Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis occurs after remission. The pathology develops in a chronic form. It is impossible to completely cope with osteochondrosis.
The disease develops due to an insufficiently active lifestyle, alcohol abuse and nutritional problems.
Intervertebral discs reduce pressure on the vertebrae, but over the years cartilage wears away due to poor lifestyle choices. Cartilage tissue renewal is not easy.
Causes
Let's understand what provokes the symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- Some signs arise due to the deformation of the vertebrae, osteophytes appear.
- The position of the vertebrae in relation to each other changes, the arteries tighten and the blood supply to the nervous system deteriorates.
- The occurrence of complications due to displacement of the intervertebral discs also provokes pain in the nerve endings.
- When the nerves in the cervical spine are compressed, radicular syndrome occurs.
- Constant over-strain of the muscle tissue in the neck at the computer or when driving a car.
How does cervical osteochondrosis worsen?
In the neck area the size of the beads is small. Aggravation of cervical osteochondrosis occurs with special symptoms. Therefore, when the first symptoms appear, you should contact a specialist.The main problem is that patients do not notice the symptoms of the disease.
First step
Initially, small cracks appear on the discs. The elasticity of cartilage tissue decreases, and painful pains appear 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 worsens due to the deformation of the intervertebral disc, dislocations appear.In rare situations, numbness of the hands and face appears.
At the end of the day, the patient experiences pain in the neck, which flows further into the back.
An aggravation is manifested by the head drop syndrome, in which unbearable pain appears, the head cannot be held up, you have to fix it with a pillow or hands so that the symptom decreases.
The third degree
The third stage of the disease is clearly manifested; the cause of unpleasant symptoms cannot be attributed to overwork after physical exercise. In the third stage, the patient begins to feel sick, dizzy, tinnitus and frequent fainting. Acute osteochondrosis is characterized by neck numbness and tinnitus.
Sometimes the signs of the disease disappear, but recur with worsening after some time. New signs appear and the pain becomes stronger.
How to behave during a tantrum?
During an irritation, you should not rub warming ointments on the neck or massage a large area. If you feel signs of cervical osteochondrosis, you should try to relax and take the most comfortable position.
You need to lie on your back so that the muscle tissue stops straining. The attack does not go away on its own. You should call a doctor to administer sedatives and then make an appointment with a specialist. Many people have pain relievers in their home medicine cabinet. You can take these medications so you don't need to call an ambulance.
First aid and treatment
The treatment is carried out by a specialist:
- Before the doctor comes, you should move as little as possible.
- Sit comfortably in bed, do not strain your body.
- Take pain relievers.
- Wait for the doctor.
The specialist prescribes antibiotics and medications to eliminate inflammatory processes. They are necessary during an irritation.
Patients are prescribed chondroprotectors, which reverse the destructive processes in the discs and worsen the speed indicators when they occur.
The course of treatment with such drugs is long, less than six months. They are able to prevent the aggravation of the disease.
Medicines belonging to the category of muscle relaxants also help with osteochondrosis and relieve tension. Diuretics and vascular drugs, nootropics and B vitamins are also used.
During exacerbations, the disease is accompanied by pain and a procedure called blockade is prescribed. An injection of novocaine is made in the area of the deformed vertebra. Symptoms may be relieved quickly. We list treatment methods without drugs: exercise therapy, physiotherapy, massage.
It will be possible to reduce the intensity of symptoms and relieve irritation with the help of therapeutic exercises. You should do exercises every day to strengthen your neck and spine muscles. The weakened vertebrae will be better held in place thanks to the developed muscles in the back.
Massage is mandatory, thanks to a full course, muscle tone improves, spasms are eliminated, swelling is reduced, cerebrospinal fluid circulates better and blood supply is stabilized. Intervertebral discs stop deforming.
Other treatments
Thanks to the Shants collar, you can reduce the load on the cervical spine during irritations. Such a device will keep the neck in a normal position, the load on muscle tissue and vertebrae will be reduced. You need to arrange your sleeping area properly; you will need a firm mattress with an orthopedic effect, as well as a pillow that does not bend the neck during rest.
