Osteochondrosis of the spine is a chronic pathology characterized by destructive and degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. The disease can progress quickly, causing the development of a hernia that is difficult to treat. Damage to bone and cartilage tissue is rarely diagnosed throughout the spine. Usually osteochondrosis is detected in one of its sections - cervical, thoracic, lumbar.
Treatment of pathology requires an integrated approach combining the use of medications, physiotherapy and massage. Before starting to treat osteochondrosis, you must 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 makes it possible to diagnose the disease when the intervertebral discs have already undergone irreversible changes. Therefore, even in case of 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 recommended only a set of special exercises.
Since the lack of medical intervention leads to the development of serious complications, a serious approach is taken to the treatment of osteochondrosis. Only compliance with all medical recommendations will help you get rid of pain and stop the destruction of intervertebral discs:
- Balanced diet.The predominance of fatty, fried and smoked foods in the diet leads to the accumulation of harmful cholesterol in the blood vessels located in the spine. The narrowing of their lumen prevents the full supply of bones and cartilage with oxygen, nutrients and biologically active substances. 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 a fluid and electrolyte imbalance to develop. In the spinal structures there is a deficiency of mineral compounds necessary for their active functioning. Lack of fluid also leads to the accumulation of waste products and toxic compounds that negatively affect the regeneration processes of cartilage and bones. Daily consumption of 2-2. 5 liters of clean water, tea made 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 the 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 pillow that is too hard or too soft, osteochondrosis will not take long to come. During sleep, blood vessels are compressed and bone tissue is not fully supplied with the necessary substances and oxygen. If it is not possible to purchase orthopedic devices, choose bedding of medium hardness.
A person predisposed to the development of osteochondrosis or already under treatment should avoid lifting weights or engaging in active sports. During such training, all parts of the spine experience significant stress, which can cause degenerative disorders. But a sedentary lifestyle almost always becomes the cause of 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
In order to cure osteochondrosis of the spine, drugs are used for internal and external use. The treatment 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 treatment is carried out to reduce the severity of the inflammatory process and relieve pain;
- pathogenetic treatment makes it possible to stop the progression of the disease to other parts of the spine and avoid the occurrence 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 a course of these drugs in the form of tablets, dragees or capsules.
To treat osteochondrosis, drugs are used that have a long list of contraindications and side effects. Therefore, when prescribing them, the doctor takes into account the general health of the person and the presence of other diseases in the anamnesis. Certain difficulties arise when developing a treatment regimen for elderly patients and the elderly, since many of them have pathologies of the liver or organs of the urinary system.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
NSAIDs are the drugs of first choice in the treatment of osteochondrosis. The disease is often accompanied by acute or mild inflammation, causing pain and swelling of tissues, gradually spreading to healthy areas of the spine. NSAIDs help to quickly eliminate the symptoms of pathology.
Parenteral administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs quickly and effectively relieves inflammation and pain. After a few days, the positive result of their 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 ulcerations, 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 into the inflamed tissues and stop the development of the pathological process, while eliminating pain and stiffness of movements.
Glucocorticoids and anesthetics
Osteochondrosis is often 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 hormonal drugs in extreme cases, when NSAIDs have proven to be ineffective. Hormonal medications can have serious side effects, including a sharp decrease in immunity.
Analgesics and antispasmodics
To reduce the intensity 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 relapse of pathology.
In complicated cases of severe inflammation, it is advisable to combine antispasmodics and analgesics to enhance the pharmacological effect. The use of this combination is especially relevant in the treatment of patients in whom the pathological process has caused an increase in temperature and symptoms of general intoxication.
Muscle relaxers
Muscle relaxers will help reduce the severity or completely eliminate muscle spasms that often occur with osteochondrosis. Doctors prefer to combine their use with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain. This allows you to significantly reduce the dose of NSAIDs, while simultaneously obtaining a wider spectrum of therapeutic activity and minimizing the risk 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 blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nutrients to spinal structures. At the same time, the muscle relaxant has an analgesic effect;
- Using a GABAb stimulator provides rapid relief from 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 prescribed, neurologists warn patients not to exceed doses. Some 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 the form of capsules or tablets. The duration of treatment varies from several months to a year. Thanks to the presence of glucosamine and chondroitin as active ingredients, chondroprotectors gradually regenerate damaged bone, 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 this happens when the nerves located in the spine are pinched. A course of B vitamins 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 one that best suits a particular patient. However, if the pathology occurs against the background of severe inflammation, the use of several methods of physiotherapy is practiced. The most effective methods include:
- ultraviolet irradiation;
- electrotherapy;
- balneotherapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- shock wave therapy;
- detensive therapy;
- point or zonal vibration impact.
Doctors often combine the above methods with electrophoresis to speed up the patient's recovery.
Before the procedure, fabric tampons soaked in solutions of antispasmodics, anesthetics and chondroprotectors are applied to the damaged areas of the spine. At the top are metal plates through which weak discharges of electric current pass. This ensures that medications are delivered directly to the damaged intervertebral discs.
Therapeutic massage and gymnastics
You can get rid of osteochondrosis with the help of classic or oriental massage, but provided that there is no acute or chronic inflammatory process in the spine. Pain syndrome is also important. The procedure is carried out only in the complete absence of serious discomfort. Indications for massage are stiffness of movements, excessive muscle tension and poor circulation. Therapeutic manipulation is carried out by specialists, and after feeling better, the patient can carry out the procedure at home using a rolled up towel or a piece of dense fabric.
After several sessions, the symptoms of osteochondrosis weaken due to multifaceted therapeutic effects:
- blood circulation is restored to damaged areas;
- the supply 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, it will help you forget about painful spasms forever, even without using pharmacological drugs. After recovery, performing a set of exercises is 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 at the stage of remission to prevent relapses of pathology. What traditional healers recommend:
- Prepare a liter of boiling water 3 tbsp. spoons of St. John's wort and 7 tbsp. ellested spoons. Leave for 2 hours, filter. Drink 0. 5 cup 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 linen cloth soaked in a mixture of equal parts of honey and 40% ethyl alcohol for 1-2 hours.
Folk remedies are used only with the approval of the attending physician. Many of them have warming properties, therefore their use is unacceptable in severe inflammation due to the possibility of spread of the pathological process to healthy areas of the spine.
All patients of neurologists wonder whether it is possible to cure osteochondrosis without the intervention of surgeons. In most cases, the use of pharmacological drugs and physiotherapeutic procedures is enough 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.