Cervical osteochondrosis is the cause of acute pain, which is poorly controlled with medications. The use of folk remedies allows you to get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of this disease and does not harm the body. They are used in conjunction with conservative therapy, physiotherapy, massage, as a supplement and increase the chances of recovery.
Characteristics of an unconventional approach
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with popular methods is carried out under the supervision of a specialist. The disease itself is considered dangerous, therefore, without qualified medical care, it progresses quickly and leads to a series of complications. An unconventional approach is used by physicians in case of detection of severe contraindications or acute intolerance to anti-inflammatory drugs. Thus, the main characteristics of the treatment are:
- The minimum number of side effects and availability for all segments of the population.
- The proven recipes contain only natural ingredients, which increases the safety of their use.
- High treatment efficiency with the right approach.
- The possibility of combining traditional therapy, massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapy with traditional medicine techniques.
- Low probability of side effects depending on dosage and duration of the course.
- Successful relief of inflammation and pain syndrome, elimination of muscle spasms, central nervous system stabilization.
- The ability to cook everything yourself with high quality ingredients, the entire process is easy and requires no special knowledge and training.
- Treatment is carried out at home.
Traditional methods make it possible to achieve a stable remission and stop the progression of the disease, increase immunity and improve the patient's general condition. Due to the naturalness of the composition, the probability of side effects or the development of complications is low.
The main methods and means of treatment
Cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself in a series of unpleasant symptoms. Many patients complain of decreased vision or hearing, tinnitus, increased fatigue, muscle, tooth and headache pain, inability to perform simple exercises in full due to stiffness. To combat them, several traditional medicine methods and recipes are used, namely:
- ointments,
- friction,
- dyes,
- decoctions,
- compresses,
- baths.
All ingredients for proven recipes can be found at any drugstore and are generally inexpensive. This applies not only to herbal preparations, but also to bee products (bee poison, propolis, bee bread), snake venom, aromatic oils and others.
The compresses can be applied for several hours or overnight, depending on the substance chosen.
Best compresses for neck pain
The treatment of cervical chondrosis with folk remedies is best started with the use of different types of friction and pads. Local exposure warms the area, reduces pain, improves blood circulation and relieves inflammation. Do the procedure several times a day, usually no more than five. In this case, the specified exposure time must not be exceeded. The best recipes for compresses are:
- It is necessary to find fresh horseradish leaves, pour boiling water over them. After the solution has cooled slightly and is infused, a gauze pad is moistened and applied to the painful site. It's better to do all this not at night. Thanks to special components, this effect relieves pain well.
- Take the fresh cottage cheese, mash it well and add a little vinegar. The resulting mass is evenly applied to the neck area. On top of the compress, it is necessary to place a handkerchief or a warm cloth. All of this is kept for at least 12 hours, so it is most often recommended to do it at night.
- Common turpentine has been shown to fight cervical osteochondrosis. Add water to 200 g of rye flour and make a hard cake. It is infused for two days, after which turpentine is applied to the wound, covered with putty and wrapped in a handkerchief. While the discomfort is bearable, all of this must be held, removed and rinsed off with warm water.
- Effectively relieves inflammation and pain with honey and potatoes. For this, the peeled tubers are rubbed on a coarse grater, mixed in half with a natural beekeeping product, and all this is applied to the wound. On top of that, put paper and a clean cloth. Keep for 2 hours, then rinse with water and dry the area. Rub spruce oil into your skin.
Eggs, vodka, aloe juice with honey, garlic and kerosene are also used as main ingredients in osteochondrosis compresses. For some products, it is especially important to observe the dosage and exposure time, as if used carelessly, they can cause burns.
Scrub for neck with osteochondrosis
Alternative methods of treatment also suggest the use of good friction along with compresses. They can be made up of a wide variety of components to treat pain, pinches, or other pathological conditions in the neck. The following recipes are very popular for this:
- Take half a packet of natural butter (72%), mix with a tablespoon of flour, beaten egg and 25 g of vinegar. The mixture must have a uniform consistency, after which it is sent to a dark place for infusion. The resulting composition is washed off the painful area, covered with a film for a few hours and then washed off with warm water.
