Bubnovsky's method for the treatment of a hernia in the cervical region

A hernia in the region of the cervical spine is a pathology that is quite rare in medical practice. True, despite the rarity, it is impossible to insure against it today, since many factors contribute to its development, including the peculiarities of the lifestyle of a modern person.

Exercises according to the Bubnovsky method for a hernia of the cervical spine can help to cope with the symptoms of the disease. True, it is important to know how to perform gymnastics correctly, what are the indications and contraindications, and due to what, in general, simple physical activity can be useful.

Signs and symptoms of the disease

The cervical spine is an area that, throughout life, simply experiences enormous loads, which are not easy to cope with, despite being adapted to them. Moreover, modern people tend to sit at the computer or in front of the TV in one position for a long time, not thinking about the fact that during this period the muscles spasm, and the load on the spinal column only increases.

In the neck area, the distance between the vertebrae is the smallest, and the intervertebral discs are the thinnest. If they are subjected to a load for a long time, they begin to be pressed into the region of the spinal canal, leading to the appearance of characteristic complaints.

In addition to pain, the patient may complain of:

• acute pain syndrome, localized in the interscapular space and turning into aching discomfort at rest;
• attacks of dizziness due to clamping of the arteries that supply the brain with oxygen;
• increased fatigue, which is most often explained, again, by oxygen starvation;
• trembling in the limbs, especially in the fingers when trying to perform any small actions that require special accuracy of movements;
• problems with the ability to concentrate normally on trivial things.

If a person suffers from such symptoms, he is strongly advised to consult a doctor. The specialist will determine the symptoms characteristic of the cervical spine, be able to draw conclusions about their severity and give optimal recommendations.

Often the list of recommendations will include physical education, thanks to which the disease can be brought under control.

Interestingly, even after surgical treatment, all patients are recommended to perform exercises of varying degrees of intensity. This is done so that the patient who has undergone the intervention can quickly restore his working capacity and be able to return to an active life.

How does gymnastics work with hernias

Many patients suffering from pathological protrusions are concerned about the logical question of how exercise therapy works with a hernia of the cervical spine? Indeed, it would seem that with such defects, rest and minimal movements should be recommended, and the doctor, on the contrary, prescribes physical education!

Everything is very simple. Any gymnastic exercises are primarily aimed at relieving pronounced muscle spasm in the area of ​​pathology, as well as improving blood circulation.

Muscle spasm is a natural response of the body to pain. Often, patients suffer from discomfort in the neck, not because the hernia presses on the spinal nerves, but because the surrounding muscles are in a state of spasm, which causes discomfort. A small load is just aimed at eliminating the spasm and returning the muscles to normal performance.

Accelerating blood flow to the affected area also achieves several goals. First, the intensity of inflammation in the area of ​​irritation of the spinal nerve decreases . Along with the inflammatory response, pressure on sensitive nerve endings also decreases.

Secondly, blood flow improves, which means that the regeneration process is more active. In young patients involved in physical education with lesions of the cervical spine, a noticeable improvement in well-being is revealed, and sometimes a significant decrease in the size of the pathological defect.

In the cervical region there is a minimal muscular frame, which also negatively affects the spinal column in this area. Simple physical activity will strengthen the muscles in this area, transferring some of the load from the weakened spinal column.

A slight stretch can help to ensure that the vertebral disc, on which the protrusion has formed, returns to its anatomical place, and the nucleus pulposus ceases to protrude into the lumen of the spinal canal. 

All these effects in combination can help the patient not only cope with the disease, but also completely get rid of it in some cases. The main thing is to systematically and without delay follow medical recommendations, showing maximum responsibility in relation to your health.  

Important recommendations

For effective treatment of a hernia of the cervical spine using the Bubnovsky method, you need to remember a number of simple recommendations that will help you not harm yourself. First of all, of course, before starting classes, you need to consult a doctor and get approval from him for classes. It is best if the first sessions of physical education will be supervised by a specialist in exercise therapy. This will help to avoid overload, which never contributes to recovery.

Also recommended:

• conduct classes only during the period of remission, when the symptoms of the disease have significantly weakened or completely disappeared, since in exacerbation physical education will do much more harm than real benefit;
• increase the load gradually and strictly dosed, not trying to perform the most difficult exercises in the maximum available quantity at the very first lesson, since this will not be useful for the musculoskeletal system, and for the body as a whole;
• exercise regularly and with increased frequency, devoting at least 1 hour daily to this, in order not only to achieve any significant effect, but also to consolidate it (irregular exercises will not bring tangible benefits to the body, even if a person performs a huge load in one sitting).

With a herniated disc in the neck, it is necessary to choose the right set of exercises in order to influence the affected area as much as possible. This can be difficult to do, since not all exercises activate the regeneration process in the defect area. True, to refuse general strengthening exercises is also not worth it.

The easiest set of exercises

If symptoms are identified and treatment should be started as early as possible, and there is no opportunity to consult a doctor yet, you can start with the simplest complex. It has practically no restrictions, and includes only 4 exercises that anyone can handle.

Namely:

1. It is necessary, while maintaining an even posture, to sit on a chair (best of all, if it has a high back). Then the head is tilted to one shoulder, then to the other. It is important to remember that there is no task to reach the shoulder with the ear as much as possible, it is enough to achieve a slight tension in the muscle structures. On inspiration, they bend, and on exhalation, return the head to a level position.
2. After making the inclinations, while maintaining the same position, nods are made. The patient should tilt the head forward so that at best the chin can reach the chest. If you can’t reach out, then you don’t need to overpower yourself, you can tilt until a slight tension appears.
3. By analogy with the previous exercise, the head tilts back. In this case, it is recommended to maintain the slope for at least 5-7 seconds, and only then return to the starting position.
4. The starting position is the same, but now you need to slowly turn your head in one direction, then in the other. Movements should be smooth, without abrupt transitions.

