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 is rarely diagnosed throughout the spine. Usually, osteochondrosis is detected in one of its sections: cervical, thoracic, lumbar.
Treatment of the pathology requires an integrated approach, combining the use of medications, physical therapy 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 in the initial stage. This allows you to diagnose the disease 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, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Pathology detected at the initial stage can be successfully treated without the use of drugs: patients are only recommended a set of special exercises.
Since the lack of medical intervention causes the development of serious complications, a serious approach is taken to the treatment of osteochondrosis. Only following 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 oxygen, nutrients and biologically active substances to the bones and cartilage. The attending physician always advises patients to give preference to cereal porridges, fresh or baked fruits and vegetables, lean meat 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 shortage of mineral compounds necessary for their active functioning. The lack of fluids also leads to the accumulation of waste and toxic compounds which negatively affect the regeneration processes of cartilage and bones. Daily consumption of 2-2. 5 liters of clean water, tea with 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 system, they interrupt 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 soft, osteochondrosis will not be long in coming. During sleep, the blood vessels are compressed and the bone tissue is not fully supplied with the necessary substances and oxygen. If it is not possible to purchase orthopedic devices, you should 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 result in 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
To treat spinal osteochondrosis, 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 therapy is carried out to reduce the severity of the inflammatory process and relieve pain;
- pathogenetic treatment allows you 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 in a moderate or severe stage of the pathology, drugs for intravenous, intramuscular or intraarticular administration are used. After relieving acute muscle spasms and restoring blood circulation in the damaged areas, the patient is prescribed a course of these drugs in tablets, dragees or capsules.
To treat osteochondrosis, drugs that have a large list of contraindications and side effects are used. Therefore, when prescribing them, the doctor takes into account the general health of the person and the presence of other diseases in the anamnesis. Some difficulties arise when drawing up a treatment regimen for elderly and elderly patients, since many of them have 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 often accompanied by acute or mild inflammation, which causes pain and swelling of the tissues, gradually spreading to healthy areas of the spine. NSAIDs help 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 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 the treatment is deep damage to the mucous membranes. To prevent ulceration, patients are recommended to take proton pump inhibitors at the same time as NSAIDs.
Along with oral administration of NSAIDs, they are used in the form of ointments, creams or gels. External agents are applied several times during the day to the damaged areas of the spine. The active ingredients of the ointments penetrate into the inflamed tissues and stop the development of the pathological process, eliminating pain and stiffness of movements.
Glucocorticosteroids and anaesthetics
Osteochondrosis is often accompanied by acute painful spasms that limit freedom of movement. In these cases, the use of paravertebral blocks is practiced, which uses 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 to be ineffective. Hormonal drugs can have serious side effects, one of which is a sharp decrease in immunity.
Painkillers 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 for relapses of the pathology.
In cases complicated by severe inflammation, it is advisable to combine antispasmodics and painkillers to enhance the pharmacological effect. The use of this combination is especially relevant in the treatment of patients in whom the pathological process has provoked 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 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain. This allows you to significantly reduce the dose of NSAIDs, simultaneously 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 blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to 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 the 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 dosages. 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 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 bone, cartilaginous 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 occurs when the nerves located in the spine are pinched. A course of taking B vitamins normalizes the conduction of nerve impulses.
Physiotherapy procedures
Various physiotherapeutic techniques are used to treat osteochondrosis of any part of the spine. The neurologist usually chooses one, the most suitable for a particular patient. However, if the pathology occurs against a background of severe inflammation, the use of several methods of physiotherapy is practiced. The most effective methods include:
- ultraviolet irradiation;
- electrotherapy;
- balneotherapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- shock wave therapy;
- detensor therapy;
- punctual or zonal vibratory impact.
Doctors often combine the above methods with electrophoresis to speed up the patient's recovery.
Before the procedure, tissue swabs soaked in solutions of antispasmodics, anesthetics and chondroprotectors are applied to the damaged areas of the spine. From above there are metal plates through which weak discharges of electric current pass. This ensures the administration of drugs directly to the damaged intervertebral discs.
Therapeutic massage and gymnastics
You can get rid of osteochondrosis with the help of classical or oriental massage, but under the condition that there is no acute or chronic inflammatory process in the spine. Pain syndrome also matters. The procedure is performed only in the complete absence of severe discomfort. The indications for massage are stiffness of movements, excessive muscle tension, poor circulation. Therapeutic manipulation is performed by specialists, and after feeling better, the patient can perform the procedure at home using a rolled towel or a piece of dense fabric.
After several sessions, the symptoms of osteochondrosis weaken due to multiple therapeutic effects:
- blood circulation is restored in damaged areas;
- the supply of nutrients and molecular oxygen is resumed;
- 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 the pathology, this will help you forget about painful spasms forever, even without the use of medications. After recovery, performing a set of exercises serves as an excellent prevention of any diseases of the spine.
Recipes from traditional healers
Cervical or thoracic osteochondrosis can be treated with folk remedies only after the main treatment. It is recommended to use medicinal herbs, mumiyo, ethyl alcohol or honey during the rehabilitation period or in the remission phase to prevent relapses of the pathology. What traditional healers recommend:
- Prepare a liter of boiling water 3 tbsp. spoons of St. John's wort and 7 tbsp. spoons of elecampane. Leave to act for 2 hours, filter. Drink 0. 5 cups after each meal;
- take hot baths every day, adding 10-15 drops of essential oils of thuja, eucalyptus, fir, sage, palmarosa to the water;
- apply compresses in the form of a linen cloth soaked in a mixture of honey in equal parts 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, so they are not acceptable for use 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 whether it is possible to cure osteochondrosis without the intervention of surgeons. In most cases, the use of pharmacological drugs and physiotherapeutic procedures is sufficient to completely restore the intervertebral discs. If the doctor insists on surgery, you should not refuse. Modern methods are highly effective and safe and do not imply a long recovery period.