- The grated radish is rubbed on a coarse grater, at the end you should get about half a cup. Vodka and honey are added in the same amount, common salt is added to them, 2 tbsp is enough. After obtaining a homogeneous mass, the composition can be used as grains. The mixture heats up perfectly and relieves painful sensations.
- For severe pain, it is good to use a mixture of ethanol, iodine and camphor alcohol. They are mixed in the proportion of 300 ml: 10 ml: 10 ml, respectively. To the resulting composition, 10 analgin tablets are added in crushed form.
If there is a cut or open wound at the friction site, they cannot be used. Better to use compresses or other proven techniques. It is also unacceptable to apply them in the presence of chronic skin pathologies, whose exacerbation can provoke such treatment.
popular ointments
It is impossible to cure osteochondrosis with ointments alone, but they are an important component of complex therapy. Different formulations are able to anesthetize the problem area, relieve inflammation and improve general condition. The following proven recipes are very popular:
- Take half a packet of high-quality butter (you can substitute for pork fat), add mint herb, coriander and birch buds. Apply the resulting ointment to the problem area 23 times a day.
- Add St. John's wort, mountaineer snake root, birch buds to a little or fat. Insist a little on the resulting mixture and use only as directed.
- Take marigold flowers, mint grass, hop seed, meadowsweet flowers, eucalyptus leaves and mix them with fat. Apply the resulting makeup to the painful area.
- Take 6 large bay leaves, mix with juniper needles (about 1 tsp), add 70 g butter. Grind the mixture well, preferably in a blender until you get a smooth consistency and rub into the wound. The composition perfectly relieves pain and soothes the affected area.
Ointments can also be used as compresses by placing a handkerchief over them. It is important to fix everything well with a bandage, and so that the fabric does not absorb the mixture, they put a plastic film.
Useful plant decoctions
Traditional medicine offers not only a local effect on the painful neck, but also the taking of many home remedies by mouth. If ointments, compresses and friction help to resolve the problem of inflammation and pain locally, then decoctions, infusions, perfectly stimulate the immune system, improve the metabolism from the inside.
The most popular recipes are:
- Take about 400g of cranberries and peeled garlic cloves, a little medium is enough. Grind them well or chop finely, leave in a clean container for a day. Then add 800 g of honey to the composition, stir until you get a homogeneous consistency. The medicine is applied in one teaspoon 3 times a day.
- Take the sunflower root (it's troublesome to find out it's out of season), rinse well and dry, chop. 150 g will be enough, added to 3 liters of water. All this is put on fire and brought to a boil. The resulting broth is infused for two days, after which it is taken in one tablespoon 30 minutes before meals. It is advisable to prepare a new portion of the drug in advance so as not to interrupt the course.
- Take 250 g of peeled needles, pour a liter of water. Put all this on the fire and cook for half an hour. Clean the resulting broth from the branches and divide in equal parts to form 6 servings, which should be consumed in three days at intervals of 8 to 12 hours.
- The dandelion root (about 15 g) is cleaned of dirt, dry the sprouts and pour in half a liter of boiling water. The resulting solution is infused for one hour, after which it is filtered and taken in a tablespoon before meals.
These decoctions remove salts from the body well, it is easy to understand this by the change in color of the urine. At the beginning of the process, it turns almost orange, then it becomes more transparent, as soon as all the harmful components leave the body. But it should not be forgotten that, during the treatment period, spicy and salty foods are strictly prohibited.
Decoctions work well with other, more conservative methods and help support the body in fighting the pathology. Medicinal herbs such as burdock, wheat grass, twine, violet and plants are also used.
healing baths
With cervical osteochondrosis, warm water, to which various components have been added, well relieves tension, pain and spasms. The procedure is performed at a temperature in the range of 37–39 °C; a larger increase in the thermometer is unacceptable. It must be remembered that this is a medical procedure, so it is important not to overdo it. As a useful supplement, you can use:
- birch leaves,
- horse chestnut,
- chamomile,
- bischofite,
- needle branches.
The residence time in water is 10 to 20 minutes, even if the procedure is done for preventive purposes. Due to the ideal temperature and the presence of phytocomponents in the water, muscle tissue relaxes, inflammation is reduced and pain is practically not felt. These baths are also useful for dizziness, frequent pain and for improving mood, improving the psycho-emotional state.
