Spinal osteochondrosis is a degenerative-dystrophic process that results in damage to the cartilaginous segments of the spine (intervertebral discs) with subsequent involvement of other parts of the spinal segment in the process. Due to greater mobility in the cervical region compared to other parts of the spine and a weak muscular frame, cervical osteochondrosis is observed very often - in more than 25% of cases. AND headache – one of the most common manifestations of this disease.
Clinical picture of cervical osteochondrosis
The degree of severity and nature of symptoms in cervical osteochondrosis depends on the stage of the degenerative-dystrophic process, as well as on the location of the lesion. It should be noted that there is no specific clinic for cervical osteochondrosis; the main manifestations of the disease are pain and loss of sensitivity in the neck, back of the head, shoulder girdle, arms and fingers.
Cervical osteochondrosis is almost always accompanied by headaches (cephalgia), cervicalgia (pain in the neck, radiating to the back of the head, shoulder and arms), limited mobility of the upper spine (neck and shoulder girdle), and dizziness. Depending on the damage to a particular spinal segment, headaches may be observed in different localizations, combined with numbness, short-term or long-term loss of sensation in the shoulder and arms, down to the fingers.
Why is cervical osteochondrosis accompanied by headaches and dizziness?
Headaches are a very common complaint with cervical osteochondrosis. It is often accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, poor coordination, and blurred vision. Let's consider how changes in the spinal column during cervical osteochondrosis lead to similar symptoms.
In the transverse processes from the VI to II cervical vertebrae there are canals through which the vertebral arteries pass, supplying blood to many parts of the brain and the so-called “Frank’s nerve”. Due to degenerative changes in the joints of the spine and directly in the vertebrae, the formation of osteophytes (bone growths) occurs, which leads to a narrowing of the spinal canal and compression of elements of the neurovascular system.
Osteophytes directed to the muscles irritate them, this causes a reflex muscle spasm, which leads to compression of the intervertebral discs, aggravating the course of the disease. Osteophytes, irritating the nerve roots at the exit of the spinal column, cause pain and spasms, the localization of which depends on the affected area.
Osteophytes directed to the canal of the transverse processes irritate Frank's sympathetic nerve, which leads to spasm of the vertebral artery, and also mechanically compress this artery, provoking a violation of cerebral circulation.
An acute disturbance of cerebral hemodynamics (brain circulation) leads to the development of an ischemic attack of the brain, which leads to the appearance of symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis such as dizziness, nausea, headache, loss of coordination, and blurred vision.
Another reason for compression of the Frank nerve and the vertebral artery is displacement of the disc in the posterolateral and lateral directions, protrusion of the disc into the intervertebral canal during a hernia or protrusion (protrusion of the disc without violating its integrity).
The cause of compression of the nervous and vascular structures in the cervical spine can also be subluxation of the cervical vertebrae, their confusion relative to their natural position.
In addition, muscle spasm caused by psycho-emotional fatigue, excessive physical exertion or an uncomfortable position during sleep also leads to poor circulation in the cervical region and, as a consequence, headaches and dizziness.
Texts of strong Orthodox prayers for abdominal pain
You can read the prayer from memory or from a prayer book.
Artemy the Great Martyr
Holy martyr Artemy!
Look down from the heavenly palace on those who require your help and do not reject our petitions, but, as our constant benefactor and intercessor, pray to Christ God, that He who loves mankind and is abundantly merciful will save us from every cruel situation: from cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasions of foreigners and internecine warfare.
May he not condemn us sinners by our iniquity, and may we not turn the good things given to us from the All-Bountiful God into evil, but to the glory of His holy name and to the glorification of your strong intercession.
May the Lord, through your prayers, give us peace of mind, abstinence from harmful passions and all defilement, and may He strengthen throughout the world His One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, which He has acquired with His honest Blood.
Pray diligently, holy martyr, may Christ God bless the power, may He establish in His holy Orthodox Church the living spirit of right faith and piety, so that all its members, clean from wisdom and superstition, worship Him in spirit and truth and diligently care about keeping His commandments, May we all live in peace and piety in this present world and achieve blessed eternal life in heaven, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Him belongs all glory, honor and power, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Matrona of Moscow
O blessed one, Mother Matrono, hear and accept us now, sinners, praying to you, who in all your life has learned to receive and listen to all those who suffer and mourn, with faith and hope who resort to your intercession and help, giving quick help and miraculous healing to everyone; May your mercy not fail now for us, unworthy, restless in this busy world and nowhere finding consolation and compassion in spiritual sorrows and help in bodily illnesses: heal our illnesses, deliver us from the temptations and torment of the devil, who passionately fights, help us convey our everyday Cross, to bear all the hardships of life and not lose the image of God in it, to preserve the Orthodox faith until the end of our days, to have strong trust and hope in God and unfeigned love for others; help us, after departing from this life, to achieve the Kingdom of Heaven with all those who please God, glorifying the mercy and goodness of the Heavenly Father, glorified in the Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Holy Mother of God
Most blessed Lady, Ever-Virgin Mother of God, who gave birth to God the Word more than any word for our salvation, and who received His grace more abundantly than all others, who appeared as a sea of Divine gifts and miracles, an ever-flowing river, pouring out goodness to all who come running to You with faith!
