In the human neck there is a huge number of nerve bundles and blood vessels that ensure the normal functioning of the brain and sensory organs. The most common cause of their pinching is cervical osteochondrosis, a dangerous degenerative disease of cartilage and bone tissue, which is accompanied by severe pain, deterioration of hearing, vision and cognitive functions, facial numbness and gradual loss of abilities. to work.
If you are worried about pain and stiffness when turning your head, frequent dizziness or weakness in your hands, it is time to think about treatment for cervical osteochondrosis.
Causes of cervical osteochondrosis
Cervical osteochondrosis has its own characteristics, due to its anatomical structure. The vertebrae of the cervical region are smaller than the lumbar and even the thoracic, and they also experience a constant static load (the weight of the head). During the day, loads can be expressed in maintaining the same posture - for example, when reading documents, working at a computer. At night, the neck is often deprived of rest due to an unphysiological sleeping position and an uncomfortable pillow (the head either "hangs" on the pillow, or is a reference point and under pressure). As a result of this pre-pathological condition, so-called muscle overtraining occurs. Certain muscle groups experience excessive stress, therefore they need a longer period of rest and recovery - but don't get them - because the schedule is not canceled.
All this causes constant tension in some muscle groups and dystrophic changes in others, and often leads to the appearance of "tortoise neck" (the person bends over, while the head protrudes forward, and the neck creates a characteristic deflection). In this situation, the weight of the head falls on the atlas, the first cervical vertebra. It is forced to take on that part of the load that the neck muscles can handle during normal physical development. But the fact is that he is not at all adapted for such a task!
Additional factors that can accelerate the wear of the intervertebral cartilage in the cervical spine are often:
- age and hormonal changes - most often after 45 years (inorganic substances predominate over organic ones, which reduces the flexibility of bones and causes their mineralization, and the destruction of bone tissue occurs faster than its growth);
- injuries to the neck and other parts of the spine;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- congenital anomalies of the musculoskeletal system and acquired posture disorders;
- hypodynamia (after all, the intervertebral joints of the neck are the most mobile, and various loads are necessary for their health);
- smoking and other bad habits.
Stages of cervical osteochondrosis
The stage of cervical osteochondrosis is determined based on diagnostic criteria. This includes the patient's own sensations, palpation, assessment of neck mobility, as well as the gap between the vertebrae and other indicators on the X-ray. Depending on the stage of the disease, the orthopedist chooses the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck, preventive measures and, if necessary, supportive orthosis.
1 degree of cervical osteochondrosis
1 degree of cervical osteochondrosis is also called the preclinical stage. Patients, as a rule, ignore the first symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and treatment is not carried out due to their mild severity. Fatigue after a working day, uncomfortable sleeping position, stress, migraine and various diseases are attributed to them. Patients feel:
- stiffness in the neck, especially in the morning or after a long stay in the same position;
- pain with sharp turns of the head;
- frequent headache (including change of weather).
At this stage of the disease, treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is most likely - after all, their symptoms are more pronounced. This is due to the specifics of work and physical activity (for example, working in an office during the day and bending over the sink or doing the child's homework in the evening), and due to hormonal and anatomical characteristics (lower muscle mass and bone mineral density). In the preclinical phase, pressure spikes, numbness and paleness of the skin (especially on the face), tendency to fainting and dizziness, nausea and some other symptoms of cerebral hypoxia are especially characteristic for women.
The symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are most often encountered by patients aged 45 to 65 years, but chronic fatigue, excessive physical activity and other risk factors can occur quite early - as early as 25 years old.
At this stage, the disease can be completely overcome with the help of therapeutic exercises, ointments for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, orthopedic regimen training and normalization of diet.
2nd degree of cervical osteochondrosis
In the 2nd stage of the disease, the height of the intervertebral cartilage begins to decrease, which plays the role of a shock-absorbing insert between the vertebrae. Because of this, microtraumatization of the neck often occurs during sharp turns, jumps or excessive loads. Protrusions (protrusions) of intervertebral discs, radicular syndrome (compression of nerve endings) also appear.
These changes cause severe pain - both in the head and in the neck. The ability to concentrate, the speed of thinking, the sensitivity of the face and hands decrease. Patients complain of increased fatigue, irritability. At this stage, effective treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with drugs is already necessary.
