Osteochondrosis of the spine is a chronic pathology characterized by destructive and degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. The disease can progress rapidly, causing the development of a hernia that is difficult to treat. Damage to bone and cartilage tissue throughout the spine is rarely diagnosed. Usually, osteochondrosis is detected in one of its sections: cervical, thoracic and lumbar.
Therapy of pathology requires an integrated approach that combines the use of medications, physiotherapy and massage. Before starting to treat osteochondrosis, you should undergo an examination by a vertebrologist or neurologist to determine the causes of degenerative disorders.
Basic principles of treatment.
The danger of osteochondrosis lies in its asymptomatic development at the initial stage. This allows the disease to be diagnosed when the intervertebral discs have already undergone irreversible changes. Therefore, even with rare pain in the neck or lower back, dizziness and sudden stiffness of movements, you should consult a doctor. Pathology detected at the initial stage can be successfully cured without the use of medications: patients are only recommended a series of special exercises.
Since the lack of medical intervention provokes the development of serious complications, a serious approach is taken in the treatment of osteochondrosis. Only following all medical recommendations will help you get rid of pain and stop the destruction of intervertebral discs:
- balance diet.The predominance of fatty, fried and smoked foods in the diet causes the accumulation of harmful cholesterol in the blood vessels located in the spine. The narrowing of its lumen prevents the full supply of oxygen, nutrients and biologically active substances to bones and cartilage. The attending physician always advises patients to give preference to cereal porridges, fresh or baked vegetables and fruits, lean meats and fish;
- drinking regime.Lack of sufficient fluid in the body causes the development of a water and electrolyte imbalance. In the vertebral structures there is a deficiency of mineral compounds necessary for their active functioning. Lack of fluid also leads to the accumulation of waste and toxic compounds that negatively affect cartilage and bone regeneration processes. Daily consumption of 2-2. 5 liters of clean water, tea from chamomile flowers and (or) rose hips will help eliminate the resulting imbalance;
- bad habits.Nicotine and tobacco tar have a negative effect on the condition of blood vessels that supply all parts of the spine. And when ethyl alcohol is metabolized in the liver, intermediate products are formed that are toxic to the human body. By affecting the peripheral and central nervous systems, they disrupt innervation and contribute to the development of inflammation and swelling;
- orthopedic bedding.If a person prefers to sleep on a mattress and a pillow that is too hard or soft, osteochondrosis will not take long to come. During sleep, blood vessels are compressed and bone tissue does not fully receive the necessary substances and oxygen. If it is not possible to purchase orthopedic devices, it is advisable to choose bedding of medium hardness.
A person predisposed to the development of osteochondrosis or who is already undergoing treatment should avoid lifting weights or engaging in active sports. During such training, all parts of the spine experience significant stress, which can lead to degenerative disorders. But a sedentary lifestyle almost always provokes the development of osteochondrosis. Neurologists recommend choosing the "golden mean": long walks in the fresh air, swimming, physiotherapy, gymnastics and yoga.
Treatment with pharmacological drugs.
To cure spinal osteochondrosis, medications for internal and external use are used. The therapeutic regimen developed by a neurologist should solve the following problems:
- etiotropic treatment aimed at eliminating the cause of the development of degenerative-destructive changes;
- symptomatic therapy is carried out to reduce the severity of the inflammatory process and relieve pain;
- Pathogenic treatment makes it possible to stop the progression of the disease to other parts of the spine and prevent the appearance of undesirable consequences.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis detected at a moderate or severe stage of pathology, drugs for intravenous, intramuscular or intra-articular administration are used. After relieving acute muscle spasms and restoring blood circulation to damaged areas, the patient is prescribed treatment with these drugs in tablets, dragees or capsules.
To treat osteochondrosis, medications are used that have a long list of contraindications and side effects. Therefore, when prescribing them, the doctor takes into account the general state of health of the person and the presence of other diseases in the anamnesis. Certain difficulties arise when developing a therapeutic regimen for elderly patients and elderly people, since many of them suffer from pathologies of the liver or organs of the urinary system.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
NSAIDs are the drugs of first choice in the treatment of osteochondrosis. The disease is usually accompanied by acute or mild inflammation, which causes pain and swelling of the tissues and gradually spreads to healthy areas of the spine. NSAIDs help to quickly eliminate the symptoms of the pathology.
Parenteral administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs quickly and effectively relieves inflammation and pain. After a few days, the positive result of its use is confirmed by a course of capsules or tablets. NSAIDs are not prescribed to patients with ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract. One of the side effects of treatment is deep damage to the mucous membranes. To prevent ulceration, patients are recommended to take proton pump inhibitors simultaneously with NSAIDs.
Along with oral administration of NSAIDs, they are used in the form of ointments, creams or gels. External agents are applied to damaged areas of the spine several times during the day. The active ingredients of the ointments penetrate the inflamed tissues and stop the development of the pathological process, while eliminating pain and stiffness of movement.
Glucocorticosteroids and anesthetics.
Osteochondrosis is usually accompanied by acute painful spasms that limit freedom of movement. In such cases, the use of paravertebral blocks is practiced, which use anesthetics and hormonal drugs.
Local neuromuscular blockade allows not only to quickly eliminate severe pain, but also to completely stop the spread of inflammation due to the presence of a glucocorticosteroid. But neurologists resort to the help of hormonal drugs in extreme cases, when NSAIDs have proven ineffective. Hormonal drugs can have serious side effects, one of which is a sharp decrease in immunity.
