There was a time when the disease was considered "age-related", but recently "osteochondrosis" is diagnosed more and more frequently up to the age of 35. This is due to a change in the rhythm of life: more people participate in sedentary and sedentary jobs. And most importantly, physical activity, flexibility decreases, and consequently blood circulation is affected, which is the main thing in the nutrition and restoration of spinal discs.
An interesting fact: according to statistics, more than 80% of the population, after 30 years, presents changes in the spine, to a greater or lesser extent.
Reasons
Osteochondrosis is the general name for the aging of the spine. The process is directly related to changes in the structure of the vertebrae and discs. Under the influence of internal and external factors, thinning of the discs occurs. Appear: bumps, hernias, instability of the vertebrae, changes in bone tissue, the appearance of osteophytes (spines, growths). And all these phenomena are complications of osteochondrosis. The course is chronic and without the absence of complex therapy makes it very difficult for later normal life.
You are probably familiar with the factors that cause dystrophic changes, but we note once again:
- Hypodynamics: contributes to the interruption of blood circulation in the neck, weakening the muscular corset.
- Curvature of the spine (stooping, lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis).
- Long stay in static positions and vice versa: increasing loads and lifting weights.
- Injuries.
- Overweight, pregnancy.
- Heredity, metabolic disorders.
Man is the only creature on the planet that suffers from spinal problems in the cervical spine. This is due to our ability to walk fully upright, as well as muscle weakness and great mobility of the neck.
A hereditary predisposition plays an important role in the formation of cervical osteochondrosis. Also, it is not necessary for relatives to have osteochondrosis. The risk zone includes people with a family history of degenerative and dystrophic diseases of the osteoarticular system (osteoarthritis, spondylitis, hernias, etc. ).
The neck is an important link. Many vessels and nerves run through it to the brain. Problems in this part of the body will certainly affect the blood circulation in the brain and the work of the upper section - shoulders, arms. Degeneration develops gradually, with an increase.
Development stages of cervical osteochondrosis
In the first stage, there is a syndrome of local pain, accompanied by sharp tension in the muscles, increasing already unpleasant sensations, restricting movements.
Pain is expressed in 2 ways:
- Cervicago - "lumbago of the neck", a sharp, sharp pain that appears when moving.
- Cervicalgia: pulling, painful, with constant muscle tension. It can take more than two weeks, even with proper treatment.
In the second stage, the "radicular" syndrome is added: compression of the nerves due to the thinning of ligaments and discs. Pain appears when sneezing, coughing. If the patient lies on his back and passively moves his head, painful sensations will appear.
Numbness of the hand from the neck to the fingertips is characteristic, especially after sleeping. The symptom disappears quickly after active movements or placing the hand behind the head. If numbness or pain persists, complications (bulging, hernia) may be developing.
In addition, there may be a sensation of "freezing" of the shoulder with the appearance of the "shoulder-hand" syndrome, when arthritis of the shoulders and hands begins due to circulatory disorders in osteochondrosis.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine include:
- Headaches and dizziness.
- Localized pain, as well as possible radiation to the shoulder, occiput, or scapula (especially the adhesion of the cervicothoracic region).
- Numbness and weakness in the arms.
- My throat tightens.
- High blood pressure (constantly high blood pressure).
- Decreased visual and auditory acuity, tinnitus (development of vertebral artery syndrome).
Interesting: changes in the disease affect important vessels in the neck that supply blood to the brain. In patients with chondrosis, there may be a "Sistine Chapel" syndrome - fainting after a strong jerk back of the head.
The pains and their location are often disguised as a serious illness: angina pectoris.
Diagnosis and treatment
It is very important to treat the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at the beginning of the degenerative processes. To do this, you should quickly seek the help of a neurologist or vertebrologist. But practice shows that they seek help, already with complications: protrusion, hernia, instability of the vertebral bodies.
The patient should be carefully examined: ultrasound of the heart, blood vessels of the brain and neck, ECG, urine collection and blood tests. It is imperative that an X-ray be taken, and in several views and in a stack with the mouth open (to see the vertebrae lining the teeth).
