Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and home treatments

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

If previous osteochondrosis was viewed as an age-related disease, now it is increasingly being diagnosed in young people. This is due to a sedentary lifestyle and the habit of lying down while doing sedentary work.

It is important to identify the disease in a timely manner, since the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in the initial stages of its development is much easier than in advanced cases.

Manifestations and causes of the disease

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

The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis:

• pain that worsens when turning and tilting the head;
• neck grinding;
• headache;
• decreased visual acuity;
• Stiffness and muscle tension in the affected area.

If the osteochondrosis worsens, a person complains about:

• stabbing pain;
• dizziness;
• burning;
• increases the tone of the neck muscles.

Depending on which vertebra is involved in the pathological process, pain and sensory disorders can affect different areas of the body. They can pass to the shoulder girdle, be felt in the rib cage, and appear on the muscles of the arms and even the fingers. Many patients want to know whether cervical osteochondrosis can be cured forever. Here there can be no unequivocal answer, since it all depends on the stage of the disease and the degree of degenerative changes. However, it is possible to alleviate the condition during an exacerbation and prevent deterioration in health. And folk remedies will help here.

Reasons for developing osteochondrosis:

• the habit of hanging around while walking;
• incorrect posture when reading books, working on the computer;
• injuries and injuries to the spine;
• insufficiently active lifestyle;
• strenuous physical activity;
• Use of mattresses and pillows that are too soft when resting;
• long-term weight bearing;
• flat feet;
• metabolic disorders in the body;
• lack of vitamins and minerals;
• scoliosis;
• obesity;
• genetic predisposition;
• pregnancy.

When choosing options to treat cervical osteochondrosis, you need to consider the severity of the symptoms. Before starting therapy, it is imperative to contact a neurologist for an accurate diagnosis and agree on a treatment plan. In some situations, it is only possible to do without folk remedies, and sometimes they should be used in combination with classical therapy.

Treatment with ointments and balms

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

Here are some easy to use homemade recipes:

1. Garlic-ginger ointment.Mix the garlic pulp and the chopped fresh ginger root in equal amounts. For plasticity, you need 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 process every day until the uncomfortable symptoms go away. Leave the ointment on for 30 minutes and then wash it off with warm water.
2. Laurel ointment.In 60 ml of melted butter add 5 g of crushed juniper leaves and 6 teaspoons. dry beaten bay leaf. This ointment should be used to rub the sore neck area morning and evening.
3. sage ointment.It is necessary to melt 3 tbsp in a water bath. l. Add petroleum jelly and 2 tbsp. l. chopped sage herb, 2 tbsp. l. Plantain leaves, ¼ cup vegetable oil. It is recommended to rub the throat with ointment three times a day. After that, the treated area should be insulated with a woolen scarf for several hours.

Use compression

In the case of many back problems, external treatments bring considerable relief to the patient. You need to act quickly, as it is desirable to cure osteochondrosis of the neck as soon as possible in order to avoid complications. Homemade compresses relieve pain and restore normal mobility to stiff muscles. They can also have a warming effect so that the active ingredients can penetrate the blood faster.

You can use the following recipes at home:

1. Velcro compress.2 tbsp. l. Dry crushed leaves of a plant, you need to pour 400 ml of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. After sieving, a bandage soaked in a warm solution should be placed on the painful area, covered with cellophane, cotton wool and a woolen cloth. The process takes 15 minutes. The bandage must then be removed and a warm scarf wrapped around the neck to keep warm.
2. Compress with eucalyptus and honey.30 g of eucalyptus leaves must be finely chopped and filled with 400 ml of boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes over low heat. After cooling, add honey (5: 1) to the sieve solution. This solution should be used for compresses daily at bedtime. Leave on for 30 minutes.
3. horseradish compress.The fresh leaves of the plant should be soaked in boiling water for a few minutes to soften them. When they are warm, they should be applied to the neck and covered with plastic wrap and a warm towel. The procedure is best done before bed, with the leaves on the skin overnight. In the morning, they need to be removed, washed with warm water and smeared with baby cream to protect them from drying out.
4. Compress with mustard and aloe.In equal proportions, you need to thoroughly mix aloe juice, dry mustard and vodka. In the resulting solution, you need to moisten the gauze, apply it on the neck and insulate this place with cling film and a woolen scarf. Let the compress warm up overnight.

For maximum effect, compresses for cervical osteochondrosis should be combined with other methods of treatment - decoctions, ointments and baths. With an integrated approach, unpleasant symptoms subside very quickly and then don't remember themselves for a long time.

Internal products

In case this disease worsens, decoctions, alcoholic tinctures, and water infusions should be used to reduce swelling and have anti-inflammatory effects. Since the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with folk remedies should be complex, they should be used in parallel with external rubbing and compresses. During an exacerbation, it is also important to minimize the stress on the neck 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.Half a liter glass should be filled with crushed, unpeeled pine nuts. The top must be poured with vodka so that the nuts are covered with a layer of 5 cm. The product must be infused in a cool, dark place for 7 days. After that, it is necessary to filter the tincture and take 15 ml three times a day.
2. A brew made from 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 mixture should be boiled over low heat for 15 minutes. After that, it should be infused in a warm place for 1 hour. It is recommended to take the broth 200 ml three times a day before meals.
3. Herbal collection.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 on low heat for 10 minutes. After cooling completely, the broth must be filtered and drunk in a glass in the morning and evening before meals.

Alternative help

Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease with a protracted course. This is important to understand as treatment of the cervical spine can sometimes take a long time. 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 relieve pain. Put 1 kg of needles and branches of conifers (pine, spruce, juniper) in an enamel saucepan, fill to the brim with water and cook over low heat until the water volume is halved. After that, the broth must be infused in a warm place for 12 hours. It is necessary to add 1. 5 liters of the filtered needle infusion obtained to the general bath. The temperature should not be hot (around 37 ° C), as osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can only be treated with moderately warm solutions. Water that is too hot can worsen the pain.

After consulting a neurologist, you can do light gymnastics without contraindications to avoid discomfort in the neck. The head must be carefully tilted down and forward, and then left and right. You can put your hands on the back of your head and try to move your head in that direction with resistance. The same must be done from the side of the forehead. Such a simple home treatment for cervical osteochondrosis normalizes muscle tone and relieves spasms. Over time, this exercise should last about 15 minutes a day. Movements should be soft, not forceful, or when they cause severe pain.