Analgesics and antispasmodics.
To reduce the severity of pain, drugs with analgesic and antispasmodic activity are used. They affect smooth muscle fibers, weakening their tone. Capsules and tablets have a prolonged effect, which allows them to be used as a prophylactic agent in case of relapses of pathology.
In cases complicated by severe inflammation, it is advisable to combine antispasmodics and analgesics to enhance the pharmacological effect. The use of this combination is most relevant in the treatment of patients in whom the pathological process has caused an increase in temperature and symptoms of general intoxication.
Muscle relaxants
Muscle relaxants will help reduce the severity or completely eliminate muscle spasms that often occur with osteochondrosis. Doctors prefer to combine its use with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain. This allows you to significantly reduce the dose of NSAIDs, while achieving a broader spectrum of therapeutic activity and minimizing the likelihood of damage to the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.
Osteochondrosis of the neck and back can be treated with the following muscle relaxants:
- Intramuscular administration of an anticholinergic helps dilate the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients to the spinal structures. At the same time, the muscle relaxant has an analgesic effect;
- Using a GABAb stimulator helps quickly relieve painful muscle spasms. The patient regains the ability to move without feeling discomfort;
- With the help of an a2 adrenergic receptor agonist, the natural mobility of intervertebral discs that have lost their shock absorption capacity is restored. A single dose of the drug effectively eliminates even the most severe pain.
Muscle relaxants successfully cope with the treatment of osteochondrosis, but when prescribing them, neurologists warn patients not to exceed doses. Some of the drugs are mentally and physically addictive. Muscle relaxants are not recommended for people suffering from pathologies of the urinary organs due to the possibility of accumulation of active substances in the tissues.
Chondroprotectors and vitamins.
These drugs are used in the treatment of osteochondrosis to strengthen and restore damaged intervertebral discs. Chondroprotectors are first administered parenterally, and after a few days the patient takes these drugs in capsules or tablets. The duration of the treatment course varies from several months to a year. Thanks to the presence of glucosamine and chondroitin as active ingredients, chondroprotectors gradually regenerate damaged bones, cartilage and joint tissues, normalizing their functional activity.
B vitamins are used to improve the innervation of damaged intervertebral discs. Before starting to treat osteochondrosis, the cause of the pain syndrome is established. Most often it occurs when the nerves located in the spine are pinched. A course of vitamin B normalizes the conduction of nerve impulses.
Physiotherapeutic procedures.
Various physiotherapeutic techniques are used to treat osteochondrosis of any part of the spine. The neurologist usually chooses one of them, the most suitable for a specific patient. However, if the pathology occurs against the background of severe inflammation, the use of various physiotherapy methods is practiced. The most effective methods include:
- ultraviolet irradiation;
- electrotherapy;
- balneotherapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- shock wave therapy;
- detention therapy;
- Punctual or zonal vibration impact.
Doctors often combine the above methods with electrophoresis to speed up the patient's recovery.
Before the procedure, tissue tampons soaked in solutions of antispasmodics, anesthetics and chondroprotectors are applied to damaged areas of the spine. At the top there are metal plates through which weak discharges of electric current pass. This ensures delivery of medications directly to damaged intervertebral discs.
Therapeutic massage and gymnastics.
You can get rid of osteochondrosis with the help of classical or oriental massage, provided that there is no acute or chronic inflammatory process in the spine. Pain syndrome also matters. The procedure is carried out only in the complete absence of severe discomfort. Indications for massage are stiffness of movement, excessive muscle tension and poor circulation. Therapeutic manipulation is carried out by specialists, and after feeling better, the patient can perform the procedure at home using a rolled towel or a piece of dense cloth.
After several sessions, the symptoms of osteochondrosis weaken due to the multiple therapeutic effects:
- blood circulation is restored to damaged areas;
- the delivery of nutrients and molecular oxygen resumes;
- the innervation of all parts of the spine is normalized.
Therapeutic gymnastics classes are also initially carried out under the supervision of a trainer, who selects a set of exercises individually for each patient. At the initial stage of pathology, this will help you forget about painful spasms forever, even without the use of pharmacological medications. After recovery, performing a series of exercises serves as an excellent prevention of any spinal diseases.
Recipes from traditional healers.
Cervical or thoracic osteochondrosis can be treated with folk remedies only after the main treatment. It is advisable to use medicinal herbs, mumiyo, ethyl alcohol or honey during the rehabilitation period or in the remission stage to prevent relapses of the pathology. What traditional healers recommend:
- Prepare a liter of boiling water 3 tablespoons. tablespoons of St. John's wort and 7 tbsp. spoons of elecampane. Let it rest for 2 hours, strain. Drink 0. 5 cups after each meal;
- take warm baths daily, adding 10 to 15 drops of thuja, eucalyptus, fir, sage and palmarosa essential oils to the water;
- apply compresses in the form of a linen cloth soaked in a mixture of equal parts of honey and 40% ethyl alcohol for 1-2 hours.
Home remedies are used only with the approval of the treating doctor. Many of them have warming properties, therefore their use is unacceptable in cases of severe inflammation due to the possibility of the pathological process spreading to healthy areas of the spine.
All patients of neurologists wonder if it is possible to cure osteochondrosis without the intervention of surgeons. In most cases, the use of drugs and physiotherapy procedures is sufficient to completely restore the intervertebral discs. If the doctor insists on surgical intervention, you should not refuse. Modern methods are very effective and safe and do not involve a long recovery period.