Osteochondrosis is one of the most insidious diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Its symptoms are often disguised as other diseases and bring with them many uncomfortable and painful sensations. The occurrence of pathological changes in the cervical spine is associated with the influence of various factors.
symptoms
Cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by a variety of symptoms. Headache, tingling in the middle of the chest or chronic fatigue - all these signs accompany dystrophic diseases of the cervical spine.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- Dizziness, sometimes leading to loss of consciousness or fainting.
- Crunch when trying to twist or turn head.
- Pulling pain and tingling in shoulders, elbows or neck.
- Tingling in arms and legs, from fingertips and down entire limb.
- Inappropriate appearance of apathy and drowsiness. The feeling of accumulated fatigue persists even after a long sleep or passive rest.
- Tinnitus (tinnitus with no apparent cause).
- hearing loss or blurred vision.
- Pain in the sternum, with numbness in the hands or feet.
| syndrome | because | manifestation |
|---|---|---|
| root | compression of the spinal nerves. | Sharp pain when moving. |
| reflex | Pinched nerve. | Sharp pain radiating to arm, headache. |
| Compression Spine | Pinching of blood vessels, intervertebral hernia. | Loss of feeling in hands, pain in shoulder girdle and neck. |
| Brain | Circulatory disorders of the spinal cord. | Tiredness, irritability and nervousness, disorientation and fainting, headaches and hearing disorders. |
| vertebral artery | squeezing the artery. | Stroke, cerebral ischemia. |
Important: The neck is one of the most important sections of the spine due to the accumulation of a large number of nerve trunks. Even a slight displacement of the vertebrae by 1-3 mm leads to a circulatory disorder in the brain and can cause high blood pressure and migraines. Less often to cerebral hypoxia, stroke.
Over the past 2 decades, doctors have noted the occurrence of osteochondrosis in young people. If earlier in the risk group there were representatives of middle and older age, now the disease is becoming more common in people barely 20-30 years old.
The danger of any osteochondrosis symptoms lies in the fact that they are attributed to other diseases and specialist doctors are only consulted at a late stage. As a result, the disease can become chronic and lead to irreversible damage to the anatomical structures of the cervical spine.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Each segment of the spine is built according to a single principle: the soft pulp inside the vertebra absorbs all the structures of the segment, loses its elasticity and ossifies. The pathological process affects the nerves and blood vessels.
To understand the causes of osteochondrosis, consider the problem from a medical point of view.
| factors | description |
|---|---|
| physiological process | Aging of cartilage tissue due to irreversible age-related changes. It is regulated by nervous and endocrine processes. |
| pathological process | Destruction of vertebral structures, nerve endings and blood vessels. |
| Physiological changes | The transformation of the pulp into fibrous tissue caused by the aging of the body. It does not manifest itself clinically unless the nerve nodes are irritated. |
| pathological changes | Localized in cartilage and beyond, irritate nerves, compress blood vessels. Manifested by local pain and dyscalgia - a reflection of pain. |
Pathological changes in the vertebrae are accompanied by:
- Deposition of salts in the nucleus pulposus.
- Penetration of vertebral structures into adjacent segments (hernia formation).
- Obliteration and wear of segments of the cervical spine.
- Ossification of the soft tissues of the joints.
Causes of osteochondrosis:
- Autoimmune diseases lead to degenerative processes in the cartilage tissue.
- Infectious - the presence of pathogenic microorganisms leads to metabolic disorders in tissues and can provoke pathological processes in the joints.
- Involutive - natural aging processes of the body.
- Traumatic - the development of pathologies as a result of injuries.
- Endocrine - hormonal disorders.
- Metabolic disorders - degenerative processes as a result of metabolic disorders.
- Heredity - congenital pathologies of the development of joints, cartilage. anatomical disorders.
- Remain in one position for a long time.
- Obesity - increases the load on the cervical spine and can cause metabolic disorders.
- Nervous stress and prolonged exposure to a stressful situation.
- Rheumatism.
Folk methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis
In addition to conservative medical methods, folk methods are highly effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Treatment with herbs
Phytotherapy is widely used in osteochondrosis of the neck for many reasons: a small number of contraindications, availability, high efficiency, the cumulative effect of using tinctures and decoctions.
Preparation of decoctions
1 liter of water should be brought to an enamel bowl and add 5-6 tablespoons to the collection. Put the broth on a slow fire and cook for about 15 minutes.
Alcohol tinctures of herbs such as wild rosemary, burdock, mountaineer, elecampane, sage, yarrow are used both for external use and for oral consumption. The principle of preparing tinctures is as follows:
- 2-3 tablespoons of crushed plants are placed in a 250 ml container and add medicinal alcohol
- The infusion matures in a cool, dark place for at least 14 days. All of the above herbs are suitable for cooking.
Preparation of the infusion: Put 4-6 tablespoons of crushed vegetable raw materials in a 1 liter glass and pour boiling water over it. Cover the jar and leave in a dark place for 24 hours.
compressed
The simplest method of treatment is the use of bishopite compresses, saline solution. The high efficiency of the method has proven itself, the main principle of treatment is regularity and long-term effects. Bandages made of soft fabric or a bandage are put on the neck for a long time.
