In the complex therapy of cervical chondrosis (osteochondrosis), injectable solutions, ointments, creams, tablets and dragees are used. The drugs cope well with pain, swelling, inflammation, loss of sensitivity, dizziness and surges in blood pressure.
Characteristic features of the disease.
The course of cervical osteochondrosis is accompanied by a slow and irreversible destruction of the intervertebral discs. Deprived of shock-absorbing cartilaginous padding, bony vertebrae also begin to deform.When visiting a vertebrologist or neurologist, patients complain of sharp or aching pain, stiffness and dizziness when suddenly getting up, so treatment regimens consist of drugs with various properties:
- external agents with local anesthetic, regenerating and warming effects;
- medications that provide adequate nutrition to the brain;
- chondroprotectors that trigger disc restoration processes;
- local and systemic analgesics.
The pathology cannot yet be completely cured. Doctors' efforts are aimed at eliminating painful symptoms and inhibiting the spread of the disease to other parts of the spine. For this, complex treatment regimens are drawn up using drugs from various groups.
Signs of cervical chondrosis
In the initial stages of the disease, there are practically no symptoms in women or men. From time to time a person experiences slight discomfort at night. He attributes them to fatigue after a day of work, so he doesn't go to the doctor. Meanwhile, their intervertebral discs are gradually destroyed. The vertebrae are deformed with the formation of bone growths, squeezing the vertebral artery.
After about a year, the discomfort is replaced by pain, which intensifies when turning or tilting the head.Chondrosis manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- clicking, crackling in the neck;
- limitation of range of motion;
- sudden increases in blood pressure;
- rapid heartbeat;
- unilateral throbbing migraine-like headaches;
- visual and hearing disorders;
- dizziness, instability when walking, sensation of imaginary rotation of objects;
- attacks of nausea, which rarely end in vomiting.
Due to a lack of oxygen in the brain, sleep is disturbed, weakness, apathy, fatigue and ringing in the ears occur. A person's psycho-emotional state worsens: he becomes nervous and worries about trifles.
Principles of pharmacological treatment.
Chiropractors, professional masseuses, physiotherapists and physiotherapists are involved in the treatment of cervical chondrosis. In the final stage, the use of folk remedies is allowed. But the main role in complex therapy is assigned to drugs.All dosage forms are in demand:
- injectable solutions are used for exacerbations of chondrosis to quickly eliminate its painful symptoms;
- tablets, capsules and dragees are prescribed during remissions to prevent destruction of the disc, relieve mild or moderate pain and restore blood circulation;
- ointments, gels, balms and creams are the safest and quickly cope with stiffness and unpleasant crunches.
It is rarely possible to treat osteochondrosis with a single drug. Therapeutic regimens usually include at least 5 drugs with different pharmacological properties. They are compatible and comfortable to use at home.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are used more frequently than other drugs in the treatment of cervical chondrosis. They are indicated for sharp, stabbing or distant and dull pain. The mechanism of action of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is based on the ability to inhibit enzymes responsible for the production of neurotransmitters. All NSAIDs have a complex effect on the human body:
- eliminate painful sensations;
- eliminate creaks and clicks that occur when turning the neck;
- stop the course of acute, subacute and chronic inflammatory processes affecting soft tissues;
- stimulate a reduction in swelling affecting sensory nerve endings;
- increase range of motion in damaged cervical vertebrae.
In the treatment of chondrosis, drugs in the form of solutions for parenteral administration and tablets have proven effective.
Prolonged use of NSAIDs causes damage to the gastric mucosa. The simultaneous use of proton pump inhibitors will help avoid this. The drugs reduce the production of aggressive gastric juice by parietal cells, which increases under the influence of NSAIDs.
synthetic hormones
Glucocorticosteroids are synthetic analogues of hormones produced by the adrenal cortex. This is the "heavy artillery" of drug treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. Like natural hormones, glucocorticosteroids quickly relieve inflammation and swelling and almost instantly eliminate pain. They are used in the form of solutions for intramuscular administration. But in case of acute pain, it is possible to insert them directly into the area of the destroyed intervertebral disc. Treatment of aggravated pathology is carried out with hormonal drugs.One injection is enough to prevent pain for 3 to 5 days. Glucocorticosteroids are prescribed to patients with osteochondrosis when NSAIDs are ineffective. This is the extensive list of its possible side effects. Too frequent use of hormones causes damage to muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments.
