Osteochondrosis is one of the most insidious diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Its symptoms are often disguised as other diseases and bring many uncomfortable and painful sensations. The appearance of pathological changes in the cervical spine is associated with the influence of several factors.
Symptoms
Cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by a wide variety of symptoms. Headaches, tingling in the center of the chest or chronic fatigue - all these signs accompany dystrophic disorders of the cervical vertebrae.
Symptoms of Osteochondrosis:
- Dizziness, which sometimes leads to loss of consciousness or fainting.
- Crunch when trying to turn or turn your head.
- Drawing pain and tingling in shoulders, elbows or neck.
- Tingling in the arms and legs, from the tips of the fingers to the whole limb.
- Irrational appearance of apathy and drowsiness. The feeling of accumulated fatigue continues even after long sleep or passive rest.
- Tinnitus (tinnitus with no apparent cause).
- Hearing loss or blurred vision.
- Pain in sternum, with numbness of hands or feet.
| Syndrome | Cause | Manifestation |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Compression of spinal nerves. | Sharp pain on movement. |
| Reflection | Pinched nerve. | Sharp pain radiating to arm, headache. |
| spinal compression | Pinch of blood vessels, intervertebral hernia. | Loss of sensation in the hands, pain in the shoulder girdle and neck. |
| brain | Circulatory disorders of the spinal cord. | Fatigue, irritability and nervousness, disorientation and fainting, headache and hearing impairment. |
| vertebral artery | Artery compression. | stroke, cerebral ischemia. |
Important: the neck is one of the most important parts 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 violation of the blood circulation of the brain and can cause hypertension, migraine. Less often cerebral hypoxia, stroke.
In the last 2 decades, doctors have noticed the appearance of osteochondrosis in young people. If at the beginning of the risk group they were representatives of middle-aged and advanced age, at the moment the disease is increasingly common in people aged only 20 to 30 years.
The danger of any symptoms of osteochondrosis lies in the fact that they are attributed to other diseases and the recourse to specialized specialists is late. This makes it possible for the disease to 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 on a single principle: the soft pulp within 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 cartilaginous tissue as a result of age-related irreversible 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, which are caused by the aging of the body. It does not manifest clinically if the nerve ganglia are not irritated. |
| pathological changes | Located in cartilage and beyond, it irritates nerves, compresses blood vessels. Manifested by local pain and dysalgia - a reflex of pain. |
Pathological changes in the vertebrae are accompanied by:
- Deposition of salts in the nucleus pulposus.
- Penetration of vertebral structures into neighboring segments (hernia formation).
- Erasure 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 cartilage tissue.
- Infectious - the presence of pathogenic microorganisms leads to metabolic disorders in the tissues and can trigger pathological processes in the joints.
- Involutive - the body's natural aging processes.
- Traumatic - the development of pathologies as a result of injuries.
- Endocrine - hormonal disorders.
- Metabolic disorders - degenerative processes as a result of metabolic failures.
- Heredity - congenital pathologies of the development of joints, cartilage. anatomical disorders.
- Stay in one position for a long time.
- Excess weight - increases the load on the cervical region and can cause metabolic disorders.
- Nervous tension and prolonged exposure to a stressful situation.
- Rheumatism.
Folk methods of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Along with conservative medical methods, folk methods are highly effective in treating osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
herbal treatment
Phytotherapy is widely used in osteochondrosis of the neck for several reasons: a small number of contraindications, availability, high efficiency, cumulative effect of the use of tinctures and decoctions.
Preparation of decoctions
1 liter of water must be brought in an enamel bowl and add 5-6 tablespoons of 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 preparation of tinctures is as follows:
- 2-3 tablespoons of crushed plants are placed in a 250 ml container and medicinal alcohol is added
- the infusion is aged in a cool, dark place for at least 14 days. All the above herbs are suitable for cooking.
Preparation of the infusion: pour 4-6 tablespoons of crushed vegetable raw materials into a 1-liter jar and pour boiling water over it. Cover the bottle and leave for 24 hours in a dark place.
compresses
The simplest method of treatment is the use of compresses of bischofite, saline solution. The method's high efficiency is time-tested, the main principle of treatment is regularity and long-term impact. Bandages made of soft cloth or bandage are applied to the neck for a long time.
Salt compress: prepare a 10-11% saline solution (100 g per 1000 ml of water). Moisten the folded gauze in several layers in the resulting solution and apply to the neck. Place the polyethylene on top and wrap it with a warm scarf. The compress should be done daily for about 10-14 days 1-2 times a day.
ointments
You can fight cervical osteochondrosis with homemade ointments. For its preparation are used: herbs, plant roots, vegetable oils and products of animal origin - fat, poisons, bile, eggs.
