Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine

Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects more and more people every year. This condition is accompanied not only by very painful sensations, but also by scarring of muscle tissue. The disease significantly reduces the standard of living, causing not only physical, but also moral suffering, because osteochondrosis often interferes with performing even everyday, household duties.

One of the main methods of complex treatment of osteochondrosis at the Arnovel clinic is massage, which speeds up the treatment process, prevents complications, and alleviates the patient’s general condition. Our clinic employs only experienced specialists, chiropractors, who will help you choose the optimal type of massage depending on the individual condition of the patient. Let the treatment of osteochondrosis be faster and easier!

Why does osteochondrosis appear?

Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the human musculoskeletal system. Its main cause is disturbances in the structures of the spinal column of vital metabolic processes. In this case, degenerative changes occur, primarily affecting the intervertebral discs (their height decreases, as well as the distance between them), which in turn leads to damage to the nerve endings and arteries. This disrupts a person’s motor activity and the following processes occur:

muscle asymmetry appears;
muscle tissue becomes scarred;
pain occurs (including painful spasms).

Massage for osteochondrosis helps tone muscles, eliminate pain, and restore blood supply (including blood supply to the brain). In some cases, such a massage is much more effective and better than physical therapy. It is only important that the massage is prescribed and performed by an experienced specialist who has extensive practical and theoretical experience and knows the intricacies of performing this literally jewelry work. Our specialists working at the Arnovel Aesthetic Medicine Center regularly improve their skills to offer patients the latest innovations in the field of manual therapy.

Back massage for various types of osteochondrosis: cervical, thoracic, lumbar

Cervical.
A patient suffering from cervical osteochondrosis can take a sitting position during the session, and the impact itself will be limited mainly to kneading the cervical-collar area.
Chest.
Damage to the vertebrae in the center of the back often leads to pain that radiates to the shoulder joints. Including the deltoid muscle area in the treatment area helps to quickly eliminate pain. Back massage for osteochondrosis of the thoracic and lumbar spine is also performed on the entire surface of the back of the body.
Lumbar.
In the lumbar region, the pace of the massage intensifies: the massage therapist uses tapping and effleurage techniques, as well as intense kneading and vibration.

Kneading the gluteal muscles includes impact with fists, the inside and ribs of the palm.

What is therapeutic massage used for?

Since ancient times, the positive effect of massage on the body has not been in doubt. Impact on active points of the body allows you to relieve the patient from pain, slow down degenerative processes in the body (stop their spread), speed up the healing process, and also prevent relapses of the disease. In addition to massage, hardware procedures similar to massage, as well as therapeutic exercises, are often prescribed.

Massage can be prescribed exclusively by a professional neurologist, who will assess the relevance of the method in each case individually. It is worth noting that therapeutic massage cannot replace full-fledged drug therapy. It is used before treatment, before exercise therapy, first of all, to activate the body’s internal resources, direct them to the healing process, but most importantly, to return comfort to the patient’s life!

Depending on the location of osteochondrosis, there are several main methods of influencing the painful area:

rubbing;
stroking;
tapping;
vibrations, etc.

The massage technique becomes more complicated with each procedure, which allows you to accelerate the onset of the effect of the sessions and ensures rapid recovery of the patient’s body when receiving complex therapy for osteochondrosis.

Selection criteria and nuances of searching for a specialist

To get a good effect from a massage, you need to choose the right specialist . It is better if it is recommended by the attending physician.

How to check a massage therapist?

If the attending physician has not recommended anyone, then you should use the services of a certified massage therapist working in a large medical institution or rehabilitation center.

It is better if he has a secondary medical education and proven work experience in his specialty.

What effect can be achieved with massage?

By prescribing massage for osteochondrosis, doctors at the Arnovel Aesthetic Medicine Clinic manage to achieve the following results:

reducing pressure on the nerve endings of the spine, reducing the spread of degenerative processes in the body (this allows you to stop the acute stage of the disease), eliminating muscle spasms and painful syndrome;
restoration of the supporting and motor function of the spine;
normalization of blood circulation, as well as lymph flow - this leads to a decrease in swelling and relief of the inflammatory process;
strengthening the muscle corset, returning the tone of muscles that have begun to atrophy (helps to avoid displacement of individual vertebrae);
motor activity is restored, joint function is normalized, and their mobility is restored; tissue sensitivity also increases, and the numbness characteristic of some conditions with osteochondrosis disappears.