Unfortunately, doctors under the diagnosis of osteochondrosis adjust many diseases, since there is no time, experience, desire to identify the cause of this or that symptom. A treatment is prescribed that brings temporary relief, but the real cause remains undetected, with time everything returns or brings no relief at all. It is this situation that makes people self-medicate.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
The therapy should be as complete as possible.
- Physiotherapy.
- Drug therapy.
- Massage.
- Physiotherapy.
- Stretch.
- Stretching the cervical spine according to the Shishonin method.
- Give up habits.
Physiotherapy
The efficacy of treating osteochondrosis of the neck of the spine with the help of physiotherapy and therapeutic baths has been scientifically proven.
- Relieves pain syndrome.
- Eliminates inflammation.
- Increase the effectiveness of drug therapy and other methods to treat cervical osteochondrosis.
The therapeutic effect of physiotherapy is enhanced in the form of low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic therapy in combination with radon baths, sometimes with iodine and bromine baths.
Drug therapy
In case of complications of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine, hernias or large bumps, inflammation of the compressed nerve roots occurs. Therefore, to relieve the inflammatory symptom and stop the pain, you need to pierce the course of intramuscular injections of vitamins: B1, B6, B12. Also, with impaired blood circulation, the viscosity of the blood increases, which disrupts the supply of oxygen to the brain. It is necessary to take antiplatelet agents.
Drug therapy.
- Eliminates pain and inflammation.
- Speeds up metabolism in tissues that have been affected due to poor blood supply.
- It thins the blood, improving blood circulation.
Massage
The course of massage of the neck area is necessarily included in the treatment program for osteochondrosis of the neck.
- Muscle tension is relieved, thus releasing localized tight arteries.
- Improves blood circulation and tissue nutrition, which has a positive effect on the heart and brain.
- Muscle aches are reduced.
Unfortunately, a good massage is not free and many reject this procedure due to the high prices. But in the medical complex, massage of the cervical spine should be included for the sake of the case. Even if they warn that it is not as necessary as physical therapy exercises.
Physiotherapy exercises
Treatment of osteochondrosis with physiotherapy of the cervical spine is the main method, without which recovery is impossible. No pill can cure osteochondrosis without exercise therapy. Tune in to the fact that you have to do gymnastics every day for a whole year so that you can forget about the symptoms of the disease forever.
Important: Exercise therapy is a 70% win over osteochondrosis. Even if the pains disappeared, the disease has not disappeared anywhere. You cannot relax.
Goals and Objectives of Exercise Therapy.
- Strengthens the deep muscles of the neck and the muscular corset of the shoulder region, so that the muscles keep the head in the correct position, without tension on the intervertebral discs, and no protrusions are formed that squeeze theNerve endings. To increase the intervertebral space, thus eliminating compression of the nerve roots.
- Bring painless back movements while developing flexibility and mobility.
- Exercise speeds up and increases blood circulation, thus improving the nutrition of the intervertebral discs and surrounding muscles.
Important: Train yourself to do a series of exercises 3 times a day for the first 4 weeks, then 1 time a day for a year.
Neck exercises
Before doing any exercise, you need to warm up your muscles.
Heating
We warm up the muscles of the chest and cervical spine. Slow circular movements with the shoulders, back and forth. Each muscle must work as much as possible.
Circular Shoulder Movements - Lift as much as possible, move back, down, and then forward. When pulling back, we bring the shoulder blades together. And the same circles with each shoulder in turn.
Add arms and repeat the movements with the arms bent at the elbows. One by one, we will bring the shoulder blades back together while we withdraw our hands. And then we will also move our shoulders forward as much as possible.
This ends the warm-up. Let's start doing some basic neck exercises.
Exercise technique
Perform all movements slowly so as not to injure yourself and to avoid pinching the nerve.
Take the correct posture. The shoulders are lowered, slightly back, the chin is parallel to the floor. Static exercises are intended to train the deep muscles of the neck. Each movement has resistance for 5-8 seconds. Loosen for two seconds and repeat again. So 5 times.
