Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is one of the most common problems on our planet, which sooner or later affects absolutely everyone. Taking into account the trends of the modern lifestyle, the first signs of pathology can appear already at a fairly early age (20-25 years), and for no apparent reason. Often the only symptom is headaches and increased fatigue, which in the frantic rhythm of life are often simply “hammered” into such “trifles”, gritting their teeth and not thinking about the reasons. An orthopedic traumatologist told in his article about the causes of pain, and also talked about how to get rid of them.
But cervical osteochondrosis can manifest itself not only as periodic headaches, but can cause much more serious health problems: diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, problems with hearing, vision, coordination, the development of ischemia (lack of oxygen) of the head andspinal cord, damage to the nerve roots of the spinal cord - radiculopathy, partial or complete loss of mobility.
The essence of the process is very simple - over time, a large load on the spine and malnutrition of the intervertebral structures leads to thinning and destruction of the intervertebral discs and restructuring of the vertebrae themselves, which will inevitably lead to disruption of their functions.
But all these terrible scenarios are preventable and preventable. First of all, this condition should be considered not as a disease, but to treat it as a process of "wear and tear" of the spine. After all, everything has its own expiration date, be it a car, a phone or a favorite handbag. Consequently, care of the spine is required at least as well as for a favorite thing. At the same time, do not forget that you can buy a new thing, but you cannot buy a new "damaged" spine or you cannot exchange it under warranty. And the most important thing is that the cartilaginous tissue is not restored, so the sooner you get to know osteochondrosis, the longer you will have to “be friends” with it. And even with the right treatment, from time to time, he will remind of himself.
The reason for the development of osteochondrosis
There are many reasons that can easily be grouped together - the wrong way of life. Let's highlight the main risk factors for the development of such a condition:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- prolonged stay in one position (development of muscle hypertonicity);
- overweight;
- unhealthy diet (lack of water and essential microelements in the body);
- great physical activity and weight lifting;
- incorrect posture;
- spinal injuries;
- hereditary predisposition.
After analyzing the causes, it is easy enough (at least on paper) to remove the vast majority of risk factors from your life - which, in fact, is the main method of treatment. After all, drug therapy is a fight against the consequences of the disease.
Some kind of special drug prophylaxis as such has not yet been invented, although the pharmaceutical market is traditionally rich in offers. Of course, all kinds of chondroprotectors have a clinical effect, but it is achieved after a long and constant use of the drug, and it is not very persistent. In fact, these drugs contain substances that make up the intervertebral discs, and by taking them, we achieve only a "possible" improvement in the nutrition of these structures. All anti-inflammatory drugs only remove the pain syndrome, make the patient's life easier, without affecting the cause of the appearance of these pains. Physiotherapy is quite common, such as shock wave therapy, electropharesis, and magnetotherapy. In extremely advanced cases, the question may even arise about surgical treatment.
It should be noted separately that all these methods of treatment are possible only after consulting a doctor!
Self-medication in this case is strictly contraindicated - at best, you will simply waste your time, at worst you can only harm yourself.
How to deal with this problem?
The first step is to change the word “fight” to the word “prevention”. And it consists in ensuring the normal function and nutrition of the spine. It is worth noting that we work with the structures of the musculoskeletal system and diet.
Moreover, this work should last continuously and for life - this is the main guarantee of success.
The option “I'll do the exercises every six months” does not work! Permanently, it may and will be possible to postpone the problem (at best), at worst the effect will be zero, and it will seem to you that you are actively struggling with the problem.
1. Physical activity / sports
This is the first in line to prevent spinal wear. If you do not want the mechanism to rust and crumble, you need to give it work. But work should also be moderate, we are talking about healthy loads (work with body weight, functional training, stretching, cardio), and not about hanging 100 kg of iron on yourself and running with them on rough terrain.
2. Providing a normal amount of oxygen
In the city it is almost impossible to do this, but you should still try to walk as much and often as possible, visit forest park zones, and periodically ventilate the room at the workplace (it is important to avoid hypothermia yourself).
3. You can't stay too long
Regardless of the area of employment, take a short break every 40-50 minutes. When sitting for a long time, take a walk during the break or do some simple exercises on the spot to relieve muscle tension and back strain.
If your profession requires you to stand constantly, you need to sit down from time to time. It is important that while resting, the back is straight, as symmetrical as possible, and the feet are on the floor.
4. Ergonomics
It is imperative to provide yourself with the best possible working environment. We are talking not only about a work chair, but also about the correct setting of the work monitor, the right clothes and shoes, the amount of jewelry on the neck, etc. A kilogram of jewelry with prolonged wear will not have a positive effect on your health.
When working with a computer, the head should be straight, the hands should be placed no higher than the level of the elbows, the angle of inclination of the back when landing is 100-115 degrees - this position is considered the most physiological and allows you to prevent muscle overstrain.
5. Complex exercise therapy
Physiotherapy exercises will help to strengthen the back muscle corset and ligamentous apparatus. We are talking specifically about exercise therapy, everyday (maybe several times a day) soft exercises, in which the muscles are not overworked. A specialist will help to choose a set of preventive exercises for exercise therapy, depending on the stage of the disease.
An example of the simplest complex to strengthen the muscles of the neck:
- Lying on your stomach, put your hands on the floor. Raise your head slowly, hold this position for a minute. Return to starting position. Repeat the exercise 3-4 times.
- Lying on your stomach, extend your arms along your body. Turn your head slowly to the right. Return to original position. Then turn your head to the left. Repeat the exercise in both directions 5 times.
- Sit on a chair. Slowly, as you exhale, tilt your head forward, bringing it as close to the chin as possible. Return to starting position. As you inhale, slowly tilt your head back. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
- If your condition allows you, perform head rotations, 4 times clockwise and 4 times counterclockwise.
6. Peculiarities of power supply
Improper diet can trigger the development of the disease, so you need to monitor your diet. It is necessary to refuse or to minimize the use of salt, sugar, sweets and confectionery, fatty foods. Improper nutrition contributes to weight gain and increased stress on the spine. The following foods must be present in the diet:
- Vegetables and fruits (sources of vitamins);
- Cereals (energy sources);
- Meat and fish (sources of proteins and minerals);
- Dairy products (sources of calcium and other essential trace elements);
- Foods rich in fiber (essential for the proper functioning of the intestines and metabolism);
- Products containing chondoprotectors (improve the properties of cartilage tissue).
Monitor your fluid intake. You should drink 1. 5-2 liters of liquid per day. Lack of water in the body has a bad effect on the metabolism and the state of all structures of the body.
7. Proper sleep
The sleeping position must meet the following criteria:
Mattress and pillow selection is equally important. When choosing bedding, you should rely on three signs:
8. Massage
Last on the list, but one of the first in importance. An experienced massage therapist will not only ensure normal blood flow and oxygen supply to all structures of the spinal column, but will also help correct deformities and dysfunctions of the spine.
Prevention of osteochondrosis is lifelong, you have to work hard to keep your back healthy as long as possible, but as a result, you will be able to maintain not only a healthy back, but also a healthy body, because in fact the main recommendation is to lead a healthy lifestyle, help your body normallyfunction and go through timely "TO"!