Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis

Today, cervical osteochondrosis is common among city dwellers, office workers, and people who maintain one posture for several hours a day.

But it can also develop in adolescence. Therefore, everyone should understand what cervical osteochondrosis is and how to treat it, so as to seek help in time and prevent the development of neck and shoulder discomfort symptoms and joint destruction.

If cervical osteochondrosis has worsened and you are experiencing pain in your neck, you will need to see a doctor and receive a diagnosis before deciding what to do.

diagnosis

Whether it is possible to permanently cure osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, whether it is possible to treat the neck and how to do it, your doctor will tell you after a complete diagnosis. Because the symptoms are similar to other diseases, care must be taken to make a clear diagnosis. A patient who comes to the neurology department with neck pain and dizziness must go through several stages before a complex treatment can be devised for him.

examine

During the first visit to a neurologist, a patient will undergo an initial examination. The task of the doctor is to determine the diagnosis, possible causes of the occurrence and development of the disease, and to rule out other diseases with similar symptoms.During expert inspection:

• Listen to health complaints.Clarify symptoms, frequency, intensity. Try to determine what triggered the attack.
• Clarify medical history details,Characteristics of the patient's daily life and the presence of concomitant diseases will be determined.
• Check the reflection function,Focus on those whose jobs are affected by nerve endings in the neck.
• Check muscle strength and sensitivity,Areas of numbness or spasticity or a tendency to relax excessively will be identified.
• will proceedVestibular apparatus test,This is also affected by the development of osteochondrosis.

During this procedure, the doctor will check the condition of the muscles. Their weakness or swelling hints at nerve sensitivity issues. Another important symptom is pain and dizziness when turning or tilting the head.

laboratory diagnosis

Only by identifying the cause of the destruction of vertebrae and intervertebral discs can we develop a correct treatment plan and provide effective help during the progression of cervical osteochondrosis. To this end, the laboratory conducted additional research.In order to understand the development of the disease, several studies were conducted:

1. Total calcium and ionized calcium.
2. Osteocalcin and osteoprotegerin– Substance – Indicator of progressive bone destruction and thinning of cartilage tissue. If their levels in the blood are higher than normal, the disease will progress.
3. creatine kinase– Indicators of muscle tissue damage. If osteochondrosis has caused myositis and seriously threatens the muscles, this indicator in the blood will also increase.
4. Trace element and vitamin researchIt is performed to determine if the patient is deficient in trace elements and vitamins required for metabolism and tissue repair.

Musical instrument studies

After finding out how quickly and why rickets develop, doctors must determine the patient's condition at the time of admission.For this purpose, hardware studies of the spine and intervertebral discs are performed:

• Radiography.Shows severe changes in bone structure, development of deformations and tumors.
• Magnetic resonance imagingEvaluate the condition of nerve roots, disc herniations, vertebrae varus, and small tumors.
• Ultrasound examination of neck blood vesselsBlood vessel examinations are performed to determine their patency and thus their ability to provide necessary oxygen and nutrients to the brain.

• Neuroelectromyography.An electrical charge passes through the nervous system, which is unpleasant but can show the level at which nerve impulses are passing and how quickly the nerve impulses pass through the muscle, thus showing the extent of the damage.

There are many tips on how to get rid of cervical osteochondrosis forever, relieve pain quickly, get rid of dizziness, and fight attacks of weakness at home. But it is necessary to understand that this is a serious disease that develops alone, so the treatment option must be chosen by a professional. Therefore, when the first symptoms appear, you should contact the clinic and not waste time on traditional methods.

treat

Almost everyone who has been diagnosed with "cervical rickets" has wondered how to cure this degenerative disease, whether and how it can be treated, and whether, if you follow the following advice, you can forget about neck pain forever. doctor. The answer depends on the stage.In stages one and two, there are ways to treat cervical rickets in men and women at home with good results for the neck.

