Treatment of osteochondrosis is a very long and difficult recovery process that requires complex treatment. To draw up a treatment regimen, the doctor must take into account a number of nuances:
- Characteristics of the organism.
- Individual intolerance to individual components of the drug.
The doctor can prescribe the treatment only after an accurate diagnosis of the patient.
What is this?
Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects individual segments of the spine, thinning the cartilage tissue. It is very common. Today this disease affects 3 segments of the spine:
- Section of the neck.
- Chest.
- Lumbosacral region.
Each of these species is characterized by its own symptoms and treatments.
Osteochondrosis affects the tissue located between the vertebrae. The tissue between the cartilages under the influence of this disease begins to deteriorate rapidly. Nerve fibers located near the affected cells become inflamed, causing spasms in the arteries. Inflamed blood vessels cannot pass the required amount of blood, so the human body begins to suffer from oxygen starvation. This condition is especially dangerous in cervical osteochondrosis, as oxygen deprivation occurs in the brain and this can lead to serious complications.
Diagnostics
In order for the treatment of osteochondrosis to be more effective, first of all it is necessary to determine the cause of its progression and the extent of the injury, which is not possible without a complete diagnosis. As practice shows, a number of procedures are performed under the supervision of a vertebrologist and orthopedist. The diagnosis of osteochondrosis is confirmed by the presence of certain symptoms, examination and a history of disease progression.
Along with this disease, during the examination, the doctor checks for the presence of scoliosis in the patient, as well as painful sensations with excessive muscle tension.
To clarify the diagnosis, the following measures are taken:
- Tomography.
- X-rays.
- Resonance (nuclear magnetic).
Treatment
First of all, you should understand that only timely hospitalization will help achieve success - self-medication can only harm your health. Thus, the treatment includes a whole range of measures:
- physical therapy.
- Operational intervention.
- Taking medication.
- Proper nutrition.
Also, the patient should be kept in bed, but this is almost impossible. That is why doctors recommend lying on a hard surface more often, especially during sleep. If the painful sensations intensify, it is better to minimize the mobility of the spine.
The main goal of conservative treatment is to halt the progression of the disease and return the spine to the correct position.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is of great help for acute pain in the spine. This therapy consists in the use of magnetic fields, ultrasounds or lasers. Physiotherapy is used in the acute form of the disease, when it is necessary to relieve pain, neutralize inflammation and stop the progression of the disease. This method increases the effectiveness of drug treatment, and also allows you to significantly reduce the dosage of the drug. One of the positive qualities of physiotherapy is the absence of side effects, which means that there are no contraindications either.
Massage
This method has the same advantages as physiotherapy: it has no side effects. However, it must be said that massage cannot be done in the acute course of the disease. Also, it cannot be performed for a number of diseases:
- Diseases of the blood.
- Skin diseases.
- Having open wounds.
- In case of inflammation.
Massage cannot be included in the treatment if there is an acute period of osteochondrosis.
Therapeutic massage has the following effect:
- Has a positive effect on the nerves.
- Stimulates blood circulation.
- Boosts immunity.
- Strengthens blood vessels.
- Normalizes the metabolism.
The massage is based on the effect on the nerves. Manual massage is more effective because the massage therapist is able to soothe the pain by touch. Hardware massage will help stretch the tissues, but has no effect on the nerves.
Taking medications
Medicines should be taken only in the acute period of the disease, when strong painful sensations can be observed. Gels, tablets, and ointments can get rid of pain and relieve inflammation. But using them is consistently unhealthy: they are only for temporary relief. As soon as the painful sensations pass, it is necessary to use physical therapy and massage.
No drug is the solution to the problem. They will in no way help to restore the flexibility of the spine and provide decompression of the discs. Their main purpose is to neutralize pain. The exclusion category includes those drugs that are capable of building cartilage tissue.
The principle of action, first of all, depends on the type of drugs. Various warming ointments can not only relieve intense pain, but also improve blood circulation. However, these drugs tend to disable nerve endings. In some cases, doctors give intramuscular injections, but, as a rule, anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat osteochondrosis.
Manual treatment method
Manual therapy involves manual manipulation of muscles. It will help relieve severe pain in the joints and spine. With this method of treatment, the posture is corrected.
Visceral therapy is one of the manual therapy methods that can help restore joint health and improve immunity. This method is used in the treatment of chronic diseases. It will help prevent complications.
Manual therapy cannot become an independent treatment method. It must be combined with physical therapy, medication and diet.
Home care
The serious mistake in the treatment of the disease is the lack of a deep look: superficial relief from symptoms does not eliminate osteochondrosis, but only temporarily improves the patient's condition. That is why the use of painkillers in home treatment is only an auxiliary method of treatment.
Having temporarily relieved pain in the spine and muscles, remember the main rule - it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease. A number of reasons can include eating a large amount of food and poor body mobility. However, intervertebral disc dystrophy can only manifest itself for one reason - the lack of blood supply to the neck and back muscles. These phenomena cause cartilage to starve, which ultimately leads to their degradation.
As practice shows, specialists give patients all recommendations on the implementation of the necessary measures that will help treatment. These measures include:
- physical therapy.
- Proper diet.
- Taking medication.
- Correct selection of bed linen.
- Rest mode.
Elimination of causes
To say with certainty that the progression of the disease began precisely with improper nutrition or due to stagnation of blood is impossible, therefore it is necessary to adjust a whole program, which is aimed at restoring damage to the discs and blood flow.
It is also worth mentioning the ways to cure the disease at home:
- Diet.
- Restoring blood circulation to the affected area is the main way to cure the disease.
- Introduction of a healthy lifestyle.
- Selection of the mattress.
Elimination of intense pain
- If a little more than 2 weeks have passed since the onset of pain, an anesthetic medicine should be taken together with NSAIDs. They are able not only to relieve pain, but also the inflammatory process.
- If the pain does not leave the patient for 3 months, antidepressants and analgesics with NSAIDs should be used, which contribute to the person's psychological balance.
In addition, the frequency of use and dosage should only be prescribed by a doctor. Self-administration of any drug is prohibited.
Medicines aimed at eliminating the disease
The main cause of osteochondrosis is the destruction of joint cartilage due to problematic metabolism. Pharmacologists have developed chondroprotective drugs aimed at regulating metabolic processes. It is necessary to take drugs of this group after the recommendation of a specialist.
Traditional treatment methods
The use of tinctures and various herbs should be an auxiliary method of treatment, but not the main one. It should definitely become an additional treatment method to traditional medicine. Folk methods help relieve pain and prevent the development of the disease.
None of the treatments can be used without first consulting a doctor.
More recently, a new way of treating osteochondrosis at home has appeared - the use of a massage table.
Prevention
- Regular self-massage in the morning.
- Water treatments.
- Exercise in the workplace.
- Exercise of arms, legs.
Of course, it is worth noting that if the time for prevention was lost, then this list should be supplemented with special gymnastics, which includes exercises for stretching the spine.
Following the advice of your doctor, you can not only prevent the progression of the disease, but also restore the destruction of the intervertebral discs.