3rd degree of cervical osteochondrosis
Strong and acute pain is permanent, can be given in the hands, upper back, neck. One or both of the patient's arms tire quickly. The process begins to move to the adjacent joints due to the violation of the natural compensatory functions of the spine. It is difficult for the patient or he cannot turn his head at all due to the formed bone growths - osteophytes, as well as the fact that the cartilage has been replaced by connective tissue. Each movement, if possible, is accompanied by a rough crunch. The neck loses its mobility, its muscles atrophy. Hernias are often formed, cracks appear on the vertebrae. There is a noise in the ears.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
The treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is carried out comprehensively, taking into account the age, build, profession, level of physical fitness of the patient, his lifestyle and the presence of accompanying diseases. Therefore, the appropriateness of specific therapeutic measures in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women and men should be determined by a doctor.
Physiotherapy of cervical osteochondrosis
To relieve pain, relieve inflammation, improve nerve conduction and nourish the brain, the following physiotherapeutic methods are used for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis:
- ultrasound therapy and phonophoresis - have a warming effect, improve the effect of external drugs;
- electrophoresis - enhances the effect of applied drugs, has a stimulating and warming effect;
- shock wave therapy (SWT) - activates blood circulation, relieves inflammation and improves the regeneration of bone and cartilage tissue;
- electromyostimulation - improves mobility and endurance of the neck and hands, relieves pain;
- cold and ozone therapy - reduce pain and inflammation, help reduce the dose of corticosteroid drugs;
- physical therapy and kinesitherapy - strengthens neck muscles, improves circulation and metabolism, maintains neck mobility;
- manual therapy and mechanical traction (traction) - helps to get rid of clamps and pain;
- acupuncture - helps maintain mobility and nerve sensitivity;
- paraffin applications - stimulate metabolic processes, reduce pain.
Sanatorium methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis are effective and useful - for example, balneotherapy (hydrogen sulfide, radon and turpentine baths), hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches).
Massage in the treatment of neck osteochondrosis
Therapeutic, lymphatic drainage massage and physiotherapy have a positive effect on the intervertebral discs, bone tissue, muscles and ligaments of the cervical region. Some movements can be performed independently - for example, rubbing the cervical collar, parotid zone and shoulders, washing the neck with the fingers and the edge of the palm, tapping, caressing and upward movements along the back of the neck. In the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae, a circular massage of the back of the head, as well as a massage to warm the clavicular region, shoulders and upper back, are not superfluous. Massage is especially effective before exercise therapy exercises. You can combine it with the application of ointment for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
Hydromassage is also recommended for osteochondrosis of the neck - a physiotherapeutic technique that improves metabolism, inhibits fibrous growths, helps to solve headaches and improves nerve conduction.
Exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis
The lack of adequate physical activity on the neck and back muscles is the main reason for the development and further progression of cervical osteochondrosis. Therefore, daily gymnastics is used both for the prevention and treatment of this disease (but not for the treatment of exacerbations of cervical osteochondrosis! ). Remember that the exercises should be performed at least 3-5 times a day (of which 1 time in the morning, after waking up). All movements should be smooth, without jerks. If you feel pain during the exercise, stop it, and if the whole complex is painful, contact an orthopedist for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, and also visit the exercise instructor.
You can perform the following exercises daily (5-7 repetitions):
- Press your palm to your forehead and strain your neck, trying to move your palm to your forehead. Repeat this exercise for the back of the head, and then, in order, for the right and left temples.
- Tilt your head back, then slowly lower it, pressing your chin to your chest.
- Stand up straight and turn your head as far to the left as possible. Repeat the exercise on the right side.
- Tilt your head back and try to touch your shoulder with your ear. Repeat on both sides.
- Lower the chin to the jugular notch and turn the head first to one side (out of 5 times), and then, in a similar way, to the other.
Warming up for the shoulders, like a "mill", will not be superfluous. Daily exercises in the early stages of the disease help to do without pills for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
Please note: if you have already been diagnosed with osteochondrosis, you should not describe a full circle with your head, because. it can be traumatic.
Diet in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region can be classified as so-called"diseases of the whole organism. "Therefore, in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, the diet has two goals: saturating the organism with nutrients and limiting substances that contribute to dehydration, mineralization of joints and their destruction.
Therefore, in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a special place in the diet should be occupied by:
- Poultry, lean beef, game, liver and offal. .
- Seafood - fish, shellfish, crabs, edible algae.
- Eggs and dairy products.
- Whole grains and legumes - oats, wheat (including sprouted), brown rice, beans, peas.
- Vegetables - carrots, spinach, peppers, broccoli, lettuce and others.
