Intervertebral discs are special structures that lie between the vertebrae. Their main function is to provide the spine with flexibility and mobility. With osteochondrosis, this function is impaired. Dystrophic disturbances appear in the intervertebral discs, as a result of which they lose their properties, become compacted and thinned. The distance between the vertebrae is gradually decreasing. The nerve roots and vessels extending from the spinal column are pinched. This causes pain and numbness of the spine.
Who is at risk?
20 years ago, osteochondrosis was diagnosed mainly in old age. But today this disease is significantly "younger." It is often found in young people. What is the reason for this?
The rhythm of modern life makes its own adjustments to our well-being. At risk are people who move a little. Our spine needs regular moderate exercise. If this load is absent, the risk of ailment increases many times. Increased physical activity can also cause osteochondrosis.
Also, a predisposition to osteochondrosis can be due to such reasons:
- flat feet, wearing shoes with an uncomfortable block;
- constant walking with head bowed and shoulders squeezed, in this case there is a risk of cervical osteochondrosis (we will discuss treatment with folk remedies below);
- malnutrition, obesity;
- smoking;
- stress.
The risk group includes people who spend a lot of time in the office, work as drivers, movers, weightlifters. The main cause of the onset of the disease is stagnation in the muscles of the back. Due to impaired blood supply, the cartilage of the spine lacks oxygen, and osteochondrosis develops.
Allocate osteochondrosis of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions with a difference in symptoms. We treat the treatment of osteochondrosis with folk remedies and its manifestations below.
Osteochondrosis of the lower back is the most common type of disease, since the lower back experiences a great load, even at rest. The disease can cause scoliosis or intervertebral hernia.
Thoracic osteochondrosis is very rare, since the sternum is protected from excessive loads by the muscular corset and ribs. The disease is difficult to diagnose, due to the abundance of symptoms that can be confused with other diseases.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (treatment of folk remedies we will consider below) is also common. This is a professional illness of people who are forced to spend a lot of time sitting. The neck muscles are poorly developed, so even a small load can cause displacement of the vertebrae.
Osteochondrosis is manifested by numerous symptoms that are easily confused with signs of other diseases. The cervical one reports headaches, dizziness, "flies" in the eyes, blurred vision, ringing in the ears. This is because the vessels supplying the brain with blood pass through the cervical region.
Thoracic osteochondrosis has less severe symptoms. It is manifested by pain in the chest and between the shoulder blades when raising arms and physical exertion. Feeling of constriction of the chest, pain when inhaling and exhaling, numbness of certain areas of the skin. Patients complain of pain in the region of the heart and epigastrium, intercostal neuralgia. We will talk about folk remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis further.
Osteochondrosis of the lumbar is most pronounced. There is an acute or aching lower back pain that radiates to the lower limbs and pelvic region. The pain intensifies with physical exertion. A person tries to maintain one position of the body, in which he least feels pain.
Osteochondrosis affects 74% of the world's population. And this figure is constantly increasing. Almost all people over 40 have dystrophic changes in the spinal column. Complications of osteochondrosis are very serious. Due to the disease, the functioning of the internal organs and the functionality of the body may be impaired. Running osteochondrosis can cause disability.
How to treat the disease?
Therapy is comprehensive. It includes the following therapeutic measures:
- Diet. It is necessary to limit the intake of fatty foods and foods that are rich in cholesterol. Indeed, often the cause of osteochondrosis is blockage of blood vessels. You need to eat less fatty meat, eggs, rich meat broths. It is recommended to completely abandon alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. Strong tea and coffee can also cause vasospasm. Experts do not recommend eating boiled food, as salt accumulates in the body because of it.
- Physiotherapy. Exercises provide nutrition for the cartilage of the spine, therefore, are mandatory during the treatment of the disease.
- Orthopedic accessories for sleep. Since our spine experiences a constant load even at rest, it is important to choose a high-quality orthopedic mattress and pillow that will help it maintain its correct position during sleep.
- Treatment with folk remedies will help relieve the symptoms of osteochondrosis and improve the condition of the spine. Many with the help of alternative medicine completely get rid of back pain. Consider cervical, lumbar and thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms and treatment with folk remedies.
Morning activities for osteochondrosis
In the morning, people suffering from this ailment are not recommended to get out of bed immediately. Turn on your back, relax your muscles, take a few breaths in your stomach. Perform a light exercise to maintain spinal health: pull your knees up to your chest, then return to your starting position. Perform the exercise several times and proceed to another. Turn over on your stomach and, resting your hands on the bed, bend your back without lifting your pelvis from the bed. After that, pull your legs back to your chest.
