How to treat osteochondrosis at home

It is easier to prevent osteochondrosis than to treat it for a long time. Prevention includes maintaining posture, fitness exercises, exercise equipment, running walking, yoga, swimming. It is necessary to sit correctly at the table and at the computer, you can not throw your head back for a long time or tilt when lifting weights. When writing or reading, it is not recommended to lean low on the surface of the table, and it is advisable to use an orthopedic pillow while sleeping.

Osteochondrosis manifests itself with unpleasant symptoms. Patients complain of pain in the spine, stiffness and numbness in the arms or legs for no reason. In some cases, even unconsciousness or frequent dizziness is possible. If the disease is not treated, it gradually leads to atrophy of muscle tissue, disruption of nerve impulses, dysfunction of a number of internal organs.

The causes of the onset of the disease are hidden in a passive lifestyle, a lack of sufficient load on the spine and a developed muscular frame. Concomitant factors are also poor diet, hormonal disturbances, posture problems, insufficient fluid intake, hereditary predisposition, infection, obesity and bad habits.

Treatment of osteochondrosis at home is possible if the patient does not use folk remedies as the only treatment and consulted a doctor about the complex effect on the pathology. The main ways to get rid of the problem are:

• Drug therapy.
• Massage and physiotherapy.
• Gymnastics.
• Traditional medicine.

Osteochondrosis cannot be cured quickly because the affected cartilage tissue slowly regenerates. It will take at least three months to complete complex measurements, and it will take about a year for the rehabilitation period. The result of treatment largely depends on the patient himself, his diligence in following the instructions, as well as the stage of development of the disease.

Do you know why your spine is suffering? To say with certainty that the development of the disease began due to malnutrition or blood stagnation is almost impossible, therefore, for effective therapy, a whole program is necessary to restore blood flow to the damaged discs.

Next, we will briefly talk about the methods of treating osteochondrosis at home. We have already discussed this in more detail: below, in the descriptions of the methods, see the articles on the links.

• Diet. Often the cause of osteochondrosis is impaired blood flow due to the build-up of cholesterol and loss of vascular elasticity. Eliminating fatty foods from the diet, as well as foods high in cholesterol: chicken eggs, meat broths, pork and chicken skins, will help correct the situation. Strong drinks can play an important role in the activity of blood vessels, and even those that do not contain alcohol - regular coffee and tea. Regular intake of nicotine in the body also leads to vasospasm. The decision is unambiguous: if you are being treated for osteochondrosis, you must completely give up bad habits and lead a healthy lifestyle.
• The restoration of blood circulation in the area of ​​the pathological process is the most important condition for treating osteochondrosis at home. There are many ways: from physiotherapy exercises to rubbing and compressing, but you have to choose several and act.
• Orthopedic sleep supplies. The spine is the axis of the human body which, throughout the day, experiences dynamic loads in motion and static loads when sitting. But, like any other part of the body, it needs adequate rest, which can only be ensured by even correct posture during sleep. A quality orthopedic mattress and pillow create the ideal conditions for normal blood circulation while you sleep and rest.

Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the spine, or rather the intervertebral discs. With its development, the soft elements of the discs are damaged and ossified, and the vertebrae begin to touch each other, while compressing nearby blood vessels and nerve fibers.

Cervical osteochondrosis is one of the most common types of spinal injuries that can occur in both the elderly and people around 20 years of age.

In the process of disease development, specialists distinguish 4 stages:

• Stage I. At this stage, the intervertebral discs are displaced and their stability is disturbed. In this case, a person may feel muscle tension in the affected area and mild pain. Due to mild symptoms, as a rule, this stage passes almost imperceptibly.
• Step II. The destruction of the fibrosus ring begins, the distance between the vertebrae decreases. The symptoms are pain localized in certain points and aggravated by the flexion or rotation of the head. Also at this stage, increased fatigue may appear.
• Stage III. The fibrous ring is completely destroyed, a hernia is formed. In this case, the spine is deformed, the pain becomes much stronger. To reduce discomfort, a person is forced to restrict movement. The obvious signs are frequent dizziness, fatigue.
• Stage IV. This stage is characterized by complete immobility of the damaged area of ​​the spine. Periodically, the pain may subside, but subsequently it will necessarily return, increasing several times.

The earlier cervical osteochondrosis begins, the more severe the possible complications. If a disease occurs at a young age, the following consequences are possible:

• intervertebral disc herniation;
• radiculopathy of the cervical roots;
• intervertebral protrusion in the cervical region (protrusion);
• spinal neck pain, etc.

In addition, with advanced osteochondrosis, problems with the vertebral arteries, the development of paresis and other concomitant diseases are possible.

