The story of how the king treated osteochondrosis has survived to this day. 150-200 grams of mustard were added to a huge barrel full of hot water, and the king, a great hunter for a pleasant and useful party in a warm heated bath, slowly plunged into it to the throat. The procedure ended with a tea party.
The next morning, the ruler was ready for the next military campaign.
What is osteochondrosis and how is it treated today?
Danger of "inflexible" diseases
Osteochondrosis makes a person inflexible - a subtle aphorism accurately describes the consequences of degenerative changes in the intervertebral disc, the progression of which leads to its destruction.
The intervertebral disc, which gradually loses its ability to "spring", becomes covered with cracks due to increasing pressure, and its contents are "squeezed out" over time - an intervertebral hernia is formed.
The leaked fluid compresses the nerve endings of the spinal cord, disrupting the "connection" between all the internal organs of the person. Thus, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region for years forces to treat gastritis or look for the cause of heart pain; lumbar or lumbosacral osteochondrosis can cause partial or complete paralysis of the lower extremities, and cervical - impedes blood flow to the brain.
Sometimes the disease affects several departments of the "pillar of life" - widespread osteochondrosis of the spine develops, whose standards of treatment are similar to those described below, but the recovery process requires much more effort on the part of the patient and doctor.
Cartilaginous tissue and bones of the ankles also suffer from destructive processes. Lumbosacral osteochondrosis is associated with shooting pains when moving, cramps and pain in the lower leg muscles, numbness of the toes and decreased sensitivity of the skin of the feet.
However, more often these symptoms indicate osteochondrosis of the foot, the treatment of which begins with a visit to a neurologist and is successfully carried out with the help of classical massage, manual therapy, osteopathy and acupuncture.
And how to cure osteochondrosis of the spine? Indeed, over time, the body compensates for the "missing" disc height by growing the bone tissue of the vertebral body and, growing together, such growths immobilize individual segments of the "axis of life".
How to treat exacerbations of osteochondrosis?
In addition to the rapid removal of pain, the main goal of treating exacerbated osteochondrosis is to eliminate muscle spasm and suppress swelling of inflamed tissues that compress nerve roots.
In the acute period, modern standards for the treatment of osteochondrosis prescribe treatment aimed at relieving the spine and eliminating pain:
- In the acute period, especially in the presence of an intervertebral hernia, the patient is shown treatment in the position - strict bed rest, which lasts at least 6 days;
- Painkillers help relieve inflammation and pain; usually in osteochondrosis, analgesics are prescribed, as well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- In stable, severe pain syndrome, injection of glucocorticoid or novocaine anesthetics is indicated. With exacerbated osteochondrosis, these drugs provide a prolonged analgesic effect;
- For unbearable pain that deprives sleep in osteochondrosis, the use of hypnotics and sedatives is recommended;
- In case of hypertonicity of the muscles of the back and lower extremities, muscle relaxants of central action are prescribed;
- In spinal decompression, diuretics are used to relieve swelling;
- Local treatment of pain in osteochondrosis is provided by ointments and gels with anti-inflammatory components. They are applied at the site of pain localization;
- To optimize the blood supply to the spine, angioprotective drugs and venotonics are prescribed to eliminate blood clots, as well as nicotinic acid, which is a vasodilator;
- Surgery is often the only correct solution to paralysis.
Where do we treat osteochondrosis?
As a rule, the patient goes through a kind of circle - hospital - clinic treatment - hydropathic or sanatorium - treatment at home under the supervision of a doctor.
Often, even in the acute period, the treatment is carried out at home, however, with the low efficiency of the mentioned therapeutic measures, the issue of hospitalization of the patient is resolved.
Recovery period from osteochondrosis
After the acute period, efforts should be focused on inhibiting destructive processes and optimizing local blood flow and metabolism. The expected result of the treatment is the maximum renewal of the cartilage tissue.
The goal of the next phase of osteochondrosis treatment is to eliminate the consequences of neurological complications and prevent deterioration in the future, preventing further degeneration of the soft "components" of the spine.
How do we treat osteochondrosis during the recovery period?
The reception of pharmaceutical preparations in this phase continues. The most important of them are vitamins A, E, P, C and most of the "representatives" of group B, which strengthen the walls of blood vessels and restore the normal "flow" of nerve impulses, as well as chondroprotectors. The latter are cartilage extracts - a kind of pill for osteochondrosis, which stimulates the regeneration of "relaxed" cartilage tissue. An anti-inflammatory component is often added to their composition, which enables a reduction in the dose of NSAIDs. Chondoprotectors are taken without worsening the pain syndrome.