If the therapy is carried out at the moment of the onset of the attack and everything is done correctly, the peak of the disease will decrease after some time. If the disease is not treated in time, the attack will decrease, but it will not be completely eliminated. In the future, you should expect several flare-ups, between which the pain will decrease. Painful symptoms worsen during the attack.
What medications are used?
When the patient's condition worsens, medications should be used. The deterioration is eliminated with the help of such medications. Anti-inflammatory or sedative in tablets, ointments for local or external use. Muscle relaxants help eliminate muscle spasms, which often occur with pain.
Vitamin B improves the conduction of nerve impulses through neurons. Initially it is used as intramuscular injections, then patients are transferred to tablets.If the disease increases blood pressure, calcium channels are blocked, inhibitors, ACE or combination agents.
When cervical osteochondrosis worsens, its symptoms cause cerebral circulation. Therapeutic procedures include the use of drugs for healing. To do this, it is advisable to contact a specialist to receive accurate recommendations for medications.
When patients experience emotional distress, doctors prescribe sedatives, which can be herbal ingredients or tranquilizers. When choosing, specialists are often guided by the severity of these symptoms. Spinal blocks using novocaine are used for severe painful symptoms.
Surgical intervention
What should you 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 identified, a specialist may recommend a surgical procedure aimed at reducing compression and stabilizing the position of the vertebrae. Complications arise after such operations, so they are performed 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 sedative, wrap a scarf around your neck and wait for the doctor to come. Depending on the severity of the process, therapy continues at home or in the hospital.
Symptoms of acute osteochondrosis worsen the quality of life, so urgent measures should be taken. Therapy should be carried out after the diagnosis, conclusion of the doctor and exclusion of other pathology options.
Aggravation of cervical osteochondrosis does not occur for a short period; the disorder does not go away on its own.. Destructive processes in the cervical spine can develop and lead to complex consequences.
Aggravation during pregnancy
The body of pregnant women changes at the physiological level, the level of hormone production changes, the center of gravity of the body changes due to the weight of the developing fetus. Minerals and nutrients are absorbed and absorbed more intensively. These changes have a serious impact on the musculoskeletal system. There is a lot of pressure on the spine.
Symptoms in women are the same as in other patients. The difficulty lies in choosing a treatment regimen, since when prescribing drugs, their possible effect on the child must be taken into account. When dealing with irritations, ointments are used that do not harm the child.
During pregnancy, the return of osteochondrosis occurs in 50% of cases due to changes in the spine.
Sometimes, for complex pain, sedatives or injections are prescribed. Many pregnant women are treated using unconventional methods. Recipes of traditional medicine are less harmful to the fetus.
Other ways to eliminate irritations
If it is not possible to visit a doctor, you can use some prescriptions to alleviate the general condition of patients with osteochondrosis in the cervical region. For example, a warm shower helps you relax. You can wrap a wool scarf or other clothing made of this material around your neck. Or apply herbal compresses to the affected area.
Onions, mint and sage are also used for such purposes. Try making an ointment from mumiyo and butter. You can also fix the neck in a stationary state so that the roots of the spinal cord are not pinched.
Gradual deterioration
If the return of painful symptoms is moderate, you should go to a specialist. The patient can take painkillers and secure the neck with a collar, but only a specialist can choose the right therapeutic procedure.
During irritationcervical osteochondrosisprohibited:
- Apply heating pads to your neck. Blood will flow intensively to the problem area, the swelling will worsen and the pain will become stronger.
- The cervical region should not be massaged in order not to worsen its condition.
Manual therapy will be helpful in such situations. A qualified professional can reconstruct the vertebrae so that pressure is not placed on the nerve.
Therapeutic measures
The main condition for a successful outcome of the disease is complex therapy. Treatment measures include the use of injections, tablets, ointments, special patches and physiotherapeutic procedures.
medicaments
Drug treatment is aimed at relieving pain, which is very pronounced in the acute period. Medications prescribed as:
- Analgesics. They try to give an anesthetic injection before the ambulance arrives, as the patient may find it very difficult to bear the pain. If a person suffers from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, then he always has a pain reliever in stock.
- Muscle relaxants. Their action is to reduce the spasm of the skeletal muscles in the cervical vertebrae.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They relieve pain well, relieve inflammation and help if the patient has a fever.
