| Drugs prescribed to relieve pain or | | | | diet of elderly persons suffering from |
| relax muscles in cervical spondylosis do | | | | spondylosis should consist of salad of |
| not cure the disease. These can become | | | | raw vegetables such as tomato, carrot, |
| habit forming and may actually | | | | cabbage, cucumber, radish, lettuce and |
| perpetuate the condition in case of | | | | at least two steamed or lightly-cooked |
| excessive intake. Certain safety | | | | vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, |
| measures, especially for people in | | | | carrot, spinach and plenty of fruits. |
| sedentary occupations, are necessary to | | | | The patients should have four meals |
| relieve and prevent spondylosis. The | | | | daily. The patient should avoid fatty, |
| most important of these is exercise | | | | spicy and fried foods, sour curd, |
| which improves the supply of nutrients | | | | sweets, sugar, condiments as well as tea |
| to spinal discs, thereby delaying the | | | | and coffee. Those who smoke and take |
| process of deterioration that comes with | | | | tobacco in any form should give up |
| age and eventually affects everybody. | | | | completely. Proteins and Vitamin C are |
| Safe exercises include walking, swimming | | | | necessary for the development of a |
| and bicycling. The latter should be done | | | | healthy bone metrix. Vitamin D, calcium, |
| keeping the back upright. Other | | | | phosphorous and the essential trace |
| exercises found beneficial in the | | | | minerals are essential for healthy |
| treatment of cervical spondylosis are | | | | bones. Foods that have been processed |
| joint movements like folding and | | | | for storage to avoid spoiling have few |
| unfolding of fingers, moving the wrists | | | | nutrients and should be eliminated from |
| up and down, rotating them in both | | | | the diet. Certain food remedies have |
| clockwise and anti-clockwise direction, | | | | been found beneficial in the treatment |
| folding and unfolding of the forearms | | | | of spondylosis. The most important of |
| and rotating the shoulder clockwise and | | | | these is the use of garlic. Two or three |
| anti-clockwise;. head and neck exercises | | | | capsules of this vegetable should be |
| like moving the neck up and down, moving | | | | taken daily in the morning. It will give |
| to the sides, rotating the neck | | | | good results. An oil prepared from |
| clockwise and anticlockwise and | | | | garlic and rubbed on the affected part |
| nodding the neck from one shoulder to | | | | will give great relief. This oil is |
| another; and shoulder exercises like | | | | prepared by frying 10 cloves of garlic |
| lifting the shoulders up and down, | | | | in 60 grams of oil in a frying pan. They |
| moving the shoulder in clockwise and in | | | | should be fried slowly till they are |
| anticlockwise directions. All these | | | | brown. After it is cooled, it should be |
| exercises should be undertaken three | | | | applied vigorously on the affected part |
| times daily. Those with sedentary | | | | and allowed to remain there for three |
| occupations should take a break to stand | | | | hours. The patient may thereafter have a |
| up every hour. Soft-cushioned seats | | | | warm bath. This treatment should be |
| should be avoided and position should be | | | | continued for at least 15 days. Relief |
| changed as often as possible. Elderly | | | | from pain can be obtained by taking |
| persons with spondylosis should sleep on | | | | lemon juice mixed with common salt twice |
| a firm mattress on their sides with | | | | or thrice daily. A piece of the chebulic |
| knees bent at right angles to the torso. | | | | myrobalan taken after principal meals |
| They should use thin pillows or avoid it | | | | also gives quick relief. Other measures |
| altogether, if possible. They should | | | | found valuable in cervical spondylosis |
| take care never to bend from the waist | | | | are mild oil massage to the neck, |
| down to lift any object, but instead | | | | shoulders and hands, hot fomentation for |
| should squat close to the object, | | | | five to 10 minutes twice a day or five |
| bending the knees but keeping the back | | | | to 10 minutes of exposure to the Infra |
| straight and then stand up slowly. The | | | | red rays. |