Osteochondrosis of the back: how to treat, symptoms, a complete description of the disease.

Computed tomography of the lumbar spine in normal conditions and with osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis of the back occurs not only in the elderly, but also in young patients. The reasons for the development of the disease are associated with heavy loads or the development of infections that affect different segments of the body and lead to the formation of pathological changes. What to do if discomfort and other signs appear? It is necessary to stop exercising if back pain appears during physical exertion and visit a doctor to find the causes and choose the treatment methods.

Symptoms of pathology.

Symptoms of the development of osteochondrosis are characterized by various manifestations. In most cases, patients have back pain, however, the presence of a symptom does not yet indicate the appearance of osteochondrosis. The nature of the pain syndrome is different, which is associated with the individual characteristics of patients. Also, the signs do not always appear, especially in the early stages of development.

If your back hurts, it is not recommended to make sudden movements, otherwise the discomfort will increase. Often times, it is the neglect of this rule that leads to an increase in symptoms. Painful sensations can be sharp or painful. During the exacerbation stage, the adjacent areas can also hurt.

The general manifestations of osteochondrosis of the back are represented by the following signs:

  1. Numbness of arms, legs.
  2. Decreased performance of the hands and fingers.
  3. Painful sensations in the chest, neck and lower back.
  4. Spread the pain to adjacent areas.

Thoracic department

When the thoracic region is affected, pain appears during physical exertion. The symptom spreads to the arm or the area between the shoulder blades. Often, patients confuse the manifestations of thoracic osteochondrosis with cardiovascular diseases, since the pain in the back occurs in the sternum.

Pain in the thoracic spine with osteochondrosis.

The patient's condition is characterized by spasms that appear when inhaling or exhaling. Discomfort occurs especially often at night, which is associated with an awkward posture during sleep. Treatment must be started in a timely manner, otherwise complications will appear.

Cervical

With the defeat of the cervical spine, osteochondrosis has its own characteristics:

  1. The presence of noise and ringing in the ears and head.
  2. Decreased capacities of the organs of sight and hearing, double vision.
  3. Dizziness.
  4. There is pain in the back of the head and neck, often radiating to the back.
  5. The patient feels tired.
  6. Spread pain syndrome occurs in the area of the shoulders, shoulder blades, and arms.
Neck pain with osteochondrosis.

Lumbar

The development of a degenerative process in the lumbar region is accompanied by pain and discomfort. The symptom often radiates above the site of inflammation. Mobility decreases, since any movement causes many unpleasant sensations. These include the following manifestations:

  1. Increased sweating
  2. Coldness is felt in the lower extremities.
  3. Weakened muscle tissue.
  4. Decrease in physical activity.
  5. Problems with the work of internal organs, which is a consequence of pinching the sciatic nerve.
Low back pain with osteochondrosis.

In addition to sharp or aching pain in the lower back, the symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are represented by a sensation of numbness and tingling. With prolonged stay in one position, discomfort increases. If symptoms are acute, the patient is advised to rest and avoid exertion.

Treatment methods

The appearance of the first symptoms should be a good reason to visit a medical center and start treatment. Lack of intervention can lead to the development of osteochondrosis, which will lead to the appearance of other symptoms of the injury and worsen the patient's condition.

Popular therapies include:

  1. Medication tactics.
  2. Physiotherapy.
  3. Physiotherapy and gymnastics.
  4. Massage.
  5. Manual therapy.

Drug treatment is aimed at eliminating unpleasant symptoms and getting rid of dystrophic processes if the disease is in the initial stage of development. In this case, drugs are used:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
  • Analgesics;
  • Chondroprotectors;
  • Vitamin and mineral complexes.

As an additional method of eliminating pain, folk recipes can be prescribed. It is important to remember that they are secondary in nature, therefore it is not recommended to use them as the main method of treatment. Before using the techniques, it is recommended to consult a doctor and consult with him.

Medication tactics

The most common way to eliminate osteochondrosis and its symptoms is drug treatment. What is forbidden to do? The patient should not select drugs on his own, since before starting therapy, it is necessary to conduct diagnostics to identify the causes of the appearance of subsequent osteochondrosis. In addition, it is necessary to identify the characteristics of the disease. The patient cannot cope with this task on his own, this also applies to the choice of groups of drugs, their dosage.

The doctor prescribes drugs for the treatment of osteochondrosis.

For severe pain, injection treatment is used. Unpleasant signs are quickly removed, bringing relief to the patient. Comprehensive treatment involves the appointment of several groups of funds:

  1. NSAIDs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
  2. Medicines to relieve pain.
  3. Chondroprotectors.
  4. Muscle relaxants for osteochondrosis.
  5. Complexes with vitamin B.