- Vitamin preparations. For the treatment of worsening osteochondrosis, injectable preparations based on B vitamins are used. They help restore damaged nerve tissue due to 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 tools and are prescribed to enhance the effect of injectable drugs. In addition, special patches impregnated with drugs are used. For example, a patch containing diclofenac and lidocaine.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy is a method of treating osteochondrosis, which has been proven only on the positive side and which has been used for several decades. During this time, new techniques have been developed, the use of which helps to relieve the symptoms of worsening cervical osteochondrosis much faster.
If manual therapy techniques are performed at a very professional level, this has a beneficial effect on the condition of the muscle tissue, vertebrae and articular apparatus of the cervical spine.
The following manual therapy techniques are used:
- Boiling of muscles in a particular segment. This technique helps relieve muscle tension.
- Mobilization technique. The doctor performs a series of actions due to 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 actions aimed at restoring the entire articular system that has suffered as a result of pathological changes. This method is used both for cervical osteochondrosis and for the treatment of a disease called ordinary osteochondrosis.
If the patient is prescribed a course of manual therapy, he should carefully choose the doctor who will treat him. After all, even a small mistake is fraught with serious consequences, including the disability of the patient.
Massage
Massage is another method to relieve the patient's condition during the deterioration of osteochondrosis. Its application helps 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 leads to a decrease in pain.
Surgical intervention
If the doctor sees that conservative treatment will not give the desired result, he prescribes surgical intervention to the patient. There are some indications in which surgery is unavoidable.
- Narrowing of the spinal canal due to intervertebral hernia, which leads to compression of vascular and nerve plexuses.
- Displacement of the vertebrae in relation to the horizontal axis.
- Intervertebral hernia, which can be single or multiple. This pathology is not an absolute indication for surgery if it does not cause accompanying symptoms. If, after several courses of conservative therapy, it was not possible to achieve a positive result, then they turn to surgery.
Exercise therapy
Therapeutic exercise is a method used in the follow-up phase. In the acute period, any exercise performed will bring nothing to the patient except additional suffering. But when the attack has stopped, the inflammatory process is in the phase of decline, then the prescription of a course of physical therapy becomes an assistant.
Thanks to exercise therapy, blood circulation returns to normal and muscles are strengthened. Spinal mobility improves and stiffness goes away, nerve tissue is restored and pain is reduced.
When prescribing physical therapy, the doctor takes into account the factors in which it is contraindicated. Exercise therapy should not be used if the patient suffers from diseases of the cardiovascular system, benign or malignant neoplasm, severe visual impairment or diabetes mellitus.
operation
The surgical intervention is performed in two stages, but during one operation. In the first stage, the neurosurgeon removes the cause of the pain syndrome. This is a decompression method.
After that, the vertebrae are stabilized. The doctor takes into account that after the removal of a section of the intervertebral disc, a malfunction of the articular apparatus of the spine appears.
Therefore, the beads 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 discs are completely removed.
What can you do at home?
Every patient suffering from cervical osteochondrosis should know what to do if it gets worse at home. First of all, it is strictly forbidden to move during an attack. The patient should lie on a flat surface and take a position in which the muscles are minimally strained.
Give the patient an anesthetic injection. If this is not possible, then give the patient an analgesic in the form of tablets. In addition, an anti-inflammatory ointment or gel should be applied to the neck area. The emergency doctor will tell you what to do next.
The period of exacerbation of osteochondrosis: first aid at home
The treatment of spinal pathologies should be entrusted only to an experienced doctor. And yet there are situations when pain appears suddenly and limits the patient's body. An acute deterioration may occur, for example, if there is a suspicion of intervertebral hernia. In this case, the patient cannot tolerate it and measures should be taken to improve his condition.
To do this you must take the following steps:
- if possible, place the patient on the bed or floor to immobilize the spine;
- wrap the injured area with a wool scarf (the use of a heating pad is strictly prohibited);
- If the patient is bent over because he is experiencing severe pain, you should not try to straighten him. It is better to place it in the same position on a flat surface;
- give him a sedative to drink. This can be Analgin, Diclofenac or Ibuprofen;
- call an ambulance.
The emergency physician will determine how to relieve the pain symptom, whether hospitalization is necessary or whether treatment can be continued at home.
