Self-medication is a sure way to harm your own body. But this does not mean that the treatment of osteochondrosis at home is impossible. Treatment of the disease should be started after consulting a doctor.
If all the doctor's recommendations are followed, patients can restore cartilage tissue and the natural anatomical structure of the spine and prevent the development of complications.
Home treatment principles
It should be understood that getting rid of the symptoms of pathology does not mean eliminating osteochondrosis. The disappearance of the signs gives only a brief respite before the start of the next attack. Pain relievers do not cure osteochondrosis. They only eliminate discomfort, spasms and pain.
Dystrophic changes in the spine are due to:
- disturbed blood flow;
- nutrient deficiency in cartilage;
- stagnation in tissue structures;
- lack of oxygen to cartilaginous tissues.
To understand how to treat osteochondrosis at home, you need to know the mechanism of development of the pathology. After 25 years, cartilage loses its ability to receive nutrition from the bloodstream.
The blood vessels that pass through the cartilaginous structures are closed. The nutrients in the cartilage are extracted from the surrounding tissues by reverse osmosis. With reduced motor activity, the cartilage tissues do not receive enough substances necessary for normal function.
Degenerative processes occur in them. Cartilage loses its elasticity, microcracks appear in them. This leads to the destruction of the integrity of the tissue structures, inflammation, edema and pain.
Here's how to cure osteochondrosis at home, doctors advise:
- stick to a diet;
- participate in medical gymnastics;
- taking medications;
- adjust work, rest and sleep mode;
- Create the right place to sleep with a hard surface (an orthopedic mattress and pillow are ideal).
Defeating osteochondrosis helps the persistence of the patient, a systematic approach to treatment. Success is guaranteed with full compliance with all medical recommendations, the correct application of medical methods.
Drug therapy
Medications help suppress the symptoms of osteochondrosis. Home treatment of the disease without medication is impossible. Until the pain disappears, it is forbidden to perform physical therapy exercises, physical therapy procedures and massage. This is the basic rule for the treatment of osteochondrosis in the acute stage.
To alleviate the exacerbation, the attending physician prescribes:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs relieve pain and inflammation. The pills have serious side effects. Its use is only possible after a meal with plenty of water. For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, drugs are administered parenterally (injections are given).
- Muscle relaxants relieve swelling and pain syndrome, reduce hypertonicity of the back muscles. They are taken at the same time as diuretics.
- Sedative medicationsThey drink soothing herbal decoctions, infusions and pharmaceutical preparations (chamomile, motherwort, mint). They eliminate the neuroticization caused by excruciating pain. If spinal osteochondrosis is severe, treatment is carried out with the use of tranquilizers, antidepressants. They normalize the psychological state of a person.
- Complex preparations with B vitamins. The use of multivitamins accelerates the regeneration of nerve fibers. The course of treatment with vitamins is 21 days.
- Local preparations with anti-inflammatory effect. Ointments and gels are rubbed into the affected areas. They fight against pain and inflammation. They are used until the pain syndrome disappears completely.
- Gums and heating balms based on bioactive substances that have a moderate irritant effect. The curative effect is given by bee and snake poisons, menthol, which are part of medicines. It means removing swelling and pain, improving blood flow, restoring nutrition to tissues.
- Applications with medicinal solution. Drugs, which penetrate deep into the tissues, suppress inflammation.
Traditional methods of treatment.
It is impossible to get rid of osteochondrosis only with drugs. The treatment should be complemented with home remedies that the treating doctor will recommend.
Common methods of home treatment with folk remedies:
- Applications with potatoes and honey. Potatoes turn into porridge, combined with honey in equal amounts. The agent spreads on a napkin and fixes on the injury. The application is placed for 1 hour. The procedure is suitable for short-term pain relief.
- Horseradish leaf appliques are a great way to show you how to get rid of the pain. The leaf is steamed in boiling water. Apply with the inside on the sore spot, wrap it in a warm cloth, go to sleep. In the morning, the pain syndrome recedes.
- Treatment of osteochondrosis at home is carried out by taking drugs from pine buds. I collect the raw materials in spring, they pluck those buds that are less than 2 centimeters long (only that they are enriched with the necessary bioactive substances). The kidneys are washed, dried and turned into mush. Mixed with sugar. For 2 parts of the kidney porridge, take 1 part of sugar. The mixture is refrigerated for 14 days. The product preparation criterion is brown. They are treated for 21 days, taking 1 teaspoon of the drug.
- Bathroom. A steam room helps to eliminate osteochondrosis. Warm up in the steam room with breaks. They go into it 3 times for 5 minutes. The procedure is done every other day. The course of treatment is 10 sessions. Bathing relieves pain.
- Nettle seed oil helps to treat osteochondrosis at home. Mix 100 ml of vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons of plant seeds. The mixture is allowed to infuse for 14 days. The oil is filtered, poured into a dark glass bottle. It is rubbed with oil. The procedure relieves pain.
- Vodka, honey and aloe tincture is another popular way to relieve pain in osteochondrosis. For cooking, take vodka, honey and aloe in a ratio of 3: 2: 1. When combining the components, let them sit for several hours. Compresses are made with this tool at night.
- Healing baths suppress pain, remove toxins, increase blood flow, and relieve inflammation. For the treatment of osteochondrosis, salt, turpentine and mustard baths are taken. Baths with pine needles, oak bark, sage, juniper help fight the disease.
Hardware methods of treating osteochondrosis at home.
Despite the variety of home methods of treating osteochondrosis, consult a doctor before independently fighting the disease!
The pharmaceutical industry produces devices for the treatment of osteochondrosis at home. The devices act on the diseased areas with an impulse or vibration generated by electric currents or a magnetic field. The devices allow you to perform medical procedures at home.
In addition to drug therapy, folk methods and hardware techniques, osteochondrosis is treated at home, performing therapeutic exercises, doing massage (classical, cupping, acupressure). The symptoms will pass quickly and the treatment will be effective if traditional and therapeutic methods are combined with a diet.
The diet should be enriched with healthy foods: fruits, vegetables, meats and lean fish, dairy products. With osteochondrosis, spicy and fatty dishes, meat broths, alcoholic beverages, coffee and pork are contraindicated.
Complex treatment helps to get rid of osteochondrosis, to forget about pain. Follow your doctor's advice to restore function and health to your spine.