Many who have suffered from 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 today is very difficult.
The main goal that doctors set for themselves when starting therapy for osteochondrosis is to stop the development of the degenerative process and not harm the patient, because the neck borders on important brain centers.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis should be prescribed by a neurologist or vertebrologist, but never by the patient himself.
Medicines themselves not only do not bring relief, but are also 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 necessary.
Correctly selected treatment for cervical osteochondrosis can stop the disease and ensure remission for decades.
Drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Medicines for cervical osteochondrosis are prescribed with the followinggoal:
- anesthesia;
- relaxes spasmodic neck muscles;
- relieves the inflammatory process in the spine and paravertebral tissue;
- relieve tissue swelling;
- improves microcirculation and metabolism in the cervical spine;
- increase blood supply to the brain;
- restores and protects the bones and cartilage tissue of the spine.
Patients with cervical osteochondrosis are prescribed as follows:drug group:
- 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. To eliminate negative effects on the digestive tract, proton pump inhibitors are prescribed in parallel with NSAIDs.
- Hormonal agents.A group of glucocorticosteroids are used that relieve inflammation and swelling in radicular syndrome. Glucocorticosteroids are most often used as perineural and paravertebral injections.
- Anestheticused in the form of paravertebral neuromuscular blockade. With this method of administration, the drugs directly act on the spinal nerve roots, thereby relieving pain. To increase the blocking effect, anesthetics are combined with glucocorticosteroids. The treatment course consists of 5-6 blocks.
- Chondroprotectors.Preparations in this group contain glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, which are components of the cartilage tissue of the spine. Chondroprotectors protect intervertebral disc cartilage from the effects of negative factors and help to restore its structure, thereby restoring lost spinal joint function and reducing the manifestations of osteochondrosis.
- Medicines to improve metabolism and microcirculationin spinal and nerve tissue.
- 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 disorders, strengthen blood vessels and have an antioxidant effect.
- Preparations for topical use– ointments, creams, gels and patches help relieve pain and increase blood flow to the affected area.
Also, for cervical osteochondrosis, diuretics can be prescribed to relieve swelling of the paravertebral tissue and nerves, muscle relaxants to relieve spasmodic neck muscles, and calcium supplements.
Therapeutic exercises for cervical osteochondrosis
How to treat osteochondrosis? Therapeutic exercise (physical therapy for cervical osteochondrosis) is a set of specially designed exercises based on physiological body movements that can reduce pain in the spine, increase blood flow and metabolism in tissues, and restore normal configuration and mobility of the spine.
Attract!Therapeutic exercise is an effective way to treat and prevent cervical osteochondrosis.
Physiotherapy and gymnastics exercises can only be prescribed by a physical therapist after reviewing the results of a spinal examination and only after the acute pain has been relieved.
Contraindications to physical therapy and gymnastics may include:
- disease in the acute phase;
- acute infectious diseases;
- acute myocardial infarction;
- malignant and benign neoplasms;
- aortic aneurysm;
- cardiac aneurysm;
- blood clotting disorders;
- heart rhythm disorders;
- high blood pressure;
- myopia;
- severe form of diabetes.
Physiotherapy methods for treating cervical osteochondrosis
Electrotherapyrepresents the local effect on the cervical spine and paravertebral tissue of the electric field.
This 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 therapyinvolves 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 radiation has pronounced anti-inflammatory, analgesic, regenerative and bactericidal effects.
Also, under the influence of ultraviolet rays, the synthesis of calciferol (vitamin D) is activated in the body.
This method is not used in people suffering from malignant diseases of the blood and internal organs.
Balneotherapy– is the use of mineral water and mud in the form of baths, baths, rubs and bandages. Chemicals and minerals found in mineral water and mud improve microcirculation in the spine and affected tissues.
Vibration therapyis the use of mechanical vibrations aimed at the cervical spine, which reduces muscle spasms and pain.
There are band exercises that can be used in a hospital setting and at home.
Important!Vibration therapy is contraindicated for people with purulent skin disease on the neck and vibration disease.
Acoustic shock wave therapy,which affects the cervical spine. Therefore, pain decreases, metabolism and blood flow in the neck tissue improves.
There are many other methods of physical therapy. To eliminate the negative effects of physiotherapy factors on the body, physiotherapists should prescribe and monitor the implementation of the procedure.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis using manual therapy and massage?
Manual therapycalled the local effect dosed on the elements of the spine by hand to restore normal mobility in them and eliminate displacement of vertebrae and intervertebral discs.
To avoid spinal injuries, trust your body only to a qualified chiropractor.
Manual therapy consists of gentle, gentle adjustment movements, neck massage and traction, where the head and limbs are used as leverage.
With the help of manual therapy, it is possible to reduce neck pain, activate the autonomic nervous system and improve spinal mobility.
Manual therapy should not be performed in patients with cervical osteochondrosis, who also suffer from inflammatory diseases of the spine, oncopathology, or suffer from spinal injuries.
Massage for cervical osteochondrosis can be done either by a massage therapist or by the patient himself (self-massage).
Attract!There is acupressure and cervical spine segment massage.
The sequence of segments is the sequence of paravertebral zones, and acupressure is the sequence of special "important" points responsible for individual segments of the spine.
Acupuncture or acupuncture
Acupunctureis a method of treating cervical osteochondrosis by using needles on the active points of the spine.
The needles irritate these points and the body activates the production of cortisol and endogenous painkillers, which help to cope with inflammation and pain.
Cervical osteochondrosisis a progressive and incurable disease. With the help of comprehensive, timely and correctly selected treatment, the process of destruction and immobilization of the spine can be stopped.