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 the pressure on the vertebrae, but over the years the cartilage tissue wears down due to poor lifestyle choices. Cartilage tissue regeneration is not easy.
Reasons
Let's find out what causes the symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- Some signs occur due to deformation of the vertebrae, osteophytes appear.
- The position of the vertebrae in relation to each other changes, the arteries are pinched and the blood supply to the nervous system deteriorates.
- The appearance of complications due to displacement of intervertebral discs also provokes pain in the nerve endings.
- When the nerves in the cervical spine are pinched, radicular syndrome occurs.
- Constant overload of muscle tissue in the neck when using the computer or driving a car.
How does cervical osteochondrosis worsen?
In the neck area, the size of the vertebrae is small. Exacerbation 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 degree
Initially, small cracks appear on the discs. The elasticity of the cartilage tissue decreases, and aching pain occurs in the neck if you do not change position for a long time.
Second degree
Severe neck pain indicates the beginning of the second stage. The pain worsens due to deformation of the intervertebral disc, dislocations appear.In rare situations, numbness occurs in the hands and face.
At the end of the day, the patient experiences pain in the neck, which flows further down the spine.
An aggravation appears with falling head syndrome, where excruciating pain occurs, the head cannot be held up, you have to fix it with pillows or hands in order for the symptom to subside.
Third degree
The third stage of the disease manifests itself clearly; the cause of the unpleasant symptoms cannot be attributed to overtime after physical exertion. At the third stage, the patient begins to feel sick, dizzy, tinnitus and frequent fainting. Acute osteochondrosis is characterized by numbness in the neck and tinnitus.
Sometimes the signs of the disease disappear, but recur with exacerbations after some time. New signs appear and the pain becomes stronger.
How do you behave during an exacerbation?
During an exacerbation, you should not rub warming ointments into the neck or massage a large area. If you feel signs of cervical osteochondrosis, try to relax and take the most comfortable position.
You must lie on your back so that the muscle tissue stops straining. The attack does not 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 pain relievers in their home medicine cabinet. You can take these medications so you don't have to call an ambulance.
First aid and treatment
The treatment is carried out by a specialist:
- Before the doctor comes, move as little as possible.
- Sit comfortably on the bed, do not strain the body.
- Take pain relievers.
- Wait for the doctor.
The specialist prescribes antibiotics and medicines to eliminate inflammatory processes. They are needed during an exacerbation.
Patients are prescribed chondroprotectors, which change 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 can be quickly alleviated. We list non-drug treatment methods: exercise therapy, physiotherapy, massage.
It will be possible to reduce the intensity of symptoms and relieve exacerbation with the help of therapeutic exercises. You must do exercises daily to strengthen the muscles of the neck and spine. 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 exacerbations. Such a device will keep the neck in a normal position, the load on muscle tissue and vertebrae will be reduced. You must arrange your sleeping area properly; you must use a hard mattress with an orthopedic effect and a pillow that does not bend the neck during rest.
If therapy is carried out when the attack begins and everything is done correctly, the peak of the disease will subside after some time. If the disease is not treated in time, the attack will decrease, but will not be completely eliminated. In the future, you should expect more exacerbations, between which the pain will subside. Painful symptoms worsen during the attack.
What medication is used?
When the patient's condition worsens, medication must be used. The aggravation is eliminated with the help of such drugs. Anti-inflammatory or analgesic agents in tablets, ointments for local or external use. Muscle relaxants help eliminate muscle spasms that often occur with pain.
Vitamin B improves the conduction of nerve impulses through neurons. Initially used as intramuscular injections, then patients are transferred to tablets.If the disease increases blood pressure, the calcium channels are blockedinhibitors, ACE or combination agents.
When cervical osteochondrosis worsens, its symptoms cause cerebral circulation. Therapeutic procedures involve the use of drugs for recovery. To do this, it is advisable to contact a specialist to receive accurate recommendations on medication.
