The treatment of osteochondrosis (radiculitis, intervertebral hernia) is not particularly difficult today, it is only important to correctly determine the cause of the pathology and the presence of concomitant diseases. Nevertheless, each of the professionals involved in the treatment of diseases of the spine or the entire spine has crystallized their own, quick-aiding techniques that are optimal for most patients.
In the treatment of osteochondrosis, it is important to correctly determine the cause of the pathology and the presence of concomitant diseases.
It is inappropriate to use a single method to treat osteochondrosis, usually polyclinic therapists "sin" with this, prescribing painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to patients that eliminate unpleasant symptoms and drive the problem deep into the spine without affecting the OK. As a result, a person, without experiencing pain, continues to strain the injured vertebrae, the pathology worsens, and after a while with the next strong attack, a bunch of problems "pop up" that cannot be eliminated.
The root of the problem and some criticism
Before starting treatment, it will be helpful to remember what osteochondrosis is. Usually these are degenerative changes affecting the tissues of the spine! However, problems affecting the back should not be called osteochondrosis, just as two concepts should not be confused: osteochondrosis and sciatica. In the first case it is a disease, in the second - a process that occurs in the patient's body in osteochondrosis. Moreover, back pain is just a symptom, not a disease.
Methods for treating osteochondrosis have remained standard for decades, but as modern methods of examining the patient with "old" techniques become available, more and more "cracks and chips" are emerging. Most methods are aimed at eliminating clinical symptoms and not at influencing the causes of the pathology.
Use of drugs
Unfortunately, this is a method designed to ensure that the patient "stays healthy quickly. "In addition, sufferers themselves turn to a specialist and begin to treat the disease even when the pathological process is huge and the main flowering occurs and the pain ruptures everything, preventing its normal movement. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs remove all negative symptoms, making healing illusory, and the cause of the disease remains intact. In clinics, this process is placed on a conveyor belt, and as a result of such treatment:
- The cause that became the starting point for osteochondrosis could not be eliminated.
- The traumatic factor of the vertebrae is increased because the person does not start to fully load the back without pain.
- NSAIDs disrupt the function of the pancreas and stomach.
Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs do not cure the disease but only relieve the pain.
Manual therapy
This method is more often advocated by doctors in the old school, believing that if you put the injured vertebrae in place, the problem will go away. The dictates of "all diseases from the spine" are not entirely true because the spine adapts to the conditions, not in vain so flexible. Although proper feeding of the intervertebral discs and vertebrae is only possible if they are upright. sitting on a curve, or the inflammation of the intervertebral discs is strong, "slipping" again over time, returning to all the signs. Do not confuse manual therapy with osteopathy.
Massage, classics of the genre
This method consists of influencing the patient’s muscles and connective tissues, able to relieve the symptoms of the disease and bring relief to the patient for several months. The effectiveness of such treatment for osteochondrosis depends directly on the qualifications of the person performing the massage. But in 95% of cases, it is not possible to manually remove the cause of osteochondrosis as well as cure the disease if the practitioner only works with the zone of pain and inflammation.
Osteopathy
This method of treating osteochondrosis is delicate and gentle, but a good osteopath should have sensitive hands, an interested and calm mind. He, holding the patient by the hand, can feel all the processes taking place in the body. Not all doctors are able to feel hypersensitivity, so good chiropractors are worth their weight in gold. Ideally, osteopaths should treat all of the patient’s problems, but really only eliminate the pain. In part, the patients themselves are at fault and only demand pain relief, as an osteopath is about three times more expensive than a masseuse. They save the symptoms with money, but deprive themselves of the opportunity for the fullest possible recovery. Due to its softness, osteopathy is even indicated for children.
Osteopathy is a gentle and gentle method that is suitable even for children.
Chinese medicine
The pitfalls here lie in the lack of diagnosis of the patient before the doctor, all manipulations are usually based on the doctor’s guesses, which are not always accurate. Before performing a high quality acupuncture procedure, you should do the following:
- Electropuncture diagnostics.
- Pulse diagnostics.
- Diagnosis according to the Akabane method.
A patient with back pain gets a lot of needles on it, the pain is relieved, the symptoms go away, but they come back in a few hours. Repeated acupuncture, relief - and the circle is closed. A good professional will not put a needle, just based on the patient’s external examination and his or her history. He only works with 1-4 needles at a deep level and tries to eliminate the root cause of osteochondrosis and not just the symptoms.
Visceral therapy
The treatment of osteochondrosis here is a collaboration with the internal organs. This is due to the fact that the pathological condition of the spine is often caused by improper arrangement of organs or violation of their work. With this treatment, the back pain goes away for a long time.