In the early stages of the disease, the use of massage as a method of complex therapy can completely eliminate the symptoms of the disease without the use of additional drugs.

Interesting! The main advantages of massage are manual effects of a local nature - only the affected area is treated, blood circulation improves, and muscles are strengthened.

Before prescribing therapeutic massage, gymnastics and physical therapy at the Arnovel center, the patient undergoes a full examination with a diagnosis and treatment. The doctor determines the rationality of using a particular technique to alleviate the patient’s condition.

Massage for exacerbation of osteochondrosis and spinal fissures

A decrease in intervertebral space leads to periods of good and bad health in the patient, so patients often wonder whether it is possible to do a massage if the patient has an exacerbation of osteochondrosis, but there is a strong desire to visit a massage room. Vertebrologists classify this condition as a temporary contraindication - after the pain has subsided, the course of treatment procedures can be completed without restrictions.

Doctors refer to the condition, which is called a spinal fissure, as fractures that occur after a blow, fall, or a person gets into an accident. An unfavorable situation can lead to a fracture of both the vertebra and its spinous and transverse processes. You should resort to a massage therapist only after the bone and cartilage tissues have healed. The reason is a high risk of increasing destructive processes due to increased mobility of muscles and skin.

Loss or decreased sensation in the limbs is a likely sign of a spinal fracture and spinal cord injury.

Indications for a massage course

Massage for osteochondrosis is not prescribed in all cases. Specialists at the Arnovel Clinic carry out diagnostics and decide on the acceptability of this method of therapy. In addition, the specialist will assess the patient’s general condition and draw conclusions about the most productive massage technology in each case - from self-massage to modern manual procedures.

The main indications for prescribing a massage course are:

frequent remissions of the disease (both partial and complete);
muscle wasting;
if severe pain is pronounced (primarily in the area of the spinous processes, as well as with pain in the area of the sciatic nerve - this is determined by palpation of the patient by a chiropractor);
in the first stages of development of osteochondrosis, when there is a slight deformation of cartilage and bone tissues, a slight manifestation of degenerative processes;
scoliosis – in this case there is a pronounced asymmetry of muscle tissue; a situation arises when on one side of the spine the muscles are overstrained and shortened, and on the other they are constantly relaxed and do not receive any load; this can lead to severe pain, while massage can eliminate the problem;
lordosis and kyphosis - in this case, massage helps to normalize the “position” of the spine, removing unnatural deflections in the spinal column;
impaired motor function of the joints (primarily the knees, characterized by severe pain as a result of a bruise or other injury); Most often, massage in this case is combined with therapeutic baths and other procedures;
fractures and chronic lesions, joint inflammation.

Degrees of osteochondrosis: 1, 2, 3, 4 stages

Regardless of the localization of the pathology - in the neck, lower back or chest, with all types of osteochondrosis, the same pathological changes are observed inside the vertebrae and discs that separate them.

Stage 1.
Initial changes are associated with a slight decrease in the height of the disc, but already in this form the displacement leads to the appearance of cracks in the fibrous ring and dehydration (dehydration) of the vertebral core. Pain in a person appears only when an uncomfortable position is maintained for a long time.
Stage 2.
Further reduction in the height of the disc leads to weakening of the ligaments and spinal muscles, which begin to hold the vertebrae worse. For this reason, their mobility increases, especially during physical activity. At stage 2, the appearance of bone outgrowths (osteophytes) is possible, while in patients with stage 3 they are already diagnosed in 100% of cases.
Stage 3.
The disc, experiencing excessive pressure from adjacent vertebrae, takes on a flattened shape, in which part of it extends beyond the limits of contact with the vertebrae. The patient is diagnosed with protrusions (“protrusions”), prolapses, and arthrosis of the intervertebral joints. With this form of the disease, back massage for osteochondrosis can still help the patient prevent complications from occurring. Symptoms of the third stage: prolonged pain arising from pinched nerve roots.
Stage 4.
Rupture of the fibrous ring leads to the appearance of an intervertebral hernia, causing acute pain and problems with movement (ankylosis develops - immobility of the vertebral joints). The type of treatment chosen depends on the size of the hernia: surgery is indicated in the presence of a large prolapse - more than 12 mm, as well as signs of sequestration (separation of part of the disc and its entry into the area of the spinal canal adjacent to the vertebra).

