Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is asymptomatic as long as the intervertebral discs are able to cope with their amortization tasks. As soon as their thickness decreases, instability occurs. The body compensates for this through the growth of osteophytes, as a result of which a person experiences a stiffness in the neck and, over time, other unpleasant symptoms appear, which significantly worsen the quality of life. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine should be comprehensive.
This means that drug therapy alone (injections, tablets, ointments) is not enough. In addition to her, it is essential to do special therapeutic exercises, massages, courses of hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches), and also elementary exercises at home. As a complement to the main treatment, the use of folk remedies is allowed.
Medication
The doctor's priority is to relieve the patient of pain. For these purposes, a whole complex of drugs is used:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory;
- Anesthetics and hormones (for blockages);
- Muscle relaxants;
- Chondroprotectors;
- Sedatives and antidepressants;
- B vitamins.
The listed groups of drugs in the complex play the role of a strong anesthetic complex for osteochondrosis, also nourish the intervertebral discs and restore the nerves:
- NSAIDs relieve mild to severe inflammation and pain.
- Anesthetics and hormone preparations are injected into the pain site (paravertebral or vagosympathetic) - the pain syndrome stops immediately. The patient is then put on a neck brace for a while so that he cannot move his head sharply.
- Muscle relaxants are used to relax spasmodic muscles.
- Chondroprotectors improve the nutrition of the intervertebral discs. Your reception begins at the same time as NSAIDs. As a rule, the application of chondroprotectors is long-term and complex. This means that in addition to external means, the doctor can also prescribe oral drugs, as well as injections.
- Sedatives and antidepressants help the patient cope with stress, prevent depression, which in turn helps to manage muscle tension.
- Complex preparations of vitamin B. The deficiency of B1, 6 and 12 has a negative effect on nerve fibers and neuronal conduction. Initially, drugs are prescribed in the form of injections in a short time, then switched to supportive therapy and taking tablets.
On a note. Most NSAIDs and chondroprotectors come in a variety of forms - tablets, ointments, injections, and rectal suppositories (NSAIDs) and patches (NSAIDs).
Therapeutic gymnastics and massage
Once the pain syndrome subsides, it is necessary to gradually increase the motor activity of the cervical spine. If the patient has a blockage, the bandage is removed after about a week.
Some doctors believe that it is always necessary to move. Prescribing bed rest to the patient is believed to help cope with the disease, but in fact the person has the opposite effect - cramping muscles remain restricted on one side of the neck, if muscle relaxants have not been used, on the other hand, theirs is reducedslow weakening observed (sagging or loss of tone). As a result, a patient with cervical osteochondrosis will inevitably encounter pain, reduced mobility, and muscle cramps in a relatively short period of time when returning to a work rhythm. If you participate in physical education classes gradually and gradually but consistently, you can achieve pain relief with minimal use of pain medication.
The same point of view is shared by physical therapists and chiropractors. Their techniques are based on movement, not lying in bed, as advocated by 90% of doctors trying to relieve pain in a patient with cervical osteochondrosis.
Exercises for acute pain
This is static gymnastics in which the cervical spine does not make any movements. The physiotherapy doctor recommends performing the following 3 exercises for headaches, tinnitus, and neck pain:
- Sit in a chair, straighten your back, look straight. Place your hands on top of each other and place them under your chin. Start pressing your chin onto your hands as if to lower your head. At this point, the spine is not involved in any way, but the neck muscles are tense. Press down on your hands for 3 to 5 seconds, then lower your arms and relax. Repeat several times.
- Continue to sit with your back straight and look ahead. Place the back of your right hand on your cheek. Start turning your head to the right as you resist with your hand. The head is motionless. Press for 3 to 5 seconds, then remove hand and relax. Repeat several times. Repeat exercise # 2 with the other hand.
- Place the brushes on top of each other at the back of your head. Imagine throwing your head back. Resist with your hands. Wait 3 to 5 seconds at the moment of printing. Then lower your arms and relax. Repeat several times.
You don't have to put all your pressure on your hands. This will backfire - the pain will intensify. All movements are as smooth as possible, slowly, without jerks. The number of approaches per day is 2-3 times.
On a note. Static exercises are related to micromovement techniques. As a result, the muscles relax, the pain gradually disappears.
A universal exercise set for cervical osteochondrosis
Gymnastics can be carried out independently at home both during remission and at the time of exacerbation.
The universal complex consists of 6 exercises:
- Stand straight, feet shoulder width apart, expand your chest. Put your hands on your shoulders. Perform symmetrical circular motions backwards (at least 10 times), then forwards (10 times). The body and neck are motionless. After you finish the exercise, lower your arms down and shake your shoulders, relax.
