About 80% of middle-aged people suffer from back problems. The most common disease of the spine in medical practice is cervical osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is associated with a deformation of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs caused by destructive processes in the bone and cartilage tissue. The development of the disease is facilitated by lack of physical activity, or vice versa - muscle overload, the habit of frequently adopting the wrong posture, hypothermia, physical inactivity, problems with posture, sleeping in an uncomfortable bed, and a number of hereditary factors. The immediate cause of the disease is the increased salt content in the blood lymph, which in turn causes changes in the amortization of the spine and a loss of elasticity in the cartilage. Problems with the cervical spine can occur with obesity and metabolic disorders that lead to an imbalance in mineral compounds in bone tissue.
It is better to entrust the process of diagnosing and treating the disease to professionals in the field of medicine, but in the initial stages of the manifestation of the disease, you can try treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home.
Manifestation of cervical osteochondrosis
The symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis usually appear at the stage in which irreversible changes in the structure of the vertebrae have occurred and the physiological functionality of the intervertebral discs is lost. The distance between them decreases, the nerve roots and the vertebral artery passing through the cervical spine are compressed, tenderness and characteristic unpleasant symptoms appear.
Signs of a disease to look out for:
- Pain in the neck, shoulder and forearm, arms.
- dizziness.
- migraines.
- noise in my head.
- insomnia.
- Numbness in the upper limbs.
- Burning sensation in the interscapular part of the back.
- increases in blood pressure.
- Feeling weak, increased tiredness.
- heart rate abnormalities.
- Restricted movement when turning the head and tilting the neck.
- hearing and visual impairment.
Information about what cervical osteochondrosis is, symptoms and treatment at home, will help to suspect the presence of this disease in the early stages and timely take independent measures to prevent its further development.
Therapy without leaving the house
It is impossible to get rid of osteochondrosis if it is not treated. In addition, therapeutic measures in this case are aimed less at eliminating the clinical signs of the disease, and more at combating the causes of the disease. Good results can be achieved with an integrated approach to healing that combines the use of medication, physiotherapy, massage, and folk treatment.
Folk remedies for cervical osteochondrosis are an addition to traditional treatment, help to significantly alleviate the patient's condition, and are welcomed by most of the doctors.
All of these methods have common goals:
- pain relief and relief from cramps;
- strengthening the muscle tissue;
- normalization of blood flow to the brain;
- and the main task of folk treatment is to warm up the affected area of the body.
At the same time, none of the existing traditional medicine recipes are able to cope with the accumulation of salt deposits in bone tissue. This must be taken into account in order to understand that folk remedies are good as preventive measures or together with medicines, but not as independent therapeutic methods.
Healers in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis use many folk recipes. All are based on the use of essential oils, plants, animal fats, roots and poisons. In certain proportions, they are combined with alcohol, vodka or moonshine, turpentine and tincture of iodine, which makes it possible to obtain effective pain relievers, anti-inflammatory and warming agents that can be used both externally and internally.
Conventionally, three groups of drugs for cervical osteochondrosis, which have been used in folk medicine for centuries - decoctions and infusions, rubbing and compresses. The most popular and available are:
Herbal Medicine
- Bay leaf infusionis a proven prophylactic agent in traditional medicine. It is necessary to put the main ingredient on the bottom of the pan and pour cold water at the rate of twelve grams of sheet per 0. 3 liters of liquid. Cook for five minutes, then let cool and steep for three hours, then pour through the cheesecloth. Take for four days between each meal, then take a week off and start over.
- needle broth.Pour 250 g of fresh spruce or pine needles with a liter of water and cook for half an hour. The resulting volume of broth is enough for three days, provided that it is consumed twice a day, 30 minutes after eating. The duration of treatment is one month.
- A brew made from sunflower roots- a remedy for salts that have formed and stagnate in the joints. The main ingredient for this recipe is prepared in autumn by collecting, washing, drying and grinding the plant. Mix 150 grams of roots with 2. 7 liters of water and boil for half an hour. The resulting amount of broth is sufficient for up to three days of use. You need to drink in large sips 30 minutes after eating. The course duration is one month.
Within a few days it will be possible to personally assess the effectiveness of the broth - based on the urine tone. If its color has changed to orange, it means that the process of salt removal has actively started. As the process progresses, the urine gradually becomes lighter in color.
Rubbing
- Red pepper:Finely chop the pods, add 0. 2 liters of sunflower oil, cover tightly and leave in the dark for five days. Rub the resulting composition on the painful area twice a day to warm up and improve blood circulation.
- Butter and egg ointment:One hundred milliliters of vegetable oil + one chicken egg + twenty grams of flour + one tablespoon of vinegar essence, mix and let stand in a dark place for two days, removing the resulting film on the timeSurface of the composition. In the evening, rub the finished ointment in the places where the manifestation of the pain syndrome is recorded.