First aid for a patient
Acute osteochondrosis causes a lot of pain and discomfort, even limiting the mobility of the spine. If it is possible to call a doctor at home, it is better to do this, since self-medication is fraught with even greater complications. However, you don't have to endure the pain until he arrives. First aid can be provided to the patient:
- To begin with, you should limit the mobility of the cervical spine as much as possible; you better go to bed.
- If painful osteochondrosis of the cervical spine causes very severe pain, then it can be relieved with the help of medications. If the discomfort is very severe, these medications may not help.
- The neck muscles should be relaxed so that the spasm goes away as soon as possible.
- Topical medications can also be used to relieve pain.
- In the first days after the onset of an attack, it is necessary to use special orthopedic collars that will help to cope with it faster.
Many people are interested in the question of how long the exacerbations of cervical osteochondrosis last. This phase is different for each person. If the treatment for an attack was started on time and the drugs proved to be effective, then its duration does not exceed a few days. Otherwise, discomfort will accompany the patient for several weeks.
How long the period of deterioration will be depends on the characteristics of the human body, as well as on the speed of the development of the disease. If the treatment of the pathology starts late, then this situation will repeat itself.
Aggravation during pregnancy
Aggravation of diseases during pregnancy is always undesirable. This brings suffering to the expectant mother and her baby, but in addition, it is difficult to implement therapeutic measures due to contraindications for taking medications. Physiotherapy methods should not be prescribed to a pregnant woman.
Among the medications used during pregnancy, Traumeel in the form of tablets, ointments and injections and Paracetamol are allowed. In addition, physical therapy is prescribed, but under the strict supervision of a doctor. Choose exercises that require minimal physical activity. Preference is given to yoga techniques.
Traditional medicine for severe back pain: effective recipes
The use of traditional methods has a positive effect only in combination with drug treatment. You can eliminate pain and discomfort with cervical osteochondrosis using horseradish leaves.
They should be applied to the injured area, fixed with a bandage and adhesive tape and left overnight. Cosmetic clay mixed with water has worked well as a compress.
Our grandmothers treated all types of osteochondrosis using compresses made from grated raw potatoes mixed with honey. This mixture is applied to the affected areas, firmly fixed and left for several hours or overnight. Peppermint oil tincture is great for rubbing.
How to reduce the relapse rate
If the disease can worsen, then the person already has a large number of medicines in advance that can relieve the pain. However, without eliminating the cause, the treatment will not be effective.
In addition, unpleasant sensations can return again, and with a vengeance. With the aggravations of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms and treatment of the disease have already been discussed earlier, it is necessary to understand how to prevent the aggravation.
To do this, the following preventive measures must be observed:
- Visit to the massage room. Of course, the specialist must be experienced and skilled, so as not to aggravate the deterioration of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Massage sessions allow you to develop the cervical spine, increase its functionality and mobility. At the same time, both hard and soft tissues are better nourished, as blood circulation is normalized.
- Doing physical exercises. This is necessary to strengthen the muscular corset of the upper back.
- It is recommended to take a walk every day before going to bed. This will allow you to have a good night's rest. It is better to avoid heavy sports, jumping and other exercises that involve heavy loads or sudden movements.
- If a person spends a lot of time in a static sitting position, then from time to time he should get up and warm up. When you work sitting, it is better to change the position of your body every quarter of an hour.
- Swimming is an excellent preventive measure for spinal problems. It not only relaxes the muscles, allowing you to relieve spasms, but at the same time strengthens them.
- For a good night's sleep, it is best to choose an orthopedic mattress that maintains the correct position of the person's body throughout the night, no matter how he or she turns.
- For prevention, you can also use non-traditional methods, for example, acupuncture. Of course, you cannot do this yourself, and you should not trust your health to the first "master" you come across. The procedure must be performed by an experienced specialist.
Preventing
To prevent the aggravation of the disease, it is recommended to follow a number of rules:
- Watch your attitude.
- Avoid muscle strain while working at a computer or sitting at a desk.
- Change your position every few minutes to prevent muscle stiffness.
- If you have to stay in one position for more than half an hour, then take a break to warm up.
- You should sleep on a flat surface; suspended armored beds are contraindicated for patients with osteochondrosis.