Do you often have pain in your neck and head and the pain radiates to your arm and shoulders? Maybe you have cervical osteochondrosis that needs to be treated as soon as possible? How to diagnose the disease and which doctor to go to? And also how to provide first aid for osteochondrosis of the neck? Read about this and much more later in the article.
Features of the disease
To begin with, let us recall what kind of disease it is. So, osteochondrosis of the cervical spine 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 vertebrae C5 - C7. The symptoms of the disease also depend on which vertebra is affected. More on that later.
Reasons for the appearance
To understand how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, you must first understand the causes. Let's start with this, let's say that lately this disease is becoming more common. The age risk zone is from 25 to 40 years. The causes of the disease can be many. The most common are:
- computer work, as well as frequent and prolonged driving;
- inaction;
- accumulation of salt in the cervical spine;
- impaired metabolism;
- poor nutrition;
- neck injuries;
- rheumatism;
- heredity;
- hormonal disorders;
- severe hypothermia, etc.
Symptoms
The disease has a number of symptoms that can occur both together and separately. It all depends on the affected area of the neck. So to know how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, you need to understand what is affected and what the consequences may be. First, consider the common signs of cervical osteochondrosis.
- Pain. The pain syndrome is observed in the neck, back of the head, shoulder back. Also, the pain can be attributed to the arm. This disease is responsible for 30% of all headaches. All this is due to the fact that with osteochondrosis blood vessels can be compressed. Thus, blood flow to the brain is reduced and severe headaches occur, accompanied by rapid fatigue.
- Crunch. When turning the head and tilting it is felt a characteristic strong crunch.
- Numbness. It can appear in the area of the shoulder blades, accompanied by a strong "lumbago". Also, the neck itself may tingle, while in the area of the arms and legs there will be a noticeable unpleasant tingling.
- Weakness and dizziness. In addition to all this, frequent seizures, drowsiness and general rapid fatigue may occur.
If the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will be performed at home, then you still need to know exactly how to determine the area of the lesion. Here you just need to know what the symptoms will be if one or another nerve root near the vertebra is affected. There are a total of 8 such processes in the cervical spine and they are designated C1 - C8.
- C1 - with its defeat there is a disturbed sensitivity in the occipital region.
- C2 - pain in the nape and crown.
- C3 - the disorder 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 tingling and pain in the shoulders and between the shoulder blades.
- C5 - pain and decreased sensitivity in the upper shoulder.
- C6 - the area involving the neck and shoulders is very painful. The pain spreads to the shoulder and radiates to the hand, reaching the thumb.
- C7 - Symptoms are similar to C6, but the pain spreads to the back of the shoulder and the entire arm, affecting the other fingers except the little finger.
- C8 - similar to C7. In addition, the tingling and pain have already reached the little finger.
Kinds
Wondering if it's possible to cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home? Then you need to find out what stage of the disease you have. After all, only the first stage of treatment can be performed at home. In general, 3 degrees of the disease can be distinguished based on its development.
- The first - it goes almost imperceptibly and you do not even start thinking about how to deal with cervical osteochondrosis. But it is at this stage that it is possible to prevent the development of the disease. Symptoms include intermittent tingling in the neck and the area between the shoulder blades with prolonged sitting. Pain is rare, but may be accompanied by tingling and increased fatigue.
- The second type is disease progression. The intervertebral discs have shrunk and deformed, but can still be repaired. With each movement of the neck, crunch and pain are felt, while movements are limited. Requires immediate medical attention.
- The third type is an advanced stage of the disease. Here, the integrity of the disks is already compromised. The pain in the neck, head, shoulders is almost constant. Painful sensations are given even to the hands, down to the fingers. The appearance of such a disease as a hernia is possible. In case of further deformities and incorrect fusion of the vertebrae, the fight against the disease can be continued only with surgical methods.
Where to go for help?
So, you have some signs of the disease and you have decided not to sit idly by, but to seek help from a specialist. The brewery's question is, "What doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis? " Well, it all depends on what stage of the disease you have. So, the treatment of wounds of the 1st degree can be handled by a specialist in therapeutic gymnastics or a masseur. This includes alternative medicine, namely such a direction as osteopathy.
