Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

As long as the intervertebral discs perform their amortization duties, cervical osteochondrosis is asymptomatic. Once their thickness starts to decrease, instability will occur. The body compensates for this by the growth of osteophytes. As a result, a person will feel stiff neck, and over time, other unpleasant symptoms will appear, which will greatly reduce the quality of life. The treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be comprehensive.

This means that medication alone (injections, tablets, ointments) is not enough. In addition to her, it is also essential to do special therapeutic exercises, massage, participate in leech therapy courses (leech treatment) and do basic exercises at home. As a supplement to the main treatment, folk remedies are allowed.

drug

The first task of the doctor is to relieve the suffering of the patient. For these purposes, the entire drug complex is used:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• Anesthetics and hormones (used to block);
• Muscle relaxant
• Chondroprotective agent;
• Tranquilizers and antidepressants;
• B vitamins.

The drug groups listed in the complex act as a powerful anesthetic complex for osteochondrosis, and can also nourish intervertebral discs and restore nerves:

• NSAID can relieve mild to severe inflammation and pain.
• Anesthetics and hormone drugs are injected into the painful area (paravertebral or vagus nerve)-the pain syndrome stops immediately. The patient then puts on the neck brace for a period of time so that his head cannot move violently.
• Muscle relaxants are used to relax spastic muscles.
• Cartilage protective agents can improve the nutrition of the intervertebral disc. Their reception starts at the same time as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Usually the use of chondroprotective agents is long-term and complicated. This means that doctors can prescribe external medications, oral medications, and injections.
• Sedatives and antidepressants can help patients cope with stress and prevent depression, which in turn helps to cope with muscle tension.
• A compound preparation of B vitamins. The lack of B1, 6, and 12 will negatively affect nerve fibers and neuronal conduction. First, the drugs were prescribed in the form of injections within a short period of time, and then they turned to supportive therapy and took pills.

On the notes. Most NSAIDs and chondroprotective agents come in various forms-tablets, ointments, injections, and rectal suppositories (NSAID) and patches (NSAID).

Therapeutic gymnastics and massage

Once the pain syndrome subsides, it is necessary to gradually increase the movement of the cervical spine. If the patient is blocked, the bandage will be removed after about a week.

Some doctors believe that movement is always necessary. When the patient is prescribed bed rest, people think it helps to cope with the disease, but in fact the person will get the opposite effect-on one side of the neck, the spasm muscles, if no muscle relaxant is used, it will remain affected. Limits, on the other hand, on the other hand, observe their slow weakening (sagging or loss of tone). As a result, returning to the working rhythm, patients with cervical osteochondrosis will inevitably face pain, restricted mobility and muscle cramps again in a relatively short period of time. If you continue physical education little by little, you can relieve your pain by using minimal painkillers.

Physical therapists and chiropractors hold the same point of view. Their technique is based on exercise, not lying in bed, because 90% of doctors who try to relieve the pain of patients with cervical spine osteochondrosis advocate it.

Acute pain exercises

This is static gymnastics, without any movement of the cervical spine. The physical therapist recommends the following 3 exercises for headache, tinnitus, and neck pain:

1. Sit on a chair, straighten your back, and look straight. Place your hands on top of the other, then place them under your chin. He began to press his chin on his hands, as if he was about to bow his head. At this moment, the spine is not involved in any way, but the muscles in the front of the neck are tightened. Hold it with your hand for 3 to 5 seconds, then lower your arm and relax. Repeat several times.
2. Continue to sit upright with your back straight and look forward. Place the back of your right hand on your cheek. Begin to turn your head to the right while resisting with your hands. The head is motionless. Press and hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then remove your hand and relax. Repeat several times. Repeat exercise #2 with the other hand.
3. Place the brushes one on top of the other on the back of the head. Imagine tilting your head back. Resist with your hands. At the moment of stress, stay for 3 to 5 seconds. Then lower your arms and relax. Repeat several times.

You don't need to exert all your strength to put pressure on your hands. This will backfire-the pain will increase. All movements are as smooth as possible, slow, and without jerks. The number of closes per day is 2-3 times.

On the notes. Static exercises are similar to micro-motion techniques. As a result, the muscles relax and the pain gradually disappears.

A set of general cervical osteochondrosis exercises

Gymnastics can be performed independently at home during remission and deterioration.

