A person’s ability to walk properly has not only obvious advantages but also disadvantages. Increased stress on the spine leads to the development of various diseases. Osteochondrosis is considered to be a common disease that affects more than 60% of the population. This diagnosis is noted in people over the age of 35, but cases of adult symptoms are common. One of the methods is surgery, but at an early stage it is possible to treat it with alternative methods.
Causes of the disease
Defeat of the discs between the vertebrae and the tissues of the spine is called osteochondrosis in medicine. Doctors can not name the only exact cause of the onset of the disease and sometimes it is impossible because the disease develops under the influence of a combination of factors. ენიYour include:
- Hereditary predisposition to disease.
- Presence of diseases of the endocrine system - metabolic disorders.
- Development of orthopedic diseases, for example, flat feet, postural curvature, diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
- Various injuries, spinal bruises.
- Lifestyle: Lack of activity, unhealthy diet with the advantage of fast food and unhealthy food.
- Excess weight.
- Bad habits - smoking, alcoholism.
- Stress, overwork.
- Pregnancy.
Methods of treatment of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a disease that is accompanied by pain, discomfort and with prolonged neglect it can lead to complications. The disease is treatable and different methods can be used for this, the choice of which depends on the localization of the disease, the degree of neglect and the general state of health. There are several treatment options:
- Surgery.
- Physiotherapy.
- Rehabilitation methods.
- Prosperity at home.
Before choosing a treatment method, you need to determine the type of disease, its location and the presence of complications. There are these types, with their characteristic symptoms:
- Cervical osteochondrosis. Symptoms of the disease: pain in the shoulders, arms, neck; Dizziness: tinnitus, colored spots in front of the eyes; Headache, numbness of the upper extremities.
- Disease of the cartilage of the thoracic spine. The symptom is dull or shooting pain in the chest.
- A disease that develops in the lumbosacral region. Signs include: pain in the 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 recommendations of the doctor and undergo rehabilitation treatment. This option is used only during remission of the disease, when there is no strong pain in the back. Not recommended for exacerbations. Osteochondrosis can be treated in several ways:
- Physiotherapy.
- Sauna, underwater hydromassage, lessons in the pool.
- Work with a psychologist.
- Dietary compliance, nutritional correction.
- Laser treatment.
- Manual therapy.
- Use of healing mud.
- Magnetotherapy, electrophoresis.
- ᲛMassage.
surgery
Sometimes patients delay treatment and it is impossible to solve the problem of osteochondrosis without surgery. This is a special method and is used when other treatment options fail or when exacerbations such as a hernia between the vertebrae and sciatica are observed. The main goal of treatment is to stabilize the structure of the spine, reduce the pressure on the spinal cord. This method of treatment is used in emergencies as there is a significant risk of spinal nerve damage which is fraught with irreversible consequences.
How and how to treat osteochondrosis at home
Osteochondrosis can be treated not only in the hospital but also at home, but with clear and unquestionable adherence to all the recommendations and prescriptions of the doctor. And if there is a desire to try other methods, it should be done only after consultation with a specialist. At home it is possible to use the following methods of treatment of osteochondrosis: exercise, yoga; Homeopathy, medications; Adherence to diet; Traditional medicine.
Drug treatment
Comprehensive treatment for osteochondrosis includes rehabilitation procedures, diet, and medication. The dose, the choice of a particular drug, should be prescribed and adjusted exclusively by the attending physician, focusing on test results and general condition. All drugs used are divided into two types: to eliminate different degrees of pain, to prevent disease.
The first type includes:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used for mild pain.
- If the pain torments the patient for two or more weeks, analgesics should be added to the above drugs.
- If the pain persists for more than three months, antidepressants should be added to painkillers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help regulate the patient's psychological state.
Medications aimed at preventing osteochondrosis by 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. As medicines worth using:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Warming ointments.
- Preparations for cartilage tissue repair.
Therapeutic diet
Proper nutrition and diet during osteochondrosis are key to the rapid or accurate management or prevention of the disease. Basic principles of nutrition:
- The diet should be as varied as possible.
