Cervical spondylosis is very common spinal problem which worsens with age. It is the wear and tear with aging that affects spinal disks in your neck. With time the disks dehydrate and shrink leading to osteoarthritis. It is also referred to as cervical osteoarthritis or neck arthritis.
Usually there are no symptoms but some people may get chronic pain or tingling sensations in the nearby area of the neck, hand and fingers. Neck stiffness, headaches and in some cases loss of balance is also felt.
Usually nonsurgical remedies often are effective in pain relief from cervical spondylosis.
Cervical spondylosis can also be caused by neck injuries, increased stress, incorrect sitting, standing and sleeping postures and sedentary lifestyle. The genetic bone weakness can also cause cervical spondylosis.
For most people, simple lifestyle changes and the following home remedies should be enough to take care of cervical spondylosis.
1. Lifestyle Changes
These changes will not give you instant relief from the pain but will over a period of time to strengthen the muscles in the neck around the spine to get relief from the condition.
Consciously ensure that your spin is straight while sitting and standing position. This requires almost 24 hours of attention as you body has been accustomed to sit in a particulate way. There will be an initial discomfort but they are well worth in the long term. This is more of a habit change, therefore a long term commitment is required to get full benefits.
2. Neck Exercises
There are different neck exercises that will help you to instantly get relief from the pain caused by cervical spondylosis. These exercises involve both head and hand to move.
- As a first step, bend your hands from the elbows and rest your palm on respective shoulders. Lift the bend elbow upwards until they are parallel to the head. Bring them down to complete one cycle. Do 20-30 cycles. Keep the elbows bent and palm on the shoulders during the whole processes. This will loosen your shoulder muscles.
- In the second step take both hands above the had and then lock your palms on each other behind the head. While holding the palms on the back of the head move your bent elbows in front so that your forearms touch your head and ears. Take the elbows back in the original position. Do this also 20-30 times. This will strengthen your shoulder and arms muscles.
- In the third step Keep both your hands down parallel to your body and slowly rotate your head clockwise by keeping the chin up. Then anticlockwise from one end to the other. Do this also 20-30 times.
All the above three steps can be done either by sitting on a chair or standing on your feet. Ensure that your spine is straight in both cases.
3. Hot and Cold Compress
Apply hot or cold compress on your neck to relax the stiff sore muscles. You can apply hot and cold compress alternatively to get better effect.
Sleep straight on your back and keep your hands straight parallel to your body. Ask someone to apply compress. This will ensure faster,better and long term relief from the cervical spondylosis pain.
4. Other Pain Relief Measures
The other methods to reduce pain from cervical spondylosis include, taking over the counter pain relief medications, but they may upset your stomach and have other side-effects. So use the following age old home remedies for pain relief
- Drink ginger tea 3 times a day. Ginger is highly anti inflammatory and improves blood circulation.
- Drink turmeric powder milk before going to bed. Add one teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of warm milk. Stir it well to mix it. Drink it.
- Eat two garlic cloves empty stomach every morning. Drink 3 glasses of water slowly.
These pain relief measures will produce results over a period of time. You can stick to ginger tea for your life time as it is very good for blood circulation and keep your metabolism in check.