Is it possible to treat osteochondrosis with folk remedies?

Osteochondrosis is a disease characterized by degenerative-dystrophic changes in the intervertebral discs and articular cartilage. Treatment of pathology is complex, including traditional medicines, physiotherapy, massage, physiotherapy exercises, as well as traditional medicine. The latter include decoctions and infusions of medicinal plants, ointments and rubbing prepared at home.

Osteochondrosis of the spine on a CT scan

Despite the fact that the effect of pharmacy drugs is superior to alternative methods of treating this disease, most medicines can cause some adverse reactions. Folk recipes are distinguished by a mild effect on the body and the almost complete absence of the risk of negative reactions.

cervical

When localized in the cervical spine, a person is disturbed by headache, nausea, stiffness during movement, bouts of dizziness when tilting and turning the head, and general malaise. To correct degenerative-dystrophic changes in the cervical and cervico-shoulder zone, you can use the following recipes:

  1. With severe pain in the neck, preparehomemade analgesic and anti-inflammatory rubbing. Take 10 ml of iodine, 250 ml of 70% ethyl alcohol, 5 tablets of metamizole sodium pre-crushed into powder, 5 ml of camphor alcohol. The ingredients are mixed in a vial and shaken thoroughly. The finished rubbing is applied to the cervical-collar area, after which this area is wrapped with a warm scarf.
  2. Ginger-garlic ointment. Finely mince 1 small ginger root and 1 garlic clove. Mix with 1 tablespoon of butter. Apply to the collar area 2-3 times a day.
  3. Pine bud tincture. Take 150 g of well-washed pine buds, pass through a meat grinder. Transfer the resulting minced meat to a glass dish and cover with sugar in a ratio of 2: 1. Close tightly and put in a dark place for 10 days. Tincture to use 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day, regardless of food intake.
  4. Warm baths with the addition of decoctions of medicinal herbsand other natural ingredients. Due to the thermal effect, the procedure has a relaxing effect on the skeletal muscles, reduces the intensity of pain, calms the nervous system and helps improve blood circulation in damaged areas of the musculoskeletal system.
Osteophytes in the cervical spine with osteochondrosis

Bath preparation methods:

  • 20 pieces of horse chestnuts pour 1 liter of water, then bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. The finished broth is filtered and poured into a hygienic bath. The average duration of thermal exposure is 20-25 minutes;
  • two handfuls of young birch leaves are steamed with 1 liter of boiling water, and infused for 30 minutes. The resulting concentrate is used as an additive to the medical-hygienic bath;
  • 250 g of pine needles are poured into 500 ml of boiling water and simmered for 15 minutes. The finished product is filtered and used warm as an additive.

Thoracic

In people whose work activity is associated with a long stay in a sitting position, in addition to the cervical, thoracic osteochondrosis develops. In the treatment of this disease, it is customary to use such folk methods:

  1. herbal tincture. Take 50 g of Potentilla herb and 70 g of cinquefoil roots. The mixture is placed in a glass jar and poured with 700 ml of vodka. The medicinal tincture is kept for 15 days in a dark, dry place. The finished medicine is filtered and taken during the period of exacerbation, 20 drops 3 times a day, washed down with a small amount of water. The course of therapy is 21 days, after which it is recommended to take a ten-day break and repeat the course.
  2. Alcoholic tincture of calendula flowers. Take 100 g of dried flowers of the plant, mix with 150 ml of triple cologne and 150 ml of camphor alcohol. The mixture is tightly closed with a lid and infused for 2 weeks. The finished tincture is used as a rub for muscle spasms, severe pain, burning, numbness;
  3. Water infusion of bay leaves. Mix 250 ml of water and 5 g of bay leaves. The resulting mixture is brought to a boil, poured into a thermos and infused for 12 hours. The finished product is filtered and consumed 50 ml 2 times a day. The course of therapy with laurel infusion is 3-4 days.

To achieve the best result, the listed methods are recommended to be used in combination with physiotherapy procedures and therapeutic massage, which effectively fights muscle hypertonicity and other symptoms of pathology.

Another option to combat the clinical manifestations of the disease is hirudotherapy or exposure to leeches. EFFECT: method allows eliminating muscle spasm, improving local blood circulation, as well as accelerating the recovery of intervertebral discs. The active components contained in the saliva of leeches help to reduce congestion and swelling of soft tissues. This treatment option is recommended for people with individual intolerance to certain groups of drugs.