- The menu of a patient with osteochondrosis should be low in calories.
- Dishes containing mucopolysaccharides (e. g. , jelly fish, jelly, jelly jelly) will be helpful.
- Adherence to the drinking regime - the body needs to receive the required amount of fluid.
- The menu of the oral spine should include foods: eggs, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish.
- Limit the use of smoked meats, pickles, sour, spicy foods.
- Rice diet is useful: pour 30 grams of rice in 6 half-liter jars and pour water. In the morning, rinse the contents of the first container, bring to a boil and serve for breakfast (salt or nothing to show). Pour the rice into an empty jar and add water, place it at the end of the row and replace the water in other containers. So eating it costs about a month and a half. This method of treating osteochondrosis will help remove toxins and salts.
Physiotherapeutic 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 method of treatment is physiotherapy exercises on the trainers or at home. Performing simple exercises, with regular exercise, works perfectly for the prevention of the disease and the elimination of symptoms (pain, inflammation, concomitant diseases that have developed against the background of osteochondrosis).
Exercise therapy for cervical osteochondrosis:
- Lie on your stomach, legs and back straight. Lift the chest and head, leaning on the abdomen, repeat the exercise for 3 minutes, 5-6 approaches.
- Lying on your back, legs bent at the knee joints. Turn right, then left. We do 8 approaches a day, devoting 5 minutes to the lesson.
Exercise therapy for lumbar osteochondrosis:
- Stand, feet shoulder width apart. In a few minutes there are circular movements in the pelvis. To complicate matters it is possible to make a "figure eight". The lesson lasts 3-5 minutes, but it is worth repeating it several times a day.
- Stand on all fours, bending the lower part as much as possible. Repeat at least 5 times a day for 2 minutes.
Exercise for Chest Osteochondrosis:
- Lie on the floor, lift your upper body, lean on your hands, close your back, hold the position for 10 seconds.
Folk remedies
Traditional medicine is used to treat osteochondrosis, which includes: compresses, tinctures, rubs, special exercises to get rid of pain. Alternative medicine can be used only in combination with classical, medical methods of treatment, otherwise it will not bring the desired result, and in the worst case will lead to complications. Consider how to treat osteochondrosis with folk remedies:
- Mix grated potatoes, grated and honey in one ratio. In the form of a compress, place the focus of the pain in and around it, stopping until you feel a burning sensation.
- Apply the heated wax to the area where osteochondrosis develops, the pain is bothersome, cover with a warm scarf.
- Mix vodka, aloe and honey in a ratio of 3: 1: 2, leave for several hours. Make medical compresses from the resulting mixture, preferably at night, they eliminate pain well.
- Nettle oil helps treat osteochondrosis, relieves pain. To prepare it, 2 tablespoons of nettle seeds are poured with vegetable oil (0, 5 cups) and put for 2 weeks, filtered and poured into a dark glass container. When pain is felt, the oil is absorbed into the skin.
It is always easier to prevent the development of a disease than to cure it. Preventive measures include: proper, balanced nutrition; Active lifestyle; Regular exercise during osteochondrosis. The latter method does not take much time, but it is as effective as treatment with medications, procedures, and it is possible to conduct lessons at home. The main thing is to choose the right complex, tailored to the specific type of disease.
Which doctor should you consult to diagnose the disease
If you experience the main symptoms of the disease, you should not delay your visit to the medical facility and start treatment. It is worthwhile to find out which doctor is treating osteochondrosis, how to approach it and whether additional examinations and tests are needed before the visit. You will need to visit your local therapist's office, who will write a referral for the necessary tests and send you to a neurologist for a consultation. You can consult a narrow specialist - a vertebrologist who specializes in osteochondrosis.
Osteochondrosis, a disease that affects every second person due to improper lifestyle, low activity and other diseases. It is essential to monitor your health and get involved in disease prevention. With proper nutrition, even with primitive physical exercise, you will never feel the symptoms of osteochondrosis on your own.