Pain comes when you least expect it.Even the most confident person can become confused and scared in such cases.The cause of the 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, including adjacent vertebrae and joints.The elasticity of the intervertebral joint is damaged - and the disc becomes thinner.It is necessary to understand how nutrition and metabolic processes occur in the intervertebral discs.This structural element is formed by cartilage tissue;there are no blood vessels here.Feeding occurs diffusely, like a pump.When pressure is applied, a lubricating fluid is released and then reabsorbed.If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine appears, exercise therapy, massage and the whole range of 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 node:
- the nucleus pulposus of the disc loses physiological moisture;
- cartilage loses its shape;
- loses elasticity;
- changes color;
- it dries up;
- turns yellow;
- loses resistance to damage.
The consequence of this is a violation of the synchrony of movement in the adjacent segments of the spine, compression of the nerve roots.The main symptoms of degenerative changes will be pain, limited mobility and some forms of paresthesia ("pins and needles", tingling sensation).
All these changes suggest the presence of osteochondrosis.We will talk further about how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine or any other spine is treated.
Why does osteochondrosis occur?
The causes of the disease include everything that disrupts the nutrition of the disc:
- Stagnation caused by static charges.
- Prolonged holding of unfavorable positions, especially sitting.There is a good proverb: "If you can stand, don't sit; if you can lie down, don't stand."
- Traumatic effects on the endplates, fibers of the annulus fibrosus.
Common reasons include unbalanced nutrition, physical inactivity and insufficient development of deep muscles that form muscle corsets.The stability of the spine is due to the complex interaction of the bones, muscles and nervous structures of the skeleton.Abdominal and back muscles are antagonistic, balancing each other.Therefore, the postulate "movement is life" remains as relevant as ever.Exercises can effectively affect osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Exercise therapy is used both in the clinic and at home.Since the spine consists of several sections, the disease can occur in any of them.The cervical and lumbar regions are most often affected.
How is cervical osteochondrosis manifested?
Manifestations of osteochondrosis of different localizations are combined in syndromes:
- cervicalgia syndrome (impaired mobility of the shoulder joints, various types of pain);
- cervicocranialgia (pain in the back of the head, discomfort in the neck, tinnitus, dizziness, palpitations, vomiting);
- cervicobrachialgia or scapulohumeral syndrome (pain in the neck that radiates to the shoulder and arm).
If you are bothered by painful pains, 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 to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine 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 lean our head against it.We try to press on the wall with maximum force for a few seconds.Then we rest.
- We sit at the table and put our elbows on it.We support our chin in 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 your hands at the back of your head.Alternately press them with the back of your head and then relax.Perform several repetitions, holding for up to 10 seconds.
- Hold your head with your palms, alternately pressing one hand or the other.
During exacerbations, exercises are performed for no more than 3-4 seconds, and with moderate tension.Exercises will help slow down osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Home exercises can be started after you are convinced that they are performed correctly in a medical facility.
Massage without the help of a professional
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 a useful procedure, but also irreplaceable.First, it is better to take a professional course, and then perform simple techniques at home yourself.These techniques also include the post-static muscle relaxation technique.The peculiarity of the method is the passive stretching of the muscles from the overload position in combination with massage elements.It is necessary to apply the technique after the spasm muscles have warmed up (bath, hot compress, kneading, stroke).
When using self-massage, the same techniques are used as in professional massage.These are stroking, kneading, acupressure, caressing, rocking.The massage is performed with warm, warm hands.To improve glide, use massage oil.The sequence of techniques is as follows:
- petting;
- trituration;
- kneading;
- vibration (stroking, shaking).
Affecting osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the massage begins and ends with strokes.
A little manual therapy
- We sit in a chair with a high back.We close the head with our hands, placing the thumb on the cheekbones (more precisely, on the mounds under the eye sockets).We look up, breathe and press the back of the head on our fingers.We hold for a quarter of a minute, then, while exhaling, lean on the back of the chair and relax the neck muscles, bending the head down.We repeat the technique several times.Then we wrap our fingers around the neck, closer to its upper part and turn the head slightly forward.We press our fingers to the base of the skull, making a slow rotating movement 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 down as much as possible.Place your hand on the painful side under your buttock, palms up.Place your other hand under your head, squeezing the back of your head and tilting your head in the opposite direction to the problem.While breathing, press your head with your fingers for 15 seconds.As you exhale, relax and pull your head back a little harder, stretching the sore muscle.
A group 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 institution should be comprehensive.This includes the use of:
- pain relievers;
- muscle relaxants that help relieve muscle spasms;
- drugs with chondroprotective effects;
- physiotherapeutic procedures;
- massage;
- exercise therapy;
- balanced diet.
By studying the medical literature, certain conclusions can be drawn about how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated, but doing without professionally prescribed treatment is a crime against one's health.