Many negative factors lead to negative changes in the intervertebral disc-the development of rickets. If left untreated, the disease will develop, the process of degeneration and malnutrition will affect the bone tissue, osteophytes will grow, osteochondrosis will develop, and neck pain will develop.
Family therapy is a series of different measures. It is important to stop the destruction of the intervertebral disc, eliminate inflammation and pain syndrome, and start the regeneration process of the elastic cushion between the vertebrae. Cartilage protectors, muscle relaxants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are combined with exercise therapy, massage and other methods that affect the weakened structure, and the effect is good.
Causes and symptoms of osteochondrosis
This disease is getting younger and younger every year. Decades ago, due to signs of osteochondrosis of the spine, patients aged 40 to 50 turned to a vertebral orthopedist for help. Now, many young people have been diagnosed with cervical chondropathy in their medical records. what is the reason?
Lack of exercise, prolonged use of the computer with little or no exercise, coupled with endocrine diseases, smoking, malnutrition and poor ecology, will increase the risk of damage to the intervertebral disc and bone structure. The onset of cartilage destruction was much earlier than nature expected.
If the main cause of cervical osteochondrosis earlier is the natural aging process (with age, the cushion between the vertebrae will get less nutrition, become weaker and thinner), So now there are many other disadvantages.
Increase the risk of intervertebral disc and vertebral degeneration and malnutrition:
- In hard work, professional athletes, when carrying heavy luggage, incorrect lifting techniques will cause high loads on the pillars;
- Overweight;
- Back and neck injuries;
- Endocrine diseases, menopause, hormone disorders during pregnancy;
- Improper mineral metabolism, chronic diseases related to salt deposition such as gout;
- Heredity;
- Lack of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus;
- Long-term excessive consumption of strong coffee, alcohol, narcotic drugs, and smoking;
- Improper diet and lack of vitamins: Lack of nutrition will reduce the rate and quality of cartilage nutrition during the diffusion process;
- Reluctance to exercise: The less flexible the spine and the weaker the muscle corset, the higher the risk of affecting all structures of the support column.
Important facts about cervical osteochondrosis:
- The disease progresses with remission and exacerbation periods. The more carefully the patient follows the doctor’s advice, the lower the incidence of the degenerative process, which slows the transition from mild and moderate pathological stages to more severe stages;
- In the early days, people did not suspect that the mat had begun to degenerate. The greater the effect of negative factors, the more positive the destruction of the intervertebral disc.
- The doctor warns:Often overweight under the background of endocrine diseases and low physical activity, which increases the risk of cartilage damage. If obese people often smoke, often drink coffee, work hard or sit on the computer/TV for a long time, then we can almost say with certainty: rickets will quickly turn into osteochondrosis, protrusions and intervertebral hernias, nearly 100%Can be determined.
Signs and symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:
- The first stage-lack of nutrition, the elasticity of the endochondral membrane is reduced, the height of the intervertebral disc is slightly reduced, and there is weak pain in the back and neck during exercise;
- If you do not consult a doctor, osteochondrosis will enter the fourth stage, the most serious stage. The cushion is actually destroyed, and the mobility of the spine is reduced. As the body tries to compensate for the almost complete absence of elastic discs, osteophytes will grow-this growth reduces the pressure on the vertebrae and nerve roots. The support column is stable and the pain is reduced, but at the same time the mobility of the cervical spine in the cervical area is reduced, and it is difficult for people to move, bend, turn, and bend the head. Patients usually receive a disability group. In severe cases, it may be necessary to use a special steel plate for surgery to repair the weakened vertebral structure.
Attention!In the first to third degrees of cervical osteochondrosis, treatment can be performed without hospitalization. In advanced cases, acute pain syndrome needs to be performed on patients in the fourth stage of the disease, observation in the vertebral center or surgery in the neurosurgery department.
Home Care
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis? The treatment will be successful if the following rules are followed:
- Only start treatment after visiting a vertebral orthopedist or plastic surgeon;
- Take the medicine prescribed by the doctor;
- Perform complex exercise therapy;
- Massage and self-massage the problem areas;
- Use folk remedies approved by doctors;
- The working and sleeping places are properly equipped: the base for plastic surgery or the shield under the conventional mattress, low pillows.
