Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis: how to manage the pain

In the human neck there are a large number of nerve bundles and blood vessels that ensure the normal functioning of the brain and sensory organs. The most common cause of their pinching is cervical osteochondrosis, a dangerous degenerative disease of cartilage and bone tissue, which is accompanied by severe pain, deterioration of hearing, vision and cognitive functions, a feeling of numbness in the face and a progressive loss of capacity. work.

If, when turning your head, you are worried about pain and stiffness, frequent dizziness or weakness in the hands, then it's time to think about the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

Do not postpone the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis until later.

Causes of cervical osteochondrosis

Cervical osteochondrosis has its own characteristics, due to the anatomical structure. The vertebrae in the cervical region are smaller than the lumbar and even thoracic ones, and also experience a constant static load (the weight of the head). During the day, loads can be expressed by maintaining the same posture - for example, when reading documents, working at a computer. At night, the neck is also often deprived of rest due to an unphysiological sleeping position and an uncomfortable pillow (the head either "hangs" on the pillow or is a point of reference and is under pressure). As a result of this pre-pathological condition, the so-called. muscle overtraining. Certain muscle groups are under excessive stress and therefore need a longer period of rest and recovery - but don't get it - because the schedule has not been canceled.

All this causes constant tension in some muscle groups and dystrophic changes in others, and often leads to the appearance of a "turtleneck" (a person bends over, while the head protrudes forward andthat the neck forms a characteristic deviation). In this situation, the weight of the head falls on the atlas, the first cervical vertebra. It is forced to take on that part of the load that the neck muscles can withstand during normal physical development. But the fact is that it is not at all suitable for such a task!

Additional factors that can accelerate the wear of the intervertebral cartilage in the cervical spine are often:

• age-related and hormonal changes - most often after 45 years (inorganic substances predominate over organic ones, which reduces the flexibility of the bones and causes their mineralization, and the destruction of bone tissue occurs faster than its growth);
• injuries to the neck and other parts of the spine;
• cardiovascular illnesses;
• congenital anomalies of the musculoskeletal system and acquired postural disorders;
• hypodynamia (after all, the intervertebral joints of the neck are the most mobile, and a variety of loads are necessary for their health);
• smoking and other bad habits.

Stages of cervical osteochondrosis

The stage of cervical osteochondrosis is established on the basis of diagnostic criteria. These include the patient's own sensations, palpation, assessment of neck mobility, as well as the gap between the vertebrae and other indicators on the x-ray. Depending on the stage of the disease, the orthopedist selects the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck, preventive measures and, if necessary, supporting braces.

1 degree of cervical osteochondrosis

1 degree of cervical osteochondrosis is also called the preclinical stage. As a rule, patients ignore the first symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, and treatment is not carried out due to their mild severity. They are attributed to fatigue after a day's work, an uncomfortable sleeping position, stress, migraine and various diseases. Patients experience:

• neck stiffness, especially in the morning or after a long stay in the same position;
• pain with sharp bends of the head;
• frequent headaches (including change of weather).

At this stage of the disease, the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women is most likely - after all, their symptoms are more pronounced. This is due both to the specifics of work and physical activity (for example, working at the office in the daytime, bending over the sink or the child's homework in the evening), and hormonal and anatomical features(muscle mass and bone mineral density) In the preclinical stage, women are particularly characterized by overpressure, numbness and whitening of the skin (especially on the face), a tendency to fainting and dizziness, nausea andsome other symptoms of cerebral hypoxia.

Most often, patients aged 45-65 are faced with the symptoms and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, but with chronic fatigue, excessive physical activity and other risk factors, they can appear quite early - atfrom 25 years old.

At this stage, the disease can be completely defeated with the help of therapeutic exercises, ointments for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, training in orthopedic diet and normalization of nutrition.

2 degree of cervical osteochondrosis

At the 2nd stage of the disease, the height of the intervertebral cartilage begins to decrease, which plays the role of a shock-absorbing insert between the vertebrae. Due to this, microtraumas of the neck often occur during sharp turns, jumps or excessive loads. Also appear the protrusion (protrusion) of the intervertebral discs, the radicular syndrome (compression of the nerve endings).
These changes cause severe pain - both in the head and in the neck. The ability to concentrate, the speed of thinking, the sensitivity of the face and hands are reduced. Patients complain of increased fatigue, irritability. At this stage, effective drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is already necessary.

