Do you often have neck and head pain, and the pain radiates to your arms and shoulders? Maybe you have cervical osteochondrosis, which needs to be treated as soon as possible? How to diagnose the disease and which doctor to contact? And also how to provide first aid for osteochondrosis of the neck? Read about it and much more further in the article.
Characteristics of the disease
To begin with, let's remember what type of disease it is. So, osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae is a disease of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine, which are the most mobile. In most cases, the lesion occurs at the level of the C5 - C7 vertebrae. Symptoms of the disease also depend on the affected vertebra. More on that later.
<1_img_centerxx>Reasons for the appearance
In order to understand how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, you must first understand what are the causes of its occurrence. For starters, let's say that this disease is more and more common lately. The secular risk zone is 25 to 40 years. There can be several reasons for the disease. The most common are:
- work in front of a computer, as well as frequent and prolonged driving;
- inactivity;
- accumulation of salt in the cervical spine;
- impaired metabolism;
- bad nutrition;
- neck injuries;
- rheumatism;
- heredity;
- hormonal disturbances;
- severe hypothermia, etc.
Symptoms
The disease has a number of symptoms that can manifest both together and separately. It all depends on the affected area of the neck. So, in order to know how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you need to know what is affected and what the consequences may be. First, consider the general signs of cervical osteochondrosis.
- Pain. Pain syndrome is observed in the neck, the back of the head, the shoulder back. Also, pain can be given to the hand. This disease is responsible for 30% of all headaches. All this is due to the fact that with osteochondrosis blood vessels can be pinched. Thus, the blood flow to the brain decreases and severe headaches appear, accompanied by rapid fatigue.
- Crunch. When turning the head and tilting it, a strong characteristic crunch is felt.
- Numbness. It can occur at the level of the shoulder blades, accompanied by a strong "lumbago". Also, the neck itself may become numb, while there will be a noticeable unpleasant tingling sensation in the area of the arms and legs.
- Weakness and dizziness. In addition to all this, frequent fainting may occur, drowsiness may appear, and rapid general fatigability may be observed.
If the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will be carried out at home, then you still need to know how to accurately determine the area of the lesion. Here you just need to know what the symptoms will be if either of the nerve roots near the vertebra is affected. There are 8 of these processes in the cervical spine in total, and they are designated C1 - C8.
- C1 - with its defeat, impaired sensitivity is observed in the occipital region.
- C2 - pain appears on the back of the head and crown.
- C3 - the offense is accompanied by severe pain in the area where it occurred. The sensitivity of the neck decreases. The taste sensitivity of the tongue is impaired. Speech problems may occur.
- C4 - pain in the liver and heart. There is also numbness and pain in the shoulders and between the shoulder blades.
- C5 - pain and decreased tenderness in the upper part of the shoulder.
- C6 - the area including the neck and shoulder blades is very painful. The pain spreads to the shoulder and radiates to the arm, reaching the thumb of the hand.
- C7 - symptoms are similar to C6, but the pain spreads to the back of the shoulder and all over the arm, affecting the remaining fingers except the little finger.
- C8 - similar to C7. In addition, the numbness and pain has already reached the little finger.
Types
Are you wondering if it is possible to cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home? Then you need to know what stage of the disease you have. After all, only the first degree of treatment can be carried out at home. In total, 3 degrees of the disease can be distinguished depending on its progression.
- The first - takes place almost imperceptibly, and you do not even begin to think about how to treat cervical osteochondrosis. But it is at this stage that it is possible to prevent the development of the disease. Symptoms include periodic numbness in the neck and the area between the shoulder blades during prolonged sitting. Pain is rare, but it can accompany numbness and increased fatigue.
- The second type is the progression of the disease. The intervertebral discs have shrunk and become deformed, but they can still be repaired. With any movement of the neck, a cracking and pain is felt, while movement is limited. Requires immediate medical attention.
- The third type is an advanced stage of the disease. Here, the integrity of the disks is already broken. Pain in the neck, head, shoulders is almost constant. Painful sensations are given even to the hands, up to the fingers. The appearance of a disease such as a hernia is possible. With new deformities and incorrect fusion of the vertebrae, the fight against the disease can continue only with surgical methods.
Where to look for help?
So, you have signs of the disease and you have decided not to sit idly by, but to turn to a specialist for help. The question arises: "Which doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis? "Well, it all depends on what stage of the disease you have. Thus, the treatment of 1st degree wounds can be taken care of by a specialist in therapeutic gymnastics or a masseur. This also includes alternative medicine, namely a direction such as osteopathy.
2nd degree osteochondrosis of the cervical spine already requires observation by a polyclinic doctor. Here manual, physiotherapists or reflex therapists can treat the wound. Also, it will not be superfluous to consult a neurologist. Grade 3 cervical osteochondrosis requires more professional medical treatment. Here, a neurologist must first treat the disease, since there are quite a few nerve endings in the cervical spine. In an advanced case, the surgeon treats osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with a neuropathologist.
