Cervical osteochondrosis is a gradual malnutrition and destruction of the cervical vertebrae. The disorder manifests as pain in the neck, radiating to the shoulders, arms, and head. If left untreated, cervical osteochondrosis progresses and is accompanied not only by severe spasms, dizziness, numbness of the limbs, tinnitus caused by pinched blood vessels may appear.
We have prepared material for all people who are faced with the problem of cervical osteochondrosis and want to cure it at home.
The reasons for the development of pathology
Cervical osteochondrosis is a disease of our time. The main reason for its appearance is a sedentary lifestyle. This causes an increased load on the cervical region, under the influence of which a spasm occurs in the muscles, which affects blood circulation. Nutritional processes, which are associated with the movement of blood in the cervical spine, are disrupted, the structure of the intervertebral discs and the joints between the vertebrae change. Over time, bony growths form on the cervical vertebrae, this reduces the mobility of the cervical spine, causes pain and numbness in the shoulder girdle.
Other causes of cervical osteochondrosis include:
- posture disorders;
- increased body weight;
- constant strain on the back during work (drivers, office workers);
- Increased physical activity;
- spinal injury.
Signs and symptoms
It is possible to detect the presence of cervical osteochondrosis already in the early stages, since with minor changes in the structure of the cervical vertebrae, a person may already feel discomfort. Over time, the influence of degenerative changes increases. As a result of the manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis, it can be divided into the following stages:
- Mild neck pain, which may be worse with head movement.
- The pain intensifies, it can radiate to the shoulders or arms. It is accompanied by weakness, distraction, headache.
- Painful sensations become permanent, numbness of the hands is added.
- There are attacks of severe dizziness with tinnitus, dark spots in front of the eyes, impaired coordination, numbness of the tongue, decreased vision.
Violations in the cervical spine are very dangerous, as they pinch the nerve root of the spinal cord and the arteries that are responsible for feeding the brain. If you find signs of cervical osteochondrosis, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible.
Treatment basics
Conservative therapy in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis shows high efficiency. All your activities can be done at home with the permission of a doctor.
Treatment focuses on:
- remove the load from the spine;
- elimination of pain;
- elimination of muscle contractures;
- prevent further changes in the tissues surrounding the cervical vertebrae;
- elimination of numbness;
- normalization of sleep.
To achieve the established objectives, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is based on three directions: treatment with natural materials and animal components (herbs, eggs, animal fats), massage and physiotherapy.
Home treatment methods
For the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home, you can use vegetable and animal raw materials purchased at a pharmacy or collected on your own. But since a large number of naturally-occurring components are allergens, it is important to make sure that you do not have an allergic reaction before using any popular recipes.
Alcohol compress
Mix 300 ml of medical alcohol, 10 ml of iodine, 10 pre-crushed analgesic tablets, 10 ml of camphor alcohol. In the resulting solution, moisten the cloth and apply compresses to the affected area until the pain disappears. If there are wounds or inflammations on the skin, the compress should be discarded.
Potato compress
Grate 1 potato and add 2 tablespoons of runny honey. It is important that there are no crystals in the honey, otherwise they can cause tissue burns. Put the porridge on a thin cloth and apply it to the cervical region.
Pine infusion
The buds for the production of the product are harvested at the beginning of May, when their size reaches only 2 cm. Cut the collected buds into rings, cover with sugar in a 1: 2 ratio and leave in a dark place for 2 weeks. As a result, the mixture should take on a golden brown color and a rich spruce smell. Take it inside 3 times a day for one teaspoon. You should keep the mixture in your mouth for 2 minutes. The admission course is 2-3 weeks.
Horseradish ointment
Horseradish root is grated, after which the porridge is squeezed to obtain juice. It is mixed with alcohol in a 1: 1 ratio. The resulting mixture is rubbed into the cervical area, where severe pain is felt, but without affecting the areas below which the lymph nodes are located.
Ginger salve
Grate 50 g of ginger root and 3 cloves of garlic, add 3 tablespoons of butter. Rub into problem areas.
Decoction of needles
Take 250 g of pine or fir needles, pour 1 liter of cold water, cook for half an hour. Take 2 times a day, half an hour after meals, with a break of 8 hours. The admission course is 1 month.
Dandelion decoction
You will need dried dandelion roots for cooking. They are crushed in a quantity of 15 g, filled with 250 ml of hot water and kept in a water bath for 15 minutes. The broth is then allowed to cool for 50 minutes, filtered, diluted with water to make 250 ml. Take 3 times a day before meals, 75 ml.
Radish compress
It is used for pain relief, do not use if there is inflammation in the neck. Grate the radish on a fine grater, place it on a cloth and cover it with another cloth. Apply the compress to the neck and secure with plastic wrap. Radish juice causes a warming effect and a burning sensation, hold the compress until the burning sensation is tolerated.
