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. This lesion progressively spreads to all elements of the disc and, over time, the degenerative-dystrophic lesion reaches the adjacent vertebrae, the intervertebral joints and the ligament 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 deposit", but this is a fundamentally incorrect definition. This is what people were saying and, of course, people understand this sentence literally. But in reality, salt does not settle in the joints (except for a disease such as gout - with it, uric acid salts accumulate in the joints).
The treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine does not pursue the objective of "reabsorption of salts, deposits", etc. This erroneous view exists not only among patients, but also among some doctors who prescribe a strict diet and frequent control x-rays. With osteochondrosis, there are no "salt deposits", 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 have different durations. Quick 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, the symptoms | Demonstrations |
|---|---|---|
| I graduated | Mild pain in the cervical spine, which can be made worse by turning the head | Slight muscle tension in the neck |
| II degree | Pain of greater intensity with return to the shoulder or arm, which intensify with the rotation of the head and its flexion. In terms of well-being, there is a decrease in working capacity, weakness, headache. |
Decreased height of the intervertebral disc and entrapment of nerve roots |
| III degree | Constant pain in the cervical spine with return to the shoulder or arm. Feelings of numbness or weakness in the arm muscles. Weakness and dizziness in the patient's state of health | Restriction of mobility, pain when pressing on the neck joints. Development and formation of herniated intervertebral discs |
| IV degree | Severe dizziness and tinnitus, impaired coordination due to compression of the vertebral artery that supplies 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 phase | Phase description |
|---|---|
| First stage | The cervical curve is smoothed, there are small changes in the structure of the vertebrae |
| Second phase | 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 have changed. The appearance of bone growths. The intervertebral foramen and the spinal canal are narrowed. |
| Step four | The height of the intervertebral disc is significantly reduced. The intervertebral joints are severely impaired. The bone growths became very large. The intervertebral foramen and the spinal canal are significantly reduced. |
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
Cervical osteochondrosis occurs due to many factors. We list the main ones:
- The presence of scoliosis and incorrect posture.
- Overweight, obesity.
- Lead 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 strain on the back 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 excessive load by the neck muscles leads to their spasm and impaired blood circulation in this area. As a result, 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 bony outgrowths.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
- pain in the cervical spine. Pain can appear in the neck, back of the head, and shoulder or 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 the small joints between the vertebrae of the neck;
- dizziness, weakness, lack of coordination occur when the 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 insufficient 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 drugs, blocks, orthopedic, physiotherapeutic and spa methods.
Treatment should consist of the following components:
- ensure rest and unloading of the spine;
- fight against pain syndrome;
- combat muscle contracture and other reflex manifestations;
- combat reactive changes in the 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 and relief of the cervical spine. The patient should lie down on a solid bed, there should be a small soft pillow under the head, and a small bag of hot sand or a roller with a depression should be under the neck.
- The traction used by doctors for conservative treatment cannot be done at home, but there is an alternative - a horizontal bar, on which you need to hang it, if possible, several times a day.
- Anesthetic blockade cannot be performed at home, but pain can be quickly relieved with other analgesics - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Among them are effective fast-acting ointments and good anti-inflammatory drugs for oral administration. Therefore, at home, it is possible to quickly relieve pain in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
Warning! All medications should only be taken in consultation with the doctor!
- For home treatment, it is necessary to take vitamins of group B. The vitamin should not be in the form of injections or tablets.
It is found in the following foods (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, peas, garlic, horseradish;
- In all meat products, vitamin B is contained in a fairly high dose, but beef and chicken by-products (kidney, liver, heart, tongue) are especially useful;
- Seafood is also very rich in vitamin B. Of fish, these are tuna, pink salmon and horse mackerel. It is particularly abundant in sturgeon caviar and cod 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, particularly pine nuts and sunflower seeds, as well as pistachios, sesame seeds and peanuts.
- Massage and physical therapy can be used at home. A massage therapist can come to your home to give you a therapeutic massage, or a relative can learn the basic methods of cervical spine massage.
Traditional methods of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home
Horseradish leaf pack
Cervical osteochondrosis can be treated with horseradish leaves, because they have an anti-inflammatory effect on the neck joints 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.
- Subsequently, 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 recommended 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 well-being. Two large fresh sheets are enough to cover the neck and upper back.
Alcoholic pack
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 the painful areas of the neck.
Potato and honey wrap
- On a grater, grate 1 large raw potato and add 2 tablespoons of honey to the crushed 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.
- Collected pine shoots must be thoroughly rinsed.
- Grind the kidneys in a meat grinder and add sugar 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 put in the fridge for two weeks.
- After two weeks the product is ready. One teaspoon should be taken three times a day for three weeks.
- You can store pine shoots 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 cranberry and birch leaves;
- with linden color;
- with calendula and St. John's wort;
- with dog rose;
- 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 extend the period of remission.