 2 to 3 times a week.
Another recipe for a mixture to apply is gentler and does not irritate the skin as much, but its disadvantage is that the therapeutic effect is not so fast: a tablespoon of flour, 100 grams of ghee and a tablespoon of 9% vinegar are mixed.Flatbreads are made from this paste in the same way and applied to the sore spot.
For osteochondrosis, compresses are often and successfully used in traditional medicine:
- a glass of honey,
- 2 glasses of radish juice,
- half a glass of alcohol,
- mix everything and use compresses on the sore spot.
The above recipe for cinquefoil tincture is also good to use for these purposes.
During an exacerbation, you should not warm up the sore spots, but after the inflammation is relieved, a sauna with a broom consolidates the results.First, the body should be smeared with a mixture of equal parts honey and sea salt.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 appearing again, you need to strengthen your immune system, organize physical activity with a visit to the pool, gym, practically organize your sleeping and working space, and take measures to reduce excess weight if you have any.It may even be wise to quit a job if it requires excessive physical effort, because health is more important!