To enhance the effect of oral chondroprotectors, it is recommended to use a cream for osteochondrosis, as well as ointments based on chondroitin and glucosamine.
Relatively new and good drugs for osteochondrosis are patches.
Small pieces of fabric with an adhesive surface help retain heat, anesthetize and slow down the destructive processes at the site of attachment:
- Chinese osteochondrosis patches, which contain herbal ingredients and beeswax, accelerate the final reduction of inflammation and relax muscles. With the disappearance of pain, metabolic processes are normalized, and with them - the trophism of the affected segment;
- Pepper patch for osteochondrosis, due to the presence of "burning" belladonna, pine rosin and pepper, stimulates blood flow to the problem area, eliminating muscle spasm and accelerating swelling of the tissue that presses the nerve roots;
Physiotherapy and alternative therapies
As the inflammation subsides, further rehabilitation in the presence of osteochondrosis complications is carried out by drug-free exposure methods. The emphasis in treatment shifts to physiotherapy and alternative methods.
The main goal of this period is to expand the motor regime.
How to get rid of osteochondrosis without medication:
- Physiotherapeutic procedures - infrared laser, magnetotherapy, phonophoresis with chondroxide help alleviate muscle hypertonicity and symptoms of nerve "tension", and also allow you to deliver chondroitin, which prevents the destruction of cartilage tissue, directly into the unhealthy segment;
- Effective treatment of osteochondrosis rarely passes without traction, ie stretching of the spine under the influence of its own weight, additional load or forces of the chiropractor. The most affordable way to pull the spine, especially when osteochondrosis is combined with bending, is to hang it on a horizontal bar. But even this simple exercise is fraught with complications if the technique is wrong, so all training methods should be discussed with your doctor;
- It is also possible to improve the blood supply to the spine and normalize metabolic processes in it by pointing thin needles on the plexuses of nerve endings, blood vessels and connective tissue. In addition, acupuncture for osteochondrosis provokes the release of endogenous opiates that act as analgesics, as well as the production of "anti-inflammatory" cortisol, which eliminates the need to use its synthetic counterpart. Gradual relaxation of the paravertebral muscles also helps reduce pain;
- Often, the treatment of osteochondrosis becomes a "work of life", and patients who have tried many ways to alleviate suffering leave positive feedback on the healing properties of apitoxins and bee products.
Thus, therapeutic doses of bee venom significantly reduce inflammation and alleviate pain more effectively than analgesics and NSAIDs, promote vasodilation, and accelerate nutrient supply.
Without what is recovery impossible?
Maybe your daily routine was not a priority before the disease started. During the recovery period, "updating" the mechanism of natural depreciation is impossible if the schedule of rest, diet and physical activity is not respected.
So study the hygiene of posture and movement - the ability to observe in everyday life will allow you to "unload" the spine.
A place to sleep
Start by organizing a night's rest. In the acute phase, place a hard shield under an ordinary mattress. Which mattress to use for osteochondrosis in the future?
In the absence of deformity of posture - orthopedic. In the presence of curvature, the bed should be firmer.
In osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, the use of orthopedic pillows is recommended.
After getting out of bed, the patient is recommended to use a corset - in the case of osteochondrosis relieves the affected segments, preventing spasms of weakened muscles. The duration of its wearing is determined by the doctor.
Nutrition
Examine your diet. Maybe, if it wasn't ideal before, it will be a springboard for recovery. . . starvation. It is known that the first fast worsens the disease, and the subsequent one cures it. How does fasting treat osteochondrosis? In fact, the intervertebral disc is a small hydraulic shock absorber. Like a water cushion, the disc cushions shocks. Alternating compression and pressure relief on the disc keeps it hydrated.
According to the author's method, dry fasting contributes to the elimination of "waste", "dead" water from the tissues that surround the disc and stimulates the renewal of its own, purified intercellular fluid.
Fasting should be performed under the supervision of a physician.
Physical education
The best cure for osteochondrosis is physical education. Performing exercises to self-lengthen the spine and strengthen the muscles of the body chosen by the exercise instructor should become a daily rule. Training should be performed in series, several times a day, in the periods between exacerbations.
So, a modern, and at the same time reasonable trend in the treatment of osteochondrosis is segmental gymnastics. Schematically it can be presented in two phases: stretching the muscles through movements whose amplitude slightly exceeds the existing mobility in the joint or segment and electrical muscle stimulation combined with local gymnastics and acupressure at the site of "hidden" disease. .
This leads to relaxation of the paravertebral muscles, followed by stimulation of blood flow, which leads to a regenerative process.
Pain often signals serious "defects" in the spine. So do not delay the visit to the doctor, and be healthy!