First of all, immediately and honestly: Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home is not possible quickly. But this disease cannot be cured in a short time and in the hospital - it is still a long process.
Home methods can really help relieve even the most unpleasant symptoms quickly and are very important in the fight against the disease in general.
The main methods of treatment of osteochondrosis
Whatever parts of the spine are affected, there are general methods of treatment:
- Drugs with external agents, pills or injections.
- Physiotherapy treatment (electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, ultrasound, laser…).
- Reflex treatment (acupuncture, acupressure).
- Massage, manual therapy.
- Remedial gymnastics, climatological treatment and spa.
Various folk methods (compresses, rubs, teas) should rather be attributed to the first group. Although the remedies prepared according to folk recipes are not official medicines, their principle of action is similar. And in official medicine, plant extracts and other biologically active substances are often used.
However, not all treatment methods can give quick results. Many are designed for a long process. They help more reliably, but they cannot relieve pain, dizziness, or other unpleasant symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis. Some are completely prohibited for use during an exacerbation of the disease.
Which methods can give a quick result
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home is the easiest way to accomplish quickly with the help of medication. Their action is aimed at relieving inflammation, hypertonicity of the muscles of the neck, improving blood circulation and accelerating the processes of recovery in cartilage tissue. Many drugs indicated for osteochondrosis are available in the convenient form of tablets or external agents. Well-known pain relieving gels will help relieve pain quickly.
Injections, as well as acupuncture and manual therapy are very effective. But the use of these methods has a number of serious limitations. Only in a hospital or clinic can you take a course in physiotherapy.
massage can also give quick results. Doctors recommend self-massage techniques to quickly get rid of dizziness, tinnitus, muscle pain in the neck.
Among traditional methods, external agents have a rapid effect - compresses, plasters, rubbing. But they only give temporary relief, after which longer treatments will always be needed.
Exercise therapy rarely works quickly. It takes weeks to see noticeable improvement. In addition, most doctors advise against exercising during an exacerbation of the disease, recommending it during recovery and remission. The sanatorium and climate treatment also do not work instantly, and it is difficult to get it at home. But on the other hand, these methods give a long term stable result.
Is it possible to treat with injections at home?
In theory, yes, but only if the household includes a trained nurse or paramedic who is familiar with the job. It is very difficult to give injections into the neck, you must be able to accurately choose the place, direction and depth of needle insertion, otherwise you can cause serious damage. Damage to nerve roots or large blood vessels can be a more serious problem than osteochondrosis.
But injections are very effective, and timely treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home with their help is possible. An injection block can relieve even very severe pain in a matter of minutes. Relaxing, anti-inflammatory, restorative drugs, which penetrate directly into the blood and muscles, are more effective.
However, injections are generally recommended in advanced cases when the symptoms of osteochondrosis are severe. If the disease is at an early stage, it is quite possible to do without it. In a difficult situation, it is better to undergo treatment with injections in a medical institution and at home to apply additional methods that will improve and consolidate the result.
Massage for osteochondrosis at home
A full massage should also be performed by a specialist. Some relatives of the patient can be trained in this particular area, but a professional is even better.
But simple self-massage techniques can help reduce the painful manifestations of osteochondrosis at times when it is not practical to go to the master. This massage consists of lightly kneading the muscles of the neck using the fingertips. It helps relieve muscle tension, improve blood circulation, tinnitus and headaches.
When performing self-massage there are a few basic rules you should follow to make it safe and effective:
- Use only your fingertips to work.
- Movements should be done up and down and from the spine to the sides.
- It is necessary to alternate the kneading movements with the caresses (in the same direction).
- You should not exert much effort while massaging, even if your hand strength allows it.
This method works very quickly, but not too hard and not for long. Massage should be combined with other treatments.
Traditional methods of rapid treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
To get a quick result of the number of folk recipes, it is better to choose products for external use. Different teas and infusions give good results, but it takes a long time to wait.
But compresses and rubbing can eliminate some symptoms of the disease within hours or even minutes:
- Regular pepper vodka is suitable for grinding. Alcohol can be made in the factory, but it is better to insist on the pepper yourself.
- Another grinding recipe: mustard, camphor alcohol, vodka (every 50 g each), 3 beaten egg whites, leave for half a day.
- Vodka, honey, aloe juice (2: 2: 1), mix, let steep overnight. A good anti-inflammatory.
- Great for compresses - horseradish and burdock leaves, pre-scalded with boiling water.
- A mixture of honey and grated potatoes (also divided) is also suitable. You can keep it for several hours.
- Grated radish applied as an ointment. It should be washed off when a noticeable burning sensation appears in the skin. It's a good distraction. Stimulates blood circulation.
Prompt treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home with folk remedies also involves the use of bee venom and roots of comfrey and larks foot. They are not easy to collect yourself, but you can buy dried roots at the pharmacy or use ready-made ointments based on them.
How exercises for the neck muscles can help
Physical education is not one of the quick acting methods, but it is the most reliable. After being diagnosed with osteochondrosis, it is best to do therapeutic exercises regularly for the rest of your life. They are quite simple, they can even be performed during a break while sitting in a chair:
- The head tilts to the sides and back and forth.
- Head turns, neck rotation.
- Pull the neck forward.
- Raise and lower the shoulders.
- Stretching exercises (mentally stretch the top of the head).
- Self-resistance: pressure of the hands on the forehead or back of the head with resistance from the neck.
- Air "drawing": write imaginary words or numbers in the air with your nose.
How can this kind of exercise help? They will strengthen the muscles and provide additional support to the spine. In addition, the movement will improve blood circulation and the supply of oxygen to the brain. There is a better chance of releasing pinched roots. The muscle overload will disappear.
But you don't have to wait for instant results. Therefore, first you need to relieve the exacerbation with medication, and then exercise.
Although diseases of the spine are very persistent, symptomatic treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home is quickly possible. But the patient should remember that the temporary disappearance of symptoms does not mean getting rid of the disease and continuing treatment with other, slower methods.