NSAIDs are essential to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Injection method of administration allows you to achieve a positive result in a short period of time. It is not always possible to cope with back pain with osteochondrosis, therefore, they also resort to the help of painkillers.

To reduce pain and improve the general condition, vitamins of group B are used. If unpleasant symptoms are associated with spasm of muscle tissue, then you can not do without muscle relaxants. Chondroprotectors have a long-term effect. In addition, they activate the regeneration of damaged tissues.

In addition to injections, drugs in the form of tablets are used. To cure osteochondrosis, the following drugs are used:

  • Combined analgesic drugs;
  • Muscle relaxants;
  • NSAIDs.

Local treatment is also important during therapy. The impact on the site of inflammation leads to a quick result and relief from well-being. It is necessary to treat the signs of osteochondrosis with the following ointments:

  1. Complex tools.
  2. Non-steroidal drugs.
  3. Massage products: comfrey ointment.
  4. Compositions based on natural ingredients will help: leech extract, plant extracts, snake and bee venom, menthol.

Characteristics of traditional medicine.

You can cure osteochondrosis with the help of folk recipes. The combination with the main therapy drugs leads to positive results, but only if the rules and dosages are followed. It is also necessary to remember the presence of side effects, therefore, before the procedure, it is necessary to consult a doctor and exclude the presence of allergic reactions.

The patient consults with a doctor about home remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis.

For the treatment of osteochondrosis, the following methods are used:

  1. Rubbing.
  2. Compress.
  3. Herbal baths.

Rubbing your back can ease pain and discomfort. The duration of therapy is 10-14 days and activities should be performed every day. There are a large number of recipes for traditional medicine, so you can choose the appropriate method of treatment.

This recipe will call for pork fat and hops.. . .Fat necessarily melts, its temperature must correspond to the values in the room. To prepare the mixture, take 1 tbsp. l. fat and add it to the ground hops. The amount of the last component is also equal to 1 tablespoon. l. Back treatment is necessary at night or before going to bed. After rubbing, it is recommended to wrap the affected area with a warm cloth - a woolen scarf, blanket or scarf.

Hops and pork fat for the preparation of medicinal ointment for osteochondrosis.

An effective composition is horseradish with vodka. It is recommended that the procedure be carried out before bedtime. To prepare the composition, the root of the plant is thoroughly crushed, after which vodka is added. Both components are taken in equal proportions. To treat the signs, simply rub the product on your back.

The medicine of bay leaf and juniper is an indispensable remedy. To prepare the composition, you need the following ingredients:

  1. Butter - 12 teaspoons
  2. Chopped juniper leaves - 1 tsp.
  3. Chopped bay leaf - 6 teaspoons

The components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained. With the help of the ointment, rub your back several times a day. If you do everything right, the result will not be long in coming. The pain will decrease, the condition will improve markedly, and movements will become less restricted.

Juniper and bay leaf as part of the ointment will help relieve pain in osteochondrosis.

Additional techniques

There are other ways to treat osteochondrosis of the back. A prerequisite for the recovery and elimination of pain is the normalization of the daily regimen. The patient must abandon addictions. It is useful to choose a special orthopedic mattress and pillow. The diet should include foods with vitamins and minerals. For back pain, avoid the following foods and dishes:

  • coffee;
  • strong tea;
  • fatty foods;
  • foods high in cholesterol.

Compresses are used to cure osteochondrosis in the back. They should be done for 5-14 days and every day. Natural ingredients are used for the compress, which increases the effectiveness of the treatment. An example is burdock leaves, which can be used for pain relief. You will need to take a fresh leaf and steam it. This remedy is applied to the back and covered with a warm cloth. The back should be treated for about 30 minutes.

Burdock Leaf Pain Relief Compress for Osteochondrosis of the Back

The combination of honey and potatoes is an excellent medicine to treat the signs of osteochondrosis. Potatoes are pre-cut, and honey is added to the resulting substance. The ingredients should be taken in equal proportions. The composition can be applied directly to the back. After this action is completed, the application site is covered with polyethylene and wrapped in a cloth. The duration of treatment for back pain is 2 hours.

Reducing the signs of inflammation and improving well-being is possible with herbal baths. The duration of the treatment should not exceed 30 minutes, and the collection should be done carefully, carefully following the indicated instructions.

Often, osteochondrosis is treated with horse chestnut. The fruits of the plant are crushed, after which they are poured with water. The component should be boiled for about 20 minutes. The prepared composition is filtered and poured into a bath. You can also use a chestnut tincture with vodka.

Chamomile flowers are known for their medicinal properties. For the treatment and elimination of back pain, dried flowers are required, which are poured with boiling water and insisted for half an hour. After filtering through gauze or other device, you can add it to the bath. Similarly, a medicine is prepared from birch leaves.

Only complex measures can completely eliminate back pain and other manifestations of the disease.