Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a common disease, accompanied by discomfort in the shoulder girdle, private dizziness, General weakness and increased fatigability. Earlier diagnosis allows timely initiation of treatment and to prevent serious complications. Therapy is selected individually, but always involves a comprehensive approach. The patient is prescribed a medication, physiotherapy, massage, compresses and rubbing to use at home.
Osteochondrosis in the neck region is progressing slowly but gradually leads to serious degenerative changes in the cartilage located between the vertebrae. Subsequently, even minor stress provokes their removal, a pinched nerve, oxygen starvation of the brain. Therefore, when the first symptoms should consult a doctor.
Alert person has such characteristics:
- Periodically appearing pain in the neck, or minor discomfort.
- Dizziness, headache, syncope.
- When turning neck hear a crunch.
- Persistent loss of memory and deterioration of mental abilities in the short term.
- Any dysfunction of vision or hearing.
- A feeling of weakness in hands.
- Numbness of the skin.
- The loss of flexibility of the neck, tightness, stiffness.
Treatment of osteochondrosis in house conditions is conducted using various medical devices. The most effective therapy in the initial stage of the disease, but it is usually this period does not issue, therefore, is detected by chance or progresses slowly. It is recommended to undergo preventive examination of people at risk, namely after trauma, is subject to frequent stress, obesity and sedentary lifestyle.
The main objectives of treatment at home
Decides to treat cervical osteochondrosis in house conditions the doctor if the patient has no serious violations of the condition, the symptoms are moderate and no indications for hospitalization. Selected tactics of treatment aims to eliminate the unpleasant manifestations of the pathological process and the following tasks:
- Normalization of blood circulation in the affected area.
- Elimination of hypoxia of the brain.
- Normalization of sleep.
- Prevention of the rapid development of the disease.
- Improvement of blood circulation.
- Launch regenerative processes to restore cartilage.
- Saturate the body with vitamins and minerals.
- To eliminate anxiety, panic attacks, irritability.
- To improve the condition of the cervical spine.
To cure chondrosis completely impossible, but the right approach can significantly slow down the process, restore the normal state of health and keep a high quality of life for years to come. This is a comprehensive approach that includes dietary modification, increasing physical activity, taking medications, visiting masseur.
To cure home cervical osteochondrosis is possible only in strict compliance with all recommendations of the doctor, constant monitoring of food and medication, and the scheduled exercises.
To start to treat cervical chondrosis is to eliminate pain syndrome. This specialist selects the appropriate painkillers. Pharmacological industry offers a wide variety of media, differing in principle of operation, shape and price. For acute intolerable pain possible novocaine blockade. After decrease the main symptoms allowed the use of alternative methods. It can be:
- Massage – eliminate muscle spasms, the pain and tension.
- Exercise – strengthen muscle tissue, restore the normal support for the spine, returning its flexibility.
- Mud bath – warming the affected area and permanently eliminate the symptoms of pain.
- Manual therapy restores the metabolism and improves blood flow, eliminates oxygen starvation of the brain.
- Reflexology – reduces soreness the field, starts the regeneration processes in cartilaginous tissue.
- Acupuncture stimulates metabolism, improves the condition of cartilage tissue reduces the expression of pain in the affected area.
The available methods of treatment at home are ointments, rubbing, baths, decoctions, compresses. Such traditional medicines have long been known and are known for their safety, ease of use and the minimum number of contraindications.
Medications at home
It's impossible to treat cervical degenerative disc disease without the use of drugs. They are prescribed primarily to eliminate acute pain, suppression of the spread of inflammation and start to regenerate the damaged cartilage.
The complex normally includes the following group of drugs:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are aimed at the suppression of inflammation, elimination of edema and improve the patient's condition in General. Applied in the form of tablets, capsules or ointments.
- The muscle relaxants. They are aimed at addressing the tone and spasm, decrease symptoms of pain and slowing progression of the disease.
- Corticosteroids. Assigned to rapid elimination of the inflammatory process, but are appointed in extreme cases instead of NSAIDs because can cause increase in blood sugar and rise in blood pressure.
- Blockade. Appointed in unbearable pain, when other methods of relief do not help. Introduces the drug directly in the affected area, allowing you to quickly eliminate the discomfort.
- Sedatives. They are aimed at eliminating depression, anxiety and irritability, and normalize sleep and return to normal.
- Diuretics. Such remedies have diuretic and help to eliminate excess fluid from the body. They were appointed by the attending physician for violation of cerebral circulation and the presence of raised intracranial pressure.
- Chondroprotectors. Are assigned in the form of tablets, injections or ointments. The last form is the least effective, as the main task of the drug to regenerate damaged cartilage and slow down degenerative processes.
- Vitamins B6, B12, And C. Drugs with their content improves blood circulation, normalize the metabolism, eliminate the causes that triggered the disease, strengthen the nervous system.
Medical treatment also includes not only pills, but also the use of local funds. It can be rubbing or medicated plasters. They come from plant extracts, poisons, insects or pepper. Well cropped pain anti-inflammatory and pain patches.
