Osteochondrosis is a rather unpleasant disease of the spine, belonging to the degenerative-dystrophic type. This leads to abnormal compaction of the intervertebral discs and their exceeding the normal range. As a result, the patient begins to experience severe pain.
With the development of the disease, the nature and frequency of pain will only increase. In this regard, the patient is prescribed injections of drugs. They quickly lead to the desired result, since their entry into the circulatory system takes literally a few minutes. In addition, it is possible to use the drug locally. For example, inject it directly into the affected joint.
But this method of treatment has some drawbacks. For example, there is a risk of infection or tissue damage to the joint at the injection site. Therefore, such treatment is prescribed only when it is really necessary. Below we will take a closer look at cervical osteochondrosis, its symptoms and treatment with injections.
Typical and atypical symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis
The main difference between cervical and lumbar is that the vertebrae are located more closely to each other. For this reason, the appearance of pathology in at least one of them can disrupt the normal functioning of the entire spine. In order to exclude the possibility of other diseases with similar symptoms, to prescribe the correct treatment and injections for osteochondrosis, it is important to accurately establish the diagnosis.
The main problem is that the initial forms of cervical osteochondrosis practically do not appear. And already in a neglected state, a variety of unpleasant and painful sensations begin, resulting from the process of changing the very structure of the cartilage and pinching the artery.
Symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis include:
- It all starts with the appearance of pain in the cervical region. This pain begins to cover the muscles of the back of the head, is accompanied by an unpleasant and frightening cracking sound and becomes stronger when turning the head. Severe headaches are possible, radiating to the neck, left chest and passing to the lower back;
- There may be a feeling of nausea. This is due to a violation of normal cerebral circulation. There may be signs of vegetovascular diseases, there is a feeling of heat, intense sweating, hearing loss and numbness of the tongue.
- Breathing difficulties are possible. They are associated with excessive irritation of the diaphragm due to damage to the vertebrae of the neck. There may be severe shortness of breath and even a feeling of suffocation. This can lead to memory impairment and permanent brain damage.
- In addition, this condition is characterized by visual impairment. It occurs due to distortion of the arteries. This leads to the appearance of blurred vision, flickering dots before the eyes, difficulty in focusing the gaze and the occurrence of atherosclerosis;
- Due to spasm of the arteries and disruption of normal blood flow in the brain, dizziness may occur, which can turn into unexpected loss of consciousness and unsteady pressure.
The need for treatment with injections may arise depending on the stage of the disease and the ability to deform the vertebrae. In any case, the sooner you start treatment, the more chances you have to permanently get rid of osteochondrosis. Ignoring the disease can lead to dangerous consequences, up to disability.
Indications for the appointment of injections for cervical osteochondrosis
Traditionally, in case of osteochondrosis, such treatment methods are prescribed as:
- Massage;
- Special gymnastics;
- manual therapy;
- Yoga;
- Methods of Oriental Medicine;
- Other.
All of the above is aimed at restoring the spine and counteracting the consequences of osteochondrosis. But such procedures may simply not be feasible. This is due to the severe pain experienced by the patient. That is why injections are needed for cervical osteochondrosis.
With cervical osteochondrosis, several types of pain are possible, depending on their origin:
- reflex;
- Spasmodic;
- neuropathic;
- Compression.
The greatest attention should be paid to the latter, as it is the most common and dangerous variety. In inflammatory processes, pain is easier to treat. So it is possible to get rid of it even with just one drug.
Depending on the type of syndrome, treatment is prescribed:
- Accelerated effect. By skipping the absorption process in the gastrointestinal tract, the drug reaches the target organs almost immediately;
- particular. Some drugs can simply lead to destruction in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, their effectiveness will be worse, especially compared to drugs that enter the bloodstream directly.
- Selective. Some injections for cervical osteochondrosis are placed directly at the site of injury. This is necessary to improve their performance.