3 degrees of cervical osteochondrosis

Severe, sharp pain is permanent, can be transmitted to the arms, upper back, neck. One or both of the patient's arms tire quickly. The process begins to move to neighboring joints due to a violation of the natural compensatory functions of the spine. The patient has difficulty or cannot turn his head at all due to the formed bone growths - osteophytes, as well as the fact that the cartilage is replaced by connective tissue. Each movement, if possible, is accompanied by a rough crunch. The neck loses its mobility, its muscles atrophy. Hernias often form, cracks appear on the vertebrae. The noise is heard in the ears.

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis is carried out comprehensively, taking into account age, body build, profession, level of physical fitness of the patient, lifestyle and the presence of concomitant diseases. Therefore, the appropriateness of specific therapeutic measures in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in women and men should be determined by the attending physician.

For effective treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck, an integrated approach and the implementation of the doctor's prescriptions are necessary.

Physiotherapy for cervical osteochondrosis

To relieve pain, relieve inflammation, improve nerve conduction and nutrition of the brain, the following physiotherapeutic methods for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis are used:

• ultrasound therapy and phonophoresis - have a warming effect, enhance the effect of external drugs;
• electrophoresis - enhances the effect of administered drugs, has a stimulating and warming effect;
• shock wave therapy (SWT) - activates blood circulation, relieves inflammation and improves the regeneration of bone and cartilage tissue;
• electromyostimulation - improves mobility and endurance of the neck and arms, relieves pain;
• cold and ozone therapy - reduces pain and inflammation, helps reduce the dose of corticosteroids;
• physiotherapy and physiotherapy - strengthens neck muscles, improves blood circulation and metabolism, maintains neck mobility;
• manual therapy and mechanical traction (traction) - helps to get rid of clamps and pain;
• acupuncture - helps maintain mobility and nerve sensitivity;
• paraffin applications - stimulate metabolic processes, reduce pain.

Methods of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in sanatoriums are effective and beneficial - for example, balneotherapy (hydrogen sulfide, radon and turpentine baths) hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches).

Massage in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the neck

Therapeutic lymphatic drainage massage and physiotherapy have a positive effect on the intervertebral discs, bone tissue, muscles and ligaments of the cervical region. Some movements can be performed independently - for example, rubbing the cervical collar, parotid zone and shoulders, washing the neck with fingers and the edge of the palm, tapping, stroking and moving up the back of the neck. A circular massage of the back of the head, as well as a warming massage for the clavicular region, shoulders and upper back will not be superfluous in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae. Massage is particularly effective before exercise therapy exercises. You can combine it with the application of ointment for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

With osteochondrosis of the neck, hydromassage is also recommended - a physiotherapeutic technique that improves metabolism, inhibits fibrous growths, helps get rid of headaches and improves nerve conduction.

Exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis

Lack of adequate physical activity on the muscles of the neck and back is the main reason for the development and progression of cervical osteochondrosis. Therefore, daily gymnastics is used both for the prevention and treatment of this disease (but not for the treatment of exacerbations of cervical osteochondrosis! ). Do not forget that exercises should be performed at least 3-5 times a day (including 1 time in the morning, after waking up). All movements should be smooth, without jerks. If you feel pain during exercise, stop it, and if the whole complex hurts, contact an orthopedist for medical treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, and also consult an exercise therapy instructor.

You can perform the following exercises daily (5-7 reps):

1. Press your palm to your forehead and stretch your neck, trying to move your palm with your forehead. Repeat this exercise for the back of the head, then alternately for the right and left temples.
2. Tilt your head back, then slowly lower it, pressing your chin to your chest.
3. Stand up straight and turn your head as much to the left as possible. Repeat the exercise on the right side.
4. Tilt your head back and try to touch your shoulder with your ear. Repeat on both sides.
5. Lower your chin to the jugular notch and turn your head first to one side (5 times) and then, in the same way, to the other.

Warm-ups for the shoulders, like the "mill", will not be superfluous. Daily exercises in the early stages of the disease help to do without pills for the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.

Note: If you have already been diagnosed with osteochondrosis, you should not make a full circle with your head, because. it can be traumatic.

Diet in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the cervical region can be classified as a so-called. "diseases of the whole organism". Therefore, in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, the diet has two goals: to saturate the body with nutrients and to limit substances that contribute to dehydration, mineralization of the joints and their destruction.

Therefore, in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, a special place in the diet should be occupied by:

1. Poultry, lean beef, game, liver and offal. .
2. Seafood - fish, shellfish, crustaceans, edible seaweed.
3. Eggs and dairy products.
4. Whole grains and legumes - oats, wheat (including sprouted), brown rice, beans, peas.
5. Vegetables - carrots, spinach, peppers, broccoli, lettuce and others.
6. Fruits - apricots, bananas, citrus fruits, plums, apples, avocados, peaches, pomegranates.
7. Nuts.
8. All berries (fresh, dried, frozen) and dried fruits.