Contraindications to massage

Despite the fact that massage seems to be a universal solution to the problem of osteochondrosis, it may not be prescribed in all cases. It is simply unacceptable to prescribe a course without consulting a neurologist! The main contraindications to prescribing a massage course:

the presence of any oncological diseases, as well as benign tumors (in this case, neither the size of the tumor nor its location matter);
open form of tuberculosis;
presence of untreated sexually transmitted diseases;
disorders of the skin in the area of inflammation (scratches, wounds, burns, warts, etc.);
aneurysm;
disruption of the circulatory system, weak vascular walls;
osteomyelitis.

A relative contraindication is the patient's pregnancy. In this case, the doctor makes an individual decision on the admissibility of using massage.

Self-massage

Self-massage is the simplest type of massage, which is most often prescribed “in combination” with professional massage. It does not require special skills, but it is based on classical massage techniques. Most often it is applied several times a day (usually 2 or 3) and takes a short time - no more than 10-15 minutes. It does not require special preparation, and it can be performed not only at home, but also at work. Most often, experts recommend using the following massage techniques:

the sore area (primarily the neck) is actively stroked for several minutes (with a light degree of pressure) with the pads of the index and thumb;
With the edge of the palm, the chest is first rubbed with quite a lot of effort, and then lightly “tapped” with a fist - at the same time, pressing movements are also performed.

Self-massage allows you to enhance the effect of professional procedures, speed up pain relief, and develop not only the cervical spine, but also the thoracic spine, which has a positive effect on the general condition of the patient. In addition, self-massage does not take much time and allows you to do your own thing.

Prognosis for treatment of osteochondrosis with massage and frequency of its implementation

Therapy, which exclusively includes taking medications and maintaining a rest regime, is ineffective, while exercise therapy together with massage for osteochondrosis helps to increase blood flow and strengthen muscles. Stages 1 and 2 of the disease can be corrected—it is relatively easy to slow down destructive processes. At stages 3 and 4, visiting a specialist is also useful, however, these forms can no longer be treated exclusively with massage. With careful attention to health, the prognosis is favorable.

The frequency of procedures depends on the patient’s condition: for prevention, 5–7 sessions are sufficient, carried out once every six months; if the condition worsens, it is necessary to double the number of sessions, sometimes triple (up to 10–20 procedures), and reduce the intervals between courses to 2–4 months. In the presence of hernias and protrusions, treatment tactics are determined strictly individually.

The dynamics of treatment depends on following the doctor’s recommendations and eliminating the main damaging factors - excessive physical activity, poor posture, physical inactivity, and excess weight.

Hardware types of massage

This is one of the most modern and gentle methods of influencing the affected areas. It does not require effort on the part of the massage therapist, and therefore is easier to perform. Hardware massage is usually most effective when there is significant pain. The main types of such massage are hydromassage (water jet massage), as well as pneumatic massage and vibration massage.

Using these techniques allows you to achieve the following results in just a few sessions:

blood and lymph circulation improves;
degenerative processes in intervertebral discs are slowed down, the sensitivity of nerve endings is restored;
after the first session there is a noticeable decrease in inflammation.

Unlike manual massage, hardware procedures are usually more pleasant and “softer”, but they cannot always be recommended in complex cases of osteochondrosis, since the devices cannot “work” the desired areas the way an experienced chiropractor can do.

The benefits of massage for the musculoskeletal system

Regular neck massage helps the patient to alleviate the condition, slows down the progression of the disease and minimizes or completely eliminates pain.

