Osteochondrosis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system. According to statistics, about 90% of the population suffers from it. Most of the patients are not even aware of this, because the initial forms of the disease develop asymptomatically.
Another part of people only periodically feel discomfort in the back area, write off it as fatigue and are not treated. Among all types of osteochondrosis, the defeat of the cervical spine prevails. If treatment is started on time, there is every chance to get rid of the disease.
The essence of osteochondrosis
Two mechanisms are involved in the development of osteochondrosis: dystrophic and degenerative. The first implies a violation of the trophism (nutrition) of the intervertebral cartilage (discs). The second is a consequence of dystrophy - organic changes in the structure of cartilage tissue and vertebrae.
The essence of the disease is as follows: circulatory disorders in certain areas of the back lead to depletion and dehydration of the cartilage tissue. Together with the liquid, it loses its nutritional components. As a result, the cartilage loses its elasticity and firmness - it sags. The distance between the vertebrae decreases, their staticity is violated (constancy of position). They can move and nestle against each other, while pinching the nerve roots.
With osteochondrosis, cartilage wears out at an accelerated rate.
If the dystrophy persists, the muscles that support the spine also lose tone. The vertebrae sag even more. Due to increased friction, protrusions develop - damage to the cartilaginous capsule with the protrusion of its contents outward.
Next, the natural defense mechanism of the spine is triggered. Bone growths - osteophytes appear on it. They must ensure a stable position of the vertebrae. However, the growth of osteophytes often goes beyond the "need". Too large growths additionally put pressure on the remnants of cartilage, nerve fibers. Moreover, they are solid. The spine loses its elasticity, "adjacent discs" can be damaged. The patient loses mobility, suffers from severe pain. The result of advanced osteochondrosis is disability.
Due to blood congestion, osteochondrosis is accompanied by the deposition of salts in the areas adjacent to the cartilage. Such "accumulations" aggravate the development of the disease, accelerating damage to cartilage and vertebrae.
Why is the neck injured more often
The cervical spine is the most sensitive and fragile. Its elements are the smallest and not adapted to heavy loads. However, the neck muscles are not involved in all types of physical activity. Hence, chronic blood congestion and malnutrition of the vertebral joints. If a person does not play sports, the risk of cervical osteochondrosis increases significantly. Most people very rarely use their neck for mundane tasks.
The main cause of osteochondrosis is a hypodynamic lifestyle. Lack of exercise, combined with passive leisure, leads to muscle weakness and vascular tone disorders. Neck disease provokes prolonged stay in one position. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is considered the lot of office workers and computer scientists.
Excessive physical activity leads to muscle hypertonia. Constantly being in a tense state, they also provoke stagnant processes. The indirect causes of the disease include inappropriate nutrition (an excess of salts and fat in the diet), metabolic disorders. The disease can be triggered by autoimmune processes, lack of nutrients (vitamins and minerals), endocrine diseases and psycho-emotional shocks (as they are also accompanied by muscle overstrain).
How to recognize cervical osteochondrosis
Early osteochondrosis does not manifest itself in any way. At the 1st stage of development, cartilage is dehydrated. It is not noticeable from the outside, does not cause physical discomfort. The disease can be discovered by chance, when examining the spine for injuries or other complaints.
At stage 2, the cartilage sags. Its height decreases, its amortization capacity deteriorates. Early symptoms may appear at this stage. Their feature is periodicity. Discomfort in the neck is felt clearly, then subsides. Periodically disappears completely. A person sometimes feels pain in the neck. They appear after physical exertion or a long stay in one position (sitting or standing). Unpleasant sensations appear in the morning, as the patient "walks" they weaken and remind of themselves in the late afternoon. If salts are deposited in the cervical region, a person hears a crunch in the spine when turning. "Clicking" when tilting the head does not hurt.
In Stage 3, nerve roots may be partially entrapped. This is accompanied by severe painful sensations. Patients complain of lumbago and sharp sudden pain in the neck. Discomfort occurs after a static position. In contrast to the early stages, it worries more often. A person's neck "gets tired" in a short time. There may also be aching pains. They attack the patient in the evening and at night.