Therapeutic baths
Osteochondrosis of the cervical-thoracic in the home are recommended to be treated with hot baths. They add a decoction of herbs that helps achieve a stable therapeutic effect. The advantage of this method is the direct impact on the affected area and thus improve the condition. Well baths with the addition of the following herbs:
- Daisy. It is enough to take 300 grams of dry plant (sold in any pharmacy) and brew 5 liters of boiling water. This bath is taken before bed as it has a powerful sedative effect.
- Bird knotweed. You will need 300 g of dried herb, pour 5 liters of hot water, then infuse for two hours. The resulting broth is added directly to the bath.
- Horse chestnut. Take 1 kg of fruit, crush and add 3-4 liters of boiling water. The mixture cook on slow fire about 30 minutes. The resulting mixture is cool, strain and use when taking a bath.
- Birch leaves. Take 1 kg of leaves, cover with cold water and boil for 2 minutes. To insist 1 hour, then add into water while bathing.
Herbal baths also help get rid of fatigue, relieve swelling of the soft tissues, relax muscle fiber, accelerate the metabolism. They are also prescribed for chronic insomnia and increased anxiety, panic attacks.
Massage and self-massage
Well to get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of degenerative disc disease neck massage. It also has a calming effect, therefore it is recommended that women more often than men. The following are proven methods of working with the spine:
- Classic massage of neck area. It involves rubbing the painful area, stroking, tapping and other modalities that improve circulation and normalize the movement of lymph.
- Point massage. It involves the effects on the acupuncture points, which helps faster and safer to achieve the desired effect. The process uses techniques such as cottons, light rubbing, pressing, pinching.
- The self-massage. Runs on a specific technique in the area of the shoulder girdle. Allowed smoothing, kneading, and pressure. Do not apply direct impact to the spine area, just to neighboring areas.
To entrust the affected area is only experienced competent professionals able to improve the condition. To do this, before you record the session you must check for qualifications and experience.
Folk remedies
Alternative medicine offers a wide variety of methods of dealing with pain and degenerative changes in the cartilage. They are easy to use and the minimum number of contraindications. But in spite of this, applying various compresses, rubbing and ointments, it is recommended to consult with your doctor.
Well the following folk remedies:
- The compresses. Lotions with the use of propolis, vodka, aloe juice can help get rid of the inflammation, swelling, pain. Leave them overnight to facilitate the manifestation of symptoms.
- Ointment. Drugs of their own making, such as effective as purchased at a pharmacy. They allow you to get rid of inflammation and pain. Prepare an ointment from the mummy and food.
- Rubbing. Proven recipes of vodka, radish and honey. Grind the cooked part of the recommended therapy area before bedtime. Daily use greatly facilitates the condition.
- The decoctions. Some good herbs promote the excretion of salts. Prepare a decoction of rose hips, calendula, licorice, St. John's wort, plantain, clover. Any ingredient zaparivat 200 ml of boiling water and consumed before meals.
Any herbs should be used with caution, not forgetting that they can provoke allergic reactions, overdose, side effects. If after applying a homemade ointment or rubbing redness of the skin, or other unwanted effects, you should wipe the place clean with a cloth dampened with warm water and consult a doctor.
Physiotherapy
Regardless of the stage of disease, doctors often prescribe exercises, which was developed by doctor Bubnovsky. It has established itself as a simple and effective way to get rid of unpleasant pain and strengthen the muscular frame, to normalize the blood flow in the affected area. The complex normally includes the following exercises:
- Stand up straight, tilt your head to shoulder, to stay in this position for 30 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for the other side.
- Tilt your head to your chest, pull the neck up and forward. The neck should be slight muscle strain.
- Stand up straight, throw your head back, slowly turning it left, then right.
- Raise the arms above the head, throw them in the lock, turn the head gently to the right. Linger for 30 seconds and perform the action in the other direction.
- Stand up straight, craning forward, gradually expand your head to the side, trying to reach the chin to the shoulders.
As well to help cope with cervical osteochondrosis yoga, swimming, qigong and other techniques. Regular exercise allows you to not only get rid of the physical manifestations of disease, but panic attacks, depression.
Treatment at home applicator
In the period of aggravation of cervical degenerative disc disease helps to get rid of pain in neck acupuncture. This is carried out using a special device called an applicator Kuznetsova. It is simple to use and helps to achieve a stable result. For use the patient should lie down on a flat hard surface, and press the applicator to the problem area with the help of pillows. Adjust the pressure of the needles can be handed. Apart from him, to relieve the pain at home can an application of wax and paraffin.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical dangerous disease that provokes degenerative changes in the spine. Therefore, to treat him should be as early as possible. Some physiotherapy or exercise enough to achieve a stable effect. Always requires a comprehensive approach. Therapy home remedies should also be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. This is especially important for people suffering chronic diseases and having a number of contraindications to the use of conventional tablets and injections.