- Ginger ointment:One ginger root + three cloves of garlic + 30 g butter mixture chopped, add your preferred essential oil for a pleasant aroma and apply to the affected neck area in the evening to relieve the pain as needed.
- Pharmacy:One hundred and fifty milliliters of medical alcohol + five milliliters of iodine + five milliliters of camphor alcohol + five analgin tablets, stir until smooth, rub into the painful areas of the throat, carefully avoiding contact with damaged skin.
Compressed
- Kerosene:Soak a cloth for a compress in household kerosene liquid, apply to the affected area and cover with polyethylene for 2-3 hours. The warming effect of the compress helps to urgently get rid of pain and relieve cramps.
- Potato:Mix raw potatoes with honey in a ratio of 1: 1, place them on a cloth and place them in the neck area. A three-day course is recommended for treatment.
- Sour cream with comfrey:Put a mixture of 50 grams of sour cream and comfrey on a cloth and place on the pain zone for 40 minutes. The course lasts 10 days.
- Honey:Mix honey and fine salt 1: 1, place on a cloth made of natural fibers, place on the painful area of the neck and wrap with a scarf. Repeat daily until patient improves.
- Horseradish:Dip the horseradish leaf in boiling water, cool it slightly and apply to the painful area of the body, cover with a warm towel and repeat up tofive times. The principle of action is similar to treatment with mustard plasters, the sensations are painful and unpleasant. There is a risk of burns.
It is worth noting that some of the components that are used in folk recipes for cervical osteochondrosis can categorically not be combined with drugs! There are drugs that cause severe allergies or intoxication. They usually contain poisonous fruits from plants or herbs.
Now that you have decided to add "grandmother" methods to traditional treatment, it is a good idea to let your doctor know for individual recommendations and to choose a safe set of procedures.
Remedial gymnastics
Improving physical education - exercises to treat cervical osteochondrosis at home undoubtedly bring benefits in the treatment process. It is allowed to use different devices and simulators to increase the effectiveness of the procedures. Correctly selected physical exercises will help to quickly weaken the patient or even relieve them of debilitating pain, stretch the ligamentous apparatus and relax the neck muscles. Your doctor will give you individual recommendations for performing gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis at home. However, there are also universal training methods. For example, the therapy of cervical osteochondrosis according to Bubnovsky.
Professor Bubnovsky's method is often used in kinesitherapy to treat many diseases without surgery and medication, and it delivers very impressive results.
To solve problems related to the cervical spine, the doctor offers a simple series of exercises 20 times for each of the points:
- Tilts the head up and down alternately.
- Lean your head slowly to the left and right.
- Circular head rotation.
- Lower your head to a position where your chin touches your chest.
- Lift your shoulders and fix the position for 10 seconds.
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your forehead touching them, fixing the position for 1 minute.
Massage and self-massage
A massage against cervical osteochondrosis as an effective means of relaxation helps to relax the muscles, relieve tension and free the body from stiffness.
To get quality service, you can turn to a professional massage therapist. You can also learn the secrets of self-massage if you want.
It's simple - there are no universal techniques, there are only three massage rules for yourself:
- Massage the neck only with your fingers.
- Direct movement from the center to the periphery.
- Move at a steady pace and a gentle rhythm.
Of course, it is impossible to cure osteochondrosis through massage, but if done correctly and regularly, it will help alleviate symptoms, improve the patient's well-being and mood.
Using applicators
A variant of an alternative method of treating cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies is the use of applicators. From the eighties of the last century until today, this technique has had a lot of fans. An applicator is a specially designed device that presents an object with a needle-like surface. Lyapko and Kuznetsov are the most common applicators among patients with cervical osteochondrosis.
Kuznetsov's development is a plastic product in the form of a carpet with sharp buttons on the surface. The patient lies down on such a device and undergoes massage and acupuncture in reflex zones. The Lyapko applicator is an improved version which, in addition to reflex and acupuncture effects, uses a galvanic-electrical effect due to the metal needles built into the tubercles. Such therapy at home allows you to activate blood circulation in the problem area, accelerate metabolic processes in the body, improve the excretion of toxins, reduce muscle tone, but alone is not enough for the successful treatment of osteochondrosis.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck at home is simple and very difficult at the same time. On the one hand, all therapies are available to most people and are relatively easy to repeat. On the other hand, they require a certain amount of time, patience, self-control, and regularity of repetition. And whatever the expectations of alternative therapy, it is worth noting: if within a week of the start of treatment with home remedies, the symptoms of osteochondrosis have not disappeared and are no less manifest, then it is imperative to consult a doctorso as not to aggravate your already serious situationhealth.