Treatment of osteochondrosis (radiculitis, intervertebral hernia) today is not particularly difficult, it is only important to accurately determine the cause of the pathology and the presence of concomitant diseases. However, any specialist who professionally deals with the treatment of diseases of the spine or spine as a whole, with the course of practice, crystallized their own, quickly helping techniques that are optimal for most patients.
For the treatment of osteochondrosis, it is important to accurately determine the cause of the pathology and the presence of concomitant diseases.
Improperly using only one method to treat osteochondrosis, as a rule, polyclinic therapists "sin" with it, prescribing painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs for patients that eliminate unpleasant symptoms and promote the problem with the spine deep inside, without affectingcause. As a result, a person, without experiencing pain, continues to load the damaged vertebrae, the pathology has worsened and after a while, with the next strong attack, a bunch of problems "appear" that can not be eliminated.
The root of the problem and some criticism
Before starting treatment, it will be helpful to remember what osteochondrosis is. In general, these are degenerative changes that affect 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. Moreover, back pain is just a symptom, not a disease.
Osteochondrosis treatment methods have remained standard for decades, but with the availability of modern patient examination methods in "old" techniques, more and more "cracks and chips" are being discovered. Most methods are aimed at eliminating the clinical signs, rather than influencing the causes of the pathology.
Use of medication
Sadly, this is a method that aims to ensure that the patient "leaves quickly healthy". Moreover, the patients themselves turn to a specialist and begin to treat the disease even when the pathological process is flourishing vigorously and mainly, and the pain is tearing everything around, preventing it from moving normally. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs remove all the negative symptoms, making healing the illusion and the cause of the disease remains intact. In clinics, this process is put on a conveyor belt and as a result of such treatment:
- The cause, which became the starting point of osteochondrosis, has not been eliminated.
- The traumatic factor in the vertebrae is intensifying, as the person, without feeling pain, begins to fully load the back.
- NSAIDs disrupt the functioning 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 most often defended by old school doctors, believing that if you put the damaged vertebrae in place, the problem will disappear. The dictation "all diseases of the spine" is not entirely true, because the spine adapts to the circumstances, it is not in vain that it is so flexible. However, proper nutrition of intervertebral discs and vertebrae is only possible when they are standing. However, the set vertebrae, if a person continues to sit crookedly or has a strong inflammation of the intervertebral discs, over time will "slip" again, reversing all the signs. Also, do not confuse manual therapy and osteopathy.
Massage, classic of the genre
This method consists in influencing the patient's muscles and connective tissue, is able to relieve the symptoms of the disease and bring relief to the patient for several months. The effectiveness of such a treatment for osteochondrosis depends directly on the qualifications of the person doing the massage. But in 95% of cases, it is not possible to remove the cause of osteochondrosis by 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 delicate and gentle, but a good osteopath should have sensitive hands, a demanding mind, and a calm mind. He, taking the patient by the hand, can feel all the processes taking place in the body. Not every doctor is capable of possessing a sense of hypersensitivity, so good osteopaths value their weight in gold. Ideally, osteopaths should treat all the problems the patient has, but in reality they only eliminate the pain. The patients themselves are partly to blame for this, seeking only to relieve them of the pain, as a session with an osteopath costs about three times as much as that of a massage therapist. By saving money, they remove the symptoms but deprive themselves of the opportunity to heal as fully as possible. Because of its softness, osteopathy is also indicated for children.
Osteopathy is a gentle and gentle method that is also suitable for children.
Chinese medicine
The pitfalls here lie in the lack of pre-medical diagnosis of the patient, all manipulations, as a rule, are based on the assumptions of the doctor, which are not always correct. Before performing a high quality acupuncture procedure, you should do:
- Diagnosis of electropuncture.
- Pulse diagnosis.
- Diagnosis according to the Akabane method.
A patient who presents with back pain gets a lot of needles on it, the pain will be relieved, the symptoms will go away but will come back again in a few hours. Repeated acupuncture, relief - and the circle is closed. A good specialist does not place needles, based solely on the patient's external examination and his or her history. It works with only 1-4 needles at deep levels, trying to eliminate the root cause of osteochondrosis, and not just the symptoms.
Visceral therapy
The treatment of osteochondrosis here is to work with the internal organs. This is due to the fact that often the cause of the pathological condition of the spine is either an incorrect arrangement of the organs, or a violation in their work. With this treatment, back pain goes away for a long time.
Gymnastics, yoga, qigong
Eastern techniques for treating osteochondrosis are gaining popularity. Classical yoga is a well-coordinated method, deeply thought out to work with the body that affects the mind. This method is suitable for the home, where, in a quiet environment, a person can feel all the needs of the body. However, many experts advise dealing with the old directions of osteochondrosis treatment. And, of course, it is important to find a specialist, you should not contact those who have learned some intricate moves and "have opened their office".
Today, these techniques are more progressive, in many ways they help people get rid of the problems associated with osteochondrosis. But it is important to remember about 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 thinking. You should not blame health problems only to the doctor, without helping him in treatment.
Gymnastics, yoga, qigong - aim to work with the body and help eliminate back problems.
The main stages of therapy
How to treat osteochondrosis? There are many options for therapy: reflexology, magnetostimulation, water procedures, physiotherapy methods. The specialist must decide which option is appropriate for the patient, based on the results of the history and examination. Home treatment is possible, for example, physiotherapy exercises, is able to perfectly restore the mobility of the spine, eliminate the symptoms and prevent the rapid development of the disease.
Important! If the treatment takes place at home, then you should be especially careful with any medication, they are prescribed exclusively by the doctor. This is explained by the fact that with osteochondrosis drug treatment, 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 treatment is taking vasodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs. Such therapy perfectly relieves the symptoms and is created to solve the following problems:
- Stop inflammatory processes.
- Relieve muscle pain and spasm.
- Stimulate cartilage tissue regeneration.
It is safer to use daily products (creams, oils or gels) when treating at home. Such treatment is carried out without side effects, it is only necessary to coordinate it with the doctor and strictly follow the instructions.
Folk remedies
Often, "grandma's recipes" are more effective in treating osteochondrosis than all modern and innovative methods. Traditional home remedies include: heating a sore spot with river sand or salt, using chicken egg-based oils, vinegar, or using herbal compresses.
- Bottle massage. Fill "one and a half" with warm water and rotate all the back muscles for 15 minutes, especially stopping at the problem area.
- Tennis ball massage. At home, you can use a tennis ball to massage your back, for this you just have to lie on it and "ride". Repeat daily.
Drug treatment 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 is based on not allowing the spinal cord cells to die and the muscle tissue to atrophy. Therapeutic gymnastics consists of a series of exercises that work all the joints and muscles of the human body, restoring lost motor functions and relieving unpleasant symptoms.
Non-drug treatment options
Sanatorium treatment, perhaps, can be called the most complete in the process of treating a disease, based on the effect on the cause of the disease. During your stay in the sanatorium, you can take the following procedures:
- Acupuncture.
- Healing showers.
- Ultrasound therapy and electrotherapy.
- Diet therapy and massage.
- Balne therapy and therapy.
- Apitherapy and salt caves.
Of course, this treatment option is not available at home. For each patient suffering from osteochondrosis, sanatorium doctors will develop an individual therapy plan that will allow not only to restore motor functions, but also to forget the deteriorations for a long time.
Impact of the point
Electrophoresis treatment is indicated at any stage of osteochondrosis, except in acute cases. Exposure to a current point 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
Goes well with other treatment options for osteochondrosis, when done correctly by a knowledgeable specialist, shows high efficiency and has a minimum of side effects:
- Massage. Improves blood circulation and lymph flow, relieves pain and swelling, strengthens muscles. Appears in courses of 10-15 procedures, 2-3 times a year.
- Manual therapy.
- Spinal traction.
- Reflexology.
How to treat osteochondrosis to avoid complications? First, you need to find out why the pathology has developed, how damaged the vertebrae are. You will need to undergo a thorough examination and only then begin treatment. Plus, the correct daily routine, a healthy lifestyle are important, you should give up strenuous physical exertion, try not to get a cold and maintain correct posture. If possible, any stress at home and at work should be eliminated, as with negative emotions an uncontrolled muscle spasm occurs, which further aggravates the problem.
Osteochondrosis is an actual long-term disease, which is based on many reasons, therefore, during treatment, it can not be stopped by any method. Much depends on the patient himself, you should not expect a "magic pill" to end the problem immediately, to part with osteochondrosis you will have to gather all your willpower in one fist, to be persistent in the desire tobecome healthy forever. This is the only way to restore flexibility and mobility of the spine for many years.