Stagnation in the cervical spine leads to cerebrovascular accident. It is manifested by headaches (sometimes migraines), tinnitus, dizziness. With persistent hypoxia (lack of oxygen) there is a feeling of "goose bumps" on the scalp, often on one side. There are also secondary symptoms - the patient gets tired quickly, feels weak, sleepy (for no apparent reason), sometimes sleep is disturbed.
In parallel with the listed symptoms, the mobility of the joints in the cervical spine changes. Some head or neck movements are accompanied by sharp pain. The patient subconsciously reduces their amplitude, trying to maintain a comfortable position.
Stage 4 of osteochondrosis is accompanied by protrusions and the appearance of osteophytes. Infringement of the nerve roots leading to persistent pain syndrome. If inflammation develops in the process of changes, the pain becomes permanent. A person has more and more headaches, visual impairments (deterioration of vision at dusk, “flies”, blurry picture). Neck mobility is significantly limited. The patient avoids turning the neck, if necessary, turns the whole body. When nerves are damaged, pain, "goose bumps" or numbness of the shoulder blades, shoulders, forearms and even hands occur.
Diagnostics
The above complaints should be addressed to a neurologist, orthopedist or vertebrologist. The doctor will interview the patient, conduct an examination. During the examination, he will check the sensitivity of the points, reflexes, mobility of the cervical spine. If osteochondrosis is suspected, an additional examination will be prescribed. It includes an X-ray of the cervical spine in several projections.
If there are no specific abnormalities on the X-ray, and the patient's complaints persist, an MRI or CT scan is prescribed. With these methods, osteochondrosis can be detected even at the earliest stages.
How to be treated
Even if the patient has all the signs of osteochondrosis, it is better to see a doctor. Only a specialist can objectively assess the scale of destruction, distinguish chondrosis from other diseases, make the correct diagnosis and individually select a treatment regimen.
This disease takes a long time to develop. Exacerbations of osteochondrosis can occur periodically and disappear on their own. The patient should still be examined.
The disease is treated on an outpatient basis. Surgical intervention (to remove osteophytes) is an extreme measure, which is used only for serious damage to the nerve roots with severe pain. Conservative treatment can almost always be dispensed with.
Osteochondrosis (depending on the stage) is treated from 1 to 3 months. Therapy should be comprehensive. Medicines alone are indispensable here. Even after the onset of improvement, the patient must control his activity and take preventive measures. The main task of treatment is to stop degenerative processes. Easing symptoms with medication relieves the patient's condition only for a while. There are several ways to treat osteochondrosis at home.
Drug therapy
With the help of medicines, you can eliminate inflammation, relieve pain, provide the body with useful substances and improve the nutrition of the cartilage of the cervical spine. Pain relievers are used as symptomatic treatment. In the inflammatory process, pain is eliminated with the help of NSAIDs. The drugs are prescribed in the form of tablets (if the symptoms are moderate) or injections (if the pain is severe).
To eliminate muscle hypertonicity, muscle relaxants are prescribed in parallel with NSAIDs. These funds improve the effect of painkillers, providing their "free access" to the inflammation focus. Pain medications are used in the shortest possible course (5-10 days) due to the risk of side effects.
Chondroprotectors are prescribed to increase elasticity and restore cartilage. In the acute period, these are injections. As a maintenance therapy, doctors recommend long-term intake (3-6 months) of capsules or tablets.
To increase the effectiveness of treatment, taking pills can be combined with the use of external agents (ointments, gels, patches). Pepper or menthol patches, ointment pain relievers will relieve severe pain. Further, osteochondrosis can be treated with chondroprotective ointments.
To improve the trophism of the joints, B vitamins and vascular preparations are prescribed.
Folk remedies
In the recipes of traditional medicine there are many recommendations for the treatment of osteochondrosis. As with the traditional approach, folk remedies can be used internally or externally.
Most Potent Topical Blends:
- Horseradish compress.The horseradish root is rubbed on a fine grater, spread the gruel on cheesecloth, applied to the neck, covered with a film, wrapped with a bandage, left for 2 hours, washed off with clean water, the procedure is carried out 10 days in a row before bedtime.
- Compress with potatoes.Rub 3 large potatoes, add 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of mustard, spread the mixture on cheesecloth and attach it to the painful area for 1 hour, apply a compress 2 times a day for 2 weeks.