To Your miraculous image, we pray to You, the all-generous Mother of the Humanity-loving Lord: surprise us with Your rich mercies, and speed up the fulfillment of our petitions brought to You, Quick to Hear, all that are arranged for the benefit of consolation and salvation for everyone.
Visit, O Blessing Thy servants, with Thy grace, grant to those who are ill, healing and perfect health, to those overwhelmed by silence, to those in captivity, freedom and various images of the afflicted to console, deliver, O all-merciful Lady, every city and country from famine, plague, cowardice, flood, fire, sword and other temporary and eternal punishments, by Your maternal boldness turning away the wrath of God: and from mental relaxation, overwhelming passions and falls, free Your servants, so that without stumbling in all piety, having lived in this world, and in the future, eternal blessings, we will be honored with the grace and love of mankind of Your Son and God, Him. befits all glory, honor and worship, with His Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Theodore Studitus
O sacred head, reverend father, blessed Abbot Theodora, do not forget your poor to the end, but remember us always in holy and auspicious prayers to God: remember your flock, which you yourself shepherded, and do not forget to visit your children, pray for us, father sacred, for your spiritual children, as you have boldness towards the Heavenly King: do not keep silent to the Lord for us, and do not despise us, who honor you with faith and love: remember us unworthy at the Throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God, for You have been given the grace to pray for us.
We do not imagine that you are dead: even though you have passed away from us in body, but remain alive even after death, do not depart from us in spirit, keeping us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of the demonic and the machinations of the devil, to our good shepherd even more than the relics your cancer is always visible before our eyes, but your holy soul with the angelic hosts, with the disembodied faces, with the heavenly powers, standing at the throne of the Almighty, worthily rejoices, knowing that you are truly alive even after death, we fall down to you and we pray to you: pray about us to the Almighty God, about the benefit of our souls, and ask us time for repentance, so that we may pass from earth to heaven without restraint, and from bitter ordeals, demons of air princes and from eternal torment, may we be delivered from eternal torment, and may we be heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom with all the righteous, from all eternity have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ: to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His Father without beginning, and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Cyrus and John
Suffering fiercely from all our illnesses, we resort to you, holy wonderworkers and free doctors Cyrus and John, for when you preached that the illness of the soul is more severe than all the illnesses of the body; and when the soul is sick with flaws, the body often falls into illness.
We know that through illness we are cleansed of sins, you, holy miracle workers, beseech the Lord that He grant us forgiveness of our sins and, since we are weak and helpless and our strength is depleted in illness, do not allow us to perish, falling into despondency.
Speed up the healing of our illnesses, free doctors, so that upon recovery, spending our days in repentance, we will end our lives in peace and on the day of judgment with a pure heart we will appear before the eyes of the Judge of the Universe, the heart-teacher of God, whom we sing and glorify forever.
Panteleimon the Healer
Oh, holy great martyr and healer Panteleimon, imitator of the merciful God! Look with mercy and hear us, sinners, earnestly praying before your holy icon, ask us from the Lord God, standing before Him with the angels in heaven, for the forgiveness of our sins and transgressions: heal the mental and physical illnesses of the servants of God, now remembered, those present here and all Orthodox Christians, who come to your intercession: behold, for our sin, we are fiercely possessed by many ailments and are not imams of help and consolation: we resort to you, for you have been given the grace to pray for us and to heal every ailment and every disease: grant us through your holy prayers, health and well-being of souls and bodies, advancement of faith and piety, and everything necessary for temporary life and salvation, for having been granted great and rich mercies by you, let us glorify you and the Giver of all blessings, wondrous in the saints of our God, the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Features of headaches in cervical osteochondrosis.
Headaches (cephalgia) with cervical osteochondrosis are usually of moderate intensity. Patients characterize the pain as dull, pulling, boring, pressing (feeling of squeezing of the head). Cephalgia with osteochondrosis is usually paroxysmal in nature (from several hours to several days).
