How is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine treated at home?

Pain comes when you don't expect it. Even the most confident person in such cases can be confused and frightened. The cause of pain syndrome is usually osteochondrosis. How is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine treated at home and how effective is the treatment? Let's find out more.

What is osteochondrosis

Official medical sources interpret osteochondrosis as a degenerative disease that affects the intervertebral disc with the involvement of adjacent vertebrae and joints. The elasticity of the intervertebral joint is impaired - and the disc becomes thinner. It is necessary to understand how nutritional and metabolic processes occur in the intervertebral discs. This structural element is made up of cartilaginous tissue, there are no blood vessels here. Power is diffused, like a bomb. When moving to squeeze, a lubricating fluid is released and then absorbed again. If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine occurs, exercise therapy, massage, and the full range of therapeutic techniques should be prescribed as soon as possible.

What changes occur in the spine and its symptoms

The following processes occur in the affected joint:

• the nucleus pulposus of the disc loses physiological moisture;
• cartilage loses its shape;
• loses its elasticity;
• changes color;
• dry;
• turns yellow;
• loses resistance to damage.

The consequence of this is a violation of the synchronization of movement in the adjacent segments of the spine, a violation of the nerve roots. The main symptoms of degenerative changes will be pain, limited mobility, some forms of paresthesia ("crawling", tingling).

All these changes suggest the presence of osteochondrosis. How is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine or any other treated, we will talk later.

Why does osteochondrosis occur?

The causes of the onset of the disease include everything that interferes with disc feeding:

• Congestion caused by static charges.
• Prolonged retention of unfavorable positions, especially sitting. There is a good saying: "If you can stand up - don't sit down, if you can lie down - don't stand up. "
• Traumatic effects on endplates, ring fibrous fibers.

Common reasons include unbalanced nutrition, physical inactivity, insufficient development of the deep muscles that make up the muscular corset. The stability of the spine is due to the complex interaction of the bone, muscle and nervous structures of the skeleton. The muscles of the abdomen and back are antagonistic, balancing each other. Therefore, the postulate "movement is life" remains relevant as never before. Exercise can effectively influence degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine. Exercise therapy is used both in a polyclinic and at home. As the spine consists of several sections, the disease can occur in any one of them. The cervical and lumbar regions are more exposed.

How is osteochondrosis of the cervical spine manifested?

The manifestations of osteochondrosis from various locations are combined into syndromes:

• neck pain syndrome (difficulty in locomotion of the shoulder joint, pain of another nature);
• cervicocranialgia (neck pain, neck discomfort, tinnitus, dizziness, palpitations, nausea);
• cervicobrachialgia or shoulder-scapular syndrome (pain in the neck that affects the shoulder and arm).

If you are concerned about acute pain, usually at night, with numbness, the diagnosis will likely be confirmed - osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine. The pain syndrome associated with disorders in this department is called chest pain.

Physiotherapy at home

How osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated with medication is described in many reference books. But, in most cases, the drug's effect is short-lived. Here, exercise therapy can come to your rescue.

1. We stayed against the wall and leaned against it with the back of our necks. We tried to press the wall with full force for a few seconds. So we relax.
2. We sat down at the table, placed our elbows on her. We rest our chin in our hands, trying to press our palms together, while trying to tilt our head or turn it to the side.
3. Rest your head in your hands on the back of your head. Alternatively, press them with the back of your head and relax. Do multiple reps with a hold of up to 10 seconds.
4. Hold your head with your palms, alternately pressing one hand or the other.

During exacerbations, exercises are performed with a duration of no more than 3-4 seconds and with moderate effort. The classes will slow down osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Home exercises can be started once you are satisfied that they are performed correctly in a healthy environment.

Massage without the help of a professional

If the diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is confirmed, massage will be one of the necessary treatment methods. In this case, it is not only useful, but also an irreplaceable procedure. Initially, it is better to take a vocational course and then perform simple techniques at home on your own. These techniques include the post-static muscle relaxation technique. The peculiarity of the method is the passive stretching of the muscle from the position of overtension in combination with massage elements. It is necessary to apply the technique after warming up the spasmodic muscles (bath, hot compress, kneading, caressing).

In self-massage, the same techniques are used as in professional. These are caressing, kneading, impact sharpening, patting, shaking. Massage is performed with warm, warm hands. Use massage oil to improve slippage. The sequence of techniques is as follows:

• caressing;
• crushing;
• crumple;
• vibration (slapping, shaking).

Acting on osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the massage begins and ends with caresses.

A little manual therapy

1. We sat in a high-back chair. We hold the head in our hands, placing our thumbs on the cheekbones (more precisely, on the bumps under the eye sockets). We lift our eyes, breathe and press the back of our necks against our fingers. We wait for a quarter of a minute, and as we exhale, we lean back in the chair and relax our neck muscles by tilting our head down. We repeated the technique several times. Then we place our fingers around her neck, closer to her top, tilting her head slightly forward. We press our fingers into the base of the skull, making them a slow rotating motion. Gradually lower your fingers more and more, approaching the trapezius muscle. As osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated with the help of manual therapy, it can be seen in the following manipulations.

2. We lay on our backs, pulling our shoulders down as far as possible. Place your hand on the painful side under your buttock, palm up. Place your other hand under your head, holding the back of your head and tilting it away from the problem. Breathing in, press your head against your fingers for 15 seconds. As you exhale, relax and pull your head a little harder, stretching the aching muscle.

A set of measures in the treatment of osteochondrosis

Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely defeat cervical osteochondrosis. Treatment at home or at a medical center should be comprehensive. This includes the use of:

• pain medications;
• muscle relaxants that help relieve muscle spasm;
• drugs with chondroprotective action;
• physiotherapy procedures;
• massage;
• Exercise therapy;
• Balanced diet.

Having studied the medical literature, some conclusions can be drawn about the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, but to do without professionally prescribed treatment is a crime against health.