A person's ability to walk upright not only has a clear advantage, but also disadvantages. Increased stress on the spine leads to the development of various diseases. Osteochondrosis is considered a common disease that affects more than 60% of the population. This diagnosis is observed in people over 35 years of age, but cases of symptoms in adolescents are frequent. One method is surgery, but in the early stages treatment with alternative methods is possible.
Causes of disease
The defeat of the discs between the vertebrae, the tissues of the spine in medicine, is called osteochondrosis. Doctors cannot cite the single exact cause of the onset of the disease, and sometimes this is impossible since the disease develops under the influence of a combination of factors. These include:
- Hereditary predisposition to the disease.
- The presence of endocrine system diseases - metabolic disorders.
- Development of orthopedic diseases, eg flat feet, curvature of posture, diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
- Multiple injuries, spinal bruises.
- Lifestyle: lack of activity, unhealthy eating with a predominance of fast food and unhealthy foods.
- Being overweight.
- Bad habits - smoking, alcoholism.
- Stress, overwork.
- Pregnancy.
Methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a disease accompanied by pain, discomfort and, with prolonged neglect, it can lead to complications. The disease is subject to treatment and, for this, various methods can be used, the choice of which depends on the location of the disease, the degree of negligence and the general state of health. There are several treatment options:
- Surgery.
- Physiotherapy.
- Rehabilitation methods.
- Well-being at home.
Before choosing a treatment method, you must determine the type of disease, location, and presence of complications. There are these types, with their characteristic symptoms:
- Cervical osteochondrosis. Disease symptoms: pain in shoulders, arms, neck; dizziness: tinnitus, colored spots before the eyes; headaches, numbness of the upper limbs.
- Cartilage disease of the thoracic spine. The symptom is dull or sharp pain in the chest region.
- Disease that develops in the lumbosacral region. Signs include: pain in hip joints, lower back, sacral region; dysfunction of the lower extremities.
- Common - Osteochondrosis develops simultaneously in several parts of the spine, accompanied by severe pain.
rehabilitation treatment
It is possible to restore health after osteochondrosis, the main thing is to follow all the doctor's recommendations and undergo rehabilitation treatment. This option is only used in remission of the disease, when there is no back pain. Not recommended for exacerbations. Osteochondrosis is treated with several methods:
- Physiotherapy.
- Sauna, underwater whirlpool, pool lessons.
- Working with a psychologist.
- Diet compliance, nutritional correction.
- Laser treatment.
- Manual therapy.
- The use of curative mud.
- Magnetotherapy, electrophoresis.
- Massage.
Surgical intervention
Sometimes patients delay treatment and it is not possible to resolve the problem of osteochondrosis without surgery. This is an exceptional method and is used when other treatment options fail or when exacerbations such as a hernia between the vertebrae or sciatica are observed. The main goal of treatment is to stabilize the structure of the spine, to reduce pressure on the spinal cord. This method of treatment is used in emergency cases, as there is a significant risk of spinal nerve damage, which is fraught with irreversible consequences.
How and How to Treat Osteochondrosis at Home
The treatment of osteochondrosis is possible not only in the hospital, but also at home, but with clear and unquestionable compliance with all the recommendations and prescriptions of the doctor. And if there is a desire to try other methods, this should only be done after consulting a specialist. At home, you can use the following methods of treating osteochondrosis: exercise, yoga; homeopathy, medicines; adherence to a diet; Traditional medicine.
drug treatment
Comprehensive treatment for osteochondrosis includes rehabilitation procedures, diet and medication. The dosage, the choice of a particular drug, must be prescribed and changed exclusively by the attending physician, with a focus on the result of the exam and on the general condition. All medications used are divided into two types: to eliminate pain in varying degrees, to prevent disease.
The first type includes:
- For mild pain, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used.
- If pain torments the patient for two or more weeks, pain relievers should be added to the above medications.
- If the pain persists for more than three months, antidepressants should be added to analgesics and NSAIDs, which will help regulate the patient's psychological state.
Medicines that aim to prevent osteochondrosis disease, regenerating cartilage and restoring metabolic processes in the human body.
It is important to know how to treat cervical osteochondrosis with medication, as it is the most common type of disease. How medications are worth using:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Warming ointments.