This set of exercises shown in the video is very simple and accessible to anyone who cares about their health. Such a simple warm-up in 15 minutes can be performed even at the workplace, without being distracted from everyday activities.

The essence of the Bubnovsky technique

Bubnovsky Sergey Mikhailovich is a man who personally developed a set of exercises designed to deal with a wide variety of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Naturally, hernial protrusions were no exception.

Bubnovsky's technique is based on:

• complete relaxation of all muscles, which allows you to eliminate the discomfort caused by spasm, remove swelling and overexertion;
• work with all the muscles of the human body, which is especially useful for those patients in whose life there is too little physical activity, since there is no time for it;
• stretching the spinal column itself and the muscles around it, which allows for a long time to preserve the youthfulness of muscle tissues and their elasticity, as well as restore the normal anatomical structure of the spine;
• strengthening the muscle frame, preparing it for the heavy loads that he will have to face in everyday life;
• no need to use drug therapy to obtain the desired effect.

Any Bubnovsky complex is built on the maximum refusal of outside help in terms of restoring one's own health. And, not surprisingly, given the professionalism of the doctor, the methods work.

If classes based on a simple technique are carried out regularly, it is possible not only to get rid of existing symptoms, but also to prevent further progression of the disease. The main thing is to correctly follow all the recommendations and undergo an examination confirming the diagnosis before starting classes.

List of exercises recommended for patients

Bubnovsky's exercises for a hernia of the cervical spine are performed only with a relaxed neck. This will allow you to perform all actions as correctly as possible and achieve the best effect.

The list of exercises is as follows:

1. The first exercise is a warm-up, it is necessary for the muscles to prepare for further stress. The patient needs to sit on a chair with a high back, pull his shoulders to the neck, and then, with a slight muscular effort, sharply lower them back down. Repeat steps 7-8 times.
2. Maintain original position. Now you need to slowly, without sudden movements, make the maximum possible turn of the head to the right. Return to the starting position and from it turn your head in the opposite direction. In each side you need to look 7-8 times.
3. Keeping the starting position, the neck and head are pushed as far forward as possible. Then they make inclinations first in one direction, then in the other direction so that a feeling is created that the person is reaching with his ear to the ceiling.
4. Perform exercises from a simple list in order, avoiding tension in the muscles of the neck.
5. Maintain original position.
   Gently turn your head to the right to about half your capacity. Then bring the turn with the help of the shoulder and stay in this position for several seconds. Return to PI and repeat on the other side. Enough 7-8 runs in each direction. If a person already has some kind of stretch, and back pain has not bothered for a long time, Bubnovsky's gymnastics allows you to perform such an exercise as a bridge. With it, the load is evenly distributed throughout the spine, involving the cervical region too. True, the exercise is strictly forbidden to everyone who has just begun to seriously engage in physiotherapy exercises.

You can add any Bubnovsky exercises to your taste to the list. The main thing is that the classes are feasible. The patient has no goal of breaking any world records. He performs physical activity solely for his own health.

When the load is harmful

Many patients mistakenly believe that gymnastics is a panacea for everything, and vertebrae can be treated with it at any time. This opinion is fundamentally wrong, as any qualified doctor can tell.

Contraindications for performance include:

• the period of hernia exacerbation, when the symptoms are felt especially clearly and their relief with the help of medicines is necessary;
• a period of exacerbation of other chronic pathologies, which usually impose serious restrictions on physical activity;
• various disorders of the heart or breathing that occurred during exercise.

Pain is an important contraindication. If during the course the patient complains of pain, it is necessary to stop the procedure immediately. Pain is a signal that the body is not yet ready for certain loads. However, it is important to remember that discomfort and pain are by no means synonymous. Feeling discomfort during exercise is normal, feeling pain is a pathology.

It is also important to remember that it is pointless to expect an instant improvement in general condition. Gymnastics requires careful and lengthy exercises to make sense of them.

A few simple recommendations

To maximize the effect of physiotherapy exercises, patients are advised to follow a number of simple medical recommendations.

These include:

• refusal to perform exercises that involve a strong twisting of the spinal column (for hernias that have recently left the acute stage, twisting can lead to a relapse of the pathology, due to which the patient will again lose all the previously achieved positive effect);
• it is forbidden to perform exercises with a large amplitude of movements and at maximum speed for the first time (initially, the task of the patient and the doctor is to understand how the body will react to the load, and only if the reaction is favorable, it is recommended to increase both the amplitude and the speed execution);
• it is not at all necessary to perform the entire complex of exercise therapy at once, on the contrary, it is much more useful to divide the exercises into several small complexes, which you can devote time to several times throughout the day;
• the back and neck must be protected from sudden movements, such as various pushes and blows, because of this, it is not recommended to perform various jumps and other similar abrupt exercises.

A hernia of the cervical spine is a disease from which there is no 100% insurance today. However, it has been proven that people who exercise are less likely to suffer from this disease.

Exercise therapy will also help to cope with the disease. The Bubnovsky method, developed by a specialist taking into account all the characteristics of the human body, is a great way to deal with the problem. The main thing is to remember about contraindications and carefully follow medical recommendations. If Bubnovsky's gymnastics is performed conscientiously and regularly, you can even cope with a fairly neglected cervical hernia.