Grade 2 osteochondrosis of the cervical spine now requires observation by a doctor in a clinic. Here, manual physiotherapists or reflex therapists can treat the wound. It will also not be superfluous to consult a neurologist. Grade 3 cervical osteochondrosis requires more professional medical treatment. Here, a neurologist must first deal with the disease, as there are many nerve endings in the cervical spine. In advanced cases, the surgeon treats osteochondrosis of the cervical spine together with a neurologist.
Diagnosis
You will need to be examined before treating osteochondrosis of the neck. The doctor will palpate your neck, perform several manipulations and question you. Be sure to prescribe an X-ray of the cervical spine. In addition, a general blood test will be prescribed. For a more detailed understanding of the disease, they can be sent for MRI or CT.
How is the treatment carried out?
To begin with, let's answer the question: "Is it possible to cure cervical osteochondrosis? ""Yes, it is possible, but it is possible to completely deal with the disease only in the early stages. So, how to beat cervical osteochondrosis? There are various treatments for this, which are described below.
Medicines
Medications are the most effective methods for treating grade 2 and 3 cervical osteochondrosis. Complex treatment is performed here. So, some medications should relieve the pain that is bothering you. Other drugs fight inflammation. Third - relieve puffiness, fourth drugs restore blood circulation and supply the affected area with nutrients. They can all be in the form of tablets and in the form of injections and injections. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, ointments will be ineffective.
The whole treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women and men is divided into 3 stages.
- First, medications must quickly overcome the pain, relieve swelling, and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- In the second stage, each drug must produce a regenerative healing effect.
- The third stage is restorative. This includes vitamins, therapeutic gymnastics and massage.
Since you have been suffering from osteochondrosis and have decided to go to the hospital, please do not self-medicate and follow all the instructions of your doctor.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can answer how to cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. The most commonly used methods are:
- magnetic therapy;
- electrotherapy;
- laser treatment;
- UFOs;
- balneotherapy others.
Surgical intervention
Sometimes only a surgeon can answer how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis. The operation is scheduled after consultation with a neurologist. Here, the surgeon must try his best to withdraw the osteochondrosis that has beaten you. After the operation, prepare for a long recovery course.
ethnoscience
And what will folk medicine say about all this? There are enough methods and means to treat such a disease. Remember, however, that you are acting at your own risk and risk, so only you are responsible for the consequences. So, how to deal with osteochondrosis with the help of folk remedies.
- The first method is compresses for cervical osteochondrosis from Indian onion leaves. To do this, you need to take a leaf from the plant and rub the diseased areas with it and then apply the residue as 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 a similar way. We take a freshly torn leaf from a plant, rinse it with boiling water and apply it on the 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 fact is that we do not need the whole shovel, we only need a part of it, called a handle with a length of more than a meter. To make a miracle cure, you have to take it with both hands and wrap it around your neck. In addition, we move the affected areas with up and down movements. The procedure should be done 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 turns out that not all medical procedures always have only a therapeutic effect. Sometimes they can be very harmful to the patient. Therefore, it is worth treating only with the recommendations of the attending physician. This includes the following procedures that are used to treat osteochondrosis:
- acupuncture;
- therapeutic gymnastics or exercises;
- massage.
Acupuncture for osteochondrosis is contraindicated if you are 75 or older, as well as for pregnant women. The other points of contraindications for this procedure are identical to the massage. This includes:
- Blood diseases.
- Any kind of bleeding.
- Increased mental excitability.
- Any difficulty breathing.
- Digestive system problems.
Physical therapy or physical therapy complex with such a disease as osteochondrosis also has contraindications. The most common are unhealed injuries, severe bruises and hematomas. Also contraindications here include:
- sharp exacerbation of the disease;
- weak heart;
- manifestation of tachycardia or arrhythmia;
- severe forms of diabetes;
- tendency to bleed;
- infectious wounds;
- there are diseases related to the vestibular apparatus;
- having vision problems;
- neurological symptoms that lead to loss of coordination.
How to provide first aid?
If osteochondrosis surprises you at home, then first aid will be as follows:
- Take the painkiller you have in your normal dose.
- Call a doctor at home because you may need more radical methods and other medications.
- Try not to make sudden movements with your head or body.
- Take the blankets off the bed and lie down with a small pillow under your head. If the mattress is soft enough, lie on a bench or floor.
- Try to relax and think of something good so that the painkiller can work faster. If the doctor is late, do not lie down for a long time in one position.