How to treat cervical osteochondrosis at home: a selection of folk remedies

Cervical osteochondrosis is a more dangerous type of disease than osteochondrosis of the thoracic and lumbar region. This fact is explained by the fact that the neck is adjacent to the head. Therefore, when the structures of the neck are damaged, various disorders of the brain, organs of vision, hearing and speech begin.

Therefore, doctors advise starting treatment as soon as the disease is diagnosed. Especially if it is at an early stage.

Home treatment for cervical osteochondrosis may even be recommended. Just before starting treatment, you should receive detailed instructions and recommendations from your doctor.

The causes of the disease

Knowledge of the causes of cervical osteochondrosis is necessary so that treatment is not in vain. After all, if the factors that contributed to the development of the pathology are not eliminated, osteochondrosis may recur.

The main causes of cervical osteochondrosis:

1. Age - the pathology often develops in the elderly due to the physiological processes of aging of the body. But in recent decades, the disease has become "younger" and has been diagnosed in 30-year-old patients. This is due to the modern way of life, professional factors, changes in dietary preferences.
2. Occupation or hobby - in most cases, degenerative-dystrophic changes in ODA tissues begin in people who overload the cervical spine or, conversely, do not provide a normal load. For example, professional heavyweight athletes overload their bodies by doing strength training. And people who work on a computer or in a sitting position in general, on the contrary, "underload". In the latter case, there are no dynamic loads, but static loads during a long period of immobility are very serious.
3. Injuries, hypothermia of the neck or surgical interventions performed in this area.
4. Heredity.
5. Metastases in tumors of the spine or other organs.
6. Wrong mattress (too or not hard enough), unsuitable pillows, prolonged lying or sitting position (on a bed, sofa).

The reason for the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine may even be improper diet. Or there may be several reasons. The factors that contributed to the development of the pathology will be identified by the doctor in the process of diagnosis. Both during and after treatment it will be necessary to eliminate these factors or try to reduce their pathological impact.

Symptoms and possible complications

Cervical osteochondrosis may initially develop asymptomatically. Or neck discomfort and other signs are attributed to other diseases, fatigue, stress, weather conditions.

However, if there are several symptoms at the same time, this should be the reason for immediate medical attention:

1. Pain in the neck that eventually spreads to the head, face, shoulders, shoulders, arms. The pain may go away or get worse when you turn your head to a certain position.
2. Cracking in the neck, limited mobility.
3. Dizziness, fainting.
4. Nausea, vomiting.
5. Impaired motor skills, coordination of movements, trembling hands.
6. Impaired sensitivity of the face, limbs or vice versa, the appearance of unusual sensations - tingling, tingling.
7. Problems with the function of the organs of vision, hearing, speech.
8. The appearance of hypertension or increased intracranial pressure without objective causes on the part of the cardiovascular system.

The appearance of these symptoms is directly related to the dystrophic processes in the cervical spine. And also with stenosis of the spinal artery and compression of the nervous tissue - these structures pass into the spinal canal and are damaged by the vertebrae.

If the disease is not treated, sooner or later dangerous complications will occur. First, the patient loses his ability to move freely - this is an injury, a permanent loss of ability to work. Second, the progression of the pathology affects the function of the brain, which can lead to trauma in a fall, stroke, coma or death.

Home treatment

All methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis can be roughly divided into:

1. Etiotropic and pathogenetic- those that affect the very cause of the disease and the mechanism of its development. These are some types of drugs, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, gymnastics, wearing a special collar.
2. Symptomatic or palliative- those that eliminate the symptoms of the disease or help reduce their severity, intensity. They are aimed at alleviating the patient's condition, improving his quality of life for the period of treatment and are used in addition to the first group of methods. These are novocaine blockades, taking other anesthetics, ointments, massage.

However, most methods of osteochondrosis therapy are to one degree or another both etiotropic and symptomatic. To quickly cure osteochondrosis, you should try to use all available methods. That is, the therapy should be as complete, comprehensive and complex as possible.

Today, surgical methods are widely used to treat osteochondrosis. But in the case of a mild form of the disease, their use is not justified.

Therefore, for home treatment you should focus on these conservative methods:

1. Lifestyle and diet change.
2. Taking or external administration of drugs.
3. Treatment with procedures at home - gymnastics, exercise therapy, massage (in case of calling a masseur at home).
4. Wearing a special collar or kinesio straps.
5. Treatment with folk remedies.

Elements 1, 3, 4 can also be used during post-disease rehabilitation and as preventive measures (to prevent future relapses).

