Currently, there is practically no such person who would not be bothered by problems with the spine. This is not surprising, given the modern computer age. Some of them are on duty, and some are forced to sit at the computer for hours. Where is it possible to avoid the diseases of our main core. There are a huge number of methods and ways to treat such problems. The article will try to figure out how manual therapy can help with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
What is the basis of manual therapy
The chiropractor sets a goal to restore motor function and restore mobility between the vertebrae. With osteochondrosis, pinching of the nerve endings occurs and the mobility of some parts of the spine is impaired. With cervical osteochondrosis, this picture is observed in the cervical spine .
If nothing is done, then the sprain of the spine becomes more unstable, and this can lead to subluxation. Manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is aimed at eliminating these problems.
The chiropractor uses several techniques:
- Mobilization relaxes the neck and shoulder girdle.
- Direct contact in the form of bumps, turns, bends and straightening has great advantages in the formation of joints and vertebrae.
- Indirect contact.
The doctor during the procedure has an effect on various reflex zones, receptors located in the muscles, tendons, ligaments. Manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine helps not only relax the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle, but also improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.
How can manual therapy help?
According to statistics, almost more than half of the office workers who are forced to sit around computers all day suffer from cervical osteochondrosis with papers, and in a rather neglected form.
This disease brings a lot of health problems, so the main task of manual therapy is as follows:
- Release pinched nerve endings.
- Restore the normal position of the spinal column.
- Improve the stability of the spine.
- Reduce pain in the neck.
- Remove headaches.
- Eliminate dizziness and all unpleasant sensations.
A complex of therapeutic exercises is prescribed to help manual therapy, which will help bring the muscle system in order.
Indications for manual therapy
Manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical region has a variety of indications, most often it is prescribed for the following conditions:
- Pain in the thoracic spine, which is given to the heart, with a normal cardiogram.
- Pain in the cervical spine.
- Acute lower back pain.
- Chronic inflammatory processes in the lumbar region.
- Osteochondrosis.
- Scoliosis.
- Protrusion of the intervertebral disc.
- Intervertebral hernia.
- Spondylarthrosis.
- Lumbar artery syndrome.
- Vegetovascular dystonia and many others.
Only a doctor prescribes such a procedure, and it is advisable that a real specialist in his field conduct it so as not to cause even greater harm to your health.
How is the session going?
First of all, when the patient comes to the session, the doctor asks him to lie on the couch. In order for all manipulations to give maximum effect, you need to relax and breathe slowly and evenly.
A traumatologist with the help of hands carefully examines the condition of the spine, ligaments and muscles, as well as joints. If a specialist has extensive experience in this matter, then without an x-ray, he does not have much difficulty in determining the places of greatest clamping, inflammation, but it is better to go to a chiropractor already with the pictures.
If there are problems with the spine, then manual therapy with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is quite able to help . The photo shows that to relax the doctor at the beginning of the session performs a light massage.
Gradually, all movements become more noticeable, the doctor presses the vertebrae harder, adjusts them, makes the patient's neck turns. At this time, the appearance of a crunch is considered normal. Usually after this, the pain becomes noticeably weaker.
The frequency of sessions depends on many factors and is prescribed by a doctor. Usually the procedure will be repeated every 3-4 days, in some cases, when the patient tolerates the impact of the chiropractor on his spine, you can visit the office every day.
It must be remembered when going to the reception that sessions can be quite painful, especially at the very beginning. Usually this phenomenon is short-term, but if the pain is severe, it is difficult to tolerate, it is necessary to tell the doctor.
To increase the effectiveness of manual therapy, physiological procedures are often prescribed simultaneously with it. Together, these treatments give good results.
Behavior of the patient after the procedure
After the session, the patient should not instantly jump up and run home. The body needs rest, and the spine can be immobilized using a special corset.
All head tilts, sudden movements and turns in the cervical spine should be excluded. After the session, in some cases, there may be some increase in pain caused by exposure to the tissue. To remove it, you can take an anesthetic drug.
Contraindications to the use of this treatment method
Despite the great benefits, manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine has the following contraindications:
- Senile age.
- The presence of a tumor in the brain or spinal cord.
- Inflammatory processes of a non-specific nature in the spine, for example, tuberculous spondylitis, rheumatism.
- Meningitis, encephalitis.
- After surgery on the spine.
- If there are fragments of hernias.
- The presence of acute infection.
- High blood pressure.
- Exacerbation of chronic diseases in the form of hepatitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis.
- Recent heart attack or stroke.
- Vascular disease.
There are also relative contraindications in which the use of manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is solved individually in each case.
These include:
- Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis.
- Instability of some parts of the spine.
- Anomalies of the spinal column, for example, vertebral cleft, sacralization.
- Forstier Syndrome.
- 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
- Merged spinal fractures.
A true specialist will never conduct a session if there are at least some contraindications.
Complications after the procedure
If a thorough diagnosis is not made before going to the chiropractor, then various complications can be obtained after the procedure, the most common may be the following:
- Hypermobility of the spine as a result of abnormally moving ligaments.
- Fracture of the spine.
- Ligament rupture.
- Bleeding.
If you have no contraindications to the session, but during it you feel severe pain, discomfort, and after all the manipulations the whole body hurts and it is impossible to stand up, then you must refuse the services of this doctor or discuss with him all your unpleasant sensations. Only in this way can you avoid many complications.
According to the survey, 15% after the procedure experienced dizziness, 5% - increased spinal mobility, 22% - increased pain, 7% - disease progression. These are the side effects of manual therapy for cervical osteochondrosis. The pros and cons must be weighed before going on such a procedure.
The danger of manual therapy
Analyzing all the complications and undesirable consequences of manual therapy, we can conclude that this is not a panacea for all diseases, but rather, roulette. Anyone who is lucky to find an excellent specialist and go through all the procedures for the benefit of the body, he will be one step closer to his recovery.
Currently, even in medical circles there is no unequivocal answer about the benefits and harms of such treatment. Manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is also fraught with the fact that it has divorced full of private clinics and medical centers, but this is not a guarantee that real professionals work in them.
If you have back pain, do not rush to such doctors, it is better to undergo a complete diagnosis and find out the cause of the pain, and then deal with the treatment. A true connoisseur of his own business will already be able to determine the place with the pathological processes and choose the most suitable methods for their elimination. But the amateur in this matter and with small problems can do much more harm to the body and aggravate the situation.
How to choose a doctor?
A chiropractor is just like any other doctor. Such specialization involves an in-depth study of neurology, diagnosis, and other sections of manual therapy.
Choosing a doctor, you need to make sure that he has the qualifications, confirmed by a certificate, and can use manual exposure techniques. Given that in educational institutions such specialists began to be trained no more than 10 years ago, it can be concluded that their number is not so large, so it is quite realistic to run into a charlatan. Manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is positive only if a real professional is involved in the spine.
Getting to such doctors, patients are completely satisfied with the result and can confidently advise them to their friends and relatives.
Prevention of osteochondrosis
Manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is not needed if the disease is prevented. It includes the following activities:
- Physical activity.
- Perform special exercises to strengthen the muscles of the neck.
- A diet with enough vitamins, minerals and proteins.
- To give up smoking.
- Periodic self-massage of the neck.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- Regular medical examinations.
If you follow these simple rules, then no osteochondrosis will not be scary.