Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and methods of its treatment at home

Back and neck pain is one of the most common unpleasant symptoms that almost every modern person has experienced at least once.

If previous osteochondrosis was considered an age-related disease, today it is increasingly diagnosed in young people. This is due to a sedentary lifestyle and the habit of bending over during sedentary work.

It is important to identify the disease in time, as it is much easier to treat cervical osteochondrosis at the initial stage of its development than in advanced cases.

Manifestations and causes of the disease

Manifestations of the disease develop gradually. Their intensity increases as the condition of the spine worsens. At first, they may bother a person only occasionally, but over time they become permanent.

The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:

• pain that gets worse when turning and tilting the head;
• neck crunch;
• headache;
• decrease in visual acuity;
• Stiffness and muscle tension in the affected area.

With an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, a person complains of:

• shooting pain;
• dizziness;
• burning;
• increased neck muscle tone.

Depending on which vertebra is involved in the disease process, pain and sensory disturbances can affect different areas of the body. They can pass to the shoulder girdle, be felt in the back of the chest, and appear on the muscles of the arms and even on the fingers. Many patients want to know if cervical osteochondrosis can be cured forever. There can be no definitive answer here, as it all depends on the stage of the disease and the degree of degenerative changes. But it is possible to alleviate the condition during an exacerbation and prevent deterioration of health. And folk remedies will help here.

Reasons for the development of osteochondrosis:

• the habit of bending over while walking;
• incorrect body position when reading books, working on the computer;
• spinal injuries and injuries;
• insufficiently active lifestyle;
• exhausting physical activity;
• using mattresses and pillows that are too soft during rest;
• long-term weight transport;
• flat feet;
• metabolic disorders in the body;
• vitamin and mineral deficiency;
• scoliosis;
• obesity;
• genetic predisposition;
• pregnancy.

Choosing options on how to treat cervical osteochondrosis, it is necessary to take into account the severity of the symptoms. Before starting therapy, it is imperative to contact a neurologist to establish an accurate diagnosis and agree on a treatment plan. In some situations, it is possible to give up only folk remedies, and sometimes they should be used in conjunction with classical therapy.

Treatment with ointments and balms

When applied externally, traditional medicine should reduce pain and inflammation and help normalize muscle movement. Ointments and balms should be used together with other methods of treatment, since it is rather difficult to cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine only with their help. Rather, they are the means of ambulance and express therapy.

Here are some easy to make homemade recipes:

1. Garlic Ginger Ointment.In equal quantities, mix the garlic gruel and the freshly chopped ginger root. For plasticity, it is necessary to add a little olive or sesame oil to this mass. Apply the composition on the neck before going to bed. It is recommended to repeat the procedure every day until the unpleasant symptoms disappear. Leave the ointment for exposure for 30 minutes, after which it must be washed off with warm water.
2. Laurel ointment.In 60 ml of melted butter, add 5 g of crushed juniper leaves and 6 tsp. crushed dry bay leaf. This ointment should be used to rub the painful area of ​​the neck in the morning and evening.
3. Sage ointment.It is necessary to dissolve 3 tablespoons in a water bath. L. Vaseline and add 2 tbsp. L. chopped sage herb, 2 tbsp. L. plantain leaves, ¼ cup of any vegetable oil. It is recommended to rub the neck with ointment three times a day, after which the treated area should be isolated with a woolen scarf for several hours.

Using compressions

For many back problems, external treatments bring considerable relief to the patient. They need to act quickly, as it is desirable to cure osteochondrosis of the neck as soon as possible to avoid complications. Homemade wraps relieve pain and restore normal mobility of stiff muscles. They can also have a warming effect, thanks to which the active ingredients can enter the bloodstream faster.

At home you can use the following recipes:

1. Burdock wrap.2 tbsp. L. crushed dry leaves of a plant, you need to pour 400 ml of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. After exertion, apply a bandage soaked in a warm solution on the painful area, covered with cellophane, cotton wool and woolen cloth. The procedure takes 15 minutes. Next, the bandage needs to be removed and a warm scarf wrapped around her neck to keep her warm.
2. Compress with eucalyptus and honey.30 g of eucalyptus leaves should be finely chopped and filled with 400 ml of boiling water. Cook them over low heat for 5 minutes. After cooling, add honey (5: 1) to the filtered solution. This solution should be used for compresses every day before bedtime. Leave it for therapeutic effects for 30 minutes.
3. Horseradish pack.The fresh leaves of the plant should be immersed in boiling water for a few minutes to soften them. When hot, they should be applied to the neck and covered with cling film and a warm cloth on top. It is best to carry out the procedure before bedtime, leaving the leaves on the skin overnight. In the morning they should be removed, washed with warm water and lubricated with baby cream to protect it from drying out.
4. Compress with mustard and aloe.In equal parts, you need to take and mix the aloe juice, dry mustard and vodka thoroughly. In the resulting solution, it is necessary to moisten the gauze, apply it to the neck and isolate this place with cling film and a wool scarf. Let the compress warm up overnight.

To achieve maximum effect, compresses for cervical osteochondrosis should be combined with other methods of treatment: decoctions, ointments and baths. With an integrated approach, the unpleasant symptoms will subside very quickly and therefore will not be remembered for a long time.

Internal products

In case of exacerbation of this disease, decoctions, alcoholic tinctures and water infusions should be used to relieve swelling and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Since the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies should be complex, they should be used in parallel with external rubbing and compresses. It is also important during an exacerbation to minimize stress on the cervical region, sleep on your back or side on an orthopedic pillow and a hard mattress.

For internal use, you can prepare the following traditional medicine:

1. cedar tincture.The half-liter jar should be filled with unpeeled and crushed pine nuts. From above they must be poured with vodka so that it covers the walnuts with a layer of 5 cm. The product should be infused for 7 days in a cool and dark place. After that, the tincture must be filtered and taken 15 ml three times a day.
2. A decoction of St. John's wort and stinking steel.These components must be mixed in the same amount, 2 tbsp. L. the resulting collection pour 400 ml of boiling water. The dough should be cooked over low heat for 15 minutes, after which it should be infused for 1 hour in a warm place. It is recommended to take a broth three times a day, 200 ml before meals.
3. Collection of herbs.It is necessary to mix goat willow bark, sea buckthorn grass and birch leaves in a ratio of 5: 1: 4. Pour 30 g of this mixture into 500 ml of boiling water and keep it on low heat for 10minutes. After complete cooling, the broth should be filtered and drunk in a glass morning and evening before meals.

Alternative Guide

Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease with a prolonged course. This is important to understand, as it sometimes takes a long time to treat the cervical spine. The main task during an exacerbation is to alleviate the patient's condition. In many cases, this can be done without drugs, resorting to folk methods.

Coniferous baths help reduce pain. Put 1 kg of coniferous needles and branches (pine, spruce, juniper) in an enameled pot, fill them to the top with water and boil over low heat until the water volume is halved. After that, the broth must be infused for 12 hours in a warm place. 1. 5 liters of the filtered coniferous infusion obtained must be added to the general bath. Its temperature should not be hot (about 37 ° C), since osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can only be treated with moderately warm solutions. Water that is too hot can make the pain worse.

After consulting a neurologist, in the absence of contraindications, light gymnastics can be performed to eliminate discomfort in the neck. The head should be gently tilted down and forward, then left and right. You can put your hands on the back of your head and try to move your head in this direction with resistance. The same must be done on the side of the forehead. Such a simple treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home normalizes muscle tone and relieves spasms. Over time, this exercise should last about 15 minutes per day. The movements must be soft, must not be performed forcefully or if they cause severe pain.