Osteochondrosis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system. According to statistics, about 90% of the population suffers from it. Most patients do not even know this, as the initial forms of the disease develop asymptomatically.
Another part of people feels discomfort only periodically in the back region, writes as tired and is not treated. Among all types of osteochondrosis, defeat of the cervical spine prevails. If treatment is started on time, there is every chance of getting rid of the disease.
The essence of osteochondrosis
Two mechanisms are involved in the development of osteochondrosis: dystrophic and degenerative. The first implies a violation of the trophism (nutrition) of the intervertebral cartilage (discs). The second is a consequence of dystrophy - organic changes in the structure of the cartilage and vertebrae tissue.
The essence of the disease is as follows: circulatory disorders in certain areas of the back lead to depletion and dehydration of the cartilage tissue. Along with the liquid, it loses its nutritional components. As a result, cartilage loses its elasticity and firmness - it gives way. The distance between the vertebrae decreases, their static is violated (position constancy). They can move and nest against each other, while pinching nerve roots.
In osteochondrosis, cartilage wears out at an accelerated rate.
If the dystrophy persists, the muscles that support the spine will also lose tone. The vertebrae give out even more. Due to the increased friction, protrusions appear - damage to the cartilaginous capsule with the protrusion of its contents outward.
Then, the spine's natural defense mechanism is activated. In it appear bone growths - osteophytes. They must ensure a stable position of the vertebrae. However, the growth of osteophytes often goes beyond "need". In addition, very large growths put pressure on the remains of cartilage and nerve fibers. In addition, they are solid. The spine loses its elasticity, the "adjacent discs" can be damaged. The patient loses mobility, suffers from severe pain. The result of advanced osteochondrosis is deficiency.
Due to blood congestion, osteochondrosis is accompanied by the deposition of salts in the areas adjacent to the cartilage. These "build-ups" aggravate the development of the disease, accelerating damage to cartilage and vertebrae.
Why the neck is injured more often
The cervical spine is the most sensitive and fragile. Its elements are the smallest and do not adapt to heavy loads. However, the neck muscles are not involved in all types of physical activity. Consequently, chronic blood congestion and malnutrition of the vertebral joints. If a person does not play sports, the risk of cervical osteochondrosis increases significantly. Most people rarely use their necks for mundane tasks.
The main cause of osteochondrosis is a hypodynamic lifestyle. Lack of exercise, combined with passive leisure, leads to muscle weakness and disorders of vascular tone. Neck disease causes prolonged stay in the same position. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is considered the fate of office workers and computer scientists.
Excessive physical activity leads to muscle hypertonia. Constantly in a state of tension, they also cause stagnation processes. The indirect causes of the disease include inadequate nutrition (excess of salts and fat in the diet), metabolic disorders. The disease can be caused by autoimmune processes, lack of nutrients (vitamins and minerals), endocrine diseases and psychoemotional shocks (since they are also accompanied by muscle overvoltage).
How to recognize cervical osteochondrosis
The initial osteochondrosis does not manifest itself in any way. In the first stage of development, the cartilage is dehydrated. It is not noticeable from the outside, it does not cause physical discomfort. The disease can be discovered by chance, when examining the spine for injuries or other complaints.
In stage 2, the cartilage gives way. Its height decreases, its amortization capacity deteriorates. The first symptoms may appear at this stage. Its characteristic is periodicity. The neck discomfort is clearly felt and then disappears. Periodically it disappears completely. The person sometimes feels pain in the neck. They appear after a physical effort or a long stay in the same position (sitting or standing). Unpleasant sensations arise in the morning, as the patient "walks" they weaken and remember in the late afternoon. If the salts are deposited in the cervical region, the person hears a crack in the spine when turning. "Clicking" when tilting the head doesn't hurt.
In Stage 3, the nerve roots may be partially attached. This is accompanied by strong painful sensations. Patients complain of lumbago and acute and sudden pain in the neck. The discomfort occurs after a static position. In contrast to the early stages, he is more concerned. The neck of a person "tires" in a short time. There may also be painful pain. They attack the patient at night and at night.
