After remission, cervical osteochondrosis worsens. The pathology develops in a chronic form. It is impossible to completely cope with osteochondrosis.
The disease arises due to an insufficiently active lifestyle, alcohol abuse and nutritional problems.
Intervertebral discs reduce pressure on the vertebrae, but over the years the cartilage tissue wears away due to poor lifestyle habits. Renewing cartilage tissue is not easy.
causes
Let's find out what provokes the symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- Some signs arise due to deformation of the vertebrae, osteophytes appear.
- The position of the vertebrae relative to each other changes, the arteries become pinched and the blood supply to the nervous system deteriorates.
- The occurrence of complications due to disc displacement also leads to pain in the nerve endings.
- When the nerves in the cervical spine become pinched, radicular syndrome occurs.
- Constant overloading of the neck muscles at the computer or while driving.
How does cervical osteochondrosis worsen?
In the neck area the vertebrae are small. Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis occurs with special symptoms. Therefore, when the first symptoms appear, you need to contact a specialist.The main problem is that patients do not notice the symptoms of the disease.
First degree
First, small cracks appear on the windows. The elasticity of the cartilage tissue decreases and aching pain appears in the neck if you do not change your position for a long time.
Second degree
Severe neck pain indicates the beginning of the second stage. The pain is aggravated by the deformation of the intervertebral disc, dislocations occur.In rare cases, numbness in the hands and face occurs.
At the end of the day, the patient feels pain in the neck, which spreads further into the spine.
An exacerbation is manifested by falling head syndrome, in which unbearable pain occurs, the head cannot be held, you have to fix it with pillows or hands so that the symptom subsides.
Third degree
The third stage of the disease manifests itself clearly; the cause of the unpleasant symptoms cannot be attributed to overwork after physical exertion. In the third stage, the patient experiences nausea, dizziness, tinnitus and frequent fainting spells. Acute osteochondrosis is characterized by numbness in the neck and tinnitus.
Sometimes the signs of the disease disappear, but after a while they reappear with exacerbations. New signs appear and the pain becomes more intense.
How to behave during an exacerbation?
During an exacerbation, you should not rub the neck with warming ointments or massage large areas. If you feel signs of cervical osteochondrosis, you need to try to relax and take the most comfortable position.
You need to lie on your back so that there is no longer any strain on the muscle tissue. The attack doesn't go away on its own.You need to call a doctor to give painkillers and then make an appointment with a specialist. Many people have painkillers in their medicine cabinet. You can take these medications so you don't have to call an ambulance.
First aid and treatment
Treatment is carried out by a specialist:
- Before the doctor arrives, you must move as little as possible.
- Sit comfortably on the bed and do not put any strain on your body.
- Take painkillers.
- Wait for the doctor.
The specialist prescribes antibiotics and medications to eliminate inflammatory processes. They are needed during an exacerbation.
Patients are prescribed chondroprotectors, which change the destructive processes in the intervertebral discs and, when they occur, worsen the speed indicators.
Treatment with such drugs is long, less than six months. They can prevent the disease from getting worse.
Medicines from the category of muscle relaxants also help with osteochondrosis and relieve tension. Diuretics and vascular medications, nootropics and B vitamins are also used.
During exacerbations, the disease is accompanied by pain and a procedure called blockade is prescribed. Novocaine is injected into the area of the deformed vertebra. The symptoms can be relieved quickly. We list non-drug treatment methods: exercise therapy, physiotherapy, massage.
With the help of therapeutic exercises, the intensity of symptoms can be reduced and exacerbation can be alleviated. You need to do exercises daily to strengthen the neck and spine muscles. Weakened vertebrae are better held in place thanks to the developed back muscles.
Massage is mandatory, thanks to a complete course of treatment, muscle tone improves, cramps are eliminated, swelling is reduced, cerebrospinal fluid circulates better and blood supply is stabilized. The intervertebral discs no longer deform.
Other treatments
Thanks to the Shants collar, you can reduce the load on the cervical spine during exacerbations. Such a device keeps the neck in a normal position, the load on muscle tissue and vertebrae is reduced. You need to set up your sleeping area properly; You need a hard mattress with an orthopedic effect and a pillow that doesn't bend your neck when you rest.
If therapy is carried out at the beginning of the attack and everything is done correctly, the peak of the disease will subside after a while. If the disease is not treated in a timely manner, the attack will subside, but cannot be completely eliminated. In the future, several exacerbations can be expected, between which the pain will subside. During the attack, the painful symptoms worsen.
