Treatment of radicular symptoms in the arms/brachialgia
The treatment of radicular symptoms in the arms can be carried out in different stages. It is important to first rule out that no tumors or herniated disks are present that are the cause of the problem. Then a timely surgery could be an option.
In general, at the beginning, a basic pain therapy is usually applied. NSAR (non-steroidal anti-rheumatic drugs) such as ibuprofen or diclofenac are often used. In addition, low-potency morphines can also be used for stronger pain conditions.
The injection of locally effective anesthetics, such as lidocaine, can relieve pain and also reduce muscle tension. The use of muscle relaxants to loosen hardenings (drugs that relax the muscles) must be viewed critically and is not advocated by every doctor. In addition to drug therapy, physiotherapy and movement exercises can help well.
If blockages are the cause of the radicular symptoms, manual therapy is possible. In further steps acupuncture, heat and cold therapy and nerve blocks can be applied to reduce the radicular symptoms. In the long term, it is important that patients in whom the radicular symptoms are due to tension and blockages caused by incorrect posture make a lifestyle change and perform regular postural checks and exercises on their own.
While massages have no major effect in the treatment of cervical spine syndrome, at least not in the long term, the build-up of muscles with the help of various exercises is definitely useful. Massages of the neck and throat area provide short-term pain relief. However, stretching or so-called traction, in which the head is pulled slowly in a longitudinal direction to relieve the spinal column, is more promising.
The strengthening for muscle build-up, which should take place in cervical spine syndrome, is called isometric, which means constant volume. The patient should therefore not exert any visible muscle tension, but rather exert pressure against a resistance, according to his or her current capacity. Consistent implementation of such measures also serves quite successfully to make the complaints disappear in the long term, as the entire musculature in the affected area is strengthened.
In addition, thermotherapy has been found to be another field of treatment for cervical spine syndrome, where both cold and heat can be used. The cold therapy (for example with cold air) is mainly used to relieve local superficial pain. However, heat therapy (in the form of warm baths, red light, warm compresses or pillows) is considered more effective by most people.
Electrostimulation is also frequently used. With the help of this so-called transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS), patients can even partially treat themselves. Here, the nerves under the skin are stimulated via attached skin electrodes and the transmission of pain to the brain is to be changed.
There is still very little study evidence for the effectiveness of this procedure, but many patients have already experienced relief from the application. The next step in the treatment of cervical spine syndrome is the more complex local anesthesia, which is more suitable for chronic pain conditions. Here, the affected person is injected with an anesthetic that only has a very limited spatial effect.
This often allows a long period of painlessness to be achieved. Other, somewhat more alternative methods, which are more and more often included in the treatment of cervical spine syndrome, but which should not be used as an independent treatment due to a lack of proven effect, are for example acupuncture or hypnoid procedures. A great relief is also provided by numbing the nerves that cause the pain to radiate into the arm.
The nerves run from a plexus of nerves (= brachial plexus) between the muscles of the cervical spine and then move into the arm.In severe cases, a catheter can be inserted to administer permanent medication, as the effect of individual drugs is limited in time and often has to be repeated. This method is, however, only withheld from serious cases. The many remembered neck brace is rarely used today.
Formerly used very often, it is now only used for a short time, if at all, to relieve the cervical spine. Too long wearing quickly leads to weakening of the muscles, which are urgently needed to be strengthened in the cervical spine syndrome. Therefore, in addition to the relief, the muscle build-up has the higher priority.
Homeopathy should not be forgotten as an alternative treatment method. Depending on the localization and the degree of severity, different homeopathic remedies are used here. Homeopathic remedies for cervical spine syndrome
What is the best way to release neck tensions?
Homeopathic remedies for cervical spine syndrome What is the best way to relieve neck tension? In cervical spine syndrome, both cold and heat therapy can be performed. In this case the patient has to find out for himself what helps him personally more or what feels better for him.
If the radicular symptoms are due to a long-smoldering inflammation, such as rheumatic changes or arthrosis in the cervical spine, then cold therapy is more effective. The use of cold packs – which should not be applied directly to the skin, but are best wrapped in a kitchen towel – helps to reduce inflammatory processes. However, if there is tension or hardening due to incorrect posture or a blockage, then the use of heat is usually better.
In this case, warm pads, heat plasters or a visit to the sauna can be good. The warmth loosens cramps and the muscles loosen. The radicular symptoms in the arm can be greatly reduced or disappear in the meantime. The use of heat and cold should not be continuous. If the symptoms worsen, the application should not be continued.