The main symptom of osteochondrosis is back pain. There may also be a feeling of numbness in the limbs. The pain may get worse with movement. Patients may also complain of headache, dizziness, pain in internal organs.

First signs

Cervical osteochondrosis at the onset of the disease may not appear at all. The disease is already felt in a neglected form with frequent pain in the head and neck when moving. With a violation of cerebral circulation with cervical osteochondrosis, a person develops the following symptoms:

• regular headaches;
• violation of the sensitivity of the facial muscles;
• increased fatigue;
• noise in the head;
• ringing in the ears;
• high blood pressure;
• loss of coordination;
• frequent dizziness;
• wobbly gait.

If osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae takes a chronic form, the pain is permanent and head movements are difficult due to tension in the muscles of the neck. The patient begins to suffer from cervical migraine, and the headache is sometimes accompanied by vomiting, nausea, and even loss of consciousness. If cervical osteochondrosis is not treated in time, the person may be accompanied by pharyngeal symptoms: difficulty swallowing, a feeling of dry throat, itching and tickling. Over time, this disease can lead to a herniated disc.

Due to the fact that the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine are not very high, even slight damage provokes the development of the disease. The onset of problems can be indicated by:

• hoarseness, hoarseness;
• an increase in dental problems (you have to go to the dentist more often than usual, for example because of partial tooth decay);
• blurred vision;
• burning sensation between the shoulder blades;
• sore throat as in sore throat;
• pain in shoulder, occipital region, along the length of the arms;
• weakness of the forelimbs;
• lack of coordination, expressed by uneven gait;
• frequent dizziness, which may lead to fainting;
• decreased endurance;
• feeling tired immediately after sleeping;
• recurrent headache in the left side of the chest, radiating to the arm;
• limitation of neck mobility, crunch when turning and tilting.

Specialists distinguish several types of syndromes characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis, including:

1. Spine. It develops as a result of a pinched nerve. In this case, a person feels a sharp pain that spreads from the neck to the shoulders, then to the forearms and so on to the fingers (or one hand). In addition, radicular syndrome is characterized by tingling or "spots" on the skin, pale skin, and slight swelling.
2. Vertebral artery syndrome. The main symptom is a headache in the belt. Most often, this pain is constant, but in some cases it can be periodic. Increased pain occurs after increased activity or after a long time in an awkward position. With a simultaneous decrease in immunity, headaches can be accompanied by nausea and loss of consciousness. In addition, in this case, hearing, vision and problems with the vestibular apparatus are possible.
3. Cervical migraine syndrome. In this case, due to changes in the position of the vertebrae and discs between them, the blood circulation of the brain is disturbed, which is accompanied by ringing in the ears or their congestion, tachycardia, noise in the head, etc.
4. Hypertensive. It is characterized by an increase in intracranial pressure. The patient worries about severe attacks of headaches, often accompanied by a feeling of nausea.

Often with an exacerbation of the disease, the patient's body temperature may rise.

How to treat osteochondrosis at home: folk remedies

Chondrosis can only be treated at home after the doctor has prescribed medication. They are aimed at relieving back pain, eliminating inflammatory processes and restoring mobility of cartilage tissue. After examination and diagnosis, the specialist prescribes the following groups of drugs:

• Anti-inflammatory.
• pain relievers.
• Vasodilators.
• Muscle relaxants.
• Sedatives.
• Multivitamins.

They must be taken in strict accordance with the regulations. Medicines improve the patient's well-being, restore metabolism. Therefore, after a few weeks the patient feels much better, but it should be remembered that osteochondrosis is a systemic disease and should be treated only comprehensively. Pills alone cannot solve the problem.

The question of how to treat osteochondrosis at home is a growing concern. It is important to understand that osteochondrosis is an unusual condition that will go away after taking the pill. Osteochondrosis is, first of all, changes in the vertebrae and cartilage. To be healed you have to take a number of actions. The tablets listed above should be drunk without fail, but they cannot be removed.

Below we will look at the options for treating osteochondrosis at home. But before using this or that recipe, you need to consult your doctor so as not to injure yourself.

The first thing to do is relieve the pain. It can be done with medication. But it is important to understand that the regular use of pain relievers will cause problems with the intestines, liver and pancreas. That is why an experienced doctor will certainly advise folk remedies that can be safely used at home.

