Most of humanity suffers from cervical osteochondrosis - this is a payback for a sedentary lifestyle and improper load on the back.
Cervical osteochondrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the intervertebral disc of the cervical spine. Such a lesion progressively spreads to all elements of the disc, and over time, the degenerative-dystrophic lesion reaches the adjacent vertebrae, intervertebral joints and ligamentous apparatus.
Almost half of the adults in the world suffer from cervical osteochondrosis. Often in everyday life, pain in the neck and joints in general is called "salt deposition", but this is a fundamentally incorrect definition. This is what the people said and, of course, people understand this phrase literally. But in fact, salt does not accumulate in the joints (with the exception of such a disease as gout - with it, uric acid salts accumulate in the joints).
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine does not pursue the goal of "resorption of salts, deposits", etc. This wrong view exists not only among patients, but also among some doctors who prescribe a certain strict diet and frequent control radiographs. With osteochondrosis, there are "not deposits of salts", but reactive ossification and, of course, no measures can lead to "resorption of deposits. "
The degree and stage of development of the disease
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a chronic disease with periods of exacerbation and remission. These periods are of varying duration. Rapid treatment of the disease is possible if it is the first degree of the disease and it is noticed at an early stage.
The degree of development of the disease
| Power | The patient's well-being, symptoms | Manifestations |
|---|---|---|
| I degree | Mild pain in the cervical spine, which may worsen with turning the head | Light muscle tension in the neck |
| II degree | Pains of greater intensity with a return to the shoulder or arm, which are aggravated by turning the head and bending it. In terms of well-being, there is a decrease in working capacity, weakness, headache. |
Decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc and entrapment of the nerve roots |
| III degree | Constant pain in the cervical spine with a return to the shoulder or arm. Feelings of numbness or weakness in the muscles of the arm. Weakness and dizziness in the patient's state of health | Restriction of mobility, pain when pressing on the joints of the neck. Development and formation of herniated discs |
| IV degree | Severe dizziness and tinnitus, impaired coordination due to compression of the vertebral artery that feeds the cerebellum and occipital lobe of the brain | The intervertebral disc is completely destroyed and has been replaced by connective tissue |
Stages of cervical osteochondrosis
| X-ray stage | Stage description |
|---|---|
| First stage | The cervical bend is smoothed, there are minor changes in the structure of the vertebrae |
| Second stage | Instability is expressed between the vertebrae, there may be a displacement of one vertebra relative to another, a slight decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc |
| Third stage | The height of the intervertebral disc is ¼ lower than that of the other disc, which is higher. The intervertebral joints are changed. The appearance of bone growths. The intervertebral foramen and the spinal canal are narrowed. |
| Stage four | The height of the intervertebral disc is greatly reduced. The intervertebral joints are seriously altered. Bone growths have become very large. The intervertebral foramen and the spinal canal are significantly narrowed. |
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Cervical osteochondrosis occurs as a result of many factors. Let's list the main ones:
- The presence of scoliosis and improper posture.
- Overweight, obesity.
- Leading a sedentary lifestyle, physical inactivity, sedentary work, low physical activity.
- History of spinal injuries.
- Disrupted metabolism.
- Large amounts of physical activity.
- Nervous shocks, tension and stress.
- Heredity.
- Constant back strain during various activities (for drivers, programmers, etc. ).
The impact of these factors increases the load on the cervical spine, as a result of which the compensation of the excessive load by the muscles of the neck leads to their spasm and impaired blood circulation in this area. As a consequence, this leads to degenerative changes in the cervical spine.
These factors lead to changes in the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine, as a result of which their structure changes, their nutrition is disturbed. Changes also affect the small joints between the vertebrae, the vertebral bodies are covered with bone growths.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
- pain in the cervical spine. Pain can manifest itself in the neck, and in the back of the head, and in the shoulder or in the arm;
- feeling of weakness in the hands;
- decreased sensitivity in the hand;
- restrictions on neck movements, a crunch when turning and tilting the head appear with bone growth on the vertebral bodies, with a decrease in the height of the intervertebral disc, with damage to small joints between the vertebrae of the neck;
- dizziness, weakness, lack of coordination occur when blood flow in the vertebral artery deteriorates, which leads to a deterioration in the blood supply to the cerebellum;
- numbness of the tongue, decreased vision and hearing occur in very severe cases of impaired blood supply to the brain.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home
Conservative therapy
Conservative therapy of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine includes a regimen, the use of medications, blockades, orthopedic, physiotherapeutic and spa methods.
