Everyone has experienced back pain, many live with such pain all the time. In 2/3 of the cases, the cause of the back problems is osteochondrosis of the spine. In osteochondrosis, the bone and cartilage tissue of the spine is destroyed - the cervical, thoracic, lumbar. With age, the risk of tissue wear increases, every second inhabitant of the planet over 30 years has signs of osteochondrosis.
Diseases of the spine provoke back injuries, constant stress during heavy physical work. Genetic predisposition, intense exercise, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle play a role - most city dwellers are at risk.
How to recognize osteochondrosis
In osteochondrosis the symptoms are general, specific, characteristic of degenerative changes in the articular cartilage, discs, tissues of the spine.
Osteochondrosis will be manifested by constant back pain, numbness of the affected vertebrae, restricted movement, increased pain with sudden movements, lifting weights.
Specific signs of osteochondrosis:
- the cervical type leads to circulatory disorders, provokes headaches, tinnitus, "flies" in front of the eyes. There are problems with the nutrition of the brain, which leads to constant stress;
- with osteochondrosis of the chest develops intercostal neuralgia, chest pain, ribs;
- lumbar spine disease causes the progression of diseases - lumbago, sciatica (sciatica), lumbar sciatica.
Sciatica affects the sciatic nerve. Symptoms include buttocks pain, calf hypotension, gluteal muscles.
Lumbago is recognized by acute low back pain caused by vertebral displacement, spinal disc prolapse.
In sciatica, lumbar pain occurs in the gluteal area, is attributed to the back of the thigh, lower leg, foot, popliteal fossa.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
The clinical manifestations of osteochondrosis of the spine are different, sometimes you need to visit different doctors to find out the cause of the disease. The correct diagnosis will be made by a neurologist, orthopedist, in some private clinics - vertebrologist, vertebral neurologist, doctors dealing with diseases of the spine.
The doctor will communicate the primary diagnosis at the first examination when he touches the patient's back. After X-ray, computed tomography, MRI, treatment is prescribed.
The treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine pursues the goal of eliminating pain, preventing further destruction of tissues, deformation of the spine.
Vertebral osteochondrosis is a chronic disease, there are stages of exacerbation, remission. Treatment of diseases of the spine during exacerbations includes bed rest for 1-2 weeks, in severe pain are taken painkillers.
In cervical osteochondrosis during exacerbation it is recommended to wear a special restraining collar. If the thoracic, lumbar region is affected, a corset for the spine will help with exacerbations. Varieties of corset:
- for the chest area - a bandage that looks like a vest. Used to straighten the spine;
- in fractures of the spine - plaster, extension corset;
- hard corset is worn after spinal surgery, injuries. Helps maintain internal organs when muscles are weakened;
- corset in the form of a wide belt for the lumbar spine. Recommended for hernias, displacements.
The treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine should be comprehensive: drug treatment, exercise, manual therapy, diet - conservative treatment. Sometimes surgery.
Medication treatment
The doctor will prescribe medication for osteochondrosis. Drug groups have different treatment goals.
In the early stages, anti-inflammatory drugs are taken. If the back pain lasts more than 2 weeks, but less than 3 months, additional painkillers are taken. If your back pain is more than 3 months old, antidepressants are added.
Drugs, the dosage is determined by the attending physician, self-employment 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, does not replace the pills. In osteochondrosis of the spine, home remedies will reduce pain, reduce inflammation.
Receptions:
- A teaspoon of dried burdock leaves in a glass of boiling water. The compress is placed on the affected area, hold for 20-30 minutes. Then the sore spot is wrapped in a warm scarf.
- Three teaspoons of crushed roots of medicinal marsh are poured with a glass of cold boiled water. Insist 8 hours, make compresses.
During the period of remission, infusions of medicinal herbs are taken orally - they provide prevention of exacerbations of osteochondrosis.
Treatment with manual therapy
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, eliminate 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 relaxes, after half a minute, with a deep breath, the patient stretches as much as possible until a slight pain appears. The muscle in this state is fixed for half a minute, after which it relaxes. Due to the irritation of the nerve endings, a therapeutic effect is obtained.
Exercise treatment
Exercises for the spine with osteochondrosis with other methods improve metabolism, mobility of the spine, strengthen muscles and repair damaged intervertebral discs.
Morning exercises for osteochondrosis of the spine include exercises:
For the cervical vertebrae:
- keep your head and shoulders straight. Slowly turn your head all the way to the right, to the left;
- we throw our head back, the right ear trying to reach the left shoulder. Repeat to the left.
For the chest area:
- we sit on a chair with our hands between our knees. When inhaling we lean to the side, when exhaling we stand up. Repeat in the other direction;
- we sit on a chair with a low back so that the shoulder blades rest on it. Slowly lean back to see the back wall.
For the lumbar spine:
- We lie on our backs, bend our knees, press them to our chests. We swing back and forth - back to the sacrum, for 1, 5-2 minutes. We stretch, we lie quietly.
Complex exercises for therapeutic exercise for osteochondrosis of the spine, treatment complexes should be found on the Internet, ask an orthopedist.