There was a time when the disease was considered "age-related", but recently more and more often diagnose "osteochondrosis" up to 35 years old. This is due to a change in the pace of life - more people are involved in sedentary and sedentary work. And most importantly, physical activity, flexibility decreases and, accordingly, blood circulation is impaired, which is the main thing in nutrition and restoration of the spinal discs.
An interesting fact: according to statistics, more than 80% of the population, after 30 years, have changes in the spinal column, 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, discs thinning occurs. Appear - protrusions, hernias, instability of the vertebrae, changes in bone tissue, the appearance of osteophytes (thorns, 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 the further normal life.
You are probably familiar with the factors provoking dystrophic changes, but we note again:
- Hypodynamia - it contributes to the disruption of blood circulation in the neck, weakening of the muscle corset.
- Curvature of the spine (stoop, lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis).
- Long stay in static positions, and vice versa - increased 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 completely upright as well as muscle weakness and great neck mobility.
An important role in the formation of cervical osteochondrosis has a hereditary predisposition. Moreover, 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 (arthrosis, spondylitis, hernias, etc. ).
The neck is an important link. Many vessels and nerves go 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.
Stages of development of cervical osteochondrosis
At the first stage, there is a local pain syndrome, accompanied by a sharp tension in the muscles, which increases the already unpleasant sensations, constrains movements.
Pain is expressed in 2 forms:
- Cervicago - "neck lumbago", a sharp sharp pain that appears when moving.
- Cervicalgia - pulling, painful, with constant muscle tension. It can take more than two weeks, even with the right treatment.
In the second stage, the "radicular" syndrome is added - compression of nerves due to thinning of ligaments and discs. The pain appears when sneezing, coughing. If the patient is laid on his back and passively move his head, then painful sensations will appear.
Numbness of the hand from the neck to the fingertips is characteristic, especially after sleep. The symptom quickly disappears after active movements or placing the hand behind the head. If the numbness or pain persists, complications (protrusion, hernia) may be forming.
Also, there may be a feeling 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 soreness, as well as possible irradiation to the shoulder, occiput or scapula region (especially the accession of the cervicothoracic region).
- Numbness and weakness in the arms.
- Lump in my throat.
- Arterial hypertension (constantly high blood pressure).
- Decreased hearing and visual 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 syndrome of the "Sistine Chapel" - fainting after a sharp throwing back of the head.
Pains and their localization are often disguised as a serious disease - angina pectoris.
Diagnostics and treatment
It is very important to treat the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at the very beginning of degenerative processes. To do this, you need to promptly seek help from 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 thoroughly examined - ultrasound of the heart, blood vessels of the brain and neck, ECG, collecting urine and blood tests. It is imperative that an X-ray is taken, and in several projections and in a stacking with an open mouth (to view the vertebrae that cover 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, over time everything comes back again or does not bring 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.
- Cervical spine stretching according to Shishonin's method.
- Quitting habits.
Physiotherapy
The effectiveness of the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck of the spine using physiotherapy and therapeutic baths has been scientifically proven.
- They relieve pain syndrome.
- Eliminate inflammation.
- Increase the effectiveness of drug therapy and other methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis.
The therapeutic effect of physiotherapy in the form of low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic therapy in combination with radon baths, sometimes with iodine-bromine baths, is enhanced.
Drug therapy
When complications of osteochondrosis in the cervical spine, hernias or large protrusions, inflammation of the compressed nerve roots occurs. Therefore, in order 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 blood supply to the brain with oxygen. It is necessary to take antiplatelet agents.
Medication therapy.
- Eliminates pain and inflammation.
- Speeds up metabolism in tissues that have been impaired due to impaired blood supply.
- Thins the blood, improving blood circulation.
Massage
The course of massage of the collar zone is necessarily included in the treatment program for osteochondrosis of the neck.
- Muscle tension is relieved, thereby releasing squeezed closely located arteries.
- Improves blood circulation and tissue nutrition, which have a positive effect on the heart and brain.
- Muscle pains are reduced.
Unfortunately, good massage is not done for free and many refuse this procedure because of the high prices. But in the medical complex, massage of the cervical spine must be included for the good of the case. Even if they advise that it is not as needed as physiotherapy exercises.
Physiotherapy exercises
Treatment of osteochondrosis with physical therapy of the cervical spine is the main method, without which recovery is impossible. No pills can cure osteochondrosis without exercise therapy. Tune in to the fact that you have to do gymnastics every day for a whole year in order to forget about the symptoms of the disease forever.
Important: Exercise therapy is a 70% victory over osteochondrosis. Even if the pains disappeared, the disease has not disappeared anywhere. You can't relax.
Goals and objectives of exercise therapy.