But marinades, salty dishes, fast food, semi-finished products and sausages should be completely excluded. It is also important to reduce white bread, potatoes, sweets (except dark chocolate and dried fruits), carbonated drinks and "bag" coffee in the menu - this will reduce the need fordrug treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.

Preparations for osteochondrosis

Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis includes various therapeutic measures - from massage and diet to therapeutic exercises and physiotherapy. All of them help to improve the patient's condition and prevent the development of complications. But the main method was and remains the use of pharmaceuticals for osteochondrosis.

Preparations for osteochondrosis - the main means of combating the disease.

Objectives of medical treatment

Treatment of osteochondrosis with drugs is so effective in the early stages of the disease that with the right treatment regimen it can completely cure osteochondrosis or permanently eliminate its most unpleasant symptoms. At later stages, medical containment of the disease is possible.

Medicines for osteochondrosis are designed to influence the disease not only symptomatically, but also to eliminate its causes systemically. Therefore, therapy is carried out in the following directions:

• anesthesia of the affected areas;
• elimination of inflammation and relief of the acute period of the disease;
• restoration of microcirculation in affected tissues;
• improvement of metabolic processes and protection of cartilage from further destruction (for example, by free radicals);
• regeneration of cartilage tissue in intervertebral discs;
• restoration of the mobility of the vertebral joints.

In cases where the disease is accompanied by depression or emotional stress, therapy is also aimed at restoring a normal psychological state.

During the period of remission, patients can do without drugs or take them as a cure in prophylactic doses.

Drugs for effective treatment of osteochondrosis: release form

For the treatment of osteochondrosis, agents for external and internal use are used. The choice of the release form of the drug depends on the habits and lifestyle of the patient, concomitant diagnoses and the stage of the disease.

Tablets and capsules

Tablets and capsules for osteochondrosis are the most popular form of release. They have high bioavailability and systemic effects on the body.

The tablets should be taken directly with meals, usually twice a day.

The main disadvantage of tablets (especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is that they act directly on the lining of the digestive system. These drugs are not recommended for permanent use due to the risk of inflammation and stomach ulcers. They should be taken under medical supervision.

Treatment with drugs for osteochondrosis can be started only after consulting a doctor.

Ointments, gels, creams and solutions for compresses

Topical products are great for local anesthesia, inflammation and swelling. They are considered much safer for the body than tablets, since they do not come into contact with mucous membranes and are absorbed into the blood in small amounts. Topical preparations do not have a cumulative effect, are easy to use and generally do not require a prescription. They can be used continuously, not in lessons. Among the external forms of release, patches are worth highlighting - they are simply fixed on the affected area of the spine, they can be worn under clothes all day.

Ointments, gels and creams are the best drugs for osteochondrosis for patients who have contraindications to taking pills (with steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory components) of the heart and endocrine system.

Injectables

Drugs for intravenous and intramuscular administration have maximum bioavailability and a reduced effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, since the active substances enter the blood directly.

Injectable drugs for osteochondrosis can quickly stop the exacerbation of the disease, relieve pain, swelling, and restore the sensitivity of nerve endings. Injections are an excellent alternative to oral medications for patients with lactose intolerance. After all, most NSAIDs in tablet form are lactose-containing drugs.

With especially severe back pain, the drug is administered in the form of a blockade - directly into the nerve. The effect of such an injection lasts up to 3-4 weeks, but a qualified medical worker must perform the procedure due to the proximity of the blockade to the spine.

What drugs to take with osteochondrosis?

Drugs for osteochondrosis differ not only in the form of their release. They are also divided into the following pharmacological groups.

Anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis

The work of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in osteochondrosis is based on suppressing the production of prostaglandins - hormone-like substances that cause inflammation and pain in the affected areas. Nonsteroidal drugs for osteochondrosis can quickly remove pain and heat from the skin, restore local metabolism, relieve swelling, discomfort and deterioration of tenderness, relieve pressure on the nerve roots of the spinevertebral.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis are produced in various dosage forms - capsules and tablets, gels and creams, solutions for intramuscular, intravenous or s / c administration. Treatment of NSAIDs with drugs for osteochondrosis usually involves a combination of different forms. For example, tablets are used as the main therapy, gels and ointments "quench" residual inflammation, and injections are necessary for pain relief. The patches help relieve inflammation at all stages of treatment.

Steroid (hormonal) anti-inflammatory drugs for osteochondrosis are rarely used - mainly in the most advanced cases, when other treatments have not brought results.

