Treatment of osteochondrosis is a very long and difficult recovery process that requires complex treatment. To formulate a treatment regimen, doctors need to take into account several nuances:
- Characteristics of the organism.
- Individual intolerance to individual drug components.
Doctors can prescribe treatment only after a thorough patient diagnosis.
What is this?
Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects individual segments of the spinal space, thinning the cartilage tissue. It is very common. Today the disease strikes 3 segments of the spine:
- Neck part.
- Dada.
- Lumbosacral region.
Each species is characterized by its own symptoms and treatments.
Osteochondrosis affects the tissues located between the vertebrae. The tissue between the cartilages under the influence of this disease begins to deteriorate rapidly. Nerve fibers located close to the affected cells become inflamed, causing cramps in the arteries. Inflammatory blood vessels cannot pass the required amount of blood, so the human body begins to experience oxygen starvation. This condition is particularly dangerous in cervical osteochondrosis, as lack of oxygen appears in the brain, and this can lead to serious complications.
Diagnostics
For the treatment of osteochondrosis to be more effective, first of all, it is necessary to determine the cause of its development and the degree of damage, which is impossible to do without a thorough diagnosis. As practice shows, a set of procedures is performed under the supervision of a vertebrologist and orthopedist. The diagnosis of osteochondrosis is confirmed by the presence of specific symptoms, examination and history of disease progression.
Along with this disease, during the examination, the doctor examines the presence of scoliosis in the patient, as well as a painful sensation with excessive muscle tension.
The following steps are taken to clarify the diagnosis:
- Tomography.
- X-rays.
- Resonance (nuclear magnet).
Treatment
First of all, you need to understand that only timely hospitalization will help you achieve success - self-treatment can only endanger your health. Therefore, treatment includes various steps:
- Exercise therapy.
- Operation intervention.
- Taking medication.
- Customized nutrition.
Also, the patient should sleep, but this is almost impossible. That is why doctors recommend lying on a harder surface, especially during sleep. If the painful sensation increases, then the movement of the spine can be minimized.
The main goal of conservative treatment is to stop the progression of the disease and restore spinal space to its correct position.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is very helpful in sharp pain in the spinal space. This therapy consists of the use of magnetic fields, ultrasound or lasers. Physiotherapy is used in the acute form of the disease, when it is needed 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 dose of the drug. One of the positive qualities of physiotherapy is the absence of side effects, which means that there are no contraindications.
Sort
This method has the same advantages as physiotherapy: it has no side effects. However, it should be said that massage should not be done during acute illness. It is also not possible for a number of diseases:
- Blood diseases.
- Skin diseases.
- Having an open wound.
- If there is inflammation.
Massage should not be included in treatment if there is an acute period of osteochondrosis.
Therapeutic massage has the following effects:
- Has a positive effect on nerves.
- Stimulates blood circulation.
- Increases immunity.
- Strengthens blood vessels.
- Normalizes metabolism.
Massage based on effects on nerves. Manual massage is most effective because massage therapists are able to relieve pain with touch. Hardware massage will help stretch the tissue, but not affect the nerves.
Taking Medication
Medication should be taken only in the acute period of the disease, when a strong painful sensation can be observed. Gels, tablets, and ointments can relieve pain and relieve inflammation. But using it is unhealthy - it only works for a while. Once the painful sensation has passed, it is necessary to use exercise therapy and massage.
No cure is the way out of the problem. They will not at all help restore flexibility to the spine and provide disc decompression. Their main purpose is to neutralize the sensation of pain. The exclusion category includes drugs that are capable of building cartilage tissue.
The principle of action, first of all, depends on the type of drug. A variety of warming ointments can not only relieve severe pain, but also improve blood circulation. However, these drugs tend to turn off the nerve endings. In some cases, doctors prescribe intramuscular injections, but, as a rule, anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat osteochondrosis.
Manual treatment methods
Manual therapy involves manual muscle manipulation. It will help relieve severe pain in the joints and spine. With this method of treatment, posture is improved.
Viseral therapy is one of the methods of manual therapy 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 be an independent method of treatment. It must be combined with exercise therapy, medications, and diet.
Home Treatment
A major mistake in the treatment of this disease is the lack of depth of view: 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 just an additional treatment.
After temporarily relieving pain in the spinal cord and muscles, remember its basic rule - it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease. Some reasons can include eating large amounts of food and low body movements. However, dystrophy of the intervertebral disc can appear for only one reason: lack of blood supply to the muscles of the neck and back. This phenomenon causes cartilage starvation, which eventually leads to their deterioration.
As practice shows, specialists give patients all the recommendations on the implementation of the necessary steps that will help treatment. These steps include:
- Exercise therapy.
- Customized diet.
- Taking medication.
- Choosing the right bed linen.
- Rest mode.
Deletion of reason
To say with certainty that the development of the disease begins precisely with improper nutrition or because blood stagnation is not possible, therefore, the entire program must be adapted, aimed at restoring damage to the disc and blood flow.
Also need to be mentioned about ways to treat the disease at home:
- Diet.
- Restoring blood circulation in the affected area is the main method of treating the disease.
- Introduction to a healthy lifestyle.
- Mattress options.
Relieves severe pain
- If more than 2 weeks have passed since the onset of pain, you should take anesthetic with NSAIDs. They can not only relieve pain, but also the inflammatory process.
- If the pain does not leave the patient for 3 months, then antidepressants and analgesics should be used with NSAIDs, which contribute to the person's psychological balance.
In addition, the frequency of use and dosage should be prescribed only by a doctor. Do not self-administer any medication.
Drugs that aim to get rid of the disease
The leading cause of osteochondrosis is the destruction of articular cartilage due to impaired metabolism. Pharmacologists have developed chondroprotective drugs aimed at regulating metabolic processes. You should take this group medication after getting a recommendation from a specialist.
Traditional treatment methods
The use of tinctures and various ingredients should be an additional treatment method, but not the main method. It is definitely an additional method of treatment for traditional medicine. Traditional methods help relieve pain and prevent disease progression.
Without consulting a doctor first, you should not use any method of treatment.
Recently, a new method of treating osteochondrosis at home has emerged - the use of massage beds.
Prevention
- Massage yourself regularly in the morning.
- Water treatment.
- Exercise at work.
- Gymnastics arm, leg.
Of course, it should be noted that if the prevention time is lost, this list should be complemented by special gymnastics, which includes exercises for stretching the spine.
Following the doctor's advice, you can not only prevent the development of the disease, but also restore the destruction of the intervertebral disc.