The Vertebral column or spine:-
· The vertebral column, also known as the backbone or spine consists of a sequence of vertebrae, a series of bones which is separated and united by an intervertebral disc.
· The vertebrae and the intervertebral discs together form the vertebral column.
· The major function of the vertebral column is protection of the spinal cord, which passes down the back through openings in the vertebrae from base of the brain to the end of spine.
· Vertebral column is a flexible series of vertebral bones that are joined with each other to support the head, neck, and body and allows for their movements.
· The vertebral column usually consists of 33 vertebrae - 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebra, 5 lumbar vertebra, 5 sacral vertebra and 4 coccygeal vertebrae.
Cervical Spine:-
The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae from C1 to C7.
These vertebrae start at the bottom of the skull and spread down to the thoracic spine.
The cervical vertebra close to the skull is C1and is the smallest cervical vertebra.
As it goes down to C7 get into bigger insize.
Likewise all of the cervical vertebrae are smaller than the thoracic vertebrae.
Cervical vertebrae C3 , C4, C5, C6 are known as typical vertebrae because have the same basic features with most of the vertebrae throughout the spine.
In between the two vertebrae there lies a soft pad like structure called intervertebral disc which function as a shock absorber like when a person walk, run or jump.
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue about 18 inches long runs within the protective spinal canal from the base of the brain to the end of the spine.
The spinal cord serves as the transmission pathway to relay messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
From the spinal cord 31 pairs of spinal nerve are emerged out and named according to where it emerges and passes through the bones in the spinal vertebrae. 8 pairs of cervical spinal nerve emerge from the cervical spine (the neck portion) and those spinal nerves have come out from the spinal cord through the specified holes in the concern vertebra.
If that spinal nerve get compressed by any means either by the touching of inter vertebral disc or narrowing of the-passing hole it causes pain to those part it supply.
Here-are 6 commonly used homeopathic medicines for neck pain and cervical spondylosis:-
Rhus tox :–
Rhus tox is the most commonly used medicine for cervical spondylosis. The common symptoms on which it is prescribed are pain and stiffness of the part. The pain is generally aggravated by first motion, lying posture, cold damp atmosphere and relieve by any warm application. The others symptoms are numbness or tingling sensation in the arms. Generally the pain is more aggravated in the damp cold weather. Keeping the arm in rest position makes feel the person more pain, but movement does not have. If those are the symptoms then rhus tox will help.
Cimicifuga:-
Cimicifuga or Actaea Racemosa is generally prescribed when there is pain in the neck portion from over use of fingers like those who types in computer keypads long hours with an odd posture, those who plays piano boards long hours, those who stitch or knit hour together. There is more pain in the neck portion when the patient bend his forward or bowing of head. The pain and stiffness is more in the shoulder areas.
Ranunculus bulbosus:-
The pain is felt over the neck portion and sometimes spread downwards and chest portion too. There is more pain during the morning hours and any sort of movement aggravates the pain. Moving the head also causes pain even a deep breathing increases the pain. The pain is associated with numbness feeling of arms. Like cimicifuga the pain is also originated after a long time of writing on laptop keyboard, I-pad, or mobile.
Kalmia:-
It is one of the most important medicine for cervical spondylosis when the pain is associated with numbness of the part. Here thepain origin at the neck portion and spread downwards to arm and fingers. The pain comes in paroxysmal way not like dull persistent pain found in Rhus tox.There is another important symptoms found in kalmia of vertigo or dizziness while looking downwards.
Colocynth:-
There is pain in the cervical or neck portion which is very much relieved by pressure or massage on that area. The characteristic symptom in colocynth to prescribe in cervical spondylosis is pain arise after some emotional disturbances like getting anger or being offended that impact in his sentiment or suppression of the anger. Those play a trigger factor to start neck pain.
Calcarea phos:-
Calcarea phos is the remedy generally prescribed when there is any osteophytes growth on the vertebral portion due to osteoarthritis changes. Pain is more during a damp humid weather. Along with calcarea phos the calcarea flour also helpful in bony changes of cervical vertebrates.