Treatment should consist of the following components:
- ensuring rest and unloading of the spine;
- fight against pain syndrome;
- fight against muscle contracture and other reflex manifestations;
- fight against reactive changes in nerve elements and other soft tissues surrounding the spine.
Some of these treatments can be done at home.
- It is easy to follow the regimen at home to ensure complete rest of the cervical spine and its unloading. The patient should lie on a firm bed, there should be a small soft pillow under the head, and a small bag of warm sand or a roller with a depression should lie under the neck.
- The traction used by doctors for conservative treatment cannot be performed at home, but there is an alternative - a horizontal bar, on which you have to hang, if possible, several times a day.
- Anesthetic blockade cannot be performed at home, but pain can be quickly relieved with other pain relievers - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Among them are effective quick-acting ointments, as well as good anti-inflammatory drugs for oral administration. Thus, at home, it is possible to quickly relieve pain in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
Attention! All medications should be taken only in consultation with your doctor!
- For home treatment, vitamins of group B should be taken. The vitamin does not have to be in the form of injections or tablets.
It is found in the following foods (the foods with the highest vitamin B content are shown):
- Berries and fruits - in pineapple, dates, dried apricots, raisins, cranberries;
- Vegetables and herbs - in potatoes, spinach, asparagus, leeks, parsley, green peas, garlic, horseradish;
- In all meat products, vitamin B is contained in a fairly large dose, but beef and chicken by-products (kidneys, liver, heart, tongue) are especially useful;
- Seafood is also very high in vitamin B. Of fish, these are tuna, pink salmon and horse mackerel. It is especially abundant in sturgeon caviar and pollock roe. Squid also contains a high percentage of vitamin B;
- A high content of vitamin B is found in the yolks of chicken eggs and quail eggs;
- Nuts and seeds also contain a lot of this vitamin - especially pine nuts and sunflower seeds, as well as pistachios, sesame seeds and peanuts.
- Massage and exercise therapy can be used at home. A massage therapist can come to your home to give a therapeutic massage, or a relative can learn the basic methods of massage of the cervical spine.
Traditional methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis at home
Horseradish leaf compress
Cervical osteochondrosis can be treated with horseradish leaves. they have an anti-inflammatory effect on the joints of the neck when treating the disease at home.
The procedure is carried out in the form of applying a compress.
- It is necessary to take young and fresh horseradish leaves and put them in boiling water for a few seconds.
- After that, the leaves must be immediately applied to the cervical spine.
- On top you need to put cellophane and cover the compress with a warm scarf or handkerchief.
- It is necessary to hold the compress from the leaves as much as possible, it is advisable to put it at night.
Due to the healing properties of the leaf compress, the neck will begin to move better, and the unpleasant disease will not so powerfully affect the well-being. Two large fresh sheets are enough to cover the neck and upper back.
Alcohol compress
Alcohol compress is also often used in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home.
- You need to take 300 ml of medical alcohol, 10 ml of iodine, 10 tablets of crushed analgesic (powder) and 10 ml of camphor alcohol.
- Mix all this thoroughly and use as a compress on sore areas of the neck.
Potato and honey compress
- On a grater, grate 1 large raw potato and add 2 tablespoons of honey to the mashed mass.
- The resulting medicine is spread on a tissue and applied to the cervical spine for two hours.
Pine bud tincture
Pine buds are used as a folk remedy in the treatment of the disease.
They should be harvested in early spring. Pine buds should be chosen no larger than 2 cm and no less than 1. 5 cm.
- The collected pine buds must be thoroughly rinsed.
- Grind the kidneys in a meat grinder and add sugar to them in a 2 to 1 ratio, i. e. for two parts of the kidneys, you need to take one part of sugar.
- Mix everything and refrigerate for two weeks.
- After two weeks, the product is ready. It should be taken one teaspoon three times a day for three weeks.
- You can store pine buds in the refrigerator for 1 year.
Herbal teas
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is recommended to drink various herbal teas for general strengthening of the body:
- with chamomile;
- with lingonberry and birch leaves;
- with linden color;
- with calendula and St. John's wort;
- with rose hips;
- with motherwort and horsetail.
Thus, with the simultaneous use of folk remedies and medicines prescribed by a doctor, it is possible to accelerate the relief of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, reduce the period of exacerbation and make the period of remission longer.