What medications are used?
If the patient's condition worsens, medication must be used. With the help of such drugs, the exacerbation is eliminated. Anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving tablets, ointments for local or external use. Muscle relaxants help eliminate muscle spasms, which are often accompanied by pain.
Vitamin B improves the conduction of nerve impulses through neurons. Initially used as intramuscular injections, patients are then switched to tablets.If blood pressure rises due to the disease, calcium channels are blocked, inhibitors, ACE or combination agents.
When cervical osteochondrosis worsens, its symptoms lead to impaired blood circulation in the brain. Therapeutic procedures involve the use of medications for recovery. To do this, it is advisable to contact a specialist for accurate medication recommendations.
When patients experience emotional disturbances, doctors prescribe sedatives, which may be herbal ingredients or sedatives. When choosing, specialists are often guided by the severity of these symptoms. Spinal blocks with novocaine are used for severe painful symptoms.
Surgical intervention
What to do in case of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis if the above methods are not effective? It is necessary to undergo an examination; if complications are detected, a specialist may recommend surgical intervention aimed at reducing compression and stabilizing the position of the vertebrae. Complications arise after such operations, which is why they are only carried out in extreme cases.
What to do at home?
Doctors do not recommend treating cervical osteochondrosis at home during exacerbations without prior consultation. You can take a painkiller, wrap a scarf around your neck and wait for the doctor to arrive. Depending on the severity of the process, therapy continues at home or in the hospital.
The symptoms of acute osteochondrosis worsen the quality of life, so urgent measures must be taken. Therapy should be carried out after diagnosis, medical conclusion and exclusion of other pathological options.
Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis does not occur for a short time; the problem does not go away on its own. Destructive processes can develop in the cervical spine and lead to complex consequences.
Aggravation during pregnancy
The body of pregnant women changes at a physiological level, the level of hormone production changes, the center of gravity changes due to the weight of the developing fetus. Minerals and nutrients are absorbed and absorbed more intensively. These changes have serious effects on the musculoskeletal system. The pressure on the spine is great.
The symptoms in women are the same as in other patients. The difficulty lies in choosing a treatment regimen, since when prescribing medications it is necessary to take into account their likely effect on the child. When treating exacerbations, ointments are used that do not cause harm to the child.
During pregnancy, osteochondrosis relapse occurs in 50% of cases due to changes in the spine.
Sometimes painkillers or injections are prescribed for complex pain. Many pregnant women are treated with unconventional methods. Traditional medicine recipes are less harmful to the fetus.
Other ways to eliminate exacerbations
If it is not possible to visit a doctor, several recipes allow you to alleviate the general condition of patients with osteochondrosis of the neck. For example, a warm shower helps you relax. You can wrap a wool scarf or other clothing made from this material around your neck. Or place herbal compresses on the affected area.
Onions, mint and sage are also used for such purposes. Try making an ointment using mumiyo and butter. You can also secure the neck while stationary to avoid pinching the spinal cord roots.
Gradual deterioration
If the painful symptoms recur moderately, you need to see a specialist. The patient can take painkillers and secure the neck with a collar, but only a specialist can choose the appropriate therapeutic method.
During exacerbationcervical osteochondrosisforbidden:
- Place heating pads on your neck. The problem area receives more blood flow, the swelling becomes worse, and the pain becomes more severe.
- In order not to aggravate the situation, the neck area should not be massaged.
In such situations, manual therapy can be useful. A qualified professional can realign the vertebrae so there is no pressure on the nerve.
Therapeutic measures
The main requirement for a successful course of the disease is complex therapy. Treatment measures include the use of injections, tablets, ointments, special plasters and physiotherapeutic procedures.
Medication
The aim of drug treatment is to relieve the pain, which is very pronounced in the acute phase. Prescribed medications such as:
- Analgesics. They try to give an anesthetic injection before the ambulance arrives, as it can be very difficult for the patient to endure the pain. If a person suffers from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, then he always has a painkiller in stock.
- Muscle relaxants. Their effect is to reduce spasms of the skeletal muscles of the cervical vertebrae.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They relieve pain well, relieve inflammation and help if the patient has a fever.
- Vitamin supplements. To treat exacerbation of osteochondrosis, injectable preparations based on B vitamins are used. They help restore nerve tissue damaged by pathological changes in the intervertebral region of the cervical spine.