Stagnation of the cervical spine leads to a stroke. It is manifested by headaches (sometimes migraines), tinnitus, dizziness. With persistent hypoxia (lack of oxygen), there is a feeling of "chills" on the scalp, usually on one side. There are also secondary symptoms - the patient gets tired quickly, feels weak, drowsy (for no apparent reason), sometimes sleep is disturbed.
Parallel to the listed symptoms, the mobility of the cervical spine joints changes. Some head or neck movements are accompanied by sharp pain. The patient unconsciously reduces his range, trying to maintain a comfortable position.
Stage 4 of osteochondrosis is accompanied by protrusions and the appearance of osteophytes. Violation of nerve roots leading to persistent pain syndrome. If the inflammation develops in the process of change, the pain becomes permanent. A person has more and more headaches, visual impairments (deterioration of vision at dusk, “flies”, blurred image). Neck mobility is significantly limited. The patient avoids turning his neck, if necessary, turns the whole body. When nerves are damaged, pain, "chills" or numbness occur in the shoulder blades, shoulders, forearms and even the hands.
Diagnosis
The above complaints should be directed to a neurologist, orthopedist or vertebrologist. The doctor will interview the patient, perform an examination. During the exam, he will check the sensitivity of the points, reflexes, mobility of the cervical spine. If osteochondrosis is suspected, an additional exam will be prescribed. Includes a radiograph of the cervical spine in various views.
If there are no specific abnormalities on the radiography, but the patient still has complaints, an MRI or CT scan will be prescribed. With these methods, osteochondrosis can be detected even in the early stages.
How to be treated
Even if the patient has all the signs of osteochondrosis, it is best to see a doctor. Only a specialist can objectively assess the scale of destruction, distinguish chondrosis from other diseases, make the correct diagnosis and individually select a treatment regimen.
This disease takes a long time to develop. Exacerbations of osteochondrosis can occur periodically and disappear on their own. The patient has yet to be examined.
The disease is treated on an outpatient basis. Surgical intervention (to remove osteophytes) is an extreme measure used only for severe nerve root injuries with severe pain. Conservative treatment can almost always be dispensed with.
Osteochondrosis (depending on the stage) is treated for 1 to 3 months. Therapy must be comprehensive. Medicines alone are indispensable here. Even after the improvement starts, the patient must control his activity and take preventive measures. The main task of treatment is to stop the degenerative processes. Relieving symptoms with medication relieves the patient's condition only for a time. There are several ways to treat osteochondrosis at home.
Medical therapy
With the help of drugs, you can eliminate inflammation, relieve pain, provide the body with useful substances and improve the nutrition of the cervical spine cartilage. Painkillers are used as a symptomatic treatment. In the inflammatory process, the pain is eliminated with the help of NSAIDs. The drugs are prescribed in the form of pills (if the symptoms are mild) or injections (if the pain is severe).
To eliminate muscle hypertonia, muscle relaxants are prescribed in parallel with NSAIDs. These funds improve the effect of painkillers, providing your "free access" to the focus of inflammation. Pain medications are used in the shortest possible period (5-10 days) due to the risk of side effects.
Chondroprotectors are prescribed to increase elasticity and restore cartilage. In the acute period, they are injections. Doctors recommend taking long-term (3-6 months) capsules or pills as maintenance therapy.
To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, the intake of pills can be combined with the use of external agents (ointments, gels, adhesives). Pepper or menthol patches, pain relievers with ointments will relieve severe pain. In addition, osteochondrosis can be treated with chondroprotective ointments.
To improve joint trophism, B vitamins and vascular preparations are prescribed.
Folk remedies
In traditional medicine recipes, there are many recommendations for the treatment of osteochondrosis. As with the traditional approach, folk remedies can be used internally or externally.
Most Powerful Topical Blends:
- Strong root compaction.The horseradish root is rubbed on a fine grater, spread the porridge in gauze, applied to the neck, covered with a film, wrapped with a dressing, left for 2 hours, washed with clean water, the procedure isperformed 10 days in a row before bedtime.
- Compress with potatoes.Rub 3 large potatoes, add 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of mustard, spread the mixture on a cotton cloth and hold on the painful area for 1 hour, apply a compress 2 times a day for 2weeks.