The most effective injections for osteochondrosis are prescribed on the recommendation of a doctor. The greatest effect can be achieved precisely when using injections.
What injections are prescribed for cervical osteochondrosis
All injections for osteochondrosis are strictly prescribed by a doctor after the patient is hospitalized during an exacerbation of the disease. The patient undergoes an intensive course in which all drugs are administered parenterally.
The main indication for prescribing the treatment of osteochondrosis with injections is severe pain that ointments or tablets cannot withstand.
Between exacerbations, injections can also be prescribed for osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Basically, these are chondroprotectors and vitamin complexes to improve the condition of the spine. This helps to minimize the number of exacerbations. Prescribed injections for osteochondrosis will be discussed below.
Muscle relaxants and antispasmodics
These drugs must be combined with other drugs. They are used to relieve muscle spasms and relieve pinched nerve endings. With a good prescription of drugs, they give a good result.
If we talk about some drugs from this group, the dosage will be 25 mg for 10 days.
Painkillers
These drugs are usually prescribed in cases where anti-inflammatory drugs are powerless. Especially painkillers. The most effective painkiller injections for osteochondrosis:
- Analgesic and antipyretic from the group of pyrazolones. Although it belongs to NSAIDs, it has practically no anti-inflammatory effect. But quickly copes with the pain. It should be administered intravenously twice a day;
- Analgesic that acts directly on the opioid receptors in the head to relieve pain. The effect appears within 30 minutes and lasts six hours. The drug is addictive, but not strong.
Vitamin complexes
Often with osteochondrosis, injections of vitamins A, E and C are prescribed. They are able to reduce inflammation of affected tissues and nerve endings and have a positive effect on microcirculation.
For the most part, vitamin injections from cervical osteochondrosis are released in the form of oily or aqueous solutions. Are introduced only intramuscularly. A course of treatment lasts a few weeks.
NSAIDs
Regardless of the degree of osteochondrosis, one of the main pathogenic factors is inflammation. These drugs are designed to eliminate symptoms (especially pain). They cannot help defeat the disease on its own.
Chondroprotectors
Contributes to the protection and restoration of intervertebral discs. The composition of the preparations includes the same substances as in the composition of the joint tissue. They quickly cope with pain and inflammation.
They are administered intramuscularly, as prescribed by the doctor, daily or a few times a week. The duration of the course is several weeks.
Methods of drug administration for cervical osteochondrosis
During the injection process, it is important to follow the rules of antisepsis and asepsis, since the integrity of the skin is violated and there is a risk of infection. There are several types of injections that are administered for osteochondrosis, namely:
- intravenous;
- epidural;
- Intraosseous;
- Intramuscular.
The intramuscular injection process is as follows:
- It is necessary to treat the skin at the injection site with iodine or alcohol;
- Draw the medicine into the syringe according to the dosage indicated in the instructions;
- Insert the needle about two-thirds into the muscle.
If you can do everything yourself when injecting into a muscle, then you will definitely need an experienced assistant to perform injections in the neck.
The cervical variety of osteochondrosis is much more dangerous than the lumbar or thoracic. All because the vessels are pinched and the blood circulation in the brain is disturbed. Distortion of the structure itself and deformation of the intervertebral discs can lead to compression of the nerve roots, as well as the destruction of the vessels responsible for the blood circulation of the brain.
As a result, with impaired blood circulation, a person begins to become stupid and does not even notice it. In addition to the above treatment, it is important to get rid of the cause of the pathology as much as possible, for example:
- Lack of activity in daily life;
- Too much weight;
- Violations of metabolic processes;
- poor eating habits;
- Constant stress;
- severe hypothermia;
- Wound;
- Sitting frequently without moving.
Properly prescribed treatment with injections in a short time can eliminate pain, relieve inflammation and restore normal blood flow. In severe attacks of the disease, the patient may be prescribed droppers with mixtures of several drugs.