Prevention is very important in the treatment of numerous diseases. Especially in the case of osteochondrosis of the cervical and other departments. From how well a person adheres to the recommendations of specialists, he can count on a more successful cure for this unpleasant pathology. Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis will also help prevent a more serious development of the disease or even protect yourself from it, if the patient is at risk.
However, before starting preventive measures, it is necessary to understand why pathology struck a person. Often this helps to get rid of pain in the back and limbs. It is also worth a visit to a doctor who can determine the degree of the disease and prescribe the most optimal course of therapeutic measures and the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis.
Causes of the disease
It is still not known what exactly provokes the development of this pathology. However, there is some data that will help to understand this issue. First of all, people over 35 are at risk. Today, there are more and more cases when osteochondrosis is diagnosed at the age of 18. Most pathologists are predisposed to those people who ignore the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis, exercises and other methods of solving the problem.
More often the disease appears in those who prefer not to spend time on sports, abuse alcohol and smoking. However, at least pathology develops against the background of other provoking factors:
- genetic predisposition;
- intoxication;
- excess weight;
- metabolic disorders in the body;
- insufficient amount of useful trace elements;
- age-related changes;
- fractures and injuries of the spinal column;
- incorrectly formed posture, sedentary lifestyle, complete lack of physical exertion;
- excessive loads;
- hypothermia;
- stressful situations.
Who needs cervical osteochondrosis prevention
First of all, preventive measures should be performed by all adults who are over 18 years old. This is due to the fact that young boys and girls spend more time at the computer, so they lead a mostly sedentary lifestyle.
At this age, few people think about warming up or morning exercises. Therefore, doctors are not at all surprised by the fact that the younger generation is increasingly diagnosed with osteochondrosis and more serious ailments. There is a risk of scoliosis.
If we talk about gender, then the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis is required equally for both men and women. Young children are more likely to get scoliosis. Therefore, preventive measures against osteochondrosis in this case are extremely rare.
Does prevention help
There are no guarantees that preventive measures will help to avoid the disease and the need for treatment of osteochondrosis. No matter how a person tries to adhere to all the recommendations of a doctor, this still does not give a 100% guarantee that he will be able to avoid such an ailment. If we are talking about heredity, then degenerative-dystrophic diseases are difficult to completely eliminate.
However, thanks to prevention, you can delay the moment when you have to start treatment for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Despite the fact that there remains a rather impressive chance of developing the disease, the potential patient has the opportunity to alleviate his condition and prevent the development of the disease in a more severe stage.
It should be understood that such pathologies are often encountered by people after 40 years. If you adhere to the recommendations of a doctor before, then the disease will not manifest itself so much.
Exercises
There are special exercises for the prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Activities of this type always include special gymnastics. Exercise therapy helps not only prevent the onset of the disease, but is also used in a situation where the ailment is already diagnosed. Exercise is becoming one of the methods of therapeutic procedures.
Such prophylaxis of cervical osteochondrosis is allowed at home. A detailed course of therapeutic exercises is selected by the doctor, since among them there are those that are strictly forbidden to do. For example, in no case should you perform exercises that imply axial or rotational load on the patient’s spine. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that gymnastics is performed in a gentle manner.
If we talk about gymnastics for the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis, then usually only 30 minutes of classes per day are enough to more likely to avoid an unpleasant disease. Doctors recommend performing the necessary exercises in the morning. The best option is 10-15 minutes after waking up. You should also pay attention to other useful recommendations. An example of a small set of exercises:
- Slow turns of the head - about 5-10 times. Perform better while sitting.
- Lower your head down as low as possible. Perform, sitting on a chair, 10-12 times.
- Sitting on a chair, retract the chin, moving the neck back.
- Sit at the table. Place one elbow on the table, and the palm of the same hand on the temple. Tilt your head, showing slight resistance with your hand. Repeat about 10 times and change hands.
- Put your palm on your forehead and tilt your head, overcoming the resistance of the hand. About 8 times, then rest for 10–20 seconds and change hands.
- Raise your shoulders as high as possible and hold on for about 10 seconds, then relax and take a breath. Perform sitting or standing about 10 times.
- Knead the back of your head with your fingertips. The movements should be intense and deep (not to hurt). Can be performed while sitting or lying down.
How to organize your workplace
Most problems with the spinal and cervical spine are observed in those people who do not sit properly during the working day. Against this background, there are many problems with posture. Therefore, speaking about the prevention of cervical osteochondrosis in women and men, it is worth paying attention to the need to create the right conditions for hours of work.
Even if a person is in an uncomfortable position, then over time he gets used to it. This is due to the activity of compensatory mechanisms in the human body. As a result, the initial discomfort becomes completely invisible.
What to do in this situation. In fact, it’s enough to choose the right chair or chair. Fortunately, today there are a large number of very comfortable pieces of furniture on sale that are designed to maintain the back in the right position throughout the working day.
