Cervical spine tumor is one of the most common problems on our planet, sooner or later affecting everyone. Taking into account trends of modern lifestyles, the first signs of pathology can appear at a fairly early age (20-25 years) and for no apparent reason. Usually, the only symptom is increased headaches and fatigue, which in the frenetic pace of life is often simply "nailed" into such "trifles", gritting teeth without thinking of a reason. . An orthopedic trauma doctor spoke in his article about the causes of the pain and also talked about how to get rid of them.
But cervical necrosis can manifest not only as recurring headaches, but can cause more serious health problems: cardiovascular and respiratory system problems, hearing, eyesight, coordination, the development of ischemia (lack of oxygen) of the head and spinal cord, damage to the nerve roots of the spinal cord - etiology, partial loss of mobilityor completely.
The essence of this process is very simple - over time, the great load on the spine and malnourished disc structure leads to thinning and destruction of the discs and reconstructing the vertebrae itself, this will inevitably lead to their disruption of functionality.
But all these terrible situations can be prevented and prevented. First of all, this condition should not be considered as a disease, but as a process of "wear and tear" of the spine. After all, everything has an expiration date, be it your car, your phone or your favorite handbag. Therefore, at least need to take care of the spine as well as for a favorite. At the same time, do not forget to buy new but not buy new "damaged" spikes or not be exchanged under the warranty. And the most important thing is that cartilage tissue is not restored, so the earlier you become aware of osteonecrosis, the longer you have to "befriend" it. And even with the right treatment, over time, he will remind himself.
Reasons for developing osteonecrosis
There are many reasons that can easily be grouped together - wrong lifestyles. Let's highlight the main risk factors for the development of such a condition:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- in a prolonged position (develops hypertonic muscles);
- overweight;
- unhealthy diet (lack of water and essential trace elements in the body);
- excellent physical performance and weight lifting;
- incorrect posture;
- spinal injury;
- genetic predisposition.
After analyzing the reason, you can easily (at least on paper) remove the majority of risk factors from your life - in fact, this is the main treatment. After all, drug treatment is a battle against the consequences of illness.
Some such special prevention drugs have yet to be invented, even though the traditional pharmaceutical market is rich in drugs. Of course, all types of chondroprotectors have clinical effects, but it is achieved after a long period of continuous use of the drug and is not very persistent. In fact, these drugs contain the substances that make up the disc, and by taking them we can only achieve a "possible" nutritional improvement of these structures. All anti-inflammatory drugs only eliminate the pain syndrome, making the patient's life easier without affecting the cause of these attacks. Physiotherapy is quite common, such as shock wave therapy, electrophoresis, and magnetotherapy. In extremely high-end cases, questions may even arise about surgical treatment.
It should be noted that all of these treatments are possible only after consulting a doctor!
Self-medication in this case is absolutely contraindicated - at best, you will just waste your time, worst of all you can only do harm to yourself.
How to solve this problem?
The first step is to change the word "fight" to "prevention". And it involves assuring normal function and nutrition of the spine. It is worth noting that we work with the structures of the musculoskeletal system and the diet.
Furthermore, this job should last continuously and for a lifetime - this is the main guarantee for success.
The option "I'll do the exercises every six months" doesn't work! In the long run, it can and will be possible to delay the problem (at best), at worst the effect will be zero, and to you it seems you are actively fighting the problem.
1. Physical activity / sport
This is the first product to prevent spinal wear. If you don't want the mechanism to rust and shatter, you need to get it to work. But the work should also be moderate, we are talking about healthy loads (working with body weight, functional exercise, stretching, cardio), not about hanging 100 kg of iron on people andrunning on rough terrain.
2. Provide a normal amount of oxygen
In the city this is almost impossible, but you should still try to walk as much and as often as possible, visit the forest parks and periodically ventilate the room at work(it is important to avoid hypothermia).
3. You cannot stay too long
Regardless of the job field, take a short break every 40-50 minutes. When sitting for a long time, take a walk during recess or do some simple exercises in place to reduce muscle tension and back fatigue.
If your job requires you to stand constantly, you may need to sit down from time to time. It is important that while resting, your back is straight, as symmetrical as possible, and your feet are on the floor.
4. Ergonomics
It is imperative to provide yourself with the best working environment possible. We are not only talking about a work chair, but also about the correct placement of the work screen, the right clothes and shoes, the amount of jewelry on the neck, etc. v. One kilogram of jewelry that has been worn for a long time will have no positive effects. about your health.
When working with a computer, the head should be straight, the hands should not be higher than the elbows, the angle of the back tilt when the ground is 100-115 degrees - this position is considered the most physiological and allows you toPrevent overactive muscles.
5. Complex exercise therapy
Physical therapy exercises will help strengthen the corset and ligaments in the back. We are talking specifically about exercise therapy, soft exercises every day (maybe several times a day), in which the muscles are not overworked. A specialist will help choose a set of preventive exercises for exercise therapy, depending on the stage of the disease.
An example of the simplest complex to strengthen the neck muscles:
- Lie on your stomach with your hands on the floor. Raise your head slowly, holding this position for a minute. Return to starting position. Repeat the exercise 3-4 times.
- Lie on your stomach with your arms extended along your body. Turn your head slowly to the right. Return to the original position. Then turn your head to the left. Repeat the exercise in both directions 5 times.
- Sitting on a chair. Slowly, as you exhale, tilt your head forward, bringing it as close to your chin as possible. Return to starting position. As you inhale, slowly tilt your head back. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
- If your condition allows, perform head rotations, 4 times clockwise and 4 counterclockwise.
6. Characteristics of the power supply
An improper diet can provoke the development of the disease, so you need to keep an eye on your diet. It is necessary to refuse or minimize the use of salt, sugar, sweets and confectionery, greasy foods. Improper nutrition contributes to weight gain and increased stress on the spine. The following foods must be in the diet:
- Vegetables and fruits (source of vitamins);
- Cereals (energy sources);
- Meat and fish (protein and mineral sources);
- Dairy products (source of calcium and other essential trace elements);
- Fiber-rich foods (essential for normal bowel function and metabolism);
- The product contains chondoprotectors (improved cartilage tissue properties).
Track your liquid intake. You should drink 1. 5-2 liters of fluids per day. Dehydration of the body adversely affects the metabolism and state of all structures in the body.
7. Sleep properly
The sleeping position must meet the following criteria:
Choosing a mattress and pillow is just as important. When choosing a bedding, you should rely on the following three signs:
8. Massage
Last on the list, but one of the first important. An experienced massage therapist will not only ensure normal blood flow and oxygen supply to all structures of the spine, but also help correct spinal deformities and dysfunction.
Prevention of osteonecrosis is lifelong, you have to work hard to keep your back healthy for as long as possible, but as a result you will not only maintain a healthy back, but alsoa healthy body, because in fact the main recommendation is to follow a healthy lifestyle, to help your body function normally and pass "TO" in time!