This simple gymnastics will help you start the day right. A shower visit is also subject to certain rules. Without exacerbation of osteochondrosis, you can practice a contrast shower. It will have a hardening and massage effect, enhance the nutrition of spinal tissues. It should begin with 35-36 ° C, gradually increasing the difference between cold and hot water. The duration of the procedure is no more than 5 minutes. The procedure should be completed with a cold shower.
It is useful for a similar diagnosis to lie more often in hot water. Fill the bathtub with water up to 38-39 degrees. Lie in it and completely relax the body. The duration of the procedure is a quarter of an hour. Then take a coarse towel moistened with cold water and rub it vigorously for 1-2 minutes.
Traditional medicine and osteochondrosis
Many folk remedies can help in the fight against osteochondrosis. They can be used, as a rule, as an additional therapy. Alternative medicine offers decoctions, lotions, massage and other treatment methods that do not have any harmful effects on the body, unlike medications. We will discuss the treatment of spinal osteochondrosis with folk remedies in the following paragraphs.
Honey for osteochondrosis
Honey is a unique product that is a storehouse of useful substances that contribute to the work of the whole organism. It contains vitamins, nitrogenous substances, mineral components, acids and carbohydrates. Under the influence of bee enzymes, it enters the body already ready for absorption, that is, it is completely absorbed. Honey is an integral component in the treatment of spinal osteochondrosis with folk remedies.
What is the use of honey for the spine?
1. Promotes the improvement of metabolic processes, which is especially important, given the nature of osteochondrosis. It occurs against the background of an intervertebral disc power disorder.
2. Strengthens the strength of the body, which activates its own forces to fight the disease.
3. Antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects reduce the severity of inflammation in the lesion.
4. The antitoxic effect helps to avoid the detrimental effect on the body of drugs, which periodically have to be taken with a similar diagnosis.
5. The calming properties of honey help strengthen the nervous system and improve sleep, which will beneficially affect the main therapy.
You can apply honey inside and out. The following varieties are ideal for internal use: buckwheat, linden, clover, meadow, forest. They contain the greatest amount of nutrients.
Consider several recipes for honey with osteochondrosis.
1. Mix honey with aloe juice (3: 1). Add 0.5 kg of walnuts and a little lemon juice to the mixture. Take 1 tsp. thrice a day.
2. Grate the peel of a lemon. To make this easier, pre-pour lemon over boiling water. Add the same amount of may honey and olive oil. 10 days the mixture should be stored in the refrigerator. Take 2-3 times a day.
3. Mix aloe juice with honey of liquid consistency and cahors in a ratio of 1: 2: 3. Insist at a temperature of 7-10 degrees for a week. Then put in the refrigerator. Take three times a day.
Outwardly, honey is used in the form of compresses and for honey massage. Honey compresses reduce inflammation in the lesion, have a warming and nourishing effect.
1. Dry compress. Blind a cake of honey and flour and, laying on a painful area of the spine, fix with polyethylene and a towel. This will speed up the effect. To achieve maximum results, the skin must first be steamed.
2. 2 g of mummy mixed with a spoon of honey and applied as an ointment to the affected areas before bedtime. This is a folk remedy for the treatment of osteochondrosis of the lumbar.
3. Take 2 egg yolks, a tablespoon of honey and 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Mix and apply to the affected area, covering with polyethylene and warming with a towel. Leave it all night. Wash off the rest of the mixture with warm water in the morning. The course of treatment is 7 days. After a 14 day break, the course can be repeated.
Honey massage
Honey massage is especially useful for osteochondrosis. It requires liquid honey. Before the session, the skin should be warmed up and wiped dry with a towel. Honey massage is carried out as follows: the palms are lubricated with honey, tightly applied to the skin of the massaged, and then abruptly come off. This will help to pull all toxins out of the skin and ease the condition of the spine in osteochondrosis. Massage should be done until the palm ceases to adhere to the body. The course is 12-15 sessions.
You can conduct honey massage at home, but it is better to contact a qualified massage therapist. Manual and can massage are also useful, which effectively improve blood flow to the affected area of the spine. They are also given courses of 10-15 sessions.
Clay for osteochondrosis
Description of medical techniques with clay as the main component were found on ancient papyrus. The properties of this therapeutic powder were appreciated by Avicenna, Hippocrates, Pliny, Marco Polo and other famous history people.
