Osteochondrosis is one of the most insidious diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Its symptoms are often disguised as other diseases and bring a lot of uncomfortable and painful sensations. The appearance of pathological changes in the cervical spine is associated with the influence of various factors.
Symptoms
Cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by a wide variety of symptoms. Headaches, tingling in the center of the chest or chronic fatigue - all these signs accompany dystrophic disorders of the cervical vertebrae.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- Dizziness, which sometimes leads to loss of consciousness or fainting.
- Crunch when trying to rotate or turn the head.
- Drawing pain and tingling in shoulders, elbows or neck.
- Tingling in the arms and legs, from the tips of the fingers and down the whole limb.
- Unreasonable appearance of apathy and drowsiness. The feeling of accumulated fatigue continues even after prolonged sleep or passive rest.
- Tinnitus (tinnitus with no apparent cause).
- Hearing loss or blurred vision.
- Pain in the sternum, with numbness of the hands or feet.
| Syndrome | Cause | Manifestation |
|---|---|---|
| Root | Compression of the spinal nerves. | Sharp pain on movement. |
| Reflex | Pinched nerve. | Sharp pain radiating to the arm, headache. |
| Compression-spinal | Pinching of blood vessels, intervertebral hernia. | Loss of sensation in the hands, pain in the shoulder girdle and neck. |
| Cerebral | Circulatory disorders of the spinal cord. | Fatigue, irritability and nervousness, disorientation and fainting, headache and hearing impairment. |
| Vertebral artery | Squeezing of the artery. | Stroke, cerebral ischemia. |
Important: the neck is one of the most important sections of the spine due to the accumulation of a large number of nerve trunks. Even slight displacement of the vertebrae by 1-3 mm leads to a violation of the blood circulation of the brain and can cause hypertension, migraine. Less often to brain hypoxia, stroke.
In the last 2 decades, doctors have noted the appearance of osteochondrosis in young people. If earlier in the risk group were representatives of middle and older age, then at the moment the disease is increasingly common in people barely 20-30 years old.
The danger of any symptoms of osteochondrosis lies in the fact that they are attributed to other diseases and the appeal to specialized specialists is late. This makes it possible for the disease to become chronic and lead to irreversible damage to the anatomical structures of the cervical spine.
Causes of osteochondrosis
Each segment of the spine is built according to a single principle: the soft pulp inside the vertebra absorbs all the structures of the segment, loses its elasticity and becomes ossified. The pathological process affects the nerves and blood vessels.
To understand the causes of osteochondrosis, consider the problem from a medical point of view.
| Factors | Description |
|---|---|
| physiological process | Aging of cartilage tissue as a result of irreversible age-related changes. It is regulated by nervous and endocrine processes. |
| Pathological process | Destruction of vertebral structures, nerve endings and blood vessels. |
| Physiological changes | The transformation of the pulp into fibrous tissue, which are caused by the aging of the body. It is not clinically manifested if the nerve nodes are not irritated. |
| Pathological changes | Localized in cartilage and beyond, irritate nerves, compress blood vessels. Manifested by local pain and dyskalgia - a reflection of pain. |
Pathological changes in the vertebrae are accompanied by:
- Deposition of salts in the nucleus pulposus.
- Penetration of vertebral structures into neighboring segments (hernia formation).
- Erasure and wear of segments of the cervical spine.
- Ossification of the soft tissues of the joints.
Causes of osteochondrosis:
- Autoimmune - diseases lead to degenerative processes in cartilage tissue.
- Infectious - the presence of pathogenic microorganisms leads to metabolic disorders in tissues and can trigger pathological processes in the joints.
- Involutive - natural aging processes of the body.
- Traumatic - the development of pathologies as a result of injuries.
- Endocrine - hormonal disorders.
- Metabolic disorders - degenerative processes as a result of metabolic failures.
- Heredity - congenital pathologies of the development of joints, cartilage. anatomical disorders.
- Staying in one position for a long time.
- Excess weight - increases the load on the cervical region and can cause metabolic disorders.
- Nervous strain and prolonged exposure to a stressful situation.
- Rheumatism.
Folk methods of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Along with conservative medical methods, folk methods are highly effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Treatment with herbs
Phytotherapy is widely used in osteochondrosis of the neck for many reasons: a small number of contraindications, availability, high efficiency, the cumulative effect of the use of tinctures and decoctions.
Preparation of decoctions
1 liter of water should be brought in an enamel bowl and add 5-6 tablespoons of the collection. Put the broth on a slow fire and cook for about 15 minutes.
Tinctures on alcohol from such herbs as wild rosemary, burdock, mountaineer, elecampane, sage, yarrow are used both for external use and for oral consumption. The principle of preparation of tinctures is as follows:
- 2-3 tablespoons of crushed plants are placed in a 250 ml container and medical alcohol is added
- the infusion is aged in a cool dark place for at least 14 days. All of the above herbs are suitable for cooking.
Preparation of infusion: pour 4-6 tablespoons of crushed vegetable raw materials into a 1 liter jar and pour boiling water over it. Cover the jar and leave for 24 hours in a dark place.
Compresses
The simplest method of treatment is the use of bischofite compresses, saline solution. the high efficiency of the method is time-tested, the main principle of treatment is regularity and long-term impact. Bandages made of soft cloth or a bandage are applied to the neck for a long time.