Honey compress
Mix 15 g of honey and coarse salt. Lay on a soft, natural fabric. Apply the compress to the neck, cover with paper and secure with a tissue. Repeat every day at bedtime until the pain goes away.
Also, for the effective treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, it is worth organizing the right place to sleep. The surface should be moderately hard, put a small soft pillow under your head and a sandbag or a special roller under your neck.
It's important to stretch your cervical vertebrae and neck muscles, so hang onto the horizontal bar 2 times a day.
Include foods rich in vitamin B in your diet. It is found in pineapples, nuts, blueberries, potatoes, spinach, peas, garlic, almost all meat products, but especially beef and chicken offal. There is a lot of B vitamins in tuna, pink salmon, pollock roe, and sturgeon. Eggs, seeds and nuts contain vitamin B. You can also take pharmacy B vitamins, but only after consulting a doctor.
Massage
Independent kneading of the neck will help to increase blood circulation and thus provide the necessary nutrition for the tissues, and the massage also prevents the deposition of salts, relieves pain and relaxes the muscles.
Self-massage for cervical osteochondrosis:
- Sit on a chair or other moderately hard surface so you can keep your back straight.
- Cross one leg over the other. Place your elbow on your feet so that your fingers touch the back of your neck.
- Place the fingers of your other hand on the back of your head.
- Use light, gentle rubbing, kneading, and finally fingertip stroking motions on the back of the head, the back, and the sides of the neck. All movements are done slowly and without much pressure. Duration 8-10 minutes.
Exercise therapy
Performing physical therapy exercises is a prerequisite for effective treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. The main goal of exercise therapy is to increase the mobility of the patient's cervical vertebrae, improve hydration of the intervertebral discs, allowing easier neck movements and pain relief. Before exercising, consult your doctor, he will help you choose the optimal regimen and timing.
During exercise therapy it is forbidden to strongly bend the neck or make active head rotations, only a slight hint of such movements will be correct. Despite the apparent simplicity, this method of treating cervical osteochondrosis has proven to be effective. All exercises are painless, do not cause dizziness and help to activate nutrition in the damaged area.
Needle Applicator
This simple home acupuncture device has been shown to be very effective in treating and alleviating the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. Due to the action of the smaller needles in the applicator, blood circulation is activated at the site of exposure and pain is relieved. To treat cervical osteochondrosis, you need a roller-shaped applicator. It is placed under the neck and is pressed for 30 minutes or fixed with a strap. At this point, it will feel hot, and then the pain will go away. The procedure is done every day for 30 minutes for 3 weeks, followed by a 1-week break.
Such a remedy also has contraindications. The applicator is not used in pregnancy, oncology, epilepsy, skin diseases at the site of exposure, hemophilia, severe cardiovascular insufficiency.
Training apparatus
Cervical osteochondrosis is a gradual destruction of the spine. This problem has irreversible consequences and does not allow you to live your usual life. Therefore, it is necessary to dedicate time to its treatment, and it is important to do it in different directions. Massage, exercise therapy, acupuncture - all this allows you to remove the clamps from the muscles, increase the blood supply in the cervical spine, stretch the intervertebral discs so that they are not deformed, but stretched and filled with moisture. A home coach has been developed specifically to accomplish all of these goals.
It is a frame system with handles and rollers. All rollers have different diameters, the largest of which - the active roller has a specific effect on problem areas. You simply install it in the place where the greatest impact is required, in this case on the neck, lie down on the simulator with your back, fix your hands on the handles and perform back and forth rocking movements. Enough 10 minutes a day to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Especially for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a roller with wooden spikes has been added to the simulator assembly, which perform an acupuncture function.
By exercising on the simulator, the entire spine is gently stretched, blood circulation in the cervical spine is improved, and the muscle clamps are removed. Along with the cervical spine, the entire spine and the occipital area are massaged.
Natural oak and ash wood is used to manufacture the simulator, the design can withstand high loads and is suitable for people with a large body weight. The length of the different models also varies so you can buy a simulator for your height.
Depending on the degree of cervical osteochondrosis, on average, it will take 2 months to recover. As a result, the pains will disappear, normal blood circulation will be restored, dizziness will disappear and, in general, the physical condition of the whole organism will improve.
Briefly about the advantages of the simulator:
- massage, acupuncture, and exercise therapy with a simulator;
- suitable for the treatment of all back problems;
- made of durable, lightweight and compact wood;
- Easy to use;
- Suitable for the whole family.
The spine is the inner core of the body, on which the condition of your body depends. Pay attention to your health with an exercise machine to keep you healthy and mobile for years to come.