Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis: how to deal with pain

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 in hearing, vision and cognitive functions, a feeling of numbness in the face and a gradual loss of ability to work.

If, when turning your head, you are worried about pain and stiffness, frequent dizziness or weakness in your hands, it is time to think about the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

Do not postpone the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis for later.

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis has its own characteristics, due to the anatomical structure. The vertebrae of the cervical region are smaller than the lumbar and even thoracic, and also experience a constant static load (the weight of the head). In the daytime, loads can be expressed in maintaining the same posture - for example, when reading documents, working at a computer. At night, the neck is also 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 is under pressure). As a result of this pre-pathological condition, the so-called. muscle overtraining. Certain muscle groups experience excessive stress, and therefore need a longer period of rest and recovery - but do not get them - because the schedule has not been canceled.

All this causes constant tension in some muscle groups and dystrophic changes in others, and often leads to the appearance of a "turtle neck" (a person stoops, while the head protrudes forward, and the neck forms a characteristic deflection). In this situation, the weight of the head falls on the atlas, the first cervical vertebra. He 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-related and hormonal changes - most often after 45 years (inorganic substances prevail over organic ones, which reduces the flexibility of bones and causes their mineralization, and bone tissue destruction occurs faster than its growth);
• injuries of 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 a variety of loads is necessary for their health);
• smoking and other bad habits.

Stages of cervical osteochondrosis

The stage of cervical osteochondrosis is established on the basis of diagnostic criteria. These include 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 selects the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck, preventive measures and, if necessary, supporting orthoses.

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. They are attributed to fatigue after a working day, an uncomfortable sleeping position, stress, migraine and various diseases. 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, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is most likely - after all, their symptoms are more pronounced. This is due both to the specifics of work and physical activity (for example, working in the office during the day, and bending over the sink or the child’s homework in the evening), and to hormonal and anatomical features (lower muscle mass and bone mineral density). At the preclinical stage, forwomen are especially characterized by pressure surges, numbness and blanching of the skin (especially on the face), a tendency to faint and dizziness, nausea, and some other symptoms of cerebral hypoxia.

Most often, the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are faced by patients aged 45 to 65 years, but with chronic fatigue, excessive physical activity and other risk factors, they can appear quite early - starting from 25 years.

At this stage, the disease can be completely defeated with the help of therapeutic exercises, ointments for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, training in the orthopedic regimen and normalization of nutrition.

2 degree of cervical osteochondrosis

At 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. Also appear protrusion (protrusion) of intervertebral discs, radicular syndrome (compression of nerve endings).
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 are reduced. Patients complain of increased fatigue, irritability. At this stage, effective drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is already required.

3 degree of cervical osteochondrosis

Severe and acute pain is permanent, can be given to the arms, upper back, neck. One or both of the patient's arms tire quickly. The process begins to move to neighboring joints due to a violation of the natural compensatory functions of the spine. The patient finds it difficult or cannot turn his head at all due to the formed bone growths - osteophytes, as well as the fact that the cartilage is replaced by connective tissue. Every movement, if possible, is accompanied by a rough crunch. The neck loses mobility, its muscles atrophy. Hernias often form, cracks appear on the vertebrae. Noise is heard in the ears.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

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 concomitant diseases. Therefore, the appropriateness of specific therapeutic measures in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women and men should be determined by the attending physician.

For effective treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck, an integrated approach and the implementation of doctor's prescriptions are required.

Physiotherapy for cervical osteochondrosis

For pain relief, relieving inflammation, improving nerve conduction and nutrition of the brain, the following physiotherapeutic methods for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are used:

• ultrasound therapy and phonophoresis - have a warming effect, improve the effect of external drugs;
• electrophoresis - enhances the effect of administered medications, has a stimulating and warming effect;
• shock wave therapy (SWT) - activates blood circulation, relieves inflammation and improves the regeneration of bone and cartilage tissues;
• electromyostimulation - improves the mobility and endurance of the neck and arms, relieves pain;
• cold and ozone therapy - reduce pain and inflammation, help reduce the dosage of corticosteroid drugs;
• physical therapy and kinesitherapy - strengthens the muscles of the neck, improves blood circulation and metabolism, maintains neck mobility;
• manual therapy and mechanical traction (traction) - helps to get rid of clamps and pain;
• acupuncture - helps to maintain mobility and nervous sensitivity;
• paraffin applications - stimulate metabolic processes, reduce pain.

