Treatment of osteochondrosis is a very long and difficult recovery process that requires complex treatment. In order to create a treatment regimen, the doctor must take into account a number of nuances:
- Characteristics of the organism.
- Individual intolerance to individual drug components.
The doctor can only prescribe treatment after a thorough diagnosis of the patient.
What is it?
Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects individual segments of the spine and thins the cartilage tissue. It's very common. Today this disease affects 3 segments of the spine:
- Neck section.
- chest.
- Lumbar sacral region.
Each of these species has its own set of symptoms and treatments.
Osteochondrosis affects the tissue between the vertebrae. The tissue between the cartilages under the influence of this disease quickly begins to deteriorate. Nerve fibers near the affected cells become inflamed, causing cramps in the arteries. Inflamed blood vessels cannot pass the required amount of blood, so the human body suffers from a lack of oxygen. This condition is especially dangerous in cervical osteochondrosis, as a lack of oxygen manifests itself in the brain and this can lead to serious complications.
Diagnosis
In order for the treatment of osteochondrosis to be more effective, it is first necessary to determine the cause of its progression and the degree of damage, which is impossible without a comprehensive diagnosis. As practice shows, a number of procedures are performed under the supervision of a vertebrate and orthopedic surgeon. The diagnosis of osteochondrosis is confirmed by the presence of certain symptoms, examination, and history of the disease's progression.
Along with this disease, during the examination, the doctor will check for the presence of scoliosis in the patient, as well as painful sensations with excessive muscle tension.
The following measures are taken to clarify the diagnosis:
- Tomography.
- X-rays.
- resonance (nuclear magnet).
healing
First of all, you should understand that only a timely admission to the hospital will contribute to success - self-medication can only harm your health. The treatment therefore includes a whole series of measures:
- movement therapy.
- Operational intervention.
- are taking medication.
- Adapted nutrition.
Also, the patient should stay in bed, but this is almost impossible. Doctors therefore recommend lying on a hard surface more often, especially when you sleep. When the painful sensations intensify, it is best to minimize the mobility of the spine.
The main goal of conservative treatment is to stop the progression of the disease and bring the spine back into position.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a great help for severe pain in the spine. This therapy consists of the use of magnetic fields, ultrasound or laser. Physiotherapy is used in the acute form of the disease when there is a need to relieve pain, neutralize inflammation, and stop the disease from progressing. This method increases the effectiveness of drug treatment and allows you to significantly reduce the dosage of the drug. One of the positive qualities of physiotherapy is the lack 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. But it should be said that massage can not be done in the acute course of the disease. It cannot be done for a number of diseases either:
- blood diseases.
- skin diseases.
- Have open wounds.
- If there is inflammation.
In the case of acute osteochondrosis, massage cannot be included in the treatment.
Therapeutic massage has the following effect:
- Has a positive effect on the nerves.
- Stimulates blood circulation.
- Increases immunity.
- Strengthens the blood vessels.
- Normalizes the metabolism.
The massage is based on the effect on the nerves. Manual massage is most effective as the massage therapist can relieve pain through touch. Hardware massage helps stretch the tissues but does not affect the nerves.
Take medication
Medicines should only be taken in the acute phase of the disease, when strong painful sensations can be observed. Gels, tablets, and ointments can relieve pain and reduce inflammation. However, their use is consistently unhealthy - they are only for temporary relief. As soon as the painful sensations pass, it is necessary to use exercise therapy and massage.
No drug is the solution to the problem. They do not in any way help restore flexibility to the spine and decompress the intervertebral discs. Its main purpose is to neutralize pain. The exclusion category includes those drugs that can build up cartilage tissue.
The principle of action depends primarily on the type of medication. Different heating ointments can not only relieve severe pain, but also improve blood circulation. However, these drugs tend to turn off nerve endings. In some cases, doctors give intramuscular injections, but anti-inflammatory drugs are usually used to treat osteochondrosis.
Manual treatment method
Manual therapy involves manual manipulation of the muscles. It helps with severe pain in the joints and spine. This method of treatment corrects posture.
Visceral 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 helps avoid complications.
Manual therapy cannot become an independent treatment method. It must be combined with exercise therapy, medication and diet.
Treatment at home
The gross mistake in treating the disease is the lack of a deep look: superficial relief of symptoms does not eliminate osteochondrosis, but only temporarily improves the patient's condition. Therefore, the use of painkillers in home treatment is only an auxiliary treatment.
After temporarily relieving pain in the spine and muscles, remember the main rule: it is necessary to get rid of the cause of the disease. A number of reasons can include eating a large amount of food and poor body movement. However, disc dystrophy can only occur for one reason: insufficient blood supply to the neck and back muscles. These phenomena cause a hunger for cartilage, which ultimately leads to its breakdown.
As practice shows, specialists give patients all the recommendations for implementing the necessary measures that contribute to treatment. These measures include:
- movement therapy.
- Adapted nutrition.
- are taking medication.
- Correct selection of bed linen.
- Sleep mode.
Elimination of the causes
To be certain that the progression of the disease began exactly with improper diet or due to blood stagnation, it is impossible to customize an entire program aimed at restoring the damage to the intervertebral discs and blood flow.
It is also worth mentioning the options for treating the disease at home:
- diet.
- Restoring blood flow to the affected area is the main method of treating the disease.
- Introducing a healthy lifestyle.
- mattress selection.
Elimination of severe pain
- If a little more than 2 weeks have passed since the onset of pain, you must take anesthetics along with NSAIDs. Not only can they relieve pain, but also the inflammatory process.
- If the pain does not leave the patient for 3 months, antidepressants and analgesics should be used along with NSAIDs that help maintain the person's mental balance.
In addition, the frequency of use and dosage should only be prescribed by a doctor. Self-administration of medication is prohibited.
Medicines to eradicate the disease
The main cause of osteochondrosis is the destruction of the articular cartilage as a result of a problematic metabolism. Pharmacologists have developed chondroprotective drugs aimed at regulating metabolic processes. It is necessary to take drugs of this group on the recommendation of a specialist.
Traditional treatment methods
The use of tinctures and various herbs should be an additional method of treatment, but not the main method. It should definitely become an additional treatment method to traditional medicine. Folk methods help relieve pain and prevent the development of the disease.
You cannot use any of the treatment methods without first consulting a doctor.
More recently, a new method of treating osteochondrosis at home has emerged - the use of a massage bed.
Prevention
- Regular self-massage in the morning.
- water treatments.
- Exercise in the workplace.
- gymnastics of arms, legs.
Of course, it is worth noting that if the time is lost on prevention, then this list should be supplemented with special gymnastics, which includes exercises for stretching the spine.
On the advice of your doctor, you can not only prevent the progression of the disease, but also restore the destruction of the intervertebral discs.