Cervical osteochondrosis is one of the most common and frequent diseases of the musculoskeletal system. It all happens because modern living conditions create the most favorable conditions for the development of the disease. Poor posture since early childhood is considered a major sign of cervical spine osteochondrosis. A large number of modern professions are associated with long sitting in front of a monitor. People for hours, days and years lead an inactive lifestyle and, as a result, develop osteochondrosis. How to recognize this disease, what are the symptoms?
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
- Pain in the cervical spine. The sensation is painful long enough and painful. The pain usually gets worse as you lie down.
- If the disease cannot be treated, the pain becomes so severe and bothersome that the person becomes listless. The painful sensation practically does not subside, only weakens or, conversely, becomes stronger.
- The pain can be accompanied by weakness, dizziness, nausea, and even vomiting. In further cases, osteochondrosis can cause loss of consciousness.
- One of the symptoms of this disease is tinnitus and a feeling of vibration. Osteochondrosis also affects blood pressure.
- Tremors in the body and dark circles in front of the eyes are not uncommon with osteochondrosis.
- Sometimes the pain can reach the forearms or hands. The painful sensation turns into tingling and numbness in the limbs.
How to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is a degeneration of the articular cartilage. As the intervertebral disc becomes thinner, the disc affects the nerve endings, which in turn causes the ducts to spasm. The blood vessels are narrow and do not allow a sufficient amount of blood to pass through the brain. Oxygen starvation occurs, which leads to serious consequences. Therefore, you should not delay treatment, even if you have minor symptoms. The sooner treatment is started, the more effective the results will be. To eliminate osteochondrosis, an integrated approach is needed. These include medications, physical education, massage, manual therapy procedures, physiotherapy and adherence to certain dietary rules.
To get rid of this disease, you need to contact an experienced and professional neuropathologist. The treatment is long enough, it requires discipline and perseverance from the patient himself, but this is the only way to get relief and escape from this obsessive pain.
Drug treatment consists in the appointment of vasodilator drugs. They help oxygenate the brain and improve blood circulation in the body. It is possible to reduce the sensitivity of nerve endings with the help of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Also, patients are given vitamins to restore tissues in the body. Well, and, of course, painkillers, because it is impossible to live with such a sensation. As a local pain reliever, various ointments and gels are prescribed, which have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
Exercise against osteochondrosis
- Tilt your head back and forth slowly. Leaning forward, try to touch your chin to your chest. Repeat this movement 10 times.
- Perform circular movements with your head. The first 5 times in one direction, then 5 times in the other.
- Tilt your head slightly forward and place your forehead into the open palm. Press your head into your hands and lock in this position for a few seconds. Repeat this exercise with the back of your head.
- Get in a chair and sit on it. Tilt your head back. Slowly turn the head to the right and return to the starting position. Then turn your head to the left. Perform at least 10 repetitions on each side. Movement should not be sudden, do everything smoothly.
- Tilt your head to the right and left, trying to reach your shoulders with your ears. Then, instead, lift the shoulders to the stationary head, first together, and then alternately - then the right shoulder, then the left.
Massage in the fight against cervical osteochondrosis
Professional massages give amazing results after the first session. It is better to consult a specialist - a chiropractor. He will stretch the muscles and position the vertebrae in order. After a manual therapy session, the spinal muscles will increase, blood circulation will improve, and the patient’s motor ability will improve.
But to alleviate the situation, you can do your own massage at home.
- Sit on a chair or sofa and press your fingers to the back of your neck, along the vertebral column. Rub the area up and down until you feel hot and burning.
- Do the same in a circular motion. Not only stretch the neck, take the back of the head to increase blood permeability in this area.
- Use your fingertips to tap the back of the neck.
- There is another effective remedy that is advised by a doctor. Fill a plastic bottle with water and place it under your neck. On your own or with help, try rolling this bottle by your neck, without hands.
I would like to note that massage procedures and manual therapy cannot be done by exacerbating pain symptoms.
Physiotherapy in the treatment of osteochondrosis consists of the use of special devices that increase the resilience of nerve endings. Electrophoresis is also used.
Prevention of osteochondrosis
To get rid of pain forever, you need to strive to change your life for the better. More often sports, go to nature. Get used to running regularly in the morning or walking in the evening. Quitting smoking is also dangerous for the spinal disc. Eat right, eliminate salt from your intake, or at least keep it to a minimum.
To get rid of pain, you need to learn not to strain your neck. This means you can’t read and watch TV while lying down. While driving the car, do not turn your head too much to the side. If your work involves sitting for a long time at a paper or monitor, take a break - get up, walk, do neck exercises. Keep an eye on your workplace. The height of the table and chairs should be matched so that you do not have to bend and bend the paper while sitting.
Properly chosen bedding will help you keep your life normal without pain. The bed should be flat and the mattress must be orthopedic. It’s important to choose your pillow wisely - it’s definitely not soft. The height of the pillow is determined by the distance from the neck to the shoulders. Only such a pillow will ensure proper body position during sleep.
Osteochondrosis is not a disease that needs to be treated on its own at home. It is very important to classify the disease and exclude other deviations. This can only be done by a doctor. Therefore, when pain in the neck area appears, you can not withdraw with a trip to a specialist. And then you can suppress the disease at its roots, at its germs.