It is also worth getting a special footrest. The computer monitor should be aligned parallel to the eyes. Do not set it too high or low. The spine during operation should remain flat and fit snugly against the back of the chair.
Healthy sleep
Prevention of cervical osteochondrosis, as well as the prevention of many any diseases, includes a good rest at night. Many people mistakenly believe that in order to avoid this or that pathology it is enough to sleep as much as possible and not to stay awake at night. However, the position of the person’s back during rest is no less important.
Therefore, to start the prevention of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine at home, first of all, you need to purchase a specialized orthopedic mattress and pillow. Thanks to these objects, the physiological position of the human body is carried out correctly.
If everything is approximately clear with the mattress, then not everyone can get a pillow. Experts recommend giving preference to rectangular products when it comes to an adult. For a child, it is better to buy a roller or a round pillow.
Proper nutrition
Many do not understand the connection between diets, prevention and treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. In fact, the work of almost all body systems depends on what a person eats.
First of all, in the human diet should be foods rich in nutrients and trace elements. Separately, it is worth noting B vitamins, calcium and proteins. Of course, not everyone can afford a diet or buy a strict list of products that contain the necessary components. In this case, it is enough to take vitamin complexes. You can drink both pills and give injections. But, it is best to give preference to more natural fruits and vegetables.
According to calorie content, nutrition should be such that a person can make up for all the energy spent per day. Ideally, women should consume about 1900 calories per day, and men - 2300.
Physical activity
A person who does not move much is doomed to numerous problems with his back and cervical spine. Unfortunately, in the age of computerization and the ability to receive even food and new clothes without leaving your home, it is becoming increasingly difficult to force yourself to move once again.
This problem is especially noticeable in large cities in developing countries. However, you need to understand that a sedentary lifestyle is dangerous not only osteochondrosis, but also more serious health problems. For example, the likelihood of developing a heart attack, stroke, thrombosis and many other dangerous conditions is significantly increased. Therefore, it is important to periodically leave the comfort zone and devote time to your health.
First of all, it is worth making a rule to go out daily and take a walk. Also, do not avoid housework. Cleaning, washing and other chores help to keep the body in good shape. If the house has an elevator, then you should abandon it in favor of the stairs. After just a few weeks, a heavy climb up the stairs will not seem so painful and exhausting. The same goes for the various shopping and entertainment centers.
Thus, it is not necessary to spend a lot of money and time on the gym. Daily exercises give the necessary load for the body. Therefore, this is quite enough for preventive measures.
Massage
If there are symptoms, these procedures also help to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. In this case, it is not necessary to apply for the expensive services of masters. As well as during therapy, so-called self-massage can be performed as prophylaxis.
However, do not be too zealous with such procedures. First of all, it is not recommended to put pressure on the vertebral discs themselves. Only zones near them can be massaged. According to doctors, processing the upper muscle layer of the back is quite enough. The skin needs to be stroked and tapped.
In no case should you make twisting movements or forcefully hit the body. Also, proponents of manual therapy are prohibited from doing any manipulations on their own. In this case, only contacting specialists is allowed. It is not allowed to attend such procedures too often. It is best to contact a chiropractor no more than 4 times a month. Procedures should be as gentle and not traumatic as possible.
Good to know
It is worth considering several more useful recommendations:
- Avoid hypothermia.
- To refuse from bad habits.
- Start eating right.
- Do not succumb to stressful situations.
- Start tempering or at least use a contrast shower.
- Accustom yourself in the morning to do exercises.
- Start swimming. This sport perfectly strengthens the muscles of the back and has a general healing effect.
- Perform pull-ups and other exercises that help strengthen the cervical spine.
- If possible, do breathing exercises. It has a positive effect on the whole body.
- Refuse weight lifting. If the work is connected precisely with such an activity, then you need to break the weight into several parts. When lifting heavy things, you should always keep your back straight and bend your knees slightly. This will significantly reduce the load on the spinal column and neck.
- If there is discomfort after sleep, you must immediately change the mattress to a specialized one. Soft products are not always the best for the back. The best option is a medium hard mattress.
It is equally important to timely treat any viral diseases. It will not be superfluous to spend more time in the fresh air.
conclusions
Based on the foregoing, it becomes obvious that preventive measures do not require much time and financial costs. However, you need to be prepared for the fact that it is far from always possible to prevent the manifestation of this pathology. To choose the best course of prevention, you should consult a doctor. In some situations, diets, massages or physical activity can be harmful if the patient suffers from additional pathologies.
Do not rely on pills that promise to prevent the possible occurrence of an ailment or to cure it once and for all. Osteochondrosis is a complex pathology. Of course, you can temporarily stop the signs of the disease, but many expensive drugs can boast only a temporary effect.
In order to timely recognize the ailment, it is worth periodically visiting specialists and undergoing an examination. You should not spend all the time sitting at the computer or in front of the TV. When working in the office, you should hold your back correctly and not hump. It is better to choose a quality chair.