Its effect on osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is as follows::

Massage relieves muscle spasms and restores their tone if they are weakened.
Normalizes lymph flow in the affected area, disturbed due to inflammation.
Improves blood circulation in the tissues responsible for feeding the intervertebral discs.
Helps reduce pressure on the large vessels of the neck, which are responsible for feeding the brain and the nerves passing through this area.
Relieves swelling in the affected areas that accompany the inflammatory process, reduces pinching of the spinal roots, which is one of the main causes of pain.
Strengthens the muscle frame.
Helps eliminate headaches, pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms.
Stabilizes the state of the nervous system and the general well-being of patients.

To obtain a lasting result, massage should be carried out in a course of 10-12 procedures..

Acupressure

It is usually used as a complement to classic massage. It is used for muscle wasting, as well as for severe pain. The procedure can hardly be called pleasant, since it is accompanied by constant pressure and active kneading of painful points in the back and neck with bent fingers (while a constant feeling of mild to moderate pain remains). Despite this, acupressure is one of the most effective types of massage for osteochondrosis, as it allows you to relieve pain for a long time.

It is recommended to perform acupressure on an empty stomach - you cannot eat at least 1.5 hours before the procedure.

How many sessions are needed for recovery?

It is important to understand that massage is not a universal treatment for osteochondrosis and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system and can only be used as an effective addition to other methods. To achieve a stable result, you usually need to take 1-2 courses, each of which consists of 5-10 sessions. The duration of one session is usually from 15 to 25 minutes. Improvements appear by the end of the first course, but pronounced positive dynamics are diagnosed after 2 courses of treatment.

Positive dynamics are observed after two courses of massage

Note! After the first sessions, back pain may worsen. This condition is normal, since the muscles need time to recover and adapt to the new condition. This usually takes about 48 hours. Such pains usually disappear after 3-4 sessions.

Video - Features of therapeutic massage for thoracic osteochondrosis

Massage is an effective remedy for the treatment of osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, which can be used after regression of acute symptoms. For the treatment to be effective, it is important not only to follow the technique, but also to adhere to the recommendations for preparing for the procedure and behavior during the massage. To achieve the desired result, two courses of 5-10 procedures are usually sufficient.

Massage and water treatments

To cure osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, it is recommended not only to attend massage sessions, but also to do therapeutic exercises. A special course of exercises is selected by a physical therapy doctor after a comprehensive diagnosis. You can find out which exercises are the most effective from the article on our website.

Classic manual massage technique

Since classical massage is most often used for osteochondrosis, there is a general technique for its implementation, which includes the following steps:

A superficial massage begins the session. The chiropractor uses circular, zigzag, and wave-like movements with both palms. The movements themselves are usually stroking or rubbing.
Deep massage. This is pressure with one hand placed on top of the other in the affected area along the line of the transverse vertebral processes.
Cervical spine massage. In this case, stroking and rubbing movements are performed in the neck area. This helps normalize blood circulation in the affected area.
Strong movements knead connective and muscle tissues.
At the end of the session, the doctor performs relaxing pats, taps, and vibration movements. The session ends with stroking the back with straight palms.

When performing a massage, the patient must sit on a chair or lie on the couch with his stomach down. It is important to note that with the right approach to massage, tangible results are noticeable already in 1-2 sessions, since the pain syndrome is significantly reduced. Arnovel clinic specialists will carry out high-quality professional work and help reduce the manifestations of osteochondrosis. In addition to complex therapy, the disease will subside within a few weeks!

Features of thoracic spine massage

Osteochondrosis in this area is the most difficult to cure. It is not recommended to massage the thoracic region at home or on your own. It's better to leave this to a professional.

The procedure can be performed either lying down or sitting. If the patient is sitting, the specialist gently warms up, rubs and works the area, trying to warm up and relax the muscles. The session begins and ends with light strokes.

If the patient is lying down, a small cushion is placed under his chest. First, the specialist will warm up the skin, then rub the back muscles with longitudinal movements. The session ends with kneading.