1. Honey and grated potatoes. Take a few potatoes and rub them on a fine grater, then mix in equal parts with honey. Mix well and put the porridge on cheesecloth, then apply it as a compress on the sore spot. From above you need to wrap something warm and leave in this position for an hour. This remedy will relieve pain quickly, but unfortunately not for long.
2. Horseradish leaf. Take a horseradish leaf and steam it with boiling water. Turn the sheet over with the inside towards you and tie it to the diseased area. Wrap it up tight and go to bed. In the morning you will feel that the pain is gone.
3. Hot water bottle. Take a plastic bottle and pour hot water into it, place it on a sofa or bed, and lie on your back. Try to roll it under you for half an hour.
4. Parsley. For a month you need to eat one parsley root per day.
5. Pine buds. Collect pine buds each spring, but only those that are two inches long. Wash them well, dry them and grind them in a meat grinder. Add sugar in a 1: 2 ratio, number 2 is the kidneys.
6. Mix everything well and remove to infuse for two weeks in the refrigerator. You can understand that the mixture is ready by its changed color, it will turn brown. The course of treatment will last for three weeks. Eat a teaspoon every day.
7. Bath. You can relieve the pain associated with chest osteochondrosis in a steam room. The duration of treatment is ten days. Do three runs of five minutes each. But visit the bath every other day.

Massage and healing baths

• Start the process by lightly stroking the problem area. It is better not to take additional devices, the impact of the palms and fingers will be enough.
• After rubbing, they proceed to an increased effect on the area. You can grab a fold of skin with your fingers and squeeze it lightly.
• Kneading of muscles and soft tissues should take place in the paravertebral region, it is impossible to influence the ridge itself. The movement can be tapping, circular, pressing.
• To end the session, it's worth tapping, vibrating, stroking.

Such a self-massage of the back can be performed every day, even without special knowledge and skills. The impact on the muscles of the chest, hips, shoulders, lower back, has a beneficial effect on the treatment of osteochondrosis in general.

In addition to massage, therapeutic baths help cope with illness. They are contraindicated during an exacerbation, but become essential in remission. Correct and regular exercise allows you to increase blood circulation, relax muscles, improve mood and well-being. Only hot water can be used in the process (hot water will only harm), to which decoctions of medicinal herbs are added. Thyme, string, thyme, lemon balm, chamomile have proven their worth. Take a medicinal bath 20 minutes before bedtime.

Simple exercises are helpful for the spine with cartilage dysfunction. The doctor selects them for each patient individually, taking into account the general condition, physical form, age. They are performed daily and are an integral part of the therapy. The simplest activities resemble school exercises, but their importance for the body during the treatment period should not be underestimated. They aim to warm up the muscles, improve blood circulation, stretch and relax the muscles where there are blockages.

When running, you should follow these recommendations:

• Don't exercise quickly, which puts a lot of stress on bone tissue and muscles.
• Everything is done smoothly, in a thoughtful way, with the control of sensations in the body.
• Classes are completely stopped if the patient feels pain, cannot recover.
• Strength complexes always alternate with breathing exercises to ensure that the tissues receive sufficient oxygen.
Lessons
• should only be conducted in a well-ventilated room or outdoors.

It should be remembered that the attending physician prescribes exercises, some effects on the spine are dangerous in case of disease such as osteoporosis. They can cause serious complications. Exercise therapy is an excellent tool in the fight against back conditions and is often used to prevent a number of increased risk problems. The complexes include yoga exercises or oriental techniques. You need to do this regularly, at least 3 times a week.

Physiotherapy for osteochondrosis is used as an addition to the main treatment, the patient's condition improves noticeably. Physiotherapy procedures act directly on the painful focus, so no side effects will occur.

1. The body's metabolism normalizes.
2. The condition of tissues and organs improves.
3. Immunity increases and becomes more resilient.
4. The pain is relieved.
5. Good anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effect.

Specialists often prescribe combination physiotherapy. For example, if the pain is severe, electrophoresis and diadynamic therapy are used, with the obligatory use of novocaine.

In order to act simultaneously on the biologically active points, acupuncture-reflexolaser-puncture is used. The tissue is influenced by laser radiation and needles. Along with electrotherapy, mud therapy is used.

Massage

1. During the period when there is no pain, at that time, the movements will not cause pain.
2. At the time of the exacerbation.

Before the specialist begins this procedure, the patient is prepared. To do this, you need to stroke your back for about 3-5 minutes, stroking the shoulder blade area first, then closer to the neck and shoulder girdle. After that, caresses should be replaced with kneading and shaking. At this point, the preparation will be completed, you can proceed directly to the massage procedure.

Massage for osteochondrosis can cause severe pain. But if the body is properly prepared and relaxed, it can be avoided.

If after the first procedures you feel any discomfort, do not worry, around the third day the pain will go away and the procedure itself will become much more pleasant.

The patient should be placed on a flat surface in a horizontal position. If the massage is performed only in the neck area, the patient should be seated.

