Osteochondrosis is a disease when the vertebrae are damaged, which causes compression of the intervertebral discs. This leads to pain due to pinching of nerve fibers. The narrowed blood flow leads to disruption of internal organs. When this disease manifests itself in the cervical spine, it affects the blood supply to the soft tissues of the head and brain, disrupts the passage of nerve impulses to the central nervous system.
Why does cervical osteochondrosis occur?
This condition can be caused by:
- Hereditary predisposition to a decrease in the volume of the intervertebral discs.
- Back, neck or limb injuries.
- Weakening of skeletal muscles.
- Difficult working conditions.
- Improper or excessive strength training.
- Infectious diseases.
- Shoes that cause changes in gait, which increase the load on the spine.
- Unbalanced diet.
- Genetic diseases.
Most of the causes that provoke cervical osteochondrosis and its symptoms can be prevented.It is necessary to create the right working conditions, as well as to choose physical activities that strengthen the muscles that support the spine. But it is not always possible to do this in time, because a person rarely thinks about a problem that does not yet exist. Therefore, you need to know what the most common signs of osteochondrosis of the neck are:
- decreased range of motion;
- constant or stabbing pain;
- creaking of the vertebrae when moving the head;
- headaches that do not go away with medication;
- numbness of one or more limbs;
- tremor of limbs or involuntary muscle contraction;
- dizziness, loss of movement coordination or consciousness;
- tinnitus (ringing or grinding in the ears);
- problems remembering or using learned information;
- loss of memories;
- problems with the work of the sphincters of the rectum and the neck of the bladder.
Each osteochondrosis of the neck is unique and affects different body functions, so some of the symptoms may be absent. But patients still experience difficulty in turning their head, pain and, when the condition worsens, headache and dizziness.
How to determine the disease at home
The pain caused by osteochondrosis can be both pulsating, short-term and long-lasting and constantly bother a person. When the neck is affected, the discomfort extends to the shoulder girdle and is most often on the side of the working arm. In this case, the pain can be both in the neck and between the shoulder blades, and affect the whole arm.
The complexity of diagnosis stems from the fact that discomfort can change over time, due to changes in body position, stress or other reasons. Therefore, the first signs of osteochondrosis can be attributed to overwork or muscle fatigue. But over time, bouts of pain and stiffness become more frequent and intense, making it necessary to determine the cause and begin treatment.
It is quite difficult to independently determine the cause of pain in cervical osteochondrosis at home.In order for suspicions of osteochondrosis to become justified, it is necessary to exclude other options. Most often the pain is caused by muscle tension, poor posture during sleep or at work. Therefore, it is necessary to improve these conditions in order to understand whether they are the main source of unpleasant sensations.
If problems with the neck persist, this is a serious symptom that can speak of both osteochondrosis and other diseases, such as:
- tumors;
- infection;
- nerve root compression.
Therefore, you should consult a doctor and take an X-ray. This will let you know if there are any injuries or other signs of outside influence.
After learning that the neck is affected by osteochondrosis, regardless of the methods of obtaining information, it is still not clear what caused the disease. You can independently determine only the violation of working conditions, power loads and injuries. The rest of the diseases can be recognized only after passing a full examination - this is necessary, since an infection that affects the spine or other similar disorders poses a serious danger to health and life.
How to treat osteochondrosis with drugs and folk remedies
After making a diagnosis, you need to adopt a treatment plan that the doctor will develop or create yourself. When choosing its points, it is important to emphasize an integrated approach in the choice of means and the systematic implementation of all recommendations.
What to do with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine:
- apply medication;
- use folk remedies;
- do physiotherapy;
- change lifestyle in order to eliminate the underlying cause of the disease.
Medications include:
- Oral and topical preparations that relieve pain and reduce inflammation, but do not contain steroid substances.
- Analgesics containing corticosteroids.
- Muscle relaxants.
- Antidepressants (if the work of the central nervous system is depressed, which caused a violation of the emotional background).
- Anti-inflammatory ointments.
- Dressings for pain relief.
Folk methods include:
- Herbal decoctions and infusions used orally. The effect of the funds depends on the raw materials used for them. It can be both general strengthening compounds that saturate the body with useful substances, as well as painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Compresses - most often warming, in order to relieve spasms of the neck muscles and allow the spine to return to its original position.
- Rubbing - rubbing folk remedies into the skin, often combined with massage or self-massage. It has a different direction of action, but is most often used to relieve pain, warm up and relax muscles.
Physiotherapy includes:
- Massage performed by a medical professional - medical procedures have a beneficial effect on the spine and back muscles. In case of violation of the neck, you can not use the services of a massage therapist who specializes in conducting relaxation sessions only.
- Self-massage - correctly performed actions help warm up the neck muscles, relieve spasms and restore blood circulation in the cervical and shoulder regions.
- Improving working conditions, choosing the right furniture to maintain the correct posture, and in sedentary work - frequent breaks during which physical movements are performed.
- Increase the number of walks, using shoes with shock-absorbing soles. Walking helps to create the correct load on the back, especially on the lumbar region, due to which clamps in the skeletal muscles are removed and the spine returns to the anatomically correct position.
- Perform a warm-up in the morning, including both exercises for the neck and shoulder girdle, and affecting other parts of the body. In this case, all movements are performed only with their own weight or, in rare cases, light dumbbells are allowed.
- Sauna or bath - a visit to the steam room with a course of 10-12 times can significantly reduce tension in the muscles of the back and activate the metabolic processes in the body.
- Procedures prescribed by a doctor and carried out using special equipment (electrophoresis, etc. ).
In addition, swimming in the pool is a good way to maintain optimal muscle tone, relieve spasms and eliminate atrophy. This should be done constantly and should be started as soon as the inflammation stops. The first visits should receive a moderate load on the shoulder girdle, after which it should be gradually increased until swimming becomes a full-fledged workout.
Subject to the recommendations of the doctor, remission occurs quite quickly if the disease has not turned into a moderate or severe form. But it is important to remember that even the complete disappearance of symptoms is not a sign of a cure.