Osteochondrosis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system. According to statistics, about 90% of the population suffers from it. Most patients are not even aware of this, because the initial forms of the disease develop asymptomatically.
Another part of people only periodically experience discomfort in the back area, it cancels it out as fatigue and is not treated. Among all types of osteochondrosis, the defeat of the cervical spine prevails. If the treatment is started on time, there are all possibilities 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 the following: circulatory disorders in some areas of the back lead to the exhaustion and dehydration of the cartilage tissue. Together with the liquid it loses its nutritional components. As a result, the cartilage loses elasticity and firmness - it sags. The distance between the vertebrae decreases, their static is violated (constancy of position). They can move and snuggle against each other, while pinching the nerve roots.
With osteochondrosis, the cartilage wears down at an accelerated rate.
If dystrophy persists, the muscles that support the spine also lose tone. The vertebrae are lowered even more. Due to increased friction, protrusions develop - damage to the cartilage capsule with the protrusion of its contents outward.
Next, the natural defense mechanism of the spinal column is activated. Bone growths - osteophytes appear. They must ensure a stable position of the vertebrae. However, osteophyte growth often goes beyond "need". Too large growths additionally put pressure on the remains of cartilage, nerve fibers. Plus, they're solid. The spine loses its elasticity, the "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 the cartilage and vertebrae.
Why the neck gets hurt more often
The cervical spine is the most sensitive and fragile. Its elements are the smallest and are not suitable for 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 necks 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 causes a prolonged stay in one position. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is considered to be the lot of computer scientists and employees.
Excessive physical activity leads to muscle hypertonia. Being constantly in a state of tension, they also provoke stagnant processes. Indirect causes of the disease include inappropriate nutrition (an excess of salts and fats in the diet), metabolic disorders. The disease can be triggered by autoimmune processes, lack of nutrients (vitamins and minerals), endocrine diseases and psychoemotional shocks (as they are also accompanied by muscle overload).
How to recognize cervical osteochondrosis
Premature osteochondrosis does not manifest itself in any way. In the first stage of development, the cartilage is dehydrated. It is not noticeable from the outside, it does not cause physical discomfort. The disease can be discovered by chance, by examining the spine for injury or other ailments.
In stage 2, the cartilage sags. Its height decreases, its amortization capacity deteriorates. The first symptoms may appear at this stage. Their characteristic is the periodicity. The discomfort in the neck is clearly felt, then subsides. Periodically it disappears completely. A person sometimes experiences neck pain. They appear after physical exertion or a long stay in one position (sitting or standing). In the morning, unpleasant sensations appear, while the patient "walks" they weaken and are remembered in the late afternoon. If salts are deposited in the cervical region, a person feels a creak in the spine when turning. "Click" when tilting your head does not hurt.
In stage 3, the nerve roots may be partially trapped. This is accompanied by severe painful sensations. Patients complain of low back pain and sudden sharp pain in the neck. Discomfort occurs after a static position. Contrary to the early stages, he 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 a cerebrovascular accident. It manifests itself with headache (sometimes migraine), tinnitus, dizziness. With persistent hypoxia (lack of oxygen) there is a feeling of "goosebumps" 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 severe pain. The patient unconsciously reduces their amplitude, trying to maintain a comfortable position.
Stage 4 of osteochondrosis is accompanied by bumps and the appearance of osteophytes. Violation 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 sunset, "flies", blurred images). The mobility of the neck is significantly limited. The patient avoids turning the neck, if necessary, turns the whole body. When the nerves are damaged, pain, "goosebumps" or numbness occur in the shoulder blades, shoulders, forearms, and even hands.
Diagnostics
The above complaints should be addressed to a neurologist, orthopedist or vertebrologist. The doctor will question the patient, carry out an examination. During the examination he will check the sensitivity of the points, the reflexes, the mobility of the cervical spine. If osteochondrosis is suspected, an additional examination will be prescribed. Includes an x-ray of the cervical spine in several projections.
If there are no specific abnormalities on the x-ray, but the patient's complaints persist, an MRI or CT scan is prescribed. With these methods, osteochondrosis can be detected even in the early stages.
How to be treated
Even if the patient has all the signs of osteochondrosis, it is best to consult a doctor. Only a specialist can objectively assess the extent 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 periodically occur and disappear on their own. The patient has yet to be examined.
