Constant headaches, heaviness in the back of the head, numbness in the hands - this is most likely osteochondrosis of the cervical region. Symptoms of it can be mistaken for the manifestation of other diseases, such as angina pectoris or migraine. The sooner the correct picture of the disease is revealed, the more successful the treatment.
Symptoms and causes
We have to admit that this is the disease of the century. Is it possible to say that before it was not so widespread? Perhaps yes. If earlier it was a disease of the elderly, now it has become much younger. After all, the root cause of painful deformation of the intervertebral cartilage in the neck and back is hypodynamia - the eternal sitting near a desk or in front of a computer in a motionless position, with the head tilted. In the same position, a person stays after work - in the car or at home in front of the TV. The result is dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs, disrupting the blood supply to important arteries leading to the brain. It all starts with a crunch of the vertebraewhen turning the head, and then there are pulling pains in the back of the head, neck, shoulders and forearms, numbness of the fingers. If an accurate diagnosis has not yet been made - osteochondrosis of the cervical region, the symptoms may resemble an angina attack, as the pain radiates to the arm and sternum. It is not difficult to check this on your own: if nitroglycerin does not help, then the problem is not in the heart. Although, of course, experiments with he alth are not welcome in any disease.
Treatment
With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you need a full-fledged, comprehensive treatment, which should be prescribed by an osteopath. Complex - because only medicines or only folk remedies cannot cope with the disease. You need both, plus physiotherapy exercises and therapeutic massage. Of the medicines, experts certainly recommend a course of so-called chondroprotectors - drugs that stop the process of cartilage destruction between the vertebrae and restore cartilage tissue. Anti-inflammatory drugs are connected - Indomethacin, Voltaren, Chondroxide. If necessary, a course of painkillers and antispasmodic injections, such as Diclofenac, Papaverine, can be carried out. A good effect is also given by physiotherapeutic procedures prescribed in parallel with drug treatment.
Therapeutic exercise and massage
It would seem that the patient can prescribe this part of the treatment himself. This is a huge mistake. Everything related to the disease of the cervical spine is the work of an experienced,a proven neuropathologist, osteopath, chiropractor, but not an amateur massage therapist. Moreover, there are deaths due to drastic manipulations of such “horsemen”. And within the framework of the article, that is, at a distance, only general recommendations can be given. So, if the patient suspected osteochondrosis of the cervical region, symptoms and pain in the back of the neck, headaches, numbness of the fingers, the condition can be alleviated with simple exercises.
- Sitting on a chair, with soft, smooth movements, perform circular movements of the head, 15 times in each direction. No sudden movements, especially back!
- Tilting the head back and forth, also smoothly and carefully.
- "Mill" - an exercise for the hands. 50 times (increasingly possible) twist your arms back and forth, even through pain.
- Grap your hands around your head - thumbs under the chin, the rest of the fingers on the back of the neck and on the back of the head - and try to stretch the muscles of the neck and vertebrae. Feel better immediately.
If these simple exercises are performed every day between times, the pain will decrease significantly. As for massage, this has already been said: only a specialist should perform massage of the cervical-collar zone.
Folk treatments
Unfortunately, it cannot be argued that folk remedies can finally cure cervical osteochondrosis. Symptoms, of course, can be removed, but by and large, one cannot do without the involvement of specialists. How can you relieve pain in the neck, head, hands withosteochondrosis? Not bad help compresses from medicinal herbs. So, a juicy leaf of burdock or horseradish can be doused with boiling water and applied to the sore nape, covered with a film on top and wrapped with a handkerchief. The compress can be kept at least a whole day. What can not be said about the compress with mustard: dilute 50 g of dry powder and aloe juice with alcohol, add a little propolis. In fact, it is recommended to apply this mixture at night, and it is actually effective, but it should not be brought to a burn. Last but not least is proper nutrition. Everyone knows that the first enemy in osteochondrosis is s alt, which means that you need to drastically limit its use. Foods rich in uric acid are not recommended - rich meat soups and broths, smoked meats, sorrel, spinach. And the main advice is not to start the disease, to start treatment at its first signs.