Lumbar

Signs of degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the lumbar spine can serve as a factor in the partial loss of working capacity. For therapeutic purposes, the following recipes of traditional healers are used:

  1. Red Chili Warming Blend. Mix 80 ml of refined sunflower or olive oil with 5 g of red pepper powder and 10 ml of kerosene. The resulting mixture is thoroughly shaken and used as a compress on the lumbar region. The agent has a locally irritating, anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effect.
  2. Massage oil based on oregano herb. Mix 0. 5 l of olive oil and 150 g of chopped dry oregano herb. The resulting mixture is infused for 7 days, after which the oil is filtered and used in a relaxing massage of the lumbar region.
  3. Infusion of strawberry leaves. The medicine is prepared at the rate of 50 g of dried strawberry leaves and fruits per 500 ml of boiling water. The medicine should be infused in a thermos for 1 hour. It has a tonic and anti-inflammatory effect.
  4. Warm baths with sea salt. This therapeutic technique helps to relax the muscles of the lower back, improves metabolism in the structures of the spinal column, and accelerates regenerative processes in damaged intervertebral discs.

Knee and hip joints

Destructive processes in osteochondrosis affect not only the structures of the spinal column, but also the area of the knee and hip joints. Alternative medicine experts recommend the use of rubbing, compresses, applications and baths made from natural ingredients for the treatment of this pathology. The most effective ways to treat the knee and hip joint at home include:

  • Warm therapeutic baths with a decoction of a string. Fresh and dried herb sequence contains an abundance of tannins, manganese, and other biologically active components that can effectively fight inflammation and swelling of the joints. Take 2 handfuls of dry grass, pour 1 liter of boiling water. Boil the resulting mixture over low heat for 15 minutes, then strain. Add to warm bath.
  • Homemade egg butter. Separate 2-3 yolks from hard-boiled eggs, fry in a pan until a dark liquid appears. The resulting medicine is decanted into a separate bowl and used warm for rubbing into damaged joints.
  • Burdock leaf compresspreviously passed through a meat grinder.
  • Fir oil, which can be purchased at a phytopharmacy. It is used during therapeutic relaxing massage.
  • Lavender and Bergamot Oil. When using, try to avoid getting the oil on the mucous membrane of the eyes.

Effective folk recipes for the treatment of osteochondrosis

Table 1.Effective folk recipes for the treatment of osteochondrosis

An unconventional way of treatment Recipe and method of administration Therapeutic effect
Infusion of green spruce cones
  1. Prepare 25 pieces of young spruce cones.
  2. Take 1 cone daily, pour 300 ml of boiling water, leave for 40 minutes and drink warm 2 times a day for ½ cup.
  3. The infusion should be prepared daily from fresh raw materials.
Improves metabolic processes in the body, relieves inflammation and accelerates the regeneration of cartilage tissue
dill tincture
  1. Pour 150 g of dill seeds into 0. 5 liters of vodka.
  2. The finished mixture is infused in a dark place for 12 days.
  3. Use 15-20 drops 3 times a day.
Helps eliminate dizziness, normalizes metabolism
Black radish with honey
  1. Take 1 large fruit, wash thoroughly and grate on a fine grater along with the peel.
  2. In the resulting slurry add 1 tbsp. l. honey and 1 tsp. vinegar.
  3. The finished mixture is tightly corked and insisted in a dark place for 5 days.
  4. It is recommended to use the medicine externally in the form of compresses.
It has a local irritating and anti-inflammatory effect. Relieves pain and stiffness in the spine

Recommendations for treatment with non-traditional methods

Before starting self-treatment at home, it is necessary to be examined by specialists - a therapist, rheumatologist and neurologist in order to establish an accurate diagnosis, identify the cause of the disease, severity, predict the risk of complications, and possible side effects.

During therapy with folk remedies, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

  • during the period of subsiding of acute manifestations, daily morning exercises should be performed, which will improve body flexibility, normalize joint mobility and prevent another exacerbation;
  • observe a proper diet - eat dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals. Follow the normalization of body weight. Eat in portions and fractionally, use table salt as little as possible;
  • take into account contraindications for the use of folk remedies by patients with concomitant pathologies. For example, thermal effects on the body are categorically contraindicated for people with malignant and benign neoplasms, chronic pathologies of the cardiovascular system, blood diseases and severe disorders of the central nervous system;
  • throughout the course of treatment with traditional medicine, it is necessary to be under the supervision of a doctor.

Be sure to consult your doctor before treating diseases. This will help to take into account individual tolerance, confirm the diagnosis, make sure the treatment is correct and exclude negative drug interactions. If you use prescriptions without consulting a doctor, then this is entirely at your own risk. All information is presented for informational purposes and is not a medical aid. You are solely responsible for the application.