There are several approaches to treating cervical osteochondrosis of the spine;only the patient can make a choice.Therefore, we invite you to learn about how manual therapy for this disease differs and why the methods used by official medicine most often lead patients to disability or the need for surgical intervention.
Let's start with the fact that in the district clinic, where the majority of patients with neck pain go, there is no effective treatment regimen for osteochondrosis.This is a degenerative dystrophic disease of the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral disc.It develops when the nutrition of this fiber is disturbed.Therefore, for full recovery, it is first necessary to normalize the diffuse exchange between the intervertebral disc and the surrounding paravertebral muscles.Unfortunately, official medicine does not want to admit the fact that only this treatment approach provides positive dynamics in the patient's condition.
It is suggested to use the symptom influence method exclusively.They allow you to relieve the symptoms that accompany the process of intervertebral disc destruction.This is done on purpose because there is a regulatory deadline by which the patient must return to work.Human health is not taken into account in this process.The most important thing is to get out of sick leave on time.And for this it is enough to remove the pain syndrome.
Meanwhile, it is worth realizing that 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 in the muscles of the neck and collar zone (they unload the intervertebral discs, provide protection for the radicular nerves and injuries due to convergence of adjacent vertebral bodies);
- inflammation, designed to improve blood microcirculation in the lesion, but in fact this causes infiltrative swelling of soft tissues and increased pain;
- a change in the position of the vertebral body, through which the shock-absorbing pressure is released;
- pinching nerve fibers (radicular nerve, its branches, nerve plexus, large nerves extending from it);
- damage to 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.In short, you need 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 this problem.An experienced vertebrologist or neurologist will be able to develop an individual rehabilitation course.
Causes of cervical spine osteochondrosis
There are reasons that lead to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.If the effects of these pathogenic factors persist during treatment and after completion, then there is a high probability of recurrence of the disease in the near future.
To understand the development process of the degenerative dystrophic process in the cartilage tissue, we suggest you familiarize yourself with some facts from anatomy and physiology:
- the intervertebral disc consists of a fibrous ring (a dense and elastic outer skin) and an internal nucleus pulposus (the corpus pulposus that maintains the shape and height of the disc);
- they do not have their own circulatory network and can replenish fluid and nutritional reserves only through diffuse exchange with the surrounding tissues of the paravertebral muscles and end plates;
- endplates are cartilaginous structures located between the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs, they are decorated with capillary channels and provide nutrition to the fibrous ring and periosteum;
- paravertebral muscles support the spinal column in a vertical position, providing flexibility and plasticity;
- the yellow interspinous ligament sets the position of the vertebral body in the longitudinal direction;
- the short transverse ligaments of the spine fix the vertebral body in a horizontal plane;
- The anterior and posterior long ligaments fix the entire spinal column and partially relieve the load of absorbing shocks from it.
Degenerative dystrophic changes usually begin with the fact that the paravertebral muscles are not subjected to normal physical activity.They lose their ability to provide complete diffuse nutrition to the fibrous rings.It begins to dehydrate and crack.The surface becomes calcified (calcium salts precipitate in the cracks) - this prevents the normal process of fluid exchange in the future.
Then the fibrous ring begins to take fluid from the tissue located in the nucleus pulposus.It has a gelatinous jelly-like structure.Therefore, it easily removes liquid, but at the same time it loses its physiological volume dramatically.This negatively affects its ability to maintain the physiological height of the intervertebral disc.
It begins to distribute the shock absorber load unevenly.There is an increase in the pressure level at the end plate.In its thickness, the process of sclerosis of capillary channels begins.The end plate loses its ability to provide nutrition to the disc cartilage and periosteum.This is the protrusion stage.
If effective comprehensive treatment is not started at this stage, the annulus fibrosus will soon break under the influence of physical activity.An intervertebral hernia forms in the cervical spine.These long-term complications of osteochondrosis significantly worsen the quality of life and the level of human performance.
The potential causes that lead to the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine are:
- maintaining a sedentary lifestyle without frequent physical activity on the muscular skeleton of the neck and collar area;
- overweight and obesity (each additional kilogram causes a double increase in the shock-absorbing load on the cartilaginous intervertebral disc);
- sedentary work, where there is prolonged static tension of muscle fibers in the neck;
- improper diet and insufficient use of clean drinking water during the day;
- curvature of the spine and poor posture (for example, rounded or hunched back, scoliosis, etc.);
- smoking and drinking strong alcoholic beverages;
- violation of ergonomic rules when arranging sleeping and working spaces;
- injuries in the neck and collar area;
- endocrine and vascular pathologies (atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and accompanying diabetic angiopathy, etc.).
All of these potential causes should be addressed immediately.The sooner you do this, the more likely it is that the damaged cartilage will be fully restored.As a rule, experienced doctors carefully collect medical history data during the initial examination.He then makes individual recommendations for each patient based on the information gathered.If the patient does it, then the recovery will go faster and more intensively.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis - how to treat it
The main symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are:
- pain in the neck and collar area (can shoot, pull, tear, knock - depending on what triggers the pain syndrome);
- muscle fiber tension, limited mobility;
- changes in head position, curvature of the spine (compensation);
- headache and dizziness, decreased mental performance (this is a consequence of posterior vertebral artery patency disorder);
- increased nervous excitability, emotional instability, panic attacks, etc.
Before treating cervical osteochondrosis of the spine, you need 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 for treating cervical osteochondrosis of the spine and dizziness - the choice usually remains with the patient, to whom an experienced doctor tells about all the possibilities and prospects of using one or another approach.Therefore, consultation with an experienced vertebrologist is always a critical priority.
You can make an appointment with a vertebrologist at a specialized manual therapy clinic now.The doctor will conduct a full examination, make an accurate diagnosis, and tell you how to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine and the dizziness that develops as a result.
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, hospitalization is not required.But you must first receive an individually developed course of 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 space to the physiological norm.This helps straighten the annulus fibrosus tissue.Compression of the nerve root and its branches is eliminated.Pain syndrome and neurological clinical manifestations disappear.The patient may feel completely healthy.However, complete recovery of intervertebral disc cartilage tissue is still far away.
It is required to undergo a full treatment aimed at normalizing the diffuse metabolic process, increasing tissue trophism, strengthening the muscular framework of the neck and collar area.
This course of treatment may include 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 the elasticity of soft tissues (muscles, ligaments and tendons);
- reflexology to activate the hidden reserves of the human body to launch the natural regeneration process 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, then an effective and safe treatment will be developed for you, which will allow you to fully restore all spinal tissues.