There are several approaches to treating cervical osteochondrosis of the spine;only the patient can choose.Therefore, we invite you to learn how the manual therapy of this disease differs, and why the methods used by official medicine most often lead to disability or the need for surgical intervention.
Let's start with the fact that there is no effective treatment regimen for the treatment of osteochondrosis in the district clinic, where the vast majority of neck pain patients are sent.It is a degenerative dystrophic disease of the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs.It develops when the nutrition of these fibers is interrupted.Therefore, for complete healing, the diffuse exchange between the intervertebral discs and the paravertebral muscles surrounding them must first of all be normalized.Unfortunately, official medicine does not want to recognize the fact that only this treatment approach gives positive dynamics in the patient's condition.
Only symptomatic influencing methods are recommended.They make it possible to alleviate the symptoms accompanying the process of destruction of the intervertebral discs.This is done on purpose 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 released from sick leave on time.And for this it is enough to remove the pain syndrome.
In the meantime, it is worth realizing that the pain is part of a protective mechanism that prevents the final destruction of the intervertebral disc.Pain syndrome in cervical osteochondrosis can be caused by the following changes:
- excessive tension of the muscles of the neck and collar zone (they stretch the intervertebral discs, provide protection for injuries due to the convergence of the radicular nerves and adjacent vertebral bodies);
- inflammation, which aims to increase blood microcirculation in the lesion, but in fact it causes infiltrative swelling of soft tissues and increased pain;
- a change in the position of the vertebral bodies, as a result of which the shock-absorbing stress is relieved;
- nerve fiber entrapment (radicular nerves, their branches, nerve plexus, large nerves extending from it);
- damage to the paired 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 the right conditions for their regeneration.
Complete treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is possible only with an integrated approach to solving the problem.An experienced vertebrologist or neurologist will be able to develop an individual course of recovery.
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 and after treatment, there is a high probability of relapse of the disease in the near future.
In order to understand the process of the development of the degenerative dystrophic process in cartilage tissues, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with some anatomical and physiological facts:
- the intervertebral discs consist of a fibrous annulus (dense and elastic outer shell) and an inner nucleus pulposus (corpus pulposus, which maintains the shape and height of the disc);
- they do not have their own circulatory network and can only replenish fluid and nutrient reserves by diffuse exchange with the surrounding tissues of the paravertebral muscles and end plates;
- endplates are cartilaginous structures located between the vertebral bodies and the intervertebral discs, interspersed with capillaries and feeding the annulus fibrosus and periosteum;
- the paravertebral muscles support the spine in a vertical position, providing flexibility and plasticity;
- the yellow intervertebral bands record the position of the vertebral bodies in the longitudinal direction;
- the short transverse ligaments of the spine fix the vertebral bodies in the horizontal plane;
- the front and back long ligaments anchor the entire spine and partially relieve it of the shock-absorbing load.
Degenerative dystrophic changes usually begin with the fact that the paravertebral muscles are not exposed to regular physical activity.They lose their ability to fully diffuse the nutrition of the annulus fibrosus.It starts to dry out and crack.Its surface becomes calcified (calcium salts precipitate in cracks) - this prevents the normal process of diffuse fluid exchange in the future.
The annulus fibrosus then begins to absorb fluid from the tissue surrounding the nucleus pulposus.It has a jelly-like gelatinous structure.Therefore, it easily releases fluid, but at the same time sharply loses its physiological volume.This negatively affects the ability of the intervertebral disc to maintain its physiological height.
It begins to distribute the damping load unevenly.The amount of pressure on the end plates increases.The process of capillary vessel sclerosis begins in their thickness.The endplates lose their ability to provide nourishment to the cartilage tissue of the disc and periosteum.This is the stage of emergence.
If effective comprehensive treatment is not started at this stage, the annulus fibrosus will soon rupture due to physical activity.An intervertebral hernia is formed in the cervical spine.This complication of long-term osteochondrosis significantly impairs the quality of life and the level of human performance.
The possible causes leading to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are as follows:
- maintaining a sedentary lifestyle without regular physical activity on the muscular framework of the neck and collar;
- overweight and obesity (each extra kilogram increases the shock-absorbing load of the cartilaginous intervertebral discs several times);
- sedentary work, during which there is a long-lasting static tension of the muscle fibers of the neck;
- improperly prepared diet and insufficient consumption of clean drinking water during the day;
- curvature of the spine and bad posture (for example, round or hunched back, scoliosis, etc.);
- smoking and consumption of strong alcoholic beverages;
- violation of ergonomic rules during the organization of sleeping and working areas;
- injuries in the neck and collar area;
- endocrine and vascular pathologies (atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and accompanying diabetic angiopathy, etc.).
All of these possible causes should be treated immediately.The faster you do this, the better the chance that the damaged cartilage fiber will fully recover.Usually, an experienced doctor will take a careful medical history during the initial examination.Then, based on the information gathered, he formulates individual recommendations for each patient.If the patient performs these, the healing 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 collar area (can be shooting, pulling, tearing, tapping - it depends on what caused the pain syndrome);
- tension of muscle fibers, limited mobility;
- change in the position of the head, curvature of the spine (compensatory);
- headache and dizziness, reduced mental performance (this is a consequence of damage to the patency of the posterior vertebral arteries);
- increased nervous irritability, emotional instability, panic attacks, etc.
Before treating cervical osteochondrosis of the spine, you need to understand what symptoms are associated with them.The use of symptomatic exposure methods is strictly prohibited.This can only lead to a significant deterioration of the patient's condition.
There are several methods of treating cervical osteochondrosis of the spine and vertigo - the choice usually remains with the patient, to whom an experienced doctor will tell all the possibilities and prospects of using one or another approach.Therefore, consultation with an experienced vertebrologist is always a critical priority.
You can request an appointment with a vertebrologist at a manual therapy appointment.The doctor performs a full examination, makes an accurate diagnosis, and tells how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and the resulting dizziness.
How to treat cervical osteochondrosis of the spine at home
Before home treatment of cervical osteochondrosis of the spine, you should consult an experienced doctor.Hospitalization of the patient is not necessary in most cases of the disease.But first you need to receive an individually developed cure.
Treatment usually begins with manual traction of the spinal column.This procedure makes it possible to increase the height of the intervertebral spaces to the physiological norm.This helps to straighten the annulus fibrosus tissue.Compression of the root nerves and their branches ceases.Pain syndrome and neurological clinical manifestations disappear.The patient may feel completely healthy.However, the complete restoration of the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral discs is still a long way off.
It is necessary to undergo a full course of treatment aimed at normalizing the processes of diffuse metabolism, increasing tissue trophism, and strengthening the muscles of the neck and collar.
This treatment process may consist of the following procedures:
- osteopathy to restore the normal microcirculation of lymphatic fluid and blood in the area of degenerative dystrophic tissue changes;
- massage to increase flexibility 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 treatment regimen is always created individually for each patient.Therefore, if you contact a specialized clinic, they will develop an effective and safe treatment procedure for you, which will allow you to completely restore all the tissues of the spinal column.