The spinal column is the human spine. He bears the burden of walking. Abrasion occurs faster than other parts of the body. A sedentary, sedentary lifestyle exacerbates the situation. The causes are unknown, there is a group of risk factors.
Before treating osteochondrosis you should consult a doctor who will conduct an examination and make a diagnosis. If you follow your doctor's instructions, a positive result is guaranteed.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis
Osteochondrosis is a lesion of the intervertebral discs characterized by destruction. The disease affects one or more discs. Symptoms and treatment are interrelated. The types of disease are differentiated according to the symptoms:
- Pain in the arms, shoulders, headache with the appearance of tinnitus, dizziness, colored spots, goosebumps in front of the eyes with cervical osteochondrosis. Found in 25% of cases.
- Chest pain, numbness, pain in the heart, stomach and other organs are signs of damage to the chest. Diagnosed in 13% of cases.
- Pain in the lumbar region, legs, groin, lower extremities, decreased sensitivity of the pelvic organs - osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region. Common species - 50% of cases.
- Pain in several parts of the spine is normal osteochondrosis.
Pain is considered a determining factor, there is a feeling of numbness in the limbs, pain, tingling. Unpleasant manifestations are muscle spasm, stiffness of movement, pain that occurs with sudden movements, wheezing, coughing.
Depending on the symptoms, the doctor makes a preliminary diagnosis, prescribes special procedures for instrumental examination - X-ray, tomography, MRI. These are the ways to make an accurate diagnosis, to determine the presence of concomitant diseases - protrusion, intervertebral hernia.
Symptoms often indicate later stages of disease development when surgery is needed. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the pain, stopping the development of the disease.
Conservative treatment
The treatment of the patient is determined by the attending physician, in severe cases the Board of Physicians. Common conservative treatment - treatment methods from various fields of medicine. Conservative treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine includes recreational activities:
- Therapeutic exercise - restores spinal mobility, disease prevention.
- Manual therapy is the removal of muscle spasms, improving blood circulation and metabolic processes.
- Reflexology is a means of relieving muscle spasms by stimulating the production of substances that inhibit inflammatory processes.
- Underwater hydromassage. Water sport relaxes the spine, heals.
- Traction treatment is a set of saws that stretch the spine, reducing pressure on the discs and nerve endings.
- Ultrasound, laser therapy, electro-, magneto-, vibrostimulation - types of hardware treatments that relieve muscle spasm, improve microcirculation.
- Therapeutic diet. The diet is selected so that the body receives the necessary vitamins, trace elements.
- Psychotherapy. Promotes human belief in recovery, activates the body's internal resources.
- Medical therapy. Taking medication.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the spine is better in a sanatorium. At home a person faces the problem of organizing time. There is not enough time to follow the instructions, it is impossible to do the diet independently, follow it. Inpatient treatment is also not ideal - lack of orthopedic products in the hospital, equipment, doctors.
Treatment is carried out in full in special centers, sanatoriums. The duration of treatment has not been established. It will take a week to a month to eliminate serious symptoms. Rehabilitation, recovery of disks will take more than 3 months.
From the complex of procedures many doctors prescribe medications, hardware treatments. Medications for osteochondrosis of the spine help to cope with the aggravation of the disease. It is justified to take anti-inflammatory drugs with analgesic action, antispasmodics, antioxidants that stimulate microcirculation, promote the regeneration of nerve, cartilage tissues.
Only with treatment are drugs forgetting the internal capabilities of the organism, the patient is treated without it. This is a mistake, a lack of medicine. Conservative methods can improve the patient's condition.
How else to treat osteochondrosis?
If conservative treatment is not sufficient, surgery is prescribed. Sometimes surgery alone relieves the condition. Doctors remove the hernia, replacing worn discs with new ones. The rehabilitation period is conducted in the usual treatment.
The cost of treating osteochondrosis is comparable to that of cardiovascular disease, the flu. To make it cheaper, alternative treatment options are considered. It is worth buying a device to treat osteochondrosis of the spine, which relieves pain. Procedures can be performed at home independently, with the help of loved ones.
The alternative is traditional medicine. There are many recipes for ointments, herbal decoctions, taken orally, in the form of compresses. Many recipes for different stages, types of disease.
Self-medication will worsen the patient's condition, so you should consult your doctor before taking the drug. The option of self-medication is to believe in healing, to follow the instructions of the doctor.
Disease prevention
It is better not to look for a cure for spinal osteochondrosis, but for prevention. It is worthwhile to develop good habits in connection with the daily routine of nutrition. Preventive actions:
- Morning back, limb massages - adhesive, zelva, performed independently.
- In gymnastics, in training. It is worth including swinging movements, turning, tilting, jumping on the ground, lifting.
- Exercises in the workplace. If the job involves staying in a certain posture for a long time, it is worth focusing for five minutes every hour or two to perform a few exercises.
- Swimming is a sport that helps to solve spine problems.
If the disease has managed to develop, the prevention of osteochondrosis of the spine, the treatment should be combined, complement each other.
An important point is to maintain proper nutrition. It should include vegetarian dishes, steamed dishes, baked in the oven. The diet should include a lot of protein and not mushrooms. Spices, seasonings are welcome, salt and pickles are excluded. It is not recommended to drink strong tea, coffee, alcohol, abuse of sweet, starchy foods. It is worth eating 5-7 times a day. Eat no more than 2 kg of food per liter of water per day. With a lack of vitamins, they are prescribed separately.
Active lifestyle, proper nutrition - the key to the health of the spine, body. Treatment is difficult, but will help eliminate the unpleasant pain. If you are diagnosed with osteochondrosis, you will have to change your lifestyle forever.
The article was written for the development of general education. Be sure to consult your doctor to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment.