Treatment of osteochondrosis (radiculitis, intervertebral hernia) today is not particularly difficult, it is only important to correctly establish the cause of the pathology and the presence of concomitant diseases. However, each specialist professionally dealing with the treatment of diseases of the back or spine as a whole, over the course of practice, crystallized their own techniques, quickly helping the optimal techniques for most patients.
<1_img_centerxx>For the treatment of osteochondrosis, it is important to correctly establish the cause of the pathology and the presence of concomitant diseases.
It is inappropriate to use only one method to treat osteochondrosis, as a rule, polyclinic therapists "sin" with it, prescribing pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs to patients that eliminate unpleasant symptoms and lead to the problem of the spinespinal deep inside, without affecting the cause. As a result, a person, without feeling pain, continues to load the damaged vertebrae, the pathology worsens, and after a while, with the next strong attack, a bunch of problems "appear" that cannotbe eliminated.
The root of the problem and some criticisms
Before starting treatment, it will be useful to remember what osteochondrosis is. Usually these are degenerative changes in the tissues of the spine! However, not all back problems should 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 body of the patient with osteochondrosis. Also, back pain is just a symptom, not a disease.
Methods of treating osteochondrosis have remained standard for decades, but with the availability of modern methods of examining the patient in the "old" techniques, more and more "cracks and chips" are revealed. Most of the methods are aimed at eliminating clinical signs, and not at influencing the causes of the pathology.
The use of medication
Unfortunately, this is a method of ensuring that the patient "stays healthy quickly". In addition, the sick themselves turn to a specialist and begin to treat the disease even when the pathological process strongly flourishes and the pain tears all around, preventing it from moving normally. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs eliminate all negative symptoms, making recovery illusory, and the cause of the disease remains intact. In clinics, this process is put on a treadmill, and as a result of such treatment:
- The cause, which became the starting point of osteochondrosis, has not been ruled out.
- The traumatic factor on the vertebrae intensifies, because the person, without feeling pain, begins to fully load the back.
- NSAIDs interfere with the functioning of the pancreas and stomach.
Pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs do not cure the disease, they only relieve pain.
Manual therapy
This method is more often advocated by old school doctors, believing that if you put the damaged vertebrae back in place, the problem will go away. The saying "all diseases of the spine" is not entirely true, because the spine adapts to circumstances, it is not in vain that it is so flexible. However, proper nutrition of the intervertebral discs and vertebrae is possible only when standing upright. However, the fixed vertebrae, if a person continues to sit askew or if there is a strong inflammation of the intervertebral discs, over time "slips" again, returning all the signs. Also, do not confuse manual therapy with osteopathy.
Massage, classics of the genre
This method is to influence the muscles and connective tissue of the patient, is able to alleviate the symptoms of the disease and provide relief to the patient for several months. The effectiveness of such treatment for osteochondrosis directly depends on the skills of the person doing the massage. But in 95% of cases, it is not possible to eliminate the cause of osteochondrosis on hand, as well as cure the disease, if the specialist works only with the area of pain and inflammation.
Osteopathy
This method of treating osteochondrosis is subtle and gentle, but a good osteopath should have sensitive hands, an inquiring mind, and a calm mind. He, taking the patient by the hand, can feel all the processes taking place in the body. Not all doctors are capable of super-sensitivity, so good osteopaths are worth their weight in gold. Ideally, osteopaths should treat any problems that the patient has, but in reality they only take away the pain. The patients themselves are partly responsible for this, claiming only to relieve them of the pain, since a session with an osteopath costs about three times as much as that of a massage therapist. By saving money, they suppress the symptoms, but deprive themselves of the possibility of being cured as completely as possible. Due to its softness, osteopathy is indicated even for children.
Osteopathy is a gentle and gentle method that is suitable even for children.
chinese medicine
The pitfalls here lie in the absence of a pre-medical diagnosis of the patient, all manipulations are generally based on the doctor's assumptions, which are not always correct. Before performing a high-quality acupuncture process, you should:
- Diagnosis by electropunction.
- Pulse diagnosis.
- Diagnosis according to the Akabane method.
A patient who presents with back pain is given a lot of needles on it, the pain will be relieved, the symptoms will go away, but come back in a few hours. Repeated acupuncture, relief - and the circle is closed. A good specialist does not put needles, relying only on the external examination of the patient and his history. It works with just 1-4 needles at deep levels, trying to eliminate the root cause of osteochondrosis, not just the symptoms.
Visceral therapy
The treatment of osteochondrosis here involves working with the internal organs. This is due to the fact that the cause of the pathological condition of the spine is often either an incorrect arrangement of the organs or a violation of their work. With this treatment, back pain goes away for a long time.
Gymnastics, yoga, qigong
Oriental techniques for treating osteochondrosis are gaining popularity. Classical yoga is a well-coordinated and thoughtful method of working with the body that affects the mind. This method is suitable for the home, where in a calm environment a person can feel all the needs of the body. However, many experts advise to dwell on the old directions of treatment of osteochondrosis. And, of course, it is important to find a specialist, you should not contact those who have learned some delicate movements and "opened their own office".
Today these techniques are the most progressive, in many ways they help people get rid of the disorders associated with osteochondrosis. But it is important to remember the psychological aspect: the disease will not go away if a person stubbornly ignores the reason why osteochondrosis has developed, does not want to change his lifestyle and way of thinking. You shouldn't blame the health problems solely on the doctor, without helping him with the treatment.
Gymnastics, yoga, qigong - aimed at working with the body and helping to eliminate spinal problems.
The main stages of therapy
How to treat osteochondrosis? There are many therapy options: reflexology, magnetostimulation, water procedures, physiotherapy methods. The specialist must decide which option is suitable for the patient, based on the results of the history and examination. Home treatment is possible, for example, physiotherapy exercises, it is able to perfectly restore the mobility of the spine, eliminate symptoms and prevent the rapid development of the disease.
Important! If the treatment takes place at home, you should be especially careful with all drugs, they are prescribed exclusively by the doctor. This is explained by the fact that with drug treatment of osteochondrosis there is a load on other organs, and such treatment can be fraught with unpleasant complications or exacerbations of chronic diseases.
We take medicine
The basis of drug therapy is the intake of vasodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs. Such therapy perfectly relieves symptoms and is designed to solve the following problems:
- Stop inflammatory processes.
- Relieve pain and muscle spasms.
- Stimulate the regeneration of cartilage tissue.
It is safer to use topical products (creams, ointments or gels) when treating at home. Such treatment takes place without side effects, it is enough to coordinate it with the doctor and strictly follow the instructions.
Folk remedies
Often, "grandmother's recipes" are more effective in the treatment of osteochondrosis than all modern and modern methods. Traditional treatment at home includes: warming a sore spot with river sand or salt, using ointments made from chicken eggs, vinegar, or using herbal compresses.
- Bottle massage. Fill the "one and a half" with lukewarm water and roll all the back muscles for 15 minutes, stopping especially at the problem area.
- Tennis ball massage. At home, you can use a tennis ball to massage your back, just lie on it and "roll". Repeat daily.
Drug therapy in complex therapy relieves pain, relieves spasms.
Physiotherapy
The most popular today is the author's therapeutic technique, which can be used at home. This treatment involves not allowing the cells in the spinal cord to die and the muscle tissue to atrophy. Therapeutic gymnastics consists of a series of exercises that exercise all the joints and muscles of the human body, restoring lost motor functions and relieving unpleasant symptoms.
Non-drug treatment options
Treatment in the sanatorium can, perhaps, be called the most comprehensive 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 receive 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, doctors at the sanatorium will draw up an individual treatment plan that will not only restore motor functions, but also forget about exacerbations for a long time.
One-off impact
Electrophoresis treatment is indicated at any stage of osteochondrosis except acute. Exposure to a point current has its advantages: the effect of a drug administered by electrophoresis extends strictly to the area of inflammation. This allows you to quickly improve the patient's condition, relieve swelling and pain.
Physiotherapy
It goes well with other treatment options for osteochondrosis, when done correctly by a knowledgeable specialist, it shows high effectiveness and has minimal side effects:
- Massage. Improves blood circulation and lymph flow, relieves pain and swelling, strengthens muscles. Shown in courses of 10-15 procedures, 2-3 times a year.
- Manual therapy.
- Spinal traction.
- Reflexology.
How to treat osteochondrosis to avoid complications? First of all, you need to find out why the pathology has developed, how damaged the vertebrae are. You will need to undergo a full examination and only then begin treatment. In addition, a correct daily routine, a healthy lifestyle are important, you need to give up heavy physical efforts, try not to catch a cold and keep the correct posture. If possible, all stress at home and at work should be eliminated, because with negative emotions an uncontrolled muscle spasm occurs, which further aggravates the problem.
Osteochondrosis is a current long-term disease, which has many reasons. Therefore, during the treatment, one cannot stop at any method. It depends a lot on the patient himself, you don't have to wait for a "magic pill" to end the problem right away, to part with osteochondrosis, you will have to put all your willpower into one fist, be persistent in it. desire to become healthy forever. This is the only way to restore flexibility and mobility to the spine for many years.