Herbs tea
You can check the effectiveness of this or that remedy by examining the evaluations of other patients with a similar illness. Typically, patients share prescriptions, which drugs helped best, which turned out to be completely ineffective. One of the most popular treatments is herbal teas. The following rates are used in the fight against osteochondrosis:
- Calendula + chamomile + strawberry + birch leaf + St. John's wort.
- Licorice root + yarrow + peppermint + calendula.
- Lingonberry + thyme + banana + lemon balm + rose hips + saber.
- Nettle + chamomile + dried flowers + marigold + dandelion.
- Strawberry + mother grass + pine buds + linden flowers + lavender.
Herbal preparations can be independently selected, assembled from different plants, or you can purchase ready-made collections.
These rates are sold in pharmacies or tape libraries and, generally, at the time of brewing the beer, there is no need for you to choose the dosage, it is indicated on the package. In most cases, a teaspoon of 350 g of boiling water is sufficient. Drink the beverage without adding sugar. Collections are especially effective in the early stage of the disease.
Other treatments
Traditional medicine uses a variety of ways to combat pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Not only food and herbs are used, but also dirt, paraffin, wax and other compounds. As practice shows, they also well relieve pain, eliminate inflammation, improve blood flow, and allow you to extend the remission period.
Healing mud is used in a variety of ways. Typically, the procedures are performed in a sanatorium or in specialized medical offices. Exposure time is determined individually. The technique is also suitable for preventive purposes.
Mud treatment is also an unconventional way of dealing with osteochondrosis.
possible errors
Popular methods, despite their safety and naturalness, can be harmful if used incorrectly. Treatment must be carried out under strict supervision of specialists, as self-medication usually leads to rapid progression of the pathology. To prevent this from happening, you should avoid the most common mistakes:
- It is not allowed to use hot compresses or hot compresses in the acute phase. Temporary relief does not mean relief, as exposure to heat only leads to the spread of inflammation and aggravation of tissue damage.
- If the patient usually has pressure spikes, baths and steam rooms are contraindicated for him with cervical osteochondrosis. Even people without hypertension cannot walk with them during the period of colds, when the body temperature is very high.
- Traditional medicine prescriptions that have proven effective in excreting salts do not work with vertebral proliferation.
- In the area of the pathological process, self-massage or other direct effects cannot be performed, they only worsen the state of health and lead to complications.
These are the most common mistakes of patients who self-medicate at home or use traditional medicine prescriptions. Therefore, it is best to treat cervical vertebrae pathology together with the treating physician.
How to prevent further deterioration?
Combating cervical osteochondrosis can take a long time, requiring the patient not only to comply with all the doctor's prescriptions, but also to exclude all factors that cause an exacerbation. You can protect yourself from deterioration in the following ways:
- In everyday life, it is necessary to avoid stress on the spine, not doing sudden turns of the head, squats, push-ups or a quick change of posture.
- Dress well, depending on the weather, to avoid hypothermia of the neck and shoulder girdle, always wear a scarf.
- Constantly perform the exercises provided for in the physiotherapy exercises, do not miss classes, follow the technology and the sequence of actions.
- If the professional activity is related to sitting in a position or at the computer, every 1 to 5 hours it is necessary to take a short break and a simple warm-up to restore blood circulation in the neck.
- Refuse alcohol and tobacco, as they reduce the body's defenses, cause complications and deterioration.
- Treat acute respiratory diseases and viruses in time, follow all doctor's prescriptions.
- Control body weight, exclude unhealthy foods and excesses at night.
- Refuse hot baths or baths.
- Buy a high-quality orthopedic mattress with a sufficient degree of firmness.
In addition, patients must visit a massage therapist for a course of treatment in the neck region, usually prescribed for 10 days. It is equally important to refuse to carry weights, no more than 5 kg in one hand, otherwise you run the risk of causing deformation processes in the spine.
Cervical osteochondrosis is the destruction of cartilage tissue, which entails a series of unpleasant consequences. If you don't start the fight on time, nerve endings compression, blood vessel compression, and decreased performance can occur. It is possible to treat the pathology not only with medications, but also with folk remedies. For this, the most effective methods and recipes are selected, which are safe and do not cause an allergic reaction.