Most often, the pain is one-sided, localized in the cervical-occipital region and spreads to the frontal and temporal regions.
Headaches with cervical osteochondrosis are often accompanied by:
- photophobia (intolerance to bright light);
- phonophobia (increased sensitivity to sounds, noise);
- feeling of stuffiness in the ear;
- complaints of blurred vision.
Stiffness in the cervical spine and muscle tension are often noted. Pain and stiffness depend on the position of the neck, and intensify with tension in the muscles of the affected side, or with prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position.
Headaches with cervical osteochondrosis are often combined with pain in the shoulder and arm.
What can provoke increased headaches with cervical osteochondrosis
- Prolonged forced positioning of the body, especially while sitting at a computer or desk.
- Uncomfortable head position during sleep;
- Sudden head movements, especially rotational ones.
- Impacts, injuries.
- Incorrectly performed massage and other manual procedures.
- Excess weight puts more stress on the spine.
- Eating spicy and salty foods does not directly worsen the headache, but leads to disruption of metabolic processes, which aggravates the disease.
Who's at risk
A mild form of the virus usually occurs in young children, adolescents and young adults, less often in patients aged 35-55 years who do not have chronic diseases. The selective fact is justified by a strong immune system, capable of independently destroying harmful microorganisms.
The disease can be aggravated by obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular pathologies.
However, it was precisely those individuals whose disease was mild who became carriers of the dangerous virus, since they themselves usually did not even know about it. Asymptomatic people are considered to spread coronavirus infection around the world, as they look like completely healthy people.
How to get rid of headaches with cervical osteochondrosis
To relieve headaches, including those with cervical osteochondrosis, analgesics in combination with antispasmodics help well. For severe muscle tension and irritation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be used. However, it must be remembered that these drugs do not treat the underlying disease, providing only symptomatic care, and at the same time they have a number of serious side effects. Thus, analgesics and NSAIDs, including those containing diclofenac, suppress bone marrow function, lower immunity, inhibit gastric secretion, irritating its mucous membrane and provoking the development of gastritis, and reduce blood clotting. In addition, it has been proven that systematic or frequent use of diclofenac increases the risk of heart attack by 40%, and NSAIDs in general lead to the formation of gastropathy, gum ulceration, pancreatitis and aphthous stomatitis. Antispasmodics can cause the opposite effect - increase dizziness, headache, and also cause palpitations and more complex arrhythmias.
Recently, Botox injections have been used to relieve spasms. However, botuloxin is a strong poison; in addition to the unpredictable individual reaction of the body, it can cause headaches, muscle weakness up to paresis of some muscle groups, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system. With each repeated use, the effect of the drug decreases.
Neuroprotectors have a prolonged (long-lasting) effect, improving metabolism in brain tissue and thereby relieving pain. However, such drugs must be taken in long courses, but if used uncontrolled, they can cause dizziness, headaches, anxiety, increased blood pressure and arrhythmia.
It is important to remember that in this case, a headache is only a symptom of the disease. In addition to symptomatic care, it is necessary to direct efforts to fight the disease itself - the spine needs to be treated.
Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis, in addition to the use of painkillers and antispasmodics, should include the use of hydroprotectors, vitamin complexes, as well as exercise therapy and physiotherapy.
Electrophoresis is the most commonly used physiotherapy procedure. Its essence is a local increase in temperature and improvement of blood circulation, which relieves muscle spasms, eliminates pain and speeds up the healing process. In general, any thermal procedures relieve muscle spasms and improve blood circulation.
Magnetotherapy involves the use of low-frequency magnetic field inductors aimed at the problem area, which leads to local dilation of blood vessels, improved oxygenation and metabolism, accelerated elimination of toxins and reduced blood viscosity. Thanks to this, magnetic therapy has an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-edematous effect.
Effective assistance in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine can be provided by a modern drug - the therapeutic pain-relieving anti-inflammatory patch NANOPLAST forte.
Effective rituals and spells
In the old days, all diseases were treated by healers and fortune tellers. Discomfort in the lower back and spine was called utin and they got rid of it with the help of various rituals, incantations and prayers.
The most common and simplest ritual
This popular ritual has long been used by our ancestors. If a person has sprained his back during physical work, he needs to rub his palms with holy water until they become hot, and then apply them to where the pain is acutely felt and say:
A simple ritual with water.
With spindle
If tablets and ointments do not help cope with pain, then you can perform an ancient ritual with a spindle. It is difficult to get this item, however, if you succeed, then all diseases will go away.
At sunset the patient should stand facing the sun. His relative moves a spindle along his back from the back of his head to his tailbone and whispers the following spell:
Spindle plot.
