Osteochondrosis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system. According to statistics about 90% of the population suffer. Most patients are not even aware of this, because the initial forms of the disease develop asymptomatic.
Another part that periodically feels discomfort in the back area, abbreviated as fatigue and not being treated. Among all types of bone necrosis, the defeat of the cervical spine prevails. If treatment is started promptly, there is every chance of getting rid of the disease.
The nature of bone resorption
Two mechanisms involved in the development of osteonecrosis: dystrophy and degeneration. The first implies a violation of the (nutritional) nature of the disc cartilage (disc). The second is the consequence of dystrophy - organic changes in the structure of cartilage tissue and vertebrae.
The essence of the disease is as follows: circulatory disorders in some areas of the back lead to depleted cartilage tissue and dehydration. Along with the liquid, it loses its nutritional components. As a result, the cartilage loses its elasticity and firmness - it sags. The distance between vertebrae is reduced, their static nature is disturbed (constant position). They can move and nest, while squeezing nerve roots.
With bone necrosis, cartilage is worn away at a rapid rate.
If the dystrophy persists, the muscles that support the spine lose tone. The more sagging vertebrae. As the friction increases, protrusions develop - damaging the cartilage with its insides protruding.
Next, the natural defense mechanism of the spine is activated. Bone growth - bone-producing cells appear on it. They must ensure a stable position of the vertebrae. However, the growth of bone cells often exceeds the "necessary" level. The overgrowth puts additional stress on the rest of the cartilage and nerve fibers. Furthermore, they are solid. The spine loses elasticity, the "neighboring disc" can be damaged. The patient loses the ability to move, has a lot of pain. The result of progressive bone necrosis is disability.
Due to congestion, bone necrosis is accompanied by salt deposition in areas adjacent to cartilage. Such "buildup" aggravates the development of the disease, promoting cartilage damage and vertebrae.
Why does the neck get injured more often
The most delicate and delicate neck spine. Its elements are minimal and do not adapt to heavy loads. However, the neck muscles are not involved in all types of physical activity. Therefore, chronic congestion and malnutrition of the vertebral joints. If a person does not play sports, the risk of cervical fibroids increases significantly. Most people very rarely use their necks for mundane jobs.
The main cause of osteonecrosis is a sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary activity, combined with passive rest, leads to muscle weakness and vascular dystonia. Neck disease causes a condition in a prolonged position. Ancient spinal cord tumors are considered by many office workers, computer science.
Excessive physical activity leads to increased muscle tone. In a constant state of stress, they also stimulate the process of stagnation. Indirect causes of the disease include inappropriate nutrition (excess salt and fat in the diet), metabolic disorders. The disease can be triggered by autoimmune processes, lack of nutrients (vitamins and minerals), endocrine diseases and psychological shocks (as they are also accompanied by excessive muscle tension).
How to identify cervical bone tumors
Premature necrosis of bone does not manifest itself in any way. At the first stage of development, the cartilage is dehydrated. It doesn't draw attention from the outside, it's not physically uncomfortable. Illness can be discovered by accident while examining the spine for injuries or other complaints.
At stage 2, the cartilage is sagging. Its height decreased, its depreciation capacity deteriorated. Initial symptoms may appear at this stage. Their characteristic is periodicity. A discomfort in the neck is felt, and then subside. Periodically completely disappeared. A person sometimes feels pain in the neck. They appear after exertion or lying down in one position (sitting or standing). Discomfort arises in the morning, when the patient "walks", they weaken and remind themselves in the late afternoon. If salt forms in the neck area, the patient will hear a cracking sound in the spine as he turns. "Press" when tilting the head does not hurt.
In stage 3, the nerve root can be partially entrained. This is accompanied by a feeling of severe pain. Patient complains of low back pain and sudden pain in the neck. The discomfort occurs after a static position. In contrast to the early stages, it worries more often. A person's neck "gets tired" for a short time. There may also be aches and pains. They attack patients at night and at night.
Stagnation of the cervical spine leads to a stroke. It is manifested by headaches (sometimes migraines), tinnitus, dizziness. With persistent hypoxia (lack of oxygen), there is a feeling of "goosebumps" on the scalp, usually on one side. There are also secondary symptoms - the patient quickly becomes tired, feels weak, drowsy (for unknown reasons), sometimes sleep is disturbed.
