Vertebral osteochondrosis is the most common disease of the human musculoskeletal system. In the cervical spine, degenerative processes develop particularly often: in about 30-40% of all cases of osteochondrosis, the disease affects this area of the back.
Even with an inactive lifestyle, daily stress falls on the cervical area, which leads to a gradual destruction of the cartilaginous tissues of the intervertebral discs. The cervical vertebrae support the head, provide lateral movement and bend back and forth. Both a sedentary lifestyle and excessive stress on the spine are equally harmful to cartilage.
Osteochondrosis develops slowly, but almost always leads to painful manifestations and serious consequences. This article will discuss in detail how to treat cervical osteochondrosis at home, in which cases it is reasonable and appropriate, what procedures should be practiced to reduce painful symptoms and eliminate the root causes of the disease.
When can osteochondrosis be treated at home
Osteochondrosis rarely occurs suddenly - the disease is usually preceded by an initial stage, characterized by back fatigue, rapid fatigue and reduced performance. It is important to take therapeutic measures at the first signs of the disease until the degenerative and dystrophic processes have spread from the cartilage tissues to nearby structures.
The task of treatment in the initial stage of the disease is to stop the pathological transformations in the intervertebral discs. No amount of therapy can reverse the destructive processes, but there is a chance to prevent dangerous and painful consequences.
You can practice home treatment in the following cases:
- When the diagnosis is accurately known and clinically confirmed;
- When the manifestations of the disease are mild or moderate;
- When home treatment and self-medication are approved or sanctioned by a doctor;
- In the form of relapse prevention during the recovery phase after complete clinical therapy.
The diagnosis in the clinic and the consultation with a specialist (orthopedist, vertebrologist or traumatologist) is a mandatory stage in the treatment of osteochondrosis. Initiating treatment without an accurate diagnosis can cause irreparable damage to the spine. Even if you are absolutely sure that you have osteochondrosis, you need to understand its stage, determine the degree of tissue destruction and identify comorbidities.
The danger of cervical osteochondrosis lies in the variety of manifestations of this disease. As the most important nerve pathways and blood vessels pass through this area, any displacement of the cartilage and bone structures from their anatomical position, as well as the transformation of the discs and bodies of the vertebrae, is accompanied by contraction of the nerve endings and arteries.
Compression leads to headaches, impaired blood supply to the brain and reduced intellectual abilities. The most dangerous complication of compression is stroke: a sharp deterioration in the oxygen supply to the brain, leading to the death of its parts.
Irresponsible and dangerous is the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home in the presence of compression. Massage procedures, manual therapy, exercises should be performed under strict medical supervision. Only professional masseurs and therapists should perform manual and hardware impact on the vertebrae in case of progressive degenerative changes.
General rules for self-therapy
Some people believe that cervical osteochondrosis is a temporary condition that occurs after sleeping in an awkward position or prolonged computer work. People often ignore the symptoms of neck pain, believing that they are caused by overwork, "salt deposition", colds.
The listed factors can indeed provoke the development of an attack of osteochondrosis, but they are not the causes, but the predisposing factors of the pathology. Eliminating them can relieve the symptoms, but will not cure the disease itself.
The treatment of osteochondrosis must be approached scientifically and pragmatically. The earlier you start treatment, the more chances you have to restore the functionality of the cervical spine. If you want to regain mobility of your neck, get rid of crunch and fatigue in the back, start treatment as soon as the first signs of degenerative changes appear.
Home treatment of osteochondrosis of the collar is a necessary and useful measure of impact, if performed correctly and authorized by specialists.
At home you can do:
- Drug therapy;
- Self-massage;
- Hardware massage using mechanical and electrical devices;
- Physiotherapy procedures;
- Physiotherapy.
In principle, any type of conservative treatment can be practiced at home. Traditional methods of exposure are popular among the population - a variety of lotions, compresses and applications on the affected area. Such treatment options are sometimes quite effective and really help with symptoms of pain and other unpleasant manifestations of osteochondrosis.
The basic rules for self-medication are as follows:
- Analgesics and other medications should only be taken after a doctor's prescription;
- You should not practice massage and physiotherapy exercises during acute pain and disc displacement;
- Suspicious and unapproved traditional medicine should not be used;
- At the slightest sign of deteriorating health, you should stop home therapy and go to the clinic.
In general, experts even recommend self-medication, as the clinic performs only those procedures that require the presence of a specialist or the presence of complex equipment. You only need to strictly adhere to the medical recommendations regarding home therapeutic techniques.
