How to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home

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

What is osteochondrosis

Official medical sources interpret osteochondrosis as a degenerative disease that affects the intervertebral disc, involving 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 intervertebral discs.This structural element is formed by cartilaginous tissue;there are no blood vessels here.Nutrition occurs diffusely, like a bomb.When pressure is applied, a lubricating fluid is released and then reabsorbed.If osteochondrosis of the cervical spine appears, therapeutic exercises, massage and the entire range of therapeutic techniques should be prescribed as soon as possible.

What changes occur in the spine and their symptoms

The following processes occur in the affected joint:

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

The consequence of this is a violation of the synchrony of movements in adjacent segments of the spine, compression of the nerve roots.The main symptoms of degenerative changes will be pain, difficulty moving and some forms of paresthesia (“pins and needles”, tingling).

All these changes suggest the presence of osteochondrosis.We will talk more about how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine or any other spine is treated.

Why does osteochondrosis occur?

The causes of the disease include anything that disrupts the nutrition of the disc:

• Stagnation caused by static charges.
• Prolonged retention of unfavorable positions, especially sitting.There is a good proverb: “If you can stand, don't sit; if you can lie down, don't stand.”
• Traumatic effects on endplates, fibrous ring fibers.

Common reasons include unbalanced nutrition, physical inactivity and insufficient development of the deep muscles that form the muscular corset.The stability of the spine is due to the complex interaction of the bone, muscular and nervous structures of the skeleton.The abdominal and back muscles are antagonists, balancing each other.Therefore, the postulate “movement is life” remains relevant as never before.Exercises can effectively influence osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Exercise therapy is used both in the clinic and at home.Since the spine consists of several sections, the disease can occur in any of them.The cervical and lumbar regions are most affected.

How does cervical osteochondrosis manifest?

Manifestations of osteochondrosis of various localization are combined into syndromes:

• neck pain syndrome (impaired mobility of the shoulder joint, pain of various types);
• cervicocranialgia (pain in the back of the head, neck discomfort, tinnitus, dizziness, palpitations, nausea may occur);
• cervicobrachialgia or scapulohumeral syndrome (neck pain, spreading to the shoulder and arm).

If you are bothered by severe pain, often at night, with numbness, the diagnosis will most likely be confirmed - osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine.The pain syndrome associated with disorders of this department is called thoracalgia.

Therapeutic exercise at home

How osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated with medication is described in many reference books.But in most cases, the effect of the drug is short-term.This is where exercise therapy can help.

1. We stood against the wall and rested our heads against it.We try to press the wall with maximum force for a few seconds.Then we relax.
2. We sat at the table and rested our elbows on it.We rest our chin on our hands, trying to press our palms together, while at the same time trying to tilt our head or turn it to the side.
3. Rest your head on your hands at the back of your head.Press them alternately with the back of your neck and then relax.Do several repetitions, holding for up to 10 seconds.
4. Hold your head with your palms, alternately pressing one or the other hand.

During exacerbations, exercises are performed for no more than 3-4 seconds and with moderate tension.Exercise will help slow down osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.Home exercises can be started after you are satisfied that they were performed correctly in a medical facility.

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, this is not only a useful procedure, but also irreplaceable.Initially, it is better to take a professional course and then perform simple techniques yourself at home.These techniques also include the post-static muscle relaxation technique.The peculiarity of the method is the passive stretching of the muscle from a position of excessive exertion in combination with massage elements.It is necessary to apply the technique after warming up spasmodic muscles (bath, hot compress, kneading, stroking).

In self-massage, the same techniques as professional massage are used.These are stroking, kneading, acupressure, patting, shaking.The massage is performed with warm, warm hands.To improve glide, use massage oil.The sequence of techniques is as follows:

• stroking;
• crushing;
• knead;
• vibrations (tapping, shaking).

Influencing osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the massage begins and ends with stroking.

A little manual therapy

1. We sat on a high-backed chair.We hold the head with our hands, placing our thumbs on the cheekbones (more precisely, on the bulges under the eye sockets).We raise our eyes, breathe and press the back of our necks onto our fingers.We maintain the position for up to a quarter of a minute and, as we exhale, we lean back against the back of the chair and relax our neck muscles, tilting our head down.We repeat the technique several times.Then we wrap our fingers around the neck, closer to the top, and tilt the head forward a little.We press our fingers at the base of the skull, making a slow rotational movement with them.Gradually lower your fingers lower and lower, getting closer to the trapezius muscle.How osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated with manual therapy can be seen in the following manipulations.

2. Lie on your back, pulling your shoulders down as far as possible.Place your hand on the painful side, under the buttock, palm up.Place your other hand under your head, holding the back of your neck and tilting your head in the opposite direction of the problem.As you inhale, press your head against your fingers for 15 seconds.As you exhale, relax and pull your head a little harder, stretching the painful muscle.

A set of measures for the treatment of osteochondrosis

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

• analgesics;
• muscle relaxants that help relieve muscle spasms;
• medicines with chondroprotective effects;
• physiotherapeutic procedures;
• massage;
• exercise therapy;
• balanced diet.

After studying the medical literature, one can draw some conclusions about how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated, but doing without professionally prescribed treatment is a crime against health.