Along with the symptoms listed, the mobility of the joints in the cervical spine has also changed. Some head or neck movements are accompanied by throbbing pain. The patient decreases their amplitude subconsciously, trying to maintain a comfortable posture.
Stage 4 of osteonecrosis is accompanied by protrusions and appearance of bone-forming cells. Infringement of the nerve roots leads to a persistent pain syndrome. If inflammation develops during the change, the pain becomes permanent. A person increasingly has headaches, impaired vision (impaired vision at dusk, "flying flies", blurred vision). The neck's mobility is significantly limited. Patients avoid neck rotation, if necessary, can rotate the whole body. When nerves are damaged, there will be pain, "goosebumps" or numbness in the shoulders, shoulders, forearms and hands.
Diagnosis
The above complaints should be addressed to a psychiatrist, orthopedic doctor or spine specialist. The doctor will interview the patient, conduct the examination. On examination, the doctor will check the sensitivity of the acupuncture points, reflexes, and motility of the cervical spine. If bone necrosis is suspected, an additional examination will be ordered. It includes x-rays of the spine of the neck in a number of projections.
If there is no specific abnormality on the radiograph, but the patient is still complaining, an MRI or CT scan will be indicated. By these methods, osteonecrosis can be detected even at the earliest stage.
Treatment
Even if the patient has all the signs of osteonecrosis, it is better to see a doctor. Only a specialist can objectively evaluate the extent of destruction, distinguish gallstones from other diseases, make an accurate diagnosis and choose a separate treatment regimen.
This disease takes a long time to develop. Exacerbations of osteonecrosis can occur cyclically and go away on their own. The patient should still be examined.
The disease is treated outpatient. Surgical intervention (to remove bone cells) is an extreme treatment, only for severe nerve root damage accompanied by intense pain. Cautious treatment can almost always be dispensed.
Bone tumors (depending on stage) are treated for 1 to 3 months. Therapy should be comprehensive. Particularly drugs are indispensable here. Even after starting to improve, the patient must control his or her activities and take preventive measures. The main task of treatment is to stop degenerative processes. Medication relieved only for a while. There are several ways to treat osteonecrosis at home.
Drug treatment
With the help of drugs, you can eliminate inflammation, relieve pain, provide the body with useful substances and improve the nutrition of cervical cartilage. Pain relievers are used to treat symptoms. During the inflammatory process, the pain is eliminated with NSAIDs. The drug is prescribed in the form of tablets (if symptoms are moderate) or injections (if the pain is severe).
To eliminate myotonia, muscle relaxants are prescribed in parallel with NSAIDs. These funds improve the effects of pain relievers, providing "free access" to the inflammatory focus. Pain relievers are used for the shortest possible time (5-10 days) because of the risk of side effects.
Chondroprotectors are prescribed for increased cartilage elasticity and restoration. During the acute period, these are injections. As a maintenance therapy, doctors recommend long-term (3-6 months) capsules or tablets.
To increase the therapeutic effect, it is possible to combine tablets with the use of external agents (ointments, gels, patches). A pepper patch or peppermint oil, or a fatty pain reliever, will relieve severe pain. Furthermore, bone necrosis can be treated with chondroprotective ointment.
To improve joint performance, B vitamins and vascular preparations are prescribed.
Folk remedies
In recipes of traditional medicine, there are many recommendations for the treatment of osteonecrosis. As with the traditional method, folk remedies can be used internally or externally.
Most Potential Topic Mix:
- Compress the horseradish.Crushed horseradish roots, crushed on cheesecloth, cover on the neck, wrap up with food wrap, leave for 2 hours, rinse with clean water, do 10 days immediately before going to bed.
- Compressed with potatoes.Rub 3 large potatoes, add 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon of mustard, apply the mixture on a cheesecloth and cover on the sore for 1 hour, apply 2 times daily for 2 weeks.
