Pain comes when you least expect it.Even the most confident person in such cases can become confused and afraid.The cause of pain is often osteochondrosis.How is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine treated at home and how effective will the treatment be?Let's find out more.
What is osteochondrosis?
Official medical sources interpret osteochondrosis as a degenerative disease that affects the intervertebral disc, which involves adjacent vertebrae and joints.The elasticity of the intervertebral joints is affected - and the disc becomes thinner.It is necessary to understand how nutritional and metabolic processes occur in the intervertebral disc.This structural element is formed by cartilage tissue;There are no blood vessels here.Feeding happens differently, like a pump.When pressure is applied, the lubricating fluid is released and then reabsorbed.If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine appears, exercise therapy, massage and various therapeutic techniques should be prescribed as soon as possible.
What changes occur in the spine and their symptoms
The following processes occur in the affected joint:
- the nucleus pulposus of the disc loses physiological moisture;
- Cartilage loses its shape;
- loss of elasticity;
- color change;
- dry;
- turn yellow;
- loss of resistance to damage.
The result is a violation of the synchronization of movements in the adjacent segments of the spinal column, pinching the nerve roots.The main symptoms of degenerative changes will be pain, limited mobility, and some form of paresthesia ("pins and needles", tingling).
All these changes suggest the presence of osteochondrosis.We will talk more about how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine or other spine is treated.
Why does osteochondrosis occur?
The causes of this disease include everything that interferes with the nutrition of the disc:
- Stagnation caused by static loads.
- Prolonged maintenance of a bad position, especially sitting.There is a good proverb: "If you can stand, don't sit, if you can lie down, don't stand."
- Traumatic impact on the endplate, fibrous ring fibers.
Common reasons include an unbalanced diet, physical inactivity, and insufficient muscle development that forms a muscle corset.The stability of the spine is due to the complex interaction of bones, muscles and nervous structures of the skeleton.Abdominal and back muscles are antagonists, balancing each other.Therefore, the postulate "movement is life" remains relevant as never before.Exercise can affect osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Exercise therapy is used in clinics and at home.Since the spine consists of several parts, the disease can occur anywhere.The cervical and lumbar regions are most often affected.
How is cervical osteochondrosis manifested?
Manifestations of osteochondrosis of various localizations are combined into a syndrome:
- Cervicalgia syndrome (disturbed movement of the shoulder joint, various types of pain);
- Cervicocranialgia (pain in the back of the head, discomfort in the neck, tinnitus, dizziness, palpitations, nausea may occur);
- Cervicobrachialgia or scapulohumeral syndrome (pain in the neck, spreading to the shoulder and arm).
If you are bothered by pain, often at night, with numbness, the diagnosis will most likely be confirmed - osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine.The pain syndrome associated with disorders of this department is called Thoracalgia.
Therapeutic exercises at home
How osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated with drugs is described in many reference books.But in most cases, the effect of the drug is short-term.This is where exercise therapy can come to the rescue.
- We stand against the wall and rest our heads.We try to press on the wall with maximum force for a few seconds.Then we rested.
- We sat at the table and put our elbows on it.We rest our chin on our hands, trying to put pressure on our palms, while trying to tilt our head or turn it to the side.
- Rest your head on the back of your head.Often press on them with the back of your head, then relax.Do several repetitions, holding for up to 10 seconds.
- Hold your head with your palms, alternately pressing one hand or the other.
During suppression, the exercise is performed for no more than 3-4 seconds, and with moderate tension.Exercise will help slow down cervical spine osteochondrosis.Home exercises can be started after you are sure that they are performed correctly in a medical facility.
Massage without professional help
If the diagnosis of "osteochondrosis of the cervical spine" is confirmed, massage will be one of the necessary treatment methods.In this case, this is not only useful, but also an irreplaceable procedure.At first, it is better to take a professional course, and then do simple techniques at home.These techniques also include poststatic muscle relaxation techniques.The specialty of this method is the passive stretching of muscles from overexertion positions in combination with massage elements.It is necessary to use the technique after the spasming muscles have been heated (bathing, hot compresses, kneading, stroking).
When using self-massage, the same techniques are used as in professional massage.This is stroking, kneading, acupressure, patting, shaking.Massage is done with warm, warm hands.To increase gliding, use massage oil.The sequence of techniques is as follows:
- stroking;
- trituration;
- kneading;
- Vibration (patting, shaking).
Affects cervical spine osteochondrosis, massage begins and ends with stroking.
A little manual therapy
- We sat on chairs with high backs.We hold our head with our hands, placing our thumbs on the cheekbones (more precisely, on the mound below the eye socket).We raise our eyes, take a breath and press the back of our head to our fingers.We hold up to a quarter of a minute, then, when we exhale, we lean back on the chair and relax the neck muscles, tilting our heads.We repeat the technique several times.Then we wrap our fingers around the neck, closer to the top, and tilt our head forward a little.We press our fingers to the base of the skull, making slow rotational movements with them.Gradually lower your fingers lower and lower, approaching the trapezius muscle.How osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated using manual therapy can be seen in the following manipulations.
- Lie on your back, pulling your shoulders as much as possible.Place the hand on the painful side under the back, palm.Place your other hand under your head, holding the back of your head and tilting your head in the opposite direction to the problem.While inhaling, press your head to your fingers for 15 seconds.As you exhale, relax and pull your head a little harder, stretching the sore muscles.
A set of measures for the treatment of osteochondrosis
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely overcome osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Treatment at home or in a medical facility should be comprehensive.This includes the use of:
- painkillers;
- Muscle relaxants that help relieve muscle spasms;
- drugs with a chondroprotective effect;
- physiotherapy procedures;
- Massage;
- exercise therapy;
- A balanced diet.
After studying the medical literature, one can draw certain conclusions about how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated, but to do without professionally prescribed treatment is a crime against one's health.