Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can ruin a person's life. The result of its progression is a sharp, aching pain in the neck, shoulder blades, and clavicle. Squeezing the spinal canal and pinching the veins often lead to headaches, migraines, and neck mobility disorders. Treatment of the disease at home requires an integrated approach, since it is not so easy to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis.
Why the disease occurs - basic prerequisites
Osteochondrosis is accompanied by degenerative changes in the joints of the vertebrae of the cervical spine. Due to osteochondrosis, the joints wear out faster, lose mobility, bone outgrowths consisting of salts (osteophytes) are formed in the body of the cervical vertebrae. As a result, pinching of nerves and blood vessels develops, narrowing of the spinal canal, destruction of joints, protrusion of vertebrae with the appearance of intervertebral hernias.
Hospital and home treatment of osteochondrosis begins with the establishment of the cause of the disease and its elimination. These can be:
- Lack of physical activity.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Uneven distribution of load on the muscles of the cervical spine.
- Abuse of harmful foods (salty, fatty, fried, smoked).
- Metabolic disorders due to chronic diseases.
- Scoliotic deformity of the back.
A specialist will be able to accurately determine the cause of osteochondrosis after collecting an anamnesis of the disease.
How cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself: the first signs
A list of the first symptoms of the disease will help to recognize the development of cervical osteochondrosis at home:
- Performance decrease.
- Neck discomfort when turning the head.
- Restriction of movement of the neck to the side.
- The characteristic crunch when turning the neck.
- Frequent headaches.
- Painful and spasmodic pain in the neck muscles.
With the progression of the disease, the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis increase:
- Pain occurs at rest.
- Breakouts are felt in the area of the scapula and clavicle.
- Moving the neck back or forward becomes difficult.
- Dizziness occurs due to cerebral hypoxia.
In the absence of adequate treatment, progression of osteochondrosis symptoms is observed:
- Tongue numbness occurs.
- Sensitivity of the upper extremities is affected.
- Paresthesia occurs in the arms.
- Neck mobility is completely lost.
The appearance of the first signs of cervical osteochondrosis requires immediate medical attention to establish an accurate diagnosis and select treatment tactics. The patient can observe it at home.
Diagnostic Basics: Who to Contact
If the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is suspected at home, it is necessary to contact a neurologist, orthopedist or vertebrologist. Examination and confirmation of the diagnosis of "osteochondrosis" occurs after:
- Taking anamnesis. The doctor will know all the details of the patient's lifestyle.
- Internal examination and palpation. The degree of pain and mobility disorders of the vertebrae, the presence of tissue edema and the preservation of their sensitivity are established.
- Conducting diagnostic studies. These include X-rays of the spine. If necessary, an MRI or CT scan is performed to assess the condition of the joints of the cervical spine, to confirm or refute the formation of hernias.
During the exam, the doctor will make a diagnosis and offer the patient a set of measures to treat the disease at home.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home
With early diagnosis, the correct choice of treatment, as well as a responsible attitude of the patient towards therapy, cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis can be successfully treated at home.
The main measures of home treatment are aimed at eliminating the cause of cervical osteochondrosis:
- With physical inactivity, a gradual increase in physical activity at home is shown. When sitting at a table or computer for a long time, frequent breaks are prescribed, which involves physical activity.
- In the event of postural disturbances and uneven loads on the cervical muscles, special fixers, correctors and corsets are used to ensure a symmetrical body position.
- In case of overweight and inadequate nutrition, appropriate adjustments are made to the patient's lifestyle and a diet is prescribed.
- Cervical osteochondrosis, caused by metabolic disturbances in the context of chronic diseases, is eliminated by therapy of the underlying disease.
The main treatment at home is strict adherence to medical prescriptions for taking drugs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, chondroprotectors. The patient should follow the recommended admission regimen, clearly maintain the duration of the course of treatment until the desired result is achieved.
Home treatment for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine involves making adjustments to the patient's diet and drinking regimen. A prerequisite is the use of two liters of clean water per day, excluding drinks and liquid food. Homemade food for the patient should be nutritious and balanced. The diet should include:
- Fiber sources for the normalization of metabolic processes: vegetables and fruits in large quantities.
- Sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids to improve metabolism: nuts, vegetable oils, fatty fish.
- Low-fat protein sources: poultry, legumes, eggs.
- Sources of calcium and potassium in an easily digestible form: cottage cheese, green leafy vegetables, dairy products.
Naturally, home treatment should exclude fatty, fried, smoked and salty foods from the diet.
Home treatment may require visits to specialized inpatient wards for physical therapy. You must not neglect them. An electrophoresis session ensures the delivery of medicinal substances directly to the tissues affected by osteochondrosis, which is impossible to achieve at home. Physiotherapy recommended by the doctor should be attended regularly, it is imperative to undergo the full treatment recommended by the doctor.