- Strengthen the deep muscles of the neck and the muscular corset of the shoulder region, so that the muscles hold the head in the correct position, without stress on the intervertebral discs, and no protrusions are formed that squeeze the nerve endings. To increase the intervertebral space, thereby eliminating the compression of the nerve roots.
- Bring back painless movements while developing flexibility and mobility.
- Exercise speeds up and increases blood circulation, thereby improving the nutrition of the intervertebral discs and the surrounding muscles.
Important: train yourself to do a set 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.
Warm-up
We warm up the muscles of the chest and cervical spine. Slow circular movements with the shoulders - back and forth. Each muscle should work as much as possible.
Circular movements with the shoulders - lift up 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 arms bent at the elbows. One by one, we will again bring the shoulder blades together while taking our hands back. And then we will also move our shoulders forward as much as possible.
This concludes the warm-up. Let's start doing some basic neck exercises.
Exercise technique
Do all movements slowly, so as not to harm yourself and prevent pinching of the nerve.
Assume correct posture. The shoulders are lowered, slightly laid back, the chin is parallel to the floor. Static exercises are aimed at training the deep muscles of the neck. Each movement holds resistance for 5-8 seconds. Loosen for two seconds and repeat again. So 5 times.
- We press the palm to the temple and press on it trying to bend the head, we resist with our head, thereby preventing the hand from tilting the head to the side. Do the same on the other side.
- Put your hands on the lock, support your chin and press on the resisting head.
- Resist with the forehead.
- From the back of the head
- Alternately the head resists from the side of the cheekbones
Along with strengthening the neck muscles, you need to simultaneously strengthen the shoulder girdle. Several exercises with an expander must 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 poor blood supply, the brain suffers, which needs oxygen for problems of the cervical spine. Workouts last at least 20-30 minutes, up to 2 times a week.
Dry traction of the cervical spine
The dry stretching method is horizontal and vertical. This method is called traction - a highly effective treatment for spinal osteochondrosis. Young people are easily amenable to complete recovery, using only one traction during treatment. Since disc recovery in youth is much faster. Of course, age inhibits recovery and the ability to restore cartilaginous tissue, but traction still remains an important point in the complex treatment of neck osteochondrosis.
Stretch Problems
- Increase the lumen between the vertebrae.
- Eliminate pain due to compression of nerve roots.
This procedure has contraindications, so do not 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 treatment program for the cervical spine, it remains to talk about the usual way of life, which should also change in perfect order.
Important: all the above methods should be discussed with your doctor.
Quitting habits
We understand that laziness and excuses lead to early osteochondrosis. If you do not overcome them, then you do not need this article. Drink pain relievers and continue living as before. Although you can try to fix some bad habits.
- Sleep on an orthopedic pillow and mattress.
- Do not lie on a high pillow for hours, when your head is raised high while reading, playing on the phone. At this point, the cervical vertebrae press on the blood vessels, disrupting blood circulation.
- Stationary posture of 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, massage and physiotherapy are done 1 month every six months. During this period, physiotherapy exercises increase up to 3 times a day.
In other months every day:
- Exercise therapy — 1 time per day.
- Stretch.
Repeat procedures after 5 months. And this rate is at least a year. Positive results are noticeable within a month.
The above technique is not an algorithm for all cases of cervical osteochondrosis treatment. All points need to be discussed with a doctor. But if the doctor prescribes only one method, for example, physiotherapy, massage, then the effect will be temporary. The treatment is long, so it is better to immediately tune in to the success of the recovery. Believe me, you will not return to your old way of life by starting to practice and feeling relief.
How cervical osteochondrosis is treated
Several groups of drugs are prescribed for basic drug treatment.
- Painkillers are prescribed in tablets, or for especially intense pain, novocaine blockade.
- Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs - Nurofen, Diclofenac.
- Irritating ointments - finalgon, capsicam.
- Preparations for relaxing the muscles of the neck - muscle relaxants.
- A course of intramuscular injections of B vitamins
Support using currents, massage, warming up (put cans, mustard plasters) is prescribed during the period of relief of the main pain syndrome. During the period of exacerbation, pain always appears, to relieve them, as well as muscle tension, the exercise therapy complex presented above is performed, apply a budget pepper plaster.
Important: any exercises with head turns are prohibited in case of vertebral artery syndrome, when the vessels of the neck are pinched due to osteochondrosis.
At home, it is effective to take relaxing baths with herbal decoctions, compresses and rubbing (for example, using propolis, aloe). The Russian bath copes well with muscle tension. A traditional steam room with a broom relaxes, reduces pain, and cheers up.
In extreme cases, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention, when there is a danger that complications due to compression can lead to disability. Namely - complete compression of blood vessels or nerves, significant growth of osteophytes or the appearance of a hernial protrusion. The operation is carried out according to all the rules of neurosurgery - under a microscope and with minimal incisions.