Effective methods of treating osteochondrosis at home

As is known, osteochondrosis is a chronic pathology caused by degenerative changes in the structure of the spine. Unfortunately, 8 out of 10 people in the adult population suffer from osteochondrosis.

The pathology can begin in adolescence (20-25 years) and gradually become more complicated with new manifestations. In general, a distinction is made between lumbar, thoracic and cervical osteochondrosis.

Symptoms of the disease

Osteochondrotic lesions of the cervical spine are characterized by:

• Boring pain in the neck and back of the head (cervicalgia);
• When the vertebral artery is damaged, the activity of the nerve centers responsible for the normalization of pressure indicators is disrupted, so hypertension is often a concomitant pathology of osteochondrosis;
• During the development of cervical osteochondrosis, compression of the spinal artery occurs, which provokes the appearance of symptoms such as extraneous noise in the ears, dizziness and visual impairment, as well as paroxysmal aching headaches.
• Heart pain radiating to the shoulder blade and neck, similar to the pain of angina pectoris.

Lumbar osteochondrosis is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Severe pain due to compression of the spinal nerve roots, as well as the venous-arterial lines that supply nutrients to the spinal cord;
• When the lower lumbar roots are affected, the disease is accompanied by sharp pains along the outside of the legs, leading to reduced sensitivity of this area.
• Lumbar osteochondrosis is often manifested by stabbing pain that extends from the lower back to the legs. Later, this symptom is replaced by a decrease in sensitivity in the lower extremities.
• With the development of complications in the form of an intervertebral hernia, symptoms such as weakness in the legs, pain in the lumbar spine, reduced muscle tone and sensitivity of the legs, and weakness of the leg muscles (paresis) occur.

Manifestations of thoracic osteochondrosis:

• With upper lesions, pain is observed in the abdomen, chest, shoulder and scapula;
• Lower lesions are accompanied by reduced sensitivity of the lower thoracic vertebrae, accompanied by dysfunction of the pelvic organs. Pain increases when moving or sneezing;
• In rare cases, thoracic osteochondrosis causes spinal compression, which is characterized by local girdle pain radiating to the intercostal space, abdomen, groin or lower extremities, weakness and numbness in the legs, and disturbances in the activity of the pelvic organs.

Treatment options

A whole range of therapeutic techniques is used in the treatment of osteochondrosis:

1. drug therapy;
2. Physiotherapy (massage procedures, physiotherapy, etc. );
3. diet therapy;
4. corrective therapy;
5. ethnoscience;
6. Surgery.

How to treat cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteochondrosis at home

Each of the methods of anti-osteochondrosis therapy is aimed at relieving and subsequently eliminating pain, normalizing the course of vertebral structural processes and restoring radicular spinal activity.

Drug therapy

Drug therapy for osteochondrosis is based on several areas:

1. Symptomatic therapy is aimed at eliminating pain and involves taking anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition to anti-inflammatory drugs, patients are also prescribed muscle relaxants from the group of muscle relaxants;
2. Treatment to normalize blood circulation includes the use of vasodilators;
3. Restorative therapy of cartilage tissue is based on the use of chondroprotective drugs;
4. Vitamin therapy is based on taking vitamin complexes;
5. Treatment with antidepressants is intended to relieve anxiety and depressive states, which often occur in patients against the background of limited mobility and pain due to osteochondrosis.
6. Therapy with herbal preparations often helps to significantly alleviate the condition of patients, since such drugs restore immune defenses, sleep and strength of the body, and prevent depression.

Physiotherapeutic activities

Very effective in the fight against osteochondrosis are physiotherapeutic measures that:

• Help in eliminating pain syndrome;
• Increase the amplitude of motor skills;
• Improve and facilitate the course of immune processes;
• normalization of blood circulation;
• normalize metabolic processes;
• Ensure a reduction in the therapeutic dosage of anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal and analgesic drugs.