Salt compress: prepare a 10-11% salt solution (100 g per 1000 ml of water). Moisten gauze folded in several layers in the resulting solution and apply on the neck. Place polyethylene on top and wrap with a warm scarf. The compress must be done daily for about 10-14 days 1-2 times a day.
Ointments
You can fight cervical osteochondrosis with home-made ointments. For their preparation are used: herbs, plant roots, vegetable oils and animal products - fat, poisons, bile, eggs.
Ointment recipe:
- In equal proportions, mix the grass of yarrow, lavender, horsetail, dandelion roots (previously crushed).
- Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the collection with boiling water and put to languish over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- After cooling, mix the resulting mixture with 75 g of any vegetable oil and 75 g of animal fat until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Rub into the neck for 4-5 minutes 2-3 times a day.
Rubbing
Rubbing will help relieve pain in the neck with osteochondrosis. The effectiveness of this method lies in the fact that it has a complex effect. Rubbing the neck with the use of tinctures and ointments is effective in exacerbations and complex therapy. Biologically active substances easily penetrate into the tissues due to the mechanical effect on the skin.
Rubbing from the ointment (the recipe is given above): take a small amount of ointment and rub it in the palms. Then, with intense stroking movements, rub the ointment into the neck, after which it is necessary to insulate with a woolen scarf. Perform the procedure for at least two weeks in a row 1-2 times a day.
warming up
This method of exposure is used in cervical osteochondrosis in order to get rid of toxins accumulated in the cartilage tissue, improve blood and lymph microcirculation. Herbal baths, sauna, special heating pads, baked or boiled potatoes (in the form of mashed potato and honey cakes), bags of salt or sand are suitable for warming up. After warming up, the application of tinctures, ointments, and compresses is more effective.
To warm up, you will need sea salt and a bag made of dense natural fabric - better than linen. Salt needs to be heated in a pan and pour the bag. Apply to the affected area 2-3 times a day. After the procedure, wrap your neck with a warm scarf and do not go outside, especially in the cold season.
Massage
This method is used only during the period of remission - in the absence of sharp pains and other acute symptoms of osteochondrosis.
The healing properties of massage have been known for a long time and is one of the best ways to remove osteochondrosis from the neck. Various massage techniques allow you to relieve spasm from the muscles surrounding the segments of the spine:
- acupressure;
- classical;
- can;
- vacuum;
- Thai;
- self-massage.
Such an effect entails an improvement in local blood circulation, relieve swelling, eliminate pain in the cervical region, improve tissue metabolism, restore mobility of the cervical region and reanimate atrophied muscles.
Self-massage for osteochondrosis is performed sitting or standing, the back is even, the feet are shoulder-width apart. You can use one or two hands for the following techniques:
- Rubbing the neck and collar area with palms to warm up.
- Grasp your neck with your hands so that the thumbs are in front, and the rest from the back. In this position, hold four fingers from the spine to the periphery along the entire neck and collar zone for 2-3 minutes.
- Circular movements with fingers with pressure, while covering as much of the surface of the neck as possible. Continue 1-3 minutes.
- Vertical rubbing along the spine with fingertips - 1-2 minutes.
Gymnastics for osteochondrosis
It is almost impossible to quickly cure osteochondrosis, but special exercises will help speed up the recovery process.
A set of exercises for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine includes:
- Head rotations left and right - perform 5-6 repetitions in both directions, gradually increasing the amplitude.
- Raising and lowering the shoulders - 10-15 times.
- Head tilts left and right - 10-12 times in both directions.
- Stretching the head in front - in a standing position, stretch the head as far forward as possible, and then return to its original position. Perform 10-15 repetitions.
- Cobra: get on all fours and gently stretch head forward, aligning your legs and raising your head up. Try to lower your hips to the floor. Lock in this position for a few seconds and slowly return back. Repeat 4-9 times.
The last exercise helps to relax the muscles of the cervical region, restore blood supply and eliminate pinching of blood vessels and nerve endings.
All exercises are performed slowly, smoothly and with a constantly increasing amplitude. The number of repetitions and approaches is determined individually.
Nutrition for cervical osteochondrosis
With damage to the joints, nutrition should be balanced and fractional - 5-6 times a day in small portions.
Limit your intake of salt, simple carbohydrates, spicy and fried foods.
Foods with a high content of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus should be included in the diet - these are greens, fish, meat, vegetables in stewed or baked form.
To effectively combat cervical osteochondrosis, increase your intake of clean water (at least two liters per day).
Prevention
The disease is easier to prevent than to cure. To reduce the risk of osteochondrosis, take the following preventive measures:
- use a comfortable place to sleep - orthopedic mattresses and pillows;
- engage in regular physical activity;
- work in a properly organized place under the condition of sedentary work;
- with a static position of the body, take breaks for gymnastics;
- do not overeat;
- do not carry bags on one shoulder.
Contraindications
The main contraindications are:
- physical overload from a long stay in a static position;
- deliberate crunching of the joints in the neck;
- consumption of a large number of sweets and starchy foods;
- weight lifting;
- sleep on a soft mattress and a large pillow;
- hypothermia of the cervical region.
Treatment of osteochondrosis should be complex. The combination of various means and methods of therapy, subject to recommendations on nutrition and physical activity, can relieve neck chondrosis. Despite the effectiveness of alternative methods of treatment, seek help from an orthopedist or osteopath in time, as self-treatment can pose a health risk.