Everyone has experienced back pain, many live with such pain all the time. In 2/3 of cases, the cause of back problems is osteochondrosis of the spine. With osteochondrosis, the bone, cartilage tissue of the spine - cervical, thoracic, lumbar - is destroyed. With age, the risk of tissue wear increases, every second inhabitant of the planet over the age of 30 has signs of osteochondrosis.
Diseases of the spine cause back injuries, constant stress during hard physical work. Genetic predisposition, intense training, improper diet, a sedentary lifestyle play a role: most urban residents are at risk.
How to recognize osteochondrosis
With osteochondrosis, the symptoms are general, specific, characteristic of degenerative changes in the articular cartilage, discs, tissues of the spine.
Osteochondrosis will manifest itself with constant pain in the back, numbness of the affected spinal sections, restriction of movement, increased pain with sudden movements, weight lifting.
Specific signs of osteochondrosis:
- the cervical type leads to blood circulation disorders, causes headaches, tinnitus, "flies" in front of the eyes. There are problems with brain nutrition, which leads to constant stress;
- with osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, intercostal neuralgia develops, pains in the chest, ribs appear;
- lumbar spine disease causes the progression of diseases: low back pain, sciatica (sciatica), lumbar sciatica.
With sciatica, the sciatic nerve is affected. Symptoms are buttock pain, calf hypotension, gluteal muscles.
Low back pain is recognized by acute pain in the lower back caused by the displacement of the vertebrae, by the prolapse of the spinal disc.
With sciatica, lower back pain appears in the gluteal region, given to the back of the thigh, lower leg, foot, popliteal fossa.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
The clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis of the spine are diverse, sometimes you have to visit several doctors to understand the cause of the ailment. The correct diagnosis will be made by a neurologist, an orthopedist, in some private clinics: a vertebrologist, a vertebroneurologist, doctors who deal with diseases of the spine.
The doctor will report the primary diagnosis on the first examination, feeling the patient's back. After X-rays, computed tomography, MRI, treatment is prescribed.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine pursues the goal of removing pain, preventing further destruction of tissues, deformity of the spine.
Vertebral osteochondrosis is a chronic disease, there are stages of exacerbation, remission. Treatment of spinal disease during exacerbation includes bed rest for 1-2 weeks, pain relievers are taken for severe pain.
With cervical osteochondrosis during exacerbation, it is recommended to wear a special limiting collar. If the thoracic and lumbar regions are affected, a spine brace will help with exacerbations. Variety of corset:
- for the thoracic region - a bandage resembling a vest. It is used to straighten the spine;
- for vertebral fractures - gypsum, extension corset;
- a rigid corset is worn after spinal surgery, injury. Helps support internal organs when muscles are weakened;
- corset in the form of a wide belt for the lumbar spine. Recommended for hernias, displacements.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine should be comprehensive: drug treatment, physical therapy, manual therapy, diet - conservative treatment. Sometimes surgery.
Pharmacological treatment
The doctor will prescribe osteochondrosis medications. The drug groups have different treatment goals.
In the early stages, anti-inflammatory drugs are taken. If back pain continues for more than 2 weeks, but less than 3 months, pain relievers are also taken. If the back pain is more than 3 months old, antidepressants are added.
Medicines, the dosage is set by the attending physician, self-activity is destructive - drugs have side effects.
Treatment with folk remedies
Treatment of the disease with folk remedies is carried out in addition to the main one, does not replace pills. With osteochondrosis of the spine, home treatment methods will reduce pain, reduce inflammation.
Recipes:
- A teaspoon of dried burdock leaves in a glass of boiling water. The compress is put on the sore spot, held for 20-30 minutes. Then the sore spot is wrapped in a warm scarf.
- Three teaspoons of crushed roots of medicinal marshmallow are poured into a glass of cold boiled water. Insist 8 hours, do compresses.
During the period of remission, infusions of medicinal herbs are taken orally - they provide prevention of exacerbations of osteochondrosis.
Manual therapy treatment
An effective means of conservative treatment of the disease is manual therapy for osteochondrosis of the spine. It is worth finding a highly qualified specialist. A good chiropractor will relieve the pain syndrome, remove muscle spasm, and improve the mobility of the intervertebral joints. An insufficiently qualified therapist will cause irreparable damage to the spine.
In order for manual therapy to help with dystrophic changes, it is important to follow the rules. Before the massage, it is worth warming up the tense muscles, gently stretching the muscles so that the patient does not feel pain. Then the muscle is relaxed, after half a minute, with a deep breath, the patient is stretched as much as possible until a slight pain appears. The muscle in this state is fixed for half a minute, then relaxed. Due to irritation of the nerve endings, a therapeutic effect occurs.
Treatment exercise
Exercises for the spine with osteochondrosis by other methods improve metabolism, mobility of the spine, strengthen muscles and restore damaged intervertebral discs.
Morning exercises for osteochondrosis of the spine include exercises:
For the cervical spine:
- keep your head and shoulders straight. Slowly turn your head all the way to the right, to the left;
- we throw back the head, with the right ear trying to reach the left shoulder. We repeat on the left.
For the thoracic region:
- we sit on a chair, our hands between our knees. As we inhale, we lean to the side, as we exhale we straighten up. We repeat in the other direction;
- we sit on a low-backed chair so that the shoulder blades rest against it. Slowly lean back to see the back wall.
For the lumbar spine:
- We lie on our back, bend our knees, press them to the chest. We swing back and forth - from the back to the sacrum, for 1. 5-2 minutes. We lie down, lying in silence.
Complex exercises for physical therapy for osteochondrosis of the spine, treatment complexes should be found on the Internet, ask an orthopedist.