Osteochondrosis of the back: how to treat, symptoms, full description of the disease

CT of the lumbar spine under 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 the exercise if back pain appears during physical exertion, and to consult a doctor to investigate the causes and choose the methods of treatment.

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 onset of osteochondrosis. The nature of the pain syndrome is different, which is associated with the individual characteristics of patients. In addition, the signs do not always appear, especially in the early stages of development.

If you have back pain, sudden movements are not recommended, otherwise the discomfort will increase. Often, it is the neglect of this rule that leads to an increase in symptoms. Painful sensations can be sharp or painful. During the exacerbation phase, adjacent areas can also hurt.

General manifestations of osteochondrosis of the back are represented by the following signs:

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

Thoracic department

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

Pain in the thoracic spine with osteochondrosis

The patient's condition is characterized by spasms that appear during inspiration or expiration. The discomfort mostly occurs at night, which is associated with uncomfortable posture while sleeping. Treatment should 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 capacity 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. The spread of 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 over the site of inflammation. Mobility decreases, because any movement causes a lot of unpleasant sensations. These include the following manifestations:

  1. Increased sweating.
  2. The cold is felt in the lower limbs.
  3. Weakened muscle tissue.
  4. Decreased 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 lumbar region, the symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are represented by a feeling of numbness and tingling. With a prolonged stay in one position, the discomfort increases. If the symptoms are acute, the patient is advised to rest and avoid exertion.

Processing methods

The onset of the first symptoms should be a good reason to go to a medical facility and start treatment. Failure to intervene can lead to the development of osteochondrosis, which will lead to the appearance of other symptoms of the lesion and worsen the patient's condition.

Popular therapies include:

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

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

  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
  • Pain relief;
  • 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 primary method of treatment. Before using the techniques, it is recommended to consult and consult a doctor.

Medication tactics

Drug treatment is the most common way to eliminate osteochondrosis and its symptoms. What is forbidden to do? The patient should not choose the drugs for himself, because before starting treatment it is necessary to carry out a diagnosis to identify the causes of the appearance of osteochondrosis of the back. In addition, it is necessary to identify the features of the disease. The patient cannot cope with this task alone, 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 therapy is used. Unpleasant signs are quickly eliminated, which relieves the patient. Full processing involves the appointment of several groups of funds:

  1. NSAIDs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
  2. Medicines to relieve pain.
  3. Chondroprotectors.
  4. Muscle relaxants for osteochondrosis.
  5. Vitamin B complexes.

NSAIDs are essential for relieving pain and reducing inflammation. The method of administration by injection allows you to achieve a positive result in a short time. It is not always possible to cope with back pain with osteochondrosis, therefore, they also resort to pain relievers.

To reduce pain and improve the general condition, vitamins of group B are used. If unpleasant symptoms are associated with spasms of muscle tissue, 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 analgesics;
  • muscle relaxants;
  • NSAIDs.

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

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

Features of traditional medicine

You can cure osteochondrosis with the help of folk recipes. The combination with the drugs of the main therapy 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 folk remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis

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

  1. Friction.
  2. Compresses.
  3. Herbal baths.

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

This recipe will require pork fat and hops.. . .The fat is necessarily melted, its temperature must correspond to the ambient values. To prepare the mixture, take 1 tbsp. the. fat and add it to the ground hops. The amount of the last component is also equal to 1 tbsp. the. Back treatment is necessary in the evening or before bedtime. After rubbing, it is recommended to wrap the affected area with a warm cloth: a scarf, blanket or woolen scarf.

Hops and pork fat for the preparation of medicinal ointments for osteochondrosis

An effective composition is horseradish with vodka. It is advisable to carry out the procedure before bedtime. To prepare the composition, the root of the plant is carefully crushed, after which vodka is added. Both components are taken in equal proportions. To treat the signs, simply rub the product on the back.

The medicine of laurel and juniper is an essential remedy. To prepare the composition you need the following ingredients:

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

The components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained. With the help of the ointment, rub the 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 movement will become less constrained.

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 give up addictions. It is useful to choose a special orthopedic mattress and pillow. The diet should include foods containing vitamins and minerals. For back pain, avoid the following foods and dishes:

  • Coffee;
  • strong tea;
  • fat food;
  • meals high in cholesterol.

Compresses are used to treat osteochondrosis of 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. One example is burdock leaves, which can be used for pain relief. You will need to take a fresh leaf and steam it. Such a remedy is applied to the back and covered with a heating cloth. The back should be treated for about 30 minutes.

Burdock leaf for pain relief compress for osteochondrosis of the back

The combination of honey and potato is an excellent medicine to treat the signs of osteochondrosis. The 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 the completion of this action, the site of application is covered with polyethylene and wrapped in a cloth. The duration of treatment for back pain is 2 hours.

Reducing signs of inflammation and improving well-being are all possible with herbal baths. The duration of the treatment should not exceed 30 minutes, and the sample should be taken with care, strictly following the instructions indicated.

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, dry flowers are needed, which are poured with boiling water and insisted for half an hour. After filtering through cheesecloth or other device, you can add it to the bath. In the same way, medicine is prepared from birch leaves.

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