Many people know about cervical osteochondrosis. Standing for a long time in a static position, lowering your head while working at a computer, many hours "sitting" in front of the TV are factors that contribute to the onset and development of the disease. A patient facing a disease arises a question: how to cure cervical osteochondrosis? The article is dedicated to the answer to the question.
Stages of disease development.
The disease develops in stages:
- Cervical osteochondrosis of the 1st degree is characterized by damage to cartilage tissue, the patient feels muscle discomfort, mild discomfort. Symptoms disappear, few people go to the doctor at this stage;
- second-degree cervical osteochondrosis involves the destruction of the fibrous ring, a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, which are pinched, painful symptoms appear;
- Third-degree cervical osteochondrosis is expressed in increased sequential destruction of the vertebrae, a change in the shape of their bodies, the proliferation of bone processes, intervertebral hernia is variable. The patient feels difficulty, pain when trying to turn the neck to the side.
Symptoms
In the initial stage of development, osteochondrosis is asymptomatic. After a prolonged stay with the head bowed or intense physical exertion, slight discomfort occurs in the neck. The patient is not in a hurry to see a doctor, confusing them with the consequences of muscle overexertion. The pathology progresses slowly but persistently.
The main signs of the disease:
- painful sensations in the problem area - "lumbago" is given to the hand, shoulder blade;
- overexertion of the cervical muscles;
- numbness of the tongue: felt when eating, speaking;
- paresis of the muscles of the arms, legs, accompanies any activity
As the intervertebral discs and vertebrae deform, the patient's condition worsens.
The course of osteochondrosis is complicated by neurogenic symptoms caused by compression by osteophytes or hernial protrusion of the spinal roots, vertebral artery. Headaches, dizziness, drops in blood pressure, decreased visual acuity and hearing appear.
To do
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis requires an integrated approach. In the early stages of the development of the disease, drug treatment is not used. Sufficient preventive procedures:
- Organization of a healthy lifestyle;
- Proper nutrition (abstinence from spicy, fatty and high-calorie foods);
- Gymnastics (doing morning exercises for 10-15 minutes will improve physical condition);
- Stop lifting weights - load on your spine;
- Fight bad habits;
- Adopt the correct posture during sleep (orthopedic mattresses will help), while working at the computer;
- Take care of your walk.
The use of medications
With age, osteochondrosis progresses. Treatment is aimed at combating the pathological property. It is worth reducing pain (anesthetizing), reducing the intensity of the inflammatory process and intensifying the metabolism in the cervical area.
Groups of drugs are used:
- vitamin complexes;
- chondroprotective agents;
- analgesics;
- muscle relaxants (medicines to relieve muscle spasms).
Doctors often prescribe medications that contain aspirin. These remedies relieve pain, fever and combat minor ailments.
The course includes sedative pills.
A doctor who is developing a complex to combat the disease will cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with the help of drugs.
Injections
Blockage is a procedure that represents the introduction of a drug into an area affected by a progressive pathological process.
Only a doctor with a higher medical education performs the action. The injection reduces the intensity of the inflammatory process, reduces pain.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis, two types of injections can be applied.
In the first case, the active substance is injected in the direction of the nerve branches in the spinal cord, in the second - injections into the recurrent branch of the spinal nerve.
The last block has a more complex action, an execution technique.
Ointments
An option for the treatment of osteochondrosis with the help of drugs is the use of creams, ointments, gels, means for external treatment of painful areas.
Therapy is used in the early stages of osteochondrosis. Advantage:
- the use of ointments is lower in price than magnetic therapy, acupuncture;
- means for external use are convenient, affordable;
- there are no contraindications for use;
- you can use the funds for a long time, since an allergic reaction to the components is excluded.
Types of ointments used to treat osteochondrosis:
- anti-inflammatory, contains analgesic components;
- complex creams;
- irritating ointments - improve local blood circulation;
- chondroprotectors, restore cartilage tissue;
- homeopathic products, contain natural plant extracts;
- massage mixtures (in the composition: mummy, herbal ingredients, bee venom).
Non-drug treatment of osteochondrosis.
Therapeutic methods are selected by the doctor based on the analysis of the stage of development of the disease. In the first stage, the patient is advised to sleep on a hard surface. If the nerves are pinched, the cervical vertebrae are removed using the Glisson loop. As a result, the muscles and ligaments in the paravertebral area are stretched. The space between the vertebrae increases, the nerves and blood vessels are freed. You can manually stretch the spine using manual therapy. The results are given by magnetotherapy, ultrasound.
An important place in the system of therapeutic measures to combat osteochondrosis is occupied by physical exercises: gymnastics, swimming.
Exercise is recommended for patients in remission, healthy people as a preventive measure. The intensity of the load increases gradually. To begin, do the exercises with half your strength so you don't overload your spine.
Therapy for cervical osteochondrosis is initially dangerous: in the fight for health, you can harm the body. Treatment is prescribed by a doctor who has conducted a full examination of the patient.
Correct body position
Most of the symptoms of osteochondrosis are due to the fact that if the neck is in the wrong position, nerve endings, blood vessels are compressed, local blood circulation is disturbed, and "stagnant zones" are formed. In this regard, doctors recommend constantly monitoring the anatomical correctness of postures, gait and posture.
Keep your back and neck straight throughout the day. If the work is of a static sedentary nature, it is important to pay attention to the height of the chair, table. It must be identical so that the person sits upright, without stooping, without overloading the muscles.
To sleep you will need a special bed, an orthopedic latex mattress. It is worth making sure that the pillow is at the correct height (measured as the distance from the neck to the shoulder joint). This position relaxes the cervical muscles during sleep, providing a healing effect.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a disease that requires an integrated approach to the organization of therapeutic and prophylactic measures to combat it. It is worth being warned against self-medication, which has irreversible negative consequences for health. Competent medical assistance will cure the disease.