- Stand on. Spread your arms laterally parallel to the floor, clench your hands into fists. Now imagine swinging dumbbells. At the same time, bend your elbows and touch your shoulders with your fists, then straighten. Repeat 10-15 times. After finishing the exercise, shake your hands off your shoulders and relax.
- Stay in the starting position. The exercise is static. Interlace your fingers and place your palms on your forehead. So, so to speak, start lowering your head forward. Resist with your hands. Hold the pressure position for 3-5 seconds, then relax. The neck muscles work.
- Perform exercise number 3 from the complex with an exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis.
- From the starting position, without moving your neck, bring your shoulders forward, hold for 3-5 seconds, then straighten and bring your shoulder blades together and relax. Repeat several times.
- From the starting position: breathe in deeply with your nose - raise your arms to the sides and upwards, lower them in front of you - breathe out completely through your mouth. In an acute phase, raise your arms low - parallel to the floor.
On a note. For complete healing of the cervixOsteochondrosisThese exercises are not enough. However, they are useful for relieving acute pain and restoring mobility to the spine.
Micro movements
A chiropractor developed a system to help patients with cervical osteochondrosis:
- Sit in a chair and lean on your back. Now imagine that you agree with someone - shake your head slightly. You can do this for as long as you want until you get bored. As soon as a free minute was given, they sat down and did it. Free refills.
- The starting position is exactly the same as in exercise 1. Only now do not agree with the other person - barely noticeably shake your head to the left and right. Do it for as long as it is convenient. Free refills.
On a note. The exercise sets can be combined with one another. This will have a noticeable effect in a short time - the pain will subside.
massage
It is better to entrust the massage of the cervical spine to a specialist. However, if the pain is severe, if it is possible to raise your hands painlessly and put them behind your head, you can try to help yourself. There are many self-massage techniques.
The simplest self-massage is performed as follows:
- Sit in a chair. Raise your hand and place it behind your head on the opposite side of the pain.
- Start by stroking the neck in the area of inflammation. Do it gently at first, almost without pressure. Then slightly increase the intensity.
- Go down to your shoulder. As a rule, when overtaking the torticollis, not only the neck on one side hurts, but also the shoulder. Straighten your shoulder. This must be done actively so that the spasmodic muscles warm up, but there should not be any severe pain from the self-massage.
- Repeat this process on the other side of the neck. This must be done, because on the one hand the muscles are spasmodic, on the other hand they are relaxed - you need to balance their tone.
- Put both hands behind your head and place your fingers along the spine (along the spinous processes). Work your way through this area carefully but actively enough. Do not apply excessive pressure. The neck is the most sensitive part of the spine. Uncomfortable movement can injure you and make the situation worse.
- Apply an anesthetic gel or ointment that you have in your medicine cabinet to the warmed cervical spine.
Do not use warming ointments for self-massage. The skin on the neck is very sensitive, especially in the area of the arteries and in the front area. If the heating mass gets there, you can get burned.
Hirudotherapy
Treatment with leeches for osteochondrosis, especially of the cervical spine, is very effective. Hirudotherapy helps:
- Reduce pain;
- improve blood circulation in the area of influence of leeches - arterial blood flow to the brain and the outflow of venous blood are normalized;
- Relieve swelling;
- increase the effect of drugs;
- improve sleep;
- relieves mental stress;
- Significantly reduce headaches and dizziness.
Such treatment is not allowed for everyone. Do not forget to undergo a full examination before leech treatment. In the absence of contraindications, 7-10 procedures are performed. To consolidate the result in a month, you can contact a hirudotherapist again.
Home remedies
Try the following recipes:
- rub the nape of the neck with a sheet of Indian onion, cover with something warm and go to bed;
- Self-massage with honey - rub the neck and shoulder girdle with honey, then apply a towel soaked in warm water, after 10 minutes remove the remains of honey (if any) and go to bed covered with a blanket;
- take a steam bath, but not with exacerbations, then do honey massage and drink herbal tea;
- Use a needle applicator - place the plate with the needles in the area of the seventh cervical vertebra, when the sensations are bearable, then sleep on the needles - in the morning you will notice significant relief.
There are many ways to treat cervical osteochondrosis. In addition to those described, an effective therapy method is acupuncture, yoga, pilates, fitball exercises. Remember, self-medication is dangerous. Make an appointment with your doctor and get a comprehensive examination. The specialist selects the treatment individually and tells you which exercises are possible and which are not, whether self-massage is possible, whether leeches help or perhaps recommends one of the methods of alternative medicine, for example bee sting.