Physiotherapy has many variations. In the treatment of osteochondrosis, the following are most often used:

1. Electrotherapy involves performing procedures associated with the influence of electric current, such as electrophoresis, galvanization, electrosleep, darsonvalization and others using special devices.
2. Shock wave therapy is carried out using devices that convert an electrical impulse into an ultrasonic wave, which acts on the spine affected by osteochondrosis, accelerating the healing of damaged bone and cartilage tissue and eliminating pain and swelling.
3. Balneotherapy involves the use of mineral water and mud, after exposure to which blood supply improves, pain is relieved, and metabolism is normalized.
4. Magnetotherapy – This device is based on the use of a constant magnetic field generated by special inductors placed on the affected vertebral areas.
5. Laser therapy is based on the use of special lasers that, by acting on the affected tissue, contribute to its restoration.

All physiotherapeutic methods provide symptomatic treatment of osteochondrosis, relieve inflammation and pain, reduce the course of treatment and the dosage of medications taken.

diet

Since therapy for osteochondrosis is complex, it requires a reasonably balanced diet.

It is extremely important for patients with this disease to limit the intake of fluid, salt and simple carbohydrates. You need to exclude from the diet:

• Alcohol;
• Drinks such as cocoa, coffee and strong tea;
• Pickles and spicy dishes;
• Products too rich in extractive substances (mushrooms, fatty fish, poultry, meat, etc. ).

Since osteochondrosis leads to the destruction of the intervertebral cartilage, its restoration requires animal proteins rich in dairy products, lean fish or meat.

For such patients, jellied meat or broth made from boiled beef or pork legs is especially useful. This broth is rich in collagens, which provide additional strength to bone and cartilage tissue.

Health-promoting exercises

Therapeutic exercises play an equally important role in the treatment of osteochondrosis; In addition, they are considered the most effective method of combating the destruction of bone and cartilage cells, help strengthen muscle and joint tissue, ensure mobility of the spine and help restore damaged tissue.

When performing physiotherapy exercises, a few simple conditions should be observed:

1. Movements should not cause severe attacks of pain or discomfort; if such an effect occurs, it is necessary to discuss the situation with a doctor;
2. During periods of exacerbation of the disease, you must not perform exercises, otherwise pain symptoms may increase or complications may arise;
3. You must perform the exercises smoothly and avoid sudden movements.

The necessary exercises are selected by the doctor depending on the patient's condition and the degree of development of osteochondrosis.

massage

Massage procedures improve blood circulation and have a relaxing effect on the patient's muscles. The massage begins with light stroking and then moves on to rubbing and kneading. The massage can be performed with hands or with special objects such as glasses.

Cupping massage for osteochondrosis helps to relieve muscle tension and activate metabolic processes in the affected tissues, as blood circulation and lymph flow are improved. Acupressure, in which the active points of the spine are influenced, has a no less therapeutic effect.

ethnoscience

Traditional medicine, which offers many recipes for various rubs and compresses, can also help in the treatment of osteochondrosis. Thanks to folk remedies that increase blood circulation, it is possible to relieve pain and relax muscles.

These tools are based on:

• Essential oils (fir, etc. );
• Melted lard;
• camphor alcohol;
• badger fat;
• Honey;
• poison from bees, snakes;
• Medicinal roots and herbs such as aloe, birch or horseradish leaves, garlic, ginger, red pepper.

They are combined with alcohol, iodine and turpentine, which leads to a local irritant effect. Mustard baths (200 grams of powder per water bath) are ideal for relieving sudden acute pain.

Orthopedic accessories

A good addition to the home treatment of osteochondrosis would be the use of orthopedic accessories that ensure complete relaxation of the spine during a night's rest.

Therefore, you need to maintain a correct and comfortable posture while sleeping.

High-quality mattresses and orthopedic pillows can help. Thanks to the use of such devices, the spine is completely relaxed during the night, which eliminates the symptoms and improves the patient's condition.

Osteochondrosis can be treated independently. The main thing is to observe the regularity, consistency and complexity of the procedures and coordinate all actions with a specialist.