Cervical osteochondrosis is malnutrition and gradual destruction of the cervical vertebrae. The disorder is manifested by pain in the neck, which radiates to the shoulders, arms and head. If left untreated, cervical osteochondrosis progresses and is accompanied not only by severe spasms, dizziness, numbness of the limbs, tinnitus caused by pinched blood vessels may appear.
We have prepared material for all those who face the problem of cervical osteochondrosis and want to treat it at home.
The reasons for the development of pathology
Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease of our time. The main reason for its appearance is a sedentary lifestyle. This causes an increase in the load on the cervical region, under the influence of which a spasm occurs in the muscles, which impairs blood circulation. Nutritional processes, which are associated with the movement of blood in the cervical spine, are disrupted, the structure of the intervertebral discs and joints between the vertebrae changes. Over time, bone growths form on the cervical vertebrae, this reduces the mobility of the cervical spine, causes pain and numbness in the shoulder girdle.
Other causes of cervical osteochondrosis include:
- posture disorders;
- weight gain;
- constant strain on the back during work (drivers, employees);
- increased physical activity;
- spinal injury.
signs and symptoms
It is possible to detect the presence of cervical osteochondrosis already in the early stages, since with small changes in the structure of the cervical vertebrae, a person can already experience discomfort. Over time, the influence of degenerative changes increases. As a result of the manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis, it can be divided into the following stages:
- Mild neck pain, may worsen with head movement.
- The pain intensifies, can radiate to the shoulders or arms. It is accompanied by weakness, distraction, headache.
- Painful sensations become permanent, numbness of the hands is added.
- There are attacks of severe dizziness with tinnitus, dark spots in front of the eyes, impaired coordination, numbness of the tongue, decreased vision.
Violations in the cervical spine are very dangerous, as the nerve root of the spinal cord and the arteries responsible for feeding the brain are pinched. If you find signs of cervical osteochondrosis, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible.
Basics of treatment
Conservative therapy in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis shows high efficiency. All his activities can be done at home with the permission of a doctor.
Treatment focuses on:
- remove the load from the spine;
- elimination of pain;
- removal of muscle contractures;
- prevent further changes in the tissues surrounding the cervical vertebrae;
- elimination of numbness;
- normalization of sleep.
To achieve the set goals, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is based on three directions: treatment with natural materials and animal components (herbs, eggs, animal fats), massage and physiotherapy.
Home treatment methods
For the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home, you can use plant and animal raw materials purchased at a pharmacy or collected on your own. But since a large number of components of natural origin are allergens, it is important to make sure that you do not have allergic reactions before using any popular recipe.
Alcoholic tablet
Mix 300 ml of medical alcohol, 10 ml of iodine, 10 pre-crushed analgesic tablets, 10 ml of camphor alcohol. In the resulting solution, moisten the cloth and apply compresses to the affected area until the pain subsides. If there are wounds or inflammation on the skin, the compress should be discarded.
Potato wrap
Grate 1 potato and add 2 tablespoons of liquid honey. It is important that there are no crystals in the honey, otherwise they can cause tissue burns. Put the gruel in a thin cloth and apply to the cervical region.
Infusion of pine
The buds for the preparation of the product are harvested in early May, when their size reaches only 2 cm Cut the collected buds into rings, cover with sugar in a ratio of 1: 2 and leave in a dark place for 2 weeks. As a result, the mixture should take on a golden brown color and a rich fir smell. Take it inside 3 times a day for a teaspoon. You need to hold the mixture in your mouth for 2 minutes. The admission course is 2-3 weeks.
Horseradish tea towel
The horseradish root is grated, after which the gruel is squeezed to get the juice. It is mixed with alcohol in a 1: 1 ratio. The resulting mixture is rubbed into the cervical area, where severe pain is felt, but without affecting the areas under which the lymph nodes are located.
Ginger ointment
Grate 50 g of ginger root and 3 cloves of garlic, add 3 tablespoons of butter. Rub into problem areas.
Needle decoction
Take 250 g of pine or spruce needles, pour 1 liter of cold water, cook for half an hour. Take 2 times a day, half an hour after meals, with an 8-hour break. The admission course is 1 month.
Decoction of dandelion
You will need dried dandelion roots for cooking. They are crushed in an amount of 15 g, filled with 250 ml of hot water and kept in a water bath for 15 minutes. Then the broth is left to cool for 50 minutes, filtered, diluted with water to obtain 250 ml. Take 3 times a day before meals, 75 ml.
Radish wrap
It is used for pain relief, do not use if there is inflammation in the neck. Grate the radish on a fine grater, lay it on a tea towel and cover it with another tea towel. Apply the compress to the neck and secure with cling film. Radish juice causes a warming effect and a burning sensation, keep the compress until the burning sensation is tolerated.
