Currently, not only people of retirement age are affected by this disease, young people aged 25 and over are also in the risk group. Osteochondrosis affects different areas and parts: lower back, neck, chest.
Causes and stages of cervical osteonecrosis
Osteonecrosis occurs due to the influence of the following factors:
- excessive physical load on the spine;
- stooped, cervical disc injury;
- nervous tension, stressful situations;
- not getting enough of the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements, slows down metabolism and leads to the formation of bone necrosis;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- the presence of flat feet;
- sleeping on a pillow or soft mattress;
- frequent uncomfortable posture when sitting;
- carry a briefcase on one side;
- circulatory disorders and muscle spasms.
All of these causes, combined or individually, favor the development of osteonecrosis. Women are more susceptible to this condition, wearing high heels and carrying one shoulder bag further aggravate this condition, pregnancy is no exception. Failure to follow the rules recommended by the attending physician will seriously violate the mother's health.
During stress on the neck area, cracks can form in the cartilage and discs and compress the nerves and spinal cord. Along the cervical region there are vessels that supply essential substances to the brain, the compression of which leads to serious health problems. If cervical spondylosis is not treated at home, the patient's condition becomes more and more severe, the distance between the vertebrae narrows, bone tissue grows, causing severe pain and discomfort. There are several stages of cervical osteonecrosis:
- The early stage is characterized by the appearance of cracks in the annulus, possibly with displacement of the nucleus to one side. Symptoms will be sharp and sharp pain, sudden muscle spasms, the patient may have dilated pupils and numbness of the tongue - these are signs of the early stages of nerve invasion. Specialist doctors often further diagnose Wright and Naffziger syndrome, which is characterized by numbness of the hand when raised, tingling, and compression of nerve endings in the clavicle area. Neck pain that does not go away on its own and often occurs with exertion, characteristic crackling sounds in the affected areas, unexplained fatigue, and ringing in the ears.
- In the second stage, the space between the vertebrae narrows further, which leads to the drying of the capsule, the rupture of the capsule, and the inflammatory process. Without proper treatment, bone formation occurs - the growth of bone tissue.
- The third stage is characterized by complete rupture of the cartilage tissue, a prolapse may occur, causing the formation of a herniated disc. Symptoms that help identify the disease in stage 3 are usually acute pain in the neck area, frequent numbness in the limbs, the patient cannot control the limbs, accompanied by headache, dizziness, loss of consciousness.
Diagnosis and treatment of diseases
If you suspect cervical osteonecrosis, you cannot self-medicate. The symptoms of some diseases are very similar and self-medication can lead to worsening of the condition and the need for a wheelchair.
The disease is always easier to get rid of in the early stages of development, when it has not yet gained strength and has less damage to internal organs.
The loss of valuable time threatens long-term treatment, including medication, physical therapy, and adherence to a daily regimen.
If symptoms of the disease are detected, it is necessary to contact a specialist - neuropathologist, the doctor will diagnose and determine nerve damage and prescribe additional X-rays, vascular ultrasound, tomography. Diagnosis is based on MRI and radiographs.
In the early stages of the disease, patients can treat warts at home, visit a specialist at a certain time and fully follow the advice and prescription of the doctor.
Drug treatment includes taking a number of drugs that the doctor must prescribe, depending on the stage of the disease and the general condition of the body, which prescribes the dosage:
- NSAIDs, reception lasts up to 2 weeks;
- tranquilizers to avoid complete exhaustion of the nervous system, among them are mother's alcohol, valerian;
- when edema appears, the doctor prescribes diuretics that reduce swelling of the inflamed area;
- Thanks to the addition of B vitamins, metabolism in the affected tissues of the nervous system is normalized, neuromuscular transmission is improved;
- muscle relaxants that relax muscles that are prone to spasms;
- taking chondroprotective drugs to improve the function of discs and cartilage tissues;
- In addition, the specialist prescribes the use of ointments and creams, they soothe the pain, warm the tissue and help alleviate the human condition.