Sanatorium methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis are effective for and advantage - for example, balneotherapy (hydrogen sulfide, radon and turpentine baths) hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches).

Massage in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck

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 fingers and the edge of the palm, tapping, stroking and ascending movements along the back of the neck. Not superfluous in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae will be a circular massage of the back of the head, as well as a warming massage for the clavicular region, shoulders, and upper back. Massage is especially effective before exercise therapy exercises. You can combine it with the application of an ointment for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

With osteochondrosis of the neck, hydromassage is also recommended - a physiotherapeutic technique that improves metabolism, inhibits fibrous growths, helps get rid of headaches and improves nerve conduction.

Exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis

The lack of adequate physical activity on the muscles of the neck and back 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 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 entire complex is painful for you, contact an orthopedist for medical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, and also visit an exercise therapy instructor.

You can perform the following exercises daily (5-7 repetitions):

1. Press your palm to your forehead and strain your neck, trying to move your palm with your forehead. Repeat this exercise for the back of the head, and then, in turn, for the right and left temples.
2. Tilt your head back, and then slowly lower it, pressing your chin to your chest.
3. Stand up straight and turn your head as far to the left as possible. Repeat the exercise on the right side.
4. Tilt your head back and try to touch your shoulder with your ear. Repeat on both sides.
5. Lower your chin to the jugular notch and turn your head first to one side (from 5 times) then, similarly, to the other.

Warm-ups for the shoulders, such as the "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 a so-called. "diseases of the whole organism. "Therefore, in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, dieting has two goals: saturating the body with nutrients and limiting substances that contribute to dehydration, mineralization of the joints and their destruction.

Therefore, in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a special place in the diet should be occupied by:

1. Poultry, lean beef, game, liver and offal. .
2. Seafood - fish, shellfish, crustaceans, edible algae.
3. Eggs and dairy products.
4. Whole grains and legumes - oats, wheat (including sprouted), brown rice, beans, peas.
5. Vegetables - carrots, spinach, bell peppers, broccoli, lettuce and others.
6. Fruits - apricots, bananas, citruses, plums, apples, avocados, peaches, pomegranates.
7. Nuts.
8. Any berries (fresh, dried, frozen) and dried fruits.

But marinades, salty dishes, fast food, semi-finished products and sausages should be completely excluded. It is also important to reduce white bread, potatoes, sweets (except for dark chocolate and dried fruits), carbonated drinks and coffee "from bags" in the menu - this will reduce the need for drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

Preparations for osteochondrosis

Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis includes various therapeutic measures - from massage and diet to therapeutic exercises and physiotherapy. All of them help to improve the patient's condition and prevent the development of complications. But the leading method has been and remains the use of pharmaceuticals for osteochondrosis.

Preparations for osteochondrosis - the main way to combat the disease.

Goals of medical treatment

Treatment of osteochondrosis with drugs is so effective in the early stages of the disease that, with the right treatment regimen, it can completely cure osteochondrosis or permanently eliminate its most unpleasant symptoms. In the later stages, medical containment of the disease is possible.

Medicines for osteochondrosis are designed to influence the disease not only symptomatically, but also to eliminate its causes systemically. Therefore, therapy is carried out in the following directions:

• anesthesia of the affected areas;
• removal of inflammation and relief of the acute period of the disease;
• restoration of microcirculation in the affected tissues;
• improvement of metabolic processes and protection of cartilage from further destruction (for example, by free radicals);
• regeneration of cartilaginous tissue in the 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 in courses at prophylactic dosages.

Drugs for effective treatment of osteochondrosis: release form

For the treatment of osteochondrosis, agents for external and internal use are used. The choice of the form of release of the drug depends on the habits and lifestyle of the patient, concomitant 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 systemic effects on the body.

Tablets should be taken directly with meals, usually 2 times a day.

