Many people who encounter osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are interested in the question "how to treat cervical osteochondrosis? "I suggest you check it out.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis?
Unfortunately, cervical osteochondrosis, like osteochondrosis of other parts of the spine, is a progressive and incurable disease.
Therefore, it is very difficult to treat this disease today.
When starting treatment for osteochondrosis, the main goals set by doctors 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 vertebrologist, but in no case by the patient himself.
Self-medication not only brings relief, but also often harms 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.
It is important!In extreme cases, when conservative methods are ineffective or dangerous complications occur, surgical intervention is resorted to.
Correctly selected treatment for cervical osteochondrosis can stop the disease and provide remission for several decades.
Drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
Medicines for cervical osteochondrosis are prescribed by the followingobjectives:
- to anesthetize;
- relax tight neck muscles;
- eliminate the inflammatory process in the spinal and paravertebral tissues;
- eliminate tissue swelling;
- improve microcirculation and metabolism in the cervical spine;
- improve blood supply to the brain;
- 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(NSAID) perfectly relieves 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 administration of drugs. The course of treatment with these drugs is 7-10 days. NSAIDs can irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines, causing erosion and ulcers. In order to eliminate negative effects on the digestive system, proton pump inhibitors are prescribed in parallel with NSAIDs.
- Hormonal agents.In radicular syndrome, a group of glucocorticosteroids is used to relieve inflammation and swelling. Glucocorticosteroids are most often used as perineural and paravertebral injections.
- Anestheticsused in the form of neuromuscular paravertebral blockades. With this method of administration, drugs directly affect the roots of the spinal nerves and thereby relieve pain. To increase the blocking effect, anesthetics are combined with a glucocorticosteroid. The course of treatment consists of 5-6 blockades.
- Chondroprotectors.The preparations in 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 effects of negative factors and help restore their structure, thereby restoring the lost functions of the spinal joints and reducing the manifestations of osteochondrosis.
- Medicines that improve metabolism and microcirculationin spinal tissues and nerves.
- Vitamins.Vitamin preparations, for example, 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 patches help relieve pain and improve blood flow to the affected areas.
Also, for cervical osteochondrosis, diuretics can be prescribed to relieve swelling of paravertebral tissues and nerves, muscle relaxants and calcium preparations to relax spasmodic neck muscles.
Therapeutic exercise 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 allow to reduce pain in the spine, improve blood flow and metabolism in tissues, 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 be prescribed by a physical therapy doctor only after learning the results of a spinal examination and only after eliminating acute pain.
There may be contraindications for physiotherapy and gymnastics:
- diseases in the acute stage;
- acute infectious diseases;
- acute myocardial infarction;
- malignant and benign neoplasms;
- aortic aneurysm;
- cardiac aneurysm;
- blood coagulation disorder;
- heart rhythm disturbance;
- high blood pressure;
- eye myopia;
- severe forms of diabetes.
Physiotherapy methods for the treatment of 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 therapyinvolves the use of helium-neon rays, which have an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and restorative effect by activating biological processes in the tissues of the nervous system.
Treatment with ultraviolet rays.Ultraviolet rays have an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, restorative and bactericidal effect.
Also, the synthesis of calciferol (vitamin D) in the body is activated under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.
The method is not used in people suffering from malignant diseases of blood and internal organs.
Balneotherapy- the use of mineral waters and mud in the form of baths, showers, applications and dressings. Chemicals and minerals in mineral waters and mud improve microcirculation in the spine and affected tissues.
Vibration therapyis the use of mechanical vibrations directed at the cervical spine, which reduces muscle spasm and pain.
There are group exercises that can be used both in a hospital setting and at home.
It is important!Vibration therapy is contraindicated for people with pustular skin diseases on the neck and vibration disease.
Acoustic shock wave therapy,affecting the cervical spine. Thus, pain decreases, metabolism and blood flow in the neck tissues improves.
There are more physical treatments. In order to eliminate the negative impact of physiotherapy factors on the body, the physiotherapist must determine and control the implementation of procedures.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis using manual therapy and massage?
Manual therapyto restore the normal mobility of the spine and eliminate the displacement of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs is called a dosed local effect on the elements of the spine with hands.
Trust your body only to a qualified chiropractor to prevent spinal injuries.
Manual therapy consists of gentle, fine-tuning 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 increase the mobility of the spine.
Manual therapy cannot be performed in patients with cervical osteochondrosis who suffer from inflammatory diseases of the spine, oncopathology or spinal injuries.
Massage for cervical osteochondrosis can be performed by a massage therapist or the patient himself (self-massage).
Interesting!There is acupressure and segmental massage of the cervical spine.
Segmental massage is the massage of paravertebral zones, while acupressure is the massage of special "vital" points responsible for individual segments of the spine.
Acupuncture or acupuncture
Acupunctureis a method of treating cervical osteochondrosis by injecting into the active points of the spine.
The needle irritates these points and activates the production of cortisol and endogenous painkillers, which help the body cope with inflammation and pain.
Cervical osteochondrosisis a progressive, incurable disease. With the help of complex, timely and correctly selected treatment, the process of destruction and immobilization of the spine can be stopped.