Clay contains all the macro- and microelements that are present in the human body. It has a unique effect on the body - it removes all unnecessary from the cells, cleansing them, and replenishes the substances they lack. It has no side effects, eliminates the inflammatory process, improves the immune response, and promotes accelerated cell metabolism. Apply powder and inside. However, clay can be radioactive, so you need to be careful when choosing this product. If clay is used only externally, any clay powder will do.
So, we will discuss the treatment of folk remedies for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, as well as lumbar and breast clay as the main component. Especially useful is the blue variety, which, due to the content of rhodium, has antitumor properties.
To prepare the treatment mixture, dilute the clay in warm water. You can warm it up to a maximum of 40 degrees. A mixture of 3 cm thick is applied to the affected area, wrap it with a film and a woolen cloth. After half an hour, the compress can be removed.
Another recipe is even more effective. In 3 cups of warm water, dilute a teaspoon of aloe and honey. Add 100 g of clay. Stir until a viscous thick mass. Apply to the affected area, cover with a plastic bag and woolen cloth. Hold for 2 hours, then remove, wipe the skin with a damp cloth and compress again. Repeat the procedure for 2-3 weeks three times a day.
"Grandma's grinding"
The most effective treatment for osteochondrosis with folk remedies is rubbing. Recently, "Grandma's rubbing" has been actively used by people suffering from pain in the spine and joints. Tincture helps eliminate inflammation and pain.
To prepare it, you should take:
- 300 ml of alcohol 96% (if necessary, replace with vodka)
- 10 ml of camphor alcohol 10%;
- 10 ml of iodine;
- 10 tab. analgin.
The ingredients should be mixed and left to infuse for 21 days in a dark place. It is recommended to rub the skin vigorously with the product, and when it is absorbed, wrap the aching area with a warm scarf. In no case do compresses with this grind, since alcohol can burn the skin.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine folk remedies
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region often worries people who spend a lot of time at the computer. Due to the bowed head, the metabolism in the tissues is disturbed, and the appearance of osteochondrosis is only a matter of time. Consider the methods of treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with the best folk remedies.
1. Grind potatoes and mix in equal proportions with honey. The mixture is applied to the neck at least 1 time per week.
2. Dissolve 50 g of aloe juice and the same amount of mustard powder in 0.5 liter of vodka. Add 1 g of propolis. With this solution, you need to soak the tissue, wrap the cervical spine with it and leave it overnight.
3. Lemon in the amount of three pieces, pass through a meat grinder and mix with 150 g of chopped garlic. Place the mixture in a glass bottle and pour 2 liters of boiling water. Take 100 ml before meals, after shaking.
4. Helps with osteochondrosis badger or bear fat, which are applied to the affected area.
Treatment of lumbar osteochondrosis with folk remedies
Most often, ointments are used to treat osteochondrosis at home with folk remedies. An effective ointment can be prepared at home.
1. Mix pork fat, as well as chopped horseradish root and potatoes in equal proportions. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and apply to the affected area twice a week at night.
2. 3 tbsp. l chopped chop cones with the same amount of butter. Apply in the evening on the lower back and go to bed. Use the ointment daily. This recipe is especially effective in exacerbating osteochondrosis.
3. Mix crushed garlic (1 tbsp. L.) With pork fat (2 tbsp. L.). Rub the ointment for a month before bedtime.
Thoracic osteochondrosis treatment
Dystrophic changes in the vertebrae of the thoracic region can cause pain in the heart, difficulty breathing, acute attacks of pain between the shoulder blades. In addition, nails can begin to peel off, and the skin may peel off.
1. 500 ml of vodka, 15 ml of iodine, 15 crushed tablets of analgin and Zvezdochka cream (1 package) must be mixed in the indicated proportions and mixed in a glass dish. Insist 2 days. Use daily until symptoms cease to bother.
2. Cook mashed potatoes and make a compress out of it. Warm the compress with a woolen scarf. Keep to cool completely.
3. Mix 1.5 cups of radish juice with a glass of liquid honey and 0.5 cups of vodka. Combine the ingredients and use for grinding.
These are the alternative remedies for the treatment of breast osteochondrosis.
In addition, in the treatment of osteochondrosis by folk methods, you must adhere to a diet and do not forget to do therapeutic exercises. This will help nullify the symptoms of the disease, as well as improve the condition of the spine. With this disease, it is extremely important to regularly carry out therapeutic measures.