There are several approaches on how to treat cervical osteochondrosis of the spine;Only the patient can make the decision.Therefore, we invite you to find out how manual therapy for this disease is different and why the methods used by official medicine most often lead the patient to disability or the need for surgical intervention.
To begin with, in the district clinic, where the vast majority of patients with neck pain go, there is no effective treatment regimen for osteochondrosis.This is a degenerative dystrophic disease of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs.It develops when the nutrition of these fibers is altered.Therefore, for a complete recovery, it is first necessary to normalize the diffuse exchange between the intervertebral discs and the paravertebral muscles surrounding them.Unfortunately, official medicine does not want to recognize the fact that only this approach to treatment provides a positive dynamic in the patient's condition.
It is proposed to use exclusively symptomatic methods of influence.They allow you to relieve the symptoms that accompany the process of destruction of the intervertebral discs.This is done deliberately because there are regulatory deadlines within which the patient must return to work.Human health is not taken into account in this process.The most important thing is to be discharged from sick leave on time.And for this it is enough to eliminate the pain syndrome.
Meanwhile, it is worth remembering that pain is part of a protective mechanism that prevents the final destruction of the intervertebral disc.Pain syndrome in cervical osteochondrosis may be due to the following changes:
- excessive tension in the muscles of the neck and neck area (they unload the intervertebral discs, provide protection to the root nerves and injuries due to the convergence of adjacent vertebral bodies);
- inflammation, designed to increase blood microcirculation in the injury, but actually causes infiltrative swelling of soft tissues and increased pain;
- changes in the position of the vertebral bodies, thereby relieving shock absorption stress;
- pinching of a nerve fiber (root nerves, their branches, nerve plexus, large nerves extending from it);
- Damage to the pairs of cranial nerves.
Before treating osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, it is necessary to eliminate all pathogenic factors that provoke the manifestation of the changes described above.Simply put, it is necessary to restore all damaged tissues and create suitable conditions for their regeneration.
Complete treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is possible only with an integrated approach to solving this problem.An experienced vertebrologist or neurologist will be able to develop an individual recovery course.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
There are reasons that lead to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.If the effect of these pathogenic factors continues during treatment and after its completion, there is a high probability of relapse of the disease in the near future.
To understand the process of development of the degenerative dystrophic process in cartilage tissues, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with some data on anatomy and physiology:
- Intervertebral discs consist of an annulus fibrosus (a dense, elastic outer layer) and an inner nucleus pulposus (corpus pulposus that maintains the shape and height of the disc);
- They do not have their own circulatory network and can replenish fluid and nutrient reserves only through diffuse exchange with the surrounding tissues of the paravertebral muscles and endplates;
- The end plates are cartilaginous structures located between the vertebral bodies and the intervertebral discs, they are dotted with capillaries and provide nutrition to the annulus fibrosus and the periosteum;
- the paravertebral muscles support the spine in a vertical position, giving it flexibility and plasticity;
- the yellow interspinous ligaments fix the position of the vertebral bodies in the longitudinal direction;
- short transverse ligaments of the spine fix the vertebral bodies in the horizontal plane;
- The anterior and posterior long ligaments fix the entire spine and partially relieve the shock absorption load.
Degenerative dystrophic changes usually begin with the fact that the paravertebral muscles are not subject to regular physical activity.They lose their ability to provide complete diffuse nutrition to the annulus fibrosus.It begins to dehydrate and crack.Its surface calcifies (calcium salts precipitate in the cracks), which prevents the normal process of diffuse fluid exchange in the future.
The annulus fibrosus then begins to draw fluid from the localized tissue of the nucleus pulposus.It has a gelatinous, jelly-like structure.Therefore, it releases liquid easily, but at the same time it abruptly loses its physiological volume.This negatively affects its ability to maintain the physiological height of the intervertebral disc.