Honey pack
Mix 15 g each of honey and coarse salt. Place on a soft, natural fabric. Apply the compress to the neck, cover with paper and secure with a scarf. Repeat every day before bedtime until the pain subsides.
In addition, for the effective treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, it is worthwhile to arrange the correct sleeping place. The surface should be moderately hard, put a small soft pillow under the head and a sandbag or special roller under the neck.
It is important to stretch the cervical vertebrae and neck muscles, so hang on the horizontal bar 2 times a day.
Include foods rich in vitamin B in your diet. It is found in pineapple, nuts, cranberries, potatoes, spinach, peas, garlic, almost all meat products, but especially in beef and chicken offal. There is a lot of vitamin B in tuna, pink salmon, cod roe and sturgeon. Eggs, seeds and nuts contain vitamin B. You can also take B vitamins at the pharmacy, but only after consulting a doctor.
Massage
The independent kneading of the neck will help to increase blood circulation and thus provide the necessary nutrition of the tissues, and the massage also prevents the deposition of salts, relieves pain and relaxes the muscles.
Self-massage for cervical osteochondrosis:
- Sit in a chair or other moderately hard surface to be able to keep your back straight.
- Cross one leg over the other. Place your elbow on your feet so that your toes touch the back of your neck.
- Put the fingers of the other hand on the nape of the neck.
- Perform soft and light rubbing movements, knead and finally stroke with the fingertips on the back of the head, back and sides of the neck. All movements are performed slowly and without strong pressure. Duration 8-10 minutes.
Physical therapy
Performing physiotherapy exercises is a prerequisite for the effective treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. The main goal of physical therapy is to increase the mobility of the patient's cervical vertebrae, improve the hydration of the intervertebral discs, which makes it possible to facilitate neck movements and relieve pain. Before exercising, consult your doctor, he will help you choose the optimal regimen and timing.
It is forbidden during physical therapy to strongly bend the neck or perform active rotations of the head, only a slight hint of such movements will be corrected. Despite the apparent simplicity, this method of treating cervical osteochondrosis has proved effective. All exercises are painless, do not cause dizziness and help activate the nutrition of the damaged area.
Needle applicator
This simple device for performing acupuncture at home has proven to be very effective in treating and relieving the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. Due to the action of the smaller needles of the applicator, blood circulation is activated at the site of exposure and pain is relieved. To treat cervical osteochondrosis, a roller-shaped applicator is needed. It is placed under the neck and pressed for 30 minutes or fixed with a strap. At this time, you will feel warm and after that the pain will disappear. The procedure is performed daily for 30 minutes for 3 weeks, followed by a 1 week break.
Such a remedy also has contraindications. The applicator is not used in pregnancy, oncology, epilepsy, skin diseases at the site of exposure, hemophilia, severe cardiovascular insufficiency.
Training tool
Cervical osteochondrosis is a gradual destruction of the spine. This problem has irreversible consequences and does not allow you to live your usual life. Therefore, it is necessary to spend time on its treatment, and it is important to do it in different directions. Massage, physical therapy, acupuncture - all this allows you to remove the clamps from the muscles, increase the blood supply to the cervical spine, stretch the intervertebral discs so that they do not deform, but stretch and fill with moisture. A home trainer has been specially developed to achieve all of these goals.
It is a frame system with handles and rollers. All rollers have different diameters, the largest of which - the active roller has a targeted effect on problem areas. Just install it in the place where the greatest impact is required, in this case in the neck, lie down on the simulator with your back, fix your hands on the handles and perform back and forth swaying movements. 10 minutes a day are enough to obtain the desired therapeutic effect. Especially for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a roller with wooden spikes was added to the simulator set, which perform an acupuncture function.
When practicing on the simulator, the entire spine is gently stretched, blood circulation in the cervical spine is improved, and muscle clamps are removed. Together with the cervical spine, the entire spine and the occipital area are massaged.
Natural oak and ash wood is used for the manufacture of the simulator, the design can withstand high loads and is suitable for people with a high body weight. The length of the different models also varies so that you can purchase a simulator for your height.
Depending on the degree of cervical osteochondrosis, on average, it will take 2 months to recover. As a result, the pains will disappear, normal blood circulation will be restored, dizziness will disappear and, in general, the physical condition of the whole organism will improve.
Briefly about the advantages of the simulator:
- massage, acupuncture and physical therapy with a simulator;
- suitable for the treatment of all back problems;
- made of resistant, light and compact wood;
- easy to use;
- suitable for the whole family.
The spine is the inner core of the body, on which the condition of your body depends. Pay attention to his health with an exercise machine to keep him healthy and mobile for years to come.