- Means for local therapy. To alleviate the patient's condition, ointments and gels with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects are prescribed. They are complementary therapy agents and are prescribed to enhance the effects of injectable medications. In addition, special plasters impregnated with medication are used. For example, a patch containing diclofenac and lidocaine.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy is a method of treating osteochondrosis that has proven itself only positively and has been used for several decades. During this time, new techniques have been developed, the use of which helps to relieve the symptoms of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis much faster.
If manual therapy techniques are carried out at a highly professional level, this has a positive effect on the condition of the muscle tissue, vertebrae and the articular apparatus of the cervical spine.
The following manual therapy techniques are used:
- Knead muscles on a separate segment. This technique helps relieve muscle tension.
- Mobilization technology. The doctor carries out a number of measures as a result of which the function of the articular apparatus is restored only in a certain area of the cervical spine.
- Manipulation technique. The procedure is a set of measures aimed at restoring the entire articular system damaged by pathological changes. This method is used both for cervical osteochondrosis and to treat a disease called common osteochondrosis.
When a patient is prescribed manual therapy, he must carefully choose the doctor who will treat him. Even a small mistake has serious consequences, including disability for the patient.
massage
Massage is another method of alleviating the patient's condition during exacerbation of osteochondrosis. Its use helps to relieve tension in the neck muscles, reduce the amount of lactic acid, the accumulation of which causes muscle spasms, and normalize blood circulation in the inflamed area. The combination of these effects results in pain relief.
Surgical intervention
If the doctor finds that conservative treatment does not lead to the desired result, he prescribes the patient a surgical intervention. There are several indications for which surgery is unavoidable.
- Narrowing of the spinal canal due to intervertebral hernia, which leads to compression of the vascular and nerve plexuses.
- Displacement of the vertebrae relative to the horizontal axis.
- Intervertebral hernia, which can occur single or multiple. This pathology does not constitute an absolute indication for surgery if it does not cause associated symptoms. If a positive result cannot be achieved after several conservative therapy cycles, they resort to surgery.
Movement therapy
Therapeutic exercises are a method used in aftercare. In the acute phase, any exercise performed brings nothing to the patient except additional suffering. But when the attack has stopped and the inflammatory process is in a decreasing stage, the prescription of physiotherapy becomes an auxiliary.
Thanks to exercise therapy, blood circulation normalizes and the muscles are strengthened. Spinal mobility improves and stiffness disappears, nerve tissue is restored and pain is relieved.
When prescribing physiotherapy, the doctor takes into account the factors for which physiotherapy is contraindicated. Exercise therapy should not be used if the patient suffers from diseases of the cardiovascular system, benign or malignant neoplasms, severe visual impairment or diabetes mellitus.
Operation
The surgical procedure takes place in two steps, but in one operation. In the first step, the neurosurgeon eliminates the cause of the pain syndrome. This is a decompression method.
The vertebrae are then stabilized. The doctor takes into account that after the removal of part of the intervertebral disc, there will be a dysfunction of the articular apparatus of the spine.
Therefore, the vertebrae are fixed using a special technique.
In modern orthopedic practice, artificial intervertebral discs are used, which make it possible to prevent fusion of the vertebrae when the damaged intervertebral discs are completely removed.
What can you do at home?
Every patient suffering from cervical osteochondrosis should know what to do if the condition worsens at home. First of all, it is strictly forbidden to move during an attack. The patient should lie on a flat surface and assume a position in which the muscles are minimally tense.
Give the patient an anesthetic injection. If this is not possible, give the patient a painkiller in tablet form. Additionally, an anti-inflammatory ointment or gel must be applied to the neck area. The emergency doctor will tell you what to do next.
Period of exacerbation of osteochondrosis: first aid at home
The treatment of spinal diseases should only be entrusted to an experienced doctor. And yet there are situations in which the pain appears suddenly and constricts the patient's body. An acute exacerbation can occur, for example, if an intervertebral fracture is suspected. In this case, the patient cannot tolerate it and measures must be taken to improve his condition.
To do this, you should take the following steps:
- If possible, place the patient on the bed or floor to immobilize the spine.
- wrap the sore spot with a woolen scarf (the use of a heating pad is strictly prohibited);
- If the patient is hunched over due to severe pain, you should not try to sit him up. It is better to place it in the same position on a flat surface;
- Give him a painkiller to drink. This could be analgin, diclofenac or ibuprofen;
- Call an ambulance.
