Do you often have pain in your neck and head, and the pain radiates to your arm and shoulders? Perhaps 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 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 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. The symptoms of the disease also depend on which vertebra it has affected. More on this later.
Reasons for the appearance
In order to understand how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, you must first understand what causes of its appearance exist. To begin with, let's say that this disease is becoming more common lately. The age-old risk zone is from 25 to 40 years. There can be many reasons for the disease. The most common are:
- working at a 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 disruptions;
- 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, you need to find out what is affected and what the consequences may be. First, consider the general signs of cervical osteochondrosis.
- Pain. Pain syndrome is observed in the neck, back of the head, shoulder back. Also, pain can be given to the hand. This disease is to blame 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 turning the head and tilting it, a characteristic strong crunch is felt.
- Numbness. It can occur in the area of the shoulder blades, accompanied by strong "lumbago". Also, the neck itself can become numb, while there will be a noticeable unpleasant tingling sensation in the area of the arms and legs.
- Weakness and dizziness. In addition to all this, frequent fainting may occur, drowsiness may appear, and general rapid fatigue may be observed.
If the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine will be carried out at home, then you still need to know how to accurately determine the area of the lesion. Here you just need to know what symptoms will be if one or another nerve root near the vertebra is affected. There are 8 such processes in the cervical spine in total, and they are designated C1 - C8.
- C1 - with its defeat, impaired sensitivity is observed in the occipital region.
- C2 - pains appear in the back of the head and crown.
- C3 - infringement is accompanied by severe pain in the area where it happened. 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 numbness and pain in the shoulders and between the shoulder blades.
- C5 - pain and decreased sensitivity 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 - the symptoms are similar to C6, but the pain spreads to the back of the shoulder and to the entire arm, affecting the remaining fingers, except for the little finger.
- C8 - similar to C7. In addition, the numbness and pain have already reached the little finger.
Types
Are you wondering whether it is 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 degree of treatment can be carried out at home. In total, 3 degrees of the disease can be distinguished based on 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 it can accompany numbness, 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, a crunch and pain are felt, 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. 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. With further deformities and improper fusion of the vertebrae, the fight against the disease can only continue with surgical methods.
Where to go for help?
So, you have some signs of the disease, and you decided not to sit idly by, but to turn to a specialist for help. The question is brewing, "What doctor treats cervical osteochondrosis? "Well, it all depends on what stage of the disease you have. So, the treatment of sores of the 1st degree can be dealt with by a specialist in therapeutic gymnastics or a massage therapist. This also includes alternative medicine, namely such a direction as osteopathy.
Osteochondrosis of the 2nd degree of the cervical spine already requires observation by a doctor in a polyclinic. Here manual, physical or reflex therapists can deal with the sore. Also, it will not be superfluous to consult a neurologist. Degree 3 cervical osteochondrosis requires more professional medical treatment. Here, a neurologist should initially deal with the ailment, since there are quite a few 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 have to undergo an examination. The attending physician will palpate the neck, perform several manipulations, and question you. An X-ray of the cervical ridge will be prescribed. Additionally, a general blood test will be prescribed. For a more detailed understanding of the disease, they may be sent 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 completely cope with the disease only in the early stages. So how to defeat cervical osteochondrosis? There are different treatments for this, which are described below.
Medication
Drugs are the most effective methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis of the 2nd and 3rd degrees. Complex treatment is carried out here. So, some drugs should relieve pain that tormented you. Other drugs fight inflammation. Still others - relieve puffiness, fourth drugs restore blood circulation and supply the diseased area with nutrients. 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, the drugs should quickly overcome pain, relieve puffiness and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
- At the second stage, each remedy should produce a restorative healing effect.
- The third stage is restorative. This includes vitamins, remedial gymnastics and massage.
Since you were tortured by osteochondrosis and you 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 include:
- magnetotherapy;
- electrotherapy;
- laser treatment;
- UFO;
- 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 should try as much as possible so that the osteochondrosis that defeated you recedes. After surgery, prepare for a long recovery course.
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 peril and risk, therefore 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 Indian onion leaf. To do this, you need to take a leaf of the plant and rub the diseased areas with it, and then apply the leftovers 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 plucked leaf of a plant, rinse it in boiling water and apply it to a sore spot at night, after wrapping 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, but only a part of it is needed, called a handle more than a meter long. To make a miracle drug out of it, you need to take it with both hands and wrap it around the neck. Further, with movements up and down, we massage the diseased areas. The procedure should be done several times a day, for at least a week.
Contraindications to treatment
Sometimes a difficult question arises, "What can you do with cervical osteochondrosis, and what not? "It is revealed that not all medical procedures always have only a therapeutic effect. Sometimes they can seriously harm the patient. Therefore, it is worth treating only with the recommendations of the attending physician. So, this includes the following procedures that are used to treat osteochondrosis:
- acupuncture;
- remedial gymnastics or exercise therapy;
- massage.
Doing acupuncture for osteochondrosis is contraindicated if you are 75 or more years old, as well as for pregnant women. The rest of the points of contraindications for this procedure are identical with massage. This includes:
- Diseases of the blood.
- Any kind of bleeding.
- Increased mental irritability.
- Any difficulty breathing.
- Digestive system problems.
Exercise 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:
- 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;
- having vision problems;
- neurological symptoms that lead to loss of coordination.
How to provide first aid?
If osteochondrosis took you by surprise at home, then first aid will be as follows:
- Take the pain reliever you have at your normal dose.
- Call the doctor at home, because you may need more radical methods and other drugs.
- Try not to make sudden movements with your head or body.
- Remove the covers from 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 about something good so that the pain reliever will work faster. If the doctor is late, do not lie in one position for a long time.