The disease is treated on an outpatient basis. Surgery (to remove osteophytes) is an extreme measure, which is used only for severe damage to the nerve roots with severe pain. Conservative treatment can almost always be dispensed with.
Osteochondrosis (depending on the stage) is treated for 1 to 3 months. Therapy should be complete. Medicines alone are indispensable here. Even after the onset of improvement, the patient must monitor his activity and take preventive measures. The main task of treatment is to stop degenerative processes. Relieving symptoms with medication only relieves the patient's condition 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. Analgesics are used as symptomatic treatment. In the inflammatory process, pain is eliminated with NSAIDs. Medicines are prescribed in the form of tablets (if symptoms are moderate) or injections (if pain is severe).
To eliminate muscle hypertonicity, muscle relaxants are prescribed in parallel with NSAIDs. These funds enhance the effect of painkillers, providing them "free access" to the inflammatory center. 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 maintenance therapy, doctors recommend long-term (3-6 months) taking 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, analgesic ointments relieves intense pain. Also, osteochondrosis can be treated with chondroprotective ointments.
To improve the trophism of the joints, vitamins of group B 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.
More potent topical blends:
- Horseradish pack.Horseradish root is rubbed on a fine grater, spread the gruel on gauze, applied to the neck, covered with a film, wrapped with a bandage, left for 2 hours, washed off with clean water, the procedure isperformed 10 consecutive days before bedtime.
- Compress with potatoes. Rub 3 large potatoes, add 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of mustard, spread the mixture on gauze and stick on the painful area for 1 hour, apply a compress 2 times a day for 2 weeks.
- Chilli lotions.2 pods of hot pepper are crushed into a 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, washedaway with cold water. The treatment lasts 2 weeks.
The tablets with mustard and pepper are useful for increasing blood circulation.
Inside you can take infusions, decoctions and tinctures. All recipes are intended to normalize metabolism, remove salts, eliminate inflammation:
- Parsley broth.3 tablespoons of parsley seeds are ground in a coffee grinder. Pour the mass with a liter of boiling water, simmer 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 the 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 exertion, 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 medicine, make sure you are not allergic to their components. If, when using compresses, a strong burning sensation occurs, it is necessary to remove the bandage and rinse the remaining mixture with running water.
Physiotherapy, physical therapy and massage
Physiotherapy is often prescribed by doctors to treat osteochondrosis. This can be heating 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 the access of drugs to cartilage tissue. The combination of drugs and physical therapy can quickly relieve unpleasant symptoms. The course will require 10-15 procedures. To achieve a stable result, all types of physiotherapy must be completed completely (do not interrupt).
Physical therapy for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck includes simple exercises. They can be done independently in the morning and evening, as well as between jobs. Physical education can be done while sitting or standing.
The following exercises can be included in the exercise for cervical osteochondrosis:
- For 2 minutes, rotate your head first clockwise and then counterclockwise (2 series);
- gently lower your head forward, backward and to the side (15 times in each direction);
- raises the shoulders as high as possible, leaving the neck and head immobile (15-20 times);
- rotates the shoulders forward or backward, keeping the neck and head immobile (1 minute in each direction);
- folds the palms, pressing the fingertips in the center of the forehead, leads smoothly through the temporal regions, along the neck, to the collarbones (10 times);
- without changing the position of the chin, gently pull the neck back (the chin is pulled in), then forward, to the side (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 the 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 qualified specialist. If this is not possible, you can knead the neck yourself at home.
Quick guide to self-massage:
- first, the neck muscles need to be warmed: rub the back of the head with the fingertips or the edge of the palm;
- kneading involves gentle pressing followed by muscle relaxation - kneading with 4 collected pads and a thumb;
- lightly pinches the skin of the neck to improve blood circulation;
- with a light pressure of the finger on both sides of the spine, pass along the entire cervical region;
- To relax on the nape of the neck, tap lightly with the palm or fingers.
Each phase of the massage ends with a light stroke of the palm. To enhance the effect, the neck is massaged with an ointment. After the massage, you need to make sure that the cervical region is warm.
Massage the 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 grains, and lots of vegetables. Food must be boiled, cooked or steamed.
For the duration of the diet it is necessary to reduce the amount of salt consumed, to 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 the joints.
With an integrated approach, the symptoms of the disease will disappear in a week and the destruction of the cartilage will be completely stopped.