There is another way to treat osteochondrosis with folk remedies - herbal baths. Baths can be used not only for cleaning purposes, but also for healing purposes, choosing the right medicinal herbs and their quantity. Baths, like any other alternative method of treating osteochondrosis, should only be taken after consulting a doctor. In some forms of osteochondrosis, they may be contraindicated.

To treat osteochondrosis of the spine with the help of baths, you need to know a few recipes for their correct preparation:

• Birch leaf bath. To cook, you need to infuse birch leaves. The bathing procedure should take about half an hour. The water should be slightly warm.
• Chestnut bath. For cooking, mash the chestnut and boil it for 15 minutes. Then pour into a bath and take it for about 20 minutes.
• Pine Needle Bath. It is necessary to collect needles from the trees in the forest, boil them for about 20 minutes. Then pour the broth into the bath and take it for about 25 minutes.
• Chamomile bath. It is necessary to pour boiling water over the chamomile and let the broth infuse for half an hour. Then you can strain the medicine and take a bath.
• Jerusalem artichoke bath. It is necessary to fill a bucket with a capacity of 10 liters of Jerusalem artichoke stems and leaves, pour boiling water over it, wait 20 minutes. Pour the liquid into a bath. The bathing procedure takes 15 minutes.

For more effective treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine, the duration of treatment should be approximately one week. The baths have a relaxing and calming effect, relieve spasms and relieve pain. Such home treatment is not only beneficial but also pleasant.

How to treat cervical osteochondrosis at home

There are several reasons for the onset and development of the disease. Among the most common:

1. hereditary predisposition;
2. postural disturbances;
3. age;
4. past spinal injuries;
5. heavy loads, including heavy physical labor and sports;
6. previous infectious diseases;
7. wear uncomfortable tight shoes or high heels;
8. unhealthy diet including excessive junk food addiction.

In addition, being overweight, frequent stress, a sedentary lifestyle and even severe hypothermia can contribute to the development of osteochondrosis.

The cause of osteochondrosis can be hypothermia, a strong incline or a sharp turn, intense physical exertion.

Experts are convinced that the main cause of osteochondrosis is the incorrect distribution of load on the spine. As a result, in the place where there is excessive physical pressure, there is a complete or partial change in cartilage tissue.

1. The spine is curved.
2. The patient is slumped when sitting or walking.
3. The back muscles are weak.
4. A person leads a sedentary life, moves very little.
5. There is a strong lack of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus in the body.
6. Hereditary factors.
7. Past infectious diseases.
8. Severe nervous tension, depression.
9. Hormones are disrupted.
10. Injuries to the spine, they can occur from falling, hitting.
11. The position of the trunk changes frequently and suddenly.

Lifting at a right angle to the torso can cause prolapse of the intervertebral disc. Therefore a heavy load should only be taken in a squatting position, so the spine will be protected.

Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine includes a whole range of means and methods aimed at eliminating pain and combating the inflammatory process in the tissues. One effective method is daily exercise for the flexibility of the spine. As a rule, an individual exercise program is selected by the doctor after diagnosis by MRI or CT scan and evaluation of the stage of the disease. Let's see how osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is treated.

Drug treatment is already prescribed at the first signs of cervical osteochondrosis. If the first pain can be taken away with a regular anesthetic pill, later it won't help. Medical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is carried out with new generation chondroprotectors - drugs that stimulate the restoration of cartilage tissue in the spine.

But if you need acute pain relief from cervical osteochondrosis, doctors will prescribe novocaine blockade or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These are ointments, capsules, tablets and injections that quickly improve the general condition of the patient. But if chondroprotectors do not have contraindications even with prolonged use, NSAIDs have serious ones, so their use should be agreed with the attending physician.

To quickly anesthetize the cervical spine in case of osteochondrosis, special gels or ointments, which begin to act 10 minutes after application, will help. There are several types:

1. Regenerating, helping to restore damaged cartilage tissue between vertebrae.
2. Anti-inflammatory, based on non-steroidal substances, eliminating pain.
3. Analgesics that affect nerve endings, quickly reducing pain.
4. Massage ointments.

Manual therapy

The oldest method, but no less effective than modern methods of treating osteochondrosis, is manual therapy. Specialists have developed many techniques that have a beneficial effect on the vertebrae, tissues and joints in the affected area. Only the chiropractor should be a good specialist in his field, so as not to lead the patient to a wheelchair. The main methods of manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are:

segmental massage

• which relieves muscle tension;
• manipulations aimed at restoring the working capacity of the joints, accompanied by their crunch;
Mobilization
• , restoration of damaged joints by stretching them.