It begins to distribute the damping load unevenly.There is an increase in the degree of pressure on the end plates.In its thickness the process of sclerosis of the capillaries begins.The endplates lose their ability to provide nutrition to the cartilaginous tissues of the disc and periosteum.This is the protrusion stage.
If effective comprehensive treatment is not started at this stage, the annulus fibrosus will soon rupture under the influence of physical activity.An intervertebral hernia forms in the cervical spine.This complication of chronic osteochondrosis significantly worsens the quality of life and the degree of human performance.
Possible causes leading to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are:
- maintaining a sedentary lifestyle without regular physical activity on the muscular structure of the neck and neck area;
- overweight and obesity (each extra kilogram causes a multiple increase in the shock absorption load on the cartilaginous intervertebral discs);
- sedentary work, during which prolonged static tension of the muscle fiber of the neck occurs;
- incorrectly composed diet and insufficient consumption of drinking water during the day;
- curvature of the spine and poor posture (for example, round or hunched back, scoliosis, etc.);
- smoking and drinking strong alcoholic beverages;
- violation of ergonomic rules when organizing sleeping and working spaces;
- injuries to the neck and neck area;
- endocrine and vascular pathologies (atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and accompanying diabetic angiopathy, etc.).
All of these potential causes must be addressed promptly.The faster you do this, the better the chances that the damaged cartilage fiber will be completely restored.As a rule, an experienced doctor carefully collects medical history data during the initial examination.It then makes individual recommendations for each patient based on the information collected.If the patient performs them, the recovery will be faster and more intense.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis: how to treat them
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- pain in the neck and neck area (it can be stabbing, pulling, tearing, knocking, it depends on what triggered the pain syndrome);
- tension of muscle fibers, limited mobility;
- change in head position, curvature of the spine (compensatory);
- headache and dizziness, decreased mental performance (this is a consequence of impaired patency of the posterior vertebral arteries);
- increased nervous excitability, emotional instability, panic attacks, etc.
Before treating cervical osteochondrosis of the spine, it is necessary to understand what symptoms are associated with what.The use of symptomatic exposure methods is strictly prohibited.This can only lead to a significant deterioration in the patient's condition.
There are many methods to treat cervical osteochondrosis of the spine and dizziness;The choice usually remains in the hands of the patient, who is informed by an experienced doctor about all the possibilities and prospects of using one or another approach.Therefore, consultation with an experienced vertebrologist is always a top priority.
You can make an appointment with a vertebrologist at a clinic specializing in manual therapy right now.The doctor will conduct a comprehensive examination, make an accurate diagnosis and tell you how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and the dizziness that develops as a result of it.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis of the spine at home.
Before treating cervical osteochondrosis of the spine at home, you should consult an experienced doctor.In most cases of the disease, hospitalization of the patient is not required.But first you must receive an individually developed treatment.
As a rule, treatment begins with several sessions of manual traction of the spine.This procedure allows you to increase the height of the intervertebral spaces to the physiological norm.This helps straighten the annulus fibrosus tissue.Compression of the root nerves and their branches is eliminated.The pain syndrome and neurological clinical manifestations disappear.The patient may feel completely healthy.However, the complete restoration of the cartilaginous tissue of the intervertebral discs is still far away.
It is necessary to undergo a comprehensive treatment aimed at normalizing diffuse metabolism processes, improving tissue trophism and strengthening the muscular structure of the neck and neck area.
This course of treatment may include the following procedures:
- osteopathy to restore normal microcirculation of lymphatic fluid and blood in areas of dystrophic degenerative tissue changes;
- massages to increase the elasticity of soft tissues (muscles, ligaments and tendons);
- reflexology to activate the hidden reserves of the human body to start the natural regeneration processes of damaged cartilage tissue;
- physiotherapy, laser treatment, electrical myostimulation;
- therapeutic exercises and kinesiotherapy, etc.
The course of treatment is always developed individually for each patient.Therefore, if you contact a specialized clinic, an effective and safe treatment will be developed for you that will allow you to completely restore all the tissues of the spine.