How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervix at home: a selection of folk remedies

Cervical osteochondrosis is a more dangerous type of disease than osteochondrosis of the thoracic and lumbar regions. This fact is explained by the fact that the neck is close to the head. Therefore, when the neck structures are damaged, various disorders in the work of the brain, organs of sight, hearing and speech begin.

Therefore, doctors advise to start treatment as soon as the disease is diagnosed. Especially if it is at an early stage.

Home treatment of cervical osteochondrosis may also be recommended. Shortly before starting treatment, you should get detailed instructions and recommendations from your doctor.

Reasons for the development of the disease

Knowing the reasons for the development of cervical osteochondrosis is necessary so that the treatment is not in vain. Above all, if the factors that contributed to the development of the pathology are not eliminated, osteochondrosis can occur again.

Main causes of cervical osteochondrosis:

1. Age - pathology often develops in older people due to physiological processes of the body aging. But in recent decades, the disease has become "new" and is being diagnosed in 30-year-old patients. This is due to the modern way of life, work factors, changes in food preferences.
2. Occupation or hobby - in most cases, degenerative-dystrophic changes in ODA tissues begin in people who overload the cervical spine or, conversely, do not give a normal load. For example, professional heavyweight athletes overload their bodies by doing strength training. And people who work on a computer or generally in a sitting position, on the contrary, "overload". In the latter case, there are no dynamic loads, but static loads over a long period of immobility are very serious.
3. Injuries, neck hypothermia or surgical interventions performed in this area.
4. Inheritance.
5. Metastases in tumors of the spine or other organs.
6. Wrong mattress (too strong or not very firm), unsuitable pillows, lying down or sitting for a long time (on a bed, sofa).

The cause of the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can also be an improper diet. Or there may be several reasons. The factors that contributed to the development of the pathology will be determined by the physician during the diagnosis process. And during and after treatment, it will be necessary to eliminate these factors, or try to reduce their pathological impact.

Symptoms and Possible Complications

Osteochondrosis of the cervix may initially develop asymptomatically. Or neck discomfort and other signs are attributed to other diseases, fatigue, stress, atmospheric conditions.

However, if several symptoms are present at the same time, this should be the reason for immediate medical attention:

1. Neck pain, eventually spreading to head, face, shoulders, shoulders, arms. The pain may pass or intensify when you turn your head to a certain position.
2. Crack in the neck, limited mobility.
3. Dizziness, fainting.
4. Nausea, vomiting.
5. Impaired motor skills, coordination of movements, shaking of hands.
6. Violation of sensitivity on the face, limbs or vice versa, the appearance of unusual sensations - goose bumps, tingling sensation.
7. Problems with the functioning of the organs of sight, hearing, speech.
8. Occurrence of hypertension or increased intracranial pressure without objective causes from the cardiovascular system.

The occurrence of these symptoms is directly related to the dystrophic processes themselves in the cervical spine. And also with vertebral artery stenosis and compression of nerve tissue - these structures pass into the spinal canal and are damaged by vertebrae.

If the disease is not treated, then sooner or later dangerous complications will arise. First, the patient loses the ability to move freely - this is the inability, the permanent loss of the ability to work. Second, the progression of the pathology is reflected in brain function, which can result in trauma in a fall, stroke, coma, or death.

Home treatment

All methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis can be divided into approximately:

1. Etiotropic and pathogenetic- those that affect the very cause of the disease, as well as the mechanism of its development. These are some types of medication, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, gymnastics, wearing a special collar.
2. Symptomatic or palliative- those that eliminate the symptoms of the disease or help reduce their severity, intensity. They are intended to alleviate the patient's condition, improve his quality of life for the treatment period and are used in addition to the first group of methods. These are novocaine blockers, taking other anesthetic medications, oils, massages.

However, most methods of therapy for osteochondrosis are to one degree or another both etiotropic and symptomatic. To quickly cure osteochondrosis, you should try to use all available methods. That is, the therapy should be as complete, comprehensive and complex as possible.

Today, surgical methods of treating osteochondrosis are widely used. But in the case of a mild form of the disease, their use is not justified.

Therefore, for home treatment, you should focus on these conservative methods:

1. Lifestyle and diet change.
2. Expectation or external application of medication.
3. Treatment with home procedures - gymnastics, exercise therapy, massage (in case of calling the masseur at home).
4. Wearing a special collar or kinesio tapes.
5. Treatment with folk remedies.

Items 1, 3, 4 can also be used during post-illness rehabilitation and as a preventative measure (to prevent future relapse).

it is desirable that the treatment program be developed by a physician, or at least agreed upon. Otherwise, it is possible to cause even greater damage to the health of the ODA, which will significantly affect the patient's condition and the cost of treatment.

