To begin, immediately and honestly: the 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 the most unpleasant symptoms quickly and are very important in the fight against the disease in general.
The main methods of treating osteochondrosis
Regardless of which parts of the spine are affected, there are general therapy methods:
- Medication with external agents, tablets or injections.
- Physiotherapeutic treatment (electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, ultrasound, laser. . . ).
- Reflex treatment (acupuncture, acupressure).
- Massage, manual therapy.
- Corrective gymnastics, climatological and thermal treatment.
Various folk methods (compresses, rubbing, herbal 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 cannot relieve the 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 get quickly with the help of drugs. Their action is aimed at relieving inflammation, hypertonicity of the neck muscles, improving blood circulation and accelerating the recovery processes in cartilage tissues. 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, 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 physiotherapy course.
Massage can also give quick results. Doctors recommend self-massage techniques to quickly eliminate dizziness, tinnitus, muscle pain in the neck.
Of the folk methods, external remedies - compresses, plasters, rubs - have a quick effect. But they only give temporary relief, after which longer treatment courses will still be needed.
Physical therapy rarely works quickly. It takes weeks to experience noticeable improvement. Also, most doctors advise against exercise during an exacerbation of the disease, recommending it during recovery and remission. Sanatorium and climate treatment also don't work instantly and it's hard to get it at home. On the other hand, these methods give a long-term stable result.
Is it possible to deal with injections at home?
In theory yes, but only if the family includes a trained nurse or paramedic who is familiar with the job. It is very difficult to make injections in the neck, you need to be able to accurately choose the place, direction and depth of insertion of the needle, otherwise serious damage can be caused. Damage to important nerve roots or blood vessels can be a more serious problem than osteochondrosis.
But the injections are very effective, and the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home quickly with their help is possible. An injection block can relieve even very severe pain in minutes. Relaxing, anti-inflammatory and restorative drugs, which enter the blood and muscles directly, are more effective.
However, injections are generally recommended in advanced cases when 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 may be trained in this particular area, but a professional is better nonetheless.
But simple self-massage techniques can help reduce the painful manifestations of osteochondrosis in those moments when it is uncomfortable to go to the master. This massage consists of lightly kneading the neck muscles with the help of the fingertips. Helps reduce muscle tension, improve blood circulation, tinnitus and headaches.
When performing self-massage, you need to follow some basic rules to make it safe and effective:
- Use only your fingertips for work.
- The movements must be performed from top to bottom and from the spine to the sides.
- It is necessary to alternate the kneading movements with the caress (in the same direction).
- You shouldn't exert much effort when massaging, even if the strength of your hands allows it.
This method works very quickly, but not too difficult and not for long. The massage should be combined with other treatments.
Traditional methods of rapid treatment of cervical osteochondrosis
To get a quick result from the number of popular recipes, it is better to choose products for external use. Various teas and infusions give good results, but it takes a long time to wait.
But compresses and rubbing can remove some symptoms of the disease in hours or even minutes:
- Ordinary pepper vodka is suitable for grinding. Alcohol can be made at the factory, but it is better to insist on pepper alone.
- Another recipe for grinding: mustard, camphor alcohol, vodka (all 50g each), 3 beaten egg whites, leave for half a day.
- Vodka, honey, aloe juice (2: 2: 1), mix and let it brew overnight. A good anti-inflammatory agent.
- Ideal for compresses - horseradish and burdock leaves, pre-scalded with boiling water.
- A mixture of honey and grated potatoes (evenly divided) is also suitable. You can keep it for several hours.
- Grated radish applied as an ointment. It needs to be washed off when a noticeable burning sensation appears in the skin. It's a good distraction. It stimulates blood circulation.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home quickly with folk remedies also involves the use of bee venom and roots of comfrey and lizard. It is not easy to collect them yourself, but you can buy dried roots at the pharmacy or use ready-made ointments based on them.
How Neck Muscle Exercises Can Help
Physical education is not one of the fast acting methods, but it is the most reliable. After receiving a diagnosis of osteochondrosis, it is best to do therapeutic exercises regularly for the rest of your life. They are quite simple, they can also be performed during the break, while sitting on a chair:
- The head tilts to the sides and back and forth.
- Turn your head, turn your neck.
- Pulling the neck forward.
- Raise and lower your shoulders.
- Stretching exercises (mentally stretch the crown of the head upwards).
- Self-resistance: pressure with hands on the forehead or behind the head with resistance from the neck.
- Air "drawing": write imaginary words or numbers in the air with your nose.
How can this type of exercise help? They will strengthen the muscles and provide additional support for the spine. Additionally, movement will improve blood circulation and oxygen supply to the brain. There is a better chance of freeing the pinched roots. Muscle overload will disappear.
But you don't have to wait for immediate results. Therefore, you should first alleviate the exacerbation with medication, and then exercise.
Although spinal diseases are very stubborn, symptomatic treatment of cervical osteochondrosis at home is quickly possible. But the patient must remember that the temporary disappearance of symptoms does not mean getting rid of the disease and continuing treatment with other, less rapid methods.