The doctor's goal is to relieve pain, prevent further destruction of cartilage and bone tissue, and, if possible, try to repair the disc to restore mobility. To solve this problem, complex treatments are always used, but sometimes surgical intervention is added to the conservative approach.

medical treatement

Many times, men and women, when faced with the heightened inflammation stages of cervical osteochondrosis, opt for at-home treatment with powerful painkillers, but what if the neck pain returns and what treatments will be effective? The only correct answer is to appoint a neurologist.When rickets worsen, it is important not only to eliminate the symptoms, but also to cure the cause of the symptoms, so the range of medications is not limited to painkillers.For the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis, the following methods are used:

1. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,Helps relieve pain and reduce tissue inflammation at the site of pinched nerve endings.
2. topical gels and ointments,It should be prescribed by a doctor as not all medications are compatible with oral medications.
3. muscle relaxantsAllows you to relax spasmed muscles, release compressed nerves and arteries, and get rid of stiffness, pain and dizziness.
4. chondroprotectantUsed to prevent the destruction and recovery of intervertebral disc cartilage tissue and prevent the occurrence of hernia.
5. vitamin complexIt is used to improve tissue nutrition, accelerate its recovery, and enhance drug effects, allowing the use of smaller doses.

If a patient is admitted with unbearable pain, a blockade based on hormonal analgesics is used.

non-pharmacological treatment

Another method that is well received by both men and women and commonly used to treat cervical spine and shoulder girdle osteochondrosis at home is physical therapy, but the type and content of treatment should also be determined by your doctor. After all, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to physical therapy that works for everyone. An effective set of methods is chosen specifically for each patient.The most effective are considered to be:

• Painkillers for electrophoresis.
• physiotherapy. The sets of exercises and their complexity vary according to the stage of development of osteochondrosis.
• Massage and self-massage.
• Magnet therapy.

osteochondrosis surgery

At certain stages in the development of cervical osteochondrosis, taking medications for neck and back pain does not help, in which case you can take heavier medications or resort to a radical but effective approach - surgery. This surgery is suitable for patients who have irreversible changes in the structure of their spine. At the same time, the emergence of vertebral collapse and fusion, hernias and tumors threatens human life and reduces its quality.

The surgeon will be able to remove bone growths, hernias, tumors, and compressed nerve endings. After such an intervention, the patient will undergo rehabilitation, during which the doctor's recommendations must be followed, otherwise even surgery will not bring the desired results.

How and how to treat cartilage of the neck at home or in the hospital, how to relieve neck and shoulder pain, get rid of dizziness and reduce inflammation of the vertebrae, what will help and what will be harmful, the doctor must decide. By using other methods and means, you will be exposed to health risks, since for this disease treatment should take into account the patient's personal characteristics.

prevention

In order to not know what the treatment for cervical osteochondrosis is, you should think of prevention in advance. The disease is often hereditary, but following recommendations can prevent the disease from developing or stop it in the first stages.Traditional preventive measures for spinal disease:

1. Ensure healthy physical activity. Aim for light exercise 2-3 times a week. It is worth choosing an exercise aimed at strengthening the muscles of the corset. Swimming, yoga, Pilates, cycling, and skating are all suitable. In this case, the load should not be too heavy.
2. Ability to carry out daily activities even during sedentary work. To do this, just do exercises and take walks.
3. Monitor your posture not only while walking, but also while working.
4. An ergonomic workplace in which the space that occupies attention is located so that the neck is not under tension.
5. Avoid heavy lifting and excessive physical activity.
6. Provide a comfortable place to sleep with orthopedic mattresses and pillows for healthy sleep and restful sleep.
7. Quit bad habits as alcohol, nicotine and drugs have extremely negative effects on joints, bones and blood vessels.
8. Change your eating habits. It pays to reduce the intake of salt, spices, sugar and flour in your daily menu. Avoid fast food, especially those prepared with oil, sweetened sodas and juices.
9. The menu is developed taking into account micronutrient and vitamin requirements. Pay attention to vegetables and fruits, lean fish and meat.
10. Drink enough clean water.
11. Have a maintenance massage session every few months. If your shoulders feel tired, perform regular self-massage.

Despite all efforts to stay healthy, if cervical osteochondrosis develops, only a doctor can determine how long the disease will require treatment after a thorough diagnosis. However, to prevent recurrence, people with this diagnosis must remember the rules of healthy living throughout their lives.