When patients experience emotional disturbances, 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 procedure
What to do in case of exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis, if the above methods are not effective? It is necessary to undergo an investigation; if complications are identified, a specialist may recommend a surgical procedure aimed at reducing compression and stabilizing the position of the vertebrae. Complications occur 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 pain reliever, wrap a scarf around your neck and wait for the doctor to come. Depending on the severity of the process, the therapy continues at home or in the hospital.
Symptoms of acute osteochondrosis worsen the quality of life, so prompt measures must be taken. Therapy should be carried out after diagnosis, a doctor's conclusion and exclusion of other pathological possibilities.
Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis does not occur in a short period of time; 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, one must take into account their likely effect on the child. When dealing with exacerbations, ointments are used that do not harm the child.
During pregnancy, relapse of osteochondrosis 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, you can use several recipes to relieve the general condition of patients with osteochondrosis in the cervical region. For example, a hot shower helps you relax. You can wrap a woolen 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 secure the neck in stationary mode so that the spinal cord roots do not get pinched.
Gradual deterioration
If the recurrence of painful symptoms is moderate, go to a specialist. The patient can take painkillers and secure the neck with a collar, but only a specialist can choose the appropriate therapeutic procedure.
During exacerbationcervical osteochondrosisprohibited:
- Apply heating pads to your neck. The blood will flow intensely to the problem area, the swelling will worsen and the pain will become stronger.
- The cervical region should not be massaged so as not to aggravate its situation.
Manual therapy will be helpful in such situations. A qualified professional can adjust the vertebrae so that there is no pressure 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 plasters and physiotherapeutic procedures.
Medicines
Drug treatment is aimed at relieving pain, which is very pronounced in the acute period. 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, he always has a painkiller in stock.
- Muscle relaxants. Their action is to reduce spasms of skeletal muscles in the cervical vertebrae.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They relieve well, relieve inflammation and help if the patient has a fever.
- Vitamin preparations. For the treatment of exacerbation of osteochondrosis, injectable preparations based on B vitamins are used. They help restore nerve tissue damaged due to pathological changes in the intervertebral region of the cervical spine.
- Agents for local therapy. To alleviate the patient's condition, ointments and gels with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects are prescribed. They are agents of complementary therapy and are prescribed to enhance the effect of injectable drugs. In addition, special plasters impregnated with medicines are used. For example, a patch containing diclofenac and lidocaine.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy is a method of treating osteochondrosis, which has shown itself only on the positive side 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 worsening cervical osteochondrosis much faster.
If manual therapy techniques are performed at a highly professional level, this has a beneficial effect on the condition of the muscle tissue, the 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 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 a patient is prescribed a course of manual therapy, he must carefully choose the doctor who will treat him. After all, even a small mistake is fraught with serious consequences, including the patient's disability.
Massage
Massage is another method of relieving the patient's condition during exacerbation of osteochondrosis. Its implementation 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 procedure
If the doctor sees that conservative treatment will not give the desired result, he prescribes surgical intervention for the patient. There are several indications where surgery is unavoidable.
- Narrowing of the spinal canal due to intervertebral hernia, leading to compression of the vascular and nerve plexus.
- Displacement of the vortices relative 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 associated symptoms. If after several courses of conservative therapy it was not possible to achieve a positive result, they resort to surgery.
Exercise therapy
Therapeutic exercise is a method used at the follow-up stage. During the acute period, any exercise performed will bring nothing to the patient except further suffering. But when the attack has been stopped, the inflammatory process is at a waning stage, so prescribing a course of physiotherapy becomes an assistant.
Thanks to exercise therapy, blood circulation returns to normal and muscles are strengthened. Spinal mobility improves and stiffness disappears, nerve tissue is restored and pain is reduced.
When prescribing physiotherapy, the doctor takes into account factors where it 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 intervention is performed in two phases, but during one operation. In the first phase, the neurosurgeon removes the cause of the pain syndrome. This is a decompression method.