- Fruits - apricots, bananas, citrus fruits, plums, apples, avocados, peaches, pomegranates.
- Nuts.
- Any berries (fresh, dried, frozen) and dried fruit.
But marinades, salty dishes, fast food, semi-finished products and sausages should be completely excluded. It is also important to reduce the menu of white bread, potatoes, sweets (except for dark chocolate and dried fruit), carbonated drinks and coffee "from bags" - this will reduce the need to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with drugs.
Preparations for osteochondrosis
Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis includes various therapeutic measures - from massage and diet to therapeutic exercises and physiotherapy. All of them help improve the patient's condition and prevent the development of complications. But the leading method was and remains the use of drugs for osteochondrosis.
Goals of medical treatment
Treatment of osteochondrosis with drugs is so effective in the early stages of the disease that with a proper treatment regimen it can completely cure osteochondrosis or permanently remove its most unpleasant symptoms. In the later stages, medical control of the disease is possible.
Medicines for osteochondrosis are designed to affect the disease not only symptomatically, but also to eliminate its causes systemically. Therefore, therapy is carried out in the following directions:
- anesthesia of affected areas;
- removal of inflammation and relief of the acute period of the disease;
- restoration of microcirculation in affected tissues;
- improvement of metabolic processes and protection of cartilage from further destruction (for example, by free radicals);
- regeneration of cartilage tissue in intervertebral discs;
- restoration of mobility in the vertebral joints.
In cases where the disease is accompanied by depression or emotional stress, therapy is also aimed at restoring a normal psychological state.
During the period of remission, patients can do without drugs or take them for courses in prophylactic doses.
Medicines for effective treatment of osteochondrosis: form of release
Means for external and internal use are used for the treatment of osteochondrosis. The choice of drug release form depends on the patient's habits and lifestyle, accompanying diagnoses and the stage of the disease.
Tablets and capsules
Tablets and capsules for osteochondrosis are the most popular form of release. They have high bioavailability and a systemic effect on the body.
Tablets should be taken directly with a meal, usually 2 times a day.
The main disadvantage of tablets (especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is that they act directly on the lining of the digestive system. Such drugs are not recommended for long-term use due to the risk of inflammation and stomach ulcers. They must be taken under medical supervision.
Ointments, gels, creams and poultice solutions
Topical products are excellent for local anesthesia, inflammation and swelling. It is considered that they are much safer for the body than tablets, because they do not come into contact with the mucous membrane and are absorbed into the blood in small quantities. Topical preparations do not have a cumulative effect, are easy to use and usually do not require a prescription. They can be used continuously, not in courses. Among the external forms of release, it is worth highlighting patches - they are simply fixed on the affected area of the spine, they can be worn under clothes all day.
Ointments, gels and creams are the best medicines for osteochondrosis for patients who have contraindications for taking pills (with steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory components) from the heart and endocrine system.
Solutions for injections
Medicines for intravenous and intramuscular administration have maximum bioavailability and a reduced effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, because the active substances enter the blood directly.
Injectable drugs for osteochondrosis can quickly stop the worsening of the disease, relieve pain, swelling and restore the sensitivity of nerve endings. Injections are an excellent alternative to oral medications for patients with lactose intolerance. After all, most NSAIDs in tablets are drugs that contain lactose.
In case of particularly severe back pain, the medicine is applied as a block - directly into the nerve. The effect of such an injection lasts up to 3-4 weeks, but the procedure should be performed by a qualified medical professional due to the proximity of the blockage to the spine.
What medicines to take for osteochondrosis?
Medicines for osteochondrosis differ not only in the form of release. They are also divided into the following pharmacological groups.
Anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis
The action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in osteochondrosis is based on the suppression of the production of prostaglandins - hormone-like substances that cause inflammation and pain in the affected areas. Nonsteroidal drugs for osteochondrosis can quickly remove pain and heat of the skin, restore local metabolism, relieve swelling, discomfort and worsening of sensitivity, relieve pressure on the nerve roots of the spine.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis are produced in different dosage forms - capsules and tablets, gels and creams, solutions for intramuscular, intravenous or s / c administration. Treatment with NSAIDs for osteochondrosis usually involves a combination of different forms. For example, tablets are used as the main therapy, gels and ointments "extinguish" residual inflammation, and injections are needed to relieve pain. Patches help relieve inflammation at all stages of treatment.
Steroid (hormonal) anti-inflammatory drugs for osteochondrosis are rarely used - mainly in the most advanced cases, when other treatments have not shown results.