The use of hormonal drugs is prohibited during pregnancy, lactation, adolescence and childhood.
All glucocorticosteroids have many contraindications. In clinical practice, withdrawal cases include severe damage to the liver, kidneys, and stomach after prolonged hormone therapy. They are not used in the presence of liver cirrhosis, peptic ulcer, kidney failure or osteoporosis.
Drugs with chondroprotective effects.
All means that are used in the complex treatment of chondrosis only eliminate its symptoms and temporarily improve the person's well-being. The only exception is chondroprotectors. These medications contain ingredients that can cause the restoration of damaged cartilaginous intervertebral discs. Neck pain stops hurting after using them and disappears not for a few hours, but forever.
In pharmacies, chondroprotectors are presented in a wide range. These are capsules, substances for the preparation of injectable solutions, powders packaged in bags.They must contain one of the following components:
- glucosamine. Stimulates the synthesis of bioactive substances necessary for the construction of tissues, improves the composition of synovial fluid. Increases the permeability of the joint capsule, restores enzymatic processes and inhibits the destruction of discs.
- chondroitin. Participates in the construction of cartilage and bone tissue, accelerates metabolic processes. Inhibits the destruction of intervertebral discs, blocks enzymes that damage cartilage tissue.
Products that improve microcirculation
A substance in demand to improve blood circulation in cervical osteochondrosis is xanthinol nicotinate. This medicine is used in the treatment of highly serious pathologies, when not only the discs are deformed, but also the bone vertebrae. Compression of the vertebral artery is manifested by cervicocranialgia. This is the name of a whole complex of symptoms of infringement of the vertebral artery: headache, "floaters" before the eyes, temporary blurred vision, sweating, tachycardia.
Thioctic acid helps improve microcirculation and eliminate "vertebral artery syndrome. "The disadvantage of these drugs is their indiscriminate effect, since they accelerate the movement of blood throughout the body, which is not always advisable. Therefore, the list of its contraindications includes epilepsy, hyperthyroidism and peptic ulcer.
Preparations with vitamin B.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in the acute stage cannot be carried out without the use of drugs, the composition of which is formed from vitamin B. The fact is that acute bone growths of the vertebrae affect not only the vertebral artery. They also put pressure on sensitive nerve roots, altering innervation. Nerve impulses enter the central nervous system with a delay and its responses are inhibited.
Altered innervation causes paresthesia: loss of sensitivity in certain areas of the body.
In the pharmacological treatment of cervical chondrosis, drugs whose activity is determined by pyridoxine, thiamine and vitamin B12 have proven effective.
Many of them are available in the form of solutions for intramuscular administration. Contains vitamin B and an anesthetic. Therefore, after the injection, the pain instantly disappears and the range of motion in the area of the cervical vertebrae is restored.
At the same time, the product improves blood flow, the functioning of the nervous, muscular and cardiovascular systems, relieves inflammation and nerve degeneration. There are contraindications for its use. These are periods of pregnancy and lactation, hypersensitivity to ingredients.
The best muscle relaxants.
Eliminating mild symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis and treating its exacerbations at home is often complicated by muscle spasms. The nerve root is compressed by displaced intervertebral discs and inflammatory edema. A severe pain syndrome occurs, which the body tries to eliminate with muscle spasms. Thanks to this peculiar protective reaction, the person's mobility is limited and the discomfort disappears.
But often an increase in skeletal muscle tone causes even greater pressure on the nerve endings.
Muscle relaxants are combined with all means for the pharmacological treatment of chondrosis, including glucocorticosteroids. They are well tolerated by the body, but some can cause addiction and "withdrawal syndrome. "Therefore, they are not intended for long-term therapies. The duration of the treatment course does not exceed one week.