The universal complex includes 6 exercises:

1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and expand your chest. Put your hands on your shoulders. Perform a symmetrical circular motion backward (at least 10 times), then forward (10 times). The body and neck were motionless. After finishing the exercise, lower your arms and shake from your shoulders to relax.
2. Continue to stand. Extend your arms to the sides parallel to the floor and make fists with both hands. Now imagine swinging dumbbells. At the same time, bend your elbows, touch your shoulders with your fists, and then straighten them. Repeat 10-15 times. After finishing the exercise, throw your hands away from your shoulders and relax.
3. Stay at the starting position. The exercise is static. Cross your fingers and place your palms on your forehead. At the beginning, it was like, bowing your head forward. Resist with your hands. Hold in the pressure position for 3-5 seconds, then relax. The muscles at the back of the neck work.
4. Perform the third exercise in the complex of cervical osteochondrosis.
5. From the starting position, keep your neck still, shoulders forward, hold for 3-5 seconds, then straighten your shoulder blades together and relax. Repeat several times.
6. Start from the starting position: take a deep breath through your nose-lift your arms to the sides and upwards, lower in front of you-exhale completely through your mouth. In the acute phase, raise your arms down-parallel to the floor.

On the notes. Completely cure cervical spondylosisOsteochondrosisThese exercises are not enough. However, they are suitable for relieving acute pain and restoring the mobility of the spine.

Fretting

Chiropractors have developed a system to help patients with cervical osteochondrosis:

1. Sit in a chair, leaning on the back of the chair. Now imagine you agree with someone's point of view-shaking your head slightly. You can do this as long as you want, until you get bored. Whenever they have free time, they sit down and do it. Free supplement.
2. The starting position is exactly the same as in exercise 1. It's just that I don't agree with the interlocutor now-shaking my head left and right is almost insignificant. Do it whenever it's convenient. Free supplement.

On the notes. Each group of exercises can be combined with each other. This will have a noticeable effect in a short time-the pain will subside.

massage

It is best to entrust the massage of the cervical spine to an expert. However, in severe pain, if you can lift your hands behind your head without pain, you can try to help yourself. There are many self-massage techniques.

The simplest self-massage method is as follows:

1. sit on the chair. Raise your hand behind your head and place it on the other side of the pain.
2. Start stroking your neck in the area of inflammation. Do it gently at first, with almost no pressure. Then increase the intensity slightly.
3. Drop to the shoulders. Usually, when torticollis overtakes, not only the neck on one side will hurt, but the shoulder will also hurt. Stretch your shoulders. This must be done actively in order to warm up the cramping muscles, but self-massage should not cause severe pain.
4. Repeat the process on the other side of the neck. This must be done because on the one hand muscles are spasm, on the other hand they are relaxed-you need to balance their tones.
5. Put your hands behind your head and place your fingers on the spine (along the spinous process). Carefully but actively enough to complete this field. Don't apply excessive pressure. The neck is the most vulnerable part of the spine. An embarrassing move can hurt yourself and make the situation worse.
6. Apply any anesthetic gel or ointment in the medicine cabinet to the heated cervical spine.

Do not use warm ointments for self-massage. The skin on the neck is very delicate, especially the arterial area and the front. If the heating compound gets there, you may get burned.

Spa

Leeches are very effective in treating osteochondrosis, especially cervical spondylosis. Hydrotherapy helps:

• Relieve pain
• Improve blood circulation in areas affected by leeches-normalize arterial blood flow to the brain and venous blood flow;
• Relieve swelling;
• Enhance the effect of drugs;
• improve sleeping;
• Relieve psychological pressure;
• Significantly reduce headaches and dizziness.

Not everyone is allowed to be treated like this. Don't forget to perform a thorough examination before the leech treatment. If there are no contraindications, perform 7-10 procedures. To consolidate the results within a month, you can turn to the spa therapist again.

Folk remedies

Try the following recipe:

• Wipe the back of the neck with a slice of Indian onion, cover it with something warm, and then go to bed;
• Self-massage with honey-wipe the neck and shoulder straps with honey, then apply a towel soaked in warm water for 10 minutes to remove the remaining honey (if any), then go to bed and cover with a blanket;
• Take a steam bath, but don’t take it when the condition gets worse, then do honey massage and drink herbal tea;
• Use a needle applicator-place the plate with the needle on the area of the seventh cervical vertebra, if it feels tolerable, then sleep on the needle-you will find significant relief in the morning.

There are many ways to treat cervical osteochondrosis. In addition to those described, an effective treatment method is acupuncture, yoga, Pilates, exercise ball exercises. Remember, self-medication is dangerous. Make an appointment with your doctor and perform a comprehensive examination. Experts will choose treatments individually and tell you which exercises can and cannot be done, whether self-massage is possible, whether leeches are helpful, or may recommend an alternative medicine method, such as bee stings.