Massage for osteochondrosis is part of the complex therapy of the disease. You can take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as much as you like, use expensive chondroprotectors, but you cannot achieve the desired effect.
Only because the modern lifestyle provokes the accumulation of chronic muscle tension, which reduces the effect of the use of drugs, and limits the supply of nutrients to the tissues surrounding the already diseased spine.
Does massage help with osteochondrosis
Massage for osteochondrosis is a useful and irreplaceable remedy. If you go through treatment sessions regularly, back pain will bother you less often. This is noticeable after 4-6 treatments.
When combining the course with adequate drug treatment, sufficient mobility and correct, rational nutrition, osteochondrosis will leave you alone, there will be no exacerbations. Therefore, massage for osteochondrosis is not only possible, but also necessary.
Indications and contraindications
But is the procedure always necessary for all patients with osteochondrosis? Specific indications are:
- Osteochondrosis of any part of the spine without exacerbation.
- Muscle stiffness, limitation of mobility caused by osteochondrosis.
Let’s pay special attention to contraindications. Any patient needs to know about them. Massage is not done:
- In the stage of exacerbation of osteochondrosis.
- With a pronounced pain syndrome.
- In the presence of any acute pathologies – viral infections, etc.
- In the presence of oncological pathologies.
- For severe chronic diseases.
- Patients with arterial hypertension.
- Patients with skin inflammation.
IMPORTANT! Massage of the cervical spine should be done especially carefully and carefully. It is in this section that the great vessels that feed the brain are located.
How to do the procedure correctly at home
If for some reason you do not want to carry out the procedure in a specialist’s office, treatment sessions can be organized at home.
But at the same time, it is necessary that the relative who will carry out manipulations on you has at least the slightest idea of what he is going to do.
Fortunately, there is enough literature on this topic, you can even find a training video.
- The room you choose should be spacious enough, bright and warm. The preferred air temperature is 22-23 degrees. At low temperatures, the patient will feel uncomfortable and the therapeutic effect of the procedure will decrease.
- Now about the surface for massage. The procedure cannot be carried out either on the sofa or on a soft bed. The surface of the couch should be hard, but not hard. Think of the hospital couch. If you are doing massage at home, look for furniture that is similar to medical furniture. You can also adapt a table-book under a massage couch. To do this, it must be covered with foam rubber and covered with something soft. Massage of the cervical and thoracic areas can be done by sitting the patient in a chair, facing the back. The support for the body during massage must be reliable. Otherwise, good muscle relaxation cannot be achieved.
- The patient must take a shower before the session. And after the massage, rest for about half an hour.
Views
There are many types of therapeutic massage. This is not to say that a certain type is intended for a specific part of the spine. But there are still preferences. Let us consider in more detail the types of therapeutic manipulations and indications for them.
Classical
The most common and well-known is classical massage, which is performed by the hands of a masseur. The method is universal, suitable for the treatment of cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral osteochondrosis, as well as for mixed forms of pathology.
Classical massage also has a second name – Swedish. So they call him abroad. Therefore, do not be fooled if private specialists offer you a Swedish massage for an amount different from the cost of a classic massage. As a result, you get the same manual procedure.
The techniques of classic manual massage are represented by four sets of movements:
- Stroking. Smooth movements with both palms.
- Kneading. Hand movements resemble dough manipulation. If the massage therapist is too active, the procedure can be a little painful.
- Trituration. The movement is performed in a circle, with the base of the palm or with the pads of the fingers.
- Vibration or tapping. Short, rhythmic movements with the fingers or the edge of the palm.
Vacuum
Sometimes, with osteochondrosis of the thoracic and lumbar regions, the doctor recommends not only classical massage, but also vacuum massage.
It is one of the many types of hardware massage, that is, it is performed with the help of special devices.
So that you can clearly imagine the effect of applying vacuum exposure – remember the good old jars that your grandmothers used for home treatment.
Of course, few people use classical banks anymore. But it is in their likeness that vacuum cupping massage is performed. Modified cans are equipped with a rubber bulb or connected to a special vacuum apparatus. During the procedure, vacuum cans move around the body in a specific order.
Vacuum massage is not recommended at home. In massage rooms, vacuum is used to treat osteochondrosis of the thoracic, lumbar sacral spine. For exposure to the cervical spine, it is not recommended.
Point
This is a special effect on acupuncture points. It is called acupressure or shiatsu technique. There are about two thousand acupuncture points on the human body. It is difficult for a layman to learn them, but it is possible to remember a few basic ones. The method is universal, for all types of disease.
Acupuncture points that can be acted upon for osteochondrosis are not necessarily located on the back. Points on the auricle, upper and lower extremities are convenient for self-massage.
Honey
The combination of the healing properties of honey and the massage therapist’s movements guarantee an excellent result. However, honey massage cannot be used by people with diabetes. Among such contraindications, an allergic reaction to honey is also taken into account. Regarding osteochondrosis, honey massage is indicated for all forms.
Therapeutic honey massage is slightly different in technique from the classical procedure. The patient should be warmed up before the session. It should be warned that it is advisable to remove hair if it is present on the back, because the effect of the massage therapist’s hands with honey applied to them will be painful.
Only natural honey is used for massage . Artistic product is not applicable.
Self-massage technique
Self-massage is also a variant of a medical procedure. The advantages are obvious: it can be carried out at home without involving outside specialists. True, it will not be possible to massage the back, it is simply inconvenient. Therefore, various self-massage techniques can be used for the cervical region, upper limbs, and shoulder girdle.
Video about self-massage for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine (collar zone), thoracic and lumbar:
There are many methods, but for their application it is advisable to undergo training in special courses. You can act on the cervical spine without training, using the following scheme:
- Prepare a comfortable chair.
- Take the most free and comfortable position.
- Start by stroking the cervical spine. Movements should be soft, smooth, directed from the back of the head to the shoulder girdle. A five-minute stroking will sufficiently warm up the neck muscles, preparing them for a more aggressive effect – rubbing.
- Rub for the same time. The movement is carried out with the edge of the palm. Too active movements should not be done, the impact on the cervical region should be very careful.
- Kneading is the final stage. Do it with your fingers, on one side and the other of the spine.
- You need to finish with light circular influences of the fingertips. The direction of movement is along the spine, from the back of the head to the shoulders.
Session recommendations
To avoid exacerbations of osteochondrosis, massage should be done regularly. But how to choose the right specialist? You can, of course, go to the specialized office of the district clinic. But there are always queues, recordings, etc.
Therefore, private specialists are always popular. But if you decide to contact a private trader, consider a few points:
- Check if the massage therapist has a medical background. Ask to show your state diploma. Also take an interest in the documents confirming the specialization. Unfortunately, there are a lot of charlatans in this area, so be selective.
- Talk to patients who have been treated by your chosen specialist. If this is not the first time patients come to him, then they are satisfied with the results.
- You can combine treatment with a visit to the pool. Usually, the staff of health centers employs professional massage therapists.