Effective methods for 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 among the adult population suffer from osteochondrosis.

The pathology can begin in youth (20-25 years), gradually becoming complicated by new manifestations. In general, lumbar, thoracic and cervical osteochondrosis are distinguished.

Symptoms of the disease

Osteochondrotic lesions of the cervical spine are characterized by:

• Boring pain in the neck and back of the head (cervicalgia);
• If the vertebral artery is damaged, then the activity of the nerve centers responsible for normalizing pressure indicators is disrupted, so hypertension is often an accompanying pathology of osteochondrosis;
• During the development of cervical osteochondrosis, compression of the spinal artery occurs, which provokes the occurrence of symptoms such as extraneous sounds in the ears, dizziness and visual disturbances, paroxysmal aching headaches;
• Heart pain radiating to the shoulder blade and neck, similar to the pain of angina pectoris.

Lumbar osteochondrosis is characterized by symptoms:

• Severe pain resulting from compression of the spinal nerve roots, as well as the venous-arterial highways that deliver nutrition to the spinal cord;
• When the lower lumbar roots are affected, the disease is accompanied by shooting pain along the outside of the legs, which turns into decreased sensitivity of this area;
• Often, lumbar osteochondrosis is manifested by shooting pain going 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, manifestations such as weakness in the legs, lumbar pain, decreased 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 decreased sensitivity of the lower thoracic vertebrae, accompanied by dysfunction of the pelvic organs. When moving or sneezing, the pain increases;
• In rare cases, thoracic osteochondrosis causes spinal compression, which is characterized by local girdling 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

In the treatment of osteochondrosis, a whole range of therapeutic techniques is used:

1. Drug therapy;
2. Physiotherapy (massage procedures, physical therapy, 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 pain with its subsequent elimination, 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. Along with anti-inflammatory drugs, patients are prescribed muscle relaxants from the group of muscle relaxants;
2. Treatment aimed at normalizing blood circulation involves 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 used to relieve anxiety and depressive conditions, which often occur in patients against the background of limited movement and pain of osteochondrosis origin.
6. Therapy with herbal preparations often helps to significantly alleviate the condition of patients, since such medicines restore immune defense, sleep and strength of the body, and prevent depression.

Physiotherapeutic activities

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

• Help in eliminating pain syndrome;
• Increase the amplitude of motor capabilities;
• Improve and facilitate the course of immune processes;
• Normalize blood circulation;
• Normalize metabolic processes;
• Provide a reduction in the therapeutic dosage of anti-inflammatory non-steroidal and analgesic drugs.

Physiotherapy has many varieties. In anti-osteochondrosis treatment the following is most often used:

1. Electrotherapy involves carrying out 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 with devices that convert an electrical impulse into an ultrasound wave, which, acting on the spine affected by osteochondrosis, accelerates the healing of damaged bone and cartilage tissue, eliminates pain and swelling;
3. Balneotherapy involves the use of mineral waters and mud, after exposure to which blood supply improves, pain is relieved and material metabolism is normalized;
4. Magnetotherapy - this device is based on the use of a constant magnetic field created by special inductors that are placed on the affected vertebral areas;
5. Laser therapy is based on the use of special lasers, which, by acting on the affected tissues, contribute to their restoration.

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

Diet

Since anti-osteochondrosis therapy is complex, it requires a rationally balanced diet.

For patients with this disease, it is extremely important to limit the intake of liquid, salt, and simple carbohydrates. They need to remove from the diet:

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

Since osteochondrosis causes destruction of intervertebral cartilage, their restoration requires animal proteins, which are rich in dairy products, lean fish or meat.

Jellied meat or broth prepared from boiled bones of beef or pork legs is especially useful for such patients. This broth is rich in collagens, which provide bone and cartilage tissue with additional strength.

Health-improving exercises

Therapeutic exercises play an equally important role in the treatment of osteochondrosis; moreover, it is considered the most effective method of combating the destruction of bone and cartilage cells, helps strengthen muscle and joint tissues, ensures mobility of the spine and helps in the restoration of damaged tissues.

When performing physical therapy exercises, several simple conditions should be observed:

1. Movements should not cause severe attacks of pain or any discomfort; if such an effect occurs, it is necessary to discuss the situation with a doctor;
2. You cannot perform exercises during periods of exacerbation of the disease, otherwise the pain symptom may increase or complications may develop;
3. You need to perform the exercises smoothly, avoiding sudden movements.

The set of necessary exercises is selected by the doctor in accordance with the patient’s condition and the degree of development of osteochondrosis.

Massage

Massage procedures help improve blood circulation and have a relaxing effect on the patient’s muscles. The massage begins with light stroking, then moves on to rubbing and kneading. Massage can be done with your hands or using special objects like jars.

Cupping massage for osteochondrosis helps relieve muscle tension and activate metabolic processes in the affected tissues due to improved blood flow and lymph flow. Acupressure, which involves influencing active spinal points, has no less therapeutic effect.

ethnoscience

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

These tools are based on:

• Essential oils (fir, etc. );
• Melted pork lard;
• Camphor alcohol;
• Badger fat;
• Honey;
• Poison of 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 results in a local irritant effect. Mustard baths (200 grams of powder per bath of water) are excellent for relieving sudden acute pain.

Orthopedic accessories

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

Therefore, while sleeping, you need to take a correct and comfortable body position.

High-quality mattresses and orthopedic pillows can help with this. Thanks to the use of such devices, the spine will be completely relaxed during the night, which will eliminate symptoms and improve the patient’s condition.

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