Medications that improve the psycho-emotional state.
Of all chondroses, it is the cervical one that especially worsens the psycho-emotional state of a person. This is the invasion of the vertebral artery by bone growths, which leads to cerebral hypoxia.The patient suffers from atypical symptoms of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system:
- panic attacks;
- depression, neurosis;
- visual and hearing disorders;
- dry non-productive cough;
- difficulty breathing;
- anxiety, apathy, fatigue;
- various sleep disorders.
What is not necessary to do when they appear is to use cough suppressants, eye or ear drops. Symptoms can often be eliminated by taking treatment with drugs with a mild sedative effect: Tenoten, Novo-Passit, tinctures of motherwort, valerian, peony. Only for severe neuroses and depression are tranquilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants prescribed.
Balanced vitamin complexes
Most essential vitamins, micro and macroelements enter the human body with food. But food products cannot always satisfy physiological needs or are incorrectly absorbed and distributed. For example, with circulatory disorders characteristic of cervical osteochondrosis. There is a deficiency of bioactive substances, which negatively affects the functioning of all vital systems.
To quickly replenish the body's daily needs for vitamins, micro- and macroelements, their balanced complexes should be included in treatment regimens.
Magnesium forms muscle and bone tissue and iodine regulates metabolism. Manganese, molybdenum, chromium, potassium, chlorine, selenium and zinc stimulate the strengthening of the tendon-ligament apparatus and copper stops inflammatory processes. These minerals are present in all the previous complexes.
The correct intake of medicine is to use 1 tablet per day; This amount is sufficient to improve the blood supply to the brain with useful substances.
A week later, the signs of anemia that occur at stage 3 of the development of cervical chondrosis disappear. The person no longer feels drowsy and does not suffer from problems coordinating movements. The double vision of objects before the eyes disappears.
Ointments, gels, balms.
External remedies are always used for exacerbations of chondrosis at home. They cannot cope with severe pain, injections or painkillers are needed. Ointments, creams, gels and balms are used to eliminate pain that occurs during hypothermia and changing climatic zones. Which of them will help cure a chronic disease?
- Anti-inflammatory. The drugs have a milder effect on the human body than other NSAIDs.
- Vasodilators. The agents exhibit local irritant activity and dilate the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain.
- Analgesics. The medications help relieve pain immediately after application. They are well absorbed and do not leave greasy marks on clothing or bedding.
- Heating. Products with pepper extract are applied by applicator only. The drugs have an analgesic effect a couple of minutes after applying them to the back of the neck.
Products for external use are effective and very rarely provoke the development of local allergic reactions. But caution is necessary during treatment. If the ointments come into contact with the mucous membranes, rinse them quickly with water. Especially those that contain essential oils, natural poisons and turpentine.
Therapeutic dressings
A proven remedy for exacerbations of osteochondrosis is pepper patch. Its composition is represented by phytoextracts of red pepper, belladonna and dimexide. The active ingredients of the patch gradually penetrate into the damaged disc area and have an analgesic effect for 3 to 5 hours. If your neck hurts, the external remedy is used whole or cut into small pieces.
The Pepper patch is convenient for treatment at home, at work or while traveling. But it also has a contraindication: individual intolerance to one of the components. And in women with sensitive skin, it can cause a chemical burn.
The patches exhibit anti-inflammatory, decongestant and chondroprotective activity. They are intended for the treatment of all pathologies of the cervical spine. Its use helps reduce the drug load on the human body by reducing doses of systemic drugs.
How to properly treat cervical chondrosis?
Stopping the destruction of intervertebral discs is only possible with an integrated therapeutic approach. The use of orthopedic devices (Schanz collars) that fix the vertebrae in an anatomical position is practiced. Applicators are required to improve blood supply to damaged tissues with nutrients and bioactive substances. Daily physiotherapy classes, yoga, swimming and outdoor walks are shown.
Most medications are recommended for symptom relief during exacerbations. They have many side effects, including damage to liver tissue. For regular use, chondroprotectors, means to improve blood circulation and balanced vitamin-mineral complexes are suitable.