Many people are familiar with cervical osteochondrosis. Standing for a long time in a static position, head lowered while working on the computer, many hours "sitting" in front of the TV are factors that contribute to the onset and development of the disease. A patient faced with a disease asks himself a question: how to cure cervical osteochondrosis? The article is dedicated to the answer to the question.
Stages of development of the disease
The disease develops in stages:
- 1st degree cervical osteochondrosis is characterized by damage to the cartilage tissue, the patient feels muscle discomfort, slight malaise. Symptoms are cleared, few people go to the doctor at this stage;
- 2nd degree cervical osteochondrosis involves the destruction of the fibrous ring, a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, which are pinched, painful symptoms appear;
- cervical osteochondrosis of the 3rd degree is expressed in the further sequential destruction of the vertebrae, a change in the shape of their bodies, the proliferation of bone processes, intervertebral hernia is variable. The patient experiences difficulty, pain when she tries to turn her neck to the side
Symptoms
In the initial stage of development, osteochondrosis is asymptomatic. After a long stay with the head bowed or strenuous physical exertion, mild discomfort occurs in the back of the neck. The patient is in no hurry to consult a doctor, mistaking him for the consequences of muscle overload. The disease progresses slowly but persistently.
The main signs of the disease:
- painful sensations in the problem area - "low back pain" is given to the hand, shoulder blade;
- overload of the cervical muscles;
- numbness of the tongue - felt when eating, talking;
- paresis of the muscles of the arms, legs, accompanies any activity
When the intervertebral discs and vertebrae are deformed, the patient's condition worsens.
The course of osteochondrosis is complicated by neurogenic symptoms caused by compression by osteophytes or hernial protrusion of the spinal roots, of the vertebral artery. Headaches, dizziness, drops in blood pressure, decreased visual acuity and hearing appear.
What to do
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis requires an integrated approach. In the early stages of the development of the disease, drug treatment is not used. Enough preventive procedures:
- Organization of a healthy lifestyle;
- Proper nutrition (abstinence from spicy, fatty and high-calorie foods);
- Gymnastics (doing morning exercises for 10-15 minutes will improve physical condition);
- Give up weight lifting - load on the spine;
- Fighting bad habits;
- Assume the correct posture during sleep (orthopedic mattresses will help you), while working on the computer;
- Watch your pace.
The use of drugs
With age, osteochondrosis progresses. Treatment is aimed at combating the pathological property. It is worth reducing pain (anesthesia), reducing the intensity of the inflammatory process and intensifying the metabolism in the cervical area.
Drug groups are used:
- vitamin complexes;
- chondroprotective agents;
- analgesics;
- muscle relaxants (medicines to relieve muscle spasms).
Doctors often prescribe drugs that contain aspirin. These remedies relieve pain, fever and fight minor ailments.
The course includes sedative tablets.
A doctor who is developing a complex to combat the disease will cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with the help of drugs.
injections
Blockade is a procedure that represents the introduction of a drug into an area affected by a progressive disease process.
Only a doctor with a higher medical education performs the action. The injection reduces the intensity of the inflammatory process, reduces pain.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis, two types of injections are applicable.
In the first case, the active substance is injected in the direction of the nerve branches in the spinal cord, in the second - injections into the recurrent branch of the spinal nerve.
The last block has a more complex action, an execution technique.
ointments
An option for the treatment of osteochondrosis with the help of drugs is the use of creams, ointments, gels - means for external treatment of painful areas.
Therapy is used in the early stages of osteochondrosis. benefits:
- the use of ointments has a lower price than magnetotherapy, acupuncture;
- means for external use are convenient, convenient;
- there are no contraindications for use;
- you can use the funds for a long time, as an allergic reaction to the components is excluded.
Types of ointments used to treat osteochondrosis:
- anti-inflammatory, contains analgesic components;
- complex creams;
- irritating ointments - improve local blood circulation;
- chondroprotectors, restore cartilage tissue;
- homeopathic products, contain natural plant extracts;
- massage mixtures (in the composition - mummy, herbal ingredients, bee venom).
Non-drug treatment of osteochondrosis
Therapeutic methods are selected by the doctor based on the analysis of the stage of development of the disease. In the first stage, the patient is advised to sleep on a hard surface. If the nerves are pinched, the cervical vertebrae are extracted using the Glisson ring. As a result, the muscles and ligaments of the paravertebral area are stretched. The distance between the vertebrae increases, the nerves and blood vessels are released. You can manually stretch your spine using manual therapy. The results are given by magnetotherapy, by ultrasounds.
An important place in the system of therapeutic measures to combat osteochondrosis is occupied by physical exercises - gymnastics, swimming.
Exercise is recommended for patients in remission, healthy people as a preventive measure. The intensity of the load is gradually increased. To start, do the exercises at half strength so as not to overload the spine.
Therapy for cervical osteochondrosis is initially dangerous: in the struggle for health, you can harm the body. Treatment is prescribed by a doctor who has performed a comprehensive examination of the patient.
Correct body position
Most of the symptoms of osteochondrosis are due to the fact that if the neck is in the wrong position, the nerve endings, the blood vessels are compressed, the local blood circulation is disturbed and "stagnation zones" are formed. In this regard, doctors recommend constantly monitoring the anatomical correctness of postures, gait, posture.
Keep your back and neck straight throughout the day. If the work is of a sedentary static nature, it is important to pay attention to the height of the chair, of the table. It must be identical so that the person sits upright, without bending, without overloading the muscles.
To sleep you will need a special bed, orthopedic latex mattress. It is worth making sure that the pillow is at the correct height (measured as the distance from the neck to the shoulder joint). This position relaxes the cervical muscles during sleep, providing a healing effect.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a disease that requires an integrated approach to the organization of therapeutic and prophylactic measures to combat it. It is worth being warned against self-medication, which leads to irreversible negative health consequences. Competent medical care will cure the disease.