Is it possible or strictly forbidden to heat cervical chondrosis?

Often patients of a neurologist are interested in whether it is possible to warm cervical chondrosis. There is no clear answer to this question. Warming is indicated for some patients; they provide an excellent therapeutic effect. Others are strictly prohibited from any physical therapy methods. Much depends on the course of development of the disease, stage, localization, degree of tissue damage and other factors.

If you are experiencing pain in your neck or suspect that osteochondrosis is developing here, consult a doctor. There is no need to self-medicate. In this way you will only aggravate an already difficult situation. If you identify the disease at an early stage, immediately begin treatment and competent rehabilitation, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient, the likelihood of successfully getting rid of annoying manifestations is high. It is impossible to completely get rid of osteochondrosis. If the process of degenerative changes in tissues is started, it can only be stopped. If you follow certain rules, you will forget about unpleasant symptoms and will be able to lead a full life. Find a good doctor you can trust. Contact him with any questions regarding rehabilitation. He will tell you whether it is possible to warm neck chondrosis and how to do it correctly.

Why does it hurt?

Acute neck pain is usually caused by sudden movement or injury. For example, when you stared at the computer screen for a long time, and then suddenly turned your head because of the noise in the corridor. The pain is aching and gradually increasing - the result of diseases of the spine or prolonged stress on the cervical spine. The cause of pain can be:

• sudden turn/tilt of the head,
• improper organization of a working or sleeping place - too high a hard pillow, a soft mattress,
• hypothermia,
• diseases of the muscles and spine - fibromyalgia, myositis, osteochondrosis, etc.,
• overstrain of the neck muscles.

Choke in the neck: first aid and advice from doctors

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18.07.2019

This can happen anywhere: at home, in the office, in nature. If you have been in a draft, sat under the air conditioner, and suddenly there is a sharp pain in your neck, it hurts to turn or tilt your head - most likely you have myositis. This muscle inflammation, which is associated with hypothermia, is accompanied by aching, very unpleasant pain and limited mobility.

Symptoms.

As a rule, the pain appears in the morning - if you slept in a draft or under air conditioning, or simply on an uncomfortable pillow. If there is a wind at work or in transport, unpleasant sensations will arise after a few hours. The main symptom is asymmetrical neck pain, that is, pain occurs on one side of the neck. It becomes difficult to keep your head straight, it hurts to turn it, and it’s difficult to bend over. The intensity of the pain increases with pressure on the muscles or during movement. The neck muscles seem to swell; any movement is accompanied by aching pain, which can radiate to the temple, forehead, shoulder, palm or even fingers. A protective tension appears in the neck muscles, which leads to limited mobility. Difficulties arise when performing the most ordinary everyday activities. If nothing is done, pain and stiffness may persist for several days.

What could be an additional cause of neck pain or contribute to its appearance? Previous neck injuries. Osteochondrosis. Stress, nervous tension. Incorrect position while sleeping or when sitting at a computer, in the office, driving, or in transport. If you carry heavy backpacks, uncomfortable bags. Recent infectious diseases. You warmed up your muscles, for example, through sports or working in the country, and then cooled down in a draft.

At home treatment for neck pain can be as follows:

• To improve your well-being, you can use a dry, warm compress: for example, apply a scarf or handkerchief heated with an iron.
• If there is no inflammation of the lymph nodes, light self-massage may improve the condition.
• You can rub the neck with ointments, gels and creams, which have a warming and irritating effect, cover the pain, distract from it, and relieve muscle spasms.
• It is advisable to apply creams with analgesic and anti-inflammatory components to the location of the pain.
• Wrap a warm scarf around your neck and lie down comfortably.
• If the temperature rises, we take antipyretic drugs.

What to do if the pain does not go away?

Typically, treatment for neck pain lasts from two days to two weeks. Still, experts strongly recommend that if you have a cold neck, consult a doctor.

If severe pain does not go away for more than three days, as a rule, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed in combination with B vitamins. If this does not help, blockades with novocaine are done. But at the same time, it is imperative to undergo a medical examination and accurately determine the cause of the pain.

Doctors often send patients with neck pain to physical therapy, such as magnetic therapy, preferably immediately after the neck has been cleared. And certainly if the pain does not go away within a few days. The question often arises, which doctor should I contact if I have a cold neck?

At the first symptoms, this may be your local physician or neurologist. They will prescribe initial treatment and examination. And eventually they may refer you to a rheumatologist or surgeon. A massage therapist and physiotherapist can also participate in the treatment. When the neck pain goes away, you can engage in physical therapy as a preventive measure, preferably under the supervision of a specialist instructor.

To prevent a cold neck in the future, you should:

• Avoid drafts in the rooms where you spend most of your time. Don't get too cold. Monitor the operation of the air conditioner, do not set it to blow and low temperature in hot weather.
• Avoid prolonged and frequent stress. They lead to muscle tension and can also result in neck pain.
• Watch your posture, especially if you have a sedentary job.
• Do physical exercise and sports. In particular, doctors recommend swimming to prevent neck pain.
• Temper yourself, get enough sleep and try to eat right.