- We press the palm against the temple and press on it trying to bend the head, we resist with the head, thus preventing the hand from diverting the head to one side. Do the same on the other side.
- Put your hands on the lock, support your chin and press the resisting head.
- We resist with our foreheads.
- From the back of the head
- Alternatively, the head is resisted from the side of the cheekbones
In addition to strengthening the neck muscles, it is necessary to simultaneously strengthen the shoulder girdle. Various exercises with an expander should be included in the treatment complex 2-3 times a week.
Additional load
Exercise in the form of running, brisk walking, swimming, aerobics will improve the overall blood circulation in the body. Especially from the poor blood supply, the brain suffers, it needs oxygen for cervical spine problems. Workouts last at least 20-30 minutes, up to 2 times a week.
Dry traction of the cervical spine
The dry stretch method is horizontal and vertical. This method is called traction, a very effective treatment for osteochondrosis of the spine. Young people can easily recover completely, using only one traction during treatment. Since disc recovery in youth is much faster. Of course, age inhibits recovery and the ability to restore cartilage tissue, but traction remains an important point in the complex treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck.
Stretching problems
- Increase the lumen between the vertebrae.
- Eliminates pain due to nerve root compression.
This procedure has contraindications, so don't do it without consulting your doctor. Previously, this method was practiced only in hospitals, sanatoriums and rehabilitation centers.
The stretching technique is now available at home using a treatment collar. The traction session lasts 15 minutes a day.
We have analyzed the entire cervical spine treatment program, it remains to talk about the usual way of life, which must also change in perfect order.
Important: All of the above methods should be discussed with your doctor.
Break Habits
We understand that laziness and excuses lead to early osteochondrosis. If you don't beat them, then you don't need this item. Drink pain relievers and keep living like before. You can try to fix some bad habits though.
- Sleep on an orthopedic pillow and mattress.
- Don't lie on a high pillow for hours, when you have your head up while reading, play with the phone. At this point, the cervical vertebrae press on the blood vessels, interrupting blood circulation.
- A stationary position in the computer when there is no control over time. Set your alarm clock every hour to warm up your stiff neck muscles.
- Move more: Play sports, exercise outdoors, walk 10, 000 steps a day.
Summarizing
Course procedures: injections, massages and physiotherapy are done 1 month every six months. During this period, physical therapy exercises increase up to 3 times a day.
In other months every day:
- Exercise therapy: 1 time a day.
- Stretch.
Repeat the procedures after 5 months. And this rate is at least one year. Positive results are noticeable in a month.
The prior art is not an algorithm for all cases of cervical osteochondrosis treatment. All points should be discussed with a doctor. But if the doctor prescribes only one method, for example, physiotherapy, massage, the effect will be temporary. The treatment is long, so it is best to immediately tune in to the success of the recovery. Trust me, you won't go back to your old way of life if you start practicing and feel relief.
How cervical osteochondrosis is treated
Several groups of drugs are prescribed for basic drug treatment.
- Pain relievers are prescribed in tablets or, for particularly severe pain, novocaine blockade.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Nurofen, Diclofenac.
- Irritating ointments - finalgon, capsicam.
- Preparations to relax the neck muscles - muscle relaxants.
- One cycle of intramuscular vitamin B injections
Support with currents, massage, warming (put cans, mustard plasters) is prescribed during the period of relief from the main pain syndrome. During the period of exacerbation, pain always appears, to relieve them, as well as muscle tension, perform the exercise therapy complex presented above, apply an inexpensive pepper plaster.
Important: any head turning exercise is prohibited in case of vertebral artery syndrome, when the neck vessels are pinched due to osteochondrosis.
At home, it is effective to take soothing baths with decoctions of herbs, compresses and rubs (for example, using propolis, aloe). The Russian bath copes well with muscle tension. A traditional steam room with broom relaxes, reduces pain and encourages.
In extreme cases, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention, when there is a danger that complications due to compression could lead to disability. Namely: complete compression of blood vessels or nerves, significant growth of osteophytes or appearance of a hernial bulge. The operation is carried out according to all the rules of neurosurgery, under a microscope and with minimal incisions.