Cervical spondylosis is an age-related condition characterised by wear and tear of the spinal disks in your neck. Owing to the dehydrating and shrinking disks, bone spurs and other signs of osteoarthritis develop. Cervical spondylosis causes no symptoms in most cases but when symptoms do occur, they are in form of pain and stiffness of the neck.
Treatment for cervical spondylosis focuses on relieving pain, easing movement of the neck and preventing permanent injury to the spinal cord and nerves. Apart from over-the-counter medications and surgery, home remedies can help patients.
Garlic and Vegetable Oil
Take a few cloves of garlic and crush them. Add them in a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Heat the mixture and allow the oil to cool down. Using it to massage the neck helps lessen pain and stiffness. It is advised to massage the area twice and thereafter take bath with warm water.
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Ginger
Ginger has a potent anti-inflammatory compound known as gingerol which eases neck stiffness. Make your ginger tea by adding a teaspoonful of fresh, grated ginger to hot water.
Neck Exercises
Neck exercises can relieve pain and help you maintain your usual activities as much as possible. Look towards one side and then slowly drop the chin to your chest and repeat the same motion at the other side. Do it for around five times.
Hot or cold pack
If your neck muscles are sore, applying heat or ice pack to your neck can be of great help.
Yoga and Pilates
Both the alternative therapies can work on the mind-body connection and enable you to focus on your breathing while doing controlled movements. Not only do they help relax your body but they also strengthen your core and spinal muscles. Not all exercises are safe for those with cervical spondylosis. Therefore, talk to your doctor before beginning yoga or pilates program.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a well-known alternative treatment that soothes pain without medication. The practice uses fine needles to bring energy force called your Chi to play. According to practitioners, unblocking the energy force can relieve various symptoms of physical illnesses, including neck pain. In this manner, you need to free up your body's Chi channels (known as meridians) to restore a healthy, energetic flow of Chi.
If natural remedies and solutions don’t help, your doctor might suggest muscle relaxants, anti-seizure drugs, narcotics and steroid injections. Surgery is a last resort and is recommended when conservative treatment fails or if your neurological signs get worse.
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