If the patient feels unwell, bed rest is mandatory. Due to the correct position of the body, the vertebral discs are dilated, the pain is reduced. Bed rest for no more than 2 days, after which the patient must be active.
Tips to alleviate the human condition
Doctors often hear the question of how to treat genital warts at home. If the patient is in the acute phase of the disease, light breathing exercises and some exercises should be done to reduce spasms.
With the improvement of health, it is possible to perform sets of exercises in a sitting or standing position under the supervision of an experienced professional. When a person has learned all the necessary rules and strictly adheres to them, he is allowed to perform therapeutic exercises at home.
It consists of a number of smooth head rotations and tilts, after which the load is gradually increased. If you suddenly have muscle spasms, you should massage gently without causing pain or discomfort.
For good health for prevention purposes, experts recommend seeing an experienced massage therapist twice a year. Not only can it warm up muscles quickly and properly, but it can also qualitatively remove small salt deposits and develop joints and vertebrae.
After consulting with your doctor, it is permissible to use Glisson bracelets, which include multiple straps that hang on hooks. They allow you to support your head and relieve tension from your neck. Diet plays a big role in the treatment of fibroids. Experts advise to exclude from daily consumption products that can increase muscle tone and lead to spasms - coffee, tea, alcoholic and low-alcoholic beverages, smoked and spiced products. A person with osteonecrosis will benefit from:
- foods rich in fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants, they will not only improve the general condition of the patient, but also have a positive effect on the vertebrae and cartilage tissue: that is, fresh vegetables, legumes, cereal;
- products containing protein - milk and its derivatives, nuts, eggs, lean meat and fish, beef;
- products with unsaturated fatty acids - sea fish, flaxseeds, fried and dried;
- products with a high calcium content in the composition - yogurt products, mineral water.
If a person is not in the acute phase, it is better not to take the risk and not to contract the affected tissues again by eating the wrong food. You need to drink enough non-carbonated water, balance your diet, perform daily exercises from therapeutic exercises, not only to weaken and relieve tension from the affected areas of the body, but alsostrengthens the patient's body. .
At work, you need to rest for short periods of time, conduct a quick self-massage, and monitor correct posture.
The dangers of self-medication
In order not to put yourself at great risk, you do not need to self-medicate. Only an experienced specialist can fully understand the disease, find the stage of osteonecrosis, take measures to eliminate the disease, and prescribe the correct, qualified treatment. Some diseases are quite insidious and can easily disguise themselves as others.
The examination by X-ray, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging methods will help examine the structure of the vertebral disc, detect problems and find the appropriate plan to remove them and reduce the condition of the vertebral disc. patient. If a person self-medicates, he can miss the early stages of the disease and expose his body to even more destruction. Uncontrolled intake of drugs will harm not only the digestive tract but also the liver and kidneys, which will remove toxins and purify the blood in an enhanced mode.
After consulting with a home doctor, you can yourself use a decoction of medicinal herbs and plants, which will increase the effect of ointments and preparations:
- Celery: 1 teaspoon The root of this plant is crushed, poured into 1 liter of warm water and left to infuse for 8 hours, after filtering, take 1 tsp. 3 times a day after meals. Celery seeds: 1 tbsp. l. pour 0. 5 liters of boiling water, press for 2 hours and take 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day before meals.
- Fresh horseradish or cabbage leaves, lightly crumpled, are applied to the painful area, tied with a warm towel or scarf and changed as needed.
Recommendations of specialists to prevent osteonecrosis
The most common mistake made by many patients is insisting that the disease will go away on its own.
Doctors say that such an attitude towards a person's health has a detrimental effect on a person's condition and aggravates the process of cervical spondylosis.
Treatment involves not only eliminating pain, discomfort, and some symptoms, but also restoring damaged vertebral and cervical discs, removing compression of the arteries leading to the brain, and maintainingmaintain one's health.
The recovery process takes a long time, it takes a lot of endurance, effort and the help of family and friends, but the result is that you will feel free, not dependent on drugs and enjoy life.