Salt Compress: Prepare a 10-11% saline solution (100 g per 1000 ml of water). Moisten the gauze folded in several layers in the resulting solution and apply to the neck. Lay polyethylene on top and wrap with a warm scarf. The compress needs to be done daily for about 10-14 days, 1-2 times a day.
Anoint
You can fight cervical osteochondrosis with homemade ointments. For their preparation are used: herbs, plant roots, vegetable oils, and animal products - fat, poisons, bile, eggs.
Ointment recipe:
- Mix in equal proportions the grass of yarrow, lavender, horsetail and dandelion roots (previously crushed).
- Pour boiling water over 2-3 tablespoons of the collection and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- After cooling, mix the resulting mixture with 75 g of vegetable oil and 75 g of animal fat until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Massage into the back of the neck for 4-5 minutes 2-3 times a day.
Rub
Rubbing will help relieve pain in the neck with osteochondrosis. The effectiveness of this method lies in its complex action. Rubbing the throat with tinctures and ointments is effective with exacerbations and complex therapy. Bioactive substances easily penetrate the tissues due to mechanical action on the skin.
Rubbing from the ointment (the recipe is given above): Take a small amount of ointment and rub it in the palms of your hands. Then rub the ointment into the neck with intensive stroking movements, then isolate with a wool scarf. Do the procedure 1-2 times a day for at least two weeks in a row.
warm up
This method of exposure is used in cervical osteochondrosis in order to eliminate toxins accumulated in the cartilage tissue and improve blood and lymph microcirculation. Herbal baths, saunas, special heating pads, baked or boiled potatoes (in the form of mashed potatoes and honey cake), salt or sand bags are suitable for warming up. After warming up, the application of tinctures, ointments and compresses will be more effective.
To warm up, you need sea salt and a bag made of dense natural fabric - better than linen. Salt must be heated in a pan and poured into the bag. Apply to the affected area 2-3 times a day. After the procedure, wrap your neck in a warm scarf and do not go outside, especially in the cold season.
massage
This method is used only during the period of remission - in the absence of severe pain and other acute symptoms of osteochondrosis.
The healing properties of massage have long been known and are one of the best ways to remove osteochondrosis from the neck. You can relieve muscle spasms around the spinal segments with various massage techniques:
- acupressure;
- classic;
- can;
- Vacuum;
- Thai;
- self massage.
Such an effect leads to an improvement in local blood circulation, relieving swelling, eliminating pain in the neck area, improving tissue metabolism, restoring mobility of the neck area, and revitalizing atrophied muscles.
Self-massage for osteochondrosis is performed sitting or standing, the back is straight, feet are shoulder width apart. You can use one or two hands for the following techniques:
- Rub the neck and collar area with your palms to warm up.
- Grasp the back of your neck with your hands so your thumbs are in front and the rest are behind. In this position, hold four fingers from the spine to the periphery along the entire neck and collar zone for 2-3 minutes.
- Circular motions with fingers under pressure, covering as much of the throat surface as possible. Continue 1-3 minutes.
- Vertical rubbing along the spine with your fingertips - 1-2 minutes.
Gymnastics for osteochondrosis
It is almost impossible to quickly cure osteochondrosis, but special exercises will help speed up the recovery process.
A set of exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine includes:
- Head rotations left and right - perform 5-6 repetitions in both directions, gradually increasing the amplitude.
- Raise and lower your shoulders - 10-15 times.
- The head tilts left and right - 10-12 times in both directions.
- Stretch your head forward - while standing, stretch your head forward as far as possible, and then return to its original position. Perform 10-15 repetitions.
- Cobra: Get on all fours and gently stretch your head forward, straighten your legs and raise your head. Try to lower your hips to the floor. Lock this position for a few seconds and slowly return. Repeat 4-9 times.
The last exercise will help relax the muscles of the neck region, restore blood supply and eliminate pinching of blood vessels and nerve endings.
All exercises are performed slowly, evenly and with steadily increasing amplitude. The number of repetitions and approaches is determined individually.
Nutrition in cervical osteochondrosis
With joint damage, nutrition should be balanced and fractional - 5-6 times a day in small portions.
Limit your intake of salt, simple carbohydrates, spicy and fried foods.
Foods with a high content of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus should be included in the diet - these are vegetables, fish, meat, vegetables in stewed or baked form.
To effectively combat cervical osteochondrosis, increase your intake of clean water (at least two liters per day).
prevention
The disease is easier to prevent than to cure. To reduce the risk of osteochondrosis, take the following preventive measures:
- use a comfortable place to sleep - orthopedic mattresses and pillows;
- engage in regular physical activity;
- work in a properly organized place under the condition of sedentary work;
- take breaks from gymnastics in a static posture;
- do not overeat;
- Do not carry bags on one shoulder.
contraindications
The main contraindications are:
- physical overload from a long stay in a static position;
- intentional crunching of the joints in the neck;
- Eating a large number of sweets and starchy foods;
- weightlifting;
- sleep on a soft mattress and a large pillow;
- Hypothermia of the neck region.
Treatment of osteochondrosis should be complex. The combination of various means and methods of therapy, subject to the recommendations on diet and physical activity, can relieve chondrosis of the neck. Despite the effectiveness of alternative treatment methods, seek timely help from an orthopedist or osteopath, as self-treatment can pose a health risk.