Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is one of the most common problems on our planet, which sooner or later affects absolutely everyone. Taking into account the trends of the modern lifestyle, the first signs of pathology can appear at a very early age (20-25 years), and for no apparent reason. Often the only symptoms are headaches and increased tiredness, which in the frantic pace of life are often simply “hammered” into such “trifles”, gnashing their teeth and without thinking about the reasons. An orthopedic traumatologist in his article told about the causes of pain and also talked about how to get rid of them.
But cervical osteochondrosis can manifest itself not only as periodic headaches, but can cause much more serious health problems: diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, hearing problems, vision, coordination, development of ischemia (lack of oxygen) of the head and spinal cord, damage to the nerve roots of the spinal cord - radiculopathy, partial or complete loss of mobility.
The essence of the process is very simple - over time, a large load on the spine and malnutrition of the intervertebral structures leads to thinning and destruction of the intervertebral discs and the restructuring of the vertebrae themselves, which inevitably will lead to the disruption of their functions.
But all of these terrible scenarios are preventable and preventable. First of all, this condition should not be considered as a disease, but treated as a process of "wear and tear" of the spine. After all, everything has its expiration date, be it a car, a phone or a preferred purse. Therefore, spinal care is necessary at least as well as for a favorite thing. At the same time, don't forget that you can buy a new thing, but you cannot buy a new "damaged" spine or you cannot exchange it for warranty. And the most important thing is that the cartilaginous tissue is not restored, so the sooner you get to know osteochondrosis, the more time you will have to "be friends" with it. And even with the right treatment, from time to time, he will remember himself.
The reason for the development of osteochondrosis
There are many reasons that can be easily grouped together - the wrong way of life. We will highlight the main risk factors for the development of such a condition:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- prolonged stay in a position (development of muscular hypertonia);
- overweight;
- unhealthy diet (lack of water and essential microelements in the body);
- great physical activity and weight lifting;
- incorrect posture;
- spinal injuries;
- hereditary predisposition.
After analyzing the reasons, it is easy (at least on paper) to remove the vast majority of risk factors from your life - which, in fact, is the main method of treatment. After all, drug therapy is a fight against the consequences of the disease.
Some kind of special drug prevention as such has not yet been invented, although the pharmaceutical market has traditionally been rich in offerings. Of course, all types of chondroprotectors have a clinical effect, but it is achieved after prolonged and constant use of the drug, and is not very persistent. In fact, these drugs contain substances that make up the intervertebral discs and, by taking them, we have achieved only a "possible" improvement in the nutrition of these structures. All anti-inflammatory drugs only remove the painful syndrome, make the patient's life easier, without affecting the cause of the appearance of these pains. Physiotherapy is quite common, such as shockwave therapy, electroparsia and magnetotherapy. In extremely advanced cases, doubts about surgical treatment may arise.
It should be noted separately that all of these treatment methods are possible only after consulting a doctor!
Self-medication, in this case, is strictly contraindicated - at best, you will simply waste your time; at worst, you can only hurt yourself.
How to deal with this problem?
The first step is to change the word “fight” to the word “prevention”. And it consists of ensuring the normal functioning and nutrition of the spine. It is worth mentioning that we work with the structures of the musculoskeletal system and diet.
Furthermore, this work must last continuously and for a lifetime - this is the main guarantee of success.
The option “I will do the exercises every six months” does not work! Permanently, it can and will be possible to postpone the problem (at best), at worst, the effect will be zero and it will appear that you are actively struggling with the problem.
1. Physical activity / sports
This is the first in line to prevent column wear. If you don't want the mechanism to rust and collapse, you need to give it some trouble. But the work must also be moderate, we are talking about healthy loads (work with body weight, functional training, stretching, cardio), and not to hang 100 kg of iron on you and run with them in rough terrain.
2. Providing a normal amount of oxygen
In the city it is almost impossible to do this, but you should still try to walk as much and as often as possible, visit areas of forest parks and periodically ventilate the environment in the workplace (it is important to avoid hypothermia).
3. You can't stay long
Regardless of the work area, take a short break every 40-50 minutes. When sitting for a long time, take a walk during the break or do some simple exercises on the spot to relieve muscle and back strain.
If your profession requires you to stand constantly, you need to sit down from time to time. It is important that, during rest, the back is straight, as symmetrical as possible, and the feet are flat on the floor.
4. Ergonomics
It is essential to provide yourself with the best possible working environment. We are not only talking about a work chair, but also about the correct configuration of the work monitor, the right clothes and shoes, the amount of jewelry on the neck, etc. A kilogram of jewelry with prolonged use will not have a positive effect on your health.
When working with a computer, the head must be straight, the hands must not be higher than the level of the elbows, the angle of inclination of the back on landing is 100-115 degrees - this position is considered the mostphysiological and prevents muscle overvoltage.
5. Complex exercise therapy
Physiotherapy exercises will help to strengthen the corset of the back muscles and the ligament apparatus. We are talking specifically about exercise therapy, gentle daily exercise (perhaps several times a day), in which the muscles are not overloaded. A specialist will help you choose a set of preventive exercises for exercise therapy, depending on the stage of the disease.
An example of the simplest complex for strengthening neck muscles:
- Lying face down, place your hands on the floor. Lift your head slowly, hold this position for a minute. Return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 3-4 times.
- Lying face down, extend your arms across your body. Slowly turn your head to the right. Return to the original position. Then turn your head to the left. Repeat the exercise in both directions 5 times.
- Sit on a chair. Slowly, as you exhale, tilt your head forward, bringing it as close to your chin as possible. Return to the starting position. As you inhale, slowly tilt your head back. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
- If your condition allows, rotate your head 4 times clockwise and 4 times counterclockwise.
6. Peculiarities of the power supply
An inadequate diet can trigger the development of the disease, so you need to monitor your diet. It is necessary to refuse or minimize the use of salt, sugar, sweets and confectionery, fatty foods. Inadequate nutrition contributes to weight gain and increased spinal stress. The following foods must be present in the diet:
- Vegetables and fruits (sources of vitamins);
- Cereals (energy sources);
- Meat and fish (sources of protein and minerals);
- Dairy products (sources of calcium and other essential trace elements);
- Foods rich in fiber (essential for the proper functioning of the intestine and metabolism);
- Products that contain condoprotectors (improve the properties of cartilage tissue).
Monitor your fluid intake. You should drink 1, 5-2 liters of liquid a day. The lack of water in the body has a negative effect on the metabolism and the state of all the structures in the body.
7. Adequate sleep
The sleeping position must meet the following criteria:
The selection of the mattress and pillow is equally important. When choosing bedding, you must rely on three signs:
8. Massage
Last on the list, but one of the first in importance. An experienced massage therapist will not only ensure normal blood flow and oxygen supply to all spinal structures, but will also help to correct spinal deformities and dysfunctions.
Prevention of osteochondrosis is lifelong, you have to work hard to keep your back healthy as much as possible, but as a result, you will be able to keep not only your back healthy, but also a healthy body, because in fact the mainrecommendation is to lead a healthy lifestyle, help your body to function normally and go through a timely "TO"!