The main disadvantage of tablets (especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is that they act directly on the mucous membrane of the digestive system. Such drugs are not recommended for permanent use due to the risk of inflammation and stomach ulcers. They must be taken under medical supervision.

Treatment with drugs for osteochondrosis can be started only after consulting a doctor.

Ointments, gels, creams and solutions for compresses

Topical products are great for local anesthesia, inflammation and swelling. They are considered to be much safer for the body than tablets, since they do not come into contact with mucous membranes 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, patches are worth highlighting - they are simply fixed on the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe spine, they can be worn under clothing all day.

Ointments, gels and creams are the best drugs for osteochondrosis for patients who have contraindications to taking pills (with steroid 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, since the active substances enter directly into the blood.

Injectable drugs for osteochondrosis can quickly stop the exacerbation 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 lactose-containing drugs.

With particularly severe back pain, the drug is administered as a blockade - directly into the nerve. The effect of such an injection lasts up to 3-4 weeks, but a qualified medical worker should carry out the procedure due to the proximity of the blockade to the spine.

What drugs to take with 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 work 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. Non-steroidal drugs for osteochondrosis can quickly eliminate pain and hotness of the skin, restore local metabolism, relieve swelling, discomfort and deterioration of sensitivity, relieve pressure on the nerve roots of the spine.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis are produced in various dosage forms - capsules and tablets, gels and creams, solutions for intramuscular, intravenous or s / c administration. Treatment of NSAIDs with drugs 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 for pain relief. The patches help to 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 treatment has not shown results.

Chondroprotectors

With osteochondrosis, the spring function of the intervertebral discs worsens, which directly depends on the volume of cartilage tissue and its elasticity. To maintain sufficient cartilage thickness, the body must regenerate cartilage cells (chondrocytes) at a rate that roughly matches their destruction. But with dehydration, unbalanced nutrition, stress, metabolic or anatomical disorders, the rate of chondrocyte decay increases, and new cells either slow down in 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 state of cartilage, prevent its further destruction, and, subject to 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 discomfort in osteochondrosis, the so-called. warming drugs. They are:

• dilate 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 applying irritating drugs, the peak effect is observed after half an hour, and the analgesic effect lasts for 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 (tincture of capsicum);
• 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. With an average pain syndrome, the usual medicines in the first-aid kit can help.

In the later stages of osteochondrosis, opioids are prescribed - potent drugs with a number of contraindications.

For complex anesthesia (for example, blockade), so-called. "Cocktails" that simultaneously have an analgesic, decongestant, anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and allergen-reducing effect.

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, the blood vessels constrict. This worsens the nutrition of tissues, causes oxygen starvation of the brain and accelerates the progression of the disease. Therefore, with cervical osteochondrosis, drugs for normalizing blood circulation are especially important.

Vascular drugs for osteochondrosis improve peripheral blood circulation and cell metabolism, relieve pain.

Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants

To eliminate spasm and tension, antispasmodics and muscle relaxants are used. They normalize blood circulation, muffle pain, restore mobility.

To enhance the effect of muscle relaxers for osteochondrosis, they may 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 provoke chronic stress, emotional stress, depression and other disorders of the psycho-emotional spectrum in patients.

For general calming and combating insomnia, you can use herbal preparations - for example, tincture of valerian, motherwort, peony.

For more serious disorders, antidepressants are recommended.

Vitamin and mineral complexes

Since osteochondrosis is considered a disease of the whole organism, complex vitamin and mineral therapy is of great importance. Vitamins A, groups B, C, D, E, calcium and phosphorus preparations help to significantly improve the condition.

Vitamin Aa natural antioxidant that stimulates the production of collagen and reduces the destruction of chondrocytes, promotes the renewal of joint tissues.

B vitaminsreduce pain, inflammation and numbness of the hands, improve the sensitivity of nerve fibers.

Vitamin Dis responsible for the absorption of calcium and helps 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 slow down significantly. Doctors recommend:

• lead an active lifestyle, avoid hypodynamia;
• minimize or eliminate heavy lifting;
• sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
• Do regular warm-ups if you need to work at the computer for a long time.

The ideal sport for osteochondrosis is swimming. Water unloads the spinal column, and active movements contribute to the formation of the muscular frame.