Chondroprotectors
In osteochondrosis, the spring function of the intervertebral discs deteriorates, which directly depends on the volume of the cartilage tissue and its elasticity. In order to maintain sufficient cartilage thickness, the body must regenerate cartilage cells (chondrocytes) at a rate that approximately corresponds to their destruction. But with dehydration, unbalanced nutrition, stress, metabolic or anatomical disorders, the rate of chondrocyte decay increases, and new cells either slow down their growth or have an insufficient margin of safety. To protect the cartilage and restore its normal growth rate, it is worth taking special products based on glucosamine and chondroitin - chondroprotectors. Chondroprotective drugs for the effective treatment of osteochondrosis can stabilize the condition of cartilage, prevent its further destruction and, with all medical recommendations, even help restore lost chondrocytes.
For a sustainable effect, chondroprotectors (in the form of tablets, injections or external agents) must be taken for life, in courses of 3-6 months.
Warming preparations
To eliminate the discomfort of osteochondrosis, the so-calledheating drugs. They are:
- they expand the blood vessels of the skin, which inhibits the transmission of pain impulses to the brain;
- improve blood microcirculation in the connective tissue;
- distract the patient from discomfort.
When using irritating drugs, the peak effect is observed after half an hour, and the analgesic effect lasts 2-4 hours. A local increase in skin temperature is normal.
The list of drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis includes ointments, creams, gels and tinctures based on:
- camphor (camphor ointment);
- turpentine;
- benzyl nicotinate;
- nonivamide;
- capsaicin (paprika tincture);
- bee and snake venom.
Most of these drugs have a combined composition - for example, bee venom and NSAIDs or snake venom, salicylic acid and turpentine. Therefore, before use, you must make sure that there is no allergy to each of the components.
Local and general analgesics
Painkillers for osteochondrosis are usually used in the form of tablets and injections. For an average pain syndrome, common medicines from the first aid kit can help.
In the later stages of osteochondrosis, opioids are prescribed - powerful drugs with a number of contraindications.
For complex anesthesia (for example, blockade), the so-called"Cocktails" that simultaneously have analgesic, decongestant, anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and allergen reduction.
Important! Analgesics only relieve pain without affecting its cause. Therefore, without proper treatment, osteochondrosis continues to progress, requiring a transition to more and more serious painkillers.
Vasodilators
Vasodilator drugs for osteochondrosis or vasodilators help restore normal blood supply to the tissues around the affected intervertebral joints.
Due to pain and muscle tension, blood vessels narrow. This worsens tissue nutrition, starves the brain of oxygen and accelerates the progression of the disease. Therefore, drugs for normalizing blood circulation are especially important in cervical osteochondrosis.
Vascular drugs for osteochondrosis improve peripheral blood circulation and cell metabolism, relieve pain.
Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants
Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants are used to remove spasms and tension. They normalize blood circulation, dampen pain, restore mobility.
To enhance the effect of muscle relaxants in osteochondrosis, they can be prescribed together with clonazepam or diazepam (prescription drugs).
These drugs can be addictive, so use with caution.
Sedatives
Symptoms of osteochondrosis and drug treatment often cause chronic stress, emotional stress, depression and other disorders of the psychoemotional spectrum in patients.
For general calming and suppression of insomnia, you can use herbal preparations - for example, tincture of valerian, lemon balm, peony.
Antidepressants are recommended for more serious disorders.
Vitamin-mineral complexes
Since osteochondrosis is considered a disease of the whole organism, complex vitamin-mineral therapy is of great importance. Vitamins A, groups B, C, D, E, calcium and phosphorus preparations help significantly improve the condition.
vitamin Aa natural antioxidant that stimulates the production of collagen and reduces the destruction of chondrocytes, promotes the restoration of joint tissue.
B vitaminsreduce pain, inflammation and numbness of the hands, improve the sensitivity of nerve fibers.
vitamin Dit is responsible for the absorption of calcium and helps to restore bone tissue lost due to osteochondrosis.
vitamin Enecessary for the normalization of blood circulation, protection against free radicals and cartilage regeneration.
Prevention
If attention is paid to the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis, even with existing changes, their progression will be significantly slowed down. Doctors recommend:
- lead an active lifestyle, avoid hypodynamia;
- minimize or eliminate heavy lifting;
- sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
- Do a regular warm-up if you need to work longer at the computer.
The ideal sport for osteochondrosis is swimming. Water relieves the spine, and active movements contribute to the formation of the muscular frame.