Ointment recipe:
- In equal proportions, mix yarrow grass, lavender, horsetail, dandelion roots (previously crushed).
- Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the collection with boiling water and bring to a boil over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- After cooling, mix the resulting mixture with 75 g of any vegetable oil and 75 g of animal fat until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Rub on neck for 4-5 minutes 2-3 times a day.
Friction
Rubbing will help relieve neck pain with osteochondrosis. The effectiveness of this method lies in the fact that it has a complex effect. Rubbing the neck using tinctures and ointments is effective in exacerbations and complex therapies. Biologically active substances easily penetrate the tissues due to the mechanical effect on the skin.
Ointment Rubbing (Recipe is given above): Take a small amount of ointment and rub it into your palms. Then, with intense stroking movements, rub the ointment on the neck, after which it is necessary to insulate with a wool scarf. Carry out the procedure for at least two weeks in a row 1-2 times a day.
warming up
This exposure method is used in cervical osteochondrosis to get rid of toxins accumulated in cartilage tissue, improve blood and lymphatic microcirculation. Herbal baths, sauna, special heating pads, baked or boiled potatoes (in the form of mashed potatoes and honey cakes), bags of salt or sand are suitable for heating. After heating, the application of tinctures, ointments and compresses is most effective.
For heating, you will need sea salt and a bag made of dense natural fabric - better than linen. Salt needs to be heated in a pan and pour into the bag. Apply to the affected area 2-3 times a day. After the procedure, wrap your neck with a warm scarf and do not go out, especially in the cold season.
Massage
This method is used only during the period of remission - in the absence of sharp pains and other acute symptoms of osteochondrosis.
The healing properties of massage have been known for a long time and it is one of the best ways to remove osteochondrosis from the neck. Several massage techniques allow you to relieve the spasm of the muscles around the spine segments:
- acupressure;
- classic;
- I can;
- vacuum;
- Thai;
- self massage.
This effect leads to an improvement in local blood circulation, relieves swelling, eliminates pain in the cervical region, improves tissue metabolism, restores mobility in the cervical region and revives atrophied muscles.
Self-massage for osteochondrosis is performed sitting or standing, the back is even, the feet are shoulder-width apart. You can use one or two hands for the following techniques:
- Rub your neck and collar area with your palms to warm up.
- Hold the neck with your hands so that the thumbs are in the front and the rest in the back. In this position, hold four fingers from the spine to the periphery along the entire neck and collar region for 2-3 minutes.
- Circular movements with the fingers with pressure, covering as much of the surface of the neck as possible. Continue 1-3 minutes.
- Vertical rubbing along the spine with the 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:
- Left and right head rotations - perform 5-6 repetitions in both directions, gradually increasing amplitude.
- Raise and lower your shoulders - 10-15 times.
- The head tilts left and right - 10-12 times in both directions.
- Stretching your head forward - Standing, stretch your head as far forward as possible and then return to the original position. Perform 10-15 repetitions.
- Cobra: Get on all fours and gently stretch your head forward, aligning your legs and lifting your head. Try lowering your hips to the floor. Lock in this position for a few seconds and slowly return. Repeat 4-9 times.
The last exercise helps to relax the muscles in the cervical region, restore blood supply, and eliminate compression of blood vessels and nerve endings.
All exercises are performed slowly, smoothly and with increasing amplitude. The number of repetitions and approaches is determined individually.
Nutrition for cervical osteochondrosis
With joint damage, nutrition should be balanced and fractionated - 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, phosphorus should be included in the diet - these are vegetables, fish, meats, vegetables in cooked or roasted form.
To effectively combat cervical osteochondrosis, increase your intake of clean water (at least two liters a day).
Prevention
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;
- practice regular physical activity;
- work in a duly organized place under sedentary work conditions;
- with a static body position, take gym breaks;
- don't eat too much;
- do not carry bags on one shoulder.
contraindications
The main contraindications are:
- physical overload of a long stay in a static position;
- deliberate grinding of the neck joints;
- consumption of large numbers of sweets and starchy foods;
- weightlifting;
- sleep on a soft mattress and a large pillow;
- hypothermia of the cervical region.
The treatment of osteochondrosis must be complex. The combination of various means and methods of therapy, subject to recommendations on nutrition and physical activity, can relieve cervical chondrosis. Despite the effectiveness of alternative treatment methods, seek help from an orthopedist or osteopath in time, as self-treatment can pose a health risk.