Do you often have pain in your neck and head, and the pain radiates to your arm and shoulders? Maybe you have cervical osteochondrosis, which should 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 this and more later in the article.
Features of the disease
To begin with, let's remember what kind of disease it is. Thus, osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebra 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 which vertebrae it has affected. More on this later.
Reasons for the appearance
To understand how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, you must first understand what causes its appearance. For starters, let's say this disease is becoming more common lately. The age-old risk zone ranges from 25 to 40 years. There can be many reasons for the disease. The most common are:
- work on the computer, as well as frequent and prolonged driving;
- inactivity;
- 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, in order to know how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is necessary to find out what is affected and what the consequences may be. First, consider the general signs of cervical osteochondrosis.
- Ache. Pain syndrome is observed in the neck, in the back of the head, in the back of the shoulder. Also, pain can be given to the hand. This disease is responsible for 30% of all headaches. All 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 you turn your head and tilt it, there is a characteristic loud crunch.
- Numbness. It can occur in the shoulder blade area, accompanied by severe "low back pain". Additionally, the neck itself may become numb, while there will be a noticeable unpleasant tingling sensation in the arm and leg area.
- Weakness and dizziness. In addition to all this, frequent fainting may occur, drowsiness may appear, and rapid general fatigue may be observed.
If the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will be carried out at home, it is still necessary to know how to accurately determine the area of the lesion. Here you just need to know what the symptoms will be if one or the other nerve root 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, reduced sensitivity is observed in the occipital region.
- C2 - pains appear in the back of the head and crown.
- C3 - the infringement is accompanied by severe pain in the area where it occurred. Sensitivity in the neck decreases. Taste sensitivity of the tongue is impaired. You may experience pronunciation problems.
- 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 sensation in the upper shoulder.
- C6 - the area including the neck and shoulder blades is very sore. 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 the entire arm, affecting the remaining fingers, except the little finger.
- C8 - similar to C7. Also, the numbness and pain have already reached the little finger.
types
Are you wondering if it is possible to cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home? So you need to find out 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 according to its progression.
- The first - proceeds almost imperceptibly and you do not even begin to think 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 periodic numbness of the neck and the area between the shoulder blades during prolonged sitting. Pain is rare, but can accompany numbness and fatigue increases.
- 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 there is a crunch and pain, while the 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 broken. The pain in the neck, head, shoulders is almost constant. Painful sensations are also given to the hands, up to the fingers. The appearance of such a disease as a hernia is possible. With further deformities and improper fusion of the vertebrae, the fight against the disease can continue only by surgical methods.
Where to look for help?
So, you have some signs of the disease and have decided not to stand by, but to turn to a specialist for help. The question is, "Which doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis? " Well, it all depends on the stage of the disease you have. Hence, the treatment of 1st degree sores can be approached by a specialist in therapeutic gymnastics or by a massage therapist. This also includes alternative medicine, namely a direction such as osteopathy.
Osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree of the cervical spine already requires observation by a doctor in a polyclinic. Here manuals, physiotherapists or physiotherapists can address the sore. In addition, it will not be superfluous to consult a neurologist. Grade 3 cervical osteochondrosis requires more professional medical treatment. Here, a neurologist should initially deal with the disorder, as there are some nerve endings in the cervical spine. In an advanced case, the surgeon treats osteochondrosis of the cervical spine together with a neuropathologist.
Diagnostics
Before treating osteochondrosis of the neck, you will need to undergo an examination. The attending physician will palpate your neck, perform several manipulations and question you. Be sure to prescribe an x-ray of the cervical ridge. In addition, a general blood test will be prescribed. For a more detailed understanding of the disease, they may be referred for an MRI or CT scan.
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 fully cope with the disease only in the early stages. So, how to defeat cervical osteochondrosis? There are several treatments for this, which are described below.
Drug
Drugs are the most effective methods for the treatment of 2nd and 3rd degree cervical osteochondrosis. Complex treatment is carried out here. Hence, some medications are supposed to relieve the pain that was tormenting you. Other drugs fight inflammation. Still others: relieve swelling, fourth drugs restore blood circulation and provide nutrients to the diseased area. All of them can be in the form of tablets and in the form of injections and injections. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, ointments will be ineffective.
All treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women and men is divided into 3 stages.
- First, drugs should quickly overcome pain, relieve swelling and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- In the second phase, each remedy should produce a regenerative healing effect.
- The third phase is restorative. This includes vitamins, remedial gymnastics, and massage.
Since you have been tortured by 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 treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. The most commonly used methods are:
- magnetotherapy;
- electrotherapy;
- laser treatment;
- UFO;
- other balneotherapy.
Surgical intervention
Sometimes, only a surgeon can answer how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis. The operation is scheduled after consulting a neurologist. Here the surgeon should try as much as possible so that the osteochondrosis that defeated you recedes. After surgery, prepare for a long course of recovery.
ethnoscience
And what will folk medicine say to all this? There are enough methods and means for the treatment of such a disease. However, remember that you act at your own risk, so only you are responsible for the consequences. So, how to deal with osteochondrosis using folk remedies.
- The first method is compresses for cervical osteochondrosis from the Indian onion leaf. To do this, you need to take a leaf of the plant and rub the diseased areas with it, then apply the leftovers as a compress overnight. The healing effect should be observed the next morning.
- Another night pack is made with cottage cheese sprinkled with vinegar. It is performed several nights in a row until the treated effect appears.
- Horseradish leaves are used in a similar way. We take a leaf of a freshly picked plant, rinse it in 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 fact is that we don't need the whole shovel, but only a part of it is needed, called the handle longer than a meter. To make it a wonder drug, you have to take it with both hands and wrap it around your neck. Further, with up and down movements, we massage the diseased areas. 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 worthwhile to treat only with the recommendations of the attending physician. Hence, this includes the following procedures used to treat osteochondrosis:
- acupuncture;
- remedial gymnastics or physical therapy;
- massage.
Doing acupuncture for osteochondrosis is contraindicated if you are 75 or older, as well as for pregnant women. The rest of the points of contraindications for this procedure are identical to massage. This includes:
- Diseases of the blood.
- Any type of bleeding.
- Increased mental excitability.
- Any difficulty in breathing.
- Problems of the digestive system.
Physical therapy or physical therapy complex, with a disease such as osteochondrosis, also have contraindications. The most common are unhealed lesions, severe bruising and hematomas. Contraindications here also include:
- a sharp exacerbation of the disease;
- weak heart;
- manifestation of tachycardia or arrhythmia;
- severe forms of diabetes;
- bleeding tendency;
- infectious sores;
- 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 has caught you by surprise 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 radical 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 so that the pain reliever works faster. If the doctor is late, do not lie down in one position for a long time.