Lifestyle and diet

Without normalizing your lifestyle, physical activity and reviewing your daily menu, there will be little point in treating.

What needs to change:

1. Quality of sleeping place- buy an orthopedic mattress, in addition, it is advisable to buy an orthopedic pillow.
2. Cervical spine loads- they should be moderate. It is advisable to give up heavy sports, to change hard physical work into another type of activity. With passive loads, you can even change jobs. If this is not possible, you should lengthen your neck periodically during the work day, move your head more during the work period.

You also need to start eating properly. After all, it is with food that all the necessary elements are supplied to restore muscle, nerve, cartilage and vertebral bone tissue. Therefore, food should be rich in protein, vitamins and minerals (calcium, iron, vitamins C, E, A, group B).

Medications

Main groups of pharmacological drugs prescribed by doctors:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - relieve pain and stop the inflammatory process in tissues.
2. Preparations designed to relieve pain syndrome (including anti-inflammatory, warming effects). These include injections, corticosteroid pills, oils and lotions.
3. Means intended for tissue regeneration ODA - chondroprotectors.
4. Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants to relax neck muscle tissue.
5. Vitamins and minerals, vitamin and mineral complexes.

All medicines except vitamins and painkillers should be taken during the courses. Periodic case-by-case admission will not yield results, which will affect the effectiveness of treatment.

Procedures

At home, the ability to perform physiotherapy is limited. For example, you can massage or stretch your back just by calling a specialist in your home and not everyone can afford it. But self-massage and basic physical exercises are quite real and do not require financial costs.

Self-massage can be done by hand, as the neck area is quite easy to reach. The self-massage technique is simple - you need to do gentle stroking and wrinkling movements. Helpful is useful to use a lubricant, such as Vaseline. The main thing is that the procedure does not cause pain.

You can also massage with a towel, rubbing your neck, or with a stream of warm water in the shower. Another good option is to get a stick, like a shovel handle - a round one. Such a stick is placed on the back of the shoulders, grasping the ends and pointing it up and down the surface of the neck like an arrow. If possible, you can buy massage equipment. Lyapko roller massage is very useful, it is not expensive, its effectiveness has been proven.

Neck gymnastics is also very simple. You should smoothly make a variety of curves, head anime. However, with an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, exercises do not need to be done, as the pain can be simply unbearable. From this, neck muscle spasms can begin.

Wearing orthopedic structures is an effective method of treatment

There are many benefits to wearing a personalized collar:

1. Spine support and muscle tissue relaxation.
2. The most efficient tissue regeneration.
3. Improve blood circulation, including the vertebral artery. With osteochondrosis of the cervix - this is one of the main tasks.
4. Neck fixation reduces mobility and pain.
5. Protect the neck area from damage and possible additional damage.

However, the collar has its drawbacks. Her dress is not always appropriate in the company of other people. It can also be difficult to review and perform necessary homework or work manipulations. But for the treatment period, you should try to wear a collar according to the schedule set by the doctor.

Neck tapping as a treatment method also has many advantages:

1. Aesthetically acceptable, you can freely display "in public" with the bar. Colored ribbons, if not suitable for a particular situation, can be erased from high-necked clothes.
2. Do not limit physical activity.
3. Moistureproof, does not need to be removed before showering.
4. Improve blood flow and lymph drainage, relieve pain and inflammation, edema.
5. Relieve stress on muscle tissue.
6. Massage, stimulate metabolic processes in muscles, their regeneration.

There is only one drawback of kinesio tapes - their price, but many patients can afford to pay 100 rubles for a 5-meter rotation.

Folk remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis

For oral treatment you can use:

1. Water infusion of laurel or cranberry leaves.
2. Decoction of parsley root.
3. Aqueous solution of celery juice.
4. Eating sesame seeds.
5. Herbal teas - own or purchased payments (chamomile, nettle, oregano, stalk).
6. Alcoholic infusion of chopped pine nuts.

For the treatment with compresses and rubbing, it is useful to use burdock, horseradish, red pepper (infusions, decoctions) and tar or clay, which are sold in pharmacies.

Treating cervical osteochondrosis at home is quite effective in most cases. If degenerative-dystrophic changes have already progressed strongly, it is recommended to combine home therapy with other methods of treatment. For example, use the services of a physiotherapist, massage therapist, chiropractor.

And if the disease is just beginning to develop, then medicines, home procedures and folk remedies make it possible to get a quick result. That is, to cure the spine without using the services of specialists.