- Red pepper lotions.2 pods of hot red pepper are crushed into gruel, mixed with chopped aloe leaf, poured with a glass of alcohol, a day later, gauze is moistened in the mixture, applied to the neck for 15-20 minutes, washed off with cool water. The treatment lasts 2 weeks.
Compresses with mustard and pepper are good for increasing blood circulation.
Inside you can take infusions, decoctions and tinctures. All recipes are aimed at normalizing metabolism, removing salts, eliminating inflammation:
- Parsley broth.3 tablespoons of parsley seeds are ground in a coffee grinder. Pour the mass with a liter of boiling water, simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes. After complete cooling, filter. It is taken orally 100 ml 2 times a day for 15 days.
- Barberry tincture.10 g of a mixture of dried roots and barberry bark (can be bought at a pharmacy or from herbalists) is poured with 100 ml of alcohol or vodka. The mixture is placed in a dark place for 10 days. After straining, take 30 drops orally three times a day half an hour before meals.
- Celery infusion.Pour a tablespoon of grated celery root with a liter of water. Bring to a boil over low heat, turn off immediately. After a day, filter, take 3 tablespoons before meals three times a day. The treatment lasts 1 month.
Before using any traditional medicines, you should make sure that you are not allergic to their components. If, when using compresses, a strong burning sensation occurs, you need to remove the bandage and rinse off the remaining mixture with running water.
Physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage
Physiotherapy is often prescribed by doctors to treat osteochondrosis. This can be warming up with medical ultraviolet light, exposure to low-frequency currents, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis or phonophoresis. Such manipulations are carried out in a hospital, using special equipment. They eliminate inflammation and improve medication access to cartilage tissue. The combination of medication and physical therapy can quickly relieve unpleasant symptoms. The course will require 10-15 procedures. To get a stable result, all types of physiotherapy must be completed completely (do not interrupt).
Physiotherapy exercises for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck include simple exercises. They can be performed independently in the morning and in the evening, as well as in between work. Physical education can be done while sitting or standing.
The following exercises can be included in the exercise for cervical osteochondrosis:
- Rotate your head for 2 minutes first in a clockwise direction and then counterclockwise (2 sets);
- gently lower your head forward, backward and to the sides (15 times in each direction);
- raise your shoulders as high as possible, leaving the neck and head motionless (15-20 times);
- rotate the shoulders forward or backward, keeping the neck and head motionless (1 minute in each direction);
- fold your palms, pressing your fingertips in the center of the forehead, smoothly lead through the temporal regions, along the neck, to the collarbones (10 times);
- without changing the position of the chin, smoothly take the neck back (the chin is pulled in), then forward, to the sides (without tilting or turning the face);
- collect your palms in the lock behind your back, pull your arms back, lifting and stretching your neck as high as possible, stay in an extended position for 15 seconds (3 times).
For osteochondrosis, massage is considered the best way to improve blood circulation in the neck. It is better if the patient undergoes a full course (10-15 sessions) with a trained specialist. If this is not possible, you can knead your neck yourself at home.
Self-Massage Quick Start Guide:
- first, the neck muscles need to be warmed up: rub the back of the head with the pads of the fingers or the edge of the palm;
- kneading involves soft pressing followed by muscle relaxation - kneading with 4 collected pads and a thumb;
- slightly pinch the skin on the neck to improve blood circulation;
- by light finger pressure on both sides of the spine, pass along the entire cervical region;
- To relax the back of the head, lightly pat with the palm or fingers.
Each stage of the massage ends with a light palm stroke. To improve the effect, the neck is massaged with ointment. After the massage, you need to make sure that the cervical region is warm.
You should massage your neck only with your palms or fingertips (not with your fist).
All methods of treating osteochondrosis should be supplemented with a diet. A classic healthy diet involves the use of lean meat, fish, seafood, whole grain cereals, and lots of vegetables. Food must be boiled, baked or steamed.
For the entire period of the diet, it is necessary to reduce the amount of salt consumed, give up fast food and sweets. It is important to drink at least 1. 5 liters of water per day. It is useful to eat jellies and jellies to strengthen joints.
With an integrated approach, the symptoms of the disease will disappear in a week, and the destruction of cartilage will be completely stopped.