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• Ophthalmologists do not recommend frequently wearing sunglasses with colored lenses.
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Exercises to relieve pain

• Rotations and bends will help relieve acute pain anywhere: on the subway, during your lunch break at work, on the road, if you are not driving. Start with a rotation - smoothly lower your head to the left, move it to the right, carefully lowering your chin to your chest, then pause in the other direction. Slowly turn your head to the right, hold for 5 seconds, return to the forward-facing position, repeat on the other side.

• Dog pose is especially beneficial for those who have neck pain that radiates to the shoulder. Get on all fours with your hands and knees shoulder-width apart. Bend at the waist, lift your buttocks, leaning on your hands and straightening your knees. Try to keep your arms and back in one line.
• Slip. Sitting with a straight back, push your chin forward, then pull it back. It should slide in a straight line.

What else can you do for neck pain?

Massage. There are trigger points or muscle knots in the neck muscles that irritate the muscles, causing pain. With gentle rubbing and pressing you can reduce it. You can find such points by running your fingers along the surface of the neck; trigger points are dense stripes under the skin.

Collar. You can use a ready-made one or make something like a collar yourself. Roll up the towel and wrap it around your neck so that the base of your skull rests on the top of your collar.

Compress. In the first two days after the pain appears, it is better to apply a cool compress. Afterwards, warming up is allowed with a heating pad, or if you don’t have one, with a towel soaked in hot water.

Treatment methods

Ask your doctor whether it is possible to warm your back if you have chondrosis; he will give clear recommendations on this matter, based on your specific health condition. When treating osteochondrosis, it is extremely important to quickly relieve the inflammatory process.

In the acute period of development of the disease, any physiotherapy is contraindicated. At this time, you cannot do exercises, exercise therapy, heat the affected areas or do massage.

Warming is also contraindicated because many patients have an increase in body temperature during the acute period of chondrosis. Additional heat will only make the situation worse. To relieve inflammation, use painkillers and decongestants. Sometimes doctors prescribe steroid medications. They give a quick effect, but they cannot be used often. Self-medication is strictly prohibited. You will only make your condition worse.

When the acute stage is over, you need to take care of further rehabilitation and recovery. It is within your power to do everything possible to prevent acute attacks of osteochondrosis from returning again. At this stage, you can already use various methods of physiotherapy:

• exercise therapy;
• massage;
• physiotherapy.

All these methods give an excellent warming effect. With the right approach, they relieve residual inflammation and strengthen the muscle frame so that osteochondrosis does not develop into an intervertebral hernia.

Osteochondrosis can be treated subject to certain rules and conditions. Do not overheat the skin, causing superficial burns. You can't use this method too often. It is forbidden to combine several methods of physiotherapy - after warming up, you should not do a massage. If you adhere to these rules, rehabilitation will give excellent results. If you experience the slightest discomfort or deterioration in your health, you must stop all procedures and seek medical help from a doctor.

How to prevent it?

To prevent neck pain, sit with your neck and back straight. Organize your workspace so that when sitting, your hips are higher than your knees. Do not tilt or move your head forward. Here is a clear example of how you should and should not work at a computer:

Place your feet flat on the floor and adjust the height of the chair to suit your height. Change your position, you can lean back from time to time.

When lying down, place a pillow under your head and neck so that it touches your shoulders. This will relieve the neck muscles. Keep your head level as you go to sleep.

Why is physiotherapy needed?

This method of treating osteochondrosis has been known for a long time, its effectiveness has been repeatedly confirmed by doctors and proven by reviews of recovered patients of our clinic. The essence of this procedure is to influence the patient with various factors - cold, heat, magnetic fields, mechanical influence, due to which the disease stops developing and its most striking symptoms gradually disappear. The method of combating the disease is aimed at:

• Elimination of painful sensations
• Relaxation of tense and spasming muscles
• Improved blood circulation
• Relieving inflammation and swelling
• Stabilization of metabolic processes in damaged areas

When do you need to see a doctor urgently?

• after 7-10 days the pain does not subside or intensifies
• the pain is sharp, prevents you from falling asleep, does not subside in any position;
• general health worsens (weakness, severe dizziness, nausea, etc.);
• one or both hands go numb.

Stretch your neck, do simple exercises with smooth turns and bends even if there is no discomfort, warm up every hour if you work while sitting, watch your posture - this is an excellent prevention of diseases of the muscles and cervical spine.

Indications

All recommendations for warming up for osteochondrosis relate only to the remission stage and can only be carried out after consultation with a doctor.

You can heat the affected area if:

1. The patient experiences chronic, but not pronounced headaches.
2. Sensitivity of the affected area appears.
3. Movement of the neck is difficult, and general stiffness is felt.
4. Along with the pain, there is noise in the ears and spots before the eyes.

Massage

Warming up for osteochondrosis can be done using a warming massage. The procedure helps strengthen muscles, relieve swelling in the affected area, and reduce pain.

A specialist with experience knows what exactly needs to be done to improve well-being in case of cervical osteochondrosis.