Gymnastics, yoga, qigong
Oriental techniques for treating osteochondrosis are becoming increasingly popular. Classical yoga is a well-coordinated, deeply thought-out method of working with the body that affects the mind. This method is suitable for home use, where in a calm environment one can feel all the needs of the body. However, many experts advise you to stay in the old directions of treating osteochondrosis. And, of course, it’s important to find a professional, not to contact those who have learned a few tricky moves and "opened their own office".
Today, these techniques are the most advanced, in many ways helping people get rid of the problems associated with osteochondrosis. But it is important to note the psychological aspect: the disease will not go away if a person stubbornly ignores the cause of osteochondrosis, does not want to change their lifestyle and thinking. You shouldn’t just blame your doctor for your health problems without helping him or her with treatment.
Gymnastics, yoga, qigong - designed to work with the body and eliminate spine problems.
The main stages of therapy
How to treat osteochondrosis? Therapy has many options: reflexology, magnetostimulation, aqueous procedures, physiotherapy methods. The practitioner should decide which option is appropriate for the patient based on the medical history and test results. Home treatment is possible, such as physiotherapy exercises, can perfectly restore spinal motility, eliminate symptoms, and prevent the rapid progression of the disease.
Important! If treatment is at home, you should be especially careful with any medications that are prescribed only by your doctor. This is explained by the fact that drug treatment of osteochondrosis burdens other organs and such treatment can lead to unpleasant complications or exacerbation of chronic diseases.
We are taking medication
Medication is based on the intake of vasodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs. Such therapy perfectly relieves symptoms and solves the following problems:
- Stop inflammatory processes.
- Relieves pain and muscle cramps.
- They stimulate cartilage tissue regeneration.
It is safer to use local products (creams, ointments or gels) during treatment at home. Such treatment should be without side effects, just coordinate with your doctor and follow the instructions strictly.
Folk remedies
Often, "grandmother's recipes" are more effective in treating osteochondrosis than all modern and novel methods. Traditional home treatment includes: warming the sore spot with river sand or salt, using chicken egg-based ointments, vinegar or herbal compresses.
- Bottle massage. Fill the "one and a half" with warm water and roll all the muscles of your back for 15 minutes, especially to stop in the problem area.
- Tennis ball massage. You can massage your back with a tennis ball at home, all you have to do is lie on it and "ride. "Repeat daily.
Medication in complex therapy relieves pain, relieves cramps.
Physiotherapy
The most popular today is the author’s therapeutic technique, which can be applied at home. This treatment is based on not allowing the cells of the spinal cord to die and the muscle tissues being atrophic. Therapeutic gymnastics consists of a series of exercises that work all the joints and muscles of the human body, restore lost motor functions and relieve unpleasant symptoms.
Non-drug treatment options
Sanatorium treatment may be called the most complete in the process of treating a disease, it is based on the effect on the cause of the disease. During your stay in the sanatorium, you can use the following procedures:
- Acupuncture.
- Healing showers.
- Ultrasound and electrotherapy.
- Diet therapy and massage.
- Balneotherapy and mud therapy.
- Apitherapy and salt caves.
Of course, this treatment option is not available at home. For each patient with osteochondrosis, the sanatorium doctors develop an individual therapeutic plan that not only allows for the restoration of motor functions, but also forgets about exacerbations for a long time.
Point effect
Electrophoresis treatment is indicated at any stage of osteochondrosis except acute. There are advantages to point current exposure: the effect of a drug administered by electrophoresis is strictly extended to the area of inflammation. This allows the patient to improve quickly, relieve swelling and pain.
Physiotherapy
It fits well with other treatment options for osteochondrosis if performed correctly by a competent professional, shows high efficacy and causes minimal side effects:
- Massage. Improves blood circulation and lymph flow, relieves pain and swelling, strengthens muscles. It is seen in courses of 10-15 procedures, 2-3 times a year.
- Manual therapy.
- Spine traction.
- Reflexology.
How to treat osteochondrosis to avoid complications? First, you need to find out why the pathology developed, how damaged the vertebrae were. You should have a full examination before you can start treatment. In addition, the right daily routine, a healthy lifestyle, it is important to give up heavy physical effort, try not to catch a cold and maintain the right posture. If possible, stress at home and at work should be eliminated, as negative emotions result in uncontrolled muscle cramps, which further aggravates the problem.
Osteochondrosis is a long-term disease that is based on many causes, so it cannot be stopped by any method during treatment. Much depends on the patient himself, one should not wait for a "magic pill" to end the problem immediately, to participate in osteochondrosis he must gather all his will in a fist and persevere in the desire to be forever healthy. . This is the only way to restore spinal flexibility and mobility for many years to come.