After this, the person should rest, and the spindle should be hidden in a secluded place.
With bread
This ritual is performed with a close friend or family member, who must bring bread with him.
How to do it:
- The assistant sits down at the table and breaks off a piece of bread and gives it to the patient.
- He must eat the bread, and at this time his comrade reads the plot:
Ritual with bread.
The friend takes the leftover baked goods with him and feeds them to the birds. It is important that the birds eat every crumb.
If there is a dog in the house, you can perform a different ceremony. Rub a piece of bread over the affected area, saying:
We repeat the words 9 times.
The baked goods are given to the dog.
For milk
The ritual is considered the simplest. It requires a glass of warm cow's milk, which is enchanted with the following text:
We repeat the ritual for milk three times.
After this, the person suffering from back discomfort drinks milk.
Using boiled water and a towel
This ritual is considered one of the most ancient. Our ancestors used it when back pain became unbearable.
You will need:
- new towel;
- water - 1 l.
How to do it:
- A towel is placed in a container with boiled, still hot liquid and a curse is pronounced three times.
- When the water has cooled to room temperature, the fabric is taken out, dried and tied around the back. In this state, a person should lie for 30 minutes without moving.
Boiling water ritual.
With a pin
In this ritual, a simple pin is used, which will not only relieve pain, but also protect against exacerbation of chronic diseases. It needs to be attached to the clothing from the inside in the place where unpleasant sensations are felt, after first casting the spell:
Spell on a pin.
When the pain subsides, the pin is buried in the ground. At the same time they whisper:
We repeat the words 7 times.
Instead of the old one, they make a new talisman. To do this, another pin is placed in holy water for a couple of hours, and then pinned to the shirt so that it is not visible.
In the bath
A ritual in the bathhouse will help get rid of diseases and increase immunity. You will need a birch broom. After heating the bathhouse, you need to lie down on the shelf and start stroking your back with a broom, saying:
Ritual in the bathhouse.
Afterwards, the broom is buried in a quiet place, and the sore spot is rubbed with camphor oil.
With a towel and a poker
On the waning moon, heat 9 liters of water to room temperature and pour it into a metal container. They lay a towel nearby and stand on it with their bare feet. Taking a poker, they begin to stir the liquid in the basin clockwise, whispering the spell:
We learn the words and repeat them 9 times.
Wash your face with enchanted water and rub it into your back. The ritual is performed for 40 days in a row at sunset.
Morning ritual
Clay can relieve pain. It is heated in a water bath until it becomes soft and pliable, and at dawn it is placed on the sore spot. Using smooth movements, the clay is rolled over the surface of the back until it hardens. At this time the plot is read:
We perform the ritual in the morning.
The clay lump is broken into 4 parts and thrown out each in a separate place: at an intersection, in a well, in a field, in a reservoir.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis with a therapeutic plaster NANOPLAST forte
When treating cervical osteochondrosis, the NANOPLAST forte therapeutic plaster allows you to relieve pain and inflammation, improve blood circulation in the affected area, and relieve muscle spasms. Depending on the condition and severity of degenerative changes in the spine, the drug can be used both in monotherapy and in complex treatment of osteochondrosis. The use of the NANOPLAST patch in complex treatment allows you to reduce the dose of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, enhance their effect, and speed up recovery processes.
The patch combines two types of physiotherapeutic effects - deep soft heating and magnetotherapeutic properties. Long-term exposure - for 12 hours - provides a high therapeutic effect of the drug.
When treating cervical osteochondrosis, the therapeutic plaster NANOPLAST forte is applied to the disturbing area of the neck, avoiding the anterior surface, especially the area of the carotid arteries and lymph nodes. A course of treatment of 9 days or more is recommended. It is usually recommended to use the patch in the morning for 12 hours, but it can also be used at night.
High efficiency, unique composition, long-term (up to 12 hours!) therapeutic effects, ease of use and affordable price make NANOPLAST forte the drug of choice in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis.
Read more about NANOPLAST forte
Is it possible to carry the disease at home?
If the virus is mild, a person can refuse hospitalization and be treated at home. No special treatment methods are required, nor is constant medical supervision. Medications are prescribed as for a common cold. A distinctive feature is compliance with self-isolation.
To prevent infection of others, the patient must be in a separate room, follow the rules of hygiene, and use personal utensils. If the infected person does not live alone in the room, you need to follow important recommendations:
- constantly wash your hands with soap;
- ventilate the room several times a day;
- carry out wet cleaning;
- when in contact with others, wear gloves and a mask;
- After visiting a patient, treat the toilet with chlorine.