Chondroprotectors

With osteochondrosis, the spring function of the intervertebral discs worsens, which directly depends on the volume of cartilage tissue and its elasticity. To maintain sufficient cartilage thickness, the body must regenerate cartilage cells (chondrocytes) at a rate roughly corresponding to their destruction. But with dehydration, an unbalanced diet, stress, metabolic or anatomical disorders, the rate of decomposition of chondrocytes increases, and new cells slow down their growth or have an insufficient margin of safety. To protect the cartilage and restore its normal growth rate, it is worth taking special products based on glucosamine and chondroitin - chondroprotectors. Chondroprotective drugs for the effective treatment of osteochondrosis can stabilize the condition of cartilage, prevent its further destruction and, subject to all medical recommendations, even help restore lost chondrocytes.

For a lasting effect, chondroprotectors (in the form of tablets, injections or external agents) should be taken for life, in courses of 3-6 months.

Heating preparations

To eliminate discomfort in osteochondrosis, the so-called. heating drugs. They are:

• dilate blood vessels in the skin, which inhibits the transmission of pain impulses to the brain;
• improve blood microcirculation in connective tissue;
• distract the patient from his discomfort.

When applying irritating drugs, the maximum effect is observed after half an hour, and the analgesic effect lasts for 2-4 hours. A local increase in skin temperature is normal.

The list of drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis includes ointments, creams, gels and tinctures based on:

• camphor (camphor ointment);
• turpentine;
• benzyl nicotinate;
• nonivamide;
• capsaicin (tincture of capsicum);
• bee and snake venom.

Most of these drugs have a combined composition - for example, bee venom and NSAIDs or snake venom, salicylic acid and turpentine. Therefore, before use, you need to make sure that there is no allergy to each of the components.

Local and general analgesics

Painkillers for osteochondrosis are usually used in the form of tablets and injections. With an average pain syndrome, the usual drugs from the first aid kit can help.

At the later stages of osteochondrosis, opioids are prescribed - potent drugs with a number of contraindications.

For complex anesthesia (for example, blockade), so-called. "Cocktails" which have an analgesic, decongestant, anti-inflammatory, local anesthetic and allergen reducing effect.

Important! Analgesics only relieve pain without affecting its cause. Therefore, without proper treatment, osteochondrosis continues to progress, requiring a transition to increasingly severe painkillers.

Vasodilators

Vasodilating drugs for osteochondrosis, or vasodilators, help restore normal blood supply to the tissues around the affected intervertebral joints.

Due to pain and muscle tension, blood vessels constrict. This worsens tissue nutrition, causes oxygen starvation of the brain and accelerates disease progression. Therefore, with cervical osteochondrosis, drugs to normalize blood circulation are especially important.

Vascular drugs for osteochondrosis improve peripheral blood circulation and cell metabolism, relieve pain.

Antispasmodics and muscle relaxants

To eliminate spasms and tension, antispasmodics and muscle relaxants are used. They normalize blood circulation, quell pains, restore mobility.

To enhance the effect of muscle relaxants on osteochondrosis, they can be prescribed together with clonazepam or diazepam (prescription drugs).

These drugs can be addictive, so use them with caution.

Sedatives

Symptoms of osteochondrosis and drug treatment often cause chronic stress, emotional stress, depression and other psycho-emotional spectrum disorders in patients.

To calm and combat insomnia in general, you can use herbal preparations - for example, tincture of valerian, motherwort, peony.

For more serious disorders, antidepressants are recommended.

Vitamin and mineral complexes

Since osteochondrosis is considered a disease of the whole organism, complex vitamin-mineral therapy is of great importance. Vitamins A, groups B, C, D, E, calcium and phosphorus preparations help to significantly improve the condition.

Vitamin Aa natural antioxidant that stimulates the production of collagen and reduces the destruction of chondrocytes, promotes the renewal of joint tissues.

B vitaminsreduce pain, inflammation and numbness of the hands, improve the sensitivity of nerve fibers.

Vitamin Dis responsible for the absorption of calcium and helps restore bone tissue lost due to osteochondrosis.

Vitamin Enecessary for the normalization of blood circulation, protection against free radicals and regeneration of cartilage.

Prevention

If attention is paid to the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis, even with existing changes, their progression will slow down significantly. Doctors recommend:

• lead an active lifestyle, avoid hypodynamia;
• minimize or eliminate heavy loads;
• sleeping on an orthopedic mattress and pillow;
• Do regular warm-ups if you have to work for a long time in front of the computer.

The ideal sport for osteochondrosis is swimming. Water unloads the spine, and active movements contribute to the formation of the muscular framework.