Points to enhance the treatment effect:
- Don’t overload the spine;
- Don't make the cervical spine move suddenly;
- Change your profession, if you have to constantly handle lifting and moving heavy objects or long-term static loads in the workplace; Patients who are diagnosed with osteochondrosis
- should not work long hours in the summer cabin because of excessive waist extension. For the female tailor's professional cervical osteochondrosis, it is not suitable to work on the assembly line of the construction site. Must choose activity type that can alternate load and rest;
- Walking in the air, moving instead of spending a lot of time in one location: long-term dynamic and static loads are harmful;
- Combine oral medications with topical medications. For effective pain relief, please use a transdermal patch, which must be fixed on the following painful areas: neck, shoulder strap. Thin strips impregnated with analgesics or NSAID group composition can reduce discomfort and have anti-inflammatory effects. The transdermal patch under the clothes is not visible, and the validity period is 8 to 24 hours (depending on the type);
- With cervical osteochondrosis and to prevent it, you need to do simple exercises every day to prevent blood stasis, improve the elasticity of cartilage and the flexibility of vertebrae. Doctors recommend turning, head tilting, and moderate circular rotations 2 to 3 times a day. Move smoothly without shaking, otherwise the thinner cervical spine will be damaged;
- The chondroprotectant must be used for four to six months or more to restore the height and quality of the intervertebral disc. For osteochondrosis at 1-3 degrees, tablets and ointments with chondroprotective properties are effective, but at 4 degrees, the composition is ineffective;
- Take NSAID as directed by your doctor, preferably with selective effects. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds that inhibit only one type of cyclooxygenase will not have obvious negative effects on the human body. These drugs are more expensive than traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but their negative effects on the central nervous system, heart and digestive tract are several times lower.
- Cervical osteochondrosis diet can reduce the rate of destruction of shock cushions, and combined with drugs, can accelerate the regeneration process. Be sure to eat gelatin, green leafy vegetables, red fish, vegetable oil, bran, turkey, dairy products and hard cheese. Espresso, animal fats, sweets, carbonated drinks, smoked meat, purine foods, sour fruits and berries must be strictly restricted. Quit drinking and smoking are very important.
Medicines
In the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a variety of drugs are needed. The chondroprotectant is taken in the first or third stage of pathology. With the destruction of the intervertebral disc and the rupture of the annulus fibrosus, it is not worthwhile to spend a long time buying this type of medicine: the cartilage protective agent is only effective if a sufficient amount of transparent pad is retained.
Effective drug group:
- Analgesics;
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds;
- Neurophilic B vitamins;
- Cartilage protection agent;
- Transdermal patch;
- Ointment with pepper, camphor, snake and bee venom;
- Drugs can activate blood circulation.
Other benefits:
- Turpentine bathUsed to treat osteochondrosis. After a series of procedures, the nutrition of hyaline cartilage and intervertebral joints is improved, the pain syndrome is reduced, and the mobility of the problem area is improved. A bath with white and yellow turpentine emulsion or a mixture of two natural products made from processed pine resin is often used to treat thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis. But because of the damage to the cervical spine, the technology also benefits. The procedure has beneficial effects on the whole body and the support column, which makes it possible to recommend a useful and affordable home physiotherapy technique;
- GymnasticsUsed to treat cervical osteochondrosis. Exercises should be done slowly, with the smallest amplitude in the first class. Gradually, you can lean, turn your head, and rotate more actively, but you should not allow twitching and pain during exercise. The doctor will exercise the osteochondrosis in the neck area according to the severity of the osteochondrosis. In addition, you can also massage the neck and shoulder areas: the effect is moderate, without strong pressure.
The best option is to combine home therapy with a physical therapy room. Magnetic field, double pulse, ozone treatment, mud therapy, turpentine bath enhance the efficacy of home treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. In order to prevent degenerative and dystrophic changes, it is necessary to avoid exposure to adverse factors and monitor the load on the neck and shoulder straps.