The vertebrae are then stabilized. The doctor takes into account that after removing a section of the intervertebral disc, a dysfunction of the articular apparatus of the spine occurs.
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 discs are completely removed.
What can you do at home?
Any patient suffering from cervical osteochondrosis should know what to do if it worsens at home. First of all, it is strictly forbidden to move during an attack. The patient must lie on a flat surface and assume a position where the muscles are minimally tense.
Give the patient an anesthetic injection. If this is not possible, give the patient a pain reliever in tablet form. In addition, an anti-inflammatory ointment or gel must be applied to the neck area. The emergency doctor will tell you what to do.
Period of exacerbation of osteochondrosis: first aid at home
Treatment of spinal pathologies should only be left to an experienced doctor. And yet there are situations where pain occurs suddenly and limits the patient's body. An acute worsening can, for example, occur if intervertebral hernia is suspected. In this case, the patient cannot tolerate it, and measures must be taken to improve his condition.
To do this, 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 (it is strictly forbidden to use a heating pad);
- If the patient is bent over because he is experiencing severe pain, you should not try to straighten 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 physician will determine how the pain symptom is alleviated, whether hospitalization is necessary or whether the treatment can be continued at home.
First aid for a patient
Acute osteochondrosis causes a lot of 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 this, since self-medication is fraught with even greater complications. However, you don't have to endure the pain until he comes. First aid can be given to the patient:
- To begin with, 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, then it can be relieved with the help of medication. If the discomfort is very severe, these medications may not help.
- The neck muscles must be relaxed so that the spasm disappears 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 help to cope with it faster.
Many people are interested in the question of how long exacerbations of cervical osteochondrosis last. This phase goes through differently for each person. If the treatment for an attack was started on time and the medicine proved to be effective, its duration does not exceed several days. Otherwise, discomfort will accompany the patient for several weeks.
How long the aggravation period will be depends on the characteristics of the human body, as well as the speed of the development of the disease. If treatment of the pathology is started late, this situation will be repeated.
Aggravation during pregnancy
Aggravation of diseases during pregnancy is always undesirable. This brings suffering to the expectant mother and her baby, but besides this, it is difficult to apply therapeutic measures due to contraindications to taking medicine. Physiotherapy methods should not be prescribed to a pregnant woman.
Of the medicines used during pregnancy, Traumeel in the form of tablets, ointments and injections and Paracetamol are allowed. In addition, physiotherapy is prescribed, but under the strict supervision of a doctor. Exercises are chosen that require minimal physical activity. Preference is given to yoga techniques.
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 with cervical osteochondrosis with the help of horseradish leaves.
They should be applied to the sore spot, 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 was smeared on the affected areas, fixed and left for several hours or overnight. Pepper oil tincture is excellent 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 pain. But without eliminating the cause, the treatment will not be effective.
In addition, the unpleasant sensations can return again, and 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 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 in order not to aggravate the aggravation 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 get better nutrition, as the blood circulation is normalised.
- Doing physical exercise. This is necessary to strengthen the muscular cross in the upper back.
- It is advisable to go for walks every day before going to bed. This will allow you to get a good night's sleep. It is better to avoid heavy sports, jumping and other exercises that involve high loads or sudden movements.
- If a person spends a lot of time in a static sitting position, he needs to get up from time to time and warm up. When you work in a sedentary position, it is better to change your body position every fifteen minutes.
- Swimming is an excellent preventive measure against spinal problems. It not only relaxes the muscles so you can relieve spasms, but strengthens them at the same time.
- For a night's sleep, it is better 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 can't do this yourself, nor should you trust your health to the first "master" you come across. The procedure must be performed by an experienced specialist.
Prevention
To prevent worsening of the disease, it is recommended to follow a number of rules:
- Take care of 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 have to stay in one position for more than half an hour, take a break to warm up.
- You must sleep on a flat surface; hanging armored beds are contraindicated for patients with osteochondrosis.