- Preparations for restoring cartilage tissue.
therapeutic diet
Proper nutrition and adherence to a diet for osteochondrosis is the key to rapid and accurate elimination of the disease or prevention. Basic nutritional principles:
- The diet should be as varied as possible.
- The menu of a patient with osteochondrosis should be low-calorie.
- Dishes containing mucopolysaccharides (eg fish and jam, jam, meat and jam) will be helpful.
- Compliance with drinking regime - the body must receive the necessary amount of fluids.
- The menu for a person suffering from back pain should include foods: eggs, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish.
- Limit the use of smoked meats, canned, sour and spiced foods.
- The rice diet is helpful: put 30 grams of rice in 6 quart pots and drizzle with water. In the morning, rinse the contents of the first container, boil and eat for breakfast (salt or nothing). Pour rice into the empty jar and add water, placing it at the end of the row, and change the water in the other containers. It costs about a month and a half to eat like this. This method of treating osteochondrosis will help remove toxins and salts.
physiotherapy exercises
Many are looking for options on how to get rid of osteochondrosis with minimal use of medication and without surgery. A simple but effective treatment method is physical therapy exercises in simulators or at home. Simple exercise, subject to regular exercise, works very well in preventing disease and eliminating symptoms (pain, inflammation, concomitant illnesses that developed in the context of osteochondrosis).
Exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis:
- Lying on your stomach, legs and back straight. Lift your chest and head, resting on your stomach, repeat the exercise for 3 minutes, 5 to 6 approaches.
- Lying on your back, legs bent at the knee joints. Turn right, then left. We do 8 approaches per day, dedicating 5 minutes to the class.
Exercise therapy for lumbar osteochondrosis:
- Standing, feet shoulder-width apart. In a few minutes, circular movements are made with the pelvis. For complication, it is possible to make a "number eight". The class lasts 3-5 minutes, but it is worth repeating it several times a day.
- Getting on all fours, bend your lower back as much as possible. Repeat at least 5 times a day for 2 minutes.
Exercise for thoracic osteochondrosis:
- Lying on the floor, lift your upper body, supporting yourself on your hands, arching your back, hold the position for 10 seconds.
folk remedies
For the treatment of osteochondrosis, traditional medicine is used, which includes: compresses, dyes, friction, special exercises to get rid of pain. Alternative medicine can only be used in combination with classical medical methods of treatment, otherwise it will not bring the desired results and, in the worst case, it will cause complications. Consider how to treat osteochondrosis with folk remedies:
- In a one-to-one ratio, combine peeled, grated potatoes and honey. In the form of a compress, put in place, the focus of the pain and around it, hold until a burning sensation.
- Apply the warm wax to the site where osteochondrosis develops, the pain is disturbing, cover it with a warm handkerchief.
- Mix vodka, aloe and honey in a 3: 1: 2 ratio, leave for several hours. From the resulting mixture, make medical compresses, preferably at night, they eliminate pain well.
- Nettle oil helps to treat osteochondrosis, relieve pain. For its preparation, 2 tablespoons of nettle seeds are poured with vegetable oil (0. 5 cups) and infused for 2 weeks, filtered and placed in a dark glass container. When pain is felt, the oil is applied to the skin.
It is always easier to prevent the development of a disease than to cure it. Preventive measures include: adequate and balanced nutrition; active lifestyle; regular exercise for osteochondrosis. This last method does not take a lot of time, but it is as effective as treatment with medications, procedures, and it is possible to teach at home. The main thing is to choose the right complex, calculated for a specific type of disease.
Which doctor should you contact to diagnose the disease
By identifying the main symptoms of the disease, you should not delay visiting a medical facility and starting treatment. It's worth knowing which doctor treats osteochondrosis, how to get to them, and whether additional tests and tests are needed before the appointment. You will need to visit your local therapist's office, who will write a referral for the necessary tests and refer you to a neurologist for consultation. You can turn to a narrow specialist - a vertebrologist who specializes in osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis, a disease that affects every two people due to inadequate lifestyle, low activity and other illnesses. You need to monitor your health and engage in disease prevention. By eating well, even with primitive physical exercise every day, you will never experience the symptoms of osteochondrosis in yourself.