The emergency doctor will decide how the pain symptom can be alleviated, whether hospitalization is necessary or whether treatment can be continued at home.
First aid for a patient
Acute osteochondrosis causes severe pain and discomfort and even limits the mobility of the spine. If it is possible to call a doctor at home, it is better to do so, as self-medication is fraught with even greater complications. However, you shouldn't endure the pain until it arrives. First aid can be provided to the patient:
- First of all, you should limit the mobility of the cervical spine as much as possible; it is better to go to bed.
- If painful osteochondrosis of the cervical spine causes very severe pain, it can be relieved with the help of medications. If the symptoms are very severe, these medications may not help.
- The neck muscles should be relaxed so that the spasm disappears as quickly as possible.
- Local medications can also be used to relieve pain.
- In the first few days after the onset of an attack, the use of special orthopedic collars is necessary to allow faster coping.
Many people are interested in the question of how long exacerbations of cervical osteochondrosis last. This phase is different for every person. If treatment of an attack was started on time and the drugs proved effective, the duration should not exceed several days. Otherwise, the patient will be accompanied by discomfort for several weeks.
How long the exacerbation period will last depends on the characteristics of the human body, as well as the speed of development of the disease. If treatment of pathology is started too late, this situation will repeat itself.
Aggravation during pregnancy
Exacerbation of diseases during pregnancy is always undesirable. This brings suffering for the expectant mother and her baby, but in addition, it is difficult to take therapeutic measures due to contraindications to taking medications. Physiotherapeutic methods should not be prescribed to a pregnant woman.
Of the drugs used during pregnancy, Traumeel in the form of tablets, ointments and injections, as well as paracetamol are allowed. In addition, physiotherapy is prescribed, but under strict medical supervision. Exercises are chosen that require minimal physical activity. Yoga techniques are preferred.
Traditional medicine for severe pain in the spine: effective recipes
The use of traditional methods only has a positive effect in combination with drug treatment. You can eliminate pain and discomfort in cervical osteochondrosis with horseradish leaves.
They must be applied to the sore spot, fixed with a bandage and tape and left overnight. Cosmetic clay mixed with water has proven to work well as a compress.
Our grandmothers treated all types of osteochondrosis with compresses made from grated raw potatoes mixed with honey. This mixture was applied to the affected areas, fixed firmly and left for several hours or overnight. Pepper oil tincture is ideal for rubbing.
How to reduce the relapse rate
If the disease can worsen, then the affected person already has a large number of medications that can relieve pain. However, without eliminating the cause, treatment will not be effective.
In addition, the unpleasant sensations may appear again, with a vengeance. With exacerbations of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms and treatment of the disease have already been discussed earlier. It is necessary to understand how to prevent an exacerbation.
The following preventative measures should be observed:
- Visit to the massage room. Of course, the specialist must be experienced and skillful so as not to aggravate the exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Massage sessions allow you to develop the cervical spine and increase its functionality and mobility. At the same time, both hard and soft tissues are better nourished as blood circulation is normalized.
- Engage in physical activity. This is necessary to strengthen the muscular corset of the upper back.
- It is advisable to take walks every day before going to bed. This allows you to have a restful night's sleep. It is better to avoid heavy sports, jumps and other exercises that involve high loads or sudden movements.
- If a person spends a lot of time in a static sitting position, he or she needs to get up and warm up from time to time. If you are sitting, it is better to change your posture every quarter of an hour.
- Swimming is an excellent preventive measure for spinal problems. It not only relaxes muscles and relieves cramps, but strengthens them at the same time.
- For a restful sleep, it is better to choose an orthopedic mattress that maintains the correct posture throughout the night, regardless of how it turns.
- You can also use unconventional methods for prevention, such as acupuncture. Of course, you cannot do this yourself, nor should you entrust your health to the first "master" you meet. The procedure must be carried out by an experienced specialist.
prevention
To prevent the disease from exacerbating, it is recommended to follow a number of rules:
- Pay attention to your posture.
- Avoid straining your muscles while working at a computer or sitting at a desk.
- Change your position every few minutes to prevent muscle stiffness.
- If you need to stay in one position for more than half an hour, take a break to warm up.
- You must sleep on a flat surface; sagging armored beds are contraindicated for patients with osteochondrosis.