- Red pepper lotions.2 pods of hot red pepper are crushed in a porridge, mixed with chopped aloe leaf, poured into a glass of alcohol, a day later, gauze is moistened in the mixture, applied to the neck for 15-20 minutes, washedwith cold water. The treatment lasts 2 weeks.
Compresses with mustard and pepper are good for increasing blood circulation.
Inside you can take infusions, decoctions and tinctures. All recipes aim to normalize metabolism, remove salts and eliminate inflammation:
- Parsley broth.3 tablespoons of parsley seeds are ground in a coffee grinder. Pour the dough with a liter of boiling water, cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. After complete cooling, filter. It is taken orally 100 ml twice a day for 15 days.
- Barberry tincture.10 g of a mixture of dry roots and barberry bark (can be purchased from a pharmacy or herbalists) is poured with 100 ml of alcohol or vodka. The mixture is placed in a dark place for 10 days. After the effort, take 30 drops orally three times a day, half an hour before meals.
- Celery infusion.Pour a tablespoon of grated celery root with a liter of water. Bring to a boil over low heat, turn off immediately. After a day, filter, take 3 tablespoons before meals, three times a day. The treatment lasts 1 month.
Before using any traditional medicine, you must make sure that you are not allergic to its components. If, when using compresses, a strong burning sensation occurs, it is necessary to remove the dressing and rinse the rest of the mixture under running water.
Physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage
Physiotherapy is often prescribed by doctors to treat osteochondrosis. This can be heating with medical ultraviolet light, exposure to low frequency currents, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis or phonophoresis. These manipulations are performed in a hospital, with special equipment. They eliminate inflammation and improve the drug's access to cartilage tissue. The combination of medications and physical therapy can quickly relieve unpleasant symptoms. The course will require 10 to 15 procedures. To obtain a stable result, all types of physiotherapy must be completed completely (do not interrupt).
Physiotherapy for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck includes simple exercises. They can be performed independently in the morning and evening, as well as between jobs. Physical education can be done sitting or standing.
The following exercises can be included in the exercise for cervical osteochondrosis:
- For 2 minutes, rotate your head first clockwise and then counterclockwise (2 sets);
- gently lower your head forward, backward and sideways (15 times in each direction);
- lift your shoulders as far as possible, leaving your neck and head still (15-20 times);
- rotate the shoulders forward or backward, keeping the neck and head still (1 minute in each direction);
- fold your palms, pressing the fingertips in the center of the forehead, gently drive through the temporal regions, along the neck, to the collarbones (10 times);
- without changing the position of the chin, gently bring the neck backwards (the chin is pulled inwards), then forward, to the sides (without tilting or turning the face);
- put your palms together in a lock behind your back, pull your arms back, lifting and stretching your neck as high as possible, stay in an extended position for 15 seconds (3 times).
For osteochondrosis, massage is considered the best way to improve blood circulation in the neck. It is best if the patient takes a full course (10-15 sessions) with a trained specialist. If this is not possible, you can massage your neck at home.
Self-massage quick start guide:
- First, the neck muscles need to be warmed up: rub the back of the neck with your fingertips or the edge of your palm;
- kneading involves gentle pressure followed by muscle relaxation - kneading with 4 collected pillows and a thumb;
- lightly pinch the skin on the neck to improve blood circulation;
- by light pressure of the fingers on both sides of the spine, pass along the entire cervical region;
- To relax on the back of the neck, pat your palm or fingers lightly.
Each stage of the massage ends with a light touch of the palm. To improve the effect, the neck is massaged with ointment. After the massage, make sure that the cervical area is warm.
Massage your neck with your palms or your fingertips only (not your fist).
All osteochondrosis treatment methods must be supplemented with a diet. A classic healthy diet involves the use of lean meat, fish, seafood, whole grains and many vegetables. Food should be boiled, roasted or steamed.
For the entire duration of the diet, it is necessary to reduce the amount of salt used, abandon fast food and sweets. It is important to drink at least 1. 5 liters of water a day. It is useful to eat jams and jellies to strengthen your joints.
With an integrated approach, the symptoms of the disease will disappear in a week and the destruction of the cartilage will be completely stopped.