- Red pepper lotion.2 crushed red chili, mixed with chopped aloe leaves, pour with a glass of wine, the next day take gauze to absorb this mixture, cover on the neck 15-20 minutes, rinse with cool water. The course of treatment lasts 2 weeks.
Compressed with mustard and pepper very well to increase blood circulation.
Inside you can use infusions, decoctions and tincture. All formulations are aimed at normalizing metabolism, removing salt, eliminating inflammation:
- Parsley broth.3 tablespoons of parsley seeds are ground in a coffee grinder. Pour mass with one liter of boiling water, boil over low heat for 10-15 minutes. After cooling completely, filter. It is taken orally 100 ml 2 times a day for 15 days.
- Strawberry fruit alcohol.10 g of a mixture of dried roots and raspberry bark (available at a pharmacy or from herbalists) is poured into 100 ml of alcohol or vodka. The mixture is placed in a dark place for 10 days. After stress, drink 30 drops three times a day half an hour before meals.
- Infuse celery.Pour one tablespoon ground celery root with a liter of water. Bring to a boil over low heat, immediately turn off. After a day, filter, drink 3 tablespoons before meals, three times a day. The treatment lasted 1 month.
Before taking any traditional medicine, you should make sure that you are not allergic to their ingredients. If you feel a strong burning sensation when applying it, remove the bandage and rinse the remaining mixture with running water.
Physiotherapy, exercise therapy and massage
Physiotherapy is often prescribed by doctors to treat osteonecrosis. This can be warmed up with medical ultraviolet light, exposure to low frequency currents, magnetic field therapy, electrophoresis or phonophoresis. Such operations are performed in a hospital, using special equipment. They eliminate inflammation and improve the accessibility of the drug to cartilage tissue. The combination of medication and physical therapy can provide a quick relief of unpleasant symptoms. The course will require 10-15 procedures. To obtain a stable result all types of physical therapy must be completed completely (without interruption).
Physiotherapy for the treatment of cervical necrosis includes simple exercises. They can be done independently in the morning and in the evening, as well as between work hours. Physical education can be done while sitting or standing.
The following exercises may be included in the exercises for cervical necrosis:
- For 2 minutes, first turn your head clockwise then counterclockwise (2 sets);
- slightly lower your head forward, backward and sideways (15 times in each direction);
- raise shoulders as high as possible, immobilize neck and head (15-20 reps);
- rotate your shoulders forward or back, keeping your neck and head motionless (1 minute in each direction);
- folded palms, pressed fingertips to center of forehead, gently leading through temporal areas, along neck, to collarbone (10 times);
- without changing the position of the chin, gently retract the neck backwards (chin is drawn in), then forward, to the sides (do not tilt or turn the face);
- pulls the palm of your hand into a lock behind your back, pulls your arms back, lifts and stretches your neck as high as possible, holding open for 15 seconds (3 times).
For osteonecrosis, massage is considered the best way to improve blood circulation in the neck. It is better if the patient goes through a full course (10-15 sessions) with a trained specialist. If that doesn't work, give yourself a neck massage at home.
Self-Massage Quick Start Guide:
- first, the neck muscles need to be warmed: rub the back of the head with pads of the fingers or the edge of the palm of the hand; Kneading
- involves soft pressing followed by muscle relaxation - kneading with 4 pads and thumb;
- lightly pinch the skin of the neck to improve blood circulation;
- use your fingers to press lightly on the sides of the spine, going along the entire cervical area;
- To relax on the back of your head, pat with your palms or fingers.
Each massage phase ends with a light swipe with the palm of your hand. To improve effectiveness, the neck is massaged with ointment. After the massage, you need to make sure that the cervical area is warm.
Only massage the neck with the palm of your hand or the tip of your finger (not your fist).
All bone necrosis treatments should be supplemented with a diet. A classic healthy diet involves consuming lean meats, fish, seafood, whole grains, and plenty of vegetables. Food should be boiled, grilled or steamed.
During the entire time of the diet, it is important to reduce salt consumption, and to give up fast food and sweets. It is important to drink at least 1. 5 liters of water per day. Eating jellies will be very helpful to strengthen the joints.
With an integrated approach, symptoms of the disease disappear in a week, and cartilage destruction is completely ceased.