A good doctor, before recommending or prescribing any medicine, will always tell you how it is applied, what results should be expected, when and for how long you should perform medical procedures. The ultimate goal of any practice is not just to stop the symptoms, but to block or completely eliminate the causes of the disease.
Home treatment methods
There are many home remedies for cervical osteochondrosis. We will consider the most basic of them - the most effective and affordable. We remind you once again: only the implementation of medical recommendations in full gives a chance for recovery.
Qualified doctors take into account all the factors of influence - from the position you take during sleep, ending with the nature of the diet. The diet for osteochondrosis is based on the exclusion of fatty, refined and overly spicy foods and the mandatory inclusion of mucopolysaccharides in the diet - compounds that nourish cartilage.
Almost all aspects of life must be brought into line with the principles of competent and proper treatment.
Physiotherapy exercises
Full mode of physical activity is the basis of effective therapy. The set of exercises is chosen individually, taking into account the stage of the disease, age and physical condition of the patient. Physical education is not ancillary, but the most important therapeutic method for osteochondrosis of the collar.
Gymnastics solves several problems at once:
- Development and strengthening of the muscular corset in the neck and shoulder girdle;
- Stimulates local blood flow, improving the nutrition of intervertebral discs and other tissues in the affected area;
- Acceleration of metabolic processes contributing to the restoration of physical activity;
- Eliminate muscle blocks and spasms.
In the initial stage of therapy it is better to conduct several sessions with exercise therapy under the guidance of an experienced instructor. You can then practice physical education at home. Remember to wear comfortable clothing when exercising, and make sure the area is regularly ventilated.
Indicative criteria for the usefulness of exercise therapy are lack of pain, improved well-being, increased range of motion. If there are acute and regular symptoms of pain, the exercise should be stopped until the causes of this phenomenon are clarified. Pain usually occurs when the disc is displaced and the nerve is compressed. To prevent this, you should perform the movements smoothly, avoid jumping and twisting the spine.
Manual and hardware massage
Self-massage reduces pain and stimulates local circulation. The techniques for self-massage (rubbing, stroking, kneading) will be taught by your doctor or professional masseur. Strong pressure, shock, pinching should be avoided.
Proper self-massage often surpasses even medications in effectiveness. The gentle manual effect not only relieves pain, but also relaxes muscles, speeds up blood flow and metabolism. The massage is recommended to be performed in a sitting position, using only the fingers and directing the movements from the spine to the peripheral parts of the back.
A separate method is the hardware massage with the help of mechanical devices and modern electronic devices. It is recommended to use massage products in the absence of severe pain and displacement of the discs. Cheap hand massagers and expensive computer-controlled devices are available from medical supply stores.
Another effective tool is the static impact applicators on the affected areas. Devices such as the Lyapko applicator or the Kuznetsov applicator are proven and effective means of treating pain symptoms and eliminating the causes of the disease. The main rule when using such devices is regularity. You need to practice regular exposure sessions - only then is it possible to achieve a stable and pronounced health-improving result.
The applicators are based on the principles of reflexology - the impact on the active parts of the body and the start of the body's self-healing mechanism. Home acupuncture with Lyapko's devices and exposure to devices with Kuznetsov's devices literally raised some patients to their feet.
Other orthopedic devices are also useful - special sleeping pillows, ensuring the correct position of the body at night, mattresses, pillows for cars and office chairs.Home physiotherapy
Exposure to a magnetic field, ultrasound, light with a certain spectrum - all these are very effective methods for the treatment of moderate and mild osteochondrosis. Physiotherapy is usually practiced on an outpatient basis in clinics, but it is quite possible to use these methods at home.
Apparatus for magnetic therapy, ultrasound and electrical neurostimulation and other devices for the treatment of spinal structures are sold in pharmacies and specialty stores. Such devices eliminate pain, stimulate metabolism and blood flow and eliminate muscle spasms. These devices can only be used after being prescribed by a physiotherapist.
Compresses, rubs, other procedures in traditional medicine
The following alternative treatments are acceptable:
- Healing clay applications;
- Compresses of honey, vodka, agave;
- Compresses with honey and mustard;
- Propolis lotions, aloe juice and vodka;
- Treatment with bee venom;
- Rubbing with herbal preparations (the most popular option is a mixture of 2 hot pepper pods with vegetable oil).
Phytopreparations can be used in the absence of allergies and after approval of the method by a doctor.
Modern medicine offers many very effective and safe remedies on a natural basis to eliminate the signs of cervical osteochondrosis. Creams, ointments and patches of herbal and combined composition are applied externally at the first signs of pain and at the stage of rehabilitation therapy.