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

CT scan 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? You need to stop exercising if your back pain occurs during exercise, and visit a doctor to find the causes and choose treatment methods.

Symptoms of pathology

The symptoms of osteochondrosis are characterized by various manifestations. In most cases, patients have back pain, but the presence of a symptom still does not indicate the onset of osteochondrosis. The nature of the pain syndrome is different, which is related to the individual characteristics of the patients. In addition, the symptoms do not always appear, especially in the early stages of development.

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

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

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

Chest department

When the chest area is affected, pain occurs during exercise. The symptom spreads to the arm or the area between the shoulder blades. Patients often confuse the manifestations of osteochondrosis of the chest with cardiovascular disease, as back pain is given to the sternum.

Chest pain with osteochondrosis

The patient's condition is characterized by spasms that occur on inhalation or exhalation. Discomfort occurs especially often at night, which is associated with uncomfortable posture during sleep. Treatment should be started in a timely manner, otherwise complications will occur.

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. Reduction of the capabilities of the organs of vision 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 the pain syndrome occurs in the shoulders, shoulders 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 as each movement causes a lot of discomfort. These include the following events:

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

In addition to acute or painful pain in the lumbar region, the symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis are represented by a feeling of tingling and numbness. Prolonged stay in one position increases the discomfort. If the symptoms are acute, then the patient is advised to rest and avoid exertion.

Methods of treatment

The appearance of the first symptoms should be a good reason to visit a medical institution and start treatment. Lack of intervention can lead to the development of osteochondrosis, which will lead to other symptoms of the lesion 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 the unpleasant symptoms and eliminating dystrophic processes if the disease is in its early stages of development. In this case, drugs are used:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
  • Painkillers;
  • Chondroprotectors;
  • Complexes of vitamins and minerals.

Folk recipes can be prescribed as an additional method to eliminate pain. It is important to remember that they are secondary, so their use as a primary treatment is not recommended. 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 medication. What is forbidden to do? The patient should not choose medications on their own, as it is necessary to make a diagnosis before starting therapy to identify the causes of osteochondrosis of the back. In addition, it is necessary to identify the characteristics of the disease. The patient can not cope with this task alone, this also applies to the choice of groups of drugs, their dosage.

The doctor prescribes drugs to treat osteochondrosis

In severe pain, injection treatment is used. Unpleasant symptoms are quickly eliminated, which brings relief to the patient. Comprehensive treatment includes 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. Vitamin B complexes.

NSAIDs are essential for relieving pain and reducing inflammation. The injection method of application allows you to achieve a positive result in a short period of time. It is not always possible to deal with back pain with osteochondrosis, which is why they additionally resort to the help of painkillers.

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

In addition to injections, tablet forms of drugs are used. The following drugs are used to treat osteochondrosis:

  • Combined painkillers;
  • Muscle relaxants;
  • NSAIDs.

Topical 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 the signs of osteochondrosis with the following ointments:

  1. Sophisticated tools.
  2. Non-steroidal drugs.
  3. Massage products: oman 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 drugs from the main therapy leads to positive results, but only in compliance with the rules and dosages. It is also necessary to remember about the presence of side effects, therefore before the procedure it is necessary to consult a doctor and rule out the presence of allergic reactions.

The patient consults a doctor for folk remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis

The following methods are used to treat osteochondrosis:

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

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

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

Hops and lard for the preparation of a healing ointment for osteochondrosis

An effective composition is horseradish with vodka. It is recommended to perform the procedure before bedtime. To prepare the composition, the root of the plant is crushed thoroughly, then vodka is added. Both components are taken in equal proportions. To treat the symptoms, it is enough to rub the product into the back.

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

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

The components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Using the ointment, rub the back several times a day. If you do everything right, the result will not be late. The pain will decrease, the condition will improve significantly, and the 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 recovery and elimination of pain is the normalization of the daily routine. The patient must give up 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 meals:

  • coffee;
  • strong tea;
  • Unhealthy foods;
  • dishes 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. An example of this is burdock leaves, which can be used to relieve pain. You will need to take a fresh leaf and steam it. Such a tool is applied to the back and covered with a warming cloth. The back should be treated for about 30 minutes.

Burdock leaf compress to relieve pain in osteochondrosis of the back

The combination of honey and potatoes is an excellent remedy for treating signs of osteochondrosis. The potatoes are cut in advance and honey is added to the resulting substance. The ingredients should be taken in equal proportions. The composition can be applied directly on the back. After completion of this action, the application site is covered with polyethylene and wrapped in a towel. The duration of treatment for back pain is 2 hours.

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

Osteochondrosis is often treated with horse chestnut. The fruits of the plant are crushed, then flooded 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 chestnut tincture with vodka.

Chamomile flowers are known for their healing properties. To treat and eliminate back pain, dried flowers are needed, which are flooded with boiling water and insist for half an hour. After filtering through cheesecloth or another device, you can add it to the bath. In a similar way, a medicine is prepared from birch leaves.

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