In the early stages of home treatment, the patient may be advised to rest in bed until the pain syndrome is eliminated. It is important to note that bed rest with cervical osteochondrosis can last no more than 2-3 days. After this period has elapsed, the patient should gradually become more active and increase physical activity, even if all treatment will be carried out at home.
For a more effective home treatment of osteochondrosis, the purchase of a special orthopedic pillow is indicated. It is able to effectively relieve the tension of the cervical muscles when the patient is sleeping.
Traditional medicine recipes
Doctors do not forbid combining medication at home with the use of means proven by popular experience. Moderation, compliance with safety regulations and elimination of the risk of damage to the skin of the neck are important conditions.
Natural compresses for cervical osteochondrosis allow you to get rid of painful sensations, and the ingestion of infusions helps to normalize metabolic processes and remove excess salt deposits from the body. Below are proven popular recipes for home treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Pour a teaspoon of dandelion roots with a glass of boiling water. The remedy is insisted on for 15 minutes, after which it is filtered and taken orally. The tool removes salt deposits.
5 tablespoons of dried nettle leaves are poured with a liter of boiling water. They insist on an hour. After straining, add to the bath. The course of treatment is 2 weeks of daily baths. Some healers recommend overcoming the location of the pain with fresh branches of nettles.
Garlic and ginger are mixed in equal proportions. Dilute with vegetable oil to obtain a mush. Rub the composition on the neck muscles for 20 minutes. The remaining funds are removed with a napkin.
Horseradish leaves are steamed with boiling water for one minute, after which they are applied to the cervical spine. Leave the compress overnight, warming it with a tissue.
Treating osteochondrosis at home only with folk methods is ineffective. Most likely, it is only possible to reduce the symptoms, but not to cure the disease. Treatment with folk remedies is best agreed with a doctor.
Massage for cervical osteochondrosis
Physician-recommended comprehensive home treatment for cervical osteochondrosis includes massage. It is better to entrust its implementation to a qualified specialist. In the absence of such an opportunity, self-massage will help to cure osteochondrosis of the neck, which the patient can perform at home at any time that is convenient for him. Its main rules:
- The impact on the cervical muscles is done with the fingertips, not with the palm.
- The movements must be strictly peripheral and also from top to bottom.
- It is forbidden to press and rub the cervical vertebrae too fast.
- For a smooth gliding of the fingers, an oil massage is performed.
Homemade honey massage helps well against osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. About a teaspoon of honey is rubbed on the surface of the cervical vertebrae and muscles, gently kneading with the fingers until the honey becomes viscous, after which it is washed off with warm water.
Medications: eat and spread at home
The medical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be selected by a doctor. Often, a complete complex is used, consisting of injectable, oral and local drugs.
- Injection forms. They are prescribed to eliminate acute inflammation in the early stages of home treatment. These are chondroprotectors, muscle relaxants, B vitamins. Home use lasts up to 10 days.
- Preparations for internal use. They are the most convenient way to treat cervical osteochondrosis at home. Anesthetic anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, chondroprotectors are prescribed. Treatment with drugs of the last group is long-term. The minimum course of treatment is 3 months.
- External facilities. These are ointments and gels based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain or chondroitin sulfate to accelerate cartilage recovery.
At home, complex treatment helps to eliminate cervical osteochondrosis much faster than the use of single-group drugs. It is almost impossible to cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine only with external means.
Physiotherapy exercises: principles of implementation and result
Home therapy for cervical osteochondrosis is based on special exercises for the cervical muscles. The exercises are performed according to the following rules:
- The list of exercises and their range are determined by the physician.
- All exercises are performed gently and slowly to eliminate the risk of injury.
- Do not start gymnastics treatment for acute cervical spine pain.
- The load increases gradually.
- The patient does gymnastics regularly, several times a day, at the same time.
The exercises for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are very simple. Performing them correctly at home will speed recovery and help relieve pain. Treatment of the cervical spine with exercise therapy includes:
- Turning the head to the side to the extreme point.
- Tilting the head sideways, back and forth.
- Circular movements of the neck and shoulders.
The gymnastics course lasts until the end of the treatment and the complete elimination of symptoms. If the patient continues to do gymnastics, you will be able to prevent relapse of the disease. Results of home treatment of osteochondrosis by gymnastics:
- Elimination of hypertonicity of the cervical muscles.
- Stretch the ligaments.
- Improved mobility of the vertebrae.
- Pain relief.
- Greater range of motion of the neck.
- Normalization of blood circulation in the cervical spine.
Home treatment for cervical osteochondrosis includes a large list of therapeutic and preventive measures. The most important condition is that they should be supervised by an experienced specialist so that home treatment gives positive results as quickly as possible, and the patient can forget about unpleasant symptoms forever.