It is desirable that the treatment program be designed by a doctor or at least coordinated with him. Otherwise, it is possible to cause even greater damage to health in ODA, which will significantly affect the patient's condition and the cost of treatment.

Lifestyle and diet

Without normalizing lifestyle, physical activity and reviewing the daily menu, there will not be much point in treatment.

What needs to change:

1. Sleeping quality- buy an orthopedic mattress, in addition it is recommended to buy an orthopedic pillow.
2. Loads on the cervical spine- they should be moderate. It is advisable to give up heavy sports, to change the physically hard work with another type of activity. You can also change jobs with passive loads. If this is not possible, you should periodically stretch your neck during the working day, move your head more during the working period.

You also need to start eating right. In the end, it is food that provides all the necessary elements for the recovery of muscle, nerve, cartilage and bone tissue of the vertebrae. Accordingly, the food should be rich in protein, vitamins and minerals (calcium, iron, vitamins C, E, A, group B).

Medicines

The main groups of pharmacological drugs prescribed by doctors:

1. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - relieve pain and stop the inflammatory process in the tissues.
2. Preparations designed to relieve pain syndrome (including anti-inflammatory, warming effects). These include injections, corticosteroid pills, ointments and creams.
3. Means intended for tissue regeneration ODA - chondroprotectors.
4. Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants to relax the muscle tissue of the neck.
5. Vitamins and minerals, vitamin and mineral complexes.

All medications except vitamins and painkillers should be taken in courses. Periodic administration in a single case will not give results, which will affect the effectiveness of treatment.

Procedures

At home, the possibility of physiotherapy is limited. For example, you can massage or stretch your spine only by calling a specialist at home and not everyone can afford it. But self-massage and basic physical exercises are very real and do not require financial costs.

Self-massage can be done with the hands, as the neck area is easy enough to reach. The technique of self-massage is simple - you need to make soft stroking and squeezing movements. It is useful to use a lubricant, such as Vaseline. The main thing is that the procedure does not cause pain.

You can also massage with a towel, rubbing your neck or with a jet of warm water in the shower. Another good option is to take a stick, such as a shovel handle - round. Such a stick is placed on the back of the shoulders, grasping the ends and moving it up and down the surface of the neck like a rolling pin. If possible, you can buy massage devices. The Lyapko roller massager is very useful, it is not expensive, its effectiveness has been proven.

Neck gymnastics is also quite simple. You need to smoothly make different turns, tilts of the head. However, in exacerbation of osteochondrosis, it is not necessary to exercise, as the pain can be simply unbearable. This can start spasms in the muscles of the neck.

Wearing orthopedic structures is an effective method of treatment

There are many benefits to wearing a custom collar:

1. Supports the spine and relieves muscle tissue.
2. More efficient tissue regeneration.
3. Improves blood circulation, including in the vertebral artery. With cervical osteochondrosis - this is one of the main tasks.
4. Neck fixation reduces mobility and pain.
5. Protects the neck area from possible additional injuries and injuries.

However, the collar has its drawbacks. Wearing it is not always appropriate in the company of other people. It can also be difficult to review and perform the necessary household chores or work manipulations. But for the period of treatment you should try to wear a collar according to the schedule set by the doctor.

Sticking the neck as a method of treatment also has many advantages:

1. Aesthetically acceptable, with the bar you are free to appear "in public". Colored ribbons, if not appropriate in a particular situation, can be hidden by high-necked clothing.
2. Don't limit physical activity.
3. Moisture resistant, does not need to be removed before showering.
4. Improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage, relieve pain and inflammation, swelling.
5. Relieve stress on muscle tissue.
6. Massage, stimulate metabolic processes in the muscles, their regeneration.

There is only one drawback of kinesio tapes - their price, but many patients can afford to pay 100 rubles for a 5-meter roll.

Folk remedies for osteochondrosis

For oral treatment you can use:

1. Water infusion of laurel or blueberries.
2. decoction of parsley root.
3. Aqueous solution of celery juice.
4. Eating sesame seeds.
5. Herbal teas - own fees or purchased (chamomile, nettle, oregano, hops).
6. Alcoholic infusion of chopped pine nuts.

For treatment with compresses and rubbing it is useful to use burdock, horseradish, paprika (infusions, decoctions) and tar or clay, which are sold in pharmacies.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home is quite effective in most cases. If the degenerative-dystrophic changes are already very advanced, it is recommended to combine home therapy with other methods of treatment. For example, use the services of a physiotherapist, masseur, chiropractor.

And if the disease has just begun to develop, then medicines, home procedures and folk methods allow for a quick result. That is, to heal the spine without resorting to the services of specialists.