Thanks to healthy intervertebral discs, which play the role of shock absorbers in the spine, a person's movements are easy and relaxed.You don't have to think about your movements and calculate them to get the least 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 from the age of 20, when the natural hydration of tissues and organs begins to decrease.As a result of 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 and even decades.
It may 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, physical inactivity, sedentary work;
- prolonged fixation of the body in certain positions: incorrect posture when sitting at a table, incorrect posture when sleeping;
- excessive physical activity to which athletes, dancers, acrobats and porters 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 that result 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 which vertebrae the disc is damaged between, radiation (extension) of pain can occur in the left or right arm, both in the forearm area and along the entire arm to the fingertips.The pain can be constant or occur occasionally under the influence of certain factors, primarily movements.
- Movement disorders.After a long period of living with osteochondrosis, a person develops motor stereotypes, which results in the formation of movement disorders.For example, if pain occurs when turning the head to the left, then 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 the lateral surface of the forearm.
- Vegetovascular manifestationsOsteochondrosis occurs as a result of spasm of vessels or even carotid arteries compressed by the vertebrae, causing migraines and dizziness.“Floaters” in the eyes, noise or congestion in the ears.From the central nervous system, asthenia, bad mood, weakness, drowsiness and chronic fatigue are observed.And if the vertebral artery syndrome is pronounced in cervical osteochondrosis, 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 movement and significantly worsen the quality of life.Due to severe pain during an exacerbation, even a basic visit to a medical facility can become an impossible task.
If you call an ambulance to your home, the patient will be given an injection of painkiller, given a notice sheet with a vague and inaccurate 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, along 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 traditional medicine methods and folk methods.An examination in a clinic 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 that require other, often emergency, treatment.
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 spine, which is the most informative diagnostic method today.Depending on the results of the study, the specialist prescribes medication and physiotherapy.
Pharmacological treatment includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the form of injections, tablets or ointments.
Chondroprotective medications are prescribed to support therapy.
Vitamin-mineral complexes are prescribed to relieve symptoms such as numbness, goosebumps, 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.At first, it is recommended to visit her in a medical institution.This is necessary to remember the exercises and how to perform them.Not all exercises can be performed with osteochondrosis.A properly selected series of exercises helps to strengthen the muscles of the back and neck and stabilizes the functions of the spine.
The exercises will stretch the back: hanging from the horizontal bar, frozen in certain positions.Stretching your back frees the nerve roots trapped by the vertebrae, thus relieving pain.Pulling exercises, strength exercises, running and bending to the sides are prohibited.
Swimming is another form of physical activity that provides quick and long-term results.Crawl or breaststroke swimming 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, gymnastics is prohibited!It is permissible only after getting up in the morning to hang from a horizontal bar or crossbar with your arms wide open;It is in the morning, after sleeping, after a long stay in one position, when the most intense pain is felt.
Nutrition for osteochondrosis.
There is no special diet for osteochondrosis, but some foods help improve metabolic processes in the cartilage that forms 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.
It is necessary 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 an 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 enough for a full course.Dandelion syrup helps retain moisture in the cartilage tissues of the body.
The beneficial effect of cinquefoil on the musculoskeletal system is known because it relieves inflammation.
Sabelnik is sold in herbal pharmacies.Fill a glass bottle 2/3 with grass, pour alcohol or vodka under the lid.Infuse and then store in a dark place for 2 weeks.
Take 10-15 drops with water in the morning.within one or two months.You can repeat the course 2 times a year.The same cinquefoil tincture can be used for compresses on the sore area of the neck.
There is a known relationship 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 advisable 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 helps.The patient lies on the couch with his stomach down so that his chin hangs over the edge of the couch.Another family member massages his back muscles with circular movements of his fingers.You should feel the muscles move under your fingers.The masseuse then 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 tailbone.
The last stage of the massage will be rubbing the skin on the back with a special composition.To prepare it, vegetable oil (raw, cold pressed) and sea salt were used in equal amounts by volume.The components are stirred periodically for three days and the mixture is stored 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 dyes, aromas and other additives.
Rubbing the back with this composition is done daily, starting from three minutes.The duration of the session increases by one minute each day and reaches twenty.After massage, rinse the mixture as usual with any detergent.Thus, 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
In osteochondrosis, damaged discs are often subject to calcification and salt buildup.Adjacent tissues are also susceptible to this process, which causes intense pain with sudden or unsuccessful 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 a pie 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 mass to the sore spots, secure with cellophane and wrap a towel on top.Leave it on overnight.Repeat the application 2-3 times a week.
Another mixture recipe to apply is gentler and does not irritate the skin as much, but its disadvantage is that the appearance of the therapeutic effect is not so fast: a tablespoon of flour, 100 grams of ghee and a tablespoon of 9% vinegar are mixed.With this dough, flat breads are made in the same way and applied to the painful area.
For osteochondrosis, compresses are often and successfully used in folk medicine:
- a glass of honey,
- 2 glasses of radish juice,
- half a glass of alcohol,
- mix everything and use it for compresses on the sore spot.
The above recipe for cinquefoil tincture is also good for these purposes.
During an exacerbation, it is not advisable to heat the sore spots, but after the inflammation has subsided, a sauna with a broom consolidates the results.First of all, the body should be covered 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 trite truth fully applies to osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.To prevent the pain from recurring, it is advisable to strengthen your immune system, organize physical activity with a visit to the pool, gym, comfortably organize your space to sleep and work, and take measures to reduce excess weight if you have it.It may even be advisable to leave a job if it requires excessive physical effort, because health is more important!