If for some reason it is not possible to visit a massage therapist, the procedure can be performed by someone from the patient’s family. Self-massage is also practiced. To do this you can use the following techniques:

1. Stroking (light circular movements that perform the function of the preparatory stage, without pressure or friction);
2. Kneading (impact on all balls of the dermis by kneading the skin);
3. Vibrations (local or widespread movements resulting in vibration of deep tissues).

Deep rubbing, which is the basis of most classical massages, is best avoided. Great intensity and amplitude of movements can cause deterioration of the condition (pinched nerve). Vibrations are carried out both with the help of manual massage and with specialized devices. Before using them, you should read the instructions and consult your doctor.

Osteochondrosis can be warmed up using acupressure. Such influence is carried out only by a specialist. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable. Acupressure helps well with exacerbation of osteochondrosis or the occurrence of an acute relapse. The procedure reduces blood pressure, eliminates headaches, and reduces local pain syndrome.

Acupressure should be carried out in a specialized room. It is recommended not to get up for 20-25 minutes after its completion, since exposure to active points often contributes to dizziness.

Any type of massage, when performed correctly, helps improve the patient's condition. In addition, manual procedures help:

• Warming up the muscular system, relieving spasms;
• Improving local blood circulation;
• Stretching and restoring the functionality of affected joints.

When performing a massage, the correct execution of the procedure plays an important role. Lack of experience, as well as the necessary knowledge of anatomy and physiology, can cause serious consequences. Improper massage can significantly harm the patient's condition.

Before deciding whether it is possible to treat osteochondrosis of the cervical spine with massage, consultation with a specialist is recommended in each individual case.

Additional funds

There is a list of additional sources of heat generation that contribute to warming up in osteochondrosis, namely:

• Warmer;
• Laser and vibration therapy;
• UV irradiation;
• Specialized devices (Vityaz, Almag-01, Almag-02);
• Blue lamp.

Such procedures provide a positive therapeutic effect when used systematically as part of complex treatment. They cannot be used independently (without medications or other thermal agents).

Warming your neck with cervical osteochondrosis is not only possible, but also necessary. Direct heat sources should not be used for therapeutic effects. A positive effect is achieved by procedures that warm through indirect thermal effects on tissue (compresses, massages, baths).

Individual tolerance must be taken into account, so you should consult your doctor before performing the procedure.

Warming up

Thermal procedures have a positive effect on the body's condition, enhancing blood supply processes. This allows you to reduce or completely eliminate pain for a while. Warming the neck with cervical osteochondrosis should be done extremely carefully, avoiding maximum temperatures. There are a number of contraindications in which the use of thermal procedures can worsen the course of the disease.

Do not expose affected areas to direct heat sources. A couple is better for this. Provided that heat is used correctly, of course, warming the neck with osteochondrosis is not only possible, but also necessary.

Steam treatments will help:

• Expanding pores and removing toxic substances accumulated in the upper spheres of the epidermis;
• Removing dead skin layer;
• Improving blood circulation in the affected area;
• When using medicated oils or creams, the skin is enriched with nutrients;
• Relieving muscle spasm.

Thermal procedures must be used extremely carefully, following safety rules. Before using them, you should consult your doctor. You can begin to warm your neck with osteochondrosis after the doctor’s permission, and also provided that there are no direct contraindications to thermal procedures.

Isn't it better to douse yourself with cold water?

In itself, dousing with cold water will not bring benefits for osteochondrosis , as it can cause vasoconstriction or hypothermia, which will only intensify the pain. But a contrast shower will be very useful. It will dilate blood vessels and relax muscles.

In our other publications you will learn about whether it is possible to swim and drink alcohol with cervical osteochondrosis.

In order to defeat cervical osteochondrosis, you need to use all methods that are approved by the attending physician. When using heating, you need to be careful and follow all recommendations as accurately as possible so as not to harm the body.

Mustard plasters

Mustard plasters are often used to relieve inflammatory processes and relieve pain. To carry out the procedure, you must follow the instructions. Exceeding the permissible time of use may cause local skin burns.

Contraindications to the use of mustard plasters are decompensated conditions (renal, heart failure) and allergic reactions.

Warming up the neck with mustard plasters will help:

• Improve local blood flow and circulation in the brain;
• Accelerates metabolism, helping to normalize the functioning of the affected joint;
• Increases blood circulation in the pathologically changed area.

Contraindications and restrictions

1. Warming should not be carried out during an exacerbation, or without the consent of a doctor.
2. Warming is contraindicated in the presence of concomitant inflammatory diseases, diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as in case of damage to the skin at the site where the procedure is planned.
3. You should not resort to warming up osteochondrosis if you are concerned about reflex vascular spasms, high or low blood pressure, high body temperature and anemia.

The effect of heat on a hernia

Warming up a vertebral hernia is prohibited if:

• The disease is in an acute stage.
• The nucleus pulposus prolapses into the spinal canal.
• The dural sac has become deformed.
• The hernia is more than 7 mm in size.

We talked in more detail about contraindications for patients with cervical osteochondrosis here.