Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system characterized by destructive changes in the discs and vertebrae of the cervical spine. The disease is quite common because the cervical vertebrae experience severe stress and almost constant stress throughout human life. Anyone who cares about their health should know what cervical osteochondrosis, its symptoms, treatment at home is entirely possible if the specialist deems it acceptable. But in some cases, inpatient treatment is required.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
Osteopondrosis develops gradually, regardless of which cervical vertebrae it affects. Each stage of the pathology will have its own symptoms and signs.
Cervical osteochondrosis is a major threat to the body because some patients do not at first attribute the discomfort they experience to severe symptoms that require medical attention. The situation is that injuries to the spinal column lead to disorders of the central nervous system, causing symptoms and signs that are in no way characteristic of normal injuries of the musculoskeletal system, such as instability of blood pressure. Often the symptoms themselves are quite vague.
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis that require close attention are:
- Systemic and non-systemic dizziness. It is caused by a sharp pathological compression of the vessels of the brain, a sharp compression of the nerve roots by the vertebrae, and a reflex increase in intracranial pressure.
- Pain in the cervical spine, sometimes radiating to the shoulders, shoulder blades and various parts of the upper limbs. Pain and discomfort most often occur after sleep. Often the pain is accompanied by a sound typical of damaged discs - a crisp sound when you move your neck. Sharp pinching of the nerves leads to muscle relaxation in different parts of the body, muscle weakness can appear for no reason, such as in the legs. Sometimes the sensitivity in the neck-collar zone decreases sharply.
- Sharp jumps and drops in blood pressure that are closely related to the effect of the central nervous system on the body’s blood supply function. The pressure rises sharply with prolonged uncomfortable posture, stress, sharp twists of the head and neck.
If the above symptoms occur, consult a specialist immediately to establish the correct diagnosis and prescribe the most effective treatment.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Therapy is prescribed depending on the stage of development of the disease, the period of exacerbation or remission, and the intensity of the onset of symptoms and signs.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home is not quick, it is quite long. To restore the musculoskeletal system, the body will need a lot of time, effort and the application of complex therapeutic methods.
Drug treatment
The complex of drugs, dosages, and duration of the course are rigorously selected by the physician, depending on many factors: the stage of development of the disease, the age of the patient, the individual tolerance of the components of the drugs, and so on. The following drugs are used:
- Painkillers, tablets and injections. They help to remove the pain syndrome and relieve the person of the discomfort caused by the destructive changes.
- Hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs that are needed to eliminate the body's aggressive response to bone destruction and its abnormal effects on muscles.
- Chondoprotectors - pharmaceutical preparations containing active substances capable of restoring, regenerating and strengthening bone tissue;
- Muscle relaxants are pharmacological agents that weaken the intensity of painful muscle tension in the injured spine.
- Synthetic vitamin preparations that contain minerals and trace elements that normalize metabolic processes and fill nutritional deficiencies with beneficial substances.
- In addition to tablets and injections, various ointments and gels may be used to provide a topical effect on the skin in the affected area.
- Oral medications help well in complex therapy. These can be warming, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, chondoprotective or complex (containing several active ingredients).
Gymnastics
Special gymnastics are extremely useful in the treatment of osteochondrosis, which includes exercises to strengthen the body’s natural forces, initiate an accelerated regeneration process, and restore lost locomotor function in the spine. In some cases, the usual set of exercises is complemented by various sports, such as swimming or yoga. The decision on additional loads for cervical osteochondrosis is made only by a physician. During physiotherapy exercises, do not bend or tilt your head sharply, try to avoid spins. The range of exercises required for the sport is selected by a specialist, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient and the specific clinical case.
Nutrition
It is essential that the patient follow a special diet in the treatment of osteochondrosis. During the disease, the body needs a balanced diet that contains the nutrients needed for rapid recovery. You should try to give up harmful, sweet, fatty, hard-to-digest foods that are salty and peppery. The menu should include dairy products with large amounts of cereals, nuts, calcium, lean meat and fish, fruits and vegetables.
Other elements of complex treatment
Surgery is used only in the most extreme cases where the destructive destruction of the spine is so severe that no conservative therapy can restore damaged bones, nerves, and discs.
For any pathology of the musculoskeletal system, massage therapy is used to provide additional effects on the muscles. The massage is performed in a prone position, face down, in an extremely infrequent sitting position - only in cases where the pathology is in the early stages of development. It is best to trust a professional, as self-massage can cause a lot of damage and irreparable side effects in musculoskeletal disorders. The loads on the muscles, their intensity, the frequency of tapping and stroking in this case are strictly limited.
In order to relieve the load from the injured spine, you should try to give anatomical shape to the vertebrae and discs. Modern orthopedic products (orthopedic collars, pillows and mattresses) help to quickly and comfortably restore the spine to the desired shape and position without injury or negative side effects.
In general, the method of treating cervical osteochondrosis combines the complex application of the above methods in each clinical case.