Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is asymptomatic as long as the intervertebral discs perform their cushioning functions. As soon as their thickness begins to decrease, instability occurs. The body compensates for this with the growth of osteophytes, as a result, a person feels 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 imperative to do special therapeutic exercises, massage, take courses in hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches), and also do elementary exercises at home. In addition to the main treatment, the use of folk remedies is allowed.
Medications
The doctor's priority is to relieve the patient of pain. For these purposes, a whole complex of drugs is used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug;
- anesthetics and hormones (for blockages);
- muscle relaxants;
- chondroprotectors;
- sedatives and antidepressants;
- B vitamins.
The groups of drugs listed 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 hormonal agents are injected at the place of pain (paravertebral or vagosympathetic) - the pain syndrome stops instantly. The patient is then put on a neck brace for a while so that he cannot suddenly move his head.
- Muscle relaxants are used to relax spastic muscles.
- Chondroprotectors improve the nutrition of the intervertebral discs. Their reception begins at the same time as NSAIDs. Usually, the use of chondroprotectors is long-term and complex. This means that the doctor can prescribe, along with external agents, oral medications, as well as injections.
- Sedatives and antidepressants help the patient to cope with stress, prevent depression, which in turn helps to cope with muscle tension.
- Complex preparations of B vitamins. Lack of B1, 6 and 12 negatively affects nerve fibers and neuronal conduction. First, the drugs are prescribed in the form of short injections, then they move on to supportive therapy and take pills.
On a note. Most NSAIDs and chondroprotectors come in a variety of forms - as tablets, ointments, injections, as well as rectal suppositories (NSAIDs) and patches (NSAIDs).
Therapeutic gymnastics and massage
As soon as the pain syndrome disappears, it is necessary to gradually increase the motor activity of the cervical spine. If the patient has suffered a blockade, the dressing is removed after about a week.
Some doctors believe it is always necessary to move. When the patient is prescribed bed rest, it is believed to help cope with the disease, but in fact the person gets the opposite effect - on one side of the neck, muscles spasmodic, if muscle relaxantshave not been used, remain constrained, on the other hand, we observe their slow weakening (sagging or loss of tone). As a result, returning to a working rhythm, a patient with cervical osteochondrosis within a fairly short time will inevitably again face pain, limited mobility and muscle spasms. If you engage in dosed and step-by-step physical education, but consistently, you can achieve pain relief with minimal use of pain relievers.
The same point of view is shared by physiotherapists and chiropractors. Their techniques are based on movement and not on the bed, as recommended by 90% of doctors trying to relieve a patient with cervical osteochondrosis from pain.
Exercises for acute pain
It is a static gymnastics, in which the cervical spine does not perform any movement. The physiotherapist recommends performing the following 3 exercises for headaches, tinnitus, 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 resting your chin on your hands, as if you want to lower your head. At this time, the spine is not involved in any way, but the muscles in the front of the neck are tense. Press down on your hands for 3-5 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. Begin to turn your head to the right, while resisting with your hand. The head is still. Press for 3-5 seconds, then remove your 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. At the moment of the pressure, linger 3 to 5 seconds. Then lower your arms and relax. Repeat several times.
You don't need to put pressure on your hands with all your might. It will backfire on you - the pain will intensify. All movements are as smooth as possible, slow, smooth. The number of approaches per day is 2-3 times.
On a note. Static exercises are similar to micro-movement techniques. As a result, the muscles relax, the pain gradually subsides.
A universal set of exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
Gymnastics can be performed independently, at home, both during remission and at the time of exacerbation.
The universal complex consists of 6 exercises:
- Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart, widen your chest. Place your hands on your shoulders. Perform symmetrical circular movements backwards (at least 10 times), then forward (10 times). The body and the neck are motionless. After you finish the exercise, lower your arms and shake your shoulders, relax.
- Keep standing. Spread your arms out to the sides parallel to the floor, clench your hands in fists. Now imagine that you are swinging dumbbells. At the same time, bend your elbows and touch your shoulders with your fists, then straighten up. Repeat 10-15 times. After you finish the exercise, shake your hands off your shoulders and relax.
- Stay in the starting position. The exercise is static. Intertwine your fingers and place your palms on your forehead. Begin, so to speak, to bow your head forward. Resist with your hands. Hold the squeeze position for 3-5 seconds, then relax. The muscles of the neck are working.
- Do exercise number 3 of the complex with 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 deeply with your nose - raise your arms to the sides and upwards, lower yourself in front of you - exhale completely through your mouth. In an acute period, raise your arms down - parallel to the floor.
On a note. For complete healing of the cervixosteochondrosisthese exercises are not enough. However, they are suitable for relieving acute pain and restoring mobility of the spine.
Micromovements
A chiropractor has developed a system to help patients with cervical osteochondrosis:
- Sit on a chair and lean on your back. Now imagine that you have agreed with someone - shake your head slightly. You can do this for as long as you want, until you are bored. As soon as a free minute was given, they sat down and did it. Free filling.
- The starting position is exactly the same as in exercise 1. Only now do not agree with the interlocutor - barely shake your head left and right. Do as long as it's convenient for you. Free filling.
On a note. The sets of exercises can be combined with each other. It will give 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, with severe pain, if it is possible to lift your hands up and put your hands behind your head without pain, you can try to help yourself. There are many self-massage techniques.
The simplest self-massage is done as follows:
- Sit on a chair. Raise and place your hand behind your head on the opposite side of the pain.
- Start stroking your neck in the area of inflammation. Do it gently at first, almost without pressure. Then increase the intensity slightly.
- Go down to the shoulder. As a rule, when the torticollis protrudes, not only the neck on one side hurts, but also the shoulder. Stretch your shoulder. This should be done actively so that the spasmodic muscles warm up, but there should be no severe pain caused by 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 equalize their tone.
- Place both hands behind your head and place your fingers along the spine (along the spinous processes). Work carefully, but quite actively, in this area. Do not apply excessive pressure. The neck is the most delicate part of the spine. A clumsy gesture can hurt you and make the situation worse.
- Apply the 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 of the neck is very delicate, especially in the arteries and in the front. If the heating compound gets into it, you can burn yourself.
Hirudotherapy
Treatment with leeches for osteochondrosis, especially of the cervical spine, is very effective. Hirudotherapy helps to:
- reduce pain;
- improve blood circulation in the zone of influence of leeches - the flow of arterial blood to the brain and the outflow of venous blood is normalized;
- relieve swelling;
- increase the effect of drugs;
- improve sleep;
- relieve psychological stress;
- dramatically reduce headaches and dizziness.
Not everyone is allowed for such treatment. Remember to have a full examination before treatment for leeches. If there are no contraindications, 7-10 procedures are performed. To consolidate the result in a month, you can again turn to a hirudotherapist.
Folk remedies
Try the following recipes:
- rub the nape of the neck with an Indian onion leaf, cover it with something warm and go to bed;
- honey self-massage - rub the neck and shoulder girdle with honey, then apply a towel soaked in lukewarm water, after 10 minutes remove the remains of honey (if any) and go to bed, covered with ablanket;
- take a steam bath, but not during exacerbations, then massage with honey and drink herbal tea;
- use a needle applicator - place the plate with needles in the area of the seventh cervical vertebra, if the sensations are tolerable, 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 that self-medication is dangerous. Make an appointment with your doctor and get a full checkup. The specialist will individually select the treatment and tell you which exercises can be performed and which are not, whether self-massage is possible, whether leeches will help or, perhaps, recommend one of the methods of alternative medicine, for examplebee sting.