Many who have encountered osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are interested in the question: "How to treat cervical osteochondrosis? " I suggest you look at this.
How to cure cervical osteochondrosis?
Unfortunately, cervical osteochondrosis, like osteochondrosis of other parts of the spine, is a progressive and incurable disease.
Therefore, the treatment of this disease is very difficult today.
The main goals that doctors set for themselves when starting treatment for osteochondrosis are to stop the progression of degenerative processes and not harm the patient, because the neck borders vital brain centers.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be prescribed by a neurologist or a vertebrologist, but in no case the patient himself.
Self-medication not only does not bring relief, but is often harmful to health.
For the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a combination of conservative methods such as drug therapy, acupuncture, manual therapy, massage and various physiotherapeutic procedures are widely used.
Important!In extreme cases, when conservative methods are ineffective or dangerous complications occur, surgical intervention is resorted to.
Correctly selected treatment of cervical osteochondrosis can stop the disease and ensure remission for several decades.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with drugs
Medicines for cervical osteochondrosis are prescribed with the followinggoals:
- to anesthetize;
- relax tight neck muscles;
- relieve the inflammatory process in the spine and paravertebral tissues;
- relieve tissue swelling;
- improve microcirculation and metabolism in the cervical spine;
- improve blood supply to the brain;
- they restore and protect the bone and cartilage tissue of the spine.
Patients with cervical osteochondrosis are prescribed the following:drug groups:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) perfectly relieve pain and inflammation. In the acute period of the disease, NSAIDs are used in the form of injections. When the patient's condition improves, they switch to oral medication. The course of treatment with these drugs is 7-10 days. NSAIDs can irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines, leading to erosions and ulcers. In order to eliminate the negative effects on the digestive tract, proton pump inhibitors are prescribed in parallel with NSAIDs.
- Hormonal agents.A group of glucocorticosteroids is used to relieve inflammation and swelling in radicular syndrome. Glucocorticosteroids are most often used as perineural and paravertebral injections.
- Anestheticsit is used in the form of neuromuscular paravertebral blocks. With this method of administration, the drugs act directly on the roots of the spinal nerves, which relieves pain. To enhance the blocking effect, anesthetics are combined with glucocorticosteroids. The course of treatment consists of 5-6 blocks.
- Chondroprotectors.Preparations from this group contain glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, which are components of the cartilage tissue of the spine. Chondroprotectors protect the cartilage of the intervertebral discs from the influence of negative factors and help restore their structure, thus restoring the lost functions of the spine joints and reducing the manifestations of osteochondrosis.
- Medicines to improve metabolism and microcirculationin the tissues and nerves of the spine.
- Vitamins.Vitamin preparations, such as ascorbic acid, retinol acetate, tocopherol acetate, calciferol, thiamine, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin, improve nerve conduction, reduce the severity of hearing and vision impairment, strengthen blood vessels and have an antioxidant effect.
- Preparations for local use– ointments, creams, gels and plasters help relieve pain and improve blood flow to the affected areas.
Also, with cervical osteochondrosis, diuretics can be prescribed to relieve swelling of paravertebral tissues and nerves, muscle relaxants to relax spasmodic neck muscles, and calcium supplements.
Therapeutic exercise for cervical osteochondrosis
How to treat osteochondrosis? Therapeutic exercise (physical therapy of cervical osteochondrosis) is a specially designed set of exercises based on physiological body movements that can reduce pain in the spine, improve blood flow and tissue metabolism, and restore the normal configuration and mobility of the spine.
Interesting!Therapeutic exercise is an effective tool for the treatment and prevention of cervical osteochondrosis.
Physiotherapy exercises and gymnastics can only be prescribed by a physical therapy doctor after studying the results of a spinal examination and only after acute pain has been alleviated.
Contraindications for physical therapy and gymnastics may include:
- diseases in the acute phase;
- acute infectious diseases;
- acute myocardial infarction;
- malignant and benign neoplasms;
- aortic aneurysm;
- cardiac aneurysm;
- blood clotting disorder;
- heart rhythm disorder;
- High blood pressure;
- myopia of the eye;
- severe forms of diabetes.
Physiotherapy methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis
Electrotherapyrepresents the local effect of the electric field on the cervical spine and paravertebral tissues.
The method has a positive effect on blood circulation and metabolism in the affected area. Electrotherapy is contraindicated for people with pacemakers and other metal implants.
Laser therapyit involves the use of helium-neon rays, which have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and regenerative effects by activating biological processes in the tissues of the nervous system.
Treatment with ultraviolet rays.Ultraviolet rays have pronounced anti-inflammatory, analgesic, regenerative and bactericidal effects.
Also, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the synthesis of calciferol (vitamin D) is activated in the body.
The method is not applied to persons suffering from malignant diseases of the blood and internal organs.
Balneotherapy- is the use of mineral waters and mud in the form of baths, showers, applications and compresses. Chemicals and minerals found in mineral waters and mud improve microcirculation in the spine and affected tissues.
Vibration therapy- this is the use of mechanical vibrations aimed at the cervical spine, which reduce muscle spasm and pain.
There are exercise bands that can be used both in a hospital setting and at home.
Important! Vibrotherapy is contraindicated for people with pustular skin diseases in the neck and vibration disease.
Acoustic shock wave therapy,which affect the cervical spine. This reduces pain, improves metabolism and blood flow in the neck tissues.
There are many more methods of physical therapy. In order to eliminate the negative impact of physiotherapy factors on the body, the physiotherapist should prescribe and monitor the implementation of procedures.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis with manual therapy and massage?
Manual therapyit is called a dosed local influence on the elements of the spine with the hands in order to restore normal mobility in it and eliminate the movement of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs.
To avoid spinal injuries, entrust your body only to a qualified chiropractor.
Manual therapy consists of gentle, gentle adjusting movements, neck massage and traction, using the head and limbs as leverage.
With the help of manual therapy, it is possible to reduce neck pain, activate the autonomic nervous system and increase the mobility of the spine.
Manual therapy cannot be performed in patients with cervical osteochondrosis, who also suffer from inflammatory diseases of the spine, oncopathology or have had spinal injuries.
Massage for cervical osteochondrosis can be performed by a massage therapist or the patient himself (self-massage).
Interesting!There are acupressure and segmental massage of the cervical spine.
Segmental massage is a massage of the paravertebral zones, and acupressure is a massage of special "vital" points that are responsible for certain segments of the spine.
Acupuncture or acupuncture
Acupunctureis a method of treating cervical osteochondrosis by applying needles to active points of the spine.
The needle irritates these points and the body activates the production of cortisol and endogenous painkillers, which help deal with inflammation and pain.
Cervical osteochondrosisis a progressive, incurable disease. With the help of comprehensive, timely and properly selected treatment, the process of destruction and immobilization of the spine can be stopped.