Diagnostic
Before treating osteochondrosis of the neck, you will need to have an exam. The attending physician will palpate the neck, perform several manipulations and question you. Be sure to order a cervical crest x-ray. In addition, a general blood test will be prescribed. For a more detailed understanding of the disease, they can be sent for an MRI or CT scan.
How's the treatment going?
To begin with, let's answer the question "Is it possible to cure cervical osteochondrosis? "Yes, it is possible, but it is only possible to fully cope with the disease in the early stages. So how do you beat cervical osteochondrosis? There are different treatments for this, which are described below.
Medication
Medication is the most effective method of treating 2nd and 3rd degree cervical osteochondrosis. Complex processing is carried out here. Thus, certain medications should relieve the pain that was plaguing you. Other drugs fight inflammation. Still others - relieve puffiness, the fourth drugs restore blood circulation and provide nutrients to the diseased area. All can be in tablet form and in the form of injections and injections. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, ointments will be ineffective.
All treatment for cervical osteochondrosis in women and men is divided into 3 stages.
- First, the drugs should quickly overcome the pain, relieve puffiness and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- At the second stage, each remedy should produce a regenerating healing effect.
- The third step is restorative. This includes vitamins, remedial gymnastics and massage.
Since you have been tortured with osteochondrosis and have decided to go to the hospital, please do not self-medicate and follow all of your doctor's instructions.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can answer how to cure osteochondrosis of cervical spine. The most commonly used methods are:
- magnetotherapy;
- electrotherapy;
- laser treatment;
- UFO;
- balneotherapy others.
Surgical intervention
Sometimes only a surgeon can answer the question of how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis. The operation is scheduled after consultation with a neurologist. Here the surgeon should try as much as possible so that the osteochondrosis that has conquered you will recede. After the surgery, prepare for a long course of recovery.
ethnoscience
And what will folk medicine say about all of this? There are enough methods and means to treat such a disease. However, remember that you act at your own risk, so you alone are responsible for the consequences. So, how to treat osteochondrosis using folk remedies.
- The first method is to compress cervical osteochondrosis from Indian onion leaves. To do this, you need to take a leaf of the plant and rub the diseased areas with it, then apply the remains in the form of a compress overnight. The healing effect should be observed the next morning.
- Another compress for the night is prepared from cottage cheese sprinkled with vinegar. It is done several nights in a row until the appearance of the treated effect.
- Horseradish leaves are used in the same way. We take a leaf of a freshly picked plant, rinse it with boiling water and apply it to a sore spot overnight, having previously wrapped it with something warm.
- How to cure cervical osteochondrosis with a shovel? And here everything is quite simple. The point is that we do not need the whole shovel, but only a part, called a handle, which is more than a meter long. To make it a wonder drug, you have to take it with both hands and wrap it around your neck. In addition, with up and down movements, we massage the diseased areas. The procedure should be carried out several times a day, at least a week.
Contraindications to treatment
Sometimes a difficult question arises, "What can you do with cervical osteochondrosis, and what not? "It is revealed that not all medical procedures have a therapeutic effect. Sometimes they can be very harmful to the patient. Therefore, it is worth dealing only with the recommendations of the attending physician. So this includes the following procedures that are used to treat osteochondrosis:
- acupuncture;
- remedial gymnastics or exercise therapy;
- massage.
Acupuncture for osteochondrosis is contraindicated if you are 75 years of age or older, as well as for pregnant women. The rest of the points of contraindications for this procedure are identical to massage. This includes:
- Blood diseases.
- Any type of bleeding.
- Increased mental excitability.
- Any difficulty in breathing.
- Problems of the digestive system.
Exercise therapy or physiotherapy complex, with such a disease as osteochondrosis, also have contraindications. The most common are unhealed wounds, severe bruises, and bruises. Contraindications here also include:
- a sharp exacerbation of the disease;
- heart weakness;
- manifestation of tachycardia or arrhythmia;
- severe forms of diabetes;
- bleeding tendency;
- infectious wounds;
- there are diseases associated with the vestibular apparatus;
- have vision problems;
- neurological symptoms leading to loss of coordination.
How to provide first aid?
If osteochondrosis surprised you at home, first aid will be as follows:
- Take the pain reliever you have at your normal dose.
- Call the doctor at home, as you may need more drastic methods and other medications.
- Try not to make sudden movements with your head or body.
- Remove the blankets from the bed and lie down with a small pillow under your head. If the mattress is soft enough, lie down on a bench or on the floor.
- Try to relax and think of something good to make the pain reliever work faster. If the doctor is late, do not lie in one position for a long time.